The Foreshadowing Days of Nothing

Tracklist:
1. Cold Waste
2. The Wandering
3. Death Is Our Freedom
4. Departure
5. Eschaton
6. Last Minute Train
7. Ladykiller
8. The Fall
9. Days Of Nothing
10. Into The Lips Of The Earth

Release Date: 11/20/2007

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The ever-evolving emotion of despair is a tricky thing to pinpoint regarding how it can be expressed. Hate can bring despair, as well as loss of anything positive, and then of course there is always lack of any faith or hope in general, but it's really interesting to witness that as your emotions continually morph, so does your output. This band is on to something here.

The Foreshadowing are a doom band from Italy that have been in a cocoon since 1997, waiting for the right members to join Alessandro (guitar), Andrea (guitar), and Francesco (keyboard). Finally in 2006, Davide (bass), Jonah (drums), and Marco (vocals; How Like A Winter) fulfilled the lineup. According to their bio, their aim is to bring you into an atom-sphere of apocalyptic tragedy and alienation from humanity and everyday life with a moody and powerful music. Sounds pretty damn fantastic.

Immediately as Cold Waste begins, the curtains have been closed. It starts off on a crawl with high clean guitar and suddenly crushes you with an immense, and even slower distortion-wall of sound…and then progresses into a fucking jam beat, reminiscent of Katatonia's Discouraged Ones. The song weaves in and out of these slow/mid-paced tempos, and the keyboards and lead guitar really create a genuinely abysmal atmosphere that makes me wonder if these guys even want to be alive. Though, the band plays off each other in exquisite profession.

Another worthwhile track to mention is Eschaton, parts sounding similar to Anathema's Silent Enigma era (I promise that's it for the comparisons for the rest of the album). However, the intro and verse are truly something special. Slow and suicidal rhythms and melodies, depressing vocals and lyrics that are actually catchy (there's more of this on other tracks…those bastards), and an ethereal keyboard break that is moody to an extreme. Marco's voice is low, yet when he sings a bit higher than normal you can hear the lack of motivation, in that he sounds like he gave up on humanity long ago and uses the little strength he can muster to deliver mournful choruses. The lyrics on the rest of the album are more or less in this caliber.

There is a flaw here though. The album never comes full circle, in that there is no ultimate symbiosis. It makes its point, pulls you in, bleeds you halfway, but never finishes off. This may really ruin it for people, or what may ruin it for people is the bland-sounding Ladykiller…whatever just skip that track it's ok.

All aside, this is a damn great debut album. The production is very clear and cohesive, and as far as accessibility goes, it really depends. Most doom enthusiasts will most likely enjoy this granted you can handle an album with an unforgiving pace. Then there are others who think doom can be too depressing but if you don't like depressing music, then why the fuck are you listening to doom? I would definantly keep your eye on this band; they're forging their own path of desolation away from the pile of mindless and generic doom bands. By the way, if you listen to the whole album, pay close attention to the final two tracks, because you should rid the room of all sharp objects and shoelaces.

“We don’t feel part of this world and we don’t need to believe in any creed, convention or lifestyle. We just wait for a right end of this wrong and cruel world”

Sworn Enemy Maniacal

Tracklist:
1. Ignorance
2. Time to Rage
3. A place of Solace
4. Weather the Storm
5. Destroyer
6. The American Way
7. Fear For Failure
8. No End to this Nightmare
9. Talk Is Cheap
10. Said and Done

Release Date: 02/01/2008

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It seems these days that many bands are trying to get rid of the "core" in their genre. As I Lay Dying tried to break away from metalcore to a thrash sound, Knights of the Abyss are steering away from their deathcore roots to a sound similiar of The Black Dahlia Murder and Job For A Cowboy also left the same genre and went towards a more death metal sound.

Sworn Enemy was a band that started off as simply, hardcore, not much metal involved at all before progressing to a more metal sound with "The Beginning of the End" while still containing a fair amount of hardcore. Their latest realease "Maniacal" breaks away just about as far away as possible from their hardcore roots and in the best way possible.

The album starts off with the song Ignorance and it kicks in hard. The drums are fast and thrashy as well as the guitar riffs. One of the best features of this album is the drumming. The whole album is full of doublekick that makes you want to bob your head the whole time. About a minute into the first song it slows down into a breakdown(esque) part with some amazing double kick. If it sounds familiar it may be because its the drummer from As I Lay Dying. According to the bands myspace Jordan Mancino is good friends with the band and wanted to record with them. This is a great thing for As I Lay Dying fans and even those who do not like them might be surprised at how well and original he plays on this album. The only con is on the second song "Time to Rage" there is a drum part so similiar to Elegy off their "Frail Words Collapse" album. It almost ruins the song, almost.

This band is not centered around the drumming however, the guitars are just as good as the drumming if not better at times. The song "Weather the Storm" features the heaviest guitar riffs these guys have to offer with a blazing solo to start things off and guitar licks that make you laugh, their just that good. Just when you think you couldn't get enough of the heavy riffs and not to mention the best drumming of any song on the cd, the band breaks it down, hard. it is quite possibly the heaviest breakdown I have ever heard even beating out anything Lamb of God has done.

The vocals are the only thing that don't really stand out. They are good, but he doesn't change his tone very much throughout. After a few listens you start to zone him out and focus more on the music itself.

In the end Sworn Enemy made a great choice breaking away from the "core." Though the album features two or 3 breakdowns at most, you can't really regard them as metalcore anymore. They sound like Slayer, with better guitar solos, and better

Empyrium Songs of Moors and Misty Fields

Tracklist:
1. When Shadows Grow Longer
2. The Blue Mists Of Night
3. Mourners
4. Ode To Melancholy
5. Lover's Grief
6. The Ensemble Of Silence

Release Date: 1997

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Since everyone else seems to be doing a doom metal review the past couple of days, I thought that I would do one too. Ok first of all, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a doom metal expert by any means. I only listen to a few bands in the genre, but after listening to this album I can tell you that I definitely want more. Empyrium isn't a pure doom band. Thats their main genre, but they also mix in elements of black and folk metal. This album is probably one of the most epic albums I own and anyone who's reading this should try to own it too.

The main thing that makes this album great is the atmosphere and I think thats the main thing in all doom metal albums because even though the guitars, bass, and drums probably arent doing anything special, the atmosphere of the album makes it so good. Just think of early black metal records like In the Nightside Eclipse or Dusk and Her Embrace and you will understand the atmosphere this album gives off. Like I said earlier, the instruments do nothing special. They are going in true doom metal fashion, slow and sort of depressing. The beginning of The Blue Mists of Night goes pretty fast for a doom record. The guitarists play fast, melodic black metal riffs with some pretty fast drumming, not blast beats, but fast. Then it slows down and the acoustic guitars come in and then from that point on the album is slow the rest of the way. Acoustic guitars are used quite a bit throughout this album. They are used in almost every song and thats the folk element that this album brings. Other folk instruments such as flutes are also used several times throughout the course of the album.

The vocals on the album are absolutely amazing. He has three main styles, a black metal shriek, a clean voice, and a regular, gothic-like talking voice. More often than not he uses the clean singing voice and it might remind you of Jari from Wintersun and the black metal vocals sound almost exactly like Silenius from Summoning and Abigor. All three vocal styles are used in every song. All of the songs except for the opening instrumental are extremely long ranging from 6 to 9 minutes. That just helps to make this album even more epic.

This album and band has definitely opened my eyes to the doom metal world and I can tell you that this album might open your eyes too. If you're a fan of black, doom, or folk metal, this album will probably amaze you. It's definitely one of the best albums I've ever had the pleasure of hearing and everyone else should listen too. Even if you're not into any of the kinds of metal that I mentioned, you should still check this out. You never know, it might surprise you.

Inocula Suntelia Aeon

Tracklist:
1. Submerged
2. Facing The End
3. My Armor My Ammunition
4. 19
5. Mist
6. Your Weakest Moment
7. Crisis Reign
8. There Was Hope
9. Phantoms
10. One With Water
11. Monolith of Self
12. Suntelia Aeon

Release Date: 05/23/2008

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Inocula have been swapping in and out members while fusing elements of metalcore, progressive rock/metal, melodic death metal, and electronica since 2005. The base of the band has been Chris, Dan, Paul, and Tyler. The singers and drummers have just been a revolving door and the band is on their third each for their debut record Suntelia Aeon. Once this line-up was determined, the band took seven months off from playing any songs and wrote this record. Once they were done, they tapped Cory Smoot (Flattus Maximus of GWAR) to produce the record. So is this band good enough to be signed and make it big?

AJ Sugg is a vocalist that can come off weak as a metal vocalist when you first hear him on “Submerged”, and you will grow to either love or hate his voice. I have grown to love his voice with the music even though it is mostly mono-toned. This is only their debut album, and first recordings with this line-up, so it is to be expected for AJ to grow as a vocalist with touring and lessons, so it is not as big as if this were their third album. AJ does show off some range during the middle of the album on the song “Mist”. As a whole, though, the mono-toned vocals start to overstay their welcome around the track “There Was Hope”. There is some clean singing found on this album. During the middle of “Mist” the clean vocals are actually food and fits in with the keys in the back. The other track with clean vocals is “One With Water”.

