Merciful Nuns
Meteora VII
After a few months since
the band released their very first single in wax format plus a
wonderful CD EP, both of them called Exoplanet (released
as one pack) MERCIFUL NUNS are back with their seventh full-lenght under the appellation of Meteora (ancient Greek: “to elevate”) “When fog envelopes the Meteora rock at dawn we can sometimes see the monasteries. They appear to be floating.” Artaud. I always described the Nuns music as Occvlt Gothic Rock
but recently I saw Artaud's description about the band's sound as
Occvlt Post-Goth which epithet gives more sense to their music due
to the high complexity in the atmosphere of some songs that can
be really deeper in matters of musical effectiveness that sometimes
it feels it comes from beyond, not from simple uniqueness. Although
the band also has such a simple part with which to make real magic in
converting simple simplicity in true hymns, sometimes the simple
factor mixed with the complexity factor make a real package always to
consider, compositional quality – fire in the hole!
I've
always said that GARDEN OF DELIGHT and the Nuns are very different
from each other, but finally this time I can say that there is
something more than a simple connection when I listen the opening
track "Elektra", which reminds me occasionally of the post
NECROMANTEION GOD's works. Everybody
already knows the song Phantom Wall thanks
to the Nuns first official video, which received great feedback,
same as the following track called Karma
Inn which also has a
video clip. In my opinion Karma Inn is one the best songs of the Nuns to date,
it has the spirit and influence of those early creators of the
authentic gothic rock, SISTERS. Just terrific.
Now
talking about very energetic, strong and direct songs, which make
you jump at concerts – Speed
of Light / Eulusian
Ground / Zero G – which
trio of songs are spontaneous and natural, and
of course we can find a closing reflecting song of nine minutes, A
Place Beyond - minutes
of introspection, fly through space to another reality, Nuns trademark. This new album in my
opinion goes further than any other album the band released before in terms of production, it's perhaps the best one to date together with the almighty HYPOGEUM II. The songwriting in METERORA VII could remind you of the eccentric and highly successful XIBALBA
III.
METERORA VII
contains very sharp songs that can be recorded in your neurons from
the first listen which makes the rhythm of the album more
enthusiastic and pleasant with every listen. There is nothing more
valuable to a collector, a fan or a music journalist than finding a
great surprise to hear an album from start to finish, and make the
simple conclusion that the album has all the elements to make it a
masterpiece of the genre. Brilliant. Now the 33rd degree is a fact. The Nuns are the most Iconic band of this, what i call Third Wave, so if you don't know the band already here is the perfect album to start with and go backwards through their discography.
> Oskar Terramortis
