CoC : 1349 - Liberation : Review

1349 - _Liberation_
(Candlelight, 2003)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10)

If venomous, shrill black metal is not your thing, then you might as well forget about 1349. Otheriwse, you are likely to feel at least somewhat intrigued by the insanely fast drumming courtesy of Satyricon's Frost (it really needs to be heard to be believed) and the way _Liberation_ sometimes sounds like a mix of Ulver's black masterpiece _Nattens Madrigal_ and Satyricon. The emotional charge is not quite the same as that of the Ulver album, but the similarities between the two go a bit deeper than the extremely harsh production: the shredding guitars are by no means devoid of well thought-out riffs and leads, and combine with the often almost disorienting speed of the drum patterns to create a structure of considerable potential. If guitars, vocals and drumming are all barbed wire, rusty razors and machine gun fire, the more rocking Satyricon-like riffs and choruses that occasionally surface (e.g. "Riders of the Apocalypse", "Legion") help balance things somewhat. Make no mistake, however -- this is not an easy album to like if you are used to bassy death metal or clean melodic metal. The production is not such that the guitars or drums are devoid of power, but it takes some getting used to before you can enjoy all the technicality and fury on offer. Indeed, getting past the production barrier opens up rewards in the shape of some great, memorable guitar passages (e.g. "Manifest", "I Breathe Spears"), often hysterically fast but impeccably tight drumming, and ultimately an album that strikes the balance between uncompromising extremity and musical enjoyment quite well -- much like Anaal Nathrakh have done recently. _Liberation_ is definitely worth checking out if you can handle its barbed wire.

(article published 27/10/2003)

CHATS
31/1/2008	J Smit	1349: Mental Mercury

ALBUMS
21/5/2009	J Smit	6	1349 - Revelations of the Black Flame
17/10/2005	J Smit	8	1349 - Hellfire

GIGS
29/3/2015	P Schwarz	1349	Trigger the Boredom
20/9/2006	T DePalma	Celtic Frost / 1349	Congregation of the Wicked
7/12/2005	J Smit	Gorgoroth / 1349	Twlight of the (Black Metal) Idols