Triptykon – Eparistera Daimones
Rating: 4.5/5.0 —A massive triumph.
Label: Century Media
Websites: triptykon.net | myspace.com/triptykonofficial
Release Date: EU: 22.03.2010 | US: 03.22.2010
There are some musicians that are capable of making a sound, no matter how simple, but always make it sound distinctive to the composer. In the same way, all of Thomas Gabriel Warrior’s creations have a distinct feeling and mark to them, which is why I’m so glad we have this new band on the scene. Warrior has teamed up with three young musicians to continue his creation through the new name, and judging by this record, Triptykon is a name we’ll he hearing more of in the not so distant future.
Warrior had stressed before that this CD would be Monotheist part two, which to me is a relief. After the brilliant Monotheist, I was left wanting much, much more. I’m not saying that Monotheist was too short or unsubstantial, Monotheist had the stamp of Warrior plastered over every sound that was put on the record. If you were in love with Monotheist, like me, you would have had nowhere else to turn to get a similar experience. The terrifyingly gripping feeling just couldn’t be found anywhere else in the metal scene.
Now that the wait has passed, a long four year wait for the successor of Monotheist is finally behind us. We’re now graced with Eparistera Daimones, under the new band Triptykon. Fear not though, the style has stayed the same. The songwriting is just as gripping and engaging, the sound is just as deep and powerful. The musicians involved have made no hindrance to the style of Thomas G. Warrior at all. In fact, you could argue that these new musicians who stand beside him have only enhanced his songwriting and vision. The sound itself is as pleasant as any other CD I’ve ever listened to. The production is beautifully put together, the sound is deep and balanced. It’s clean, but the gritty and evil sound that should be in an album like this is still there. It’s much better than the production in Monotheist, but it doesn’t take from the dark quality of the sound itself. It simply couldn’t have been any better.
To accompany the perfect sound itself, we have some brilliant songs to go with it. The songs here are deliciously dark 
and terrifying, perhaps a bit more aggressive than Monotheist – but it doesn’t take from the bleak, doom-like sound. There’s enough diversity in this album to please absolutely any metal head, no matter what sub genre they listen to. It has aspects of so many sounds that you’ll simply be in heaven, a stark irony, considering the lyrics are among the darkest and bleakest lyrics I’ve ever read or heard. Warrior’s vision certainly hasn’t taken a dive since Monotheist, and simply listening to the beautifully sung hooks assures you of this. A fantastic example of this is in the opener “Goetia”, and it slays. The song flows beautifully, and after listening to it for the second time, I couldn’t stop hearing the song in my head.
While the album is totally consistent from start to finish, it goes without saying that some songs honestly need mentioning. Among those is “The Prolonging” which is nearly 20 minutes long in length, and concludes the album. It’s incredibly executed, and despite the length of it, it’s among the most listenable songs on the record. It ends so bombastically that you’re left with no choice but to restart the CD, the feeling that this song and CD as a whole gives you is exactly what every fan of Monotheist has been waiting for.
Another stand out track would have to be “My Pain,” which is a change in the formula – but no less welcome than any of the other songs. It’s a quiet, melancholic song that functions almost as a prelude to “The Prolonging”. The female vocals in this beautiful, hypnotic track are well-executed and realized and polish this song with the infectious melody and vocals. I know there are some who won’t approve of quiet songs on an album like this, but this song really works with the atmosphere of the album, and this doesn’t show Warrior becoming softer – it shows him opening his vision and ambition.
There’s no real point in going in depth with every song, because there are no faults here. Every track here is beautifully realized, and wonderfully executed. I cannot think of a track on this album that would disappoint any metal head. But I still say this, I don’t think the CD has quite the impact Monotheist did. With Triptykon, we mostly knew what to expect. It’s possible that adding something a bit more revolutionary would have been a better move. This album will come as no shock to those who have listened to Celtic Frost’s brilliant Monotheist. Both in the style and the sheer, glimmering quality that this CD shines through your speakers. I find it impossible for any fan of Monotheist to find any disappointment in this CD. Truly a triumph. Twenty five years on and Warrior is still contributing the best of metal to the whole metal scene, and Eparistera Daimones proves he’s just as relevant as he was back then.
