Thy Terrors - Right from the start this track sounds like premium blackened death. Gorgeous song structure.
Criminal Saints - Continuing with the black/death, this is a killer song. It would seem that Prayer of the Dying have become better songwriters since the first album. Heavy as lead, and hard as diamond. Metalgasmic vocal section at 4:12.
Death is a Servant - A video clip was made for this track out of scenes from an old black and white film. Keys are layered nicely over a really heavy riff, and the drums are fast and brutal. Vocals sound like they could strip paint, and gothy backing vocals are perfect.
Absolution - An almost medieval vocal passage opens up this track, then goes back into the paint stripping. Musically, it's a dark pit. With beautiful guitar tones, and evil atmosphere (something it shares with much of the rest of the album). The gothic undertones are very tangible here, mostly in the guitars and clean vocals. Wonderful song.
Anointing the Sick - A more symphonic approach to an instrumental. Thick atmosphere, big sound. Awesome.
Dormant Anger Wakes - Pure blackened death going in for the kill. Less atmosphere, more kicks to the head. The title says it all.
Shadows of Melancholy - Starting off a bit slower, the atmospherics returning, with very interesting underlying sounds. The riff is heavy, the drums pummelling with a really cool fill. At about the 2:30 mark it sounds like vocals are going to kick in, but then it ends fifty seconds later, merging with the next track.
Breed Up With Hate - Picking up from "Shadows of Melancholy", a slower black metal starts up. Keys play a perfect role in this song, one of the best on the album. The vocals grimly shine here.
Ancient Lament - It takes awhile for the drums to join the keys, but when they do, it's cool. They sound quieter, and the beat itself is a little jazzy feeling. The keys themselves are creepy, with odd sounds in the back that sound like insects and animals working together, engineering the fall of mankind. A great instrumental, it's also a fair length at just over 6:50.
Prayer of the Dying can be contacted through MySpace HERE.
-G.B.
© 2009 Funeral Rain. Questions? Email.
