The Sham Mirrors
Occupation
- Trickster G. Rex, singing
- Knut M. Valle, guitar
- Dag F. Gravem, bass
- Steinar Johnsen Sverd, Keyboard
- Hellhammer, drums
The Sham Mirrors is the third regular studio album by the Norwegian metal band Arcturus. It appeared in 2002 Ad Astra Enterprises and was sold through Prophecy Productions and The End Records.
Creation and publication
Since it was the beginning of the 2000s quietly to Arcturus and the publication of the last regular studio album La Masquerade Infernal already dated back several years, rumors began to spread, the band had dissolved. But 2000 has begun recording a new album. They took place in various studios until 2002.
The bassist Hugh Steven James Mingay had left the band in the meantime and was replaced by Dag F. Gravem, but worked as a guest musician on The Sham Mirrors with. Other guest musicians on the recordings were Ihsahn (vocals) and Mathias Eick (French Horn ). Goals Ylwizaker Ulver mixed the album from the Ambassaden Studio, Tom la Bomba it mastered at Strype Audio. The Sham Mirrors was released on CD and LP, in Poland also on cassette. The CDs of the first edition of Prophecy Productions falsely is the imprint " Promotional Copy".
Title list
Steinar Johnsen Sverd is the sole composer of all pieces; the lyrics to " Collapse Generation" and "Radical Cut" written by Hellhammer, the rest of Trickster G. Rex. The title of the seventh song was a short prose text of Samuel Beckett borrowed.
Style
The Sham Mirrors is rooted with many genre - typical riffs, solos and double-bass passages and Ihsahns black metal screeching on "Radical Cut" compared to theatrical previous album more in Metal. But on this album, there are influences from other musical styles, such as neo-classical piano runs and orchestration, electronic samples and effects, or the intricate rhythms of progressive rock and trip-hop beats.
Trickster G. Rex's singing is varied; it ranges from whispers and deep chanting until the falsetto, may be a hymn or theatrical and sometimes alienated electronically.
Reception
Find William York of Allmusic that the " unexpected twists and nested structures song " on the album are well balanced by " memorable and moving melodies ." Reviews on Baby Blue Pages and Rock Hard are consistently positive.
" Here is an excellent blend of precisely this orchestral severity, progressive intricacy, metallic hardness and postmodern detachment is absolutely no downtime, a slim three- quarters of an hour long celebrated. "
"This album has it all. It describes feeling great, it contains limitless beautiful music -. From the classical to the influence of the seventies, to the Black Metal roots of the protagonists '