ELVENEFRIS

What can I say to fully explain the sheer awesomeness of this album? Elvenefris is a masterpiece and is one of my favorite albums of all time. The album amazes me even after years of owning it and listening to it regularly. This album manages to perfectly transition from brutal to melodic, all in all creating pure beauty.

There are an incredible amount of shiver-inducing moments. The riffs are brilliant and catchy. They range from melodic and clean, melodic and heavy, to brutal and heavy. Besides that, there are atmospheric moments. There are moments that are sad, happy, angry, and epic.

The drums are the some of the best I've heard in metal and I've heard a lot. They are technical, fast, and have very interesting rhythms. I could listen to this album only paying attention to drums and enjoy it greatly. The vocalist does a great job with both clean vocals(includes singing and talking) and brutal growls. The lyrics are about peace and the quest for redemption, which is surprising for a band this heavy.

Pretty much every track is a highlight, but my favorite is A Step Closer. The last track, Walking in the Garden of Ma'at, changes the pace and ends the album with peaceful, beautiful synths and chirping birds. Every time I listen to it, my mind gets cleared of all negative thoughts. It's truly cleansing.

As far as originality goes, no album is like this one. This is a must-hear album. Don't let the brutality stop you from obtaining this gem. This is one of the most beautiful metal albums.