Mirrorthrone - Of Wind and Weeping CD Review

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2004-04-14 : Baletempest
I cannot say more that has already been said except that this guy could well be the next Arcturus, brilliant stuff
2003-12-24 : Roberto Martinelli : Link
Don’t you just love one-man projects? Especially the ones where the dude is all alone in his bedroom? Mirrorthrone is just that. In fact, it plays it up, with a credit on the back of the CD clearly saying that the music was recorded, mixed and mastered in the bedroom of Vladimir, the Mirrorthrone man.

And don’t you just love when said one-man projects also rule? Mirrorthrone does. Red Stream is a pretty strong label, and Of Wind and Weeping is one of their best releases.

Of Wind and Weeping is very dense and melodic. The songs have lots of parts and are quite long, but don’t seem so due to the engaging nature of the compositions. Mirrorthrone’s music is very deep: wonderful interactions between the guitars and various (superbly) synthesized instruments, and striking, clean vocals. Of Wind and Weeping has the best vocal harmonies of any black metal record, ever. But it’s not all loneliness for Vladimir, who is joined by a woman, Marthe Gallaz, on vocals on two songs. If Gallaz looks anything as good as she sounds, then she’s pretty cute.

Shredding guitar and overdrive drums cut into melodic interludes of sweeping, delicate emotion. And Vladimir can play his instruments masterfully. The only thing it seems he can’t play magnificently are the drums, so he makes up for that by programming a drum machine into oblivion. The detail and artistic sense of the programming here ranks with Necrophagist, among the best.

During the Christmas season, there are these TV ads in San Francisco for a jewelry store called Zales, and another jeweler called De Beers. Both use this kind of piano signature that obviously has a pretty big impact, as I can’t stop thinking of those ads when the piano solo parts come along in Of Wind and Weeping. Well, the De Beers ads in particular are shot where you only see the black and white silhouettes of the people in the ads, inevitably making me think of "Psycho"; like, the husband is going to stab the wife to death with a diamond knife.

Of Wind and Weeping is actually a compilation of material that was recorded over the span of two years. The stuff fits together pretty well, but you can’t help but notice that the quality of much of the earlier material, found at the end of the disk, is below the standard of the most recent stuff. It’s a small bone to pick, but it’s the only thing separating this album from a perfect score. (9.7/10)
2003-09-07 : ultrahulkamaniac
I can't add much more to what has been said, because they're all right. This is a really good album, and maybe one of the best released this year.
2003-08-11 : P<
Now this is rather an interesting one. A one-man black metal band from the land of cuckoo clocks that is otherwise known as Switzerland. 4 tracks on this were recorded back in 2000 (when the innovator was 19!!!!) but the project was swiftly put to bed, until now that is when they resurface in a fleshed out album length format. Vladimir the man behind this had confused me somewhat by singing the majority of the vocals in French, but on finding out what country he hails from it all makes perfect sense.
Of Wind And Weeping is symphonic in scope and harks back to the dark ages and the neo classicists. Take the opening 11-minute opus Racines Denudees for example.
Keyboards have that labyrinthine Rachmaninov fuelled gallop to them and lead the instrumentation to canter off to dark paths. The vocals are choral and it at times seems as though there is a whole orchestra behind things rather than just the one man. The drum machine is possibly the one downfall as it sets off cracking volleys too loudly over the whole mix. I am at times reminded of Solefald but that is probably due to the clear French singing tones more than anything else and these are at times interspersed by some nice proficient throaty growls. The timpani sounding chimes that melt in halfway through the track sounded absolutely magical and draw you into the enchantment even further as it continues to cast its spell. This is the sort of music to play loud and shut the curtains dispelling the outside world. If it was a colour it would most certainly be black and a vampiric novel is the perfect accompaniment.
Some jagged fretwork sets the way for Florange Lunatique Occulterment Revelateur and the vocals giddily soar off before divulging into rabid gargled growls. The guitar playing now works itself up into a progressive frenzy and proves as far as I am concerned that Vladimir has both the playing and song writing skills to accomplish such an involved opus. There are plenty of things going on during this 55-minute epic as well, the cavernous organ peel at the start of Aborted particularly has you sitting up and taking notice. Then unexpectedly with Beyond The Mirrorthrone we suddenly get female vocals added to the fray and with so many ideas now involved I am thinking along the lines of Elend. The only problem with one-man bedroom projects like this is that they stay in the bedroom. With a full band and decent auditorium sound behind it this was sound absolutely staggering live. Sinister, evil and eclectic this is a stimulating affair and one well worth venturing into. Thank God it had a ping imagine if this had been called Of Wind And Wee.
2003-08-06 : PM : Link
Mirrorthrone is a one-man project by a man named Vladimir. As one could guess, as with most one-man projects, it's a symphonic band. Mirrorthrone is heavy on the symphonic but adds black metal rawness to the mix. Vladmir handles all the keys, drum programming, guitars, bass, and vokills. He has a very strong clean voice. It has a very haunting tone to it, while his harsh vokills come across very raw giving a good balance of both sides of the spectrum. It wouldn't take anyone too long to figure out that these drums are programmed because they hit speeds where the double kicks seems to almost meld into one beat. His work on the keys is impressive. A lot of the stuff would fit great in a Castlevania game or a work as a soundtrack to a dark gothic movie. The keys spiral along in a very creepy manner quite often. I believe some of his best work on here is in the track "Aborted". It's one of the shortest tracks on the album, Of Wind and Weeping, but it also stands out as being one of the best. The guitars are pretty much straight-forward black metal riffing, no frills; that being mainly because they hardly ever provide the basis for the songs.
2003-07-28 : Joe Fucking Blow
YEP, all the hype below is true. This album is epic, amazing, beautiful, agrressive, and much more. I'm blown away with this release. Just get it... Oh, and note although it says "recording in a bedroom"... well, the production is tip top...not some crappy recorded under the sink fake ass primitive black metal. The production is fine crisp and captures the essence of the epic compositions.
2003-07-27 : Anonymous Coward : Link
MIRRORTHRONE:"Of Wind And Weeping"-94(100)
CD/52:48-Red Stream Records

