Top Ten Heavy Metal Albums of 2014
Feb 09
Although it didn’t feel as though there were many memorable heavy metal releases in 2014, I will say that it felt stronger that the previous year so hopefully that marks an ongoing trend into ‘15. A big difference this last year were the ‘big releases’ that failed to impress; whereas ‘13 was mostly just a glut of anything and the few that did stand out came from debut bands, ‘14 was marked by several anticipated albums that just didn’t live up to the excitement. At The Gates, Cavelera Conspiracy, and The Haunted being examples, especially since the two Swedish groups in the bunch were putting out ‘comeback albums’. The strong genre in this list definitely seems to be on the proggier side of things, with solid outings from Opeth, Soen, Ne Obliviscaris, and others. Vainaja – Kadotetut This thundering platter of death represents some of the best from the gloomier side of metal for a year which featured a surprisingly strong outing for doom. This album has a cloud of grief and despair thick enough to choke a manically depressed elephant, but it isn’t just atmosphere and slow tempos here; there are some seriously heavy-hitting tracks that will pummel your brain thanks to a penchant for death ‘n roll flair. Soen – Tellurian For a year with little in expectations, anything was up in the air. Come mid year, most reviewers and fans of metal were left justified in that ambivalence when left with a paltry few stand-out releases and a large swath of unimpressive and largely forgettable albums, even ones from heavy-hitters in the industry and some greatly anticipated ‘come-back’ groups leaving listeners meh’d. Personally, I was looking forward to Soen’s new album with a great deal of fan-boy glee, but I also didn’t expect it to be blowing many minds; the Tool-worship of their debut release was definitely enjoyable, but wasn’t exactly helping the band break much new ground. Then came Tellurian. This is an album that sees the band completely coming into their own and creating something unique and special. Tool-channeling gone, the group has crafted an engrossing set of progressive music that flows front to back with impressive song-writing and stellar musicianship. I honestly can’t say that there are any stand-out tracks on Tellurian, but that’s a good thing; this is an album you sit down and listen to in its entirety because you’ll be...
New Music Watch: Aeron’s Wake
Jul 27
New Music Feature: Aeron’s Wake EP Instrumental Celt Metal from Windsor, Ontario might seem to be a bit of an incongruity, but then again that’s hardly seemed to matter for the genre nowadays (I’m looking at you…uh…90% of all folk/celt/viking/troll/pirate/leprechaun/unicorn bands!). What makes Aeron’s Wake stand out, however, is the fact that they place their focus on–now get this–the music. There’s no pastiched fiddle fiddler stuck in the background to add just enough ‘world’ flavored soundbits to justify stamping average melo-thrash as ‘folk’; the bowed instrument is actually a foremost feature in the compositions. Not to mention the fact that it’s a real live warm human body filling out the position rather than a glorified Casio keyboard (again, looking at you 90%…). There’s enough going on here to justify the label, including progressions with often more classical leanings than modern, and no songs about finding Greenland to distract from them. Go ahead and check these boys out, I promise there’s no trolls, swamp witches, drunken pirates, or Swiss guys pretending to be Irish involved.Aeron’s Wake:WebsiteFacebook Aeron’s Wake by Aeron’s...
Review: A Sense of Gravity – Travail
Mar 16
A Sense of Gravity’s first record is a well crafted and expansive conglomeration of progressive hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz fusion that has a guaranteed shelf life of many, many spins on the player.
