Big Country - Eclectic (13 tracks) +Album Reviews

A Great New Direction

R. Fleck | West Roxbury, MA United States | 01/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tom Fischer has hit a home run with this CD. It's the best thing he's been associated with since Into the Pandemonium. It's too bad that he doesn't realize that. According to the Celtic Frost Web site, they're currently recording a new CD. I just hope that doesn't mean an end to Apollyon Sun.
The music is heavy, yet modern. It's loud, agressive music with a brain. Many of the songs have the experimental quality of Celtic Frost's most risk-taking work. It's as if AS took songs like One in Their Pride as a stepping off point to create this recording.
If the producers of the new Matrix films had any sense, they would get AS to record songs for the films or use tracks from SUB. It would be a perfect fit."

Fans of Celtic Frost will be surprised big time.

Jose | Lakeland, FL USA | 12/08/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When Tom Fischer(aka Tom Warrior) first disbanded Hellhammer, he took what was best of it and incorporated it in Celtic Frost. Then Celtic Frost was put aside (they are working on a new album), and came Apollyon Sun.So what's Apollyon Sun like? It's..umm..'different'. VERY different. If you were expecting another Celtic Frost incarnation like I was, you'll be blown away. This sounds more like something Marilyn Manson or Ministry would create. In a sense, this album is bleaker and darker than the aforementioned bands. It's danceable industrial, but the music is creepy. I was surprised. Did I like 'Sub'? Yes, it is a solid effort. The interesting thing is the way Tom sings. He sounds like Marilyn Manson, especially on 'Naked Underground'. I think he could improve on his vocals and probably start singing an octave higher, though. And not all songs are good. But overall, a good album."

Love it

Alex G. Morales | Austin, TX USA | 10/19/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This dark and perimetric journey is a worthy successor of Fischer's musical legacy. Involuntarily attempting to

categorize Sub hurt the first listening experience for me -- was too tied up in comparisons with his past efforts and how the foray into heavy electronica resembles that genre's formidable icons. But upon a second listen, I've come to appreciate Sub on its own terms. It's interesting, forceful, sometimes quirky and on occasion hauntingly beautiful -- but still delivers the heavy grooves and solid thrashing you'd expect from Tom G. Drop the preconceptions and let him take you into his newly computerized Babylon -- you'll be glad you did."

Apollyon Sun: Sub (2000) - 4,2 stars

Olav M. Björnsen | Norway | 10/19/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Switzerland is known for it's clocks, banks and chocolate. It is also the home country of Thomas Fischer, mastermind behind highly influential groups Hellhammer and Celtic Frost. Apollyon Sun is the group he put together a few years after Celtic Frost disbanded in the early 90's; where Fischer explored music much different to what was issued under the Celtic Frost moniker.

Musically it is relatively easy to put the Industrial Metal stamp on this release. Which is correct, the overall sound certainly fits that tag. But as always with Fischer, there are subtle details that makes this one rather different from others.

Musical inspirations are probably many, but Prodigy and Gary Numan seems to be safe bets for artists that influenced the overall sound here. As well as Fischer's old band Celtic Frost, of course.

The structure of the tracks here are mostly something like this: Electronic sounds start song; then there is some sort of verse and chorus setup where the track moves from extremely heavy phases to slightly calmer phases and back again; somewhere in the middle of the track there's usually a calm, ambient sounding section before the song returns to the earlier more brutal sounding phases.

There's lots of electronic sounds in the music. Samples and loops all over the place, electronically enhanced noises and some melodic synth sounds to enhance the soundscape as well. Very much like Prodigy actually; but more sinister and eerie sounding. The bass guitar is often the dominant instrument; rumbling like a brutal distorted earthquake underneath all other noises in the soundscape. The guitar is used to deliver slow, heavy riffs or drawn out chords - kind of a doom metal sound but heavier and more brutal. In some songs the guitar sound is more slick and less distorted though, delivering more melodic aspects to the song as well. Adding stability to it all are drums, played solidly and at times creatively.

Tom Fischer's vocals adds atmosphere to it all. His mixture of singing and talking, and the general world-weary feel of his voice, creates a distinct mood to this music. Although brutal and heavy the music doesn't come across as aggressive. This isn't music by angry men that want to change the world or complain of their destinies. Rather, it's more like the music of lost souls; music from the deepest pits of oblivion made by souls living there and accepting their fate.

In other words; this is not happy music.

The songs here are rather good as well. The moods and atmospheres are unique in their totality; and I wouldn't recommend anyone getting this release before having listened to a track or two to see if this is likeable. As for the ones that should consider checking this out: People into Prodigy and Gary Numan that also like heavy metal should be an audience with a good chance of enjoying this release. And fans of industrial metal should perhaps consider checking this out as well."

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