Mirrorthrone - Of Wind And Weeping (2003)

Extreme metal musicians could learn a lot from Swiss multi musician, Vladimir Cochet, who besides being the sole member and mastermind behind Mirrorthrone is also the sole driving force behind fairly well known underground projects Unholy Matrimony and Weeping Birth.

His debut, 'Of Wind and Weeping' is an interesting and unique release that although belonging to the symphonic black metal sub-genre it also draws influences from baroque, Victorian and gothic styled music, which is quite a novel idea and not one I've heard among other bands. The influences I mentioned are all created using synthesizers and pianos, but its done with great effect, atmosphere and emotion and at least in my opinion with much triumph too. It's a strange comparison but imagine the Japanese band, Moi Dix Mois, or the Castlevania Symphony of the Night video game soundtrack gone black metal and you'll start to understand what this record sounds like.

The speed of the music is quite varied as well with it moving at blistering fast paces with roaring fast programmed drums to slower mid-paced semi-melodic directions to even purely synth or piano sections where we see the baroque, Victorian and gothic influences in full swing. The vocals are also a fair mix between cleanly sung male operatic-ish vocals and grim raspy screams, while three of the songs have French lyrics while the others are in English. Personally I much like Vladimir's clean vocal approach and it adds an extra bit of eeriness to these songs, though he opted out on future release for much more of the black metal flavor in his voice instead of expanding on this style. There's also female vocals on two songs and personally the addition of the female voice on, 'Beyond the Mirrorthrone' makes it one of the finest songs on this album.

Maybe the albums only flaw is the lack of any solos and the (at times) insanely fast drum computer, which adds an interesting industrial-ish character to the music though I'm not entirely sure if this was his intention. That aside though the album carries an ominous, gorgeous and evil vibe, which works quite well when mixed with black metal characteristics.

Since this early release Vladimir has recorded a few albums with all of his other solos projects as well as two other albums for Mirrorthrone, namely, 'Carriers of Dust' in '06 and most recently, 'Gangrene' in '08. Hopefully another album is on the horizon as this guy simply doesn't make bad music.