01. The Rollercoaster Suite
02. Love’s As Dreadful As Death
03. Diesel Motor Soul
04. Dead Hearts In Living Men
05. Have A Nice Day!
06. Shake Of Fever
07. The Hate Revolution 2002 A.D.
08. Eden In Venom
09. Atom
10. Karmic Wheel 2.0
··· Live Bonus Tracks ···
11. Nocturnal Guest
12. False Idol
13. Earth Of Untruth
14. Era
15. Human Nature
Comment:
Quality is the best word to define the music of THE HERETIC!! Formed back in ‘96 and being voted as the best extreme Metal newcomer in Spain by specialized medias with their debut album in ‘99, is just a sign that shows this band is destined to be a huge one. The smart combination of symphonic and progressive Black with aggressive elements of nordic Death and the high talented musicianship of the band members, are warranty enough that they can only create masterpieces!!
“Chemistry For The Soul” is the band’s sophomore album that was initially released in 2002, but due to the lack of promotion of their former label and its following demise, made of this treasure a jewel to discover.
Re-issued in 2004 by XTREEM MUSIC with 5 live bonus tracks, this album is sure to become a classic amongst lovers of symphonic Black a la early COVENANT/ ARCTURUS, spiced with more extreme stuff like EMPEROR and some swedish Death in the vein of DISSECTION/AT THE GATES.
Tercer CD de mis paisanos albaceteños amantes de los Buenos momentos que la hora chante nos da. El primero, 7 años atrás salió por Iberia Moon, The Book Of Faith, después de un intento falluto para sacar el excelente Chemistry for the Soul a través de Iberian Moon, éste es finalmente lanzado cierto tiempo después a través de Xtreemmusic con la distribución y la promoción que el CD merece. Un año después sale este Gospel Songs In E Minor, que sigue la senda marcada por su predecesor, esto es metal avantgarde, con algún toque death por allí algún toque más black por allá. En cualquier caso tocan de cojones, todas las canciones tienen estructuras bien construidas, las guitarras son técnicas, y lo más importante de todo han conseguido tener un sonido propio y una personalidad, no se puede decir que te suenen a tal o cual banda, en cuanto escuchas un trozo sabes que son ellos. Esto es muy de agradecer ya que hoy en día de cada 10 bandas 8 al menos son clones de… .Son 9 cortes para un total de 45 minutos, siendo el primero una intro instrumental para ir calentando motores. Esta gente además de hacer muy buenos discos y de ser unos cachondos tienen uno de los mejores directos que he visto en cuanto a fidelidad con los discos, la pena es que en España seamos como somos y en el último concierto que les vi en Murcia, junto a Nahemah, no había ni dios en la sala. Una pena, me dio hasta vergüenza de ser murciano, joder. Si te molan historias tipo Arcturus o Covenant probablemente te molen. Incluso aunque no te gusten, porque a mi la verdad no es que me entusiasmen esos grupos y en cambio The Heretic me parece uno de los mejores grupos del país sin duda. No defraudan.
The Heretic started in 95 in Albacete, Spain, named Execror. At that time they did covers of their favorite Thrash/Death Metal bands. In 97 with the inclusion of keyboards, the band started to do a Melodic/Symphonic Black Metal, and in the same period they released their first MCD, The Book Of Fate. After ten years of experience with a well-stablished line-up( Nexusseis (Bass), Chrisphoval (Drums), Carlo IV (Guitar), Rhulk (Vocals), Aphengouza (Keyboard) & Phaernan (Guitar) ) the band releases their third album, Gospel Songs In & Minor, by the label Xtreem Music. Here we have nine tracks, one instrumental, and they mix lots of different heavy metal elements-even with some traditional heavy metal influences. The tracks are: Sunday Morning... the 13th, Chimera, Did I Say Why I Hate You, Today, We´re Turned Into Saints, Ashamed, The Clam Of Integrity, Monster, The Day Of The Lord. An excellent band that every fan of the genre should go after it.
This was rather a surprise, I found this album hidden among a stack of reviewed Cd’s, so when I saw it, I didn’t recognized it. It was almost a year since this album was released by Spanish label Xtreem Music, and just now it appears in the pages of our beloved website.
Is funny how this album keeps passing unnoticed, I believe that the album has some kind of karma somewhere, because this album was originally released back in 2002, and after two years Xtreem Music decided to re-edit it with some bonus tracks (mostly live tracks). The weird thing is why this band is still unknown and unrecognized if they play such a good brew of Black Metal…
The music is quite difficult to classify, definitively Black Metal, but mixed with elements such as electronic samples, symphonic arrangements and even an Oboe! Musically this is very catchy, it can sound Progressive at times, in some songs some Gothenburg influences can be heard also. The mix is quite wide if you ask me, but it really works out for these guys.
