Divina Enema
Shine
[Independent]
Ah, something very exotic from the Belarusian scene. Divina Enema is one of
those "post-everything" bands, who draw influences from as many sources as
possible and then try to create a bizarre and farcical mixture out of all the
disparate elements. This band may very well deserve a tag of Mr. Bungle of
metal. The level of weirdness that the band display should be appreciated by
the fans of any number of eccentric metal projects. Black, heavy, gothic,
classical influences fuse together on "Shine," sporting references to a wide
range of artists, from Mercyful Fate/King Diamond to Arcturus and Angizia,
and create something very strange and even unique, although not always
equally exciting.
"Shine" is a rather lengthy affair, and the whole thing may easily overwhelm and confuse an unprepared listener. Or, the weirdness itself may become too tiresome, although the band try their best to keep things interesting. Keyboards play a prominent role, but guitars still dominate most of the time, while the actual songs undergo numerous, non-stop quantum leaps during their run. On the course of a single song a pattern would continuously shift from deathy riffs to fast blackened parts, and then on to an odd fusion with some weird keyboard twists and gothic overtones, creating an unpredictable, dizzying maze of rhythms, styles and sounds. The singer, though, has got to be the driving force behind the whole endeavor and the hardest working member of the band, without whom they would not sound nearly as strange. The guy is nothing less than a vocal chameleon, who really tries to be a lot of things at the same time. With a very theatrical delivery, he screams and sings in a variety of ways, and his vocals constantly mutate from growls and Cradle of Filth-type screeches, to clean singing reminiscent of Garm, to King Diamond-style falsetto.
The concept of "Shine" is based entirely on the works of William Blake. And just in case you are suspicious - no, Divina Enema did not steal the idea from Ulver. Both "Themes From William Blake's Marriage Of Heaven & Hell" and "Shine" were recorded around the same time, which excludes the possibility of a rip-off.
"Shine" is a very strange and often intriguing piece of work, although I feel that its strangeness also becomes wearisome and overworked sometimes. Still, if you are into all things out of this world, Divina Enema are definitely worth looking into. For those who are interested, the band also released a CD through Eldritch Music entitled "At The Conclave."
© 2001 boris
"Shine" is a rather lengthy affair, and the whole thing may easily overwhelm and confuse an unprepared listener. Or, the weirdness itself may become too tiresome, although the band try their best to keep things interesting. Keyboards play a prominent role, but guitars still dominate most of the time, while the actual songs undergo numerous, non-stop quantum leaps during their run. On the course of a single song a pattern would continuously shift from deathy riffs to fast blackened parts, and then on to an odd fusion with some weird keyboard twists and gothic overtones, creating an unpredictable, dizzying maze of rhythms, styles and sounds. The singer, though, has got to be the driving force behind the whole endeavor and the hardest working member of the band, without whom they would not sound nearly as strange. The guy is nothing less than a vocal chameleon, who really tries to be a lot of things at the same time. With a very theatrical delivery, he screams and sings in a variety of ways, and his vocals constantly mutate from growls and Cradle of Filth-type screeches, to clean singing reminiscent of Garm, to King Diamond-style falsetto.
The concept of "Shine" is based entirely on the works of William Blake. And just in case you are suspicious - no, Divina Enema did not steal the idea from Ulver. Both "Themes From William Blake's Marriage Of Heaven & Hell" and "Shine" were recorded around the same time, which excludes the possibility of a rip-off.
"Shine" is a very strange and often intriguing piece of work, although I feel that its strangeness also becomes wearisome and overworked sometimes. Still, if you are into all things out of this world, Divina Enema are definitely worth looking into. For those who are interested, the band also released a CD through Eldritch Music entitled "At The Conclave."
© 2001 boris