Top Ten Heavy Metal Albums of 2013
Jan 13
Another year, another round of releases, and therefore another end-year Top Ten list on another music blog. 2013 was a little weak in the teeth as far as head bang worthy albums, which is rather a continuation from 2012 as well, though there were certainly some stand-outs, a few diamonds in the rough, and perhaps a few surprises. The fact that this list has two debuts and two hard-rock releases featured on it is probably a good indicator of the last year in metal music, where the months seemed to blur together from lack of spectacular records to differentiate them. But enough old man grumbling, here are my personal top ten heavy metal albums of 2013, in no particular order at all, along with a few honorable mentions. Heart of Oak – Anciients With what was perhaps the strongest debut album of the last year, Vancouver’s Anciients put out a solid platter of blended metal. The band weaves its way through several styles to craft a progressive album of expansive, crushing songs. The best description would be something between Opeth, Mastodon, and High on Fire, all sounds that compliment each other quite well. The result is a great album with depth and texture to the songwriting. Buy Heart of Oak on Amazon Last Patrol – Monster Magnet Aside from 2010’s Mastermind being a solid ‘back in the game’ for Jersey’s drug rock emissaries, it also strongly hinted at a reversal of course from the fist-in-the-air rock of the last decade and half back to the spaced out psych rock of yesteryear. Well, sure enough with the new album out we get in Last Patrol a full return to form and a damn fine serving of garage stoner band goodness. Spacey, crunchy, and fuzzy, just how I like my rock. Buy Last Patrol on Amazon Youngblood – Audrey Horne Like the previous entry, this isn’t necessarily a ‘metal’ release, but it rocks hard enough enough to be thrown in for good measure. And besides, when you’ve got a band comprised of members from Enslaved and Gorgoroth, the metal category is certainly open to it. The songs are mostly straight forward hard rock, with the requisite few tracks sporting some ballady-ness. Nearly all the tracks are strong enough to stand on their own, which makes for a pretty solid release. Also, see if you can’t get the riff to “The Open...
New Music Watch: Aetherium Mors – Entrails of the Soul EP
Nov 23
New Music PreviewAetherium Mors – Entrails of the Soul EPAt the beginning of the year, I reviewed the debut album from UK blackened death merchants Aetherium Mors, Drenched In Victorious Blood, a record that I really enjoyed for its more than ample face scorching aside from a few flaws on the technical side. In short order, the band has put together a new EP, Entrails of the Soul, and once again I’m pretty impressed with the results.All the signatures of their initial offering are present here, albeit with a tighter overall chemistry, demonstrating the group’s growth and development as a band. The four songs on the new EP are dynamic and well crafted assaults of scathing death metal fury, featuring raspy graveyard growls, breakneck riffs, and pummeling drums. The group’s brand of blackened brutality is still all the more impressive for coming out of a fairly new band, as the songwriting and technical prowess showcased here would easily befit a much more established and mature ensemble. Best yet is the improvement on the technical side of things on this effort; the mix is a little more evened out this time around, the drums no longer overpower at their more furious moments and the vocals have a more distinct presence. Don’t take that as meaning polished though, the band’s sound is still appropriately gritty and primal, a characteristic that does much to compliment the scorching sensibilities of the music’s assault.Aetherium Mors is certainly an independent band deserving of attention for anyone looking for a three-way crossover between Swede-styled death, Norwegian blackness, and UK doom. If the new Entrails of the Soul EP is any indication of what they have in store for their next full length, we should be seeing quite a solid release of metal fury.Check out the EP below, follow the band on Facebook, and make sure to be on the lookout for a physical release in early 2014. http://www.aetheriummors.co.uk/Entrails Of The Soul by Aetherium...
Review: Cities of the Plain – …the Most Exciting Contest You can Imagine
Nov 18
Cities of the Plain – …the Most Exciting Contest You can Imagine Review Score: 7/10 …the Most Exciting Contest You can Imagine is the newest release from the one-man instrumental progressive metal outfit Cities of the Plain, helmed by Eugene Oregon’s Samuel Blum. The album is a six track affair, and takes the listener along a somewhat languid journey across a soundscape that is alternatively harsh and delicate, through peaks and valleys of swelling mixes and sparse melodies. While it is not a far reaching journey, or one that offers a great many musical vistas to explore, the trek is still one worth taking for the thoughtfully travelled territory that it does delve into. The opening track, “I Have Wrestled with Death” begins the effort on a strong and heavy-handed note, displaying the full aggressiveness the album is capable of with the ever present attention to musicality that accommodates itself to the listener throughout the record. Think of the mathematical assault of Meshuggah with the consideration towards melody of Devin Townsend. Following nicely from there is the title track which somewhat more accurately represents the structural tendencies of the album’s offerings; the melody is simple and sombre, with the mix building gradually around it, culminating in a near-crushing orchestration of plucked guitar accents and thundering drums. Though this is not a strict template, most of the record’s tracks follow this general principle; a drifting, often doleful melody is introduced and allowed to set the mood for the listener while an expanding soundscape is built up around it, climaxing into a grand mountain of textured and complementary instrumentation. Many times these crescendos are built up multiple times after gently drifting back down the sonic slope they previously crested, resulting in a well crafted and dynamic tidal surging of emotional songwriting. While this is a strictly instrumental release, there are sampled quotes in a few of the tracks from the likes of No Country for Old Men and The Devil’s Advocate, which certainly are not integral or even incidental to the music, but they do offer interesting accents to select lulls in the music. Unfortunately, these audio flavors end up being one of the only sparks of deviation that break up the generally cyclical nature of the record. The formula of instrumentation, tonal consideration, and structure implemented on the album works well at face value, but aside from marginally different avenues...
