Review from We Love Metal Webzine

July 18, 2013
From: We Love Metal
Published: July 13, 2013
Original Link

There are so many sub-genres and offshoots of metal these days I tend to stick to the few I know and rarely stray from my happy place. With that said, every once and awhile a band will come along that appeals to me and I feel I need to learn more.

Lycanthia from Australia recently grabbed my interest and for me to put them in a sub-genre of metal would sound something like this: “Neo-classical fusion of doom/death, layered with keyboards and violins” or I could simply call it “Cluster Metal.”

If this is coming across as negative let me be the first to apologize. The fact is Lycanthia works. All of the above elements I described come together to create a metal harmony that is dark and mysterious, yet fascinating and breath taking. I have had the opportunity to listen to their latest album “Oligarchy” and I have to say it keeps you guessing as to what is coming next while you often get lost in the brilliance of the bands musicianship.

The drummer Andrew Craig needs a special shout out because he is holding all of these different elements together while at the same time keeping Lycanthia in the realm of metal. The drums allow a blood soaked riff to be pierced by the wail of a violin and not once do you feel Lycanthia has strayed from the metal path.

The band has a very gothic look and on the first initial listen you may feel this is what they represent, but let me assure you this is a group of very talented musicians that are forging their own path. They have actually been invading the Australian underground since the late 90s, and have quite a following from what I can understand. Unfortunately people and even some bands only recognize success when they have conquered the North American market. Can Lycanthia accomplish this? Most certainly!

The secret to their imminent success is actually quite simple. Bring the doom and gloom over to America and show people that fringe metal deserves a place at the table. If any band can pull it off I have to believe the “cluster metal” of Lycanthia can.

 

Review from ZWareMetalen Webzine

July 18, 2013
From: ZWareMetalen
Published: July 13, 2013
*Google translation of Dutch review

Opener The Essential Components Of Misery does initially think of a weak infusion of Draconian . Not entirely surprising, the Australian Lycanthia is also shared female fronted and makes music that sounds like a fusion of slow death with doom, gothic and rock with a metal trim. The band has been around since 1997 and is therefore not a new player on the field.

Same opening track is immediately one of the ...

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Review from Aristocrazia Webzine

July 18, 2013
From: Aristocrazia Webzine
Published: July 8, 2013
*Google translation of Italian review

The formation gothic / doom of Lycanthia navigate within the underground scene since more than three decades: despite having lived a then that would assure a discrete manufacturing, has found itself for many reasons, primarily the continuous changes of a pinwheel training that currently sees the only bassist / vocalist Lee Tassaker as remaining original member, to provide the listener with their...

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Review from Legacy Magazine; Issue #85

July 3, 2013
From: Legacy Magazine; Issue #85
Published: June 2013
*Google translation of German review

In Australia, the time has stopped. At least for the active band since 1996, Lycanthia. Which has indeed left 14 years time for their second album, but it sounds to the typical Gothic Doom the Nineties, with the Theatre Of Tragedy, Tristania or My Dying Bride have grown. The long compositions are thus two voices intoned, the grunts of Lee Tassaker but is quite flashy, while two ladies with ...

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Review from Destructive Music

July 1, 2013
From: Destructive Music
Published:
July 1, 2013
Original Link

On first listen, I did quite like Lycanthia’s ‘Oligarchy’ as a mood-setter: it has the gently twanging lead guitar lines, keening violin melodies, and pretty decent operatic female vocal/growled male vocal duo that make a good gothic/doom metal album. There’s some luscious and tasty composition elements in here, particularly in the classical-influenced sections, but I felt that something was not quite sitting right, and it eve...

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Review from Metal Revolution Webzine

June 6, 2013
From: Metal Revolution Webzine
Published: June 5, 2013

It has been well over a decade since the previous full-length release from Lycanthia, but lots has happened in the meantime, well at least in regards to the band's lienu-up. Band's founder Lee Tassaker has gone through more than fifteen different band members.
You'd think that all this would make it hard for Tassaker to maintan the focus and core of the idea behind Lycanthia. Fortunately that is not the case. This, mostly thanks...

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Review from Doom-metal.com

June 6, 2013
From: Doom-Metal.com
Published: June 4, 2013

Lycanthia are one of those bands you may well have heard of, with 17 years and counting of existence behind them, yet never actually heard anything by, thanks to a prior release catalogue comprising just one demo, one album and an EP - none of which are readily obtainable. Second album 'Oligarchy', initially released through Australia's Green Media Distribution in 2012 (a mere 13 years after the debut full-length 'Myriad'), was the start...

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Review from Headbang Music

June 6, 2013
From: Headbang Music
Published: June 1, 2013
*Google translation of Italian review

Every now and then from Australia comes out some gothic reality out of the norm, even though the Lycanthia are not exactly newbies since the first demo was in 1997 while the first full in 1999. Then the little or nothing for years and years (only an EP in 2006) until you get to this Oligarchy first self-produced, then backed by Hypnotic Dirge Records that could not let him perish rightly long in water...

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Review from Global Domination Webzine

June 1, 2013
From: Global Domination Webzine
Published
: May 30, 2013
Original Link

“Oligarchy” is the second album from this Australian gothic doom band and it has a very 90s flavour to it. The band seems a bit obsessed with early Theatre of Tragedy. The mix of clean, melodic female vocals (done pretty well) with harsh, growled and rasped vocals and loads of violins and keyboards gives it a feel similar to late 90s goth-doom acts like The Sins of Thy Beloved but Lycanthia’s sound is rougher and lacks t...
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Review from Ave Noctum Webzine

May 28, 2013
From: Ave Noctum Webzine
Published:
May 26, 2013
Original Link

The touch of romantic, atmospheric doom spreads far and is not synonymous with the cold rain cobbled streets of Yorkshire even if its frozen fronds spread from there. In fact I am sure the climate could not be much further removed as we are swept into the violin etched caress of this heartfelt and lament filled band from Australia where apparently they are one of the oldest surviving doom acts down under.  Releases have not been that...

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  LYCANTHIA - OLIGARCHY

Released: April 7, 2013
500 Copies
Gothic Death-Doom Metal