Review Summary: The Radiohead of (metal)...
It seems that Tiamat are constantly venturing further and further away from their dark metal origins that we once new, and they are now exploring the realms of dark electronica, trance and new-age psychedelic within ambient rock. This 'new sound' doesn't completely abandon the essence of the band's music, it simply makes us even more intrigued at the beautiful melodies. However, Tiamat have become even more experimental in their process of expression, leading to the increased usage of keyboards, electronic percussion and atmosphere. This new formula makes each track a miniature sequence in a journey through an elaborate soundscape.
Apart from the blast of power coming from the album opener
Cold Seed and moments within
Alteration X 10, it's obvious that all traces of metal are now absent from Tiamat's approach. Instead, the band manage to create vast soundscapes that range from the atmospherically disturbing to the sea's of tranquillity, yet always with a flow of motion that keeps the listener interested. Tiamat, unlike many other band's of today, contain an exceptional gift of mixing ambience in their music, and
A Deeper Kind Of Slumber proves this, as it is the base of every song. The whole of the album flows as an inner voyage through otherworldly dimensions where darkness and serenity are one. The artistic sonority of this music reaches levels of spiritual euphoria, even in the darkest and strangest moments.
Johan Edlund's monotonous, hoarse vocals are gone, replaced by a manner of singing which manages to convey the point of each track. His vocals are often cold, whilst sounding alien, which enhances the overall effect of
Teonancatl and
The Whores Of Babylon. The vocals also provides a strange passionate quality to to the titled track. Beautifully atmospheric keyboards and emotional lead guitars enrich
Atlantis As A Lover,
Phantasma De Luxe and
Only In My Tears It Lasts, whilst barren landscapes make the ten minute epic
Mount Marilyn an exotic trip. The instrumental tracks
Trillion Zillion Centipedes,
Four Leary Biscuits and
Kite guide the listener through many different soundscapes, exploring sadness, abstract longing and the spiritual struggle of life.
A Deeper Kind Of Slumber is the soundtrack to dreams. It is, no doubt, the most experimental album of Tiamat's discography so far, whilst representing the band at their peak. This is a masterful display of mood alteration through atmospheric music, and Tiamat’s final statement of essentiality. It is also a departure from metal for Tiamat, a genre that the band had already mixed with their unusual mixture of emotional, mental and spiritual ambience, whilst making it as catchy as f--k.
