Year of release: 1994
Label: Avantgarde Music
Rating: classics
After when I left Metallibrary, I very rarely refer to the classics, as the Bagnik Zine concept still focuses on the other tasks. Nevertheless, there are plenty of unconditionally iconic pillars of albums that I have not yet listened to, and reviews of them are in some way an attempt to sort out my impressions. “Stream from the Heavens” is one of these albums. Until the recent reissue of the album on Metal Star, I still couldn’t find time for listening, although I understood that I should have been ashamed.
Now, having spinned the CD in the player ten times or more, I understand that the only full-length album of Funeral Doom Death Metal fathers is not the kind of "De Mysteriis Dom Satanas" classics. Many albums, once considered horribly extreme attacks against commercial scene, today have become part of pop culture, largely due to the fact that it is actually very easy to listen to them. With “Stream from the Heavens” this did not happen. Discussing the album with several old-timers, I was surprised to learn that many still have not got to the core of it. It would seem that who except them - experienced veterans of the scene! - could do that?
But it can be understood. On “Stream from the Heavens” all components are quite peculiar - from sound and music to the atmosphere and lovecraftian lyrics. The rough record made hell knows where embodies a strange combination of depth and primitiveness. In vocal parts, complete detachment prevails, and it is very unhealthy, some kind of crazy opiate-driven stuff. Mushrooms from Yuggoth, probably? The music that established the canons of the funeral doom metal, nevertheless, stands out from them. But how exactly - I cannot say it just like that. By being strikingly - for a classic album, I must remind you - unpredictable? Interestingly, all the elements of “Stream from the Heavens” separately were long ago refined and extremely improved in the works of other bands. The album itself is clumsy, crude and, not afraid of this word, blunderring. However, this exact clumsiness makes it so unique. I never heard such music with such atmosphere. In my ears, it is not even Lovecraftian, but definitely unearthly. It seems you can listen to it endlessly. Perhaps the point here is the non-metalhead mindset of the musicians: since the split-up of THERGOTHON, they all being involved in some bullshit. But for “Stream from the Heavens”, they deserve a monument, similar to the monolith that can be seen on the cover of the album.
Metal Star’s edition is unique by world standards: it’s the only digi-CD version of the album. It is not a digibook, because there is no normal booklet for this album at all. Lyrics are printed inside on the panels, and the disc is enclosed in an eco-envelope made of black cardboard. Nevertheless, everything looks strictl and beautiful. More details on a video. You can order the CD at Possession.
English (UK) 
Крыўская