Support Derek and Co this band is Brilliant !!!!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
New Reviews 11/27/2010
Julie Christmas- The Bad Wife- CD ( Rising Pulse)
If your a fan of Made of Babies the mighty front women of this band has put out a solo album and its clearly everything you could hope for and more. Somber, Bombastic , Epic, Soulful, Painful and Nightmarish all in the same track.. Julies vocals is that of power and expression unlike many today. She can go from Delicate to the most brutal .. I would put here in the levels of Karyn Crisis, Jarboe, Diamonda Galas and Kate of the amazing Babes in toyland... With The Bad Wife Julie expands on the avant and metallic elements that her man band Made out of Babies does . There is less a hardcore feeling and more of a Post Metal / Noise Rock theme with a very spaghetti western vibe going on.odd I know but all the more beautiful. Julie has a strong love for bands like Neurosis, Isis and Swans for sure and I could not be happier with a release of this caliber just make me want more and more.
Jesu- Heart ache and Dethroned-CD (Hydra Head)
Mr Brodrick has come back full circle in the sounds that he made with Godflesh, Final etc were he is enveloping all his sound, styles and musical adventures in to the monster known as Jesu. The first track of this album could have come out of the mid period Godflesh collection with its Industrial Doom sound and the machine drums of might. The guitars are so deep and droning it makes my heart weep for every tone that comes from them.. There are the Post rock moments you love from Jesu as well as minimals ambient and piano elements that you would hear in Final. Jesu has become a band I can not get enough of . Justin over the years just does what feel right to him forget critics, trends or mainstream. Thank you Mr Brodrick for going Jesu and making this music fan proud to play music and review it in these very same breathes...
Blood Axis- Born Again-CD (Storm/ Tesco)
So Michael and Annabel Lee have come to us with their second proper full length release 15 yrs in the making and worth every moment to create. Gone are the War machine element . With Born Again this duo focus much more on the Heritage and Folk/ Rock side of the band with Surf rock guitars, Viola's, Violins, Ethnic percussion, Bagpipes and more. The Celtic/ Heathen elements of the Blood Axis force is strong at hand here. Some will call this Post Industrial I call it more Hymns for the few that care about where one comes from and stories for those of us that miss the music and words mattering in a musical adventure. The acoustic guitars and string work so well with the electro sounds in that back drops.. Mr Moynihan spoken/ melodically half sung passages are just as haunting, power and striking as they were 10-15 yrs again. With Born Again. Blood Axis has more in common with there live Blot release on Cold Meat then there Debut The Gospel of Inhumanity. This will be a change is your waiting for the Noise and Destruction. Born Again is much more delicate but worth so much more in the textures and pure expression of each track. Blood Axis once again has made a classic in the Martial themed Folk and Avant rock world. Do not miss out on an album that will stir your soul and well as your mind..
Ion- Immaculada-CD ( Restricted Release)
Duncan Patterson formerly of Anathema and Antimatter seems to have found a love for Neoclassic/ Ambient/ Ethno Avant music. The subtle acoustic guitars, low end bass movements, string and drifting percussion with the Ethereal Female sung vocals from a whisper to a chant. Ion feels like something Devil Doll, Rajna , Dead can dance or Gyspies from centuries ago would perform for there traveling fans. The more I listen to this the Rajna and Dead can dance comes into full focus on this wonderful ethno ambient release . I would classify this as world music and it deserve all the respect and grace that the music present. I don't want to sell short the layers and talent that Mr Patterson has slaved and longed over with a project like Ion. This album is stunning and epic to say the least. There is nothing rock or metal about it so do not think your getting Anathema here you are getting so much more ....
Eastern Front- Blood on Snow-CD (Candlelight)
Someone loves Marduk, Gorgoroth and Dark Funeral very very much as this the kind of Blackened Death metal your getting here with a fury and vengeance that will kick you in the teeth and throat at the very same time. There is an atmospheric quality that is going on as well that is just as eerie and unsettling. The drums are a strike force of blistering sounds . Love that you can hear the guitars, bass and synth all very clear and in layers with the vocals not just a wall of noise. Eastern Front is a Blackened power house of sound to say the least. The Black metal style is what the source of the bands focus but its just a part of the whole. They do get a bit avant as well so if you like moments of experimentations they are here for sure. Eastern Front is a very impressive metallic force to say the least.
