Veni Domine

Item: Material Sanctuary
Author: Tom Edmondson

Material Sanctuary

(1994)

Reviewed by Tom Edmondson

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Label Thunderload RecordsCritical Mass #01996

doom metal gothic metal heavy metal power metal

Rapturous metallic rhapsodies. Just look up the word "rhapsody" in your dictionary and you'll find a definition that comes as close as anything to describing this incredibly polished band from Sweden. If you've heard their first album, Fall Babylon Fall, you know just how incredible this band is.

Here are a few descriptive words that occur to me as I listen: Melodic, beautiful, intelligent, well-executed, extremely Biblical, and awe-inspiring.

Veni Domine has been compared to bands like Sanctuary and old Queensryche. While I wouldn't disagree, I'd hate to label a band that far exceeds those comparisons. Really, Veni Domine bridges many gaps in the metal world. For one thing, they are a cross between classical and doom metal with noticeable similarities to Solitude Aeturnus and Candlemass. (Interestingly, I've learned of a band called Zoic which contains a member of Veni Domine and 3 members of Candlemass). They also bridge the gap between commercial and non-commercial. On the one hand they sound very commercial. In fact, they sound a lot like Bloodgood. On the other hand, instead of writing 3 to 5 minute songs, they write songs that range from 8 to 21 minutes long. The songs are more than just verse/chorus/verse/chorus/solo/chorus/chorus. You'll find many classically influenced asides that will dazzle and amaze. And check out the additional instrumentation: keyboards played like an organ, tubular bells (first album), a harp, and a choir! Needless to say, they've constructed two of the most intriguing albums out there (not surprising when you learn that they're from Sweden, as is Candlemass, Edge of Sanity, and Memento Mori).

This band also delivers lyrically because practically every song contains direct quotations from Scripture. Think of this as a heavy Bible opera. So, on a scale of 1 to 10 Material Sanctuary gets a 12. This is one of the wisest investments your music buying dollar can make.