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Short introduction
Manach Seherath is a Symphonic Heavy Metal band from Italy, whose name in a dead ancient language means 'to draw from the source'. This cryptic phrase, with all that it hides, is well representative of the marriage of heavy rhytms with epic keyboards and mysterious lyrics, which togheter make the trademark of M.S. sound: a modern heavy metal band which doesn't forget the gloomy lessons of the past.
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| (c) by Manach Seherath, used with kind permission |
The project took the first steps in summer 2012, when Mich Crown after a period of forced musical
inactivity,decided that the time had come to back on stage wih a brand new band. After searching and recruiting all the other members the band began in december 2012 to write the first songs of this demo.
The recordings were done in June 2013. At the moment Manach Seherath are busy with preparing the songs for their first full length album.
Summary / Player / Download Link
From the very first seconds the band reminds me in a very, very positive way of the first records that Tad Morose did back in the day. To be precisely I speak about a mixture between albums like "Leaving the past behind", "Sender of thoughts" along with the heavyness of a album like "A mended rhyme". All of these are amongst my favorite albums as they mix the sheer power of metal with great melodies and the dark touch of melodic keyboards which add so much to the atmosphere. I often wish Tad Morose, as much as I love their more powermetal-oriented current albums which are top notch would give these keyboards a chance to come back in.
This band happily has heard my call somehow. But they did more: they've managed to get some very majestic, powerfull vocals in there as well. Those remind me of the times when Mathew Barlow sang for Iced Earth. This means that the vocals come with a very unique style and tone. I like the lyrics, they tell of ancient tales and fit perfectly to the concept of the record. The cover you can see above gives some idea of that.
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| (c) by Manach Seherath, used with kind permission |
The songs are very diverse, atmospheric and also long tracks (most of them are over six minutes in durance). Tracks one and three and very straight forward while number two comes in a bit more complex and needs some rounds to fully sink. Don't let this stop you from listening. It will add a lot to your enjoyment and it's great if a record won't get boring even after having it heard for several times.
The demo is a free download and I highly recommend to pick it up! Just jump over to
Soundcloud and start downloading and hit the follow button while you are waiting for the download to finish. Especially if you agree to what I've written above you'll be very happy once you've done that. In addition you can listen to the three tracks here on my blog. The band kindly also added one more online bonustrack to their rooster on soundcloud, which is a short version of the track "All in all".
Be sure to keep an eye of this great band by following them via their account on
Facebook.
Track-by-Track Review
Arti Manthano
A short intro starts the song. Someone knocks on your door twice, a door is opened up and here we go!
After some clearing up of the speakers like at a show the already mentioned keyboards welcome the listener with some notes before the crushing guitars step in and the drums slowly move the song forward. It's like you're introduced to another world and this part is there to take you over there.
After a short time the song starts to get faster and the vocals come in. A fast uptempo track this one surely is a competition in holding the line and not losing the breath. A short breakup with keyboards introduces yet another change in the tempo to build a bridge to the majestic refrain. Without losing any more time the song jumps back to the uptemo formula. Another bridge takes you to the refrain once again. Towards the middle of the song there's another change in the song structure that is introduced by one of these old school screams that you may know from the old school Heavy Metal records where this element was often to be found. A fine element that most of today's albums are sadly missing.
A midtemp and very groovy part follows up. It's time for some guitar solos which once again turn out to be of the more oldschool direction. Finally we go back to the very first style of the track, so more uptemo in here. Some more slower parts towards the end, very rough and hard but with the keyboard theme in them bring this song to the ends and fade into eternity...
Timeless
A very dark and slow introduction. The song takes heavy first steps but you can still hear keyboards in the background. This first part feels a bit as it is a spoke introduction to a longer tale. Vocals come in very high and majestic and it all remains in this style. As if a procession takes place, just one intermission with some hacked stuff.
The vocals then come in to the climax, reminding me a bit of one of King Diamond's infamous screams. A short repeating of the very beginning of the song towards the end with only keyboards and drums brings this to come full circle.
All in All
This could easily become a hymn! Majestic keyboards form a bright intro combined with the follow-up military drums. The track itself presents itself as a midtempo song with much of this vocal-style that Matthew Barlow used on the "Burnt Offerings" album along with very high notes in the refrain.
It all comes in very compact and the guitar solo shows of some of the virtuosity of the guitar player. A reprise of the intro shortly after the solo leads over to some mystic part with more percussive elements and some spoken, narrative elements. This part closes the timeless trilogy and with a abrupt cut the demo also ends here. A perfectly fitting ending for a great epic!
I hope more than everything that we will hear some more from this band. They've in my eyes brought back a style in the Heavy Metal Universe which I thought to be lost for a long time. Happily this demo proves that I've been wrong.
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