Debemur Morti

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    In the Woods… - Cease the Day (2018)

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    Unleashing one of the most expected and full of hype (in some circles) releases of 2018, In the Woods… delivers one of their most direct and engaging albums. Filled with over 53 minutes of music, the band leaves no stone unturned with their highly diverse and creative musical repertoire. If you thought “Pure” was a one-off release after their return from a 14-year hiatus, this album will set the record straight that they are fully back and ready to rock.

    Opening with the mystical “Empty Streets”, the band invokes similarities to old school outfits like Yearning, but with their own Progressive influences. James Fogarty had been instrumental for the band’s return and with his performance in this album (and the live shows) he cements his legacy in the storied history of this band. Going from soaring clean vocal passages to frenetic harsh sections, his vocals work wonders with the band’s unique music. As tracks like “Substance Vortex” and the epic “Respect My Solitude” establish the album’s mood, we are instantly brought back to the band’s revolutionary beginnings with a plethora of influences and genres mixed in together in perfect unison.

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    Outre - Hollow Earth (2018)

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    Right up there with Behemoth, Vader and Hate, Outre is one of the most brutal and demoralizing Metal bands to come out of the Polish scene. Delivering another ravaging release with “Hollow Earth”, the band focuses on unleashing pummeling tracks filled with hate and destruction. Greatly improved from their 2015 debut “Ghost Chants”, the band is here to stay and level audiences and listeners in their path.

    Setting the mood with a foul atmospheric intro, the release does not wait to hit hard with the blistering pace of “The Order of Abhorrence”. The band’s new vocalist, Mateusz Zborowski, keeps things interesting with a wide range of styles and levels of intensity that perfectly drive the aggression of the musical foundation. The guitar work in this release is exemplary as layers upon layers of distortion and crafted to create very thick and demoralizing walls of sound, like on “Combustion” and “Let the Earth Be Silent”.

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    Manes - Slow Motion Death Sequence (2018)

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    As one of the most forward thinking and creative bands to come out of Norway, today we have Manes and their latest opus of madness titled “Slow Motion Death Sequence”. Featuring over 44 minutes of lush cinematic music filled with trip-hop, electronic, Metal, and even some synth-pop elements, this release further expands the band’s musical range. Constantly pushing the envelope, this release delivers nine intoxicating songs that demand attention and an open mind.

    The release kicks off with the magical jazzy moodiness of “Endetidstegn”, a piece filled with dreamy atmospheric elements and lush vocal arrangements featuring Ana Carolina from Mounring Sun and the enchanting Anna Murphy of Cellar Darling. Things get futuristic with the catchy “Scion”, featuring some funky vocals and a very modern synth-pop-ish feeling. This song is one of the catchiest tracks in this release for sure.

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    Blut Aus Nord – Deus Salutis Meae (2017)

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    Unleashing one of the most disturbing and decadent releases of 2017, today we have legendary Blut Aus Nord with their latest opus “Deus Salutis Meae”. Featuring ten tracks filled with hate and punishing atmospheric onslaughts, this release combines all of the band’s previous musical endeavors into a ravaging mixture of elements that while hard to describe is quite intense and powerful. If you are looking for a traditional Black Metal album, you better look somewhere else as this release is a whole different beast.

    The mood of this release is quickly set with the creepy “δημιουργός” opening piece that causes aural discomfort while it peaks our curiosity. Things instantly escalate with the dissonance and rawness of “Chorea Macchabeorum”, a punishing piece that showcases the band’s more Industrial edge mixed with some funky vocal arrangements. This chaotic feeling is continued with the pummeling riffing of “Impius” as it exacerbates the level of dissonance with more eerie vocal arrangements and BM-esque shrieks.

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    Vassafor – Malediction (2017)

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    Unleashing a punishing and foul onslaught of Black/Death Metal madness, today we have New Zealand’s Vassafor and their sophomore full-length release “Malediction”. Blending elements from old-school Black and Death Metal into a killer wall of sound, this album delivers almost 50 minutes of some of the most decadent and punishing music ever recorded.

    Starting with the pummeling “Devourer of a Thousand Worlds”, the slowly creep into the band’s mind with a barrage of demoralizing riffs and creepy vocals. Clocking in at 16-minutes, this track is the perfect opening into Vassafor’s madness. Filled with old-school vibes, “Emergence (of an Unconquerable One)” has a certain Grindcore edge to it due to its incisive guitar leads as well as a retro Death Metal side to it thanks to its meaty hooks.

