New Reviews 2/26/2011

Septic Flesh- The Great Mass- CD (Season of Mist)

So the Greek Symphonic Blackened Metal Force is back in full force with The Great Mass. The Epic sounds that you have come to know from Septic Flesh is there this reminds me a lot of  Ophidian Wheel period from the band with a much cleaner and strong production but the feelings are all there. They mix Goth, Black metal, Orchestral , Prog Metal and Death metal all into a electronic backdrop that you know is Septic Flesh the moment you hear it. The male and female vocal mix with choirs is brilliant . They have much in comment with bands like Therion and Elend as well which always has been the case. If you never heard them there is no better place then " The Great Mass " to start but mandatory is getting Ophidian Wheel and Sumerian Daemons ... Septic Flesh even in there weaking tracks still impress. Glad to see there still making interesting and very creative music..

http://season-of-mist.com/

Feral- Dragged to the Altar-CD (Ibex Moon)

Wow this is Old School Swedish Death Metal at its finest . It reminds me so much on 90's Disemember and Entombed. Esp in Vocal and guitar tone.. The Harmonics of the Guitars are mind numbing and The leads are so tasteful. This sounds like like a Death metal war machine.. The Bass and drums sound like the tanks are coming in to take your last breathe. Jesus it even has samples of torment and madness on some tracks. Feral even has that Complex Tech Death metal element the 90's Swedish Death metal scene had. If you mixed in elements of Panzerchrist and Bolt Thrower and Incantation  you would have Feral in a nut shell. The recording is full as hell you can hear everything and nothing is too up front in the mix . Damn have I told you how much I love the guitar solos... Get this...

http://ibexmoonrecords.com/

Vicious Rumors- Razorback Killers-CD (SPV/ Steamhammer)

Its a crime that Vicious Rumors is not a huge metal force in sales and performing in areas here. This U.S.  Power/Thrash metal monster for years has made some of the best melodic edge extreme music in the scene. If you like bands like Hades, Judas Priest, Pretty Maids and Armored Saint then its a crime for you not to own or at least check out Razorback Killers and there over 10 yrs back catalog. Vicious Rumors is American Metal. They Breathe, Sweat and Bleed it 24/7.  The skill level of the arrangements and vocal talent is 2nd to none here. I know in Europe they are much better know and loved. We need to change that here for sure. Long live real metal and its name is Vicious Rumors is thy name....

http://www.myspace.com/spvmusic

Ovo- Cor Cordium-CD (Supernatural Cat)

How do you explain those voices in your head you know the ones that even think Suicide is to easy of a way out and laugh at you when you don't hurt yourself enough to show real pain from it??? Well Ovo have found a way to create that into musical form.  Ovo is just madness and sickness profound. Ovo are part Doom, Noise Rock and Industrial elements. The vocals are just this side of insanity and work so well for this project. There are layers of Crisis, Jarboe, Diamanda Galas in the vocals as well.  The music is like Sonic Youth, Bastard Noise and Wolf eyes joined forces with Crusty Doom bands like Eyehategod, Cavity or  Noothgrush.  There are so many things going on with Ovo you could listen to the album 10 times and never hear the same album twice. I really want to see them live as I think you will never be the same once this happens (for the good or bad).  Ovo is Sonic destruction plain and simple....

http://www.supernaturalcat.com

Section 37  - The kudos of Serial Killing-CD ( Aesthetic Death)

If your a fan of experimental free form Industrial then you need to check out Section 37 as they mix elements of Skinny Puppy, Pigface , Lunar Bear Ensemble, FLA and early NIN all into a stew of things that are more that the parts of the whole. I have so say great minds think a like as well . As my project  As All Die used the same Charles Manson sample in our track " Let lying dogs sleep" off our Victory CD .. Though  Section 37 is more about the ritual electronic collective as we go through a spoke word digital land scape that at time sounds like Rev Co or  Mid period Ministry. I do love that all the songs or tracks are about murder or the need to murder in different tongue in cheek ways. Coming from a label that has released Endvra, Esoteric, Fleurety etc I'm not shocked our awesome this release is. I could hear this on a label like Cold Spring or Invisible in a second. Stellar Industrial movement here with Section 37 I hope there more to come..

http://aestheticdeath.com/

Year of No Light Interview Is Up 2/24/2011

 

http://yearofnolight.free.fr/

1.Your working with the mighty Conspiracy Records now how did this come to be?

Johan : Some of us know them for nearly 15 years now. We sent some advance copies to labels we felt close to and when Conspiracy told us they were interested into releasing it we were more than happy as Conspiracy is a label with a strong ethic & a crazy roster. We didn’t hesitate a second !

