Moon in the Scorpio (1996, Nocturnal Art)
After listening to the superb "In Abhorrence Dementia" I went (online) and bought the
other three Limbonic Art albums I was able to uncover, this being one of them. MITS is
the first full-length CD the band released (not counting the demo re-recordings available
on the 1998 between-album gimmick "Epitome of Illusions"). Despite my heightened
expectations, the album did not let me down. It is an incredible piece that clearly
foreshadows what was to come. The symphonic evil blackness alternates with calm piano
passages, Latin chants, and majestic eerie atmospheres. In a typical BM fashion, the
drums fill in just about every beat humanly (and computerly) available. Nevertheless,
the music does not suffer from overcrowding.
Style-wise, LA could be compared to Dimmu Borgir of SBD period and Covenant of the
Nexus Polaris era... taking a second to dodge sharp pointy objects flying uncomfortably
close to my head... Seriously, the comparison does not do justice to the band, but is as
close as one can get. The music is much more complex than DB and more engaging than the
usually bland Covenant. It is very aggressive but manages to retain a lot of dignity,
although I wouldn't brag about writing the lyrics if I were Daemon.
Clocking in at close to 60 minutes, the album is a worthwhile hunt even though it might
take some time to find in the US.
Verdict: Very cool, surreal, atmospheric, symphonic black metal.
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