Second Ring Of Power, the second album from the Finnish doomsayers originally released in 1994, is the final one to get the re-release treatment from Peaceville, bringing my Unholy Quest (© P Woods) to an end.
Starting without ceremony, it lurches and crashes into the title track and at once it is clear that it nestles closer to their debut than the third album ' Rapture'. It is slow, at times chaotic death metal. Half screeched vocals colliding with ruptured riffs in a primitive but intriguing way. Were it not for the better production it could have come from their debut. Second song ' Languish For Bliss', though takes a step forward. It draws more of a flow into its structure, hints of the dark abyss, touches of the more ponderous moments of Celtic Frost twisting with a more mournful layer of keyboards and a classical mood. It is perhaps the first moment of the more Funeral aspects of their later sound.
The crawling 'Lady Babylon' brings in female vocals which, truth be told veer between the malevolent and an out of key tone which at times is clearly deliberate and at others less so. Regardless, it is an eerie and compelling piece that moves with an unhinged purpose and has once more the clear sense of a band in utter darkness but progressing towards their sound step by sure step.
'Neverending Day' is built around a simple heavy drum, grinding out tortured vocals from a black riff that drives all hope from you with its wonderfully dread rich sound. 'Dreamside' returns with the keyboard drapes and leads you into 'Procession Of Black Doom'. This drinks heavily from the slow ominous Celtic Frost sound but yet again the song tilts into its own Unholy space with the tug of keyboards and the lap of the stark bass and the unexpected discordant twists. Truly intense, truly excellent.
'Covetous Glance' is, by Unholy's standards, almost rabid. Starting slow and minimal on a low riff and hushed voice it builds to a swirl of snarled and lashing vocals before falling into the arms of a keyboard drone that almost unnoticed morphs into a North African/Middle Eastern motif which they explore on later albums.
' Air' is softer, a little laborious after the previous tracks, but lightened by some nice male and female vocals and some delicate melodic moments.
Closer, saddled with the cumbersome title of 'Serious Personality Disturbance And Deep Anxiety' begins with raucous, discordant screeches and mad vocals but thankfully slips into some weird cross between Les Tristesses De La Lune and Babylon Fell, ending the album with a strange but fitting note.
More mature than the debut, Second Ring Of Power is very much a crossroads album, undecided but accomplished nevertheless. Possibly, from an historical viewpoint, the least essential of their legacy.
However, what's this? Peaceville have slipped in a DVD, a 'bootleg' (though clearly shot from the stage) contemporaneous with the album of the band live in Finland. It is, as you would expect, shaky quality visually and muddy sound wise. However what it does show is firstly that Funeral Doom is most definitely meant to be experienced live; it is full of atmosphere and power and the band put on a fine sombre show. Secondly it has a compelling charm despite the technical weaknesses and that raises the package to a far stronger level. Worth investing in if you already own it? Your choice but it certainly is tempting.
http://www.myspace.com/original unholy
Gizmo
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