2. From Nord to Ausserwelt I hear more of a Post Rock and Avant Drifting Rock sound from a more Drone/ Doom vibe has the sound gone more experimental?

Johan : The evolution of our sound went smoothly during the years and was totally not thought to sound more post rock or post whatever you call it. The departure of our singer forced us to evolve a bit faster ! And as we are usually slow it was not a bad thing ! But you will see the next record will also be different.

3. I'm sure you tired on the Isis comparisons .. who you you say that band most is influenced or has a similar sound to?

Pierre: Well, since the release of “Ausserwelt”, the Isis comparison vanished in the air…as Isis did… YONL’s influences range from avant-garde/experimental/field recordings to occult and old school black metal, through drone (Fear falls Burning, Troum), doom (Evoken, Loss, Saturnus…), Deathmetal (Bolt Thrower, Benediction), classical (Debussy), krautrock (Can and co), “shoegaze” (My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Slowdive) and (néo) folk (Nick Drake, Current 93…).

Johan : Yes we always listened to lot of different music. Some of us were into metal earlier, some other into indie music, some into noise and some more new wave. Pierre sums up well what we mutually love/loved.

4. Are you live shows very similar to the albums or is it very much a different journey in sound live to you experiment a lot on the tracks on the stage and I can hear a lot of room to do so?

Pierre: the live shows offer a wilder declination of our music. It’s louder and wilder. Embedded in an epileptic storm of light. In a perfect world, it should be an über sonic epiphany.

5. With the shift in line up and the several yrs since last full label on Radar Swarm ... Do you see this line up as very stable and is the band happy with all that is going on now...

Pierre: The “new” line-up is the best thing that could happen to YONL, a kind of rebirth indeed. But we still need to fight with the complexity induced by the band’s new configuration. At the moment, pretty cool things are on the verge for YONL, that’s cool.

6. You seem to have a good push with Promotion in The USA now with this release. Will you be coming over to perform at all?

Johan : Yes since the re-release of ‘Nord’ in the USA via crucial blast we have a strong feedback in the US audience. We definitely plan to come to play there. If everything goes well we will tour at least the east coast this upcoming fall.

7. The Artwork on Ausserwelt  has a very Ritualistic/ Fantasy vibe does it tell the story on the album as a whole?

Johan : Yes you can envisage it like that. We gave some ideas to our friend Greg Vezon who did it (like the Böcklin’s ‘Isle of the dead’ painting) and we let him represent what he feels while listening to Ausserwelt. And yes it’s totally part of the record. We envisage every record as a whole ensemble.

8. Do you see the Fans at a Year of no light being a more fringe crowd a mix of Metal, Punks and Indie Rockers as you sound encompasses them all?

Pierre: That’s true. It also seems we have a decent following in the extreme metal scene: it’s cool (we love metal music) and unexpected (we’re not a metalheads). No need to mention it: playing with Gorgoroth is sexiest that playing an average indie-rock gig!

Johan : Yes we always play in front of really different audiences. One day it will be more metal oriented the next day total post rock nerdy-big-glasses guys… But I think our best memories as a band will be some metal oriented shows like roadburn / hellfest or SWR.

And as an example nest summer we will play one day in Hell’s pleasure fest (total cult metal line up) and the next day in fluff fest !

9. Whats the Bands thoughts on the current state on indie/ underground music is there a new rival thanks to Myspace, Facebook and web-zines or is it to easy for bedroom bands to get music out there?

Pierre: E-music sucks as much as  corporate musical entertainment and the ego totalitarism running (ruining?) the underground. Myspace is dead and Google is God. But it’s hard to ignore them. Life sucks sometimes.

Johan : It’s true music business has totally changed and today bands spend more time on marketing their band than composing some good music. It’s totally lame but I’m pretty sure only the good records will be remembered in the coming years as usually bedroom bands made a buzz for some weeks and a year later nobody seems to remember them.

10.  Would Year of no light want to collab more as you seem to have worked on a few split releases ... Maybe work together with another artist of band on a few songs together.. If so any one you would want to do so with?

Pierre: Definitely yes! But nothing is planned for the moment. We would love working again with Kirk From ffb or with Saturnus, among others.

Johan : It’s definitely something we have in mind. We spoke with Dirk about making something again. Personally I would love to do something with Troum or Tim Hecker or master musicians of bukkake.

11. You have a very well done website http://yearofnolight.free.fr/ tell us a bit about it and are you infavor of having a proper site then just a myspace band page like so many?

Johan : Myspace is made for people unable to code a website !

All of our website is done by our drummer Bertrand (my brother).

