Keys Of Knowledge Review

Band	Flames of Misery
Album	Keys Of Knowledge
Type	Album (Studio full-length)
Released	July 17, 2002
Genres	Ambient
Labels	Revealed Secrets
Length	1:03:04

Reviewer :  Slash         Rating :  90 / 100

After the listening of this concept-album that describes the evolution of an innocent guy who becomes misanthropic after having discovered humans' falseness and hypocrisy, we can conclude that misanthropy is law, because the seven tracks show the philosophical initiation of this guy to the "keys of knowledge". Each step brings him closer to this statement.

Of course, with such a lyrical theme, it's impossible to say how the music sounds, we can just have an idea of how dark it could be.

In fact, Flames Of Misery's first album isn't violent at all. It's at the opposite a 1 hour long Piano album full of captivating variations. The melodies are mostly dark, but not always. Some parts are just "relaxing" and sounding like "typical classical music", while others could be compared to inventive, grimy horror movies music. The quality of the album results in the great harmonious mixing of these two opposite kind of music and in the excellent technical level of Laurent Zaessinger, the guy who has done this.

Some people would say that the most important is not only to show his virtuosity, it's the ability of creating deep atmospheres, and it's exactly what I like by Flames Of Misery: there are both! Virtuosity and deep atmospheres. Some easier and mostly slower parts will give you the opportunity to breathe, but don't be worry, they are deliberately here, just to make you remember that you have to be ready for the further coming mesmerizing, great, cold and dark melodies.


The opening track “Memories of Innocence” is separated in two parts. The first one is the most positive part of the album. It represents joy and innocence, while the second part is played on a minor scale and consists in a repetitive slow melody played each time on another minor scale. It's probably the weakest title of the CD and the easiest one.

“Signs' Lake” is a quicker song, mostly played on a major scale, with an excellent chorus remembering some compositions of Bach and with some deliberate flat notes that bring a real disharmony in the atmosphere, in order to show the changing that the guy is experiencing.

It continues with “Night Gates”, one of the two highlights of this album and one of the three songs that is longer than 10 minutes. There are plenty of variations, as well in the melodies as in the rhythmic and in the theatrical vocals : The mixing of whispers, spoken parts, clean vocals and harsh vocals intensify the atmospheres of this very sad song that has a real medieval touch.

“Candles of Oblivion” starts with a slow and dark melody repeated in different minor scales and with three or four different voices at the same time. It's really scaring and it could perfectly match to a horror movie. After this introduction, the song becomes really avant-gardist. The main scale is a major scale, but Laurent Zaessinger plays each time another flat note to turn it dark and minor. Moreover, you don't have the impression to listen to a cacophony with melodies that don't match each other. That proves Laurent Zaessinger's incredible potential. This song is one of the more inventive and best ones I've ever heard. There are also plenty of rhythmic variations, with a highlight at the eighth minute, when Laurent Zaessinger plays no less than 9 notes per second on the right hand ! That's what you can call “piano blast beat” !

“Venomous Vehemence” is in the same vein than the two previous tracks, but shorter, what means that it is less progressive, although there are over 10 melodies in this 6 minutes long song too.

“Eminence of Misanthropy” is the quickest song of the CD, with several vocal lines. It's a mad song perfectly played, between Classical music and horror movies music.

“Deluge of Abhorrence” is the last track of the album and the shortest one. It's also the easiest one with the opening track. There are only four melodies, but they are catchy enough to make the song being interesting from start to finish.

In conclusion, this album is creating something absolutely new, a link, better to say, a bridge, between Classical and Neo-Classical and between harmony and disharmony. It's really original and well done. Laurent Zaessinger is an excellent and talented musician who has released here amazing compositions.