Aeternus - ...And So The Night Became

…And So The Night Became was the second Black Metal album I ever bought when I was just 13.  I remember being initially reeled in by the ultra-grim, black and red cover.  Back then I was rather on the fence about it because of its dreary, repetitive nature.  Now, listening to it with mature ears I realize just how much of an overlooked gem it really is.  Until their most recent album, this was Aeternus’ best work full of memorable riffs, tight musicianship and great atmosphere.  What really sets this album apart, though, is the quality of the clean, slow parts.  You see, in most Metal, folk instruments and clean guitars are really just a novelty.  Aeternus are such well-rounded musicians, though, that their mellow moments are every bit as good as the Blackness that is the bulk of their material.  Like Setherial’s Nord, and Emperor’s Anthems,  …And So The Night Became represents the best of the late 90’s Norwegian scene.

in a mellow metal mood 

Aeternus - ...And The Seventh His Soul Detesteth

It's always interesting to hear what old bands come up with these days.  Often they just release the same album over and over (Asphyx, Incantation), or they actually stretch their creative muscle and come up with something really worth listening to.  Aeternus have never been strangers to virtuosity, but they've never displayed it so well before now (and without being overbearing).  And The Seventh His Soul Detesteth reminds me of a rawer, darker version of Unleashed's Odalheim or a more accessible version Diskord's Dystopics.  Aeternus have always seemed unsure of their direction, but I do hope that they settle on the path that they've taken here.

cold dead hand

Rotting Christ - Sanctus Diavolos

For years I never gave a shit about this band thinking that they were like the Greek Dimmu Borgir.  Turns out, that's not true at all.  Sanctus Diavolos, like their other works of the past 10 years, is a very ambitious and unique effort.  The clean production, vocal chants, and understated technicality combined create a very fresh alternative to "old fashioned" Black Metal orthodoxy.

serve goat meat in heaven

Svartidauði - Flesh Cathedral

Surprising that none of my blogger buds have picked up on this release, but so fortunate because that gives me free reign to step in and fill that overlooked void.  With Flesh Cathedral, Svartidauði have truly established themselves in the world of Black Metal.  Comparable in style and quality to Swedish masters Ondskapt and Ofermod, they deliver pretty much everything you would want in a Black Metal album.  There's ample amounts cavernous echoes, lethargic misery, and muderous blasts.  Along with the variety of pace is a refreshing balance of dissonance and melody.  I'm pretty certain these guys are the finest Black Metal band out of their small (but prolific) country of Iceland.  Don't miss the boat on this one.

 the banana boat

 

Teloch - Morbid Prayer

Black Metal done in true Norse tradition.  To me, Morbid Prayer sounds half way between the epic, melodic style of early Gorgoroth and the primitive hammering of Darkthrone.  The atmosphere and production are near-perfect for the style.  The songwriting is a bit understated, but works very well.  You all know that prefer the unusual and progressive, but there's always room for humble, traditional offerings.

smells like bigfoot's dick

Drottnar - Stratum

It's been a while since I posted something really complex and technical (especially in the Black Metal realm), but here it is.  Drottnar remind me very much of late-era Mayhem and Satyricon's most underrated Rebel Extravaganza.  It's ultra-modern Black Metal with musicianship seldom heard in the genre.  I feel obligated to inform you that Drottnar are a christian band.  Turn you off?  Too bad.  This band kills it.  And I'd rather listen to this than any of the shit Varg is farting out these days.

R. Kelly's doo doo butter

Slaughtered Priest - Confess Your Sins

It seems that these days there's an endless stream of Black/Thrash bands coming out of every corner of the globe.  Every one of them obeying the strict code of bullet belts, black & white album covers, and the most boring riffs outside of a Krabathor album.  At first glance you would judge Slaughtered Priest as just another one of those faceless formula bands, and you would be so fortunately wrong.  What Slaughtered Priest lack in originality and good taste, they more than compensate with amazing riffs and uncompromising consistency.  Each song is a killer built on top of an unrelenting D-beat.  These power-chord riffs are so fast and fluid, they would make Coroner, Rigor Mortis, and Destruction jealous.  With an audible bass and livelier production, this could have been a modern classic.  Even without those, it's still great.  Confess to the dead!

greco-roman wrasslin'