We will try to improve it with all the videos / pictures archives we have from the past 10 years but we don’t have enough time to do it !

And yes I definitely prefer a proper website. You know we started to use myspace as somebody created a fake account under our name & people were using it to contact us… It happens the same with Facebook. In the future I think we will delete everything & redirect all on our proper website.

We also plan to open a bandcamp account to post some unreleased songs or live stuff…

12. Thank you for the time any closing words here???

Pierre: Ty for your support and attention!

New Review 2/19/2011

Hidden- Dead Land Energy-CD (Redstream)

So what do you get when the drummer is the owner of the mighty Redstream label , The  Bassist is from Exit-13 (Relapse) and you have the Mainman of Krieg doing vocals . You get a Sci Fi Blackened Doom event that none will soon forget. If Voivod went Black metal and mixed in Saytricon elements I swear they would sound like this. This is a madness and power all its own here. There are blistering and molasses like moments all within the same tracks here almost like what Disembowelment did in the doom genre many a decade ago.  With the Hidden you get this very off kilter Prog element to at times. I'm sure to most this sounds very disjointed but to this reviewer. Its very interesting to hear so many genre and influences mixed together from many metal scenes into one band. This is a very impressive album the same way band like Black Army Jacket, Kiss it Goodbye and US Christmas are amazing bands that just never could catch on but to its cult fan base. Check out the Hidden as they are fucking impressive..

http://redstream.org/

Mogwai- Hardcore will never die but you will- CD (Subpop )

Mogwai is one of the godfathers of the Post rock sound with Godspeed your black emperor . After 6 or so album Mogwai has been maturing and expanding on there sounds a lot were vocals were never used then sparsely used they seem to envelope them more and more into the mix and  music has added more indie and electronic elements and flavors. Its like they started listening to bands like Sonic Youth, Six Finger Satellites and Pixies and have seen the beauty in this side of the more experimental Alt  Punk/ Noise rock world and how moogs and synths loops can really add a new dimension to there already majestic sound. At its heart Mogwai is a melodic Droning Rock band with a metallic/ hardcore heart.  Subpop has seen the major need for this band to shine in North America were I think Matador has always feel short on seeing there potential. Very much in the same way DGC missed the boat on Sonic Youth and now Matador 10 yrs later is pushing the best of the  80/90's Indie Bands. Long live Mogwai and there hypnotic sound and driving guitar based music..

http://subpop.com/





Baptists-S/t- CD (Southern Lord)


HELLLLLL YA !!!!! Crusty Noise Sludge filled Post Hardcore. If you love bands with tons of feedback,  The Brutality of bands like Noothgrush, Cavity and Neurosis and the full on Crust Hardcore of Born Against or Converge then my Friends you have struck it rush. Imagine a more pissed of Buzzoven or Human Remains.. The vemon in this band could fuel a city for weeks and there all those short burst you expect with a band on this variety. This is what those old CBGB's and ABC No Rio  Hardcore shows were all about or those VFW hall shows on the north east were all about. Teeth punching power and aggression. Southern Lord you have captured as sound with one band again.. This is mandatory listening ...

http://southernlord.com/




NEKROMANTHEON-Divinity of Death-CD (Vendlus)
Horns high you bastards it you loved the late 80's early 90's Black thrash/ Speed metal scene then bow down and kiss the ground and this band is every second of the sound Early Slayer, Sepultura and Coroner is what we have here in perfect influence, praise and sound. You would swear this is an early Noise or Metal Blade release or maybe on Combat just how well they recreate this sound. I want my damn denim vest with the patches back my long knotted up sweaty long hair and my bottle of shitty beer so I can circle pit with these maniacs.  Let the darkness of speed, hate and Satan take you again like it did when you had you tape in your walkman and you knew you were way musically beyond the masses around you.. Again HORN UP HIGH DAMN IT !!!!!
http://vendlus.com/

Burzum-Fallen-CD (Bylobog Productions/ Candlelight)
So we have the next chapter of where Varg and Burzum are taking the Black metal force in 2011. This is a mix of the more mid tempo cold buzzing/trance like BM he is so well known for with elements of very clean sung and spoken vocals a neoclassic / progressive sound at times with some very produced and melodic tones on the guitar and bass. This is very much a crossroads for Burzum not like the synth albums he was forced to produce in prison as he was not allowed anything but a synth. This is a a full move into the Post Black metal  world with the ever so potent Heathen roots that make Burzum what it is. I know it sounds a bit silly as I say it but this is really want you expect to hear right before a great epic Northern European battle for your very soul. There is something very cathartic and ritualistic about all that Varg created but this album takes its one step further its almost like a Neo Folk Band like Blood Axis or Der Blutharsch has strongly helped shape this release. As I hear those elements through out this album. Its extreme in a whole new direction.
http://byelobog-productions.burzum.org/

