Comes in jewelcase with a 2-page insert.
This is it. This is what I have been looking for since I discovered metal. To be honest, there are many metal albums that I find perfect, but this one brought the term of perfection to a whole new level. It's a unique mixture of atmospheric black metal, neo-classicism and folk metal; and the neo-classical note played the most important role in the whole album. Piano sections create somehow melancholic and dreamy ambience, and string instruments contribute to the more epic and magnificent sound.
Almost an hour and a half of a pure eargasm starts with slow-paced synth sections in the opener song Nihil, which sound like a rainy autumn day, not in a depressive, rather a peaceful and somnolent way. The main riff progressively becomes louder and more intense as the song is coming close to the end, and it finally escalates in an epic, battle riff that brings the listener to delirium and later changes to a melody which sounds calm on the surface, but some premonition of fear, neuroticism and turbulence hidden behind can clearly be heard. I would compare it to a calm before a storm.
As the album goes on, there are continual exchanges between slow piano parts intertwined with other classical instruments and heavy, neurotic black metal entanglements that sound like something between symphonic and atmospheric black metal and maybe even DSBM. The only song in which black metal is more noticeable than neo-classicism is Latent Thistle, where some parts remind of IX Equilibrium by Emperor (in a positive way, of course– I'm not saying it's a rip-off).
Vocals are mostly growled through the whole album, but they are subtle and appear only for creating atmosphere because the emphasis is mostly on instrumentals. Growls dominate only at the end of the song Loss, developing an evil and severe sound. Instrument sections are so complex that they inhibit repetitive sound; great examples are Smokefall and In Lands of Ashes. Both songs are fairly long and vocals rarely appear in them, but tempo and dynamics alterations, such as use of various instruments make them sound inspiring, atmospheric and simply beautiful.
It's almost impossible to believe that only one man could make such a masterpiece as Griseus. Concerning all the talent that was required for composing and playing great range of instruments, and the awesomeness of the final product, I think that Griseus is too underrated and too little known for what it is. However, it's not music that would be acceptable for an average listener, or for headbanging. It's music for when you're lying in a warm bed, or on rustling leaves in the forest. And while you're enjoying every second of this brilliant art, it regenerates your soul.
Sample: youtube.com/watch?v=ywIh-YKuRu4&t=2133s
