House of Capricorn, The: Morning Star Rise

I think I have a problem. You see, I want to compare all of these devil-themed bands to Ghost (or Ghost B. C.—you know the band I mean). The reason this is a problem is because the comparisons aren't entirely fair. Ghost B. C. is simply one of the best-known of the bunch. Sure, they're pretty good, but some of these other bands might even be better. They may not be as commercially successful or as popular, but since when is that the most reliable measure?

The band, hailing from New Zealand (not just the home of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films!), keeps most of its attention on dark, brooding, and devilish themes. The music and themes are presented in a much less gimmicky way than the aforementioned Ghost B. C. It's not for me to weigh one band's obsession with the devil over the others. Let's just say that this is (as the band calls it) "devil rock." For better or worse, the devil, hell, and so on, has long been part of what makes extreme music distinctive. The album works pretty well. The music is mostly a brooding affair, performed at a slow pace. The vocals are very deep, but melodic. I probably describe things as "haunting" too much, but that's the word I'd use here. I could also say "cavernous." The vocals just have that deep, echoing, quality that sounds like they are coming from somewhere else.

As for individual songs, I'd recommend "Ashlands" or "Dragon of Revelations." The latter was my favorite song even though it bears an uncanny resemblance to Head of the Demon's "The Key." That opening arpeggio is woven from the exact same cloth. I think it's an arpeggiated tritone. The sound is distinctive and cool. Check it out. "Watching Angels Fall" and "The Road to Hell is Marked" are among the faster tracks here. I was glad that things were a bit more up-tempo. The vocals also alternate a bit which gives variety to the whole thing.

Track Listing:
1. The Road to Hell is Marked
2. In Light of Lucifer
3. Our Shrouded King
4. Ashlands
5. The Only Star in the Sky
6. Ivory Crown
7. Watching Angels Fall
8. Covenant's Ark
9. Dragon of Revelations

Added: January 18th 2015
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 1697
Language: english

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