Duncan Patterson's Alternative 4 signs to AVANTGARDE MUSIC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Duncan Patterson's Alternative 4 to sign with Avantgarde Music


Duncan Patterson has been an integral part of the independent music scene since 1991, still today known and recognized as the original mastermind behind Anathema's early success and in particular as the driving composer behind the "Eternity" and "Alternative 4" albums. With his songwriting he contributed in defining the doom metal sound first, and then piloted the band towards a deeper and rather advanced style which they followed and developed furtherly after Duncan's departure.


Unquiet and always daring to experiment, he then formed (and released four albums with) Antimatter together with Michael Moss, exploring several genres from deep electronica to folk acoustic, as recently documented by Antimatter's comprehensive compilation "Alternative matter". But a creative spirit can't be kept in a cage...thus Duncan abandoned again a project at its peak and started another full-time project called Íon, putting aside for a while the electronic trips and embracing the purity of acoustic, traditional and indigenous music but still marked with his well-defined songwriting style.


In between recording and touring his own projects, he has also enjoyed taking parts to projects that were less spoken about in the indie/metal scene, like Irish alternative rock band The Aftermath or having his own music featured as movies soundtracks (the award-winning film "The Sons of Eilaboun" and "Just Another Day"). Now to the most interesing part of this announcement: with his current project 'Alternative 4', Duncan has created what we can describe as a 'cinematic rock' monument, titled "The Brink", which recalls echoes of his previous work merged with classic-sounding instrumentation.


Unsettling yet beautiful, Alternative 4's "The Brink" is already and completely written and actually being recorded in different locations in this world and outer worlds.... The album will feature orchestral and chorals recorded in Monterrey, Mexico, as a diamond on top of a more solid and dark-rock core structure recorded in Ireland with the help of a few long-time collaborators and respected friends, like Mark Kelson (The Eternal) who will play an integral role on this release


"The Brink" will be tentatively released in Summer 2011 by Avantgarde Music and will be adorned with beatiful packaging and visuals.


Avantgarde Music is honoured, to say the least, to have as main guest in their house an artist who indirectly in his earlier days contributed in broadening the label owner's musical taste and vision. As we don't think we're forever, we are pleased and blessed to have Duncan with us today.


alternative4.co.uk | avantgardemusic.com

Neurot Recordings Sign ACROSS TUNDRAS

Info from

http://www.earsplitcompound.com/site/

Creating unique moonshine-soaked organic rock in the hills of Tennessee, ACROSS TUNDRAS seamlessly meld classic rock, folk, country, psychedelia, and doom into an original, organic style of rock that defies classification and bleeds true Americana. In true nomadic style ACROSS TUNDRAS have previously set-up camp on multiple labels including Crucial Blast and Forgotten Empire, have now found a home with Neurot Recordings.

Stated Neurot/Neurosis’ Steve Von Till on the signing: “It is with great honor that Neurot Recordings welcomes Across Tundras to our home. Their past releases have shown immense dedication to spirit and commitment to growth and sonic evolution. Those are traits that we admire and look for when declaring kinship among those also on the quest for emotional release through sound.”

ACROSS TUNDRAS’ Tanner Olson this week also made a statement on their induction into Neurot’s family: “The opportunity to stand alongside such a talented and driven group of artists and musicians is something we have been working along time for. Neurot Recordings releases the most inspired and original music out there, and its a huge compliment that they see us as kindred musical spirits. Eternal gratitude to the Neurot family for believing in us and giving a proper home to our nomadic sounds.”

More details on the recently completed new ACROSS TUNDRAS album will be announced shortly. Stay tuned for tour announcements and more through the coming months as well.

http://www.acrosstundras.bigcartel.com
http://www.myspace.com/acrosstundras
http://www.neurotrecordings.com
http://www.myspace.com/neurotrecordings

Elvenking Interview is up ..

http://www.elvenking.net/

1. Being new to Elvenking . I see that the sound of the band has changed over the album . How does "Red Tides" differ from earlier releases?

Elvenking is a band in constant motion. We do music for ourselves and we are not able to sit around a table and tell “fans is asking this and that”, “people would like to hear a heavy-melodic-folk album” or similar. We just can write what we feel. Probably it’s not the cleverest thing to do for a band but that’s what we are. That’s why every time fans expect something and often they get something different.
If I have to compare “Red Silent Tides” to our previous album I would say it is more melodic and more emotional albums. I think it contains a lot of poetry.


