Moonspell - Extinct

I'll admit, when I saw that Extinct is Moonspells eleventh (!!!) studio album I did a double take. I knew these guys were big, had been around for a while, and pretty damn good, but I didn't know it was to this degree. Yet, that being said, Moonspell remain one of the most exciting and fresh metal bands on the planet, their power metal tinged take on the genre is as always epic and touching, the vocals powerful and guitar riffs tight. Moonspell have done it again with Extinct proving their places as metal gods. 

Moonspell have always had the ability to take you on a journey, yet I feel that Extinct sees the taking this to another level. With the strange closer, La Baphomette, you feel able to once again take part in the real world. Despite the strange unreality of the dark metal soundscapes that Moonspell dwell in there is something rather familiar about their music. When you fall back into it it just feels right, like you've come back to a place where you first came from. These guys capture the imagination and force you to take a look around and think about the bigotry and darkness that dominates our daily lives. they are a force of freedom in a fucked up world, and perhaps that above all is what makes Extinct so God damn enjoyable.

At the end of the day perhaps I'm most grateful to Extinct for how it reminded me of the glory of Moonspell. These songs just feel... right as if this is the music that Moonspell was meant to be making for this particular time and place. Instead of becoming dull and formulaic as they very well could (And arguable deserve) Moonspell have put together another gem, and it's one you won't soon forget. As is, this record may very well end up on a lot of end of year lists, it certainly is taking an early run for mine!

Find them on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/moonspellband

Nachtblut-Chimonas

Another day, another splitting headache, but perhaps more importantly, another review. Nachtblut are a genuinely interesting group from Germany who have a sound they bill 'dark metal'. What they seem to mean by this is a unique fusion of folk metal, black metal, and touches of other traditionally Nordic metal genres. Featuring spectacular production and a cool sense of continuity throughout it's easy to get lost in the mysterious waves that make up the Nachtblut sound. Make no mistake, Chimonas is a triumph and will keep you listening for days.

The keyboard lines on this record are perhaps my favorite part. Although they don't always dominate they add a lot of depth and keep things interesting and exciting. One of the best examples of this is in the song Dort wo die Krahen im Kriese fliegen which features a very simple, but powerful piano line throughout the song. The growls are spot on too, they have just the right mix of demented metal madness with folk metal mastery. The rest of the band comes together to provide a solid backing for this sonic palate to base itself off of. The sounds of Chimonas are layered and exciting and, simply put, hard to get away from.

I think that in essence what draws me to Chimonas is that this record has it all, be it heavy mosh riffs, black metal meditations, or jig pit inciting tracks. The guys behind this record are all stellar musicians and there's some truly great songwriting featured on this album. Chimonas manages to capture a variety of emotions through its ten song duration and it's hard not to want to spin it again right after finish it. Despite the crushing brutality of this headache and the dull reality that faces me tomorrow morning, I know this, Nachtblut give me hope for a brand new day.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Nachtblutgefluester

Deathwhite-Ethereal

Here I sit, on the edge of my bed, suffering through a hangover I probably do deserve. So Deathwhites latest release, the mysterious and vaguely triumphant Ethereal suddenly has a much greater meaning for me. A doomy take on the melodic metal genre, Deathwhite have a truly exciting sound filled with unique twists and turns that will leave many a fan struggling to figure out what to make of the strange new reality the group has crafted. This EP features six top notch compositions that span genres and capture the heart, bringing us to a new and quite unique world.

The distinctive vibe that makes Deathwhite so darn appealing is probably due to the monolithic wall of sound that they maintain throughout. Penetrating the undulating waves of doom metal madness is oftentimes insane, and requires more than a few listens. The way the pieces are structure with lush acoustic passages being contrasted against harsh moments of primitive black metal-esque brutality it's easy to see whats to love about Ethereal. The atmosphere stays very much the same, even if the implementation of the riffs is different with each song. You see, Deathwhite have a very clear personal flavor, and this flavor allows them to stand strong, heavy metal innovators who seek new life.