A few different vocal styles are also found on this album. There are the dreaded spoken lyrics during the latter part of “My Armor, My Ammunition”. Unless these are pulled off perfect, a band should not try using this vocal style. AJ’s growls are good and should be used more on future releases. The whispered vocals found on "Crisis Reign" are decent at beast. The different vocal style during the opening “Phantoms” is actually good and the layers work well. The best vocal performance is found on "Your Weakest Moment"; his vocals work so well and his vocal tone for the song is great.

Chris “Browneye” Brown and Dan Massey man the guitars. The album shows off two sides of the guitars. You have the clean guitars that are good but is usually taking a backseat to the chugging distorted guitars. The two different guitar riffs in the middle of “Submerged” are both great. Both guitars go soft for the intro of “Mist”. The two guitars are very complementary to each other on “Your Weakest Moment”. Harmonizing chugging guitars starts “There Was Hope”. “Facing The End” has two guitar leads where one is decent and the other is good. These inconsistencies follow throughout the rest of the album. This can also be said for the breakdowns. The best one is found near the middle of “Your Weakest Moment” which leads into a good guitar lead

There is some great fretting heard near the early stages of "Crisis Reign". There is also some nice Spanish style fretting near the latter middle part of "Crisis Reign". There’s also some acoustic guitar picking on "Crisis Reign", but it doesn’t fit with the distorted guitars. There is a slower, softer guitar solo that fits really well into that part of "There Was Hope" that leads into a great guitar riff. The guitars d star overstaying their welcome around “One With Water”.

Aaron Krause mostly uses his double bass pedals and cymbals a lot on this album. Which immediately shows when cymbals starts the album off, while “My Armor, My Ammunition” is double bass heavy. Sometimes the drums play a big role in songs, middle of "There Was Hope" and near the end of "Phantoms", but sometimes they do not play any kind of role except for foundation, “Crisis Reign”. There are three great moments by the drummer: the instrumental “19”, the chimes at the beginning of “Facing The End”, and the exotic, foreign feel that comes off at the beginning of “One With Water”. The bass usually just stays in the shadows of the drum’s double bass, but you can hear the bass for a few moments during the intro of “Mist”.

Tyler Etters is the band member that plays the keys and samples. The keys play a small part into the actually music. “Mist” and “Phantoms” starts with the keyboard being played while the keyboard finishes off “One With Water”. The best overall use of the keyboard is when the keys are a perfect match on the song “Your Weakest Moment”. “19” is a piano and sample heavy instrumental, the same goes with the title track. The samples are more of a mixed bag; some are bad, beginning of “Submerged”, some are horrible, end of “Crisis Reign”, most are decent, and a few are annoying, ex. at the end of “Your Weakest Moment”. There is one sample that was not needed and it found on “One With Water”.

Inocula needs some more time under their belt before they can think about a record deal. They first need to figure out what to do with the samples. They bring something unique to the table, but with a few bad choices and having four or five samples per song can bring that sense of uniqueness crashing down way too fast. Inocula should keep the samples but drastically cut back on them and decide where a sample would best enhance the song. The other thing the band needs to do before a record deal is to release another album that creates a better sense of what they want to sound like when they are signed and promoted. Both of these things will help the band in the long run. As far as the music though; the vocals are for the most part mono-toned, the guitars are inconsistent, the bass is rarely heard, the drums can be simple or a major player, and the samples and keys can be a bit too much at times. This is a young band that has time to grow and should fix most of these problems on their next album.

Quote:Vocals: 3
Lyrics: 3
Guitars: 3
Bass: 2
Drums: 3.5
Production: 3
Creativity: 3.5
Lasting Value: 4.5

Esoteric The Maniacal Vale

Tracklist:
Disc 1
1. Circle
2. Beneath This Face
3. Quickening
4. Caucus of Mind

Disc 2
1. Silence
2. The Order of Destiny
3. Ignotum Per Ignotius

Release Date: 05/19/2008

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A double album in the genre of funeral doom can be tricky. What every doom band faces is overcoming the pitfalls of monotony, and when you make an album with a playtime of over 100 minutes, it really needs to be special. Esoteric’s The Maniacal Vale is the British band’s 5th full length, and although an unrelenting and torturous album, it’s actually very good. Had their last album been of the magnitude of The Maniacal Vale, I do not doubt it would have been a horrendously arduous and dull album to listen to. Even at only 4 songs, it still is tough to get through. Fortunately for us, Esoteric have altered the dynamics of their song-writing, resulting in what is a diverse and inviting album.

Unlike albums of a similar nature who leave the longest track ‘till last, Esoteric have the benefit of having two monstrous tracks to work with, and have nicely book-ended the album, with ‘Circle’ at the beginning and ‘Ignotum Per Ignotius’ as the closer. ‘Circle’ begins with almost uplifting and epic melody, one you’d expect playing as a ruggedly handsome survivor of the Apocalypse lifts himself up and gazes towards the horizon, in time to see the huge sun appear, marking the beginning of a new day. It’s a terrific introduction, and even the addition of Greg Chandler’s oppressive vocals do not dampen the mood. Nevertheless, over the course of the song, the mood is changed to one of horror as the music drops several octaves and Chandler begins to scream. With The Maniacal Vale, Esoteric have achieved the balance that is sought by all funeral doom; maintaining slow tempos without becoming monotonous.

Some of the shorter tracks (well, 7 minutes), such as ‘Caucus of Mind’ are exemplary in breaking up the album into different moods. ‘Caucus of Mind’ begins with a lovely descending bass note, which falls into a crushing riff that is played to an ever increasing tempo. The song then bursts to life and any notion of ‘funeral doom’ is blasted out of your mind. It ends just as quickly as it begun however, the song collapsing in on itself and leaving you to brood over the recent few minutes of extremity. Moreover, the track ‘The Order of Destiny’ has a lengthy guitar solo which surprisingly fits very well. The point is, simply put, that The Maniacal Vale is not boring; rather, it’s exciting, and the transitions between the moods are taken with the utmost care to not disrupt the flow of the album. Not only this, but atmospheric passages that serve as a break between particular moments are very carefully placed, and again, help the album retain its motion. What I particularly liked about the slower, melancholic sections was that they seem to imply that it’s all quiet on the Esoteric front, but there is always something rumbling beneath the surface, straining to get out.

Anyone who has listened to Esoteric before will know that the band has a unique sound; much in the same way Worship’s sound is unique by their use of meandering lead guitars, Esoteric also have a particular feel to their music, made up by a combination of the vocals, and their attention to detail. A coating of synth is smeared all over The Maniacal Vale, not really being prominent but enhancing the smoothness of the album. Chandler’s vocals, as mentioned before, shift along the spectrum of low and high, with everything in-between. Yes, he is completely indecipherable, which may irritate some, but there is no doubt his vocal performance on the album is superb. The final track, ‘Ignotum Per Ignotius’, takes its time to warm up, working its way to an extraordinary climax for almost 10 minutes, then falling back into slumber once again. The band still continues to torment you however, building the mood back up through an intricate guitar line and exploding into an aggressive climax once again. Finally, the song dissolves into chaos, ending with what sounds a fierce storm; a fitting end to what is a beast of an album.

Admittedly, funeral doom is a difficult genre to enjoy. In that respect, The Maniacal Vale may be a bit too much. Even for the typical doom listener, an album of this length and severity is a hard listen. I would go as far as saying that the album is too long but do not be mistaken into thinking it could be cut down and therefore better; this is not the case at all. There is no real ‘filler’ on this album. Yes, it’s very long, but almost everything on here follows the Esoteric mindset, and has its own purpose in regards to the album overall. Fortunately, the length is easily remedied; just consider each CD to be separate, and listen to them separately. Whether or not you regard the length as an issue, The Maniacal Vale is a strong album. It greatly improves upon their previous album (Subconscious Dissolution into the Continuum) and further accentuates the cementing of Esoteric into the annals of funeral doom. Highly recommended.

Judas Priest Nostradamus

Tracklist:
Disc 1
1. Dawn of Creation
2. Prophecy
3. Awakening
4. Revelations
5. The Four Horsemen
6. War
7. Sands of Time
8. Pestilence and Plague
9. Death
10. Peace
11. Conquest
12. Lost Love
13. Persecution

Disc 2
1. Solitude
2. Exiled
3. Alone
4. Shadows in the Flame
5. Visions
6. Hope
7. New Beginnings
8. Calm Before the Storm
9. Nostradamus
10. Future of Mankind

Release Date: 06/17/2008

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Judas Priest
Nostradamus (2008)

Rob halford - Vocals
K.K Downing - Guitars
Glenn Tipton - Guitars
Ian Hill - Bass
Scott Travis - Drums

This is it, the double album beast that is 'Nostradamus' It will be said right now that this album is like nothing the band has ever made before. it is not a fast paced rocker like Painkiller, and it is not a catchy sing-along like some of their earlier albums. This is an entirely new entry to the world of Judas Priest.

