Review by Mandeep Arora on June 11, 2024.

The Eye has got to be the most consistent King Diamond album this side of Abigail and also their last truly great one. Rather than repeating the complexity and scale of their previous works, it aims for humbler resonances, a much more approachable and tamer sound and consequently, the songs feel completely tied down and don't have varying directions, their flow very composed… It comprises of the band’s best formulas from yesteryears but refined and matured to the point of no further improvement. Where the previous albums assault your sensations and move at a ferocious pace, The Eye cocoons you in its genteel embrace and has a much more relaxed gait.

You start feeling the difference from the outset. Although heavy on atmosphere, the compositions are simpler and while they have the conventional structures of verses and choruses, it doesn't sound repetitive or boring. The choruses especially are quite catchy and melodic. The opener 'Eye of the Witch', beautiful to behold, is kind of sinistrous and haunting, falling in line with the mysterious artwork and putting you in a relaxed state of mind. This remains an integral part of the album sound. The guitar solos are softer and less hurried, played in abundance but never seeming contrived, their overall effect akin to a trickle rather than a gush of wind. Things are slowed down to a more medium pace, allowing for the songs to flow and breathe progressively and beautifully; the song placement is elemental to this attribute too.

Things indeed pick up pace in between - the likes of 'Burn' and 'Behind the Walls' are much faster in comparison and some songs swell gently as they approach their outros, like 'Into the Convent'. You'll also observe the intensity of the drums picking up as the songs reach their climax and this sensation hits like a hatchet. The drum fills are pretty simple but to the point and quite effective, though I won't lie when I say I absolutely miss Mikkey Dee’s ferocity and wonder how different this album would have sounded had it been him on drums. That’s not taking anything away from Snowy Shaw though, as I think he's pretty good in his own right and you can always hear him work in the background.

Progression and melodies have always formed the nucleus of King Diamond's compositions and while the former is not explored as much as on the previous albums, it's very well evident on songs like 'The Trial', 'Burn' and 'The Curse'. These are three of the best songs as well with fluid and beautiful time signatures and experimentation in the form of riffing styles - the slower, doomier sections on 'The Trial''s outro or the chunkier, ringing riffs on 'The Curse' usher in sizable heft and allure and the shorter, more divergent numbers like 'Two Little Girls' and 'Insanity' are part of the myriad elements conferring the album its murky atmosphere. There's no skimping on the melodies, which elevates the said atmospheric feeling pervasive throughout the album - you undeniably get the impression of being at the witch burning stakes or within the rotten confines of a dark, daunting chapel. The production quality is pretty subdued and old school but clean and punchy, making every instrument stand out and shine resolutely. I don't think any element overpowers the other.

There's a certain maturity to the lyrics and I personally think they are very deftly written. Gone is the shock value and added exaggeration from before; what we have instead are skillfully written lines that aptly capture the events and character emotions. Thematically, this is one of King Diamond’s best concepts and he effortlessly weaves the different stories together; I absolutely adore how it goes from first-person narration on the first song to the main story and again to narration in the end - the story concluded through the words of the alleged witch who gives us a glimpse of her tragic events and eventual vengeance that she continually witnessed through the necklace, or rather "The Eye". As usual, King Diamond shoulders the responsibility of playing all the characters, and there's a multitude of them this time, but he does not seem even slightly bothered, sounding absolutely gorgeous and purposeful for everything he does. We have mid-range falsettos instead of ear-shattering wails and they work so brilliantly and so effortlessly, you wish he maintained this approach for times perpetual. There's so much emotion and fervour in his singing style, you feel as though the actual character's come to life at times.