The Meads Of Asphodel-The Murder Of Jesus The Jew-CD (Candlelight)
This album is like a carnival ride of laughter, madness, sickness and chaos all in one the album start off with a neoclassic/ Caberet feel to it then the 1st proper track is very close to a band I loved called Bal Sagoth. It is full on Blackened fury with orchestral, eastern and fantasy elements all going on at the same time . The Meads of Asphodel almost feel like their about to fall of the rails on every turn of this album. There is so much going on here I don't now were to begin now they sound like Sear Bliss with the Trombones and Horns going. Then they become a soundtrack for a Fantasy movie with lush female vocals and symphonic movements. This is going to be an album like Arcturus, Oxiplegatz or DHG were you just need to experience to ever understand. Oh my is this album as breathtaking as it is bleak and grim. Candlelight The Meads of Asphodel can mix Metal, Jazz, Blues, Symphonic , Avant and Punk all into the same song. Never ever let this band go...
This album is like a carnival ride of laughter, madness, sickness and chaos all in one the album start off with a neoclassic/ Caberet feel to it then the 1st proper track is very close to a band I loved called Bal Sagoth. It is full on Blackened fury with orchestral, eastern and fantasy elements all going on at the same time . The Meads of Asphodel almost feel like their about to fall of the rails on every turn of this album. There is so much going on here I don't now were to begin now they sound like Sear Bliss with the Trombones and Horns going. Then they become a soundtrack for a Fantasy movie with lush female vocals and symphonic movements. This is going to be an album like Arcturus, Oxiplegatz or DHG were you just need to experience to ever understand. Oh my is this album as breathtaking as it is bleak and grim. Candlelight The Meads of Asphodel can mix Metal, Jazz, Blues, Symphonic , Avant and Punk all into the same song. Never ever let this band go...
Hinsides-Universe Aspire In Mysticism-CD (Abyss Records)
I think besides Black Mayonese I have never used the words Black Drone before but I think this explains Hinsides better then anything other thoughts have have coming from my hearing in my head. The Blackened vocals and the molasses and tone of the guitars that are going on are droning perfection. If you could have early SunnO))) become a black metal style them you would have Hinsides . I'm clearly not going to flog the horse here. This is very limited in fan base but those of use that like this kind of extreme sounds will worship it. Then 1st two comes with a full on raw BM fury so this band is something of drastic style and change and with the third track they goto a more Atmospheric Black sound with the very effected and flanged/verbed guitars. Hinsides I don't know if the 1st track was the best Idea 1st and you very different on the rest of the release. This is more a Sonically Black metal release with love of bands like Xasthur and Leviathan...
http://www.officialabyssrecords.com/
I think besides Black Mayonese I have never used the words Black Drone before but I think this explains Hinsides better then anything other thoughts have have coming from my hearing in my head. The Blackened vocals and the molasses and tone of the guitars that are going on are droning perfection. If you could have early SunnO))) become a black metal style them you would have Hinsides . I'm clearly not going to flog the horse here. This is very limited in fan base but those of use that like this kind of extreme sounds will worship it. Then 1st two comes with a full on raw BM fury so this band is something of drastic style and change and with the third track they goto a more Atmospheric Black sound with the very effected and flanged/verbed guitars. Hinsides I don't know if the 1st track was the best Idea 1st and you very different on the rest of the release. This is more a Sonically Black metal release with love of bands like Xasthur and Leviathan...
http://www.officialabyssrecords.com/
Thursday, November 25, 2010
The Doorway to Full Revamped with Audio and More
Site full updated and revamped with full audio tracks from Clint Listing and Black Depths Grey Waves. No need to deal Myspace anymore if you dont want to and can order all the titles digital from select outlets on The Doorway to Music Page. Check it out
http://thedoorwayto.com/
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Interview is up with Metal Blade Artist The Ocean
1. I'm late to the show it seems but I just got Anthropocentric and its amazing mix of prog, death and classic thrash metal. Can you give us a bit of history of the band?
