Post-reformation Unholy are a different enough animal from the period of "From The Shadows" and "The Second Ring Of Power." Ingeniously idiosyncratic lunacy of the band's early phase has evolved into a more measured and fluid introspection which took the form of spacious, unabridged, still occult-tinged (via the lyrics and keyboards) sadness that veers from depressing growls and dense, shrouding riffs (sometimes quite raging, albeit in a lethargic sort of way) to delicately hypnotic and quiescent, drone embellished gloom.

This is another stunning work from the group of musicians whom I consider to be one of the most elite doom outfits. The brooding, almost sentient, darkness with just a few glimpses of light (just enough to keep the listener from an emotional breakdown) that these Finns create is totally captivating. Seriously folks, this stuff is pure genious. These guys are hell of a song writers, and their music is so emotionally charged, conveying multiple layers of uncanny yet heartfelt grief, fury, anguish - you feel like it is all about to collapse under its own weight. Of course, the band do not allow it to fall apart but keep on going, transmitting this stream on to the listener, and that's when hallucinations begin....but I won't go into that. That's something for each man to discover on his own.

As the case is with doom metal in general, "Rapture" requires lots and lots of patience to be fully appreciated. It is very long and very slow not to mention "out of this world." Thus (as with the band's entire catalogue), you have to immerse yourself into it rather than expect it to astonish and dazzle you. Whether it is worth to make this effort is up to you. For me Unholy are class, and like a good wine they only get better with age.

© 2000 boris