Burial (Extol album)
Encyclopedia
Burial is the first album by the Norwegian
Christian metal
band Extol
. It was released on Endtime Productions
and then Solid State Records
the following year. According to Allmusic, Burial was "a breath of fresh air among a genre that relies on satanic gimmicks", and marked a renewal in the Christian metal
scene. In 2010, HM magazine ranked it #13 on the Top 100 Christian metal albums of all time list.
.
Critics and fans usually categorize the album's style as either death/black metal or simply metal because it contains elements of several subgenres of heavy metal music. The notable black metal elements on the album include the high-pitched shrieking vocals of Peter Espevoll, some black metal tremolo riffs, such as on "Innbydelse", and the slightly raw sound production. However, the album's overall atmosphere is not particularly dark or cold; on several songs the soundscape contains happy sounding elements such as the cheerful power metal vocals of the guitarist Ole Børud, creating tensions between the darker elements.
The musical output of Burial is a combination of power metal, old school death metal and traditional heavy metal, and the latter style is especially apparent on the main riff of "Renhetens Elv". Additionally, the songs contain interludes that include elements of industrial music
, such as on the song "Justified", jazz and classical music, such as on the song "Tears of Bitterness". The guest musician Maria Riddervold played violin on the songs "Embraced" and "Tears of Bitterness". The musicianship on Burial is virtuoisic, taking the style a step towards technical death metal
and progressive death metal, technically exceptionally precise, and contains experimental, bizarre song structures. One critic wrote that the album's style "varies from extremely aggressive discharges to beautiful guitar harmonies, while the main focus relies on twisted riffs and ferocious directions." "Renhetens Elv" and "Innbydelse" are written in Norwegian, and the rest are in English.
Many critics and fans regard the last song, "Jesus Kom Til Jorden For Å Dø", as the highlight of the album. "Jesus Kom Til Jorden For Å Dø" (Norwegian for "Jesus came to world to die") is a song arranged by Arnold Børud, and it is a hymn-like, doom metal-esque and folkish piece. Arnold Børud also played the organs on the song.
(*)This song was only released on the Japanese Version as a bonus track. It also appeared on Mesmerized EP.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
Christian metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
band Extol
Extol
Extol is a Christian progressive extreme metal band from Bekkestua, Norway, that was formed in 1993. In 2007, they announced they were splitting up to work on separate projects. The band is known for playing a variety of different styles of metal which include progressive death metal, melodic death...
. It was released on Endtime Productions
Endtime Productions
Endtime Productions is an independent record label based in Scandinavia. The label focuses on extreme metal music and helped notable groups such as Norway's Extol to gain fame and get a record deal with Century Media Records. Notable groups on the label's roster include Antestor, Drottnar and...
and then Solid State Records
Solid State Records
Solid State Records is a Christian record label, a division of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore and metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, they have signed several bands that don't label themselves as Christian,...
the following year. According to Allmusic, Burial was "a breath of fresh air among a genre that relies on satanic gimmicks", and marked a renewal in the Christian metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
scene. In 2010, HM magazine ranked it #13 on the Top 100 Christian metal albums of all time list.
Recording
Burial was recorded at Børud Lydskredderi, Norway, mastered at The Mastering Room, and released on December 22, 1998. Burial was the first release by the Swedish record label Endtime ProductionsEndtime Productions
Endtime Productions is an independent record label based in Scandinavia. The label focuses on extreme metal music and helped notable groups such as Norway's Extol to gain fame and get a record deal with Century Media Records. Notable groups on the label's roster include Antestor, Drottnar and...
.
Critics and fans usually categorize the album's style as either death/black metal or simply metal because it contains elements of several subgenres of heavy metal music. The notable black metal elements on the album include the high-pitched shrieking vocals of Peter Espevoll, some black metal tremolo riffs, such as on "Innbydelse", and the slightly raw sound production. However, the album's overall atmosphere is not particularly dark or cold; on several songs the soundscape contains happy sounding elements such as the cheerful power metal vocals of the guitarist Ole Børud, creating tensions between the darker elements.
The musical output of Burial is a combination of power metal, old school death metal and traditional heavy metal, and the latter style is especially apparent on the main riff of "Renhetens Elv". Additionally, the songs contain interludes that include elements of industrial music
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
, such as on the song "Justified", jazz and classical music, such as on the song "Tears of Bitterness". The guest musician Maria Riddervold played violin on the songs "Embraced" and "Tears of Bitterness". The musicianship on Burial is virtuoisic, taking the style a step towards technical death metal
Technical death metal
Technical death metal is a musical subgenre of death metal that focuses on complex rhythms, riffs and song structures. Technical experimentation in death metal began in the late '80s and early '90s by bands such as Death, Atheist and Cynic...
and progressive death metal, technically exceptionally precise, and contains experimental, bizarre song structures. One critic wrote that the album's style "varies from extremely aggressive discharges to beautiful guitar harmonies, while the main focus relies on twisted riffs and ferocious directions." "Renhetens Elv" and "Innbydelse" are written in Norwegian, and the rest are in English.
Many critics and fans regard the last song, "Jesus Kom Til Jorden For Å Dø", as the highlight of the album. "Jesus Kom Til Jorden For Å Dø" (Norwegian for "Jesus came to world to die") is a song arranged by Arnold Børud, and it is a hymn-like, doom metal-esque and folkish piece. Arnold Børud also played the organs on the song.
Reception
During the time Burial was released, Extol was described as Norway's second best band by the Norwegian magazine Scream. The album was considered a breath of fresh air in the death metal genre that had run stale for years. It received good reviews from the secular metal press.Track listing
All songs written by Extol- "Into Another Dimension" (Instrumental) - 1:28
- "Celestial Completion" - 6:14
- "Burial" - 4:49
- "Renhetens Elv" - 6:21
- "Superior" - 5:08
- "Reflections of a Broken Soul" - 7:28
- "Justified" - 5:22
- "Embraced" - 3:41
- "Innbydelse" - 4:58
- "Tears of Bitterness" - 7:27
- "Work of Art" - 5:19
- "Jesus Kom Til Jorden For Å Dø" - 3:47
- "The Prodigal Son" - 6:05*
(*)This song was only released on the Japanese Version as a bonus track. It also appeared on Mesmerized EP.
Extol
- Peter Espevoll - vocals
- Ole Børud - guitar, vocals
- Christer Espevoll - guitar
- Eystein Holm - bass guitar
- David Husvik - drums
Additional musicians
- Arnold Børud - keyboards
- Maria Riddervold - violins on "Embraced" and "Tears of Bitterness"