I started the band in 2001 in Berlin. Initially we were more like a collective than a band, we've had about 40 members in and out of the band over the first 7 years and the first 200 shows we played - until I met Jona, our current guitarist. He joined us in 2007 and then our drummer and bass player left shortly afterwards and Jona brought all the other dudes of the current lineup into the band, all friends of his from his small Swiss mountain town that is for some reason a haven of good musicians. I guess it's because people don't really have anything else to do there than eat cheese and play music. Our former singer Mike Pilat left us after the Opeth-tour in 2009 and we have been looking for a new vocalist for about 9 months, until we found our current vocalist Loic Rossetti. He was one out of about 120 people we audititioned, and as soon as we did, we knew that he was the one.
In the 9 years of our exisence we have released 5 studio albums, plus our new album "Anthropocentric" which is coming out these days...
2. The Ocean being from Germany did bands like Kreator, Sodom, Destruction play a big rule in the formation of the band or was other bands that brought you to the sound The Ocean has now?
Not at all. I come from a hardcore background, my first show was Sick of it All and Strife in 1994 and I haven't ever been listening to traditional trash metal. Bands that shaped me were early / mid nineties progressive hardcore bands like Refused, Breach or Unbroken and of course Neurosis.
3. I know there have been a bunch of line up changes are the older albums in a very different sound from Anthropocentric?
We have tried to do something different with every album. We're not one of these bands that seeks to develop a formula for their sound and then sticks with is for the next 5 albums. We wanna keep it interesting for ourselves and for our listeners as well, and that means trying something new every now and then... and I think most of our fans really appreciate that and see the red line tat goes through everything we do, from our music to the album art to the visuals...
The main difference between our older albums and the new one is probably the vocals - in the past it was mainly screamed vocals and we had more of a collective approach here with up to more than 10 guests per album and a different voice on every song. With "Heliocentric", we stepped away from that approach in favour of a more traditional approach to vocals. When we were looking for a replacement for our former vocalist Mike Pilat, we agreed from the beginning that we wanted someone who would not only follow that path of evolution that we all saw ourselves entangled in, but someone who would be one step ahead of said process. We are now in a position where everything is possible, we are not limited by anyone's abilities anymore, nor by a preset idea of what we want to sound like - we just do what feels right to us.
4. You have been with Metal Blade for yrs now the partnership must work well. Do you feel they are the best indie label for The Ocean or do you feel the band could hit a larger label?
I wouldn't see the point, unless someone would want to blow money up our asses, which no label is doing anymore these days. Metal Blade can do whatever we need a label to do for us at the moment, they believe in us and have been doing a good job for us so far promoting and selling our records and that's why we just renewed the contract with them.
5. Your sound is so complex is it hard to pull off the sound live or do you change the songs up live to perform them?
No, you get live the same thing that you get on CD, PLUS added visuals and a customized light show. We can't take all the extra musicians that are playing on some of the albums - mainly Precambrian and Heliocentric - on tour with us, but we run the studio tracks of the classical instruments from the sequencer, so it sounds live like it does on CD. Obviously it's best to do as much live as possible, so whenever possible we bring a cello player and / or a piano player with us as well. This year we filmed the record release party for "Heliocentric" with an extended lineup of 13 musicians on stage...
6. I ask most bands and would love your feedback. Whats your thoughts of the Digital age (mp3s, webzines, web radio & Myspace) do you feel this is a major plus for exposure does it hurt the artist? as the CD sales over the yrs has dropped in a major way...
I do not generally object to myspace, we have our own page there, and neither to the internet as a platform for music. The general idea is great, since it is essentially the users who keep the whole thing running and working and who make a band popular, in complete disregard of promotional budgets, so it's kind of a grassroots promotional tool, and I think that's great. However, myspace no longer works as a medium to share music and attract people to a band in order to make them pick up their records and dive into their art then, when they enjoy it - it has become an end in itself.
The very structure of the site itself, allowing no more than 6 or 7 songs, in terrible streaming sound quality, essentially means that something is being compromised in the end. And more than anything, it is the idea of the album. I am a huge fan of the idea of making an album, rather than a loose assembly of songs. All albums that mean something to me are albums have this cohesion, this inevitability, where you don't wanna skip a single track, where you want to listen to the whole album all the way through. This whole realm is being lost these days, with everyone's attention span being reduced to 4 songs and a few clicks, with bands spending too much time trying to write the one perfect song and neglecting everything else. And this is what we stand up against, by releasing a concept double-album in a slick packaging with immense artwork and a tie-that-binds, that hopefully offers more than just a few good songs, to the people who care.