We are led into this new world via the introduction of 'Dawn Of Creation' this quiet, almost haunting piano begins and slowly gets louder and louder. As the music gets louder strange effects come into play and the intensity grows making the listener feel anxious, then out of nowhere the track explodes into our first song 'The Prophecy' and this my friends, is how we start an album...

This song screams live performance. pure cheese lyrics are screamed by Halford and guitars come chugging just like a classic priest song should do. The production is top notch and whilst the verse seems basic, it leads us straight into the brilliant chorus that you will be singing with your mates for days. The bridge at the end is the real dramatic variable that this album contains a lot of and seperates this from earlier records. Finish it off with a classic solo, and you got yourself a perfect opener for a concept album about none other than the man himself, Nostradamus.

Many songs on this album are not songs but introductions and links to tghe next song. These may seem out of place to many people, but I feel they give the entire album a purpose. It has to be said that this album is to be looked at as one giant piece of art, and not a collection of songs you can simply headbang too (Eg Angel Of Retribution). 'Revelations' Is a perfect example of the direction of this album. It is not as guitar orientated as classic priest, yet it dosn't feel as if your listening to an entirely different band. The singing through the song is top notch and the added sound effects and instruments add to the operatic atmosphere. We even get a nice accoustic guitar solo in this song which we do not see often in Judas Priest.

The group sing-alongs are not entirely absent and we get a few of these on this epic outing. 'Gods of War' and 'Visions' would not look out of place in an arena show, and all have epic feels to them and stand their ground as good individual songs in their own right. 'Alone' actually reminds me of a Queen song, and it's chorus is very over the top and made for a live audience. We also get the fast paced rockers that every priest fan has a soft spot for, including the title track 'Nostradamus' and 'Persecution' the later being the closing track for Disc one. Halford even sings the chorus to 'Pestilence & Plague' in Italian which i thought was really original and cool, adding to the atmosphere of the song.

I'm not going to completely praise the album, as believe every album has It's flaws. For some people they may just see the sheer size of this album as overwhelming. I'm not going to lie, this album is definitely and album that needs to grow, and you have to be open pretty much anything in order to fully appreciate what they have done. I also think that they could of cut back on the introductions to each song. Perhaps they could of made them smaller, and just made them part of the actual songs. I would also of enjoyed more of the high singing as i know Halford has it in him (look at the title track scream) and the signature twin attack guitar solo's of Downing and Tipton is barely found in this album., and as a guitarist i would love to of seen more solo's like the ones found in Judas Rising and Hellrider. one last gribe would be that Scott Travis's drums seem to be mixed quite low, the guy is a machine on the drums, and his signature double kicks can hardly be heard over the rest of the mix. All these complaints are quite minor however, and when you look at the finished product, it really can be forgiven.

All in all, this album is the most epic and operatic release Judas Priest have ever unleashed on the world and anyone who has had an interest in the band should at least give the whole album a listen with an open mind, and a key thing to keep in your mind is to let this album grow, no matter how much you may dislike it. Your not going to headbang and sing with every chorus on the first listen as you may with earlier releases like British Steel or Screaming For Vengence, This however shows that the album has a longitivity that adds the the albums very over the top feel and identity.

Recommended
-The Propecy
-Revelations
-Gods of War
-Pesitilence & Plague
-Persecution
-Alone
-Visions
-Nostradamus

Eternal Lord Blessed Be This Nightmare

Tracklist:
1. Hot To Trot
2. Get To Fuck
3. Set Your Anchor
4. Wasps
5. All Time High
6. I, The Deceiver
7. The Damned
8. Amity
9. O'Brothel Where Art Thou
10. The Forty Five
11. Blessed Be This Nightmare

Release Date: 03/18/2008

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A relentless album not lacking with variety and unapologetic in its absurdly demolishing sound, “Blessed Be This Nightmare” delivers an unforgettable sound that stays constant throughout, yet lacks any sign of redundancy. Each song seems masterfully pieced together- not once was I bored listening to this album. With that being said, rarely is an album released that most people can say they can listen to from end-to-end, and I can confidently say that Eternal Lord have created an album that will be widely spoken of.


Song one, “Hot To Trot”, is great, and then “Get To F*ck” starts the onslaught of metal that culminates and snowballs throughout the rest of the album. No song sounds the same: each is made up of it’s own unique elements. The breakdowns are absolutely ridiculous. “Amity” (track 8) is a pretty sweet instrumental song that busts into O’ Brother, Where Art Thou (track 9) with no hesitation or warning. Amity was probably put in as an intermission to the amazing display of metal in all the tracks leading up to it, then the torrential current of brutality continues onto the last song.


Both Eternal Lord’s instruments and vocals are punishing as well as well-written. This album is far from aesthetically pleasing- it’s a *** storm of complete chaos that just so happens to be a key trait for any great metal album.


There’s no whining, no crying, and no compromises on “Blessed Be This Nightmare”. There’s nothing apologetic about this album, and no reason why people shouldn’t hear it. It’s sure to be one of the most potent metal albums of 2008.

Kiuas The New Dark Age

Tracklist:
1. The Decaying Doctrine
2. Conqueror
3. Kiuas War Anthem
4. The New Dark Age
5. To Excel And Ascend
6. Black Rose Withered
7. After The Storm
8. Of Sacrifice, Loss And Reward
9. The Summoning
10. The Warrior's Lamentation

Release Date: 05/12/2008

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The art of groove is an arcane one when it comes to metal, a genre known more for aggression and sheer brutality than for funky subtlety. It seems a rarity these days when one comes across a band that can actually groove. However, it’s this scarcity that makes these rare finds all the more rewarding, and Kiuas happens to be one. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as though Kiuas is a funk band that happened to start tinkering around with an electric keyboard and a couple of distortion pedals. However, this band brings a dynamic and fresh attitude to the table that will more than likely have you bobbing your head than banging it. Alongside their groovy rhythms and licks the Kiuas package contains an explosive dynamic making the music seem quite epic in spite of the songs short to medium lengths. Once you acquire this fine album expect not only to throw the goat a hefty number of times, but be prepared to dance a sort of jig in the safe confines of your room (or any other such premises secured by four walls and free from the eyes of this oh so judgmental world).

The New Dark Age is Kiuas’ fourth full length release and it seems pretty apparent that they have managed to change quite a lot while still staying true to their overall sound. 2005’s The Spirit of Ukko was a roaring success in this quintet’s native Finland, barely creeping onto the bottom end of the “Top 40” charts and combining power metal’s goofy hooks and melody with the epic and cultural facets of folk and progressive metal. The release was melodic to say the very least, and ambitious to boot. The band delivered a truly dynamic performance ranging from peaceful clean parts to enormous sections outfitted with considerable guitar and vocal layering. Only a year later the group returned to the studio to record Reformation. This release still had the melody and spunky attitude of the group’s previous releases but it focused more heavily on chugging rhythms, allowing vocalist Ilja to show the world his chops. The band also further developed its technical capabilities. Songs like “Race with the Falcons” left no doubt in the listener’s mind that guitarist Mikka could positively shred up on an axe. The band also adopted a similar sound of other local Finns Children of Bodom, combining chugging rhythms and unfairly catchy keyboard and guitar leads. The New Dark Age retains many of the band’s established fortes, and also manages to go in some interesting new directions that allow this album to stand alone rather than be dubbed yet another Kiuas album.

The Old – Like I said, Kiuas has, in a lot of ways, remained true to their original sound; cranking out chugging rhythms, insane riffage, and impressive technical facility. Mikka quickly reminds any listener that he can probably shred much better than his audience can; his fingers dance dexterously across the fret board making the listener’s jaw rather sore from hitting the floor so often. Mikka doesn’t always rely on mindless wankery to drive his solos though. He often plays a lot of interesting and melodic ideas with passion and attitude that seem to set him apart from other such shredders, although his relationship with his whammy bar is a bit too intimate for my taste. The drum and bass performances are solid as always but don’t seem really to stick out all that much. Ilja’s vocals are stronger than ever, and are delivered with power, charisma, and feeling. He is one metal frontman whose surly voice should not be overlooked.

The New– Much of the instrumentation has remained the same, sure, but Kiuas have headed in some new directions. One of the more notable novelties of the music is the keyboards. In past releases, the keys have mostly stayed in the background, occasionally wrenching the spotlight from Mikka’s hands to deliver nifty leads and quaint folk melodies. On this album the keyboards play a larger part than ever by soloing and trading fours with the guitar. They also prove to be the point of interest when the rest of the band is chugging along during a bridge. The band has also departed from its “Bodom-esque” sound (although it’s still present on the album) and has taken on a Symphony X flare (think The Odyssey and V: The New Mythology Suite). I might be the only one who hears this, but a lot of the riffs remind me a lot of Mike Romeo’s ideas. Aside from these instrumental changes, Kiuas make the token sell-out move: an all-acoustic track by the name of “After the Storm.” The funny thing is they pull it off rather nicely after all; Ilja’s and mysterious female guest singer’s deliveries are impeccable and make the song a worthwhile listen.