New Band Watch: Valkaria
Oct 08
New Band Watch: Valkaria The state of Florida may be the mental asylum of the North America’s, but you can’t deny the fact that the penis shaped funny farm has some serious metal cred. I mean hell, death metal was practically invented there and its population of headline-flavoring nut baggers still manages to turn out some top talent, signed and otherwise. A good example of this is Valkaria, out of Melbourne FL. The young group took a short time to find their feet and released their debut EP, Skylines earlier this year (so I don’t go through my promo list that often, but I get around to it…), and it finds the group delivering a solid mix of hardcore and New Wave of American Heavy Metal. The sound is definitely abrasive and heavy, but they throw in plenty of colorful elements for a well-rounded listen: there’s almost always a melody drifting through the the riffing, and electronic samples are mindfully used as accents to the onslaught. You’ll even find a few thoughtfully lulled moments of ambiance on the EP that help give it some dimension. If you need some new heaviness in your day, do yourself a favor and check out Skylines from Valkaria, which you can listen to below. Look for a full length effort coming soon, and make sure to follow them on Facebook and...
Interview: Dave Wyndorf of Monster Magnet
Oct 02I recently interviewed the charismatic Dave Wyndorf of the legendary psych-rock band Monster Magnet for LouderThanHell.net. Check it out below to hear Dave talk about the new record, The Last Patrol, the first Monster Magnet North American tour in over a decade, and the current state of rock...
Review: Saor – Roots
Sep 24
Saor – RootsReview Rating: 6/10 As a music reviewer, you know that you need to get through your submissions pile a little quicker when the band you’re reviewing has changed their name since sending you their promo. Which is apparently the case with Scotland’s Àrsaidh, now known as Saor, who released their debut album Roots earlier this year. Name change aside, the one-man atmospheric folk/black metal group (now apparently a two person venture) have a fairly respectable if not somewhat homogenized offering in their first release. Saor plays brand of celtic-ish black metal that aims to channel the natural spirit of their Highland home country, and in that pursuit they succeed fairly well. The music is richly textured with native instrumentation that sweeps through sombre and often majestic progressions that call to mind the rolling green hills of Scotland, all the while propped up by the more aggressive and forceful backbone of traditional folk-infused black metal. Appropriately, the thundering drums, grating guitars, and shouted growls never overpower or step in front of the wandering and mostly forlorn melodies, which keeps the music atmospheric and listless while still maintaining a definite bite. The songs, all four of them, take their time to meander along their way, slowly rising and falling along the journey as they evolve through loosely structured though very natural progressions. While Roots certainly boasts a lengthy trek through an aurally scenic soundscape at slightly under an hour of playtime, it cannot be said to have a great breadth of variety; it has its path and it sticks to it. There is a slight ‘breather’ track in the middle of the album with “Saorsa”, an ambient instrumental which helps break any potential monotony in the effort, but there is still a feeling of sameness across the album. However, this is not a deal breaker by any means, as this is not a record that relies on the individual songs, but rather the overall journey of the sound as a whole, and in that Roots accomplishes what the band sought out to do. All in all, Saor’s first outing is noteworthy for its ability to capture the distinct emotional impression of its subject. One would hardly have to be told the inspiration behind the record in order for them to recognize it as a sombre and often sorrowful ode to the Scottish Highlands and the natural spectacle they hold....
