Review by Felix on June 27, 2024.

This virgin album challenge was a good idea and to give them the name Diamhea (R.I.P.) was an ever better thought. This international metal game makes me discover new albums. Due to the great works called “Negotium Crucis” or “Hellfenlic”, I thought it could be a nice experience to listen to “The Call of Augur”.

I was wrong.

On a positive note, this debut shows the tremendous evolution The Infernal Sea has taken since its release. There is almost nothing I like here. For example, the production is flat. The snare sounds lifeless (and the drum performance is monotonous and nearly stupid during some parts). The guitars appear ordinary at best, but they sound thin and fail to make an impact. The extremely throaty voice also does not convince. At the expense of any kind of charisma, the lead vocalist focuses on misanthropic aggression exclusively. The bass guitar, almost needles to say, does not show up.

The song material is weak. Worse still, there are so-called songs which are no song at all. The title track wants to be a spooky intermezzo. King Diamond would have rejected it, even though he himself is generous with weak titles. Almost nothing happens within these three minutes, an acoustic guitar plays a boring line again and again, while some ominous tones in the background want to implement fear in the listener’s mind. It does not work… Usually I would say that such a piece destroys the flow of an output, but “The Call of Augur” does not shine with such thing. Seen from this perspective, it doesn’t matter that “The Gathering” delivers three minutes more of (absolutely not) atmospheric sounds. If this would have been the first metal song ever written, it would have remained the only one simultaneously. Metal is guitar, riffs, drums, not completely boring, “transcendental” keyboard sounds.

Now let’s speak about the songs we can call real songs. I miss expressive guitar lines, cleverly designed choruses or any other section that is not completely forgotten as soon as the song is over. There are also no breaks that open the respective song a new perspective. Everything is ordinary and has been heard many times before – but in a definitely higher quality. No, the album is not total shit, in a few moments the band is able to channel its vehemence, anger and violence. But these moments do not characterise the album. And by the way, the drummer seems to bow down to the motto “the faster the better”, but that’s just a lie. Finally, the overlong closer wants to be a kind of ultimate monument – at least this is what I thought when I saw its playtime. Once again, I was wrong. It is nearly more an over-dimensioned, repetitive outro than a “normal” track. So yes, The Infernal Sea have already written fantastic pieces, but unfortunately you will not find them on “The Call of Augur”. With a lot of patience, one can get used to the regular tracks, but that’s it.

Rating: 3 out of 10

Review by Luka on May 15, 2002.

There are some bands who know how to properly utilize keyboards into metal and then there are some who just don't. Dagorlad are somewhere in between, and as this is only their debut I trust that they will eventually perfect their skill and soon forge their own distinct sound. Sounding painfully similar to contemporary masters of keyboard metal like Bal Sagoth, Cradle of Filth, and Summoning, Dagorlad's sound can best be described as a mixture involving equal parts of each, but with numerous and noticeable faults.

While most of the songs start off sounding very dark and promising they soon begin to slide into cheesy clichës and pitfalls that bands like Bal Sagoth are most famous for. Trumpet sounds playing those meek flat notes immediately try to create an epic feel, but without support and song build-up the result is just a cheesy melody played by a trumpet, with a heroic voice chanting meaningless words of bravery in the windy background. It's been done before, and plenty...

It is arrangement of "The End of the Dark Ages" that weakens Dagorlad's songs the most. There is virtually no plan or direction in the song structure, instead just a meaningless procession of ongoing riff and melody and, like a surprise bag, you never know what you'll get, sometimes it's good, sometimes bad, and in the end the only clear fact is that none of it fits together. If you like your keyboard music loud and upfront, outdoing and overpowering every instrument including the guitars than this could be for you, but it is certainly not for me.

Bottom Line: The metal world could do without Dagorlad, at least until they get better. These guys make Cradle of Filth seem godly.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 5
Musicianship: 6
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 6
Overall: 3

Rating: 5.6 out of 10

Review by Luka on May 15, 2002.

There are some bands who know how to properly utilize keyboards into metal and then there are some who just don't. Dagorlad are somewhere in between, and as this is only their debut I trust that they will eventually perfect their skill and soon forge their own distinct sound. Sounding painfully similar to contemporary masters of keyboard metal like Bal Sagoth, Cradle of Filth, and Summoning, Dagorlad's sound can best be described as a mixture involving equal parts of each, but with numerous and noticeable faults.

While most of the songs start off sounding very dark and promising they soon begin to slide into cheesy clichës and pitfalls that bands like Bal Sagoth are most famous for. Trumpet sounds playing those meek flat notes immediately try to create an epic feel, but without support and song build-up the result is just a cheesy melody played by a trumpet, with a heroic voice chanting meaningless words of bravery in the windy background. It's been done before, and plenty...

It is arrangement of "The End of the Dark Ages" that weakens Dagorlad's songs the most. There is virtually no plan or direction in the song structure, instead just a meaningless procession of ongoing riff and melody and, like a surprise bag, you never know what you'll get, sometimes it's good, sometimes bad, and in the end the only clear fact is that none of it fits together. If you like your keyboard music loud and upfront, outdoing and overpowering every instrument including the guitars than this could be for you, but it is certainly not for me.

Bottom Line: The metal world could do without Dagorlad, at least until they get better. These guys make Cradle of Filth seem godly.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 5
Musicianship: 6
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 6
Overall: 3

Rating: 5.6 out of 10