Arcturus took a decade off of creating studio albums after Sideshow Symphonies and have returned with this, a pretty solid release which, though it lacks any fully-fledged epics (with all the song lengths at less than six minutes), still offers a confection of progressive-minded metal with symphonic and black metal touches, with the inclusion of an actual string section really allowing them to bring their symphonic aspect to the fore. Sebastian Grouchot guests on violin and adds a nicely melancholic touch to pieces such as "Crashland".
Like the preceding Sideshow Symphonies, this does not feel like as striking and groundbreaking a release as any of their first three studio albums (up to and including the classic Sham Mirrors)…

Disguised Masters was created more as a sinful pleasure for the die-hard fans, rather then a strange, marketable album, for which the band is usually known. Only a few of the tracks should even be considered metal. Arcturus, being the eccentric bunch they are, instead provide listeners with one new track, "Deception Genesis," which is very similar in style to La Masquerade, and a series of techno/hip-hop/industrial remixes from the aforementioned album. Don't misunderstand, it is an interesting album, just very different. For the most part, it is an instrumental album, minus the new track, the re-recording of Aspera Hiems Symfonia's "Du Nordavind," and the gangsta-rap remix of "Master of Disguise" (who knew Garm had it in him!). This makes a challenging listen for those new to Arcturus and their brand of brain-numbing madness, better known as symphonic metal.

A graceful mixture of classical majesty and black-metal brooding and aggression, Aspera Hiems Symfonia is a powerhouse album chock full of charged riffs, sinister chants and howls, and some wonderfully foreboding atmospheres. "Wintry Grey" is a metal tune worthy of the Clockwork Orange soundtrack.

Over its first three albums (if you include the "remix" disc Disguised Masters), Arcturus established a pattern of radically changing its sound each time, a trend that continues with The Sham Mirrors, the band's third "official" studio album. The constant thread throughout all the group's work, and again here, comes from keyboardist/songwriter Steiner "Sverd" Johnsen, whose sinister, often carnival-esque harmonies and dramatic synth arrangements have a pretty clear stamp by now. Beyond that, though, comparisons to other Arcturus albums are difficult. For one thing, the drums and guitars are heavier and more forceful than ever before, and there is more of a traditional metal foundation on this album than on its predecessor, the bizarre, operatic La Masquerade Infernale…

Never has a more apt title for a release been used. Arcturus have looked at the rule book, and although they haven't actually ripped it up and started again, they have taken its core, twisted, manipulated and totally transformed the damn thing. Okay, other bands have tried this, most of whom have fallen flat on their arses in the process, which is where Arcturus differ dramatically. This is sensational stuff. Dipping in and out of elegant dreamy sound scapes that fit perfectly into the mix. Nothing sounds out of place, although in turn nothing sounds like anything before it. Comparisons shouldn't really be identified in any review because to be honest there isn't really anything relevant in the current scene. This is original, majestic and a true piece of modern day art…

Arcturus, like only a few bands, during their career managed to change their sound on every album. The famous debut album is a classic Symphonic Black Metal release, but 1997's "La Masquerade Infernale" is everything but Black Metal. Garm's shrieking is put aside, (Garm himself actually is) letting G.Wolf do the job, with the occasional help of ICS Vortex on a few tracks. Black Metal being gone, Arcturus create a strange, unique sound that is surely metal sounding, but it doesn't have its attitude, not one bit. For starters the music is very theatrical, especially in the weird vocals, high pitched and sort of operatic. The music is very orchestrated, meaning that all the instruments, keyboards, strings, guitars, vocals, have all a very classical attitude when playing, keyboards being the main attraction. The combination of instruments, or more accurately the music itself, is changing pretty frequently, a characteristic that can be found in a lot of Avant-Garde Metal…