Review by Allan on February 12, 2003.

What it boils down to when you’re listening to good music isn’t how amazing the musicians are, how original the compositions are, or how creative the music is. For each band that excels in one of those areas there is another band that doesn’t but is equally as credible of a band. When I come across a band like Corporation 187 and I can pick up immediate influences, it might be a bit discouraging to not hear a band that has a true left-field way of thinking. But by the time I get to the opening of their second album, “Perfection in Pain,” I know that it really doesn’t matter.

What truly matters is that the band in question can write good compositions. Ones that have ideas in them that are simply fantastic, ones that have the necessary hooks in them, and ones that arranged excellently and have good transitions. Corporation 187 does extremely well in all of those fields.

You’re probably wondering to yourself what those immediately recognizable influences in Corporation 187’s music are. Take the melody that At The Gates used in their pioneering Swedish death metal, but up the aggressiveness to the same plane that The Crown exist on. Then, it probably wouldn’t hurt to throw a little of The Haunted in their for their obvious thrash influence. Then, you’ll have somewhat of an idea of what Corporation 187 sounds like.

Let’s be frank for a moment: every song on “Perfection in Pain” is a true killer. Most of the guitar riffs on this album are without a doubt worthy of being part of any of Corporation 187’s influences musical history. They slay like they oughta’ slay! The drums, too, hold enough power to bring recognition. Vocally, Filip Carlsson has enough rage in himself to last the whole band a lifetime. Finally, when it all comes together it shows that Sweden still has what it takes to put out some truly great death/thrash.

Bottom Line: If you didn’t get the message yet, get it now. Corporation 187 and “Perfection in Pain” are two things you should definitely check out.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 6
Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 8
Overall: 7

Rating: 7.4 out of 10

Review by Allan on February 12, 2003.

What it boils down to when you’re listening to good music isn’t how amazing the musicians are, how original the compositions are, or how creative the music is. For each band that excels in one of those areas there is another band that doesn’t but is equally as credible of a band. When I come across a band like Corporation 187 and I can pick up immediate influences, it might be a bit discouraging to not hear a band that has a true left-field way of thinking. But by the time I get to the opening of their second album, “Perfection in Pain,” I know that it really doesn’t matter.

What truly matters is that the band in question can write good compositions. Ones that have ideas in them that are simply fantastic, ones that have the necessary hooks in them, and ones that arranged excellently and have good transitions. Corporation 187 does extremely well in all of those fields.

You’re probably wondering to yourself what those immediately recognizable influences in Corporation 187’s music are. Take the melody that At The Gates used in their pioneering Swedish death metal, but up the aggressiveness to the same plane that The Crown exist on. Then, it probably wouldn’t hurt to throw a little of The Haunted in their for their obvious thrash influence. Then, you’ll have somewhat of an idea of what Corporation 187 sounds like.

Let’s be frank for a moment: every song on “Perfection in Pain” is a true killer. Most of the guitar riffs on this album are without a doubt worthy of being part of any of Corporation 187’s influences musical history. They slay like they oughta’ slay! The drums, too, hold enough power to bring recognition. Vocally, Filip Carlsson has enough rage in himself to last the whole band a lifetime. Finally, when it all comes together it shows that Sweden still has what it takes to put out some truly great death/thrash.

Bottom Line: If you didn’t get the message yet, get it now. Corporation 187 and “Perfection in Pain” are two things you should definitely check out.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 6
Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 8
Overall: 7

Rating: 7.4 out of 10

Review by JD on April 30, 2012.

I have not been so glad to see a follow-up album like the one I just gotten. I always want to hear the follow up to an amazing album, to the point of being impatient as hell but this one nearly killed me to wait for. Will this one be that certain release to be well worth the nail biting wait?

Switzerland’s Requiem Eternam blew me away with their amazing album "Visions Of Eternity" with its expressive yet haunting collaboration of Doom Metal and Gothic Metal melded with stories that were captivating with sinister lyrics and that conveys a hauntingly bleak overtone as well with the accompanying music. Now "Stories Of Another Age" is in my hands. I listened, and was not quite sure of it.

It was pure RE right through and through. Songs turn out to sound every bit like their last release "Visions Of Eternity" did and there was the problem that was happening. It sounded exactly like what was on the previous CD. I like a band thatis known for its sound but I also like when a band stretches it - and expands it to create another level of sound for themselves. This did not have that. It still sounded amazing, not to mention the haunting story the lyrics spun, but sounding like something you have heard before took away any of the bands words.

If you like the last album, you just might like this new one just the way it is. It has the balls of the last album, as it does sound so very close to it (even the melodies in places are very close) it ends up losing something in the process - and that something could not be ever overlooked. Mind you that this is a good album, but it creatively stagnates at that point of time and we are then left feeling sort of empty and wanting a little something more than what was given. Pure dissapointment was what was left.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 7
Production: 6
Originality: 6
Overall: 7

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by JD on April 30, 2012.

I have not been so glad to see a follow-up album like the one I just gotten. I always want to hear the follow up to an amazing album, to the point of being impatient as hell but this one nearly killed me to wait for. Will this one be that certain release to be well worth the nail biting wait?

Switzerland’s Requiem Eternam blew me away with their amazing album "Visions Of Eternity" with its expressive yet haunting collaboration of Doom Metal and Gothic Metal melded with stories that were captivating with sinister lyrics and that conveys a hauntingly bleak overtone as well with the accompanying music. Now "Stories Of Another Age" is in my hands. I listened, and was not quite sure of it.

It was pure RE right through and through. Songs turn out to sound every bit like their last release "Visions Of Eternity" did and there was the problem that was happening. It sounded exactly like what was on the previous CD. I like a band thatis known for its sound but I also like when a band stretches it - and expands it to create another level of sound for themselves. This did not have that. It still sounded amazing, not to mention the haunting story the lyrics spun, but sounding like something you have heard before took away any of the bands words.

If you like the last album, you just might like this new one just the way it is. It has the balls of the last album, as it does sound so very close to it (even the melodies in places are very close) it ends up losing something in the process - and that something could not be ever overlooked. Mind you that this is a good album, but it creatively stagnates at that point of time and we are then left feeling sort of empty and wanting a little something more than what was given. Pure dissapointment was what was left.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 7
Production: 6
Originality: 6
Overall: 7

Rating: 7 out of 10