Album Reviews

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Be'lakor - Coherence (2021)

    cover

    Five years in the making, Aussie quintet Be'lakor returns with a vengeance with their highly anticipated fifth full-length release “Coherence”. Delivering over one hour of amazing Melodic Death Metal, the band is ready to make up for lost time and take over the scene with this impressive release. Further refining their high-octane signature style, this release will propel the band to new heights.

    The release kicks off with the mysterious “Locus” and its blistering drumming alongside twin guitars creating a superbly melodic and catchy opening piece, nothing less than what we expected from the band. Playfully playing with excellent tempo changes and nice guitar solos, the band masterfully manipulates long tracks into feeling very short, as they are quite exciting and engaging, for example the piercing “Foothold” and its sweeping melodies, or the playful “Valence” and its heavy back and forth.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Aran - Pimeyttä vasten (2021)

    cover

    As a relatively new band, Aran delivers some intense and lush Atmospheric Black Metal that many other bands wish could emulate. With “Pimeyttä vasten”, band mastermind Juhani K unleashes over 45 minutes of intense and captivating music. Filled with crushing harshness and dream-like atmospherics, this release is highly recommended for fans of bands like Lustre and Midnight Odyssey.

    The release kicks off with the magical and enchanting atmospherics of “Valon Vienyt”, a track that has that vibe that Sci-Fi/Fantasy movies create of distant realms, perfectly paired with harsh Black Metal shrieks and crushing guitars. There is an art to creating versatile atmospheric BM, and Aran has it figured out with tracks like “Musta meri”, which start quite punishing and slowly evolve into more dreamy and ambient-ish territories.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Cradle of Filth - Existence is Futile (2021)

    cover

    Just in time for our Halloween parties, Cradle of Filth unleashes their latest devilishly good opus with “Existence is Futile”. Aging well with time, the band in the last 10+ years has honed into their strengths and continues to deliver consistently engaging and well crafted releases. For over 70 minutes the band unleashes their signature sound filled with lush atmospherics, engaging storytelling, fierce guitar work, and the introduction of Anabelle Iratni on keyboards and female vocals, making this one of their more diverse and engaging releases to date.

    After the traditional instrumental intro, “Existential Terror” sets a very dark and sinister tone with over-the-top choirs and orchestrations alongside Dani’s signature shrieks and some incisive guitar work. While the band’s sound is always familiar, and pieces like “Crawling King Chaos”, “Black Smoke Curling From the Lips of War” are staple CoF songs, we particularly love haunting tracks like “Necromantic Fantasies” with a certain “Nymphetamine” (song) vibe, but with Anabelle’s enchantress vocals spin and a more sultry tone.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Clouds - Despărțire (2021)

    cover

    Consistently pushing the boundaries of creating misery-inducing music, Clouds is one of those bands that with each release only keeps getting better and more refined. With “Despărțire” the band sets a new bar for Atmospheric Death/Doom Metal releases with nearly 60 minutes of emotive music that will rip your heart out of its cavity in minutes. Featuring some excellent guest appearances and some additional elements to the band’s already all-encompassing sound, this release is as brilliant as any of the band’s previous efforts.

    Opening with the imposing “Deepen This Wound”, we get a very solemn vibe thanks to weeping violins and piercing riffs, perfectly paired with Daneil’s rumbling growls. The use of clean vocals provides a nice contrast and allows the music to flow into more emotional dimensions. In the piercing “This Heart, A Coffin”, the band enlisted none other than Mick Moss to provide additional vocals in this total banger of a song. We particularly enjoy the juxtaposition of the violins, tempo, and clean vocals in this very dynamic piece.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Illudium - Ash of the Womb (2021)

    cover

    Unleashing one of the most emotionally charged and disarming releases of 2021, today we have Illudium with “Ash of the Womb”. With a very difficult sound to define, the band mixes elements from acts like Kate Bush, Pencey Sloe, all the way to ISIS and Alcest, creating a very dreamy and yet powerful amalgamation of melancholic sounds. If you are looking for dark, dreamy, but with a hefty dose of fuzzy heavy riffs, this release is one you can’t miss.

