Debemur Morti

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Monolithe – Zeta Reticuli (2016)

    cover

    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.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Behexen – The Poisonous Path (2016)

    cover

    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.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Monolithe – Epsilon Aurigae (2015)

    cover

    Hailing from France, today we have Doomsters Monolithe and their fifth full-length release “Epsilon Aurigae”. Delivering over 45 minutes of atmospheric Doom Metal spread over three tracks, the band crafts a very interesting atmosphere that while being Doomy, it feels a bit different than normal. Changing a few things up allows the band to craft a unique sounding release that will surely catch the attention of fans of the genre.

    Opening with “Synoecist”, the band delivers a very straightforward and powerful 15 minute song. The riffing is quite typical and engaging while pairing perfectly with the vocals and overall atmosphere. While this track is very traditional, the tempo of it seems a bit different than what you would expect, being not as slow as other Doom bands. The second song “TMA-0” instantly brings down the mood with a gloomy combination of eerie keyboards and very sludgy riffs. The distortion seems to be a bit less oppressive than in typical Doom releases, making the music come out less dark and more upbeat (but not too much).

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Blut Aus Nord – Memoria Vetusta III – Saturnian Poetry (2014)

    cover

    Fresh after completing their 777 trilogy, Blut Aus Nord returns with another part of their Memoria Vetusta saga titled “Saturnian Poetry”. Moving away from the electronic/experimental elements introduced in the 777 releases, the band returns to their Black Metal roots with seven devastating tracks that will re-capture the attention of the band’s most purist fans.

    After setting the mood with an atmospheric prelude, the devastation begins with the furious “Paien” and its nearly 8 minutes of blistering riffing and savage shrieks. The band invokes some epic melodic riffing passages on “Tellus Mater”, perfectly accentuated with guitar leads and clean Viking Metal-esque vocals; we also get an early Borknagar vibe in this intense track.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Manes – Be All End All (2014)

    cover

    Usually, there are weird releases that completely push the envelope and then you have Manes weird. “Be All End All” delivers nine tracks that mash genres together and crates a truly bizarre, and yet awesome, experience. Having passed seven years since the band’s last full-length release, this album will surely please and puzzle all fans of Tor-Helge Skei (aka Cernunus) and his uniquely odd musical vision.

    Opening with the jazzy/trip-hopish “A Deathpact Most Imminent” clearly states that this is going to be one unique musical experience. Asgeir Hatlen’s vocals are one of the band’s signature elements and greatly enhance the experience with his unique pipes having influences of Kjetil Nordhus and Kristoffer Rygg. Experimentation is the main theme behind this release, and by the odd vocals mixed in with the mellow tempo and atmospheric jazziness of “A Safe Place In The Unsafe” you clearly notice how everything comes together in a very bizarre way.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Manes – Teeth, Toes and Other Trinkets (2014)

    cover

    Highly experimental and unconventional outfit Manes finally returns to the scene with a compilation release that will precede a new full-length release later this year (or so). In “Teeth, Toes and Other Trinkets” the band puts together a very eclectic assortment of tracks from their “Vilosophe" and "How The World Came To An End" eras. Any fan of the band will greatly appreciate the moodiness and uniqueness of the tracks presented in this release and will surely make them more excited for the band’s upcoming release.

    In case you are still expecting any Black Metal from Manes (just in case), this release is far from it and showcases the band’s later musical progression into dark jazzy/avant-garde territories. Just imagine (current) Tiamat meets Green Carnation and throw in some of mid-career Ulver into the mix and this is what you will get. For everybody else staying with the Manes program, “Blanket Of Ashes” delivers quite a powerful opener with excellent vocals and trippy percussions.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Lethe – When Dreams Become Nightmares (2014)

    cover

    Many high-quality weird releases make it to our review ‘desk’, but none quite like Lethe and their debut release “When Dreams Become Nightmares”. As a project of Tor-Helge Skei (Manes) and Anna Murphy (Eluveitie) with the help of Eivind Fjøseide (Manes) and others, this band truly delivers a completely unique musical experience that is best described by the uniqueness (and weirdness) of their music, since it is nothing like you would expect.

    Opening with the trippy “In Motion”, you are immediately set in the mindset of expecting nothing conventional and hanging on for the ride. Anna’s vocals remind us of Shellyz Raven mixed with some of the experimental stuff from The 3rd and the Mortal on their Ann-Mari Edvardsen years. The tables are quickly turned on the dark “Haunted”, featuring a certain Industrial vibe but with tons of eerie atmospheric elements and Black Metal-ish guitars.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Year of No Light – Tocsin (2013)

    cover

    If you ignore the weird side-step that was “ Vampyr”, “Tocsin” is the perfect continuation for the band’s previous masterpiece “Ausserwelt”. Year of No Light arrives from France with a pummeling dosage of Instrumental Doom/Sludge Metal that will make melt your faces. Crafting over 57 minutes of music, this six-piece outfit delivers one of the most intense and complex Doom/Sludge releases we have heard in quite a while.

    The album title track kicks things off with a heavy atmospheric intro that slowly melts into a full-on Sludge riff-aton. We particularly love how the track around the 5th minute takes a turn to the Doom side of things with some think melancholic guitars. The band’s versatility is pushed further with the Post-Metal/Rock-ish anthem “Géhenne”. The guitars are pushed to the limit and so is the pulsating bass guitar line on this one. The band keeps the intensity going and instead of being the typical band that climaxes and then slowly drifts away, they keep pushing the intensity of their sound further and further.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Monolithe – Monolithe IV (2013)

    cover

    Delivering what is probably the most punishing Funeral Doom Metal release of 2013; today we have France’s Monolithe and their one-track behemoth: “Monolithe IV”. In this 57 minute release, the band captivates the listeners with an immersive soul draining single track release that features all the good stuff of Funeral Doom minus the mind numbing endless droning sections and adds a bit of flairs with keyboards and female vocals here and there.

    Divided in a certain way in multiple movements, this release features great melodic passages and demolishing riffs. We have to say that this release is a lot more dynamic that what you usually get with bands like Shape of Despair, Esoteric, and Mournful Congregation. Featuring constant tempo changes and very well placed atmospheric sections, the band avoids any monotony in this release – quite a feat for a Funeral Doom Metal band. The growls are superb and they fit the powerful riffing perfectly. The drums are perfectly executed and the bass guitar is nicely mixed to deliver power in the right moments.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Blut Aus Nord – 777 – The Desanctification (2011)

    cover

    As the second stop in their chilling and somewhat perplexing 777 trilogy, today we have Blut Aus Nord and “The Desanctification”. In this release, the band continues their journey with “Epitomes VII to XII”, featuring very interesting compositions that take their unique and very imaginative sound to new heights. If you are expecting a crushing Black Metal release, we strongly advice you skip this one (and the previous one), but if you have an open mind and you are ready to be transported, you should keep reading.

    The band has always been pushing the boundaries of Black Metal, and Metal itself, but with this 777 trilogy we find them even further down the spiral into an abyss of solid music but with sometimes doubtful directions. The riffing and the overall songwriting are very typical of the band, but some of the industrial/electronic elements felt a bit weird on the first few times we played this album. However, as with any Blut Aus Nord release, there is always something lurking in the songs that will surprise the listener and keep it engaged.

Pages

Recent Image Galleries