At first listen to Babylon Mystery Orchestra’s newest album Poinium Cherem, the first thought that comes to mind is epic. Not in the trendy sort of way, but rather in a grand scale dramatic sort of way.
Fans of metal that are unfamiliar with the one man outfit, consisting solely of Sidney Allen Johnson, will quickly be drawn into the story and flow of the album. The music is heavy and interesting. The album covers a myriad of topics, seemingly the issues that are anti-Biblical and that Johnson feels signal the beginning of the Apocalypse. Who knows; he could be right.
The lyrics are a bit out there for me, but if you’ve heard BMO before, you know what to expect. If you want in your face lyrics, this is the band for you but expect to be challenged. Lines like this one from A Prophet’s Song challenge believers come across as a challenge to non-Christians about why they don’t believe and to Christians about why they act the way they do despite claiming to believe:
“Something precious is cast aside because you’re insatiable – Deception turns to lies and yes… you’re susceptible – Be it lust, fortune or fame. You’ll find it irresistible – In truth, they’re all the same – Your death is equitable – Arrogance! You question God… call Him disposable – In your mirror you’ll find the fraud – And yes… you’re accountable”
The only drawback to the album is an important one to fans of melodic hard rock and metal. That is, of course, the vocals. Now, some of you who are fans will tell me that the vocals are just the style for this kind of epic, gothic, doom, metal music and you’re right. The vocals are sinister and nasty and fit the mood of the music perfectly. The problem is that without any real sense of melodic-hooks, as soon as the album finished I couldn’t remember how any of the songs went. In fairness, I must say I could see myself listening to this album in the right mood but it isn’t something I would just throw on randomly.
From what I’ve heard, this isn’t much of a departure from the standard BMO sound, though there is some experimentation with more upbeat tunes and the two epic tracks that (almost) close out the album. If you’ve liked BMO’s five previous albums, this will be another album to add to the collection. If you’re new to the band, this is as good a place as any to start. This isn’t the style for every metal fan but for what it is, it’s very good.
Untombed Review by: JoshuaF.
Visit the band online at: BabylonMysteryOrchestra.com
