Burial (Extol album)

Infobox Album
Name = Burial
Type = Album
Artist = Extol


Released = December 22, 1998
Genre = Progressive metal
Blackened death metal
Length = 62:06
Label = Endtime Productions
Avalon Records
Solid State Records
Producer = Extol
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:xq2ibkd9kakv]
Last album = "Embraced (demo)"
(1997)
This album = "Burial"
(1998)
Next album = "Mesmerized"
(1999)

"Burial" is the debut album by Norwegian Christian metal band Extol. It was released on Endtime Productions and then Solid State Records the following year. According to Allmusic, Burial was "a breath of fresh air among a genre that relies on satanic gimmicks,"cite web |url=http://wc05.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:anfrxqwjldde |title= Extol - Burial |accessdate=2007-12-11 |author= DaRonco, Mike |date= |format= |work= Allmusic |publisher= |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ] and marked a renewal in the Christian metal scene.

Recording

"Burial" was recorded at Børud Lydskredderi, Norway, mastered at The Mastering Room, and released on December 22, 1998. "Burial" was also the first release of the Swedish record label Endtime Productions.

The critics and fans usually categorize the album's style as either death/black metal or simply metal because it contains elements of several subgenres of heavy metal music. The notable black metal elements on the album include the high-pitched shrieking vocals of Peter Espevoll, some black metal tremolo riffs, such as on "Innbydelse", and the slightly raw sound production. However, the album's overall atmosphere is not particularly dark or cold; on several songs the soundscape contains happy sounding elements such as the cheerful power metal vocals of the guitarist Ole Børud, creating tensions between the the darker elements.

The musical output of "Burial" is a combination of power metal, old school death metal and traditional heavy metal, and the latter style is especially apparent on the main riff of "Renhetens Elv." Additionally, the songs contain interludes that include elements of industrial music, such as on the song "Justified," jazz, and classical music, such as on the song "Tears of Bitterness." The guest musician Maria Riddervold played violin on the songs "Embraced" and "Tears of Bitterness." The musicianship on "Burial" is virtuoisic, taking the style a step towards technical death metal and progressive death metal, technically exceptionally precise, and contains experimental, bizarre song structures. A critic described that the album's style "varies from extremely aggressive discharges to beautiful guitar harmonies, while the main focus relies on twisted riffs and ferocious directions." [Nuopponen, Aki. [http://korroosio.fi/reviews.php?c=cd&id=1348 Extol - Burial] . Korroosio. Retrieved 2007-12-31.] "Renhetens Elv" and "Innbydelse" are written in Norwegian, and the rest are written in English.

Many critics and fans find the last song, "Jesus Kom Til Jorden For Å Dø," as the highlight of the album. "Jesus Kom Til Jorden For Å Dø" (Norwegian for "Jesus came to world to die") is a song arranged by Arnold Børud, and it is a hymn-like, doom metal-esque and folkish piece. Arnold Børud also played the organs on the song.

Releases

Seven differents releases exist of "Burial": 3 by Endtime Productions for the Scandinavia's market, 2 by Avalon Records for the Japan's and Asia's market, and 2 by Solid State Records to United States and Canada's market. Endtime Productions's first print was a pre-release with 5 color and page 8 and the cover's logo printed with gold color; the second one includes the page 8 in blue color, and the cover's logo is white; the third print contains a silver logo and an extra sun symbol in the back cover. Avalon Records' promotional version reads "Promo" instead of the line code; the second, the official print contains an extra booklet with the translated lyrics, and the album contains a bonus track titled "The Prodigal Son." Solid State Records' promotional version include a 1 page booklet with a star instead of the label logo; The official release contains a booklet with a transparent trey card and an extra sun symbol in the back. [ [http://www.durling.com/extol/burial.html Samuel Durling, Burial Pressings, Endtime Productions] ]

Reception

During the time "Burial" was released, Extol was described Norway's second best band by the Norwegian magazine Scream, the album was considered a breath of fresh air in the death metal genre that had run stale for years, and garnered good reviews from secular metal press. Burial was praised in the Christian metal press for renewing the genre. [ [http://guitar6.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=163 Taylor, Extol - Burial, Guitar6] ] [ [http://nolifetilmetal.com/extol.htm Scott Waters, Extol, No Life 'til Metal] ] [ [http://www.victoryzine.com/review.php?id=257 Emissary, Extol - Burial, Victoryzine] ] [ [http://www.victoryzine.com/review.php?id=42 Victory, Extol - Burial, Victoryzine] ] . "The Metal Observer" wrote that "Burial" stands as being one of the best Christian metal albums of all time and even challenges the greats of melodic and progressive death metal... this rivals the In Flames' and the Dark Tranquillity's of the world and surpasses them in originality - if not in content, though it's debatable - adding more than these bands can come up with." [Niall James Finbarr Kennedy. [http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=1250 Extol - Burial] . The Metal Observer.]

Track listing

All Songs Written by Extol
# "Into Another Dimension" (Instrumental) - 1:28
# "Celestial Completion" - 6:14
# "Burial" - 4:49
# "Renhetens Elv" - 6:21
# "Superior" - 5:08
# "Reflections of a Broken Soul" - 7:28
# "Justified" - 5:22
# "Embraced" - 3:41
# "Innbydelse" - 4:58
# "Tears of Bitterness" - 7:27
# "Work of Art" - 5:19
# "Jesus Kom Til Jorden For Å Dø" - 3:47
# "The Prodigal Son" - 6:05*

(*)This song was only released on the Japanese Version as a bonus track. Also appeared on Mesmerized EP.

This album is considered by many of Extol's fans to be their greatest album ever.

Personnel

Extol

* Peter Espevoll - Vocals
* Ole Børud - Guitar, Vocals
* Christer Espevoll - Guitar
* Eystein Holm - Bass
* David Husvik - Drums

Additional Musicians

* Arnold Børud - Keyboards
* Maria Riddervold - Violins on "Embraced" and "Tears of Bitterness"

Production

* Producers - Extol

References