2. Do you call yourselves Power metal or more folk metal as I really hear a mix of both?

To be sincere is something that we do not ourselves and to be sincere we do not care of anymore. I mean, maybe when we were younger we paid attention of how people around would call us, etc, but now we are too old for this ah ah ah . Somebody defined us  “romantic metal” and I pretty much like it, talking about a literature point of view. People can name us how they prefer and how they feel right to define us. If I should say something I would say we are a metal band with different influences, and folk is one of these.


3. The vocals are so huge and melodic that seems to be a major part of the bands sounds. To many power metal bands think vocal acrobatics are needed.  Is it hard to keep a fine line on the vocals without going over the top?

To us writing a good song means writing great vocal melodies. It’s the main thing of a song, and it’s the first and main thing that goes directly to the listener. I think it’s hard to find out a good vocal melody that is interesting and works great with the rest of the music.


4. What is a live show for Elvenking like? Very theatrical or just a classic metal event?

Very energetic. That’s for sure. Then it always depends on the situations. We are not able to bring all the stuff we want everywhere. When we have the possibility we also try to create something more theatrical, for example on stage. But this is not always possible, for example if we travel by plane, etc.


5. Who are the current influences of Elvenking?

Everything that really sounds good to our ears. Obviously everything in metal music – from hard rock to extreme black metal-, but also a lot from other kinds, like folk, punk or pop for example. And everything that really can touch us in some way.


6. The other major focus are how the guitars and synth meld into beautiful harmonics. Does Elven start with musical or vocal ideas and themes to create your hymns?

As said the main thing for us is always a good vocal melody. That’s the main thing. Obviously in term of songwriting can happen to have a good guitar riff or melody and start playing around the theme. Basically when we have something rough in term of song structure we tend to analyze what is really necessary and what instead is there without a reason for the song itself and try to bring to the song what it really needs. There are no rules fixed.  


7. Will Elvenking be touring the USA in 2011?

We have no real plans for US tour at the moment. We are finalizing things for South America tour but not US. Unfortunately it seems not so easy to come there playing. It’s still difficult to me to understand the metal scene there.


8. What the bands thoughts on the digital age for music. Does Elvenking embrace and loathe it?

Difficult question. I think that the digital era can help a lot the smaller bands, because you can easily reach a lot of people, but from the other side I think that music as we knew it is slowly coming to an end. Everyone can record his own album nowadays and there are millions of bands out there, and record companies cannot give enough economical support because music dos not sell anymore, and I think it will all turn into a mass suicide.


9. Will there ever be a long form DVD like something bands like Battlelore or Blind Guardian have done? You would be perfect for this..

Yes, it is something that our fans keep on asking us and we are thinking about. But if it needs to be, it should be something of really decent quality, and to do something like this you need a big organization and something really worth to film. I don’t want to release a DVD just to do it, it should be something good. So let’s see.


10.  What music do the member of Elvenking listen to that would shock there fan. As that music normal influences the band more than any think?

Ah, well Metal fans are really strange. In their words they should appear as open minded, but we know perfectly that it’s exactly the contrary! Even if I say I like bands like Avenged Sevenfold lots of them will be shocked. But if I say I listen to some pop stuff or bands like Simple Plans, Angels & Airways or things like this it would sound like a tragedy! But I have no problems. And yes, a lot of this music influence our way of writing music. A good song remains a good one, no matter how it is arranged.


11. Your website is stunning tell us a bit about that. It really tells the story of Elvenking. How did it come to be?

I think that in this era is really important to have well done channels to present your abd and your music, and we just try to do our best. If someone needs to know something about us, just check out www.elvenking.net , and you find out a lot of stuff. Otherwise you can easily add us on Facebook. We try to be in contact with all our fans there and in the forum of our website we answer all the questions from the fans.


12. Thank you for the time; any closing thoughts here.

I really hope American metal fan can give a listen to “Red Silent Tides”. For everyone still able to dream and do it with music, give a spin to the album!
Aydan - ELVENKING

Full tracks from As All Die, Black Depths Grey Waves and Clint Listing on Soundcloud now ..

Hey Enjoy some of my Music over the years. 10 tracks of the 3 projects are up at soundcloud now..



