The band's output can be divided into two distinct eras: the first two albums (Purification and A Perfect Forever), fronted by distinctive Torben Askholm, which held a slightly doomy flavor in their slower, epic pieces; and every release since then, which held a decidedly more progressive, upbeat power metal vibe featuring high range vocals. While I'll always prefer the band's later releases, the first two outings stand on their own as a duo of brilliant releases. So if you stumbled upon Anubis Gate's newer material and didn't appreciate it for whatever inconceivable reason, don't shy away from trying Purification or A Perfect Forever. On the other hand, those who enjoyed Andromeda Unchained or The Detached shouldn't hesitate to give this a chance, either. I was in the same boat a short time ago. Then I listened to the music and... just wow.
Purification is much more focused on deep-carved riffing than any of its distant successors, lacking the spacey environment of the band's latest works. Fear not, however; this has its own thing going, with not only the expected traces of Egyptian influence, but also some epic, dark emotional flares. These are mostly created through the band's haunting instrumental passages, but I have to praise Askholm for his charismatic vocal display. Sometimes his accented, mid-range voice is just hard to listen to simply because of the pathos he evokes. Sometimes the phrasing or the way he ends his notes sounds a little off, but I honestly think that adds to the authenticity of the performance. I don't believe he matches the crystalline bliss of later vocalists Jacob Hansen (the producer on this release - you'll be hearing a lot about him soon) or Henrik Fevre (the bassist here), but the man gives it his all and you can't help but be taken in.
The album features mostly standard song structures, but there are enough subtle intricacies here and twists and turns to keep the mind perplexed enough to beg more listens. They never fail to be memorable, either. There are only seven fully developed tracks here with vocals, with three being somewhat brief instrumentals. That does not, however, mean that those three segments become wasted space. "Hall of Two Truths" is a nice buildup that readies you for the intensity to come. "Before Anubis" mesmerises, breathing desolation in every note and fascinating for the stunning (and all too short) three minutes. "Kingdom of Duat" becomes a nice little sendoff, even if it does seem the least necessary piece on the album.
Highlights among the full-fledged songs can be found nearly everywhere, but if I had to choose only the very best, I'd have to go with the otherworldly title track and "The Shadow." The former is one of the most successful platforms for escapism I've ever encountered. It's the kind of environment you'd love to lose yourself in, isolated among its optimistic momentum and the astoundingly brilliant chorus. It's really one of my favorite tracks, not just by this band, but by any ever created. The latter doesn't fail to move me, as well; it's the lightest piece on Purification, yet its power is unmistakable. Just listen to the last somber two minutes or so, when Askholm passionately lets loose his tortured lines: "your darkness in me, my shadow in you." It's that kind of special euphony that always startles me. If I've ever had a pang of longing to feel that sensation, it lies right here.
In 2004, when their life as a band had just begun, Anubis Gate had already made their way into the special elite core who could craft powerful, yet still thought-provoking music. If you have any weakness for any of the doom, power, or progressive metal genres, then Purification should be among your collection right along with the band's other opuses. If there are any weaknesses to this album, they are only created by the unfair truth that its later successors are so gorgeous, they make Purification seem faintly inadequate in comparison. Those who miss this because of that unfortunate distinction would still be making a sad mistake; and considering that this is the easiest (and most cost effective) of Anubis Gate's albums to get, there's practically no risk. Have fun.
Overall: 8.75/10 (Great - my shadow in you)
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