Agathodaimon - Phoenix (2009)

It’s been five years since the last release from this Germany band and they are back with a vengeance. Since their last album “Serpent's Embrace” released in 2004, the band lost four members. “Phoenix” marks the return of Agathodaimon like a phoenix from the ashes indeed.

This album in my opinion is Agathodaimon’s best release. The band returns to their more simple symphonic black metal roots. While they are not as ‘symphonic’ as the likes of Dimmu Borgir and other bands in the genre, they hold their own with a quality release like this.

The band’s new lineup provides Agathodamion with excellent musicians needed to create a great album, with only one founding member. And sometimes bands need a re-forming to be able to come up with fresh ideas, and create a different sound.

The keyboards are not as present and exaggerated as in previous releases giving the band a more black metal sound. The new harsh vocalist is pretty good and his vocals are very well combined with the clean vocals that are thrown occasionally in the mix. The drumming and guitars are typical of a good symphonic black metal release.

Overall this is a pretty solid release that will probably catapult Agathodaimon back into their place along the best symphonic black metal bands of these days. Hopefully we don’t have to wait for another 5 years for their next release.

Country: Germany