2012

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    Korpiklaani – Manala (2012)

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    Continuing with their high-spirited Folk Metal music, today we have Korpiklaani and their latest opus titled “Manala”.  Cranking out thirteen songs (including the bonus track) of uber catchy music, it is very cool to see that the band kept the creative juices flowing and managed to deliver another excellent album one year after the release of their previous one. Featuring a darker (and probably deeper) edge to their lyrical concept, the band has crafted a release that will surely please most of the older fans of the band and while not featuring their traditional ‘drinking song’, the cheerful spirit of the band is equally present in this release.

    “Kunnia” gives way to this release with the typical up-beat Folk approach that has made the band world-know and has kept them as one of the best in the genre. The singing is very well crafted and nicely fits every mood transmitted by the band. The instrumentation is excellently selected and never abused, allowing the hard-rocking sound of the guitars to be enjoyed without any distractions. Things get a bit more powerful with “Tuonelan Tuvilla” thanks to the heavy guitars, with the violin nicely complementing them.

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    The Gathering – Disclosure (2012)

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    Today we have “Disclosure”, the long-awaited full-length release of the legendary Dutch band The Gathering. Keeping on their element of experimentation, this release contains eight tracks of beautifully crafted music that expands on the band’s melancholic Atmospheric Rock soundscape with hauntingly beautiful melodies and ethereal guitar work.

    After wowing the non-believers with Silje’s vocals on “The West Pole”, the band’s ‘new’ singer seems more in her element and sounds even more comfortable on the tracks of “Disclosure”. Opening with the catchy “Paper Waves”, the band quickly establishes their trademark dreamy mood via melancholic vocals and delicate guitar work. The bass guitar line in this track nicely accompanies the serenity of the music and marks its way into your subconscious very easily.

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    Svartfell – Apocryphe Apocalypse (2012)

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    Delivering nine Black Metal aural assaults, today we have Svartfell and ‘their’ third full-length release titled “Apocryphe Apocalypse”. This one-man band from France does a great job in crafting brutal BM tunes in a very raw and powerful way. In the days when many BM releases focus on being ‘pretty’ and ‘nice’ sounding, it is refreshing to hear something as filthy and destructive as “Apocryphe Apocalypse”.

    After the pummeling opening track “Terribilis Est Locus Iste”, the band delivers very crushing riffs on “The Crimson Cross”. All drums are real in this release and this greatly enhances the experience over most one-man band that use drum machines and sound like total ass. The production however is a bit weak and makes the guitars wobble a bit and also distorts the sound of the cymbals. The vocals sound either distorted or have some kind of FX behind them, and while it sounds weird, it actually makes them more brutal and fitting for the music.

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    Epitimia – Faces of Insanity (2012)

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    Arriving all the way from Saint Petersburg, Russia via Hypnotic Dirge Records, today we have Epitimia and their latest full-length release titled “Faces of Insanity”. With a very melodic Ambient Black Metal sound, this excellent band pummels through nine highly melancholic tracks not apt for the faint of heart. With such a rich and atmospheric sound, this Russian 3-person outfit is by far one of best bands in the genre.

    After setting the mood with the excellent atmospheric track “Reminiscentia”, Epitimia delivers the hypnotic “Epikrisis I: Altered state of consciousness”. In this track, the band keeps building momentum with excellent shoegaze-ish guitars and the harsh vocals finally appear. With such a depressive mood and the subtle beauty of dreamy guitars complementing the distorted ones, this band is very near melancholic musical perfection.

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    Prescient – The Polynomial Framework (2011)

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    With an incredible amount of musical skills, today we have Australia’s Prescient and their debut EP titled “The Polynomial Framework”. Delivering six tracks of brilliant Progressive Metal with excellent technical and groovy aspects, this band crafts excellent music that is both attractive and very technically complex, allowing these two dimensions to seamlessly fuse to perfection.

    Opening with the excellent “Revolutions”, the distorted guitars nicely make their way on top of well-crafted drums. While not as dominating as Meshuggah, Prescient delivers a strong foundation that features Groove-infused sections that nicely shift into more melodic passages. The album’s production allows all instruments to shine, especially the bass guitar in the more ‘mellow’ sections. The guitar wizardry makes its way on “Conductive Cell”, a very moody track that nicely shifts intensities and delivers very well crafted guitar solos and drum patterns.

