Album Reviews

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Trollech – Jasmuz (2010)

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    All the way from the Czech Republic, today we get Trollech presenting their latest release “Jasmuz”. The band self-labels their music style as “Forest Pagan Black Metal” but we prefer Pagan Metal to sound less pretentious. We review quite a few Pagan/Viking Metal albums every year, and this 2010 we have to say the best so far is Trollech’s “Jasmuz”.

    “Jasmuz” like we mentioned is a very solid release that features every single element that makes a great Pagan Metal album. But it’s an extra element in this release that made us deduct several points from our score, some terrible vocals that sound like a troll getting raped by a bear, or something like that. In the first song “Moudrost Kovare” they stick out like a sweater on the beach. And most people will stop listening to this album after they hear them.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Angmar - Zurück in die Unterwelt (2009)

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    For all of us that like our Black Metal with some Melodic aspects to it, today we have Angmar, a French band that would easily be considered a pissed-off version of Alcest. Angmar features magical acoustic/atmospheric passages similar to what Alcest, Fen, Celestia, etc. are doing but with an overall focus on Black Metal.

    “Zurück in die Unterwelt” is the band’s second full-length album and a very memorable one. The band kicks off the album with a very hypnotic atmospheric part with backing choruses that sets the stage for the Black Metal assault that is to follow. The whole album varies between melodic sections into full-on BM aural assaults.

    • 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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    The Vision Bleak – Set Sail To Mystery (2010)

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    From the brilliant minds of Markus Stock and Tobias Schönemann we get another mesmerizing release from The Vision Bleak. The band is right back on track, exactly where they left off with “The Wolves Go Hunt Their Prey”. With their bombastic Gothic Metal, this duo has managed to enthrall all fans of the genre with hauntingly brilliant hymns, and they are back with 8 more on “Set Sail To Mystery”.

    As with all their previous albums, we get a first hand look at the bands unique world that is highly influenced by Horror movies and literature. The band has worked over the years in creating a demented universe that only true Horror fans can appreciate, and with their characteristic sound, we also have a perfect soundtrack for it.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    At The Soundawn – Shifting (2010)

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    At The Soundawn comes from Italy and are here to show us what they are made off with “Shifting”, the band’s second release. For a band so young the musicianship in “shifting” is pretty impressive to say the least. Fusing Post-Rock, Post-Metal and even some Jazzy influences, the band will easily draw comparisons to Cult Of Luna, Mowgai and similar artists.

    While there are countless of boring Post-Rock/Metal album, “Shifting” is one of the best we have heard this 2010. The band does an excellent job at creating haunting atmospheres and instrumental passages to transport the listener into a different world. Featuring healthy doses of raspy vocals and aggressive parts, this release does not fall into the ‘too much atmosphere, not enough content” category that many bands playing this genres of music do.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Destinity – XI Reasons To See (2010)

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    The ever changing French band Destiny is back with a very complex and multi-faceted album that will surely be enjoyed by fans of different styles of Metal music. “XI Reasons To See” feature a wide variety of tracks that feature a healthy combination of Melodic Death Metal, Trash Metal and Modern Death Metal.

    Some people might argue that this release has too much stuff going on to be fully appreciated, but we believe that one you give this album a few listens you will start to appreciate all the layering that Destiny has done. With a strong Melodic DM and Trash foundation we greatly enjoy this release.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Norse – Hellstorm (2010)

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    Hailing from Australia, today we have Norse, a young band that plays Viking/Melodic Death Metal with a vengeance. These Aussies are ready to break shit and waste no time in doing so with the Amon Amarth sounding first track “Hellstorm”. All through the album the same level of intensity is consistent, and we completely love that.

    The band is heavily influenced by Amon Amarth (and similar Nordic mythology influenced Black/Death Metal bands) as we can tell from the way their music sound, the cover art, and the song names. But make no mistake and think that Norse is just a cheap clone of previously mentioned bands; they are pretty good at creating original music that stands by itself.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Exodus – Exhibit B: The Human Condition (2010)

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    Two years have passed since the so-so “Let There Be Blood” and now we have Exodus back in full swing. The band has managed to produce a very impressive album with “Exhibit B: The Human Condition” that it reminds us of their earlier days, but with that modern edge that the band has been incorporating into their sound.

    This new release is both more Melodic and Brutal, but the best part is that it sounds like Exodus all the way, no filler songs, no disconnection between track, “Exhibit B: The Human Condition” is a brilliant album from start to end. The listener is in for an impressive Trash Metal riff-a-ton courtesy of Gary Holt and Lee Altus.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Salem - Playing God And Other Short Stories (2010)

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    Hailing from Israel, Salem is a very ‘diverse’ band that plays a combination of Death/Gothic/Doom Metal and it’s pretty good at it….. until now. “Playing God And Other Short Stories” is a very, very weird album that will either get on your nerves after the first three songs or you will totally love it. We are kind of in the middle since we think some songs are good and others are dreadful.

    The first thing you will notice is the mixing on the drums is way high and makes them sound weird, plus the band does use some weird drumming structures on their songs (so we think) making it sound like a drum circle on crack. In other words, we think the percussions are extremely overdone in this release.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Master – The Human Machine (2010)

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    The legendary Master is back again with “The Human Machine” and it’s ready to blow some heads off with their traditional old-school Trash/Death Metal aural assault that we have been witnessing since the band first started, back in the 80’s. Note: If you don’t know who the almighty Master is, then you need to get your Metal facts straight and do some research before you continue to listening to Metal music.

    “The Human Machine” features the gritty sound that we all love from the Death Metal records produced in the 90’s and sadly is probably one of the best things that the album has to offer. By no means “The Human Machine” is a bad album, but it just sounds a bit stale from what we have been used to hear from Master, and even “Slaves to Society” is a far superior album than this one.

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