If it weren’t for the warm programmed drum beats and the deep vocals of Vorph, this Samael release could easily be described as ambient pop. “Era One” was recorded three years ago, but for some reason the release of the album was delayed till early 2006.

A couple of months ago Century Media re-released some of the bands older material which is in fact more powerful due to the industrial influences. “Era One” features atmospheric and bombastic compositions both well balanced. This is one of the reasons why this release remains interesting after more than one listen. What I don’t like is the fact that in every song Xy and Vorph shift a gear where the listener is longing for acceleration.

Most songs lack a solid structure with a clear head and tail. If at any point you’ve lost your interest in a track, it’s hard to recapture. The track ‘Voyage’ is a nice exception with its up-tempo drums and slightly psychedelic vocals; without doubt the best track on the disc.

In addition to the “Era One” opus, Century added a bonus cd with instrumental compositions by Xy. The lack of vocals and guitars make this one pretty hard to listen to.
“Era One” is quite an average album. Decent tracks but nothing special. Pretty good sound, this release can’t do without. So rating this one is easy. 7 out of 10.