Latest tracks by The Doorway to

Few reviews from Aesthetic Death Label 2/11/2011

The Null Collective- De Monstris-CD ( Aesthetic Death)

Do you even know what funeral doom is as most people don't remember the beauty and sickness of organs, guttural vocal, slow molasses guitars, primitive drumming and that warm vibration of a bass tone you can feel 20 minutes after hearing the track. The over all ritualistic effects that music so slow and building can create the madness of ones own reality. Well  The Null Collective not what there doing . This is where bands like Dusk (USA), Evoken, Skepticism, Shape of Despair and the mighty Esoteric all took the torch and made music on there on path and course. On De Monstris there is a very hypnotic and industrial over tone to it all almost were bands like Godflesh, Philistine and PHOBOS are doing. I fully understand that The Null Collective will not be for the masses but for those of us that miss the days of yore when Doom/Death meant slow, crushing and power well you have another hope for the movement. 

http://www.aestheticdeath.com/

Murkrat-S/t-CD (Aesthetic Death)

Wow I was not ready for the female vocals to come from this droning Doom/ Avant Metal force that reminds me very much of a few bands one being Madder mortem the other that comes to mind at once is Opera IX when it was female fronted of course. There is a occult element to the music and the mid tempo with such powerful vocals works so well. The melody is there esp in the guitars and bass work. The Drums are those lumbering Sabbath kind of percussion that works on many levels . The Synth work is very cool as its organ and string based at the same time and they way its mixes almost gives a black metal taste to the music but just in the overall tone not as the style. I like the dirty edge to the production and I swear at times this could be a soundtrack to a lost 80's horror film.  Murkrat mix a fine line on carnival music in a very unsettling way to. I see they have a new album coming in 2011 . I will be very interested in this as well.

http://www.aestheticdeath.com/

Lysergene-Critical Mass-CD ( Aesthetic Death)

So back a few yrs Gordon on the mighty Doom unit Esoteric (UK) seems to have recorded this fantastic electronic dark /rhythmic industrial album that seems to come across as what Scorn , NIN, Terrorkaft and some of the more adventurous Cold meat and Dark Vinyl acts were cooking up in the late 90's early 21st century. The loops and beats are distorted and percussive . The tones are noise and the synths and what sounds like chopped up guitar works is very well layered and has a very cool Sci Fi approach to it . It reminds me a lot of James Plotkins " Flux" project or Xploding Plastix. The more I listen to this the more Lysergene is impressing me. This is electronic music for those that have come from a Jazz or Rock background and want to create music outside mainstream genres. I feel richer to have heard this and will be having it on my audio player for weeks and months to come. Stellar release.

http://www.aestheticdeath.com/

3 New Reviews 2/10/2011

Fen-Epoch-CD  (Code 666)

Post black metal landscape has been ebbing and following over the years this a band though now ha just simply blown m away the mix elements of Klimt 1918, Dornenreich, Katatonia and Code all into Atmospheric Post metal journey. The mix of Delicate Acoustics and strings then the blast of  Vicious black metal . The intermingling of Clean and Grim vocals and just the massive epic output of a project like this is something you hear from label like Prophecy or Season of Mist as of late. Fen is the next wave of introspective heathen metal from europe. The tones and layers going on here are really beyond words. This is music for one's path to enlightenment, nothing less.

http://www.auralmusic.com/

Wail-Wail-CD (Ahdistuksen Aihio Productions)

There are few styles I like more then this and with Wail you get a pure form of Blackened Doom/Death. If you like Incantation, Early Nile, Disembowelment, NECRONOCLAST.  Just listen to the slow and spiraling hypnotic effect of the guitars and bass There from Finland and the pour out the Thergothon worship which is nothing less there brilliance to this reviewer. The Spoken way the vocals are done so deep and almost to the massives from a pulpit. The rest of the music is just that there are moments of speed but most of the time its just that haunting and ultra verbed Black Doom sound that can never be mistaken ever. If your a Fan of Evoken and Mournful Congregation this is a band you want to check out ..

http://www.ahdistuksenaihio.com/

Tangents- One little light Year-CD ( Angle Side Side/Restricted Releases)

I really don't know where to begin with a band like Tangents as they are just so musically talented and adventurous in a Prog, Pop, Metal, Rock and Adult Contempory way . Its going to take many on a journey that some will just think is too much. Tangent to me sound like Saigon Kick, Beatles, Queen, Kings X, Jeff Buckley then then they jet off to Post rock and caberet / theatre music for me. The vocals of Dave Witham are so powerful and striking I don't really have words they just move you in ways that many have not before.   Them being from Providence RI doesn't shock met as that has always been a musical hot bed for Avant and Indie music. I love the playful way the music is created but still with intellect and complexity. This is not for just a simple pop music fan in any way. At time its like a more commercial flavored Sunny Day Real estate or Shudder to think. This album is massive to say the least in productions, arrangements and just pure skill. I hope to see Tangents take indie music into the 21st century were bands like Foo Fighter and Soundgarden did before them. 

