Algaion

Algaion - Oimai Algaiou
Full Moon Productions, 1994
Genre: Black Metal

1. Venenum Hominitatis (Intro)
2. Natrices Educati
3. Heosphoros
4. In Aede Dolorium
5. On The Reach Of Zaphonia
6. Kratos
7. The Last Delusion









Being a fan of the Full Moon Production albums released in the early years, I no doubt came across picking up this Algaion album.  Not to mention it had been recommended to me by a friend as being a superb Black Metal album.  Upon opening up the album and so forth I saw that Frederik Söderlund also had a hand in this album by playing session drums.  A pleasant surprise since I had already enjoyed his work in his solo project Octinomos as well.

The album opens with a somber keyboard instrumental, which was quite typical of the time for early 1990 Black Metal.  Finally the album launches into its “Natrices Educati” an exceptional track with driving drums and passionately played guitar lines.  The vocals kick in and the Algaion sound is complete.  The vocals have just a little bit too much reverb on them by regular standards, but for Algaion it really makes their sound so much more full and adds that extra atmospheric edge.  Few bands could hit this properly like Algaion do.  Even though the guitar work is fairly simple Black Metal, Frederik Söderlund didn’t hold back his skill behind the drum set.  The drum lines are actually varied so it adds that extra needed interest point for listeners.  Algaion are nothing to scoff at in the guitar department either because Matthias Kamijo is a wonderful guitarist.  I mean now that I still listen to this a solid ten years after its release date, which wasn’t too much before when I initially purchased the album, I still find this a great album to listen to and I enjoy every moment of it.

Unfortunately, the lyrics to this album weren’t printed.  However, the song titles are slightly confusing as to what this band is into seeing has how they are printed in Greek, Latin and English.  The actual album title on the back of the CD case is printed in Greek, so their band name no doubt alludes to something of Greek philosophy or mythology possibly.  Alas, this is not my area of expertise so I cannot inform you much more than what little I know on this particular subject.

I think all of us will agree that the song “The Last Delusion” is by far the all star track on this Algaion album.  Now that we’ve all had the luxury of having seen the Lord of the Rings trilogy in film format we all got to hear an awesome rendition of Gollum’s voice, or voices, depending on how you want to look at his multiple personality disorder.  Anyway, Algaion have already taken things to the next level and “The Last Delusion” sounds just like if Gollum was singing in this band.  It’s by far one of the coolest things I ever heard, and we all know how great of a Black Metal singer Gollum would make.  He might be a little small in terms of height, considering there probably aren’t too many Black Metallers out there that are under six feet tall.  It was pretty interesting because after watching a Lord of the Rings film I threw this album on while I was working on some homework back at school and I got to this track and was amazed at how much this guy sounded like Gollum.  It makes me wonder if the actor playing Gollum listened to bands like Algaion.  To top it all off in the middle of this supremely epic track we hear the serenades of a beautiful female vocalist.  Clearly the best track Algaion have ever managed to put together.

Algaion like all Swedish bands, at least until more recently around the new millennium, bear that melodic touch in almost all the riffing.  I don’t know what it is about the Swedes, but they love their melodies, the Norwegians love the dissonance, and the Finnish love their harsh Black Metal.  Anyway, Algaion really are a very excellent band and I would highly recommend getting this album as it has a long lasting impression to the listeners, if not, then just listen to “The Last Delusion,” if that doesn’t do it, you just might not like Black Metal then.