PECCATUM - Amor Fati
September 25, 2000, 23 years ago
(Candlelight)
For the most part, Norway isn't a safe place for metal to reside and take shape - at least for conventional listeners. Metal has seen its fair share of transfiguration in the last two years. Peccatum, formed by Emperor and Source of Tide members, tried without much success to morph metal into their own vision. The band's debut Strangling From Within single-handedly signaled the downfall for the much-anticipated project. Not one to stay silent for long, Peccatum return with what should have been the debut album. So what makes the album work where the debut failed? Ihriel's vocals. She no longer warbles like a bird with an injured wing. The improved arrangements also help the album sound more adventurous yet focused. Half-baked ideas persist, but it's just less obvious. Emperor's IX Equilibrium is so much more than Amor Fati, but how can you compare the two?
