1- What can I say about DARK FUNERAL? That they are one of the best Black Metal bands out there? Or should I say that these guys - along with MARDUK of course - honor the great legacy of Swedish brutal Black Metal? DARK FUNERAL have managed to become known with their hard work and incredible talent, and I believe that this DVD release was the best way for the band to pay tribute to its loyal fans. A great gift from the Swedish blasphemous maniacs just for you!
Sweden has offered many great bands regarding the Black Metal scene, and DARK FUNERAL is one of them for sure! With albums like their kick-ass debut "The Secrets Of The Black Arts" (1996), their sophomore full-length work "Vobiscum Satanas" (1998) and their - in my humble opinion - best album "Diabolis Interium" (2001), the sacrilegious murderers have proven that they have the balls to stay alive and proudly tear the stage apart with their torturing melodies. After having gathered a loyal fan base, the band - along with its label Regain Records - decided to release this magnificent DVD that contains everything a fan could ask for.
"Attera Orbis Terrarum Part I" contains three full shows that the band has played in Netherlands (013, 5/3/2006), Katowice, Poland (Metalmania Festival, 2/3/2005) and Paris, France (La Locomotive, 17/3/2006). This is the first time I come across a DVD with so many stuff in it, and I can say that three full shows will make you spend your time pleasantly under the blasphemous melodies of DARK FUNERAL. The band performs each single track with incredible ease and proves that it is one of the best and most brutal Black Metal acts out there! Emperor Magus Caligula is a real beast behind the microphone, Dominator just destroys the drum kit, the guitar duet kicks major ass with its fucking awesome leads and the bass... well, it's Black Metal, what did you expect?
The band's set list contains every classic song and as it seems DARK FUNERAL thought about every single fan and tried to satisfy them all, something that they managed to achieve in my humble opinion. Kick-ass tunes like "Hail Murder", "An Apprentice Of Satan", "The Secrets Of The Black Arts", as well as the great "Attera Totus Sanctus" from their latest album ("Attera Totus Sanctus", 2005) bring a feeling of melancholy for the shows you watch, but you didn't have the chance to attend. Whoever was there, was a pretty lucky guy (or gal) for sure!
Except from the three shows this DVD contains, there is also a "bonus material" place, where you can watch previously unreleased amateur footage of the band's very first and legendary gig in Oslo, Norway on May, May 4th, 1994 up until today (terrible audio and video quality, but nothing I didn't expect). You also have the chance to see the band performing some covers of bands like BATHORY & VON.
One more thing that will haunt your screen (either TV or PC), is the video clip for the song "Atrum Regina", which consists of live clips of the band (probably from its performance in Paris, France, that is also contained in this DVD). Nothing amazing if you ask me. As you have understood, "Attera Orbis Terrarum Part I" contains everything a DARK FUNERAL fan could ask for and is definitely a must have for every single blackster out there. Need I say more? I think that I covered every single side of this release. Now it is your turn and the only thing you have to do is buy this DVD, put it in your DVD player, relax and witness the gloriousness of one of the best Black Metal bands that reigns this world! One simple word for these Black Metal heroes... Respect!
[ Reviews by : Yiannis D. on 2007/12/06 ]
2 - n the mass feeding frenzy of black metal disciples that are screeching and inverting crosses for your approval, one of the few that stilltruly leaves an impact is Dark Funeral. Without a doubt, 2007 is owned by Dark Funeral with three reissues (The Secrets of the Black Arts,Vobiscum Satanas and Diabolis Interium) and now this DVD Attera OrbisTerrarum Part 1, all as Dark Funeral prepares for a massive tour and new material forthcoming.
If you want a preview of what to expect when Dark Funeral invades your town, you can have nearly four hours' worth, and believe me when I tell you this: if you watch it all in succession, you will be drained of all energy by the time it's through. Dark Funeral, as on their albums, is one of the most relentless bands on the planet, regardless of genre. As it turns out, they happen to be satanists with a fireball puissance who will rattle you senseless in an hours' time (much less four) with standard thrashers like "Hail Murder," "Ravenna Strigoi Mortii," "Open the Gates," "My Dark Desires" and "An Apprentice of Satan."
The reason anyone can tolerate Dark Funeral'sabravise velocity if they're not a black metal fan is because of the luxuriant threads of dark melody they spin on each track. Dark Funeralis fast and cruel, but there's also an artistic grace to their high octane odes of hatred, which compels you to listen, despite theseldom-changing beat blitzes that siphon you dry the longer you submitto their arcane measures.
Attera Orbis Terrarum Part 1 whisks you up and plops you at the feet of Dark Funeral as they play in Poland, France and The Netherlands, wrecking havoc at each set with a disciplined focus that is mesmerizing to behold, albeit you will feelabsolutely flogged and demoralized if you don't take a break between sets. Of the three main sets, the first one in Poland is the most dizzying as Dark Funeral utilizes seven cameras, two of which sweep inwards from the back of the arena as well as from side-to-side, atactic that worked beautifully for Motorhead in their stellar Stage Fright DVD. With Dark Funeral, the sweeping motions create an odd senseof claustrophobia despite the massive size of the audience in attendance. Unfortunately, one of the cameras tends to crop and smoosh the band to the point of annoyance; it's one of the rare times widescreen format is a detriment.
Still, Attera Orbis Terrarum Part 1 is a monstrous documentation of a band in its fullest capacity, and as an added attraction, a special feature with a ton of amateur footage capturing Dark Funeral from the early days in1994 on up is included for your buying pleasure. In all, Dark Funeral live is lightning fast, terribly brutal and one of the meanest hellrides you'll ever embark on
[ Reviews by : Ray Van Horn ]
3 - Dark Funeral - Attera Orbis Terrarum Part IKoen: After years of touring their asses off, Dark Funeral releases their first ever official DVD which contains three full professionally filmed live shows, previously unreleased amateur footage spanning Dark Funeral´s entire career from the very first show in Oslo (Norway) up until today and a video clip for the song 'Atrum Regina'.
With two DVD's (approximately 220 minutes playing time), this package is a must for each and every black metal addict in general and Dark Funeral fan in particular. It shows the band at his best after a long journey of evolution since 1993. The quality of the professional recordings is amazingly good with the added bonus of feeling like you're in the crowd!
Some minor details on this DVD are the exact matching setlists on the Tilburg and Paris gigs and the bad sound quality of the amateur footage but if you accept these negligible inconveniences, you just know 'Attera Orbis Terrarum Part I' is one of the best DVD's that I have watched and listened to in a long time. Thus I have spoken...
[ Reviews by : Koen for Lord Of Metal ]