SEAR BLISS – The Arcane Odyssey
 
Label: Candlelight Records
Release: September 24 2007
By: Stormlord
Rating: 10/10
Time: 47:36
Style: Black Metal
URL: Sear Bliss
 

Powerful, pompous and overwhelming they are back again with The Arcane Odyssey, the indefatigable SEAR BLISS. This group possesses the certain something – and that becomes clear with every publication again. The trombone rings out correctly powerfully, Blood On The Milky Way, song number 1, is affected partially by this wind-instrument. Yet not only the extraordinary trombone, but rather the extremely stratified type of music upgrades SEAR BLISS to true high quality metal. It is hard to grasp how many instruments delight the ear, violent guitar riffs, acoustic accords, and a variable voice – that’s more anyone could have expected! The song structure of following track A Deathly Illusion appeals sensational to me with its calm beginning and rapid increase, acoustic guitar elements, partly whispered vocal passages and driving percussion rhythms. On top of everything trombone sounds full of pressure and might appear anew– congenial! Yet also dragging nuances are not missed out by SEAR BLISS, like the hypnotic Lost And Not Found proves. The musicians show an enormous feeling for variability. In addition this track’s lyrics care for benevolent nodding, they accordingly mean: “We always will stay the ones we used to be!” – I really hope so! In the end a real hefty guitar attack appears which contains an enormous penetrating power bringing this song to a furious ending.
The Hungarian group also manages best to perform in high speed without losing control and drifting towards chaos – and all speeds are performed without showing any kind of weakness. Thorns Of Deception displays such an attack: the rhythmic change in the middle is interesting making clear that SEAR BLISS do try and manage to compose unforeseeably. I definitely like to mention the monumental, above seven minutes lasting work Somewhere, alternating between epic structures, dreamy acoustic or fast as an arrow parts. After first listening I was speechless, gentlemen!!! Unfortunately a tiny blemish appears towards the end of this song, namely two minutes of silence, ere the absolute untypical finishing bullet Path To The Motherland compensates for this long wait. These four minutes are introduced by stringed instruments accompanied by flutes satisfying my Folk loving vein.
I really cannot find any weak point on The Arcane Odyssey, like a battleship SEAR BLISS maneuvers through stormy troubled, hardly sailed or obvious calm sea. Or differently said: whether they play quickly, unusually or slowly, they are masters of all kinds. The Arcane Odyssey offers mighty, powerful and classy Black Metal!