    Opening with the moody “Aster”, the band creates a very overpowering atmosphere with heavy distorted guitars paired with Shantel Amundson’s emotionally charged vocals and a slow but steady progression. As “Sempervirens” comes along, the mood shifts into a livelier Post-Rock/Metal territory with a wide variety of guitar progressions, crafty drumming and a solemn bass guitar line. We particularly enjoy how the band transitions between levels of melancholy, while keeping their signature elements intact.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Sepultura - SepulQuarta (2021)

    cover

    Featuring guest appearances from the likes of David Ellefson to Devin Townsend, Sepultura unleashes the most star-studded release of 2021 with “SepulQuarta”. Conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic, this release features 15 Sepultura songs with a wide range of guests, creating a very unique and once-in-a-lifetime production. If you are a fan of the band, this release will be a very special addition to your collection.

    The release quickly sets a very high bar with David Ellefson playing bass guitar on one of our favorites, “Territory”. If that wasn’t enough, Scott Ian plays on “Cut Throat”, Danko Jones in “Sepulnation”, and Phil Rind in “Inner Self”, this sets a very nice trip down memory lane for some of us, while enjoying uniquely different versions of these songs. Pieces like “Hatred Aside” are very nicely enhanced by multiple guests, leaving them at some times even better than the original.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Carnifex - Graveside Confessions (2021)

    cover

    Unleashing one of the most punishing and oppressive releases of 2021, today we have Carnifex and their latest opus “Graveside Confessions”. With all the pent up energy of not being able to tour during the pandemic, Scott Lewis and company return with a vengeance striking with 15 tracks and over 63 minutes of crushing Deathcore. What makes this release standout is that it is beyond brutal, something the listeners will certainly appreciate.

    Opening with the album title track, the band unleashes a brutal onslaught of harsh screams, pummeling drums, and incisive riffs that will rattled the listener off his seat. The heat is on as tracks like “Pay for Peace”, “Seven Souls”, and “Cursed” continue the violence, but with some interesting atmospheric elements thrown into the mix, making the band’s sound have more depth and variation. For example, “Carry us Away” has a very melancholic edge to it, while the typical Deathcore aggression is front and center.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Anguish - Doomkvädet (2021)

    cover

    Hailing from Sweden, today we have Anguish and their perfectly excruciatingly doomy release “Doomkvädet”. Unleashing a gargantuan slab of 49 minutes of heavy riffs, this outfit has that old-school grittiness that many modern bands lack, prompting comparisons to Candlemass and similar outfit. If you are in the market for traditional Doom Metal with a harsher edge, this is one of those band’s that you will play on repeat.

    Opening with the cavernous “Herein I Burn”, the first riff is a perfect foreshadowing of things to come, as it is slow, heavy and twangy. We like the mixture of clean-ish/snarly vocals giving a more aggressive edge versus your traditional Doom clean vocals, particularly on tracks like “Consumed By The Necro Doom”, and “Deranged and Forgotten”. For non-stop headbanging, “I ett dunkel förlorad” and “Blood Veil” are our go-to songs in this release.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Iskandr - Vergezicht (2021)

    cover

    Unleashing a very cohesive and emotional musical experience, today we have Iskander and their third full-length release “Vergezicht”. Perfectly flowing between six tracks and nearly 64 minutes of music, this release combines melancholy, harshness, and dreaminess in a very robust and enjoyable package. Released through Eisenwald, this album showcases a great level of maturity and expert craftsmanship from this Ducth duo.

    Opening with the lush acoustic elements of “Gezag”, there is a magical mood that is slowly set until it's nicely contrasted by heavy riffs and harsh vocals. Oozing with melancholy, songs like “Bloeddraad” and “Gewesten der Tijd” perfectly showcase the band’s range and creativity, with tons of unique tempo changes, atmospheric and dreamy passages alongside haunting vocal arrangements. However, the heavy side of the band is always present with furious onslaughts like on “Baken”, making this band comparable to a mixture of Thurisaz and Thyrfing.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Malignament - Hypocrisis Absolution (2021)

    cover

    Hitting you like a bag of bricks to the face, today we have newcomer Malignament and their debut full-length release “Hypocrisis Absolution”. Unleashing over 42 minutes of razor sharp Finnish Black Metal, this band is as aggressive and in-your-face as it can be, thanks to its incisive guitars and pummeling onslaughts of brutality. When you think you have heard it all from this scene, an album like this comes along and re-shapes your perception.

    Pummeling the listener from the start with the ravaging “Thunder of Awakening”, the album makes a commanding introduction thanks to its brutality and yet melodic nature. Continuing with the merciless onslaught with “Call to Arms” and the sinister “Like Rats They Followed”, the atmosphere of this release is electrifying as you get buzzsaw-like guitars, paired with imposing harsh snarls and a very polished style and production.

Pages

Recent Image Galleries