The album starts with a neoclassical acoustic intro called “The Rollercoaster Suite”, after that “Love’s As Dreadful As Death” begins things with catchy rhythms and excellent guitar arrangements. “Diesel Motor Soul” is another catchy song, filled with some Melodeath elements, this song is the perfect communion between both genres, if you want to experiment the harder side of the band check out “Shake Of Fever”. For symphonic freaks maybe you should check out “Karmic Wheel 2.0”, if you want some electro in your mix, you should check out short instrumental “Atom”, for another ultra catchy anthem, don’t forget “Radiography”.
I just hope that this release won’t go unnoticed as it did 3 years ago when the original released, and as 1 year ago when I received the promo. Truly a band worth to check out.
It is already two years ago that 'Chemistry For The Soul' was released for the first time. Back then it never got the attention it deserved due to a lack of promotion from their previous label. Xtreem Music is responsible for the better promotion this time around.
The Baroque style intro called 'The Rollercoaster Suite' demonstrates the playing skills of the señores. The following symphonic, progressive 'black' metal with Swedish death-influences is mainly midtempo and melody-oriented in a heavy way. Rather than dominating the music the keyboard adds an atmosphere to it. The production is quite all right although sometimes the vocals tend to sink away a bit. The sound resembles progressive productions more than the vague and reverbed black metal productions or the compressed death metal productions. Vocalist Rhülk sounds has a filthy scream that is used in varied ways and with some effects.
There are some extra live tracks on the album that blend in perfectly on the album. Most of the times live tracks tend to sink away on an album due to the difference in sound. On this album the only real noticeable difference is the drumsound. Rhülk demonstrates his vocal capabilities on 'False Idol' where elaborate clean and in key vocals are used.
'Chemistry For The Soul' contains over an hour of well-written and performed melodic black, which is well worth a listen.
Sometimes is happens…..yes really …..it happened to me a couple weeks ago. Getting curious what happened to me? Well, I really got positively surprised by a new band. Can’t remember the last time I had that. Of course, I reviewed some cool albums, but most of the bands I already knew. Let me introduce to you: The Heretic from Spain!
If you like bands like Arcturus and old Covenant, you sure want to check this out. It’s not the same like the bands I mentioned, but I think people who like those bands, will appreciate The Heretic also. One moment you think that you are listening Dream Theatre and before you know it, the ‘black metal’ of a Dimmu Borgir takes it over. Very nice melodies with good guitar solo’s and then the black metal parts……..I don’t have any words for it. You really have to listen this for yourself. More in the end of the album the singer also tries some clean vocals. This is probably the only minus thing that I could tell you (and the cover is pretty ugly, but has nothing to do with music right?). The clean vocals are not all in tune to my opinion.
After some research I find out that this is a 2002 release, but re-released through Xtreem Music now in 2004. This release contains 5 extra live bonus songs. I think it’s pretty brave to put some live tracks on a album. Well, even live The Heretic impresses me.
Xtreem Music from Spain, the label owned by Dave Rotten from Avulsed, has an ever expanding roster of artists in the most extreme genres of music; black, death and grind/death metal. Although most artists have released quality albums (i.e. Verminous, Kronos, Disgorge…) these bands are firmly rooted in their own respective genre.
But now, Xtreem have signed The Heretic, a band that defies pigeonholing by playing jazz intro’s, symphonic black metal, brutal death metal and hard rock on one album, and sometimes even on one track.
Chemistry For The Soul was released in 2002 by a small Spanish label which went bankrupt shortly after releasing the album, so there was virtually no promotion and distribution whatsoever. Xtreem Music took the opportunity to sign the band and decided that Chemistry For The Soul was too good to remain unnoticed by the public.
Listening to this album, I just can’t argue with them because this album is very strong and original. The Heretic take their influences from bands like Arcturus, Covenant (in their Nexus Polaris period) and I personally hear some influences from modern French death metal bands like Gojira and Korum. These are just rude comparisons because the style of The Heretic is unique, and can’t really be explained by comparing it to other bands.
To make this re-release interesting for the few people that already have the original, Xtreem added five live tracks that sound equally impressive. Given the fact that this album is from 2002 and that they have finished writing tracks for the next album, I just can’t wait to get that album in my hands. Until then I think I will listen to Chemistry For The Soul many, many times.
43 minutes of the album and 22 minutes of live recordings at the end make up this 15 tracker from another Spanish band who are new to me, on the Xtreem music label, The Heretic, with its super stylish red, black and white artwork and classical guitar intro, I am expecting huge things from what comes over as a very professional release.