Fans of Kiuas’ preceding releases will be just as satisfied with this new one. As for other fans of power and folk metal, this record is definitely worthy of your attention. Also, fun challenge! Try pronouncing this band’s name correctly, because I sure as hell don’t know how!

Meshuggah obZen

Tracklist:
1. Combustion
2. Electric Red
3. Bleed
4. Lethargica
5. obZen
6. This Spiteful Snake
7. Pineal Gland Optics
8. Pravus
9. Dancers to a Discordant System

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Band Members

Jens Kidman (Vocals)
Frederik Thordenthal (Lead Guitar)
Marten Hagestrom (Rhythm Guitar)
Dick Lovgren (Bass)
Tomas Haake (Drums)

Pre-Review

Having been in existence since as early as 1989, Swedish “Avant-Garde” Thrashers Meshuggah have a mind bogglingly vast back catalogue that stretches out over 12 separate releases (including B-side compilations and demo EP’s). this fact brings you to two interesting thoughts; one being that it will cost a hell of a lot of money to truly get your head around the sheer complexity and ambition of the band (at this moment, I possess only “Destroy, Erase, Improve and this album that I am reviewing, with “Chaosphere hopefully on its way), and the second thought being that after all this time, you may have thought that Jens, Tomas and Co. May be getting a little bored of making music.

However, the very fact that they are still churning out music of what must be consistent quality is a real credit to the bands energy, stamina, and commitment to their loyal hordes (of which I am fast becoming a member of).

Review

1. Combustion
The introduction is the trundle of moody potential that Meshuggah seem to have made a trademark with most of their songs. Once the vocals and instruments really kick in to the meat of the track, the evolutions that have been made from Destroy Erase Improve stick out like a sore thumb, but in a good way. Jens grates and screams his way through the doom inspired vocals in the way only he seems to know how to, whilst the backing from the instrumental four piece is suitably crushing. A very good start.
4.5/5

2. Electric Red
Once again, more of the same apocalyptic introductory riffs, before Jens bulldozes his way into the vocals with a frighteningly machine like quality. And, in keeping with the end-of-the-world feeling that Meshuggah seem to invoke, Jens growls about the collapse of humanity and the coming about of artificial existence with unapologetic urgency. Musically, the song is a solid thumper, with the steady tempo of Tomas’ drum work complimenting the siren-like rhythm guitar and brutal lead guitar beautifully before fading out. Not quite as good as the opener, but still a very quick start out of the blocks.
4/5

3. Bleed
Clocking in at 7:22, this is the first of the two behemoth standard tracks on this album that Meshuggah are renowned for. More of the same doom inducing lyrics and robotic vocals from Jens, who is still ripping in to the subject matter with the fresh faced enthusiasm of a debut vocalist. Although I am a big fan of the whole “beat the tar out of your instruments until they break” mentality of most thrash bands, the bridge at 4:11 is a nice little turn that allows for a quick breather whilst still maintaining the sheer menace that Meshuggah have, before pelting right back into the audial battering that is being delivered to your senses. Of course, no track is perfect, but for this album so far this is just about perfect.
5/5

4. Lethargica
This track starts off in what I can only describe as a slightly (and it is VERY slightly) more upbeat manner, and both the lyrics and tempo are markedly slower than the first three tracks. After chugging along in a somewhat unremarkable manner for the first half of its running time, we reach another bridge of lulling guitar solo, before exploding back into the mid-slow tempo that was taken before it. Although a good track in its own right, it is one of those where the title seems to match the overall feel of the song despite Jens standard screaming’s and the pounding drums and guitars. Only a minor step down, but a step down nonetheless.
4/5

5. ObZen
Were in to title tracks-ville once again, and thankfully it starts off very well. Brimming with intent, the standard introductory guitar is well complimented by the almost air-raid siren like rhythm guitar. Also on this track, we have a surprising switch in mentality from Jens in that his singing is almost clean in the verses to the degree that you can comfortably hear what he is saying. This in turn gives you the realisation of how morbid the band’s songs can actually be, although true to form Jens does revert back to his maniacal growling later into the track. Musically, the mid fast tempo of the song is swimming with a malevolent energy that makes you pay attention until the abrupt conclusion. Another wonderful track to listen to, if your ears aren’t already bleeding that is.
4.5/5

6. This Spiteful Snake
Of all the tracks on this album up until this point, this is the track whose analogies are most obvious. I.e.; the spiteful snake in question being the oppression that we vest upon ourselves in the real world. Much like the last track, Jens gives us machine gun barrage of cleanly sung venom that is ideal for what is a fairly mid-slow tempo song for Meshuggah. However, before the track itself can slip into a comfort zone, there is a major switch in mood as we hit a dead stop for a second, before relaunching with a slightly more controlled but equally as brutal riff and pacing, that includes the old Meshuggah cliché of a guitar solo that seems to remind you of a computer processing information (that’s what it sounds like to me anyway. If you have any suggestions, Answers on a postcard please ;-)). All in all, another solid head banger.
4/5

7. Pineal Gland Optics
The main criticism that is vested against Meshuggah is that despite the technicalities they display across their albums within the genre, their basic sound is somewhat samey. And, despite the fact that this is another decent track, it does sound very similar to a lot of what has been on offer previously. Jens does what he does best, whilst the drumming of Tomas is toned down slightly after the manic frenzy he was working himself into earlier on in the album. The lyrics are the strong point of this song, with the subject matter being presented by Tomas’ writings and Jens’ delivery being suitably unsettling.
4/5

8. Pravus
A return to the more frantic, quick tempo style that was on offer earlier in the opening riff, which is nicely topped off by a creepy little Bass bridge. However, what is striking here is the sheer energy that the fivesome continue to show at this late stage of proceedings. In particular, Tomas batters away at the skins like a man possessed, whilst Jens’ vocals seem to become more and more shredded and guttural with every passing track. As the song reaches its conclusion, the breakdown is crushing as Jens vents his spleen with all the bile he can muster.
4/5

9. Dancers to a Discordant System
Finally, after ripping our collective faces off for 45 minutes, Meshuggah decide to get all technical on us. A remarkable opening riff eventually bursts into desolate life. Jens has transformed from growling robot to snarling demon, adding a new twist to the lyrics that regard the blind following of controlling power structures. Coming in at 9:36, this is the second rolling monster of a track, which like the previous eight grabs you firmly by the arm and batters you silly. The main section of the lyrics are over fairly quickly into the song (about 6 minutes in), leaving us with a 3 minute breakdown that allows Tomas, Frederik, Dick, and Marten to flex their technical muscle. And believe me, they certainly do that. Jens sees us off with a repeat of the final chorus before we are finally allowed to wind down and scrape the grey matter from the ceiling. Beautiful!
4.5/5

Overview

So after totting up the score, we are left with 4.27, which just about rounds up to an excellent score of 4.5 out of 5. This score is a real credit to the energy and enthusiasm that Meshuggah continue to show, the complex diversity they introduce into nearly every track they produce, and the awesome brutality and raw power they can unleash. One minor complaint could be that as a general collective it can sound a little bit samey as there is very little let up from the battering that the listener receives, but this is a minor niggle.

So, this album is a massive recommendation for any metal lovers collection, and it leaves us with two final questions to consider. Firstly, Will it be the top metal album released this year?. There is still too much time left to say that confidently, but you can be confident in saying that ObZen will deservedly grace many a top 5 metal albums of the year lists come late December. And secondly, can Meshuggah top this offering with their next release?. Well, if they can stay as enthusiastic about their trade as they are here, then the possibilities are endless.

Remembrance Silencing The Moments

Tracklist:
01. Thief Of Light
02. Death Diaries
03. Silencing The Moments
04. These Hallways Are Eternal
05. Fragments
06. One Reckless Sleep

Release Date: 05/01/2008

Download - All Tracks <<< Click Here

As far as I’m concerned, I’m pretty up to date with music coming out of Europe but even I couldn’t have anticipated the force France would have become in the coming years. Such pop artists like Yael Naim and Emilie Simon are beginning to make a push to gather commercial success in America. Even eletronica buffs, M83 are carrying along nicely but what originally drew me into France’s music scene was Dark Sanctuary’s penchant for creating dark, ethereal passages. The French metal scene in my opinion has increased in so much strength that I dare say it rivals if not passes modern Scandinavia in the sheer number of quality bands to emerge in the past 10 or so years. The most successful extreme metal act would be Gojira, garnering a huge American fan base and leading on to other various metal acts to succeed. The black metal scene however, shows France at their best. Producing such luminaries like Deathspell Omega, Belenos, Anorexia Nervosa, Peste Noire, and Blut Aus Nord, France is growing at a rapid pace to my excitement. Now it’s time for doom.

