SCHOLOMANCE
The Immortality Murder

Tracklist:

CD 1

1. Part I: Absence/Contorted Porcelain-faced bitch 08:11
2. Part II: Childless one.../The Body As Sulphur Stench 06:46
3. Part III: Matriarch 04:58
4. Part IV: Her Iniquity Uncovered/The Eastern Trinity Unexplained 07:58
5. Virus (The Theft of Knowledge) 05:30
6. Companionship and Philosophical Fire (The Third) 06:41
7. Bedevilment and Bewilderment (Reality Greets the Moral Whore) 04:50
8. The Next Step (For the Sake of the Greater Whole) 05:21

CD 2

1. Replacement... 04:11
2. The Next Step (For the Sake of the Greater Whole) 05:26
3. Nothing is For, or About You 02:34
4. Part I: Absence/Contorted Porcelain-faced bitch 08:10
5. As if I Were Beautiful... 02:50
6. Part II: Childless one.../The Body As Sulphur Stench 06:45
7. And Yet We Were Dead 03:38
8. Part III: Matriarch 04:57
9. How Familiar I Am... 02:56
10. A Riddle... 03:07
11. Part IV: Her Iniquity Uncovered/The Eastern Trinity Unexplained 07:57
12. Additions 07:10

Total playing time: 01:49:55

Что-то необыкновенное... слушала практически на одном дыхании.. таких переходов я ни у кого не встречала !

Dва диска, первый - невероятно красивый коктейль из грамотного симфо-блэка и прога (!), второй - "тяжёлый атмосферный приблэкованный прог с акцентом на партии фортепиано", если можно так выразиться. И без вокала. Тексты - отдельный разговор... это не стихи. Это проза; причём высочайшего класса. Сравнимо разве что с Arcturus, и то, лишь по части одинаково изумительной игры, богатейшего воображения авторов как "< The > Sham Mirrors", так и "< The > < immortality > < murder >", и их - авторов - бесспорного таланта. // http://hghltd.yandex.com/ Orgasmo Oscuro

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Scholomance was a rather unique band in the metal scene, with its particular approach to creating music. Their place of origin too is not common for metal bands, hailing from Willard, Missouri. They started out with big expectations and ambitions as can be seen in this following statement:

“We, the members of SCHOLOMANCE aim to battle musical incompetence with a blazing double edged sword of technical passion. Here there is no fear to indulge in lengthy solo passages that made metal what it was and still should be. We intend to ignore trends until our physical departure from this earth.

We delve into the dark side of the psyche, the truth of emotional instability and manic tendencies. Through self criticism we invoke positive action towards self betterment and downfall of the lazy. Hopeless and brainwashed society in which we live. We would like to see art, music and culture once again embraced by every class, however futile that wish may be. The poetry of SCHOLOMANCE is written to express pure emotion in a philosophical non-traditional sense of grim reality.

The Iyrics are first written to stand on their own before becoming part of a musical piece. Writings of Rimbaud, Dickinson, Scriabin and Neitzche are food for thought and written inspiration. The music of Iron Maiden, Cynic, Candiria, Dream Theater, Meshuggah, Voivod, Beethoven, Bjork, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Arcturus, Loreena McKennitt and In Flames weaves its way into our chambers often and the art of Bosch, Brugel, Venosa and McKean adorns the chamber walls…. The two composers of SCHOLOMANCE run perpendicular paths of composition. One, a path of outright rejection of common theory leading to a bizarre, unique, technical and personal theory, the other a road of strict adherence to classical theoretics. The two paths merge to form a dynamic entity of immense complexity, layers of sound and authentically orchestral compositions.”

Their first musical offering was in 1996 in the form of a short tape entitled Promo 1996 with three songs and it was followed later by another similarly titled Promo 1997 with 4 songs. In 1997 they managed to do a proper studio recording resulting in the 5 song demo 'I Am That Which Is', which got the attention of several labels, eventually gaining them in 1998 a contract with the then newly formed label The End Records which would later be known for their unique and progressive bands signed with them. In October 1998 the band releases its first album with The End Records titled ‘A Treatise On Love’, about which the band said: “In part, it is a lyrical concept based upon the shattered remains of love, betrayal, and ultimate madness,all penned in a wickedly dark, poetic manner”. The band also contributed several songs to compilations released by The End Records: (Until The End Of Time 1998, White: A Nightmare 1999, At The End Of Infinity 2002)

Their second album, The Immortality Murder comes out in 2002 and is released as a double cd, with one CD being the music accompanied by vocals and the second CD includes 5 instrumental versions of songs from the album along with 7 grand piano improvisations. In August 23rd the Scott Crinklaw announced the breakup of Scholomance in the band’s website.

The music of Scholomance is rooted in extreme and technical metal; it has intricate songs structure, harsh vocals (of Death/Black metal nature), borrows elements from other styles (other than metal), dense, hectic and demanding. Those latter remarks can be seen as the band’s top qualities or top downsides, depending on how you like your music. At the forefront are the guitar and keyboards alike, intertwining, and making it sometimes hard to follow the song. However, once you are past that threshold, their music’s complexity and dynamics is rewarding and stimulating. An adventurous band, one to discover for people who like their metal, complex, intricate and a band that demands more than just being a passive listener.

Discography:
A Treatise On Love, studio album (1998)
The Immortality Murder, studio album (2002)read more