Endura The Dark Is Light Enough

Dark rumblings, occasional demonic mumblings and metallic chimes get the first track 'The Stars are Right' off in great fashion. Deep kettle drums then beat out the rhythm with a march type snare sound over the top. A strong melody leads the way and the kettle drums get even more excited. It is as if an army is waiting behind fortified wall watching their foe appear over the brim of a hill in response to some long foretold prophecy. The way the music shifts in intensity and the melody weaves in and out of the ever more insistent rhythmic backing is masterly. The demonic voices then introduce us to 'Nevers Gift', a cello lead sound is placed over massed string backing, a heavy rhythm comes in but the tension soon subsides with a beautiful acoustic guitar that contrasts the mood of the album perfectly. The demon then chants out its demands in a voice I really wouldn't want to argue with. The contrasting atmospheres in this track and how the voices ooze from them creates an incredible picture. I must admit to have now listen to it six times and still want more but this review is never going to be completed unless I move on and I am late in sending it to Graham already. 'Listen to Wolves' makes use of dark tribal drumming with unintelligible angry grumblings over the top. This runs into 'Ubbo-Sathla' and we are taken into some evil temple where the mood is created solely through the use of strange slow chants. Don't listen to this one with the lights out, you may never switch them on again. 'He Knows The Gate' takes us even deeper into the temple and agonized cries and muffled slammed doors are the order of the day. They should use this as the backdrop to the London Dungeon, or probably not, it might just send some people over the top. 'Nu Silence Rite' sounds as if one of the tortured souls is singing a hymn to some god that just might get him out of this place - no chance! 'In the Sea My Lord Lieth' explains, in English this time, what is the fate of mankind - mmmm lovely. 'When I was Dead' brings us back to proper music and in fact- a song. This works very well in the context of the album but I can't exactly see it on top of the pops. Something to recommend it really. The overall feel of this track is surprisingly uplifting. Mind you when placed alongside the rest of what has been happening on the album death would probably be quite an appealing prospect. 'The Dark is Light Enough' brings the album to its close in a similar fashion to the first two tracks, heavy slow rhythms with that rather nasty demon again explaining to us what is in store. I loved this album, especially the second track, but I have always been a sucker for dark music. I must warn the more "main-stream" EM enthusiast to avoid this however as it is really leaving traditional EM realms well behind. Most of the tracks contain vocals, though only on one of them could it be described as singing. The voices are mainly used and overlaid to create atmosphere. This atmosphere is of the very darkest variety and even though the images that are created in the mind are very vivid they aren't exactly to everyone's taste. (DL)

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