Remembrance is a funeral doom outfit with heavy death metal and dark wave influences. Forming in 2004 between two members, Matthieu Sachs and Carline Van Roos, the duo have released a full length debut in 2005 and their second album in 2008. Aside from Remembrance, the duo work in several other musical projects including Aythis and Lethian Dreams, all whom are based on the darker side of life. Now, I’m not much of a fan from most of the funeral doom that I’ve came upon but this act caught my eye despite falling under some of the genre clichés. The 10 minute tracks are present, four of the six tracks come in over 10 minutes while the other two reach nine minutes and a two minutes respectively. Comparatively, their base sound isn’t really anything new if you’ve already heard acts like Evoken, Shape Of Despair, or Funeral. Remembrance carry the traditional thick, syrupy tempos bolstered by heavy down tuned riffing and deep guttural vocals. However, it’s when Remembrance add their neoclassical dark wave influence to the funeral doom structure that helps keep this album fresh. Albeit bleak as a winter Scandinavian night. Paying an ode to Dark Sanctuary, they blend stirring piano runs and sparse ethereal female vocals to their mix of crushing vocals and beefy guitars to help cement the bleak atmosphere they hoped to achieve.

Carline Van Roos is responsible for all of the synthesizers and piano flourishes as well as providing vocals, bass, and drums. Quite the busy lady, she also pens all of the lyrics for the album. When she sings, an angel is brought to mind as her voice reeks of vulnerability and sadness. They share more in common with Italian dark folk contemporaries All My Faith Lost than gothic doom metallers, Draconian. Drumming isn’t really a strong point in doom metal, relying more on feeling than speed. Still, Carline holds a steady beat through the trudging rhythmic shifts. Occasionally peaking above up tempo breaks, she’s not afraid to speed up either when called. As for the keyboards, it has become a cliché to create dark atmosphere with soaring runs that evoke feelings of great despair but she does a great job incorporating haunting darkwave melodies through Remembrance‘s bare heaviness. Matthieu on the other hand provides the counterpoint to the beauty with deep, intense growling that can shake up the earth with his violent outbursts. Quite ordinary to the seasoned fan they still sound great and feed with power and emotion. As a guitarist, he plays low to occasionally mid tempo riffs, filled with enough melody and power to appease any metal fan. Once again, ordinary but efficient. The album itself is a journey to undertake but once you embark, it’s hard to turn back. You know the storm has ended when the final minutes of the closer, “One Reckless Sleep begins to fade away with the roaring ocean.

It’s pretty much a cardinal rule for funeral doom bands to have solid or at least adequate production to fit the emotions that they try to pour into their music. And here, it’s nothing different. Crisp, clean, and powerful, my only complaint would be the low tuning for the bass. But even bass doesn’t play much of a role in Doom so I’ll let that slide. Remembrance have released a solid album for this particular genre and I urge fans ranging from doom or gothic to strongly check this out. You shouldn’t be disappointed as I was floored immediately.

Longing For Dawn One Lonely Path

Tracklist:
1. Access To Deliverance 10:22
2. Lethal 13:06
3. Total Abscense Of Light 11:31
4. Ashes Of Innocence 13:54
5. One Lonely Path 04:48

Release Date: 2005

Download - All Tracks <<< Click Here

It hasn’t always been the case, but these days I am able to admit when I am wrong. I say that only because I need to admit that I was wrong again (it happens often). Despite reading great reviews on the funeral doom genre I have always ignored it. My assumption was that any music played that slow for that long had to be like watching old people ***; slow, boring, and ultimately disappointing for all involved. My assumption about old people still holds, but this album has made me rethink my position on funeral doom. This album is slow and totally lacks any dynamic shifts other then “slow” and “almost silent”, but the atmosphere it creates and the way the songs are constructed more then make up for it.

To me, the atmosphere created by this album is almost one of watching your own death in slow motion. A majority of that sinister atmosphere can be credited to the band’s very effective approach to the synths and sound effects. Rarely are the keyboards used to create any real melody or even soothing sounds, instead they are often used in a very ambient and droning style similar to the way Neurosis uses theirs. These sounds are always slowly evolving, changing pitches and adjusting in style just enough to give the songs a sense of movement. Considering the fact that four of these five tracks break the ten minute mark, it allows plenty of time for the synths to develop and morph in a very gradual but effective fashion.

Another reason that the ambient drones are able to create such an oppressive atmosphere is because of the nature of the guitar riffs. The riffs on this album are very simple and are generally delivered in an enveloping blanket of distortion providing the bottom end of the mix (as the bass is virtually non-existent), as well as the base for the vocals and ambient sounds to develop. I’d like to make it clear that despite their slowness and simplicity the guitars still manage to create subtle melancholic moments of their own that serve to accentuate the monotone growls of the vocals and compliment whatever the synths and keyboards are doing at the time. All five songs deliver the above descriptions effectively, but there is something about the atmosphere in the song, “Total Absence of Light”, that just sets it slightly above the rest, and is definitely the track I recommend finding for those that might be interested.

“Total Absence of Light” starts with the prerequisite slow distorted guitar chords that barely move fast enough to be considered part of a riff, and are soon complimented by a synth sound that almost resembles wind blowing through a tunnel; it’s strange but effective. When the deep growls of the vocalist come in a few minutes later, that feeling of watching your own death in slow motion is thoroughly accomplished. Despite the lack of dynamics, the song still manages to go through a few different movements that are basically defined by varying drones, the occasional real piano melody, quick moments of near-silence, and extended guitar passages that all effectively keep it from becoming monotonous and allow it to almost feel like a journey. As I said earlier, it is hard to put a finger on what actually sets this song apart from the rest; as far as I can tell there is just something about the way the sounds and riffs were assembled for this song that makes it more effective despite having basically the same setup as the rest of the songs.

I have to say that my accidental introduction to the funeral doom genre turned out to be a very good experience, but I do want to remind people that this review and its rating is based entirely on zero-experience of the genre as a whole. While listening to this album I think it’s excellent and I think the atmosphere is expertly created, but it could possibly be considered average or even mediocre by more knowledgeable fans of the overall genre, but I doubt it. Despite my ignorance of the genre, I can’t see how a band that effectively crafts 10-plus minute songs that despite their very slow nature still allow you to have a feeling of movement through a very dark and sinister atmosphere could be considered anything other then excellent. If you take a listen to this album you may find, as I did, that listening to funeral doom actually isn’t the same as watching old people ***.

Cryptopsy The Unspoken King

Tracklist:
01. Worship Your Demons
02. The Headsmen
03. Silence The Tyrants
04. Bemoan The Martyr
05. Leach
06. The Plagued
07. Resurgence Of An Empire
08. Anoint The Dead
09. Contemplate Regicide
10. Bound Dead
11. (Exit) The Few

Release Date: 06/24/2008

Download - All Tracks <<< Click Here

Cryptopsy sure has changed a lot in recent years. It seems that Lord Worm has finally left the band for good, and with that, a definite new direction has arisen for the Canadian death metal outfit. The addition of new vocalist Matt McGachy and keyboardist Maggie Durand has already brought about backlash and criticism from the band’s otherwise devoted fanbase. In a recent newsletter, Cryptopsy’s drummer Flo Mounier stated that:
…while it may not sound like anything Cryptopsy has done in the past, it’s certainly nothing new. Cryptopsy have simply played into the recent deathcore trend by adding several chugging breakdowns, clean vocals, and random/unnecessary keyboard breaks in The Unspoken King’s eleven songs.

The most obvious change that the new album has taken is the vocals, most notably the addition of clean vocals in the majority of the album. While I don’t think that Matt McGachy has a bad voice by any means, the singing just seems out of place. It just seems that Cryptopsy is trying to add them solely for the reason that they haven’t sung in the past. Well, for the most part it fails. Songs like “The Plagued” and “Resurgence of an Empire” have instances absolutely abhorrent clean vocals that should turn off almost any listener. To the band’s credit though, the clean vocals in “Leach” actually do fit very well and come across as very powerful when played behind the song’s epic chorus. McGachy does however carry a decent high-pitched scream, though his lows are indecipherable and awkward (think of old Tommy Rogers on Between the Buried and Me’s self titled debut). Luckily his high screams are utilized many times throughout The Unspoken King.

A real flaw that The Unspoken King suffers is that it simply repeats itself too many times. The new sound that Cryptopsy has attained really seems to overstay its welcome and becomes a chore about thirty minutes or so into the album. Forty-seven minutes of this type of material is really gratuitous and boring by the end. Many of the riffs start to sound same-y after a while, making many of the songs not as memorable. A good two or three songs here could have been axed and the whole world probably would have been better off.

The Unspoken King does do a few things right. For one, Éric Langlois is a really great bassist and can be heard pretty well in the mix. For example, his tapping lines in “Worship Your Demons” are really great and add a lot to the song. Throughout you can hear his very metallic bass parts being played, adding a good bottom end to the guitars. Flo Mounier’s drumming is very machine-tight and hella fast, something that Cryptopsy fans by this point have come to expect. And while many of the album’s riffs are fairly generic, I always love the guitar solos. It’s clear that both Chris Donaldson and Alex Auburn know how to shred, and you’ll hear it quite well in songs like “Leach”, “Anoint the Dead," and “Contemplate Regicide”.