Among the latests R.S.Records studio achievements we can count Mirrothrone's new album call "Of Wind...",a splendidly 8 trax product full of romantic and baroque essence damn well combined with sounds into ambiental metal and extreme black.The main "culprit" for this sensational "Of Wind..."album is Vladimir ,who's responsible for :vocals,guitars,bass and some other instruments including here synthetizers and drummachine.Vladimir've chose to sing in both languages :english and french,because not even english language can't manage very well with those melancholical and classical passages who must set off the interaction between music and lyrics ,but in a language with many more expression availabilities.ans ,as you know,the french language is a top one.I must tell that I like very much Vladimir's screaming voice,a very good one for Mirrorthrone's way of playing.Probaby Vladimir's classic musical knowledges are very deeply and solid,but this very good musician is a very talented one and he know ho to manage with those classical sounds without boring us to much.a very pleasantly appeareance is female singer Marthe Gallaz;her voice is an enchanting one,very melancholical and deep.If a known movie director will read this review please get in touch with this label or with Vladimir ,'cause you can find here very interesting music for your movies sound column.Finally,you have here a top class album recorded by a young and talented musician ;although "Of Wind..." is his first full-lenght product ever.
2003-07-22 : Anonymous Coward
Mirrorthrone’s sporadically confusing/brilliant ‘Of Wind and Weeping’ (Red Stream), which sorta sounds like the rightful predecessor and follow-up to the first Ephel
Duath album, what with its carnivalesque slide-show of falling pianos and failed dreams – very maudlin, yet very mesmerizing....
2003-07-21 : Anonymous Coward : Link
danowar:
Often times, any band that incorporates keyboards into their music will get slapped with the symphonic black metal label which doesn't actually describe them. The one-man project named Mirrorthrone, on the otherhand, actually deserve the title symphonic metal.
"Of Wind And Weeping" is bursting at the seams with classical overtones from the romantic and baroque eras. Everything from the instrumentation to the composition has a very classical feel to it. This all comes together under a black metal cloak. The whole album is very ethereal with a clean voice that almost sounds chanted through most of it. The lyrics to the songs are half in English and half in French. The whole thing is very majestic.

Mirrorthrone have unleashed a very avantgarde and creative debut. "Of Wind and Weeping" is a lesson on what symphonic black metal should be - not what it currently is thought to be.
2003-07-15 : SeelenlanD : Link
I too am quite impressed by the music of Mirrorthrone! I have one thing to add that I dont know if any of you guys know, but from what I hear, Vladimir is a young prodigy, for hes only 19 years old!!! At least someone I chat with that has contact with him tells me...if thats the case, then I'm even more amazed...
2003-07-14 : Anonymous Coward : Link
Mirrorthrone - Of Wind and Weeping (Red Stream)
Author's Rating: Release Date: 2003

Mirrorthrone is the one-man project of a musician calling himself Vladimir. The longhaired guy is responsible for all the music and lyrics, the vocals, guitars, bass, synthesizers and drum programming, the production, mixing and mastering of the album, as well as for the cover artwork of the CD and... Well, it seems we've mentioned absolutely everything. Vladimir's only helper is Lady Marthe Galaz who sings on the tracks "Beyond the Mirrorthrone" and "The Notion of Perfect". These two, as well as "Moi Mort..." and the self-titled composition "Of Wind and Weeping", are taken from Mirrorthrone's 2001 demo tape, while "Florilege Lunatique..." and "The Four Names of the Living Threatening Stone" are older pre-recording versions. What turns out is that the only really new tunes are the psychotic, somehow industrialized Elend-esque composition "Aborted" and the impressive opener "Racines Denudees". However, that's not something we should regard as a negative point - it's exactly the fact that the songs have been created in various different periods of time that gives Mirrorthrone's debut such an immense multiformity. The style on "Of Wind and Weeping" is - briefly said - magnificent orchestral (black) metal with a lot of baroque motifs, and lyrics in French and English sung in a Jekyll-and-Hyde way of vocal-expressing.
...and it simply must be emphasized once again - beautiful orchestrations, great diversity, incredibly beautiful complex melodies, and an overall dark-to-scary atmosphere. Well done!

