Astarte - Demonized (2007)

   Astarte was formed when black metal was in a changing period, and during their existence their music went it's own way of change too. Genres in first round after everything possible was made inside the borders of their specific features, starting to become more melodic, audience friendlier, and later involving different influences and/or turning progressive.
   The same has happened with Astarte too. On their last album there are still style features to find that may remind to their debut, like occasionally the intense blackened themes are returning, the vocal style is the same, and they've still wrote Greek mythology influenced lyrics, but it's a different story now. Their music became far more melodic, lost it's dark, depressing old school atmosphere, the themes are strongly melodic death influenced, and partly mixed with classic heavy metal features too. The harmony wasn't lost, but represented differently (in the way of literal meaning). By the melodic death influences and the clear sound the focus has switched from down breaking passive suffering to a more aggressive direction, that is also more generic the same time. Still a remarkable emotional effect remained in their music, since it's the concomitant of the combination of these styles, but it's less effective. "Demonized" is still a great album according to it's style, and fits into the musical voyage of the band, but it may leave behind a feeling that something's missing. Such in the case of the band's split-up because of Miss Tristessa's unfortunate pass (R.I.P.).