"The Rollercoaster Suite" is the first full song on here, and reminds majorly of Opeth and Ephel Duath, mixed with touches of Arch Enemy, Ephel Duath and Lux Occulta. Very majestic, melodic, combination of thrashy death harmonies, at a good pace, elements of prog in there, and all bound together immaculately tight. Additions of a theremin and odd sounds and effects to this song are spectacularly good and the level of musicianship is very noteworthy. A sterling opener proper.
They have a lot to live up to after that and even though that song is one of the highlights, do not dismiss the rest. Some very cleverly pieced together artistic music follows. "Diesel Motor Soul" is mostly of a progressive flavour, with some lovely, polyrhythms going on, I love the opening to "Dead hearts in living men", what a fantastic multi-sectioned riff, and in fact, what a song. "Have a nice day!" definitely brings to mind the heavy Arcturus and Covenant influence that is a major vein throughout the album whereas "State of Fever" is a little more straightforward and thrashy, "Atom" is a stunning psychedelic lead guitar electro track that could have done well to be a lot longer, but is a brilliant way to lead into the class piece "Karmic Wheel 2.0".
Considering I hate live recordings generally, the five tracks added as a bonus are all fantastic, The Heretic really are a class band, very tight, and this proves they can deliver the goods from the stage. This is an essential release. Don't let this slip past you.
What we have here is the re-release of The Heretic’s second full-length album (after “The Book of Faith” [EP, 1998] and “Fallen from Heaven” [1999]) - “Chemistry for the Soul” was originally released in 2002, but due to poor promotion never really got noticed… so here is a second chance to get hold of this rather unique work. This new edition is enhanced with 6 additional live tracks (one is missing on the track-list!) and definitely deserves some attention. A few words on the band first - The Heretic hail from Spain and exist since 1996/97; the line-up features Rhülk (vocals), Carlo IV (guitars), Phaeman (guitars), Nexusseis (bass), Aphengouza (keyboards) and Chrisphoval (drums). As for the creation itself… try to imagine the oddest mixture of progressive and extreme metal possible, or, better still, listen to the album yourself, as it is really hard to describe in words. Vocally, it’s black metal through and through, with some death metal grunts and effects every now and then; so far so good. Musically, however, “Chemistry…” represents a highly explosive chemical reaction between the abstract, alienated structures of Arcturus, some classical progressive metal with lots of tempo changes and surprising twists within the songs, the melodic, energetic touch of power metal, the epic approach of symphonic black metal (especially Emperor) and the tight melodious riffs of Swedish death metal. Sounds like a soup of everything possible? Yes, that’s probably the only problem with Heretic - there are too many ingredients in what they do, too much musical brilliance and way too much complexity for complexity’s sake. In one track there are enough ideas for ten, and then again, many tracks sound similar. It takes many listens to get into what they are doing and then it leaves you quite perplexed… It sure is original, of very high quality and exceptionally well performed, but it takes conscious efforts to follow what’s happening on “Chemistry…”. Personally speaking, I started from “What a terrible mess!” and ended up at “What a unique masterpiece!”… In one word, as of quality, the album deserves all praise. About the rest, it’s entirely a matter of personal taste if you’ll like it or not. But do take your time with it - hearing it “by the way” won’t do.
This is the re-release of the last album this band did with their former label which broke up shortly after releasing the album leaving the band with no promotion or distribution at all. Luckily their new label decided to give this album a second chance and we should be thankful because otherwise we would be missing a real music masterpiece. This is the third album of the band and you can tell that they have been working hard to put up such a briliant record. The album starts with a clean neoclassical guitar piece of one minute aproximately which reminds me of Marty Friedman. After that intro starts the real thing, you could call it Progressive Black Metal but you must really have to listen to it to understand and appreciatte the quality of this band. If i had to compare it to anything i would do it with the latest Emperor. They are an extrem metal band, there's no doubt about it but their music is very varied and melodic including lots of progressive passages but without getting lost in them and always keeping you aware of what's coming next. The musicianship is exclellent starting with a superb drummer who plays like a machine and a great couple of guitar players who spit rabid riffs non-stop. They have also a keyboard player but just for background and atmosphere creation because the songs are very guitar oriented. The vocals are very good too somewhere in the middle between Dimmu Borgir and Immortal. The production is very good too so actually i don't have any bad comments about this album i could only say listen to it and you won't regret. This version includes some live bonus tracks where you can listen that they can play realy good live too. The purists may not like this one claiming this is not "true" enough, but the truth is that this is the real evolution of Black Metal and if you are not so narrow minded and you just like good music not caring for labels you should not miss this one, a masterpiece which should position them among the biggest names in the worldwide scene.
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