In conclusion, Ethereal is the sort of EP that makes me desperate to check out more from Deathwhite, and so I'm elated too see they have another release A Burden To Carry out on their bandcamp page. As for now, I am simply going to fall back into the deep dark hole that Deathwhite have crafted for us, sure it may take a little getting used too, but once you really get into it, the brutal truth which the band reveals is strangely satisfying. Open your heart and find the void, what more can you do in a world that so many say God has forgot?

Find them on Bandcamp!
http://deathwhite.bandcamp.com/

Infestus-The Reflecting Void

Nowadays a lot of black metal doesn't have a lot of good old fashioned hatred, or even darkness behind it. (I'm looking at you Deafheaven) So when a band comes along with something deeper, bleaker, and seemingly evil an a very basic sense of the word, well, we should stand up and take notice. This is what makes the new record from Infestus, The Reflecting Void so interesting for me, this black metal record has captured is a primal evil few of Infestus's peers can dream of. This is the sort of hate we need to make black metal triumphant, Infestus are malcontents and proud of it.

I think that a significant part of what makes The Reflecting Void so interesting, and so much better than Infestus's other releases is that now Infestus are essentially a one man project. Two albums into this new and improved state of things, Andras (The genius behind the band) seems to have a much better sense of what he wants to do with his unique sound. The unmitigated bleakness that this Teutonic project has is impressive, even the acoustic parts with their half moaned clean vocals showcase a sort of minor key depression that is oftentimes simply crushing. What more could you ask for from a black metal mastermind than something that drags you into the pit?

Filled with raw emotion and pure energy, The Reflecting Void is a testament to the enduring beauty of black metal. As Andras roars his way through song after song of annihilating black metal mystery we start to realize that Infestus is more than just a metal project, but almost an entire ethos, the sort of soul consuming destruction that will keep us pure in a world where all we know is a heap of broken images. Let your body be taken in, enter the void, and come out stronger, darker, than ever before. This record could very well be your saving grace!

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/infestus.official

Order of Isaz-Seven Years of Famine

Melodic and powerful Order of Isaz are one of the most recent bands to sign to France's legendary Season of Mist. There Swedish rockers have crafted something dark and powerful, the likes of which few of their peers can really match up too. Their latest masterpiece Seven Years of Famine is a testament to the incredible power that this unique brand of dark rock can have over the listener. Often symphonic and rife with emotion, this is not an album that you just listen too and throw away, no, Order of Isaz are something more, musical masters for the ages.

One of the things that most appeals to me about this record is the brilliance of the guitar line. They give a wonderful depth to the music and help the listener lose themselves to the bands epic soundscapes. Perhaps the best example of this is on the track Drowning, which uses a repetitive guitar motif to fully engage the listener. Meanwhile, the twin guitar lines that come in on songs like Umbra Sombra really add a touch of Thin Lizzy and further develop the sound. I also would like to say that the vocals are really well done and often very layered. Fronted by a man who can deliver lines with a stunning passion, Tobias Sidegard rapidly becomes a metal shaman, guiding all into a dark world of magic and mystery.

Order of Isaz certainly are a bit of an outlier, and I will admit, at first I wasn't sure what to make of them. Yet after multiple spins of Seven Years of Famine it starts to become possible to grasp what this band is on about. Sure they're very different from anything else out there right now, but that's good. In fact it helps to make the entire thing more engaging. Gothic and filled with a stark frozen might, it's easy to fall in love with this record. Johnny Hagel (Formerly of Tiamat) and crew have really managed to pull together something magical here and I'm excited to hear how it develops in the future!