Trollfest - Brumblebassen

I know what you're thinking: "What, a novelty band!?  Has Kawana jumped on the Folky/Pirate Metal bandwagon?"  The short answer is no.  I'm as surprised as you are that I'm posting an album with an "evil bumblebee" on the cover, but I'm genuinely impressed with cohesiveness and musicianship displayed here.  There's just so many notes being played and so many influences coming through at once, but all executed with supreme precision.  Are they using computers to correct their timing?  It's possible, but I'm just paying attention to how fucking entertaining and refreshing this sounds to really care.  Ok, so it's probably not gonna make fans out you "bearded types" that are digging the new Krallice album.  If you wanna hear something that's a bit more atypical than your usual Nekkro or Guttural drivel, then fly away with me to the Nordic fantasy realm.

almost as tasty as bee spit

Fhoi Myore - Fhoi Myore

Raw, epic Black Metal in the old Swedish tradition (but from France).  Especially scathing vocals.  Nothing new, but still good.

the one eyed monster

Martyrdöd - Paranoia

You know how people are always saying "their first album was amazing, but everything after that sucks"?  Well, I often find myself saying the opposite.  It can take a band a decade's worth of albums before they've reached the level of maturity that my exquisite pallete demands.  Such is definitely the case with Swedish D-Beaters Martyrdöd.  Their vaguely Metallic Crustcore never quite drew me in.  Their riffs were just a little too ordinary and they never brought enough of the Black Metal influence that (their cheerleader) Felix Havoc would go on and on about.  Usually Crustcore bands keep toiling away with the same formula (Wolfbrigade, Wartorn) their entire career, which is fine if you love that style.  Thankfully, Martyrdöd have bucked that tradition and have shown great progression since I last heard them in '05.  The Black Metal presence has increased as well as the overall songwriting.  Aside from a couple of straightforward bashers, these songs actually develop and have depth.  The tones have better "texture" and there's some real melodies being played (not just two-chord overdubs).  Yes, this is still Crustcore and inherently modest in techincality, but is a million times more interesting than the contemporaries relying only on distortion and militant politics.

   

good taste is easy to recognize... 

Male Misandria - Spark of The Ancient Seed

It's been awhile since a Grindcore band has made an impression on me, but damnit if Male Misandria hasn't kicked my ass.  They've been called a Black/Grind hybrid, but I think that's a bit of a stretch.  The Black Metal influence is pretty vague.  To me, this is just really good Grindcore slightly blackened with great tremolo-picked riffs. This album is a comp, so there will be some volume and production differences between songs.  Still great.

ancient splooge

Pact - The Dragon Lineage of Satan

The past week has been a desert for good new releases, but I do have this; the best Black Metal release I've heard in months.  Pact might qualify as "mysterious guy" Black Metal, as their names and hometown aren't known, but there's nothing really mysterious about their music.  The Dragon Lineage of Satan is honest, Nordic-influenced, but still very American-sounding Black Metal.  There's no "flashy" musicianship, trendy Post-Rock tendencies, or right-wing politics to be found.  Middle of the road?  Maybe, but progressive and eclectic elements often  don't work with Black Metal, so I have no problem with a band like Pact who just do it the olde tyme way.  Thanks to Raze Hell of  Dower of Refuse for this.  If not for him, this rip wouldn't be floating around cyberspace.

  if you're from my generation, this cover might remind you of this

i also found a music video, but i'm not sure if it's the same band

naked people

Imperial Vengeance - Black Heart of Empire

This one is kind of a departure for me, as I usually don't post stuff that's "conceptual" or "theatrical", but I'm liking this album.  Black Heart of Empire reminds me much of King Diamond in terms of musical sophistication and synth melodies.  I'm also reminded of Diabolical Masquerade as far as tones and conceptual nature.  The imagery and lyrical language is rather upper-class and "Victorian", which you can choose to love or hate.  This is basically what Cradle or Dimmu would sound like if either of those bands were worth a shit.  Truth be told, this is a solo project of an ex-Cradle member.  This is a good and much more legitimately Black Metal effort than anything those bands have put out since their earliest days.  It's not for everyone, but if you like Black Metal with a high-brow, you should give it shot.

fancy, but not fancy schmancy

Ketzer - Endzeit Metropolis

When you read that a band has members named Desecratör, Executor, and Infernal Destroyer, you'd probably expect to hear some bone-headed Black/Thrash.  Well, you'd be half right.  Endzeit Metropolis is indeed a dripping slab of Thrashing Black Metal, except it's actually good, far beyond their goat and penis-obsessed contemporaries.  At this stage Ketzer sounds like a catchier, less Dissection-esque (and better) Watain.  With the whole catchy/cheese thing going on, they do flirt with "Black & Roll" at times, but they never get really outrageous with it like Midnight.  To me, this is really just a more accessible take on Swedish Black Metal with some tongue-in-cheek humor, Thrash, and D-beat ifluence thrown in.  Take all of those contrasting ingredients and put them in a streamlined, professional package, and you have probably the best Black Metal album so far this year.