7. What newer bands are impressing you Metal or Not?
Newer bands... not too many, but I'm not really following what's happening too much I have to say. Baroness and Khoma haven't been around for too long I guess, Black Mountain recently blew me away, and so did the good old Swans, which happened to play in Manchester the same night at the same venue a few days ago... I had no clue, went upstairs and the fucking SWANS are on stage! I couldn't believe it, and these old man put on the most epic, heavy show I have seen in years. So I guess I stick to the old school..
8. Your sound is so much more then just Metallic do you see a cross section of fans. I feel your more in tune with bands like All That Remains, Isis or even Mastodon in that manner...
I don't really know All That Remains but I have subconsciously tagged them as "metalcore" in my head and that genre bores me stiff. Isis were an influential band for us for sure, bummer they called it quits this year. And Mastodon, along with The Dillinger Escape Plan, is the best existing band on the planet, so thanks for the flowers ;-)
9. If there was one song the band could cover , alter or make there own what would it and why would you do so?
Cover: "Sheer Heart-Attack" by Queen.
Make Our Own: "Valid" by Breach or the entire "It's Me, God" album.
Alter: hmmm... difficult. There are probably a number of tracks that have really awesome riffs but some average and improvable ones as well... would need to think more about that.
10. Do the members of The Ocean have other projects they work in?
Our bass player and drummer have another 2-piece band called Kunz, abrasive garage / stoner stuff. Our vocalist plays in a stoner band called Sons of Neptune. I play in another band called Earthship, we are releasing our debut album on my own label Pelagic Records this month. Its heavy stuff somewhere between Crowbar, Baroness and Iron Monkey... check it out at www.pelagic-records.com/shop.
Pelagic is a small label devoted to releasing music we love with extensive packaging and art. We're also releasing a combined version of our "Heliocentric" and "Anthropocentric" albums in a silver-foiled box with 4x 180 grams vinyls, a set of cards, star map and 2 gatefold covers inside; each with 3 revolving transparent silver-foiled PVC dials depicting the sun/earth and the planets orbiting around it... the same is available as a 4xCD box as well including instrumental versions of the albums.
11. The Artwork for Anthropocentric is so original does it tell a story for the new Album?
yes, of course. "Anthropocentric" is continuing the all-encompassing critique of Christianity that we begun with "Heliocentric". Where the former was approaching the subject more from a historic perspective, focusing on the copernican turn and the effects the scientific discoveries of this time had on Christian belief and the power of the church, the latter is approaching the subject from a more philosophical and personal angle. The central question is the contradiction of the theodicy-problem: if God exists and has the 3 main attributes that Christians want Him to have: omniscient, omnipotent and benign, then there could be no evil in the world. If you agree that there is evil, which is not too hard to get anyone to admit I guess, than at least one of those 3 attributes cannot be true: for if He was benign, he would not tolerate evil. And if He was omnipotent, he would have the power not to tolerate evil and be able to change it... the album orbits around this problem, the relation between man/reason and God.
The artwork depicts an image of man at the center of the universe, with the planets and the sun orbiting around him, alluding to creationists and other Christian fundamentalists who still believe that earth is 5000 years old and that man is the epitome of God's creation.
12. Your website http://www.
to make it interesting and different.
13. I hope all is ok after your robbery on tour . Did all get back you ok or was all the merch money lost for good?
We lost the entire sum of fees for this whole tour, 6000 euro in total, and no, nothing has got back to us. However, we are overwhelmed by the support we've been getting from fans from all over the world. Everyone who orders our album directly from us (at www.pelagic-records.com/shop) can donate 5 bucks to help out, and most people who ordered these past 2 weeks do that. We are very thankful for that, and though we don't have delusions about getting anywhere close to getting the money we lost back, everything helps at this point. People can also donate directly via paypal to info@theoceancollective.com.
14. Thank you for the interview any closing thoughts here..
cheers for the interview!