Author: [Nicki]

2003-07-07 : Patrick : Link
MIRRORTHRONE
Of Wind And Weeping
(Red Stream)
52:48min

What in the first place intrigued me about this album was the very atmospheric booklet-design. Well, I can’t help it – I am a naturalist. The cover depicts a fragment of a forest-photograph. That is, one can see firs, ivy, maple trees and the like. There is a murky pond that reflects the whole scene. When you open up the booklet the inspired listener faces another forest scenery that is way more earthy and looks very enchanting. In the background lurks an old-fashioned clock… nice that. As for the music – MIRRORTHRONE perform majestic, symphonic and varying… hmmm, I’d call it Dark Metal actually. That is, the music is very complex. Partly the compositions are approximately 8 minutes long. As if the OPETH records were competed with here, haha. The oeuvre seems very homogenous, and that is why no songs really stick out really, which I definitely don’t mean negatively. I think it is utterly artistic to strive for homogeneity when it comes to composing music and arranging it on an album. MIRRORTHRONE kind of remind me of acts such as LEGENDA, a bit of VED BUENS ENDE here and there, old …AND OCEANS (with regard to the synthies), Doom legends like SOLSTICE, MY DYING BRIDE. Actually all this is quite hard to describe ‘cause MIRRORTHRONE are relatively unique. They incorporate delightful Doom-parts in their music beside blasting ferocity, i.e. fast beats and aggressive tunes. The person behind MIRRORTHRONE is just one individual called Vladimir who’s in charge of all the components that set up the music – vocals, guitars, bass, synthesizers and the drum-programming. Yeah, MIRRORTHRONE use a drum-computer that, I must state, partly sounds a bit ridiculous… not because the sound sucks or something. No, just because it absolutely sounds superhuman, this would even be not manageable for madmen like Robbe K., Gene Hogan, Sean Reinert… impossible. Otherwise, the guitars sound really awesome, nice tuning, appropriate sound-characteristics (very doomy indeed, at times quite technical actually à 'Florilège Lunatique Occultement Révalateur…' but melodious most of the time), the bass guitar is doing a truly supportive job – not less, not more. The male vocals oscillate between aggressive Black Metal-like shrieks and, most of the time, harmonious sonorous singing (partly female vocals are used, too à 'Beyond The Mirrorthrone'). The majority of the lyrics is written in French, which I find very fitting. The synthesizers are fabulous I think… very skilful indeed. I wonder whether Vladimir enjoyed classical tutorials and training… All in all, an impressive recording, which I do appreciate as an old MY DYING BRIDE, ANATHEMA freak. I am quite impressed, too, that Read Stream release such tranquil and serene music … thumbs up!!! Contact: www.mirrorthrone.com, www.redstream.org
2003-06-26 : Patrick : Link
crestin raul-iulian

Here we have the reviews ,I hope you'll like them.
MIRRORTHRONE:"Of Wind And Weeping"-94(100)
CD/52:48-Red Stream Records

Among the latests R.S.Records studio achievements we
can count Mirrothrone's new album call "Of Wind...",a
splendidly 8 trax product full of romantic and baroque
essence damn well combined with sounds into ambiental
metal and extreme black.The main "culprit" for this
sensational "Of Wind..."album is Vladimir ,who's
responsible for :vocals,guitars,bass and some other
instruments including here synthetizers and
drummachine.Vladimir've chose to sing in both
languages :english and french,because not even english
language can't manage very well with those
melancholical and classical passages who must set off
the interaction between music and lyrics ,but in a
language with many more expression availabilities.ans
,as you know,the french language is a top one.I must
tell that I like very much Vladimir's screaming
voice,a very good one for Mirrorthrone's way of
playing.Probaby Vladimir's classic musical knowledges
are very deeply and solid,but this very good musician
is a very talented one and he know ho to manage with
those classical sounds without boring us to much.a
very pleasantly appeareance is female singer Marthe
Gallaz;her voice is an enchanting one,very
melancholical and deep.If a known movie director will
read this review please get in touch with this label
or with Vladimir ,'cause you can find here very
interesting music for your movies sound
column.Finally,you have here a top class album
recorded by a young and talented musician ;although
"Of Wind..." is his first full-lenght product ever.
2003-06-17 : Anonymous Coward : Link
I'm very impressed by this artist. Classical music together death and black influences create a great experience for my ears. I like the way in which this guy has worked out, for create a sound directly from the darkests forests. Lyrics are in french and I think are very intimistics. Romantic and baroque essence are also presents on this cd. If you are searching for something that isn't the usual stuff, check it now.