''Lammendam'' is the debut studio album by Dutch
symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal is a subgenre of black metal that emerged in the 1990s and incorporates symphonic and orchestral elements. Notable symphonic black metal bands include Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, and Carach Angren.
History
...
band
Carach Angren
Carach Angren is a Dutch symphonic black metal band, founded in 2003 by two members of the now-defunct bands Inger Indolia and Vaultage. Their style is characterized by prominent usage of orchestral arrangements, black (sometimes death) metal vo ...
. Released in 2008, it is a
concept album
A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
about Lammendam, the remains of a castle that are haunted by a "ghost lady in a white dress".
claims that he was inspired to write the album by a local legend that he has been familiar with since childhood.
The legend centers around series of events that supposedly occurred in Schinveldse Bossen, a forest area northeast of the Dutch region of South Limburg and of the town of Schinveld, near the German border.
In several interviews,
Seregor has described the legend as being about a young woman who lived in the castle in the 17th century. This woman was involved in a love triangle between two men; when both of the men found out about each other, several fights broke out. One night, under mysterious circumstances, her castle was burned, leading to the young woman's death, and her ghost remains on the land. Shortly after her death, her two lovers soon also died. According to the legend, her ghost appears in the forest on nights of the full moon wearing a long white dress.
The name Lammendam is a Dutch adaptation of the French term "La Dame Blanche", which translates to "The White Lady." This name was given to the ghost that appeared in Schinveldse Bossen by French farmers who had evacuated to the Netherlands during the French revolution.
Style
The album features
symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal is a subgenre of black metal that emerged in the 1990s and incorporates symphonic and orchestral elements. Notable symphonic black metal bands include Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, and Carach Angren.
History
...
with
progressive
Progressive may refer to:
Politics
* Progressivism, a political philosophy in support of social reform
** Progressivism in the United States, the political philosophy in the American context
* Progressive realism, an American foreign policy par ...
song structures. The style has been compared to
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. ''Anorexia'' is a term of Gr ...
[ and ]Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir () is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Jessheim, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, ...
.[ A reviewer of Sputnikmusic observed that singer Seregor's vocals were unique since they are "relatively easy to understand and decipher upon first listen" when compared to other bands in the genre. The lyrics however are not written in the traditional verse-chorus-verse structure of the genre.][
]
Critical reception
''Lammendam'' received positive reviews that nonetheless marked that the band was still at the beginning of their career. Metal Hammer
''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' features news, reviews and long-form ...
Germany wrote that an own identity of the band was still needed.[ The ]Sonic Seducer
''Sonic Seducer'' is a German music magazine that covers gothic rock, new wave, EBM and other kinds of electronic music and culture. The magazine is noted for organizing the annual M'era Luna Festival. Since its inception in 1994, the ''Sonic S ...
magazine praised the technical skills of the band and the diversity of emotion portrayed by the album.[ Also Sputnikmusic was favorable of the band's instrumental skills.][
]
Track listing
*All music by Carach Angren
*Main compositions and arrangements by Ardek
*Lyrics written by Seregor
Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.
;Carach Angren
* Dennis "Seregor" Droomers - guitars and vocals
* Clemens "Ardek" Wijers - orchestration, keyboards
*Ivo "Namtar" Wijers - drums and percussion
;Additional musicians
*Patrick Damiani (Le Grand Guignol) - bass guitar and additional rhythm guitars
*Nikos Mavridis - violins on "A Strange Presence Near the Woods" and "Invisible Physic Entity"
*Yves Blaschette (Le Grand Guignol) - cello on "Invisible Physic Entity"
*Hye-Jung - female vocals on "Hexed Melting Flesh"
*Philip Breuer (Le Grand Guignol) - guest vocals on "La malédiction de la Dame Blanche"
;Team
*Patrick Damiani - recording, mixing, mastering
*Erik "Negakinu" Wijnands - photography and design
See also
* White Lady (ghost)
A White Lady (or woman in white) is a type of female ghost. She has long straight hair, typically dressed in a white dress or similar garment, reportedly seen in rural areas and associated with local legends of tragedy. White Lady legends ar ...
References
{{Authority control
2008 debut albums
Carach Angren albums
Concept albums