The keyboards in the album are mostly unnecessary and just seem to be a novelty item to me. The only song where I find them really necessary is “Contemplate Regicide”, where Maggie Durand adds several dark melodies in the mix. And speaking of novelty items, let’s talk about the breakdowns. It’s almost comical how obvious these guys are playing to a more mainstream audience now by throwing in chug-fests and bro-downs in songs like “Silence the Tyrants”. While a well-timed breakdown (Slit Your Guts) can totally take a song to new heights, the ones in The Unspoken King are always generic. You might as well pick up a Despised Icon album while you’re at it. Oh, and the super-duper-heavy-explosion section in “Contemplate Regicide” is really hilarious.

Overall this album just disappoints. While I do enjoy a good bit of Cryptopsy’s instrumentation on here, the cons on here just outweigh the pros. The newly added vocalist comes across as awkward and out of place. They keyboards are mostly not needed and the chugging breakdowns just reek of the same, stale deathcore sound modern metal listeners have been beaten over the head with for years now. I’d probably stay away from this album. The band’s new sound just doesn’t seem to fit, and the band only really gets it right in the song “Leach”. The Unspoken King is simply a poor album by a band that I’m more than ready to give up on.

The Kovenant S.E.T.I.

Tracklist:
1. Cybertrash
2. Planet of the Apes
3. Star By Star
4. Via Negativa
5. Stillborn Universe
6. Acid Theatre
7. The Perfect End
8. Neon
9. Keepers of the Garden
10. Pantomime
11. Hollow Earth
12. Industrial Twilight
13. Subtopia
14. The Memory Remains (Metallica cover)

Release Date: 2003

Download - All Tracks <<< Click Here

Cybertrash - Starting with spacey keyboards it sets the tone of the entire album, leading into a riff which sounds kind of like it was ripped from Rammstein's Hallelujah. It's painfully apparent that the talent in the band is in the songwriting, not the musicianship. Every line on every instrument is simplistic. The keyboards and effects played in the background are what really hold the songs together. Still, this is an upbeat and catchy song that will have you nodding your head in no time. 7/10

Planet of the Apes - More choppy power chords and industrial effects open the second song. The shortest song on the album and it's 4 minutes, apparently because they couldn't take the same minute of music and replay it any more without it becoming too tedious. The only fun moment is for about 20 seconds starting at about 2:20 or so. 4/10

Star by Star - My second favorite track on the album, it starts with pleasant keyboards in the background for several loops before throwing another chugga-chugga guitar line underneath it. And here's where it succeeds, because the guitars aren't prominent, they're thrown underneath everything else, and cut out of the verses completely. The whole song keeps the same spacey sound throughout until the peak at 2:34 where it suddenly turns aggressive and you hear a little of the black metal they used to play shine through. 9/10

Via Negativa - Quick drum fill and sampled vocals play until said chugga guitar line comes in. This song has one of the worst verses on the album, and an equally uninspired chorus. Female vocals dominate on this song, which is different from the first two, but it's not really noticeable. These guys apparently spent a lot of time listening to Rammstein because for the second time on this album they've stolen from the much more talented band. Right before the chorus kicks in is note for note (same keyboard sound as well) stolen from Du Reicht so Gut. 4/10

Stillborn Universe - Another peaceful intro, slow and setting up the pace and melancholic feel for the rest of the song. Thankfully no guitars in the first verse to ruin the mood and melody, and I promise that it isn't Jonathon Davis singing a Marylin Manson song. After the first chorus it gets heavier, but once again the guitars are underneath the electronics. The shrieks displayed in the second verse make me really wonder why they decided to shy away from the black metal they were playing before. Overall one of the better tracks. 7/10

Acid Theater - Uh-oh, a fast keyboard. ****, I knew it there's the return of chugga-chugga guitar man again. Atrocious vocals in the verses, it really sounds like he's throwing up something. Tepid, boring choruses, bad samples, and an obligatory female vocal line that just doesn't fit all seem like this is the worst song here. But the dark atmosphere and... well I think it's so bad it's enjoyable. I find my head bobbing every time I listen to it and can't bring myself to skip it so I guess it has some redeeming merits. 5/10

The Perfect End - The intro to this song is hands down one of the best intros ever. This is the type of music they set out to make here. It is catchy, uplifting, and kind of groovy. The chugging guitars make a great compliment for the first time to the melody in the background and give the keyboards an odd syncopated rhythm. Thankfully, instead of overpowering the rest of the album with the same muted power chords, they only reappear in the chorus with said fantastic opening line. After a slow down at about 3:20 things gradually pick up again until the explosion of another black metal influenced bridge at 3:50. 10/10

Neon - The problem with everything else on the second half of the album is that The Perfect End is the best song on the album, and everything else pales in comparison. Neon is another Planet of the Apes and Via Negativa. Bouncy electronics, choppy guitars, deadpan or female vocals, etc. There is absolutely nothing special about this track unless you count the pseudo oriental keyboard line in the background. But by this time it just kind of feels old. By no means is it difficult to listen to, and it's still good at making your head bob, but it's just more of the same. 5/10

Keepers of the Garden - Heavy intro, palm muted guitars, spacey keyboards, where have I heard this? But after near a minute the song redeems itself with a nice melodic line which transfer into a jumpy and almost discordant sound. And holy ****, you can actually hear the man singing in something other than deadpan, shriek, or gollum. The nice melodic line comes back for the chorus, and things go on repeat for the next 3 minutes. Not bad, but not great. 6/10

Pantomime - This song is slow, dark, and heavy. The layered vocals this time layer a gollum-ish growl with the more neutral deadpan vocals. This is everything we've heard so far, but slower, darker, and heavier, so by default it's better. There's more of an emphasis on actual melody than shown before. The bridge sounds almost tribal and transfers into the best metal inspired segment on the album. The guitars change it up by playing a real melody, and the singer sounds sincerely pissed. And the best part? It comes back after more tribal singing. 8/10

Hollow Earth - Industrial opening, chaotic as the rest of the industrial backgrounds are. Guitars playing a short, choppy line behind with the typical vocals. Another retread of what we've already heard, just done better. 6/10

Industrial Twilight - An orchestrated opening, something not heard till now quickly escalates into a mid paced drumbeat with gothic chanting and instrumentation in the background. This song more than any other on the album captures the feel of a black metal song, even though it's nowhere close to it. The second half of the song is by far better than the first, and for once the samples help make the song better. 9/10


Overall, the album would have been a lot better had the dropped tracks 2, 4, 8, and 11. It would have trimmed it down to 8 tracks at 45 minutes. The guitars are too often too prevalent and the singer really needs to show a little more emotion in some songs. The samples need to go, and they really need to stop playing with industrial and get back to industrial influenced black metal.

Raunchy Wasteland Discotheque

Tracklist:
01. This Blackout Is Your Apocalypse
02. Somewhere Along The Road
03. The Bash
04. Warriors
05. Straight To Hell
06. Welcome The Storm
07. Wasteland Discotheque
08. Somebody's Watching Me
09. A Heavy Burden
10. To The Lighthouse
11. Showdown Recovery
12. The Comfort In Leaving

Release Date: 07/08/2008

Download - All Tracks <<< Click Here

Raunchy is a melodic heavy metal band from Copenhagen, Denmark. They’ve actually been around for quite some time now. Forming in 1994, Raunchy have released four full length albums with Wasteland Discothèque suiting up as their number five. Raunchy first struck my attention in 2006 after reading a magazine review for Death Pop Romance. I quote from reading the description, Raunchy binds Strapping Young Lad heaviness with Lacuna Coil’s spell binding melodies minus the hot babe. Needless to say, I was intrigued to go after this and was pleasantly surprised. Raunchy’s self describing of their music as futuristic hybrid metal is pretty spot on with their penchant of incorporating electronic beats into a groove metal formula. Raunchy’s style can be compared countrymen Mnemic, Soilwork, and more importantly In Flames’s more recent work. However plenty of bands continue to follow the path that Raunchy has undertook so playing aggressive metal with pop sensibilities is no longer that uncommon. Bands such as Machinery, Mechina, and Black Comedy have all popped up in recent times and created a sound similar to Raunchy therefore ruining the surprise for a first time listener.

“Wasteland Discotheque” is the fifth album and before I heard the album I was asking myself, would Raunchy continue going down the safe route and release a predictable Raunchy album similar to their previous output or would they start to experiment with their sound? A little of both really. Raunchy have retained their sense of unabashed catchiness with powerful groove patterns and trademark sing a long choruses but I feel as an album this doesn’t have as many stand out tracks as Death Pop Romance. “Wasteland Discotheque” contains the traditional Raunchy structure of pounding riffs laced by electronic melodies and frantic dual vocals. However, Raunchy incorporate some new ideas into the mix to help keep this album from sounding dull and uninspired. Some of the new aspects I found was the higher emphasis shown on the synth programming. “Somebody’s Watching Me” in particular contains a huge electro pop influence with a large pulsating beat holding steady through out the 4 minute duration. Add in the one of the catchiest choruses’ I’ve ever heard and you have a track designed to put people on the dance floor. Seriously, I could see some clubs over in Europe putting this track on to a great avail. As the intro “This Blackout Is Your Apocalypse “ rolled in, I knew some things changed.

