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    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Evig Natt – Darkland (2010)

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    After their impressive debut album “I Am Silence” back in 2007 we were left wanting more from Evig Natt, and finally we get “Darkland” this 2010. This Norwegian band debuted combining Black Metal with Gothic/Doom Metal influences in a very unique way, getting them enough attention and acclaim for their first album.

    With “Darkland” the band is back with a sound geared towards our favorite trifecta: Gothic/Doom/Death Metal. We completely love this genre, and we can say we are its harshest critics. With only a handful of bands that we discovered in the last few years that are worthy of carrying the banner of the combination of these three genres, we were pretty cautious when reviewing “Darkland”.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Fall of Empyrean – A Life Spent Dying (2010)

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    After a waiting period of 6 years between releases Fall of Empyrean is finally back, with their crushing Death/Doom Metal. “A Life Spent Dying” has been waiting to be released for a few years now, and finally Grau records picked it up for release. The band still plays Death/Doom Metal like in the old days and kills at it.

    “A Life Spent Dying” is a pretty decent successor to “A Darkness Remembered”, the band features their characteristic sound crafted with “Anhedonia” with only a few tweaks to make it sound even better. Most of this album is very formulaic; take for example the song “The Air is Still” which showcases every Death/Doom Metal trick in the book. This approach does not reduce the quality of music created by Fall of Empyrean, and take anything from this great release.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Nominon – Monumentomb (2010)

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    For a band that has been around for 17 years, Nominon’s music does not really reflect this. “Monumentomb” features nine sub-par Death Metal songs that pretty much anybody else would have been able to come up with. The band’s old-school Death Metal sound is ok, but it lacks a lot in the creativity department.

    Featuring members from tons of other bands, we can’t really point out want is wrong with this release except that is plain uninspired and empty of worthy content. Hailing from Sweden and having tons of great bands around them we would definitely expect more from this band. Another issue with “Monumentomb” is that the production behind it sound very cheap and does not allow the music to shine properly.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Year Of No Light – Ausserwelt (2010)

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    Around the same vein as Ufo Mammuth, we have Year Of No Light, and band that does great justice to its name by playing mesmerizing Ambient Doom with Shoegaze influences that will take you in a dark voyage with a considerable lack of light. Hailing from France, this band has a very crushing sound, mostly due to the fact that they have three guitar players and two drummers, one of the richest line-ups we have ever seen in a band.

    “Ausserwelt” is a 48 minute journey into a dark and desolate place that features a very rich and powerful soundtrack. With 4 tracks the band manages to create a super thick atmosphere that only a handful of bands are capable of. This album is not for the weak of mind and will surely blow yours away with every listen you dedicate to it.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    The Hawkwind Triad - The Hawkwind Triad (2010)

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    Providing a solid tribute to British space rockers Hawkwind we have Havestman, US Christmas, and Minsk. Released on Neurot Recordings, The Hawkwind triad do an excellent job in capturing the classical atmosphere created by Hawkwind while adding the uniqueness of each band into the mix, and fully respecting the original songs.

    One of the things we find the most interesting is that the tracks that each band performed are mixed together through the album, and it still flows like it was only one band making the tribute. Something very unique and refreshing, since tributes usually consist of several bands playing one or a few tracks and there is most of the time a huge quality gap between bands.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Orwell – Endeavors (2009)

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    Out of the countless new bands playing Melodic Death Metal is not hard to identify which ones are worth listening to and which ones are just products of trendsters trying to make a quick buck. Orwell from Wisconsin is one of the few that are worth listening to. The band combines the old Swedish Melodic DM sound with some Trash influences and bits of the more modern Metalcore sound.

    Delivering one crushing tracks after another one; “Endeavors” is a very powerful second release from this young American band that hopefully dethrones most of the current trendy Metalcore bands that the kiddies seem to enjoy so much. With its strong Swedish influences, Orwell demanded immediate attention from us, and will surely do the same for the rest of the listeners.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Wuthering Heights – Salt (2010)

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    Four years have passed since the release of the acclaimed “The Shadow Cabinet” and finally we have Wuthering Heights returning with another Power Metal masterpiece. The Danish sextet has managed not only to equal their impressive last album, but greatly improve over it with “Salt”.

    With a brilliant combination of Power, Progressive Metal, and some minor Folk Metal influences. Wuthering Heights has released a very impressive set of albums since “Within”, and have been improving constantly over time making them one of the premiere European Power Metal bands in our opinion.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Celestia – Archaenae Perfectii (L'arche Arcane des Parfaits) (2010)

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    Celestia is one of those bands that has impressed us since their first EP we heard of them back in 1999 called “A Cave Full Of Bats”. The band has that raw, brutal and yet melodic Black Metal sound that we wish more bands had. Hailing from France, Celestia is currently releasing their third full-length album with “Archaenae Perfectii” and its one of the most intense whirlwind Black Metal experiences you will have in the last few years.

    If you are a cult Black Metal follower then you should know who Celestia is. The band’s music borders in that fine line of raw brutality and beauty that not so many bands can dance around. On one side of the music you have the raw intensity of the riffing and the shrieks of pain, and on the other side you have that atmospheric melodic aspect that clearly contrasts Celestia’s type of Black Metal.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Nightbringer – Apocalypse Sun (2010)

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    Hailing from Colorado, we have one of the most enigmatic and brutal raw Black Metal bands to have ever been formed on American soil. “Apocalypse Sun” is the band’s second full-length album and it’s a bestial release that surpasses anything the band has ever put out before.

    The overall band’s highly esoteric image is greatly portrayed in this brutal release that will leave you thirsty for more. Featuring ten tracks of pure destructive Black Metal, Nightbringer is about to take a big step out of the underground with the monumental “Apocalypse Sun”.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Ufomammut – Eve (2010)

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    Every single time that Ufomammut has released an album and we have heard it, it has taken a bit to fully sink and be appreciated. All 6 full-length releases from this Italian trio push the boundaries of madness and Psychedelic Doom Metal, leaving them a few miles away from the competition.

    “Eve” marks the band’s 6th release and it’s a 45 minute one-track divided in 5 movements’ behemoth. You can truly note the level of genius/insanity behind such a crushing release that will leave you thinking for a while. The band has a great ability in creating exploratory voyages into their twisted minds in every single one of their releases.

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