Track Listing

1. Vals de la Muerte [Instrumental]
2. Unholy Void
3. Tradition and Fire
4. Born to Darkness
5. Judgement Failed
6. Wolf Hunt
7. Spirits in the Mist
8. Rapture

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #241746 in Music
• Released on: 2001-07-17
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
As the founding guitarist of the bay area metal legends Testament, Eric Peterson has helped to keep the heavy metal flame burning for nearly 2 decades. Also featured here are Jon Allen (Sadus), Lyle Livingston (Psypheria), Steve DiGiogio (Testament/Death) and Steve Smyth (Testament/Death). This Spitfire Records release is packaged in a Digipak.

Customer Reviews

The truth
Let's face it: comparisons with Cradle of Filth abound because they do sound similar. There are slight differences here, though, and some I think, are for the better. If you like the general sound of this type of metal but are turned off by the often-immature anti-religion, intentionally 'scary' show that Cradle is, this is what you're looking for.

The music is expertly executed, the production is top-notch, everything is just where it should be. Rapture does make a good introduction for people looking to get into extreme metal but aren't yet ready to swallow the actual Scandinavian black metal attitudes and image.

Well Worth Your Time...
...If you are a fan of Symphonic Black Metal.

Ah yes, Symphonic Black Metal. It's the genre that bands like Dimmu Borgir and Cradle Of Filth kick-started in the early ninties that soon became saturated with carbon-copies. What makes Dragonlord different? Not much really, it's still Black Metal laced with wonderous keyboard effects and symphonic elements, but this time it's good.

If you took the keyboard arrangements of Dimmu Borgir and mixed them with the thrashy riffs and songwriting style of Testament (In fact, Eric Peterson and Steve Smyth have come from Testament to make this side project) and bulked them up on Black Metal steroids, you wouldn't be too far off. Eric Peterson has even done a Black Metal makeover on his vocals so they sound more "evil". While they aren't the best Black Metal vocals you'll ever hear, they do a fine job. All in all, it's nothing very original, but it's executed very, very well.

Each song is as strong as the next and waste no time kicking your @$$, but there are some standouts. "Unholy Void" starts out the album with a bang as "Vals De La Muerte" (An instrumental opener that's actually great to listen to) draws to a close. The majestic keyboards coupled with brutal Thrash Metal riffs and a spacial atmosphere catch your attention and don't let it go for the rest of the album. "Tradition And Fire" keeps up the pace with another jewel of a song that's unrelenting in it's Symphonic Black Metal awesomeness.

If there was a single to the album, it'd most likely be "Born To Darkness". It's less brutal than the rest and focuses more on keyboard effects than the other songs (although there is an awesome riff near the end that makes mo go into a headbanging fit every time I hear it), and the already sweetend Black Metal cut is topped off with some clean vocals.

"Judgement Failed" is probably my favorite from the album. The blasting riffs kick you off into one hell of a ride that you won't regret taking. The song soon breaks out into the best clean vocals you'll hear from 'Rapture' topping the astonishingly beautiful keyboard effects that's pure captivating ecstasy for the ears, and it's as catchy as hell.

Another highlight is "Spirits In The Mist". The song is sheer symphonic bliss as the guitars lay the background for this song, but one shouldn't complain. The piano verses alone are worth listening to the song for. The whole peice reeks atmosphere and the closing riffs are the most mesmerising works of the album.

The production is excellent. The guitars are thick and punishing, and the drums are blasting and meaty. The bass is audiable enough to hear, although you probably shouldn't expect to hear the bass too often. The keyboards are, as they should be, enough in the background to provide tons of atmosphere, but forefront enough to let you in on their majesty.

So, is this album original? No. But is this album an awesome cut of Symphonic Black Metal? You bet it is. Thirty-five minutes and they don't waste a second delivering killer riff after killer riff. Although it's not the best Black Metal you'll find, it is a worthy and rock-solid investment that's screaming for attention. If you are a fan of Dimmu Borgir, Old Man's Child or any other Symphonic Black Metal band out there, I highly reccomend you give this a chance.

Unholy Eric Peterson
Although there are some typical Testament influences on this album, Rapture can be mainly described as a melodic Black Metal album. Testament guitarist Eric Peterson is a big fan of Black Metal, mainly melodic Black Metal bands like Dimmu Borgir. On Rapture he combines his Thrash Metal roots with Black Metal. Besides playing the guitar, Eric Peterson also sings on this album. His vocals are also a mixture between Black Metal and Thrash Metal vocals. Its works surprisingly well. Although most of the songs are fast, sometimes I wished that some songs would be faster and contain more blast-beats. Also the arrangements are rather simple compared to his main influence Dimmu Borgir. Further complaints are the short length of the album and the sloppy production. Sometimes the band doesn't sound like playing very tight. Because this is Eric Peterson's first effort in a Black Metal band I hope that further releases will improve. I still recommend this album to Testament fans who do not dislike keyboards and fans of melodic Black Metal in general.