Robin
Thursday, November 18, 2010
As All Die 2011 New Music???
AS ALL DIE ALIVE MAYBE SO????
Working on some music will see if the Heathen Martial Force returns from the grave in 2011..
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Batch of new reviews 11/14/2010...
Disiplin-Radikale Randgruppe-CD (ATMF)
Electro Black Noise hell ya my friends imagine if Old Marilyn Manson and MZ412 formed a band together and decided to let Laibach help write some of the songs. This is off the hinges in avant and freak out quality. There are moments where pure Raw Black noise come oozing out of the speakers as well. The vocals here are unlike anything most you hear . The sickness and hatred coming from this vocalist is just perfect to the chaos the music and throbbing percussive beat that Disiplin is presenting. I can tell you I was not ready for this when I turned this album on for review. We need more like this but I'm quite afraid to see what will top Disiplin in the coming years ahead. ATMF pushing the boundaries of sound and expression once more..
http://www.atmf.net/
CALM HATCHERY-Sacrilege of Humanity-CD (Self Made God)
Death metal is so subjective these days with all the damn sub genres. Modern, Old School, Brutal, Guttural, Grinding etc ,etc. Well with Calm Hatchery you are getting Fucking Death Metal remember when you know what you were getting on Earache , Roadrunner or Nuke blast. Well this is where this band comes from thin Carcass, Entombed, Morbid Angel, Bolt Thrower, Brutality, Sinister & Dismember. Then you know we have a winner. Those great harmonic power driven death metal guitars. The Cannon drums, The warm rumbling bass lines and the low deep growls that just made those bands classic. All covered with that Techincal edge that made them all the more interesting . There is nothing fancy here and its not needed to be when death metal is good its just fucking good..
http://www.myspace.com/selfmadegodrecords
SYMPHORCE-Unrestricted-CD (AFM RECORDS)
Sometime you win some times you lose in the world of Power Metal. Musically this band wins big. Vocally this band is losing the battle very quickly. Ok I'm being nice. These maybe the worse power metal vocals I've heard in years. There so weak and sound like a weak thrash band vocalist is trying to go all epic in vocal but I'll tell you flat out if Symphorce had a different vocalist they would be an amazing musical force. Please oh please fire this guy as the music reminds me of the better tracks from bands like Helloween, Angra and Iced Earth.. I just wonder who thought this vocalist added something to the band???
http://www.afm-records.de/
Nadiwrath-Nihilistic Stench-CD (Moribund Cult)
UMMM A OK So how do we go about explaining Nadiwrath. Imagine a NYC Hardcore band from the late 80's lik Agnostic Front or Leeway then add Black metal vocals from lets say Bathory or Mayhem and just to add the weirdness factor up a whole notch go for th 80's So Cal Punk element of Dead Kennedy's or Black Flag in.. I don't know what to make of this. I can't tell if I like or loath this album. It's more then I think I can accept in the genre mixing world. I don't think it works at all. I'm going to have to just stop listening to this as Nadiwrath is not my cup of Tea...
http://moribundcult.com/
Psycho-Pain Addict Pigs-CD (Moribund Cult)
Old School nothing else can describe what is going on in the metal camp that is Psycho. This Asian force mixed the 80's Thrash, Death and Black metal sounds into a sickness that is classic and interesting all to its own. Love the guitar and bass interplay in a very fast and melodic sound with a drummer that just want to blast the beat to you like a fist to the throat. If you a fan of Sodom, Kreator, Bathory, Slayer and Hellhammer then my friends this is the album for you. The torn throat vocals are just the add to all of this in sound and style. Thank you again Moribund for kicking my ass with some of the best Metal I've not heard before with bands that will be leaders of the style the present... Horns Up!!!
