Poland's Metal Mind Productions is certainly making an international name for itself by releasing quality progressive rock and progressive metal by artists that are probably new to American audiences. Among the best of the latest bunch happens to be the frighteningly named Cemetery of Scream. This veteran atmospheric dark-metal band boasts five outstanding musicians and one hell of a vocalist, whose slightly gruff delivery will garner Cemetery of Scream comparisons to Metallica and Mercenary. Having evolved from what Metal Mind describes as a "mystical symphonic doom death" band with vast keyboards, Cemetery of Scream has endured multiple lineup changes and is now firmly rooted in clean-vocal territory — with intelligent lyrics that don't read as if they've been translated from a Polish-to-English pocket dictionary.
The band's well-paced fourth full-length album, The Event Horizon, finds new vocalist Pawel Kluczewski pouring his tormented soul into moody tracks like "Prophet" and "Cold Obsession In My Eyes," aggressive songs like "Komatrance" and "Absinthe" and the moving ballad "The Secret Window." At times, ethereal female vocalist Kasia Malenda accompanies Kluczewski, but Cemetery of Scream manages to not sound derivative of other bands that employ mixed-gender atmospherics. Through it all, melodies reign supreme – dark as they may be. Most noteworthy is "Ganges," which speaks about goddesses and ritual fires and sacred rivers of sacrifice but is nonetheless one of the best songs on the album. It serves as a prime example of how Cemetery of Scream evokes fearless visual soundscapes, and the strummed acoustic guitar stands in stark contrast to the song's down-tuned power chords - infusing color and character that are lacking in many of today's dark-metal bands. Katarzyna Rachwalik's rich keyboards also enhance Cemetery of Scream's appeal.
At 45 minutes, The Event Horizon – not to be confused with the Greek metal band Event Horizon – is the perfect length, giving listeners time to wallow in Cemetery of Scream's melancholy, work out their aggressions during some of the heavier tunes and still get out before depression sets in. What more could a listener ask for from a band of this caliber?
Track Listing:
1) Prophet
2) Ganges
3) Komatrance
4) On the Border
5) Cold Obsession in My Eyes
6) Absinthe
7) The Secret Window
8) Burial Ground
9) In His Room
10) Where Next?
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