The Black League
Utopia A.D.
Spinefarm Records
2001
The Black League is Taneli Jarva’s (ex-Sentenced) current group and this is (according to my knowledge) their second full-length album. Those who are familiar with the band’s former work (named “Ichor”) know what to expect. For the rest, I have to say that the sound of the band reminds a lot of Sentenced’s early works with Tanelli in lead vocals and especially the album “Amok”.
“Utopia A.D.” is bathed in desperation, something that I feel was one of the band’s intention. Most of the songs exude such a dark feeling and Taneli (a vocalist hero for this genre) performs in a dramatic way, while he sometimes convinces you that he needs someone to save him from his drowning into an endless sea of tears (listen to “Tedium Vitae”). Black is the colour that would characterize the album... but don’t be misled that you might hear something resembling groups like Katatonia.
In contrast most of the songs are fast and guitar riffing is quite heavy. However in the structure of most of the songs I diagnosed some pure hard rock forms and ideas. In addition I have to mention that the album owes a lot to Paradise Lost (the pioneers of this sound), something that the group reveals in many songs (especially the song “Day One”). Things are simple here: fans of this kind of sound have to buy this album (and they will possibly glorify it). Those who want to just have an idea of this dark genre of heavy metal, have in their hands a new good proposal to establish their first contact. As for those who persist in pure heavy or power metal... keep out, because listening to “Utopia A.D.” in a row will possibly cause you suicidal tendencies...
“Utopia A.D.” is bathed in desperation, something that I feel was one of the band’s intention. Most of the songs exude such a dark feeling and Taneli (a vocalist hero for this genre) performs in a dramatic way, while he sometimes convinces you that he needs someone to save him from his drowning into an endless sea of tears (listen to “Tedium Vitae”). Black is the colour that would characterize the album... but don’t be misled that you might hear something resembling groups like Katatonia.
In contrast most of the songs are fast and guitar riffing is quite heavy. However in the structure of most of the songs I diagnosed some pure hard rock forms and ideas. In addition I have to mention that the album owes a lot to Paradise Lost (the pioneers of this sound), something that the group reveals in many songs (especially the song “Day One”). Things are simple here: fans of this kind of sound have to buy this album (and they will possibly glorify it). Those who want to just have an idea of this dark genre of heavy metal, have in their hands a new good proposal to establish their first contact. As for those who persist in pure heavy or power metal... keep out, because listening to “Utopia A.D.” in a row will possibly cause you suicidal tendencies...