New Reviews 10/23/2010
Kryoburn-Three years eclipsed-CD (Candlelight)
This is the kind of metal that I really enjoy symphonic prog influenced Death metal .There are many bands that come to mind when I listen to Kryoburn.... Moonspell, Dan Swano, Devin Townsend and Fear Factory all come to focus when I really start digging into it love the prog and sci fi elements on the synths and overall tone of the album . The mix death vox and very melodic sung vocals work so well with the complex and harmonic guitar and bass lines and a drummer that matches Mr Hoglan for my money. There is a modern metal feel to all of this but never in the Nu metal bullshit element. From time to time I hear Katatonia creeping to there sound as well. Kryoburn has so much going for it . Just check them out.
The Wretched End- Ominous-CD (Candlelight )
So Samoth the guitars profound of Emperor and Zyklon is band with a new project that maybe his best yet as it mixed 2 things hes very good at Death metal and Hardcore elements into any extreme music style. This is the 1st time I will say I hear no Black metal elements in his guitar playing and it think hes much happier for it. The vocals on here are very old school thrash mixed with 80's hardcore I can hear a very Sick of it all meets Cromags vibe going on here as well. Samoth has a very big fondness for Alex from Testament on Guitar this time as well and that I just love. The Wretched End is so damn catchy yet the brutal element add the complete package for a band that sounds yrs ahead of where Zyklon was coming from for my money. Its real simple if you like Death, Thrash and Hardcore mixed into a tasty main course for music do not pass on this.
http://candlelightrecordsusa.com/
Borgne- Entraves de l'Âme-CD (Sepulchral Productions)
I know very little of this project other then what I have read so far. This is one of the more atmospheric of the raw/ spacial Black metal forces I've heard in a while if Summoning and Lustre were more Black I think they would be brothers in this scene. I see that Xasthur main man plays a role on this album . This is a very haunting and unsettling feel to all the tones and layers going on here. It's almost black noise at times an I have nothing against that at all. There is such an orchestral drive to this while the guitar and vocals and drums are so raw and lo fi. I really like what Borgne is presenting here. from the lush acoustic to pure nightmarish blackened pain. Burzum, Mayhem and Older Darkthrone fans with love this as it holds just into those Ideals as well. Bombastic is yet another thought that come across very well for Borgne. I really look forward to hearing more . I just hope it isnt several yrs for that like they say it was for this .
Forteresse-Par Hauts Bois et Vastes Plaines-CD (Sepulchral Productions)
Over the last few years Black metal has been moving into two very different directions pure speed and the love of the old school punk ideals and this the emotional, atmospheric and ritualistic symphonies. While still cold , bleak and full of the horror that makes the genre thrive, Bands like Forteresse play slower , more focused and try to add the synths in for more of a soundtrack like feel to a thriller or thinking man's horror film and you know this works out so well . This is full of hope and sorrow. loss and grief and epic in the undertaking that it is trying to present. I hope this side of the Black metal scene grows and cross pollination with other genres and styles to make it even more fragmented and interesting to listen to . Bands like Forteresse clearly love bands like Aghast, MZ412, Puissance and so many of the Cold Meat and Cold Spring Darker Neoclassic bands. Simply just blown away by this release.
http://www.sepulchralproductions.com/
Neige et Noirceur -La seigneurie des loups-CD (Sepulchral Productions)
This is one of those bands I am having a very hard time making my mind up on its a mix of Folk music, Viking elements, War themes, Raw BM and Occult Metal as I call it there are moments of greatness but then it just goes into a pompus vibe that I use to think was just fucking silly (remember Bestial warlust) if you do then you get my point. I don't know if they are even serious about parts of this release. As Neige et Noirceur are very talented musicians that is clear . The damn album as a whole just seems very unfocused and I think this is were its losing me. Are you Raw or are you folk there are very few bands that can pull this off Graveland is one of them. Then out of left field there is an industrial element that comes over this. I don't know I think its time for me to say you decide on this as I think I'm over this release..