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    White Ward – Futility Report (2017)

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    Our never-ending quest to find the most unique and bizarre Metal bands has lead us this month to Poland’s White Ward and their debut full-length release “Futility Report”. This very unique band delivers a strange mixture of Black Metal with Jazzy and a few Electronic elements structured in a very unusual way. For over 40 minutes you are led to a very different and exciting musical journey that will haunt your dreams from start to finish.

    The album opens with the first few minutes of “Deviant Shapes” sounding like you are in for another Melodic/Post-Black Metal release. However, as soon as the 2:30 minutes mark hits the album takes a turn for the unexpected with a solemn saxophone making its entry and switching the entire direction of the band’s sound. Creating a very unique and relaxing vibe, this element while not atypical in Metal releases is unique combined by this band to craft a contrasting and yet brilliant juxtaposition of sounds.

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    Au Champ des Morts – Dans La Joie (2017)

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    Delivering one the of most brutal and yet melancholic releases of the last few years, today we have French newcomers Au Champ des Morts and their demoralizing debut release “Dans la Joie”. Featuring seven tracks of brilliant Black Metal, the band blends influences from outfits like Anorexia Nervosa, Shade Empire, etc. with some Post-Black Metal sprinkles thrown into the mix. If you are only going to buy one album this month, better make sure it is this one.

    The mournful explosiveness of “Nos Decombres” perfectly sets the mood for this release. Mixing highly melancholic riffs with gut-wrenching vocals, this album opens with a killer bang. This opening track is loaded with raw emotions nearing its end, making it quite the experience… and it is only the first six minutes. Keeping things melodic and yet highly dissonant, the oppressive riffing of “Apres Le Carnage” brilliantly continues the album’s ravaging pace.

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    In The Woods… - Pure (2016)

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    As THE most awaited release of 2016 for us, today we have the pleasure of reviewing the return of In The Woods… with “Pure”. Having influenced hundreds of bands over the years with their visionary music and style, this band finally reformed back in 2014 - after 14 years of hiatus. Featuring over 67 minutes of music, this release perfectly delivers the traditional In The Woods… experience but not without a more refined an evolved sound that puts them right back in the map, picking up exactly where they left off.

    Opening with the soaring vocal arrangements of “Pure” alongside a very moody and engaging instrumentation, the band will instantly transport you to their unique world. With British singer James Fogarty at the helm, instant comparisons to Jan Transeth can be made, but Mr. Fog has a more dynamic range and brings his own style into the mix. For those of us that enjoyed the experimental nature of the band, they quickly deliver the atmospheric and dreamy “Blue Oceans Rise” and “Devil’s at the Door” to hook the listener further in.

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    Monolithe – Zeta Reticuli (2016)

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    Brilliantly continuing the 2015 album "Epsilon Aurigae", today we have Monolithe and the crushing “Zeta Reticuli”. Originally recorded back in 2015, this album further expands the band’s refined Doom/Funeral Doom sound into more progressive and experimental territories while preserving their atmospheric elements. Clocking in at 45 minutes, this is definitely one of the most engaging releases of 2016 so far.

    Opening with “Ecumenopolis”, the band slowly changes from atmospheric sounds to piercing Doom riffs. This continues slowly as the vocals suddenly appear and the atmospheric elements turn a bit more psychedelic as the crushing wall of riffs lurks in the back. The band does a solid job in keeping things interesting by delivering crafty drum patterns near the end.

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    Behexen – The Poisonous Path (2016)

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    Crawling out of the depths of Scandinavian hell, today we have Behexen and their long awaited release “The Poisonous Path”. Featuring over 55 minutes of ravaging Black Metal, the band continues to be at the top of their game when it comes to crafting brutally raw tracks. Not for the faint of heart, this is one of the premiere BM releases of 2016.

    Unleashing their hateful musical onslaught with opener “The Poisonous Path” and the intense “The Wand of Shadows”, the band creates a very oppressive atmosphere filled with crushing riffs and the demoralizing vocals of Hoath Torog. As the album progresses with songs like “Cave of the Dark Dreams” and “A Sword of Protean Fire”, we noticed that there are some atmospheric elements thrown into the mix to make the band’s music more intense and expansive.

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