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    To/Die/For – Samsara (2012)

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    After a brief split, To/Die/For finally returns with Jarno Perätalo and Juha-Pekka Sutela delivering ten powerful tracks that are designed to return the band to the spotlight. While not the best album of the band’s career, “Samsara” has quite a few catchy tracks that will entice the fans of the band to return and capture the ears of new listeners.

    Initially released in Finland and other places at the end of 2011, Massacre Records is finally giving this release a wider release and exposure. Opening with “Kissing the Flames”, the band comes back to the catchy riffing and subtle keyboard hints that have made them so popular in the past. The vocals are as effective as ever and the overall pace of the song is very traditional for the band.

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    O Graceful Musing’s Burden – Two (2012)

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    Delivering and excellent cinematic experience, today we have O Graceful Musing’s Burden and their latest release “Two”. Hailing from Germany, this band combines elements from bands like Cult of Luna, Godspeed Your Black Emperor, Ulver, and many other, allowing them to create a very rich and colorful palette of sounds that come together very nicely.

    Opening with the monumental “Piece of Lament Mirth Thought Desperation Soul Fear Hope” (probably one of the longest song titles ever), the band outputs 23 minutes of sheer brilliance. With a very atmospheric opening filled with ambient elements and post-rock guitars, the band nicely creates momentum as the song progresses. The subtle progressive hints are quite effective and when the distorted guitars kick in, the song nicely climaxes before a long way down.

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    Klogr – Till You Decay (2012)

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    Arriving from Italy, today we have Klogr and their very dynamic and intense debut full-length “Till You Decay”. It is instantly evident that huge amount of work (and money) has been put into this very well crafted release. The production is as good as it gets and everything sounds as if you had the band playing in your living room (or car). Featuring eleven tracks of a hybrid between alt-rock and Alternative/Modern Metal, the songs presented here are very well balanced between the genres and deliver a very rich aural experience.

    Opening with “Live Dying”, the band uses a melodic approach to lure the listener into their highly diverse sound. As the pounding guitars make their presence felt, that alt rock/Metal vibe is immediately present. The band’s vocalist (and guitarists) Rusty has a very strong and engaging voice, that while very commercial sounding, it gets the job done and nicely leads the songs in this release. The highly melodic “Silk and Thorns” shows a different side of the band, and a very catchy one indeed.

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    Inner Blast – Sleepless Monster (2012)

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    With a Gothic Metal style that we haven’t heard in quite a while, today we have Portugal’s Inner Blast and their debut EP “Sleepless Monster”. Reminding us of Gothic Metal bands from the early 2000’s, the simplicity behind this band’s sound makes them very fresh and something completely different to what we are currently used to these days. Providing us with nearly 28 minutes of music, the five tracks in this EP are quite enjoyable and bring back some nostalgic memories from the past.

    Since the opener “Better Days”, the band delivers a very ‘old-school’ vibe thanks to the simple production. The keyboards are just present to add atmosphere, and are never overdone like in all bands these days. Liliana’s vocals are very natural and don’t try to be operatic or anything, just filled with feeling and that is all. We have missed music like this since bands like Nightwish, Epica, etc., now sound like a movie soundtrack and some of the emotion behind the music is greatly lost.

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    Clairvoyants – The Shape of Things to Come (2012)

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    Led by Luca Princiotta of Doro fame, today we have Clairvoyants and their excellent Power/Heavy Metal release titled “The Shape of Things to Come”. Delivering eleven tracks of brilliantly crafted old-school Power/Heavy Metal, this is one hell of a catchy and enjoyable release. With 10 our 11 tracks composed by Luca, we have a very solid Power/Heavy Metal foundation that can compare to any big-name band in the scene.

    With a very catchy chorus section, “No Need to Surrender” opens this release showcasing the band’s firepower. The guitars are very solid, the drumming is well crafted, and the singing is pretty ok for a Power/Heavy Metal band. Luca clearly knows how to open and album and with this epic anthem, “The Shape of Things to Come” is off to a great start. “Endure and Survive” is the next super catchy song in this release thanks to some meaty riffs and, again, a very catchy chorus section. This track also reminds us more of older Heavy Metal songs than any Power Metal we have heard in the last few years.

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