Tiamat
Clouds (CD) 1992 Century Media
After their previous release, 'The Astral Sleep', Tiamat continued on the path of death metal. This time, they introduced a lot of softer parts, very much dependent on synth parts. Johan Edlund's English vocals have a typical Swedish accent to them, which is very funny at times. Topics in the lyrics mostly are drug influenced, besides songs about women and typical hateful death metal lyrics. Excellent catchy songs with great guitar melodies and remarkable drumming. The atmosphere is by times rather doomy due to the slower songs featured on the album ('A Caress of Stars', 'The Sleeping Beauty', 'Undressed'), next to Tiamat classics as 'Smell of Incense' and 'The Sleeping Beauty'. In those slower songs, you can already hear the melodic and atmospheric influences that where going to lead to the classic album 'Wildhoney' two years later. This album clearly is an effort released while the band was well under way in their evolution towards a totally different genre.	1. In A Dream 2. Clouds 3. Smell Of Incense 4. A Caress Of Stars 5. The Sleeping Beauty 6. Forever Burning Flames 7. The Scapegoat 8. Undressed Approx. 40 minutes
Reviewed by: Heiko Isselee
Wildhoney (CD) 1994 Century Media
This band doesn't need any introduction, I think. Since the early nineties, they have been releasing albums, first under the name Treblinka, which they changed to Tiamat because of the heavy protest they got everywhere. The death/black metal from the early years evolved into death metal with slower parts, and keyboards were introduced. Now this album, 'Wildhoney' is one of those classics in the atmospheric metal genre. The album certainly was a huge transition point in the career of Tiamat too. Whereas the older works were to a certain degree death metal albums, the albums after 'Wildhoney' had less and less to do with metal. Where many people consider this album one of the best of Tiamat, it contains only a few tracks worth the label 'song' actually. On 10 tracks, there are 4 small intermezzos. But the real songs on there are really worth it. 'Whatever That Hurts', the single that got them famous, 'The Ar' that begins after a perfect crossflow from the previous song and 'Gaia', by many a person considered an absolute favourite. One thing you should not do with this album is read the lyrics. This is probably the most drug-influenced album in my personal collection, and the lyrics are not to be taken serious. They rather serve to establish a certain mood than to tell a story. And as if that isn't enough yet, singer Johan Edlund proves to suffer from a huge Swedish accent too. His singing is much better than on 'Clouds', yet it will improve further on the next albums. Fans of Floydesque, psychedelic, atmospheric rock/metal should own this album. This is a classic album, great to fit the softer moods on nice summer evenings...	1. Wildhoney 2. Whatever That Hurts 3. The Ar 4. 25th Floor 5. Gaia 6. Visionaire 7. Kaleidoscope 8. Do You Dream of Me? 9. Planets 10. A Pocket Size Sun Approx. 53 minutes
Reviewed by: Heiko Isselee
A Deeper Kind of Slumber (CD) 1997 Century Media
'A Deeper Kind of Slumber ' follows the change of its predecessor, the successful 'Wildhoney ' album. Tiamat, with Edlund at the helm, risked with a new sound that is experimental to say the least. You'll find no grunts or harsh vocals on this one; only clear, dreamy voice, suitable to the music. Defining the music is honestly the most difficult task here. There are a few elements of metal, but all in all this is not a metal album. Trance music is probably the best description. Anyway, a new, different Tiamat is presented on 'A Deeper kind of Slumber '. This kind of slow songs were first introduced on the previous album, but this time every note seems to fall in the right place; what you get on this album, is one mature band which has clearly made progress. The opener 'Cold Seed ' instantly surprises with its cheerful and catchy guitar line, but things quickly settle down with the hypnotic 'Teonanacati '. Songs like 'Alteration X 10 ' and 'The Whores of Babylon ' perfectly show just what Tiamat are capable of. The superb title track closes this fine, fine album. Even though this album has very little to do with doom-metal or metal in general, its dreamy and slow moments might appeal to a doom-metal fan	1. Cold Seed 2. Teonanactl 3. Trillion Zillion Centipedes 4. The Desolate One 5. Atlantis As A Lover 6. Alteration X 10 7. Four Leary Biscuits 8. Only In My Tears It Lasts 9. The Whores Of Babylon 10. Kite 11. Phantasma De Luxe 12. Mount Marilyn 13. A Deeper Kind Of Slumber Approx. 60 minutes
Reviewed by: Bojan Janjanin
Judas Christ (CD) 2002 Century Media
After their previous, and in my opinion disappointing album 'Skeleton Skeletron', the Swedish band Tiamat have proven that everyone who said that they had run out of musical ideas, was wrong. Going even further away from the metal genre, embracing psychedelic rock and even pop influences more and more, Tiamat takes another step in exploring undisclosed musical areas, surprising friend and enemy with this new album. While the previous album could get my attention for only a few songs ('Brighter than the Sun', 'For Her Pleasure', ...), this album has many more things to offer. It is nowhere as heavy as on the albums of the past (except for maybe the first track), but the melodies are very catchy and some dreamy songs really take your attention and let your thoughts drift along. Personal favourites include 'The Return of the Son of Nothing', 'So Much for Suicide' and 'I Am in Love with Myself'. Although there are significant differences between most of the songs (recognizability is very high), f.i. in tempo (from up tempo to really slow tracks) and melodies, there is a constant atmosphere throughout the entire album, a kind of pace that makes you feel at ease and drags you with it until the final notes are played. Lyrics-wise, this album is a next step in the continuous improvement that main man Johan Edlund has been showing from album to album. "The truth's for sale for just one kiss. And that's how I like it. And that's how I want it to be." The lyrics were always appropriate Tiamat's music, but this time they're also readable without forcing you to burst out in silly laughter (I'm thinking of 'Wildhoney'). While the album took me a while to get into, and although I only really got into it after I heard the tracks being played live on their show (on tour with Moonspell), I would recommend this album to all fans of the previous few Tiamat albums. If you didn't like 'A Deeper Kind of Slumber' or 'Wildhoney', you probably won't like this album neither. But if you do like them, this album is one you must check out.	1. The Return of the Son of Nothing 2. So Much for Suicide 3. Vote for Love 4. The Truth for Sale 5. Fireflower 6. Sumer by Night 7. Love is as Good as Soma 8. Angel Holograms 9. Spine 10. I am in Love with Myself 11. Heaven of High 12. Too Far Gone Extra: Vote for Love video Approx. 53 minutes
Reviewed by: Heiko Isselee