http://www.sepulchralproductions.com/
The Ocean-Anthropocentric-CD (Metal Blade)
More Awe inspired Progressive Extreme Metal. There are so many things going on with band. The ocean have a lot in common with Edge of Sanity ,Opeth but then they remind me of very un-metal band at time too. They have an uncanny way to sound like The Mars Volta. There is a strong love of bands like Kill Switch Engage and All that Remains which I know some feel are sell out now but to me still are very original sounding Extreme music bands. The tempo and time changes on this records are jaw dropping there is almost a post hardcore element going on too. The more I dig into this there are flavors of many the more indie hardcore bands like Shudder to think and Jawbox as well. I know this is not going to be for everyone but if you like complexity and thought provoking arrangements then The Ocean is second to none. The Grand Inquistor III sound like its straight out only the later Gathering Album still wth Anneke. There other moments I swear they are side band of Mastodon as some of the riff just have that feel. The to go a bit more obscure they have a very close kinship with a band called Giant Squid. I'm going to be listening to this a hell of a lot I can tell ya.
http://metalblade.com/
Sargeist- Let the Devil in-CD (Moribund Cult)
Really what do you need to know about Sargeist after all these releases and years. You have members of Horna and Behexen creating some of the greatest mid tempo cold and catchy black metal that has ever been made. There is a majesty feel to how this is created and the layers of sound and the craft that is put into the guitar tones, melodics and he brutal vocal and drumming assault this yet to be another gem in the crown that Moribund already holds from the best in the Blackened arts. A band like Sargeist is much like others I can think of Marduk or Dark Funeral . You either already love this band or will never give them a chance. With that I say if your a fan of Black metal with a melodic edge then this is a release not to miss.
http://moribundcult.com/
Over the last few years Black metal has been moving into two very different directions pure speed and the love of the old school punk ideals and this the emotional, atmospheric and ritualistic symphonies. While still cold , bleak and full of the horror that makes the genre thrive, Bands like Forteresse play slower , more focused and try to add the synths in for more of a soundtrack like feel to a thriller or thinking man's horror film and you know this works out so well . This is full of hope and sorrow. loss and grief and epic in the undertaking that it is trying to present. I hope this side of the Black metal scene grows and cross pollination with other genres and styles to make it even more fragmented and interesting to listen to . Bands like Forteresse clearly love bands like Aghast, MZ412, Puissance and so many of the Cold Meat and Cold Spring Darker Neoclassic bands. Simply just blown away by this release.
http://www.sepulchralproductions.com/
Neige et Noirceur -La seigneurie des loups-CD (Sepulchral Productions)
This is one of those bands I am having a very hard time making my mind up on its a mix of Folk music, Viking elements, War themes, Raw BM and Occult Metal as I call it there are moments of greatness but then it just goes into a pompus vibe that I use to think was just fucking silly (remember Bestial warlust) if you do then you get my point. I don't know if they are even serious about parts of this release. As Neige et Noirceur are very talented musicians that is clear . The damn album as a whole just seems very unfocused and I think this is were its losing me. Are you Raw or are you folk there are very few bands that can pull this off Graveland is one of them. Then out of left field there is an industrial element that comes over this. I don't know I think its time for me to say you decide on this as I think I'm over this release..
http://www.sepulchralproductions.com/
The Ocean-Anthropocentric-CD (Metal Blade)
More Awe inspired Progressive Extreme Metal. There are so many things going on with band. The ocean have a lot in common with Edge of Sanity ,Opeth but then they remind me of very un-metal band at time too. They have an uncanny way to sound like The Mars Volta. There is a strong love of bands like Kill Switch Engage and All that Remains which I know some feel are sell out now but to me still are very original sounding Extreme music bands. The tempo and time changes on this records are jaw dropping there is almost a post hardcore element going on too. The more I dig into this there are flavors of many the more indie hardcore bands like Shudder to think and Jawbox as well. I know this is not going to be for everyone but if you like complexity and thought provoking arrangements then The Ocean is second to none. The Grand Inquistor III sound like its straight out only the later Gathering Album still wth Anneke. There other moments I swear they are side band of Mastodon as some of the riff just have that feel. The to go a bit more obscure they have a very close kinship with a band called Giant Squid. I'm going to be listening to this a hell of a lot I can tell ya.
http://metalblade.com/
Sargeist- Let the Devil in-CD (Moribund Cult)
Really what do you need to know about Sargeist after all these releases and years. You have members of Horna and Behexen creating some of the greatest mid tempo cold and catchy black metal that has ever been made. There is a majesty feel to how this is created and the layers of sound and the craft that is put into the guitar tones, melodics and he brutal vocal and drumming assault this yet to be another gem in the crown that Moribund already holds from the best in the Blackened arts. A band like Sargeist is much like others I can think of Marduk or Dark Funeral . You either already love this band or will never give them a chance. With that I say if your a fan of Black metal with a melodic edge then this is a release not to miss.
http://moribundcult.com/
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