Find Order of Isaz on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Orderofisaz

Ringbearer

Dark ambient music inspired by JRR Tolkien? A group that derives a large influence from bands like Summoning and Uruk-Hai? And the title of his debut album is The Way Is Shut? What is not to like? The side project of Vultyrous of the group Funeral Fornication, Ringbearer is the kind of epic dark ambient that can hold a lot of appeal for metalheads. Not a lot of guys have the same capacity for songwriting the Vultyrous does and the way his tracks are put together is magical. From the stellar production to the forest noises its easy to fall into the magical soundscapes crafted by the music. The mysterious keyboard lines add a layer to this magic, there is something beautiful, but also strangely grim behind the music. The way a mesmerizing track like Treebeard is set up becomes almost horrifying in its beauty. Beneath the glorious facade something darker and more evil lurks. Sure this record may not be very heavy, but by god does Vultyrous know how to get into your skull.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/Ringbearermusic

The Eternal-When the Circle of Light Begins to Fade

Not a lot of bands can claim to have been together long enough to put out five albums, but The Eternal have seemingly done it with ease. Their unique melancholic hard rock sound is rather beautiful in its own right. Their new record When the Circle of Light Begins to Fade is thirteen tracks of somber and majestic rock and roll mastery. This is the kind of record that sounds sad, yet somehow leaves you with a message of hope, a release that find a roundabout way into the listeners heart and then forces them to stay and enjoy the inner glory of the music.

There are a lot of things that help to make When the Circle of Light Begins to Fade and I think that a lot of them can be attributed to the bands relatively large output. The songwriting is very tight and features some clear and precise progressions. The vocal lines are especially well done, they help the listener to get lost in the music and the occasional female vocals add a lot of flavor to the music. I also really dig the guitar solos, not too flashy they slot in nicely with the music and add to the whole general atmosphere of the band. The way this group creates a soundscape is the product of much experience and it's frighteningly easy to get lost in all that the band is capable of doing.

What I'm trying to say here is that The Eternal is a group of truly excellent musicians. More than that though When the Circle of Light Begins to Fade often transcends music, it becomes a state of mind more than anything else, taking over your entire being and holding you in thrall to the dark tunes that dominate this record. From the initial track Circle of Light to the majestic closer, The Burning Truth, this album has come to capture and torture my heart. This is a record that could have a wide appeal, to more mainstream rock fans and dedicated metal dudes. I am excited to hear even more from one of Australia's greatest bands!

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/TheEternal

My Solo Black Metal Projects First EP is done!

So yeah
If you dig black metal then I hope you like what I've spent the last 7 months doing
I hope to get a guest review of the record shortly

Find everything here:
https://www.facebook.com/svartrblackmetal

Upon Shadows--7 Chapters

Upon Shadows is a twisted dark metal band from the blackened rainforests of Uruguay. This two woman project is a remarkable testament to the power that the South American scene has. The melancholy melodies and the harsh riffs show a band rife with the incarnate evil required to make the pvrest black metal. One of the darkest bands I have heard in a while their is a sort of raw satanic quality that the music flaunts. 7 Chapters excels in wrapping the listener up in a blackened storm pulverizing their ears and tearing out their throats in the ultimate sacrifice to the spirit of metal.

The production on this record is really interesting. While on one level you have the harsh black metal side their is are also some really cool acoustic soundscapes. At first this might seem strange and generally unacceptable, yet once you really get into the bands sound you can't help but love the strange power it gives the music. I also love the mix of cleans and shrieks it furthers the blend of light and dark found throughout this album and helps to make 7 Chapters into something special. This is a record that captures the heart  with its mournful playing and unforgiving sounds.

To finish, if you're looking for a record that shows a band on the forefront of the South American scene with all of the inherent darkness of Sarcofago and the bizarre beauty found in Burzum Upon Shadows reach out to the souls of the grimmest black metal warriors. A record that will only appeal to the pvrest of the pvre 7 Churches is a magical release and something I could listen too for hours on end. It seems that while for humanity the world may only get darker Upon Shadows future will only get brighter. It will be interesting to see how their extremely grim sound develops.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Upon-Shadows/128947133826217