While Heaven Wept- Vast Oceans Lachrymose review

When they told me that While Heaven Wept are about to release a new album, I could hardly believe that, from the view that I wasn’t sure if they could compose something similar to the previous masterpieces with the same emotions and feelings. Although, I thought about my eternal hero and idol Tom Phillips and I compromised with the idea that he has never let me down musically and for sure he won’t with the new album.

Then, I was informed that Rain Irving would sing instead of Tom Phillips which was a surprise for me as well but looking back to his previous bands I found out that his voice was pretty much trustworthy.

After all these, the album came to my hands. I would like to start from the magnificent artwork and front cover which translates exactly what the album’s title is about: VAST OCEANS LACHRYMOSE

Moving on the first epic song “The Furthest Shore”, we realize that While Heaven Wept have been refreshed, as they present more mature both lyrically and musically. Rain Irving’s apocalyptic voice, reminding to me in some parts the voice of the legendary Fates Warning first singer John Arch, was suitable for the occasion, as it combines with Tom’s haunting guitar melodies perfectly. As we continue with the next two songs of the album, we are absorbed by the atmosphere made by slow but also many mid tempo parts, acoustic guitars, and beautiful vocal lines, all bonded together by a dreamy production.

Then, “Vessel”, an amazing song and my personal favorite, orientates a new dimension for the album, as it is firstly a song consisted of the classical While Heaven Wept elements, catchy chorus and melodies that are unique and made us put this band to our hearts forever and secondly is a “key” song because after that the album fades out slowly by two amazing instrumental hymns.

Having all the emotional vibes and structures from the previous songs, “Vast Ocean Lachrymose” and “Epilogue”, has come to show that While Heaven Wept, beyond all pleasant changes, retain the elements that we all love like bittersweet melodies with a rise of hope just to breathe for a while until you drown eternally….

Father Alex

While Heaven Wept- Sorrow Of The Angels EP REVIEW

Romantic, sensitive, emotional, doomed, painful, esoteric, depressive. I know all these are not enough to describe While Heaven Wept-Sorrow of the angels album, but are able to give you a taste for what this album is about.

Just from the very beginning of the album’s first song “Thus with a Kiss I Die” and the slow mournful chords combined with Tom Phillips’ haunting and melancholic voice, you feel your blood starts freezing while the feeling of an emotional accumulation penetrates you when you read this song’s lyrics. Emptiness is filled with tears of sorrow while somewhere around, you are trying to find a creeping sunrise and tears of joy. Beautiful acoustic passages give you the strength to continue listening to this album but also to dream and hope. Moreover, questions and worries are being born concerning the existence of true love and feelings.

Imagine yourself shivering and naked, desperate and hopeless trying to find an answer which deep inside you know that it is going to hurt you more. I wish I could stop here but the gates are wide open now and we are all ready to encounter the second hymn with the name “ Into the well of sorrow” . The lamentation continues and from the very first melodies of the amazing acoustic guitar you start creating an imaginary world within your mind where solitude is the main thing that you have to come up against. Dark clouds surround you soliloquizing in order to remind you your loneliness, while it is time to admit the pain and find the courage to carry on.

Then looking back again to your imaginary world you can see that the most beautiful flower has withered and gone, so the first suspects of “The death of love” are rising. The drops of the autumn rain seem to be a waterfall for you, while you are thinking whether tears are or not.

The epilogue has come as a salvation to this suffering. Optimistic melodies which reveal the new day’s dawn but without forgetting the past. You are walking away from the world you’ve made searching for relief and peace of mind. You have no reason to turn back, because only memories are lurking.

Now, transferring ourselves back to reality, we have to say that Tom Phillips’ 4 song masterpiece involves you to a journey of soul sadness and desperation where there’s no turning back. A journey which starts with a translation of a disappointment followed by grief, sorrow and desperation, realization of the truth and the reality and ending with a sweet memory of the threnody during September’s cold mourning days.

Father Alex (Children Of Doom) 2009

Bobby Liebling (Pentagram) Interview and Pentagram Live Report (Zlin, Czech Republic)

The day was Thursday the 8^th of October and after our long journey from Bratislava to Zlin, we found the place were the mighty Pentagram were going to appear!! After entering the Masters Of Rock Café, where the gig was going to take place, a place in which many people where there drinking beers and the atmosphere was decorated with Manowar posters from past gigs, I saw a figure fooling around but I didn’t pay attention to who he was. After a couple of minutes though, I realized that he was the godfather of doom metal and one of the most special voices that heavy metal has shown: Bobby Liebling!!!!!!
Without wasting any time I rushed towards him for an autograph and for a picture. Then he offered me a sit in order to talk and have some coffee together. So, I found a chance to make a sort of an interview with him.

