But the use of a drum machine doesn't mean that Phantasmagoria isn't heavy in fact, this 2010 release may very well be Limbonic Art's heaviest album to date. And those who insist that drum machines have no place in black metal or any other type of metal will take no comfort in Phantasmagoria, which finds Limbonic Art continuing to favor electronic drum programming. So it isn't surprising that Limbonic Art's use of a drum machine has been quite controversial in black metal circles. Hard bop, post-bop, Dixieland, swing, and free jazz are full of musicians who would rather swallow cyanide than use a drum machine on their albums, and countless metal musicians feel the same way whether their focus is death metal, goth metal, power metal, progressive metal, folk metal, or thrash metal. But it’s a small complaint since the quality never drops significantly and the unhinged zealot-like vocals are the icing on this frosty cake.Although the metal and jazz worlds seldom cross paths, there is one thing that many metal and jazz musicians have in common: a strong commitment to music that is played rather than programmed. The stronger material is pushed to the first half, with the aforementioned guitars being slightly less vital in later tracks. In an era where dissonant but ultimately forgettable riffs dominate much of the modern BM scene, Limbonic Art remind us that you can build intense and heavy songs with apocalyptic fervour, while utilising strong hooks and melodies without tipping over into the more twee territories of some ‘melodic black metal’. But put simply, this is what makes this album a creative success, at least for those who still enjoy an earlier approach to BM. The lightning-fast programmed drums – another longtime hallmark of the band that may turn off some listeners – also remain, with furious yet lengthy riffs recalling the band’s early works, and that classic Scandinavian 90s approach, with their apocalyptic fury. The hallmark atmosphere of glorious melodrama and eccentricity bordering on madness is evident from the marcatissimo in the introduction of the aptly named opener, Demonic Resurrection. Spectre Abysm, Daemon’s second solo effort, is a return to past glories in most respects. After six albums, Morfeus departed, leaving Daemon to produce 2010’s disappointing Phantasmagoria album alone. Unlike many peers who opted for heavy keyboard use, their otherworldly BM never wandered into softer, gothic territories, always maintaining a furious, aggressive edge.
Released on Samoth’s Nocturnal Art Productions label, this early entry in the fast-developing symphonic black subgenre was hailed a masterpiece by many, and remains one of the movement’s most bombastic albums. Limbonic Art first appeared on the Norwegian black metal scene back in the early-to-mid- 90s, making their mark in ’96 with Moon In The Scorpio.
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