Memoria Vetusta II – Dialogue with the Stars
Memoria Vetusta II – Dialogue with the Stars is the seventh album by French avant-garde black metal band Blut Aus Nord. The album demonstrates more traditional black metal songwriting and structure than previous album MoRT, with critics noting that stylistically this album represents a balance between the band's more experimental work and the band's earlier, more traditional black metal releases.[1]
Memoria Vetusta II – Dialogue with the Stars | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 23, 2009 | |||
Genre | Atmospheric black metal, melodic black metal | |||
Length | 59:56 | |||
Label | Candlelight Records (CANDLE141CD) | |||
Blut Aus Nord chronology | ||||
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Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Metal Injection | Very positive[3] |
MetalSucks | [4] |
PopMatters | 8/10[1] |
The album was received very positively by critics. Writing for AllMusic, Alex Henderson gave the album 4/5. He described it as "melodic in a dark, brooding, atmospheric way", concluding that "This isn't happy, escapist music; the material is full of gloom and pessimism, but it is well-crafted and nicely executed. Detractors can claim that Dialogue with the Stars is "too artsy" all they want; the bottom line is that from a creative standpoint, Blut Aus Nord get to have the last laugh."[2]
Stereogum's Brandon Stosuy named the album as the 8th best metal album of 2009, writing that "Memoria Vetusta II does what it promises, creating an hour’s worth of sky-shooting epics (fluid guitar solos, repeating motifs, etc.) that move from fragile and meditative to blistering in a heartbeat and really do feel like they’re talking to the constellations. Endless boogie, for sure."[5]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Acceptance (Aske)" | 1:30 |
2. | "Disciple's Libration (Lost in the Nine Worlds)" | 9:06 |
3. | "The Cosmic Echoes of Non-Matter (Immaterial Voices of the Fathers)" | 6:29 |
4. | "Translucent Body of Air (Sutta Anapanasati)" | 2:24 |
5. | "Antithesis of the Flesh (...And Then Arises a New Essence)" | 7:53 |
6. | "...the Meditant (Dialogue With the Stars)" | 10:14 |
7. | "The Alcove of Angels (Vispassana)" | 8:43 |
8. | "The Formless Sphere (Beyond the Reason)" | 9:27 |
9. | "Elevation" | 4:10 |
Personnel
- Vindsval - vocals, electric guitar
- GhÖst - bass guitar
- W.D. Feld - keyboards, drums, percussion
- Additional Personnel
- David Cragné - artwork
References
- Begrand, Adrian (March 17, 2009). "Rise of the Jötunn: In Flames in the 1990s". Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- Henderson, Alex. "AllMusic Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II – Dialogue with the Stars". Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- "BLUT AUS NORD's Memoria Vetusta II – Dialogue With the Stars: The Metal Injection Review". February 26, 2009. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- O'Hagar, Sammy (February 11, 2009). "BLUT AUS NORD PROVE THEY'RE THE GREATEST FRENCHMEN SINCE HENRY IV ON MEMORIA VETUSTA II". Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- Stosuy, Brandon (December 19, 2009). "Haunting The Chapel: The 30 Best Metal Albums Of 2009 (Plus Dozens Of Guest Lists)". Retrieved May 1, 2016.