I have always found this to be a peculiar album; not exactly great, but certainly unique. Arcane Sun has always stayed with me because of the track ‘Longing for Edens Rain (and Winters End)’, which was used as a filler on a traded tape in 1998. Naturally, that set me off on a hunt for the full album, and if I remember correctly, I got hold of it from former VM-staff member Saldiac back then.
The atmospheric Doom/Death on the debut is unconventional, with strange shifts where pure Doom/Death is swapped for an almost avant-garde passage, such as in ‘I was alive then…’, and the clean, mournful vocals of Paul Kearns (later Solstice) are definitely an acquired taste.
Comparing them to My Dying Bride or Anathema might be a bit too simple, as Arcane Sun follows its own obscure path rather than being a copycat. It’s Doom/Death with a twist, and you should especially check out ‘Longing for Edens Rain (and Winters End)’, as that song still holds up perfectly after all this time.
