At once somber and full of life, liveatthecaledonienhall is a fitting epitaph for In the Woods… , Norway's post-black-metal cult heroes. Recorded in Christiansand, Norway, on Dec. 29, 2000, this two-disc, 20-track, 146-minute set captures the essence of the band's experimental and ambient nature with Pink Floyd-style excursions, gothic-metal fetishes and psychedelic dervishes. The document covers all aspects of the group's eight-year career, with songs alternating between droning and clean male vocals, operatic female shrieks, distortion, feedback and some damn fine melodies that hint at a depth and darkness that must have made attending this farewell gig, with its generous musical offerings and attentive crowd, a downright spiritual experience.
Three things in particular worth noting:
1. The band's entire critically acclaimed second album, Omnio, is aired here in its entirety, as is an astonishing cover of Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit."
2. Each disc features a different producer.
3. At least one band member pays tribute to his mother by pointing her out to the audience and dedicating a song to "all moms out there."
liveatthecaledonienhall comes with a 16-song sampler from Karmakosmetix, a new label created by former In the Woods ... members, that features some eclectic but addictive material. Unfortunately, though, most of the tracks fail to meet the standard set by In the Woods…
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