Record Heaven, 1999
Track List:
Angloksangest [4:27]
Fifth Dimension [7:57]
Infinite [5.27]
Endearment [6:27]
Infertile Ground [7:46]
Tender Contempt [5:41]
Fading From Grey [4:47]
Den Trettonde Manaden [8:45]
Lineup:
Mattias Reinholdsson, bajo, noise, voces
Per Broddesson, guitarra
Henrik Johansson, baterķa, guitarra, teclados,
noise, recorder, voces
Mikael Zell, guitarra
But it is necessary to keep in mind that this formation is the one
that had the group when the album appeared for that I participate singer Stefan Zell
that was part of the group in the recording of the same one and in fact it participates a
lot but in the disk that its brother Mikael. The keyboard player Ulf Nygards
also collaborates.
Book of Hours is a Swedish band had appeared for some years
that passes directly to include the list of the big current bands of that country. I
imagine that the name took it out of the theme Book of Hours of Anekdoten,
included in the album "Nucleus".
Their sound this influenced mainly by Landberk and Anekdoten
and it is near to those also Swedish Valinor's Tree. I am for sure all the fans of
these groups was satisfied with this great album. Other influences could come from the
groups independent American type Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr or Come,
sound a little noise in the harrowing and distorted guitars, although in my opinion Landberk
is also influenced by this type of groups, and to me they also remind me to groups grunge
and alternative as Alice in Chains in some few dark and depresive passages.
I find Stefan Zell a great singer with a not very potent but
effective voice, and with a good personality, it hurts that he left the group to also
unite to those Swedish Wolverine.
As they sound Book of Hours? Because themes enough rockers
with the help of dirty and distorted guitars, where they don't lack melancholic melodic
passages in plan Anekdoten, mellotrones entrances that shiver, surprising electric
pianos, and progressive structures although not too complex.
Do fear prominent?, because the whole disk this at very good level,
but of the themes that really impress me, we do have the harrowing instrumental "Angloksangest
", the most complex "Fifth Dimension", the dark, dark and
beautiful "Tender Contempt", and above everything, the spectacular final
piece, "Den Trettonde Manaden", dark and depresive, with dramatic and
distorted guitars that contrast with beautiful passages with mellotron, impressive theme,
with a tremendous end.
The rest is all very Anekdoten, Infinite, the melancholic "Endearment",
the but I last and I force "Infertile Ground" and "Fading from
Grey" with a lot of dose of electric piano.
After this album the band sack an it sails with two versions, no
more, no less that "Scorched Earth" of Van der Graaf Generator and
"One More Red Nightmare" of King Crimson, two of the classic bands
that for sure they also suppose an influence for the Book of Hours.
Unfortunately the changes continued after appearing the album, Mikael
Zell abandonment the group to leave with their brother to Wolverine, and later
he made the own thing Per Brodesson that united also to Wolverine, but it is
not it burdens the creative minds of the group then they are Reinholdsson and
overalls Johansson, in fact the two members that are, and also right now are
already a quartet again, with guitarist Adam Skogvard's incorporation and vocalist Anni
Thulin. The group this to point of recording a EP.
Gets the attention that three of the members have abandoned the band
to unite to Wolverine. I suppose that what sells, like it is the progressive metal,
he has an irresistible attractiveness for that I doubt a lot that Wolverine has
half of the quality of Book of Hours.
Without a doubt a great album that locates to this group among the
big of the Swedish scene of the 90.
Punctuation: 8.5/10
Ferran
Lizana