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Opera IX - The Black Opera
Opera IX hails from Italy and plays some kind of 'half-fast' hybrid black metal. I had never heard their music before this album and i'm quite happy I discovered them. 'The Black Opera - Symphoniae Mysteriorum In Laudem Tenebrarum' is something refreshing in the underground metal world. Especially with a female singing. You don't hear that every day with black metal. Her voice is very impressing and somewhat 'raw'. It can be beautiful at times, and it fits perfectly with the sound of the guitars(!). Some of the best vocals i've heard in a while.
The guitarists are competent and skilled but they were unfortunetly under-produced. I would have liked them to be more present, more death metal sounding maybe. It just doesnt seem that there are 2 guitars sometimes. And where is the bass! The drummer does his job and it is well mixed. They keyboards are beautiful done and arranged, and sometimes they are just high enough in the mix that we can enjoy the work. The only big problem is that they seem to be repeating themselves in some ways between the songs.
All in all, I am still enjoying this album after quite sometime listening to it. Recommended.
Best songs: The First Seal, Beyond The Black Diamond Gates, Carnal Delight In The Vortex Of Evil
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