Atlantean Kodex – The Golden Bough
Release: 2010Nov09 (US)
Label: Cruz Del Sur
Rating: 4/5
When you come from a land that is known for birthing all manner of heavy music, there will be high expectations and little forgiven. The German quintet Atlantean Kodex has released a pair of EPs in 2007′s The Pnakotic Demos & 2008′s A Prophet in the Forest, plus a live album entitled The Annihilation of Koenigshofen one year prior to unleashing this full-length, The Golden Bough. It seems four years of preparation was enough to yield an album of this caliber, comprised of both new material and older tunes honed to greater perfection. Truly, this is how you perform power metal.
I try to sparingly use the term “epic” in my reviews nowadays because it feels trite—but every so often deems necessary. The pitfall is hard to avoid when the first and second track surpass the 10- and 11-minute mark, respectively; not to mention the sound effects that transform the listener into one of the trekking crew. Most everything works seamlessly, with deliberate song tempos and invocations of ancient mythoi mixed with modern interpretation. Rather than coming across detached, one feels emotionally invested in the protagonists’ quest into Elysium and the subsequent downfall of Atlantis.
However, I was surprised that a track like “Disciples of the Iron Crown” did not grab me, as it contains some of the fastest moments on the album. The speed shifts strike my ear awkwardly, and at two minutes shorter than the next-longest track, it needs more time to flesh out. That next-longest track is the following “Vesperal Hymn”, which ably bridges the overarching storyline, but is not terribly compelling by itself.
Their eponymous song rightfully regains ground, though, as our heroes resolve to hold true to their ancestral origins:
The days are growing darker
And what the coming age might hold
Even the wisest among us cannot say
And though some things are better left undisturbed
We must not bury the past
Or we will be buried by the future
I can scarcely think of a better way to endear yourself to a critical Metal audience than through an a priori sense of brotherhood. Such a feeling is difficult to quantify, but recognizable when present. While The Golden Bough may not be the magnum opus of Atlantean Kodex, few bands are this strong right out of the gate, and I welcome their destined journeys.
FCC OK
Try 1, 2, 4, 7, 8
1. Fountain of Nepenthe
2. Pilgrim
3. The White Goddess
4. Temple of Katholic Magick
5. Disciples of the Iron Crown
6. Vesperal Hymn
7. The Atlantean Kodex
8. A Prophet in the Forest
9. The Golden Bough
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