Tiamat - Judas Christ

The style of this album is not heavy in the sense that, giving the songs a charismatic focal point and producing some lyrics that hint just as much towards psychedelia as depression, which makes an unusual change for the genre. The extra parts of this album are what make it special, because there are details and oddities that add to the moody experience and differentiate this from other similar bands as well as making the majority of songs memorable. There are a number of reverb-laden classic guitar leads that enter the fray of 'So Much for Suicide' and 'Love Is as Good as Soma' that exude a freedom and luxury across the compositions, stirring powerful non-specific emotions and complicating the apparently downbeat nature of the band; the same thing can be said of the other instruments used, which include violin, sitar, and oud, as well as excellent judgement with the keyboards, all of which turn what is on paper a dour listen into a much more colourful experience. The presence of some more upbeat songs has a similar effect, particularly the masterfully deployed 'Angel Holograms' that plays with choppy chords and rushing chorus mid-album to break up the dreamier, slower numbers. 'Vote for Love' and 'I Am in Love with Myself' offer interesting variations, the former playing out almost like a late '60s rock song, containing jangly guitars and a group chorus that inspires with major key progressions, while the latter recalls Joy Division and the post-punk era, especially in it's insistent bassline and intelligent lyrics. This album comes out in deluxe gatefold edition, in two colors (Gold / Red) 500 limited edition each. There is also a special limited edition of 60 copies in Metal Box for the collectors (Gold Vinyl).