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TIAMAT
The Scarred People

Napalm (2012)
Rating: 9/10

The mighty Tiamat return with The Scarred People, their first album in nearly four years, and as has been the case with the Swedish band’s releases in the new millennium, this one lays out a huge slab of mid-tempo, atmospheric, goth rock tinged with the occasional pop melody and acoustic moment.

Fans still yearning for the band to return to their more extreme roots may as well turn back now (assuming they already haven’t). Tiamat in 2012 have much more in common with bands like Dead Artists Syndrome, Christian Death and The Mission than they do with their extreme metal contemporaries.

The Scarred People isn’t an immediately striking album; it really does take a few listens to sink in. I also suggest headphones because a one-on-one experience with this album really takes it to a whole other level. For example, ‘384 – Kteis’ is a tune that could easily be overlooked in certain listening situations. It plods along with a melancholy vocal and sparse piano and keyboard bits. A deep, headphone assisted, listen though reveals it to be one of the album’s highlights for certain! The desperate, almost suicidal, vocals and lyrics come alive a hell of a lot more this way. They are enhanced by murderous screams that are fairly annoying when blasting them on your car ride, but fairly essential when listening through headphones.

The gentle, acoustic ‘Tiznit’ is another highlight when listening this way. The playing is absolutely beautiful, as if played on a bright spring day at a local park. Though it’s not exactly the kind of song that comes to mind when the name Tiamat is mentioned, it gives the band a new dimension and certainly builds on the theme of hope that started with the band’s hit ‘Vote For Love’ some years back.

This album has plenty of melancholic anthems as well. ‘The Sun Also Rises’ features brilliant lead guitar work that is equal part blues and rock which, in turn, gives the album a brighter sounding moment that contrasts wonderfully with the melancholy. ‘Messinian Letter’ has a tinge of Tom Petty too it, believe it or not! Another wonderful moment, the song is musically bright while lyrically offering a friend in need help through a tough time. It’s distinctly un-Tiamat and I love that about it. ‘Thunder & Lightning’ follows it with a rockier flow that has that distinct underground 80s goth rock flare coupled with the superb production and distinct sound that make Tiamat who they are.

There are a couple of weak moments here, but I’m not afraid to say that this is easily Tiamat’s most well-rounded work. There are some new things here as well as the melancholic rock so many identify them by now. Once I got to about the fourth listen I just couldn’t put this album away. It takes a while to sink in its hooks, but when it does then you can’t escape it. This is easily the band’s best work since Judas Christ (2002) and arguably their best album to date.

Mark Fisher

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