http://www.myspace.com/restrictedrelease

Short List New Reviews 2/5/2011 @ AZM

Ruled By Reason-The Dawning of Dystopia-CD ( The Execution Kollective/ ATMF)
So this is technical Death metal with a heavy does of Modern Thrash elements and some very talented guitar and bass work. The Drummer is a working metronome as well. They are a US band working with a sublabel of the mighty ATMF label. Their Influences are those of bands on the Listenable label with elements of Old Dead Tree, Opeth , Jazzcore and heavy doses of Meshuggah.  With Ruled by Reason melody is what plays the major rule almost in the emo or Post Punk way. I know its hard to explain as there are so many elements going on here. This is another example of what I like to call Thinking mans Metal its not Metalcore as it way beyond that with the Prog, Jazz and Punk elements.  I really feel you have to listen to understand but it your willing to not be a close minded fuck you will see the advantage a band like this has to open the genres we love wide open to those that have never even given them a change. Damn the guitar work here is so stellar is makes me emotional..The vocals also go from full on Carcass style to clean Opeth vocals if that makes any more sense. I want this band to be huge so the world can see what they have missed out on for 20 -25 yrs now.
http://executionkollective.com/


Human Improvement Process-S.T.A.R.S.-CD (The Execution Kollective/ ATMF)
So Electronic and Death metal are nothing new in this day and age many many bands do it and Its not that Human Improvement Process mixes Industrial, Ethereal, Death Metal and Hardcore into a stew that makes it interesting . Its that they do it in a way that will piss off many different scensters that makes me love them all the more. There  are moments here you would think Samael and Kovenant are more metallic then this band now and then there will 30 seconds later sound like the most brutal gore band on this earth. I just love that they will goto into a hardcore groove in the same moment then go to a popish riff with clean melodic vocals then back to cries of torment. I this will not be for all  but if you understand what bands like like Voivod 20 + yrs ago were out to try and create bands like this take the touch in 2011 and do it to there own fire. Hell ya I say hell ya to all of you in this band..
http://executionkollective.com/

ARKHUM-Anno Universum-CD (Vendlus Records)
I will start with the American Northwest over the last 10 yrs has really become a hotbed for experimental Black metal that is steeped in Death metal shrouds and Arkhum is no different as this is what I hear listening to them for the 1st time its a Death metal band that loves Tech, Scifi and Black metal esthetic's .. The vocals which sound like two different vocals are low guitars and that Northern European Black style. Were the music goes from Incantation , Womb and Evoken to Immortal and Marduk sometimes in the same song with touches of Nile and Bolt Thrower in many of the tracks. This is one brutal as fuck and crazy as fuck album. You have signed to label that will clearly give you the openness to make some avant music to say the least. Arkhum I watch you with baited breathe to see what your second release gives us.
http://vendlus.com/

THE BEAST OF THE APOCALYPSE-Henosis-CD ( Transcendental Creations)
I don't know what you expect from a band like this or the label they are on but what he have here is Old World Atmospheric Raw Occult Black metal on the highest of orders. All with the creepy synths that are buried in the back of the production. To the tinny and verbed out guitars, the distorted bass and vocals that sound as they are being torn from the very voice box of the monster that is presenting them. The mid to blast beat tempo of thunder like drumming. Its pretty music love at first listen for those of us that love this sickness we call Black metal. The white noise effect takes you over and all you want to do is let all the negatives around you out on the world and what else can you ask for with a band like this . I say nothing another fantastic release from label and band.
http://transcendentalcreations.com/

The Meads of Asphodel Interview is up ..

http://www.themeadsofasphodel.com/

1. You worked with Supernal Music for years the 1st question I have why the move to candlelight?

We were on Supernal for the firs 3 albums and then we moved to Godreah Records, then to Candlelight and it is a natural progression for us. Our music will now reach a wider audience and that is never a bad thing.

2. The Meads of Asphodel has a very epic style mixed with Black and Death metal is it hard to incorp the choir like vocals and orchestral elements?

We have always written music this way. There are no boundaries or constraints so we never feel suffocated, so anything goes really. We have utilized Medieval, Middle Eastern, Choirs, Orchestration, female vocalists, electronica, dance, techno, punk, doom and Death metal elements and many more inspired musical oddities. The fact we have some great friends to add their own stamp to the arrangements makes the diverse sounding style we have all the more unique.

3. What is a live show like with Meads as you always have Viking / medieval theme / presentation with the band?

The band has never played live as yet.

4. The Murder of Jesus the Jew is an intense title what has the feedback been . I would think people would be very taken a back by name of album?