http://moribundcult.com/
Lifelover-Konkurs-CD (Prophecy Production)
Ah more Dark emotional metal with strong leanings to the blackened path. Bands like Lifelover remind me of bands like Shining, Bethlehem and Deinonychus and to lesser extent Ancient Wisdom and Dolorian. As this is this very bleak haunting feeling that comes across to listening to this. The power of a band like this comes from the Doom and Black metal mixing with the classic strings and pianos and the tormented vocals. Experimental metal is just something that draws me in and makes me want to see why the madness and sorrow is so profound in bands like Lifelover. There is an ethereal and goth over tone to this album . I am reading and looks like this album was released in 2008 overseas in europe. I very glad we can have this release in North America now. There are moments of Alcest and even Old Dead Tree going on from time to time as well. The vocals are that of a fractured mind and the guitars and bass are slow and plodding but in a way that become hypnotic to say the least. Love the megaphone vocal effects that happen through out the albums as well. the subdued Piano with the synth add such a goth element as I said before. Sorrow and Loss is one of the keys that make all bands great like this another band they have a lot in common with is Unholy a great lost doom band. Lifelover is simply brilliant check them out.
http://www.prophecy.cd/
Electro Black Noise hell ya my friends imagine if Old Marilyn Manson and MZ412 formed a band together and decided to let Laibach help write some of the songs. This is off the hinges in avant and freak out quality. There are moments where pure Raw Black noise come oozing out of the speakers as well. The vocals here are unlike anything most you hear . The sickness and hatred coming from this vocalist is just perfect to the chaos the music and throbbing percussive beat that Disiplin is presenting. I can tell you I was not ready for this when I turned this album on for review. We need more like this but I'm quite afraid to see what will top Disiplin in the coming years ahead. ATMF pushing the boundaries of sound and expression once more..
http://www.atmf.net/
CALM HATCHERY-Sacrilege of Humanity-CD (Self Made God)
Death metal is so subjective these days with all the damn sub genres. Modern, Old School, Brutal, Guttural, Grinding etc ,etc. Well with Calm Hatchery you are getting Fucking Death Metal remember when you know what you were getting on Earache , Roadrunner or Nuke blast. Well this is where this band comes from thin Carcass, Entombed, Morbid Angel, Bolt Thrower, Brutality, Sinister & Dismember. Then you know we have a winner. Those great harmonic power driven death metal guitars. The Cannon drums, The warm rumbling bass lines and the low deep growls that just made those bands classic. All covered with that Techincal edge that made them all the more interesting . There is nothing fancy here and its not needed to be when death metal is good its just fucking good..
http://www.myspace.com/selfmadegodrecords
SYMPHORCE-Unrestricted-CD (AFM RECORDS)
Sometime you win some times you lose in the world of Power Metal. Musically this band wins big. Vocally this band is losing the battle very quickly. Ok I'm being nice. These maybe the worse power metal vocals I've heard in years. There so weak and sound like a weak thrash band vocalist is trying to go all epic in vocal but I'll tell you flat out if Symphorce had a different vocalist they would be an amazing musical force. Please oh please fire this guy as the music reminds me of the better tracks from bands like Helloween, Angra and Iced Earth.. I just wonder who thought this vocalist added something to the band???
http://www.afm-records.de/
Nadiwrath-Nihilistic Stench-CD (Moribund Cult)
UMMM A OK So how do we go about explaining Nadiwrath. Imagine a NYC Hardcore band from the late 80's lik Agnostic Front or Leeway then add Black metal vocals from lets say Bathory or Mayhem and just to add the weirdness factor up a whole notch go for th 80's So Cal Punk element of Dead Kennedy's or Black Flag in.. I don't know what to make of this. I can't tell if I like or loath this album. It's more then I think I can accept in the genre mixing world. I don't think it works at all. I'm going to have to just stop listening to this as Nadiwrath is not my cup of Tea...
http://moribundcult.com/
Psycho-Pain Addict Pigs-CD (Moribund Cult)
Old School nothing else can describe what is going on in the metal camp that is Psycho. This Asian force mixed the 80's Thrash, Death and Black metal sounds into a sickness that is classic and interesting all to its own. Love the guitar and bass interplay in a very fast and melodic sound with a drummer that just want to blast the beat to you like a fist to the throat. If you a fan of Sodom, Kreator, Bathory, Slayer and Hellhammer then my friends this is the album for you. The torn throat vocals are just the add to all of this in sound and style. Thank you again Moribund for kicking my ass with some of the best Metal I've not heard before with bands that will be leaders of the style the present... Horns Up!!!
