(CD/2LP, Raising Legends, 2016)
I love Portugal, even before visiting its capital, Lisbon, in 2009 and got instantly charmed by the mix of melancholy, rich culture and dramatic yet poetic air that lurks behind every corner of this Lusitanian city. Really this is not a surprise, because this mysterious ‘1000-and-1-nights’-laden country was in constantly interacting for more than four centuries with Arab population and their Eastern culture (among them some of the greatest mathematician minds of all time), so in a way it’s impossible for this movement to not have influenced every expression of Portuguese life, including Art. And that’s what happens in Portugal’s heavy music too; from dark to Gothic to Doom Metal, that sweet melancholy has passed through every note the Portuguese craft, and this is one of the reason I love their music so much, too. Oporto’s HEAVENWOOD belong to this category, since their sound is enhanced with dark yet aggressive infusions that are impossible to resist, so the coming of their fifth full length, titled “The Tarot Of The Bohemians”, was big news for my world, so it didn’t take much to press instantly the ‘order now’ button.
And I’m so glad I did! “The Tarot Of The Bohemians” seems like picking things up where 2011’s “Abyss Masterpiece” stopped, hitting hard with that gorgeous amalgam of Gothic / Dark Metal that these Portuguese know how to create, only this time the sonic result sounds more grandiose orchestration-wise, reminding me a bit the latest works of bands like SEPTICFLESH where such arrangements take over the room. From the album opener “The Juggler” (that has the HEAVENWOOD moniker written all over it) till the ethereal Hard rocker “The Hanged Man” (thanks to Sandra Oliveira’s female touch), the album is filled up with truly addictive tunes with choruses that instantly get stuck, and with a lyrical theme that’s focused on the Tarot cards and the studies on them, conducted by the Spanish-born French physician and hypnotist Papus (1865-1916), adding a more dark and mystical note. Tracks like “The High Priestess” and “The Empress” will stick with you for days (I really like the way the guitars compliment the clean vocals and the overall old-school Gothic-style setting), while orchestral moments on tracks like “The Emperor”, “The Pope” and “The Chariot” beautifully reveal the grandiose SEPTICFLESH-like orchestration I was talking about earlier. Make a note to revisit “The Lovers” over and over again to enjoy its addictive chorus on a high volume, while “The Hermit”, placed on the right position of the tracklist, will take you through the sands of time using HEAVENWOOD’s mystical portal, where the epic touch of Fadi Al Shami’s vocalisms and the Eastern guitar-riffage make all the difference.
“The Tarot Of The Bohemians” is an incredibly homogenous album with massive yet melodic tracks that serve totally their role on the album’s concept, so make sure that you’ll listen to it without any interruption. Looks like HEAVENWOOD did it again and offer us a high-quality album, especially for whoever thinks that aggression and melody can work side by side and create miracles. ‘Cause this is what “The Tarot Of The Bohemians” is all about.
9/10
Links:
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www.Twitter.Com/Heavenwood
Tracklist:
01. The Juggler
02. The High Priestess
03. The Emperor
04. The Pope
05. The Lovers
06. The Empress
07. The Chariot
08. Justice
09. The Hermit
10. The Wheel Of Fortune
11. Strength
12. The Hanged Man
Lineup:
Ricardo Dias - Guitar, Vocals
Ernesto Guerra - Vocals
Daniel Cardoso - Drums
Vitor Carvalho - Guitar
Andre Matos - Bass
Guests:
Sandra Oliveira - Backing Vocals on “High Priestess”, “The Lovers”, Vocals on “The Hanged Man”
Fadi Al Shami - Vocals on “The Hermit”