Friday, February 23, 2024

Devil Doll - The Sacrilege Of Fatal Arms [Japan Ed.] (1993)

Year: 1993 (CD Oct 17, 2008)
Label: Belle Antique (Japan), BELLE 081428
Style: Progressive Rock, Art Rock, Electronic, Symphonic Rock
Country: Venice, Italy / Ljubljana, Slovenia
Time: 79:01
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 371 Mb

This 1993 album is a reworked, longer version of Devil Doll's previous album Sacrilegium and is the soundtrack to an obscure movie of the same name. Interestingly, it was originally only a fan-club only re-release, but I guess it was remastered later or and made more widely available. All I know is that I ordered it from Century Media Records.
How can I describe a work of this magnitude? Well, I would do it effortfully, in vain, and for more my own pleasure. Of all the Devil Doll albums I now own, I'd probably say that this is my favorite. Sure, the violins and string arrangements aren't as potent as they are on TGWW...D and it's not as gloriously consummate as Dies Irae, but it's the most diverse of the three. It features everything from Mr. Doctor's often comical, sinister, twisted vocals; horn flourishes ; spoken/shouted words; screaming background crowds; loud, massive choir/s; awesome violin, cello, guitar, piano, and accordion solos/parts; and various additional oddities that help to enchant the listener. It's innately satisfying to hear so many transitions in the music itself and to mentally note the disarming juxtaposition of it with Mr. Doctor's oddly-timed performances. The band makes very good use of the professional freedom given to them to ride great waves of ideas until they have sloshed against the shore.
With this freedom, thankfully, Devil Doll has managed to make the album dark without being depressing. DD isn't about total despair, darkness, satanism, and emanating complete and utter hatred of the world. Sure, they talk about death and human suffering, but it's mostly within the confines of a thought-provoking storyline that shows what their interests are as well as giving deeper meanings. Everything is purposeful and defined . It's obvious just listening to the music.
Never ceasing to amaze, this is a work of awe-inspiring beauty, both sinister and bright. Metal purists may have extreme difficulty liking this album, however, because it's not really riff-oriented at all; riffing comes sporadically and functions merely to add zeal and power to the current idea being explored in the music.
Hopefully, though, metal listeners can enjoy this album despite its lack of influence and credibility in the genre. The Sacrilege of Fatal Arms really is Devil Doll's best work and I implore any fan of music to purchase it. I have faith that it could be appreciated by a broad spectrum of music fans.
(metal-archives.com/reviews/Devil_Doll/The_Sacrilege_of_Fatal_Arms/14308/) Review by HealthySonicDiet. February 11th, 2004

01. The Sacrilege Of Fatal Arms (1:19:01)

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