http://moribundcult.com/
Lifelover-Konkurs-CD (Prophecy Production)
Ah more Dark emotional metal with strong leanings to the blackened path. Bands like Lifelover remind me of bands like Shining, Bethlehem and Deinonychus and to lesser extent Ancient Wisdom and Dolorian. As this is this very bleak haunting feeling that comes across to listening to this. The power of a band like this comes from the Doom and Black metal mixing with the classic strings and pianos and the tormented vocals. Experimental metal is just something that draws me in and makes me want to see why the madness and sorrow is so profound in bands like Lifelover. There is an ethereal and goth over tone to this album . I am reading and looks like this album was released in 2008 overseas in europe. I very glad we can have this release in North America now. There are moments of Alcest and even Old Dead Tree going on from time to time as well. The vocals are that of a fractured mind and the guitars and bass are slow and plodding but in a way that become hypnotic to say the least. Love the megaphone vocal effects that happen through out the albums as well. the subdued Piano with the synth add such a goth element as I said before. Sorrow and Loss is one of the keys that make all bands great like this another band they have a lot in common with is Unholy a great lost doom band. Lifelover is simply brilliant check them out.
http://www.prophecy.cd/
Sunday, November 7, 2010
3 New Reviews 11/7/2010
Bethlehem - Stoenkfitzchen -Mcd (Redstream)
The sound and style of Bethlehem - S.U.I.Z.I.D. have come full circle for Bartsch and this incarnation of Bethlehem. There is the Dark metal sound with the industrial elements that made that so impressive not to mention these seem to be re-tellings of some tracks not so much reworkings of these tracks. with 3 new Gems... Kvarforth of Shining has done the vocals on this releases and the vocals are nightmarish and tormented as anyone can ask. It reminds me more of Landferman then Marco as his vocals were so much more manic and hateful in tone. Love the guitars and the hypnotic effect that Bethlehem have brought back from a total electronic avant music side. If this is going to be proper lineup of the band we can say nothing but thank you for returning and Redstream for giving us Bethlehem and Skepticism a place to create there brilliance in Dark arts. Stoenkfitzchen is a reason to have hope for a metal style that I thought only Shining were trying to keep alive. Bartsch sir you have been at this over 20 yrs and to this reviewer never disappointed I know some didnt understand Schatten aus der Alexander Welt but the darkness was there just in a non metallic sickness. This will bring back the fans of old. Bethlehem pure sickness is back..
Abominant- Where Demons Dwell-CD (Deathgasm Records)
With bands like Abominant I am very hit or miss as the mix of Black metal and Thrash can be a horrible combo is not done well. With Abominant this is not a worry. They have mixed the Thrash guitars with that raw black element to a way that is pissed off as it is melodic and powerful in sound. The blackened blast beats come as welcome as the horse screamed thrashing vocals. The productions works as well were they don't over effect the vocals and drums which normally another down fall of many bands of this style. Deathgasm has a real winner here . This is one of the few records by the label that have truly impressed me . Great metal release hands down.
http://www.deathgasm.com/
With bands like Abominant I am very hit or miss as the mix of Black metal and Thrash can be a horrible combo is not done well. With Abominant this is not a worry. They have mixed the Thrash guitars with that raw black element to a way that is pissed off as it is melodic and powerful in sound. The blackened blast beats come as welcome as the horse screamed thrashing vocals. The productions works as well were they don't over effect the vocals and drums which normally another down fall of many bands of this style. Deathgasm has a real winner here . This is one of the few records by the label that have truly impressed me . Great metal release hands down.
http://www.deathgasm.com/
DEATHSPELL OMEGA-Paracletus-CD (Norma Evangelium Diaboli/ Season of Mist )
Occult Black metal with a very Avant element to what is going on the rituals this band creates are those of the most Humanist of the dark arts. The Skitzo guitar movements are those of legends. The vocals are those that a preacher of the left hand path would give to you of the end of days. The industrial elements keeps coming through esp with Mikko who own Freak animal one of the best Noise label period. If you have not had a chance or the honor to hear Deathspell omega before then this is is just as good as any as they are constant in the production of majestic and thought provoking Metallic releases. With the force of Season of Mist behind them they will achieve a level bands like Code and DHG are seeing now. So get the point run don't walk to own this fantastic release..
http://season-of-mist.com/
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
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