Garden of Shadows - Oracle Moon
Wicked World
Atmospheric/Melodic Death Metal
7 songs (53'30)
Release year: 2000
Reviewed by Milan
Archive review

Garden of Shadows were an American melodic death metal band, formed in 1995, that released two full-lengths of which Oracle Moon is the last one. Don't let the melodic death metal tag fool you into thinking that this is just another one of those run of the mill gothenburg-styled death metal bands that were flooding the scene at the end of the nineties. This album is much more ambitious and progressive in nature, the songs often lacking the typical verse-chorus-verse structure, with no chorusses to be sung along to. After Oracle Moon the band broke up, their bassist, Sean Beasley, subsequently joining Dying Fetus.

Now don't even think for one second that Garden of Shadows and Dying Fetus are even remotely similar to each other. Both bands have a vocalist that employs low-pitched growls for the most part but that's about it. Whereas Dying Fetus pummel you into a pulp, Garden of Shadows are all about atmosphere and ethereal melodies. And they take their time to set this atmosphere, the average song length being around eight minutes. Such long songs require more than lovely melodies and, despite a more than capable vocalist, some death metal growling. No, what we need are songs that flow seemlessly from one section to another, introducing something new on a regular basis (a certain melody, riff, rhythm pattern, etc.) to maintain the attention of the listener. And that's exactly what Garden of Shadows deliver. Despite most songs maintaining a slow to steady mid-tempo (some songs such as Dissolution of the Forms start off faster but slow down rather quickly) they are very dynamic and have a sense of direction to them. The main focus of the songs is the melodic leadwork which takes the listener on an ethereal, sometimes even grandiose, journey. The everpresent synths have their modest place in the background but are an integral part of the band's sound.

Oracle Moon comess off as a well thought out album down to the organic production, every element in its rightful place for maximum effect, resulting in an album that's greater than the sum of its parts. Those able to find a copy of this should consider themselves very lucky for this is a terrific album made by a band that broke up way too soon. This requires quite a few listens for everything to sink in but before you know it you'll be listening to this all day.

Killing Songs :
Oracle Moon, Citadel of Dreams, Dissolution of the Forms
Milan quoted 86 / 100
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