In my opinion, The Eye is the most underrated King Diamond album and while it has garnered a pretty high ratings, I don't see it discussed or celebrated enough in the metal circles I follow. It emanates a certain mysterious aura that's specific to itself. A perfect restful abode for those who cannot take in the full force of the band's previous greatest hits. I think its restrained nature has a greater impact, and mixed with echoes from the past with some searing moments, you are left slack-jawed at its magnificence. Of course, this restraint also means it's too anodyne for some, and that's perfectly fine, but The Eye is another monumental journey as only King Diamond could achieve. It's a fantastic heavy metal album full of soul and character and a shining example of how simple can be spectacular sometimes.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Review by Felix on June 22, 2020.

Usually it is not easy to emancipate yourself from your former band and it is getting even more difficult if you give the most characteristic feature of your ex a home in your neck. The first releases of Mercyful Fate had offered ingenious music and King Diamond’s voice was the cherry on the cake. Maybe he wanted to distance himself with the funny first EP? Hardly imaginable that Fate would have ever recorded a track where Donald Duck or Tom and Jerry show up. However, the King became a more and more autonomous brand. Especially the sound of The Eye has nothing in common with the pretty harsh productions of the early Fate recordings. It provides a rather warm sound with occasionally pretty intrusive keyboards. It’s not a bad mix, but also no masterpiece in terms of the technical implementation.

Maybe I am not the right person to review King’s albums, because I was never interested in horror movies. Honestly speaking, his lyrics do not mean much to me. I respect their meticulous elaboration and that’s it. But it is not that easy to “shock” the listener again and again with similar stories. However, from my point of view the lyrics are not the crucial factor when it comes to the evaluation. It’s naturally the music and here I cannot ignore that King offers some decent songs, but real highlights are a rarity. 'Behind These Walls' is one of them, its chamber music-like intro, the smooth flow and the earworm chorus shape a coherent, compact and impressive tune. 'Eye of the Witch', a nice combination of tragedy and heaviness, also marks a climax, even though it is a rather gentle opener. Finally, the stirring guitars and the thundering tom-toms at the beginning of 'Burn' promise a great track, but the comparatively weak chorus pours some cold water on this number. And unfortunately, there are quite faceless songs as well. The three evolution steps of 'Father Picard' are: beginning, nothing happens, amateurish fade-out – and the predominantly harmless instrumental 'Insanity' is as insane as a glass of milk.

All in all, there is no reason for public outrage, because the album offers more positive than negative aspects. Most songs can rely on a solid and comprehensible structure, King plays with his voice skilfully and some well-integrated tempo shifts lend the album a dynamic touch. This feature makes up for a lack of basic heaviness. This is no work that “hurts” the listener’s ears. I don’t want to use the evil word “polished”, but The Eye does definitely fail to offer edges and corners. Bulky or even progressive sequences are completely missing. Fate once was a ground-breaking formation; King rather walks on well-paved roads.

The Eye is a recommendable full-length, but do not expect any kind of sensation. The material rather rests in itself. Only one extraordinary track occurs. The calm yet evil 'Two Little Girls' adds value to the output due to its special atmosphere. Maybe it’s not fair to refer on “Melissa” and “Don’t Break the Oath” until the end of days and of course one can discuss whether it makes sense to compare King’s albums with Fate’s classics. However, I miss the occult wickedness of the old masterpieces and one or two outstanding riffs would have enriched the output as well. Nevertheless, people with an affinity for medieval stories in religious surrounding and a weakness for relatively melodic songs can check this work.

Rating: 7.2 out of 10

Review by Vladimir on September 28, 2023.

"Death is all we can know, Finality of what we've sown, The aeons pass, all hope denied, To the darkness joined with starless skies, Death is all we can know, As time goes on, complacence grows, In servitude we waste away, As if these things matter, as if anything lasts". These lyrics with such strength of words were wonderfully cemented in a very unusual work of art that will be the topic of this review. The topic I’ll be covering here is a US black metal band Woe and their third album Withdrawal, released on April 22nd, 2013 via Candlelight Records. 