For starters, the opening passage started at an ominous pace with slow haunting piano and echoing vocals starting the album. I’ve never heard Raunchy tinker play with piano but it’s here and it’s shown at it’s best on “Warriors”. The vocals have returned untouched for better or worse. Kasper still display’s his raspy mid range growling technique for the most part. It might be lacking the aggression shown from many others but I always felt that it complimented Raunchy’s sound fair enough. Aside from growling, there is plenty of singing to be found. Jeppe once again lends his vocal talents to the group with his distortion laced vocals reminiscent of Burton C Bell and Bjorn “Speed Strid”. Unfortunately, the vocal patterns are just as predictable as Soilwork. Harsh verse to clean chorus, Raunchy let it know that they’re here to play heavy music that focuses more on filling the dance floor than attracting the prog wanking elitists. The guitar tone packs the traditional Gothenburg punch, with plenty of thrash and melodic death metal inspired riff patterns. Complete with mid tempo grooving and the timely placed melodies, the guitar work is more than acceptable but hope next time they could add in some solos and some other nooks and crannies to update their sound. Drumming is quick and precise, ranging from the blast beat ridden intro to ‘Straight To Hell” to the rock based “Somebody’s Watching Me”. Plenty of fast double bass complementing the fast riffing. Bass is unsurprisingly absent for a good part of the album. Toning your bass down is a safe move in metal but I happen to like metal bands taking their risks in their music.

One of my complaints for this album would be of that. Sure Raunchy have added some new things like piano and symphonic elements as well as experimenting with an 8 minute track as their closing song but all in all, it sounds like good old Raunchy for better or worse. They don’t really take many risks with their music. They’ve basically taken the same melodic death metal template and beat it once more. Although the new features to the album are great it’s not enough for this band to make a bigger name. However, Raunchy have released a quality record for their 15 year life span and fans of slickly produced melodic death metal ranging from Deadlock, Scar Symmetry, Soilwork, and Fear My Thoughts should find this enjoyable.

Shai Hulud Misanthropy Pure

Tracklist:
1. Venomspreader
2. The Creation Ruin
3. Misanthropy Pure
4. We Who Finish Last
5. Chorus of the Dissimilar
6. In the Mind and Marrow
7. To Bear The Brunt of Many Blades
8. Four Earths
9. Set Your Body Ablaze
10. Be Winged
11. Cold Lord Quietus

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5 years we waited for Shai Hulud's new album, amok the mess of constant line up changes and a brief hiatus and name change. They come back with Misanthropy Pure, something that I personally believe is right up there with their past two albums, That Withing Blood Ill-Tempered and Hearts Once Nourished With Hope and Compassion. These metalcore pioneers still refuse to disappoint, with a cd just as fast as previous efforts, but also some songs that are heavier then previous.

Venomspreader- After a few dissonant notes, the beginning of the album starts with kicking your teeth in, this song just reminds you who Shai Hulud are in case you forgotten. Fantastic drumming and spectacular riffing. I can't think of a better opening song for this cd. Great guitar work, screaming, just a fantastic song altogether. 5/5

The Creation Ruin- This song starts off slower then you'd think for Shai Hulud, and after a Venomspreader type opening guitar with some vocals, the song kicks into fast paced work that you are used to. Although it slows down again, this is definitely one of the heavier tracks on the whole album. During the last 45 seconds of the song, Mazelli repeatedly yells "You Ruined Creation" and it's quite powerful to hear. The song then finishes off in the heavier tone. 4/5

Misanthropy Pure- Ah, the title track. This track is completely amazing. Spectacular lyrics, fantastic guitar work yet again from Matt Fox (although it's expected from him) and the rhythm section also does a fantastic job with the switching tempos. This track is also a little bit slower then you'd expect, and sports their (probably) most commercial friendly riff. The bass is also more prominent in this song as you can hear it being brought out during the verses. This song is just nothing short of fantastic, especially hearing Mazelli shout "Man will maintain his hostility/Keep this faith." Also the only song by Shai Hulud to have a video made out of it.5/5

We Who Finish Last- This song starts out quick and fast yet again, before slowing down a little bit. Still another great track with great guitar work and some tempo changes.3.5/5

Chorus of the Dissimilar- This song starts off at a slower but heavier pace then comes out to a fantastic guitar part. Probably the heaviest track on the entire album. I find that this song seems to focus on the rhythm section a lot more then Matt Fox's guitar playing. Quite a few stop go sequences in this song where Matt Mazelli will scream something, and then the rest of the band will come in behind a line played by the lead guitar. This song is probably also the slowest song on the album. 4/5

In the Mind and Marrow- Another song that seems to put a lot more focus on the rhythm section then most. Although you can hear a line in the background played by Matt Fox in the back, it seems to be almost drowned out by the rhythm. After a slower verse, the song kicks into a fast paced chorus that gets your heart pumping, although it slows down a lot after that, then picks back up. The only small complaint I have with this song is that they seemed to drag out a wee bit too long past to what I would like to hear, before I get bored with the track. 3.5/5

To Bear the Brunt of Many Blades- Fan-fan-fantastic song. Probably my favorite of the whole album. Talk about fantastic riffing, fantastic drumming, and a great job by the rhythm section laying down a deep, heavy riff. I think this is where you hear the Mazelli sound the best with the rest of Shai Hulud. The song also ends in a huge climax with a spectacular breakdown. 5/5

Four Earths- A slower track altogether. Not much else to say about this song. Just some more great work from the rhythm section, while Matt Fox shows off some more technical riffing. The song goes into this strange limbo (or the drumming does drives it into a strange limbo) at around 1:40 for about 15 seconds, and it sounds fantastic, but may be a little strange for people when they first hear it. This song also goes into a fantastic climax when it gets closer to the end. 4/5

Set Your Body Ablaze- I think this was the surprise for all their older fans. A re-recording from a split done in the past with Another Victim. This song sounds just as good, if not even better (due to a crisper production) then the original. Starts off fast and heavy, with fantastic guitar work done throughout the whole song. Matt Fox shines through this song with his, as usual, great guitar work. The drummer also does some fantastic work in this song, showing a little bit of chops I believe. This is definitely a treat for older fans and an exceptional track on the album. 5/5

Be Winged- A track that starts off with another great Matt Fox riff and continues on at a quicker pace then as been shown for most of the cd. It slows down for about 5 seconds, speeds up at a fast tempo for 5 seconds, and the repeat that for a little, then stick with the faster tempo. I feel that with the guitar work on previous tracks, the rhythm section could've done better here in my opinion after hearing what they could do earlier in the album(except for the drummer, he continues to do a fantastic job.) Fast, short, and great. 3.5/5

Cold Lord Quietus- This song starts different then any song on the album, and I think differently then any song they've ever done. It starts out with a creepy violin (correct me if I'm wrong, I believe that's what it is) intro for about 35 seconds, then it kicks in hard with the whole band coming in at once. A slower riff is displayed here by the whole band, and Matt Fox, yet again, to reiterate, does fantastic guitar. At times it sounds strange and as if it doesn't fit, but Matt Fox takes charge and leads this song. This song also showcases Matt Fox a lot more then a focus on the rhythm section. Mazelli also does a fantastic job on this track. This is a superb track to close a superb album with. Definitely in the running for the best track on the album. 5/5

The biggest change between this and their last effort That Within Blood Ill-Tempered is their new singer, Matt Mazelli, has replaced Geert Van Der Velde (which is also one bad *** name). I believe that Mazelli is right up to par with Geert and does a good job filling in his shoes. It should also be noted that the production of this album is quite fantastic. The only metalcore album coming out this year that I can see coming even close to competing with this is Misery Signals- Controller, but even that seems like a longshot.

Shai Hulud definitely throws the metalcore genre back into place. They stick to their roots and pull out a fantastic album that I don't see myself ever putting down for a while.

Recommended Tracks
-Misanthropy Pure
-To Bear the Brunt of Many Blades
-Set Your Body Ablaze
-Cold Lord Quietus

Dornenreich Durch Den Traum

Tracklist:
1. I
2. II
3. III
4. IV
5. V
6. VI
7. VII
8. VIII

Release Date: 2006

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With a band like Dornenreich, letting yourself get drowned within their music is easy, but actually describing that sensation to someone else is not. You see, Dornenreich are not like most bands, they experiment in every release, develop different styles, different atmospheres and different emotions within their music while all the time keeping their identity. At the core of their sound is a very traditional and droning black metal style, but on top of this is a huge amount of different ideas and sounds. They have beautiful and enchanting ambient sections, slow, doomy whispered passages, acoustic picking amongst the heavy riffing and much more, it all makes for a brilliantly immersive and effortlessly absorbing experience.