  

and scene 

Ghamorean - Terra Ruina

This one is cool.  *Actual review of another album coming tomorrow.

it's your birthday

Nekromantheon - Rise, Vulcan Spectre

There's tons of new Black/Thrash bands around thesed days, but this is the first one to ever strike my fancy.  That's probably because Nekromantheon actually make good music instead of relying on their huge number of bullet-belts and goat heads to get attention.  They play ripping thrash in the early Sodom/Destruction/Bathory tradition, maybe some early Sepultura can be found in there as well.  The vocals are a particular standout; they have a huge, throaty sound with just the right amount of delay for a perfect cavernous effect.  The guitar playing comes in a close second.  It's expectedly fierce with tons of single-string riffing and hammer-ons reminding me so much of Destruction's Proto-Black peak.  The guitar is a little low in the mix and there's some cymbal harshness, but the overall production is still very listenable.  When it comes to Black Metal or Black/Thrash, atmosphere somewhat trumps clarity, so it's not such a big deal.   Anyway, I see good things in this band's future.

  

vulcan peace sign 

Last post ever?

I'm kinda wondering if I should keep this blog going, as interest seems to be waning.  Chime in if you don't want that to happen.  But because I'm such a nice guy, I'll still put an album up on this post instead of just an outright "cry for help".  

Hexis is a charming young band from Denmark.  After just an EP and a split, they've finally released their first proper album with XI.  They've put forth some impressive Post-Hardcore influenced Black Metal here.  This particular style has gotten pretty popular recently, and I'm liking it.  Hexis pull this off very well without sounding too watered-down or bastardized.  Both influences are represented legitimately and finished with a raw, but clear production. 

2 legit

Oranssi Pazuzu - Kosmonument

It's pretty rare, but every once in a while I come across a band that leaves me dumbfounded.  This is one of those times.  I've heard this band tagged as "Psychedelic Black Metal", but that's far too restricting of a label; as the sonic mind-fuck created here transcends Metal.  I haven't had music make me feel so claustrophobic since I heard The Berzerker or Naked City for the first time  Sure, the length of the album could be cut in half if you factor out all the "psych" ambient interludes, but the many moments of cacophonous tension are worth sifting through all that.  Besides, I know some of you totally dig that ambient meandering.

who does that?

Ascension - Consolamentum

Back again with more killer Black Metal from Germany (Saxony, to be more precise).  I know I've been gushing about French Black Metal lately, but the "Germs" definitely keep it real too.  I can't think of one style of Metal that Germany doesn't have a great scene for.  This album is pretty much in the same style as the French bands I've been posting as of late.  Like their neighbor contemporaries, these guys can definitely play, only their music is a little less technical.  Perhaps a little more effort is put into atmosphere and a little less into the "challenge-level" of the music itself.  This album walks several thin lines expertly well; there's just perfect balance everywhere (especially for a debut!).  The production has great atmosphere, but doesn't sacrifice clarity.  The songs have plenty of breathing room, but never sound "droney", always maintaining a satisfying pace.  The riffs are well mixed, often dissonant and bleak, but with a great sprinkling of the tonal and epic.  If you dug that Nightbringer album, but want something a little more straight-forward, this should fit you perfectly!

 

open hearts and closed minds

Nightbringer - Hierophany of the Open Grave

Isn't it so satisfying when, after hours of blog exploring, you finally find something that doesn't sound like everyone else?  I certainly feel rewarded when that happens to me, even if it's a short-lived feeling.  This is Black Metal in the truest sense of the word.  The feel and energy are a constant pitch black married with a suffactingly thick atmosphere.  The result will have you in that familiar, trance-like morose state.  Unlike most Metal, which focuses on guitar riffs to carry most of the song, this album relies on tone, written music and production value equally to drive it's point across.  This approach may not be new, but it is seldomly done well; with only a handful of efforts by Gorgoroth, Wodensthrone, and Demoncy coming to mind as successes.  Nightbringer might describe themselves as "Orhtodox", but this ain't your dad's Black Metal.

my tongue slays