The album title is very provocative and is meant to stir the imagination. It is s statement of fact and not just an insulting sentence. Jesus was a Jew, this is something many people forget [its what the Catholic Church wanted us all to forget]. The album is very focused on this one theme, a story of the most famous man in history. We think we know so much about Jesus but we really know very little.

5. What’s the theme of the new album is it something deeper then what we think from hearing the tracks?

The music is foremost for anyone to enjoy. The lyrical theme is extremely deep and tells a story that to our minds is a historical truth as opposed to the dogmatic bullshit of the Church. Rome is vindicated in the New Testament from all her vile oppressive acts, especially the act of the murder of Jesus the Jew. The book of Revelation is a complete Jewish work about Rome and this is a book where so many so called Satanic bullshit emanates from. The number of the beats is 666, but its just another form of denoting the Emperor Nero. The great Whore is Rome, and so on. The song Jew Killer, is about Pontius Pilate who killed a Jew, its as simple as that. This albums about truth, and truth is real.

6. What’s your thoughts on the digital age for Underground metal/ extreme music. Is it a blessing or curse?

It has taken away the hard work, the individual passion from the scene. When we started we traded tapes all over the world and the paper zines had a lot more enthusiasm put into them. You had to send everything by post and that’s how the underground works. It was an exclusive place for those who truly embraces its cold chill. Now it is easy to throw up a demo on my space, start up a zine without too much hard work and to me its all fucked up. The underground does not feel personal any more.

7. Being from the country that such experimental metal artist like Bal Sagoth, Skyclad, Anaal Nathrakh etc. There seems to be thriving Scene there is that correct?

The scene in the Uk has always been solid, maybe not in quantity, but certainly quality. There are some fantastic bands in he British metal scene at the moment, Fen, Wodensthrone, Old Corpse Road, Winterfylleth , Eastern Front, Worms of Sabnock, Ebonillumini. And lets not forget the mighty Bal Sagoth, and Akercoke.

8. Your Site is more like an informational Blog do you feel this is best way today to present the bands info to world?

It's as good as any. We don’t have a constant stream of news so we put up what’s necessary. It serves its purpose as a central hub for anyone who feels the urge to check the band out.

9. I know I've read there is a strong Anti Christian theme to the band is this still true as the new album seems to have humorous slant to it?

Music is meant to be enjoyed and even he most primitive icy black metal demo can be smiled at. We add our curve balls to perplex the listener and if this gives a humorous side to what we do then that’s ok with us. We take our music very seriously but don not mind the so called purists taking the piss or writing bad reviews. Sometimes it requires some patience to understand our music.

10. Would still call what The Meads of Asphodel create " Black metal" or have you moved beyond that?

What is Black Metal? Is it the lyrics or the music, or both. If it’s the lyrics we are more Back metal than most. Musically we have one foot in the Black metal mire and the other in whatever. King Diamond has a far more authentic black metal lyrical format than most bands and yet would you classify his vocals as such? Darkthrone are just a warped Celtic Frost, and Venom were just a warped NWOBHM beast, so Black Metal is for anyone who embraces its soul and that is a lyrical and musical union of its adherents

11. Will we ever see a DVD for Meads as your music, image and vibe would fit a full length DVD for sure?

We will most definitely release a dvd of studio and rehearsal footage. We have a documentary out on line at the moment so fans can see the real people behind the music.

You can wee this via www.themeadsofasphodel.com

12. Thank you for the time any closing thoughts here..

well, here’s something I wrote last night in a drunken haze, I must have been really down, I shall share it with you.

“Grasping the pastoral staff, I walked upon Holy relics, crushing bones

beneath my feet, splintering skulls between my toes. When I die, the clocks will be as normal, but the flowers on my grave will wither.

I wished to be cremated, like burnt toast, to rise once more like fag smoke, and yet my flesh is spared the dignity of the flames, to the nether sod I am to rot.

The moon will still appear on the evening of my funeral, but will the drunken mourners recall my name? When the hangovers remind them of who I was, the grubs will be writhing under my waxen skin.

The tributes will be welcome, although I shall not see them. I am dead remember, I smell like arse gas, but far worse, like the blocked drains, my faecal remains will melt into black liquor.

Oh death, the memories fade, they will walk past my grave, strangers to come.

Who was he who died so long ago? Will any one care?

As I disintegrate into the reeking bile, where the worms consume my hard cock, and my lungs bleed a rasping echo. Hollow skull, eyes long devoured by moles, an empty head, my brains a mushy pool of forgotten thoughts.”

Thanks for your time.

Metatron