Name: Septicflesh
Album: Codex Omega
Released: 1 September 2017
Sometimes a single track is enough to make you latch on, without implying that the rest are inferior. It is simply that something the particular piece triggers, whether thematically or musically, its atmosphere, or even the combination of the moment you first heard it and how you were feeling at the time. There may also be a melody buried inside that lasts only a few seconds, yet is enough to bind you to it forever. In any case, when such a connection with an album emerges, it is priceless and serves as a reminder of the importance of music.
Taking Martyr as a starting point, I want to say a few words about Codex Omega by Septicflesh, who in 2017 released this outstanding album, one of several remarkable works in their catalog, and the one that drew me back to them after I had drifted away. I do not know exactly why, or rather I do not remember, why I had distanced myself earlier. Most likely I had heard an album that did not appeal to me, and you know how these things go, it does not take much to get lost among the countless options available. I had remained stuck at Communion and was unaware of what followed, so after a friend’s encouragement I picked up this album and dived into it headfirst.
Beyond the fact that there is not a single mediocre track here, every song stands on its own, which is impressive in itself given that this is their tenth release and the successor to Titan and The Great Mass, works of unparalleled beauty and inspiration. This inevitably makes the role of Codex Omega even more demanding, especially from a comparative standpoint. In my opinion, entering that process is not particularly sound, though I understand why it happens. Every creation, I believe, should primarily be examined on its own terms, and only afterward, if one chooses, placed within broader comparisons. Just as with people, artistic creations have their own identity and are amalgams of the influences of their time, so any approach based on criteria from the past is somewhat unfounded. A person has different perceptions and standards in adolescence, different ones at twenty-five, different ones at forty, and so on, and the same applies to albums, since they are products of their present, each specific present, and should be regarded as such. Moreover, a listener changes over the years, and that too must be taken into account, as judgment is inevitably affected, no matter how much one may deny it at times. In any case, selective criticism is unfair, for example when the ego is placed ahead of the work itself. Once that obstacle is overcome, you can then see whether the album speaks to you or not, and draw conclusions accordingly.
Let me be more specific, since I have digressed. The track I referred to at the beginning of the text is Martyr, which opens with a haunting melody of the kind that both carries you away and makes you feel uneasy. You find yourself thinking, what is it that I am experiencing right now? It is certainly something that gives me chills, but what kind of chills are these? It feels undefined and yet precise at the same time. It evokes a sense of mystery, which becomes clearer when you read the lyrics, referring to Hypatia, who was punished for her abilities, while her persecutor was later canonized as a saint of the Church.
The production is exceptional, massive and crystalline, with all instruments clearly defined and the orchestral and choral surges placed at points that lend the result that imposing, characteristic sound which has been a trademark of Septicflesh for quite some time now. It is a brilliant idea to use the orchestra as a solo instrument alongside the vocals, both clean and brutal, while everything else, bass, drums, guitars, functions largely as a rhythm section.
If you truly love music, do not rely solely on streaming.
Whenever your finances allow it, offer your support and purchase an album.
It matters.
Favorite Song: Obviously Martyr.
Σχόλια
Δημοσίευση σχολίου