The music of Woe is a different kind of black metal, which combines elements of modern hardcore with that of traditional black metal. What you get is your standard tremolo picking, blast beats or double-bass drumming, but the vocals opt for a completely different approach which is more shouting singing that leans towards a more hardcore punk or metalized hardcore style, rather than your standard harsh black metal vocals. Aside from this frequent vocal style, there are also moments when the vocals would switch to guttural growls, best example being the third track “All Bridges Burned”, which are also backed up by the traditionally used shouting vocals. There are also moments when the drumming leans more towards that hardcore/metalcore side with the inclusion of breakdowns, which is evident in the first track “This Is the End of the Story“, where the dynamics of the drums flow flawlessly from one part to another. The band also throws in a bit of rock ‘n roll on the fifth track “Song of My Undoing”, with an incredibly catchy mid-tempo riffing and drumming during the song’s verse, while also providing some clean singing vocals during the slower section. The aforementioned hardcore elements in the band’s music are present on the sixth track “Exhausted”, where it’s aggressively banging d-beat once the song starts. The songwriting is very well-thought and excellently put together, providing so much to hear that you can barely concentrate on what is going on. Withdrawal is definitely a very unique black metal album and also a unique album in general. There aren’t that many modern black metal bands of this sort that create such a specific output, and you can tell that the band was trying their best with this one and their effort certainly didn’t go to waste. The nature of the album gives a very misanthropic feeling, while also showing the more difficult and existential side filled with isolation and personal frustration. This album definitely has a strong psychological side, because there are so many sincere emotions in every song that can certainly take away your focus on the music and just let yourself be immersed. The album’s title perfectly summarizes the entire experience, a feeling of absolute withdrawal that just doesn’t let go from start to finish. The album’s production has a very heavy and bone crushing sound, while also creating a powerful aura around the vocals and the overall instrumental work. 

Although I would usually be very skeptical when it comes to modern black metal releases and perhaps end up regretting everything for wasting my time, Withdrawal is not that kind of example. I think that this is perhaps one of the most interesting modern day black metal releases, that shows how much the band Woe were able to put all their care and effort without trying too hard to distinguish themselves from the overall majority or attempt to please a certain audience by showing off with their musicality. Withdrawal proved to be a worthy listening experience and I think that people should give this one a go, especially if they are fans of newer generation US black metal. 

Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Review by JD on May 25, 2013.

I remember bands/artists like Bathory and Venom – these were the bands that defined what it was to be Black Metal, and how it is done. I love the newer BM as well, from Norway and even the USBM as well who are reshaping this whole darksome genre. Philadelphia based Woe are one of the newer of the US Black Metal scene that are trying to rewrite the very nature of what it is to be BM.

Started as just a one man project, Woe has come to morph into a full-fledged band that is bending all of the rules. Combining Modern BM, Post Punk with Ambient style and includes some very brutal yet grinding Crust. It comes out as something that is a wall of sheer darkness and hate with the force of a speeding jet aircraft. Musical is not the thought I had in mind while I listened to this album, it was not what I wanted.

The whole album is chaotic at best, where thundering guitars and drums are at the forefront and that never let the music flow and only a sheer wall of heavy comes at you. There are some bright spots like the brilliant 'All Bridges Burned', where the amazing acoustic intro leads into a heavy vortex of utter darkness and faith stealing evil, but for the most part the songs seem to sound the same with little to separate them.

This is not my beloved BM in any way, as I need a dose of separation and melody in the way it is recorded and played – even if it is just a little – in my Black Metal music. Woe is easily explained as sounding like screeching cat caught in a blender with a white noise generator accompanying it, which is sad because the one lone song intro seemed to show there was some redeeming talent. Satan would not be pleased.

I am not even close to liking this album. Venom would just want to kick the shit out of these (clears throat to keep from puking) musicians.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 3 (for the possibility of talent)
Atmosphere: 0
Production: 0
Originality: 0
Overall: 1

Rating: 0.8 out of 10