As for this actual album, Durch Den Traum is a fifty minute story for the listener split up into eight chapters. This story is melancholic, aggressive and beautiful at the same time, best reflected by the second chapter (the first is just atmospheric keyboards) which changes constantly throughout. Although starting rather slowly with whispered vocals and simple droning guitars, it eventually develops into something with a more established beat and groove. Utilising a start-stop approach, Dornenreich trade between depressing black metal riffs and beautiful keyboard passages, while the vocals are whispered and enchanting throughout. Just as the song seems to be developing into a huge climax around the four minute mark everything stops, the electric guitars fade out, replaced with simple acoustic playing that brings back the beauty established previously. When the black metal riffs come blazing back into the music, the acoustic guitars get more technical and the singing becomes more established, together all of this gives the song an amazingly atmospheric sensation, where everything comes together into this flurry of technicality and splendour. Dornenreich don’t leave it there though, soon after this enchanting crescendo, they introduce screamed vocals for the first time and bring in a ferocious black metal section to bring you towards the end of the song, which ends in really tranquil acoustic playing.

Sound confusing? Well of course, as I previously established, when heard all of this flows and moves along at a brilliant pace, yet it is incredibly hard to write about. This is an album that prefers to draw you into its rich atmosphere and drown everything else out instead of trying to impress you with one off gimmicks and hooks. Maybe the fact that it is separated into eight chapters, rather than songs helps to make sure that you need to listen to it all to truly appreciate the greatness of the album. Although admittedly, there are unmistakable highlights in the album, like the already mentioned second chapter, and the fifth chapter, with its huge emphasis on different dynamics, you really get more out of them when you listen to every other chapter as well, as every single not seems to build up to something else, ending with the simply breathtaking final chapter.

Throughout the album there are two entirely different moods; complete despair and hope. Of course, the former always outweighs the latter, but that just makes it so much more special when the beautiful parts come in to motion and make the album a whole lot less daunting. Actually, despite the long length, and the lack of real identifiable songs, this album isn’t really that much of a daunting task. It is really easy to listen to this as background music, and it’s absolutely perfect to listen to at night when you’re tired, as it is the atmosphere which sticks with you after listening, and not any particular riffs or melodies. In fact, if you go into this expecting to find memorable moments within specific songs you might end up somewhat disappointed, as instead, this album needs to be digested fully. It has been meticulously composed to the point that everything fits and flows perfectly, every ambient build up has a point, every tortured scream is placed there for a reason and any time the tempo drops to barely a crawl you’ll be hard pressed not to be impressed by the way it moves into another part of the ever-changing story.

The production in this album is simply perfect, there are so many layers yet nothing gets drowned out. The acoustic guitars manage to be audible at all times, the droning riffs are at the perfect level, and the vocals, even when whispered are always easy to hear. In particular, I love the quiet ambient parts, where everything settles down for that moment of splendour and beauty, when contrasted with the sometimes completely choking atmosphere of the black metal passages it is truly an excellent achievement indeed.

With such a non-linear approach to the song writing throughout, a few hiccups can be expected. There are times when the music will seem to meander on without a purpose, and there are times when a particular segment may drag on and bore the listener somewhat as they wait for the next stunning climax or haunting interlude. But when you finally get through the entire story and reach the final chapter, it truly doesn’t matter at all. VIII is, dare I say it, one of the most appropriate and stunning endings to an album I have ever heard in my musical exploration (call it what you will). With gorgeous melodic coming from the normally bleak electric guitars and the keyboards providing a melancholic layer of sound just underneath, the whispered vocals seem to be at peace with everything unlike before, where they could show so many different emotions. At the end of such a atmospheric and constantly changing album, to have a wonderfully peaceful and beautiful closer is a stroke of genius, and as the final notes fade away into nothingness, the album finishes, but the atmosphere and mood stays with you for hours afterwards. That is why this is such a great experience, despite the flaws.

Buckethead Kaleidoscalp

Tracklist:
1. Frankenseuss Laboratories
2. Stun Pike And The Jack In The Box Head
3. Music Box Innards
4. Breakfast Cyborg
5. The Bronze Bat
6. The Last Ride Of The Bozomobile
7. Rack Maintenance
8. The Sticker On Hallucinogens
9. Pylon Shift
10. Citadel
11. The Slunk, The Gutter And The Candlestick Maker
12. The Android Of Notre Dame
13. She Sells Sea Shells By The Slaughterhouse

Release Date: 2005

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Kaleidoscalp
Buckethead

This album is not for everyone. I'm gonna start off by saying that. If you're not a fan of experimentation, circuit bending, or headbanging metal, then you probably won't like this album. This CD is full of those three things. This also happens to be a pretty interesting listen if you're in the right mood for it.

For those of you that don't know you Buckethead is, he's the KFC bucket-wearing avant-garde guitarist whose played with Praxis, Guns N' Roses, Viggo Mortenson, and others. He has released over 20 solo albums and has appeared on over 100 more.

Anyway, let's get down to the review.

This album really does have its pluses and minuses. First of all, the circuit bending does really sound cool at points. In Music Box Innards from 0:29-0:39 and from 0:58-1:02 are good examples. Sometimes, though, it just kinds of gets in the way. This is rare, but it does happen occasionally.

The guitar tone remains pretty much the same throughout almost the entire album. This is either good or bad, depending on your point of view. It helps keep the songs somewhat structured, but also makes the riffs sound more similar to one another.

Speaking of riffs, this album has some great ones, 0:51-1:02 on 'Pylon Shift' is one of a great headbanging riff. Pretty much all of the songs have strong metal riffs that hold the song together over all the noise. Also, the drumming is absolutely insane on this album. Yes, I'm pretty sure its programmed, but whatever, it's still awesome! 2:27-2:42 on 'Frankenseuss Laboratories' is some of the fastest double bass pedaling I've ever heard. Also, obviously, Buckethead's guitar-playing is great on this album.

The album starter (Frankenseuss Laboratories) begins with an ambient opening. Then at 0:38 the guitar-playing starts and is really cool. The riff played is great. Then it shifts gears and goes into a heavier riff. The drumming is absolutely incredible throughout this enitre album. Overall, this song is really cool. It has tons of great riffs.

The second song (Stun Pike And Jack In The Box Head) is good, but probably not as good as the last track. A really cool riff starts at 0:39 and goes until 1:00. There are some really weird sounds in this song.

This whole album is constantly shifting gears so that just when you think you know where its going to go, it does a 90-degree turn and goes in another direction. For example, the song 'Pylon Shift' has heavy metal elements, cercuit bending, acoustic balladry, and an experimental amibent section. All in one song. And this is just song on the album.

The problem with this album is sometimes, songs that aren't completely wacky or experimental get forgotten about because they sound like most of the other songs on the album. For example, 'Breakfast Cyborg,' despite having some really cool riffs, sections, and circuit bending, blends in with the rest of the album. However, had this been on almost any other album, it would be a very unique track.

There are also two interlude tracks on this album that break up the steady flow of craziness- they are 'The Bronze Bat' and 'The Sticker On Hallucinogens.' 'The Bronze Bat' is an almost Hallowe'en-ish style track. There is some type of organ in the background I think, with some circuit bending overtop of it. It's only 0:38 seconds long and is the shortest song on the album.

'The Sticker On Hallucinogens' is the best song on the album. It's greatness is unbelievable. It's a great headbanging track that is also perfect to dance too. This song have been nominated for a Grammy. Seriously though... this song is pretty much noise. It's a pretty pointless song, although it is random and an interesting interlude.

One of the more underrated songs on the album in my opinion is 'Citadel.' It's a highly experiemtnal song withs some voice samples starting at 0:33 and going until 0:44. It has some great riffs, especially one starting at 1:01. It also has some good shredding starting at 0:53 and going until 1:01, and in other spots throughout this song. I also like the 'Frankenseuss Laboratories'-style double-bass pedalling starting at and going until 2:57-3:13. There is also great riff overtop of this double-bass pedalling.

The second last song on the album, 'The Android Of Notre Dame' is an almost remix of another Buckethead song 'Tribute To Dimebag Darrell.' The original song was pretty much the same song, but without all the crazy effects overtop. They're both good songs, but this way, the song blends in with the rest of the album better then if was its original format. There is also some great shredding in this song that starts at 1:51 and goes until 2:00.

The end song 'She Sells Sea Shells By The Slaughterhouse' is almost anti-climatic. This whole album is full of heavy metal and circuit bending and the last track is... an acoustic ballad? It's a heartfelt and beautiful song. There is a hidden track starting at 7:15 that is pretty much just a bunch of noise.

Overall, this album is a lot of fun. There is so much chaos going on that you almost can't help but enjoy it. However, if you're not a fan of experimentation, circuit bending, or headbanging, then you're probably not going to like this album as much as someone who does enjoy those things.

Recommended tracks:
Frankenseuss Laboratories
Music Box Innards
Pylon Shift
Citadel
The Android Of Notre Dame
She Sells Sea Shells By The Slaughterhouse (0:00-2:39)

4/5