First of all I would like to mention that he is so calm and polite and his words and face provide kindness. The first question that I asked him was how come he is touring again and specially in Europe and why did he chose Zlin as a place for a show instead of Prague which is the capital of Czech Republic. He replied that he visits for first time Europe and that this is quite exciting for him and that the choice of the city wasn’t his but his manager’s. Also he told me that he visited Europe because this was a vision of the past and to prepare doom metal fans about the new forthcoming album which will se the light of day during next March!!! Then I asked him about his new line up and what happened with the old legends like Victor Griffin (1979, 1983-1988, 1993-1996) and Joe Hasselvander (1983-2002), guitar, bass (1999-2002). What he replied was that with Victor they still love each other but unfortunately Joe is a different person… About the new line up he told me that they rule, thing that I really understood few hours later at their show. The new line up consists of the following: Gary Isom – Drums, originally drummer for the US doomsters Unorthodox but he used to play for Pentagram as well back to the 1994, Mark Ammen – Bass, also from Unorthodox and Russ Strahan – Guitar. He told the best words for them and that he is quite happy to be collaborating with such musicians.

After all these, I asked him what happened back then in the 70’s what was all these bands that he was involved to, his main influences and the unfortunate and sad facts for him visiting the prison. What he replied about that was his strongest influence ever still nowadays is Blue Cheer. He also told me that he is still a huge fan and about few years ago he accomplished his dream and he met them. Now, as far as the 70’s are concerned Stone Bunny was just a moniker in order to play some rehearsals and nothing more, Bedemon was kind of more serious but only few demo tapes are saved. About that I informed him that there was a re-issue on vinyl by the Black Widow records and he disagreed totally by saying that he lever gave permission for that. Then Death Row was the first moniker that then changed into the tremendous Pentagram and the rest is history. After that, I asked him if he was influenced at all by Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath both in the singing and clothing (crosses and stuff) but also phrases that we all are keen of like Allright now!, Oh Yeah, etc. His answer was clear: Not at all!! And he continued by saying that Victor was a huge Black Sabbath fan and he did plan all these parts in their songs and he has nothing to do with that.

At the end I kept one pleasant and one sad fact. I will start with the sad first which is Bobby’s past where he was involved with drugs and jail because of them but I will continue with the most important and most pleasant of all, that he has quite all these stuff and he deeply regrets as he told me with tears in his eyes because now he can understand the real meaning of life, everyday and in every live show when he sees the people’s response his emotions grow more and more and he cries while he thanks the crowd. Also he didn’t stop saying about his new love, which according to his sayings was gift from God in order to keep him alive. He counts 3 years of relationship with her and also 3 years without any drugs.

After this short interview and while I was shaking of sitting near the god of doom, he left in order to dress himself and to prepare for the show which would start in about 45 minutes. He said goodbye and we re arranged our meeting on stage.

So, after few minutes the dream continued. The mighty Pentagram appeared on stage starting with Wheel of Fortune and continuing with Forever My Queen. What I saw was an incredible movement of Bobby, an excellent musical performance by the rhythm section of Unorthodox and an unbelievable guitar play by Russ which left me speechless. No words to describe the feeling but also the response of the people which had the same luck to be present there like me. Bobby showed his best and also his appetite to live and sing his and our favourite songs. Excellent choice of songs, including Petrified, Living in a ram’s head, All your sins and encore with The sing of the wolf!!!!!

Conclusion: Different emotions surrounded me during the whole event including the internview and the live show and many things were clearly realized like there’s not anything more important that life and joy. Hopefully this was also realized by Bobby who we hope to continue giving us the doom!! God bless him!!

Father Alex (Children Of Doom Blogspot) 2009

Hammer Of Doom III news

We are moving forward fast and already can present WHILE HEAVEN WEPT as the next amazing band on the billing. Their new album “Vast Oceans Lachrymose” is one of the highlights of the new millenium.....

HAMMER OF DOOM 3

SAINT VITUS (USA)....

WHILE HEAVEN WEPT (USA)
GRIFTEGARD (SWE)
ATLANTEAN KODEX (GER)
THE WIZAR’D (AUS)

February 6th. 2010 Würzburg Posthalle (www.posthalle.de)

Tickets will be available first at Hammer Of Doom 2. Tickets for Hammer OF Doom 2 (also for THRASH ASSAULT 4 festival) are still available at www.nuclearblast.de, www.eventim.de or just send a mail to bestellung@keep-it-true.de.

Metal On,

Heiko and Oli