Wednesday, August 13, 2014

The best of: The Kovenant

Country: Norway


This great Norwegian band has shined early in its life as a Death Metal band, and then as a avant-garde metal band, adding and multiplying instruments and effects of electronic and industrial music. It's almost obligatory to listen to this band albums to anyone who likes metal music, because of the big contribution to the genre in each album, thanks to the many new and amazing elements incorporated, especially in their album "Animatronic". Its lineup, as well as its style and name have changed through the years, having paraded members of Dimmu Borgir, Cradle Of Filth and Ram-Zet, among others. However, The Kovenant style has never reassembled to any of them or of any other band.

With their first album "In Times Before The Light", released in 1997, the group quickly gained fame in Norway and parts of Europe, presenting a style that would end up being the closest one to Black Metal in its discography; double pedal, high pitched harsh vocals, overcharged treble, and an overwhelming atmosphere. In 2002, it was released a remix edition, with songs re-recorded, and a new and better mixing and mastering process, that clearly approaches Nexus Polaris. Trying to earn some money, surely, in 2007 they released the original album, remastered, and with some bonus tracks from their early 90's demo.

In 1998 the second album, "Nexus Polaris", the group jumps into another style by leaving the Black, and approaching to a much more melodic sound and improving significantly. Only a year later, it was launched "Animatronic", which is maybe their best album, with an original avant-garde death metal, an enviable sound for any band, great variety within the songs themselves and throughout the album, great strength in riffs and choruses; from the beginning to the end, a beautiful work.

After a number of adjustments to its lineup, the band launches "S.E.T.I.", in 2003, almost completely forgetting what was before, leaping once again, this time, to a straight forward industrial metal... and betraying all his followers! Double pedal.. Goodbye! Harsh vocals... Goodbye! Two guitars play... Goodbye!! (wtf !!), goodbye to the guitar solos too! (wtf !!!!!!!) Goodbye to The Kovenant?

Many fans hated this work but, in fact, it's one of the best industrial metal albums ever made. The Kovenant remains today a spectacular band until the last of their albums; proof of this is that the band has been keeping all of their fans expectant, for more than seven years now, for their next album "Aria Galactica", that we may never see.

In sum, The Kovenant musical style has traveled a long way, and in every milestone, they have created a different masterpiece for every genre. From a melodic blackened death to a melodic industrial metal, every single disk stands out in its own ground.

There are quite different but excellent songs to choose from. We are not gonna try to choose the best ones for each style but the best ones overall.

1. Monarch Of The Mighty Darkness (In Time Before The Light - 1997)
2. Bringer Of The Sixth Sun (Nexus Polaris - 1998)
3. The Last Of Dragons (Nexus Polaris - 1998)
4. Chariots Of Thunder (Nexus Polaris - 1998)
5. Mirror’s Paradise (Animatronic - 1999)
6. Mannequin (Animatronic - 1999)
7. Jihad (Animatronic - 1999)
8. Star By Star (S.E.T.I. - 2003)
9. Still Born Universe (S.E.T.I. - 2003)
10. Hollow Earth (S.E.T.I. - 2003)




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