Getting Your Nerd Horns Up – The Best in 8-bit Metal
Aug 25If you are a fellow geeked out metalhead like myself, then chances are that many a drunken night of debauchery have ended in inebriated marathons of retro NES or SNES gaming. I don’t care how old you are, games like Castlevania and Zelda just never go out of style. The only problem is, despite how cool those old 8-bit soundtracks were, they just weren’t metal enough; so here’s a list of some of the best heavy music given the retro treatment for you to spin as custom background music next time you get your 4-button gaming on. Press Start. Pantera – Cowboys From Hell The perfect soundtrack to a late night retro session of Metal Gear Solid! Judas Priest – Painkiller A perfect match for classic Doom. I can see the imps and lost souls being blasted away just listening to this, ending in an epic Cyberdemon boss battle. Iron Maiden – The Trooper Get your freedom fightin’ on, Contra style! Dismember – Casket Garden Got a dungeon level coming up? Start this creeper up and watch out for the bats that fly off the ceilings! Metallica – Master of Puppets I don’t care what flavor of NES gaming you’ve got going on, just crank this and throw up some pixelated horns! The Black Dahlia Murder – Moonlight Equilibrium Sure, these guys have a song that actually is about Castlevania (What a Horrible Night to have a Curse), but this track has more of the vibe, plus the title fits all too well. Diamond Head – Am I Evil Bionic Commando didn’t have this in the soundtrack, but it damn well should have. ‘Nuff said. Megadeth – Holy Wars…The Punishment Due Some serious Mega Man action going on here. Motorhead – Overkill Who can’t see a striking resemblance between Motorhead’s Snaggletooth and Bowser, eh? Slayer – Angel of Death Metroid has never been so...
New Band Watch: Soliloquium
Jul 12
If you stick around this site long enough, you will notice that I’ve got a thing for doomy death metal, so it’s nice to have it occasionally dropped into my inbox from random places across the globe. Although to be honest, Sweden may not be so random. They’ve been one the genre’s most fertile spawning grounds for a couple of decades now, and the Nordic country continues to foster an underground of dreary metal that is as forlorn as it is fuckin’ heavy. One such band doling out the doom is Stockholm’s Soliloquium, comprised of Stefan Nordström and Jonas Bergkvist from Desolator and Ending Quest. The group has recently released a new EP titled The Concept of Escape and features expansive and wandering songs of raw melancholy reminiscent of early Katatonia or Anethema. There’s quite a bit of range and texture to the music, from somber clean guitars and hauntingly subdued vocals, to crushing chords and unhallowed growls. Check out the EP below, and make sure to follow the band, these guys have something good in the works.The Concept of Escape by SoliloquiumFollow Soliloquium on...
Review: Phalgeron – Cosmic Cataclysms
Jun 24
Phalgeron – Cosmic Cataclysms Bleak imagery of shadows and despondent melancholy are the signature characteristics attributed to black metal music, a genre that wallows in the sorrowful hollowness of human isolation and desperation. It is these themes of the dismal and depraved that suit the sound so naturally to the Pacific Northwest of America, with its perpetually dreary climate, sparse population, and near endless reaches of cold mist filled forests. The environment, nearly identical to the birthplace of the then-underground movement in Scandinavia, is bound to foster a similar spawning ground for purveyors of doom, gloom, and spiritual dejection by its very nature. And indeed it has, with cities like Seattle, Portland, and Olympia cultivating tight-knit communities of underground black metal acts since the mid-nineties, one of which being the somewhat recent transplant from Los Angeles, Phalgeron. After slaying many a stage in support for a respectable montage of both national and internationally touring acts, the epic black metal trio has released their debut album, Cosmic Cataclysms, an effort which craftily fuses a flair for fantasy with a blackened assault of pummeling thrash metal. From the opening notes of “Feeding the Phlegethon” you get an immediate impression of the band’s sensibilities, as a rather epic sounding melodic guitar line heralds the warsong to come to good effect. When the attack is unleashed, the listener is treated to a barrage of frantic riffing, pummeling drums, and vocals that morph easily between rasping graveyard verses and deep chorus growls. This is largely the sonic pallette utilized for the album as a whole with slight variations and flavorings here and there. Phalgeron, at their heart are a blackened death metal band with taste for melodic fantasy-battle elements in the vein of bands like Bal-Sagoth, but with a more traditional style of delivery that eschews any reliance on symphonic accents and instead opts for a straightforward brutal thrash metal onslaught. While brutality and fiery blasts of aggression is the primary name of the game on Cosmic Cataclysms, the band is mindful never to exclude melody, as every song features wandering lead guitar lines that give them their discernible identities. These melodies generally retain an air of ominous majesty and epic battle calling that give the album a flavor that, if devoid of, would make for an otherwise generic modern blackened death metal release. Songs like “Creatures of the North” stick in the listeners...
