CoC : Ancient Ceremony - Synagoga Diabolica : Review

Ancient Ceremony - _Synagoga Diabolica_
(Alister Records, 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (6 out of 10)

Opening with a short but effective mood-setting intro, Ancient Ceremony deliver the follow-up MCD/album hybrid to _Fallen Angel's Symphony_ [CoC #38]. A band that has gone through several line-up changes in recent times, Ancient Ceremony certainly have the merit of having kept going, led by vocalist Chris Anderle; but even though _Synagoga Diabolica_ is by no means a bad release, I feel the band needs to find something that will make them stand out from the crowd more effectively in the future. The half-thrashy, half-symphonic blackened metal they present on _Synagoga Diabolica_ lacks a significant part of the flourishes that made _Fallen Angel's Symphony_ more attractive, whilst for the most part failing to compensate for that with remarkable improvements in other areas. The average cover of Metallica's "Creeping Death" that closes the record does little to help things. The music on _Synagoga Diabolica_ is quite listenable and indicates that the band may be getting ready to release a very worthy follow-up, but as Ancient Ceremony head towards their third full-length album (counting this one as an MCD), they need to cause a greater impression next time.

Contact: http://www.ancient-ceremony.de

(article published 25/10/2000)

CHATS
13/4/1998	P Azevedo	Ancient Ceremony: Tales of Vampyric Romanticism

ALBUMS
14/3/1999	P Azevedo	8	Ancient Ceremony - Fallen Angel's Symphony
13/4/1998	P Azevedo	7	Ancient Ceremony - Under Moonlight We Kiss