2009

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Nachtreich – Sturmgang (2009)

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    After releasing six demos (only two available to the public) this two man band blew my expectations away after just looking at the cover. I imaged it would be another shitty Ambient / black metal demo that was just going to make my ears bleed. And I was totally wrong.

    This demo features amazing neoclassical compositions using a variety of instruments, and of course, some distorted guitar riffs. The length of the demo is 55 minutes, but it felt like it was only 10 minutes. I was so immersed in the music trying to identify all the instruments used, and enjoying how each song is very well composed and executed. I must say I’m a sucker for good neoclassical music, but when it has distorted guitars perfectly blended, I’m even more enthralled with the music.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Tarja – Enough (2009)

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    While Tarja is no doubt one of the best singers in Metal, after her time with Nighwish was over, she should have retired or found a band to sing in. Her post-nightwish full length album “My Winter Storm” was pretty dispointing and dull. She had at hand composers and songwriters to aid her in the release, but these things did not help, and the album sucked.

    This single is not far from that release. The songs are pretty dull and while her voice sounds great as always, it does not fit the music at all. It seems like a karaoke attempt. Two songs are contained in this single and they are more than enough to make me stop listening to it, and dig up my old Nightwish cd’s to remember how her voice sounds with good music.
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    Lacuna Coil – Spellbound (2009)

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    This single was released as a digital download from iTunes, and after their previously disappointing, but highly successful (commercially) “Karmacode” album, I was hesitant about giving this a spin. I was very supprised to listen that this song is better than anything on “Karmacode” by far.

    The music has the unique sound that Lacuna Coil achieves with help of Cristina’s vocals, and while it sounds more gothic rock oriented, it’s pretty good. The chorus is very catchy and the drumming in excellent, the guitars are a bit dull (compared to stuff from “In a Reverie” or even “Comalies”).

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    Thee Orakle – Metaphortime (2009)

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    Every once in a while I stumble upon a great album from an unsigned band, and this month’s surprise album was “Metaphortime” by Thee Orakle from Portugal. I’m always amazed that bands of this quality are not signed while other bands that suck are. Anyways, this band formed in 2004 and after one demo and one EP they released this album. If you did not know this, you would have never imagined it.

    “Metaphortime” showcases a band that is very good at playing a style that has been loosing popularity over the last few years (Death /Doom Gothic metal) because most of the band playing this style sounded all similar. But Thee Orakle manages to keep it fresh and while they are not the most original band, they are pretty good at what they play. And in my opinion that’s what quality a band should do.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Candlemass - Death Magic Doom (2009)

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    While I’ve never been a big fan of this band, I have to admit the legendary status they achieved by influencing many doom metal bands. “Death Magic Doom” is clearly one of their finest releases, musically speaking. One big improvement over the past albums, and the reason I did not liked their music was their old vocalists, Messiah Marcolin, was just annoying. And Robert Lowe has better versatility and his vocals go better with the music. Since they kicked out Messiah from the band in 2006, I’ve started liking their releases.

    This album features the typical Epic Doom metal style that the band excels at, but at some points it even sounds like ‘slow’ heavy metal!!, and Robert Lowe’s vocal range is perfect for this. The production of the album is stellar since you can listen to the album several times and still discover new things within the music.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Delain - April Rain (2009)

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    Three years after releasing their acclaimed debut album “Lucidity”, Delain returns stronger than ever with a very solid album. “Lucidity” featured many guest appearances, while this was great for the album it did not allowed us to determine Delain’s own musical style. “April Rain” allow us to listen to what Delain can create with the minimal use of “outside help”.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Bahimiron - Southern Nihilizm (2008)

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    Bahimiron is a black metal band from the USA, and let me tell you that if I wouldn’t read this on the promo sleeve I would have never imagined it. Their musical style is pretty much and old school black metal, and while this band is not going to win any originality awards, their music is pretty good.

    The band hails from Texas, and they have some southern influence in their song names: “Pillz and 90 proof”, “Southern Nihilizm” and the pretty weird “War, Whiskey, Sodomy” which I still need to figure out the relationship between War, Whiskey and Sodomy.

    Like I previously mentioned, this band is not original by any means and it sounds like Gorgoroth, Horna, etc. But they are good at sounding like these bands, and that’s what makes them stand out from a bunch of shitty black metal bands that try too hard to sound like the previously mentioned bands but they fail miserably at it.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Arckanum – Antikosmos (2008)

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    This Swedish band unleashes upon us their 4th full length under the name of “Antikosmos”. This release presents almost no change since their great debut album “Fran Marder”. And this is not good in my opinion.

    Antikosmos as all the other Arckanum’s releases, is mainly based on the atmosphere created by the band, and not the quality of the music. The album kicks off with a bang that is quickly dissipated by uninspired songs like: Røkulfargnýr. In this song the same simple guitar riff is played for over 4 minutes making it sound very dull.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    October Falls - The Womb Of Primordial Nature (2008)

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    This 3 man band from Finland too me by surprise with this release. Having heard Marras and Sarastus before, I was expecting some relaxing folk music. These 2 albums can be compared to Empyrium’s last albums, but The Womb Of Primordial Nature clearly takes a different path. It’s more of a folk / ambient black metal album, and it’s great.

    The album consists of 4 songs and they probably took a few weeks to come up with the title names (look it up and you’ll laugh about this).

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Nåstrond - Muspellz Synir (2008)

    Nåstrond gives us a pretty weird release in general. I have not heard this band before and after reading that their lyrics are Egyptian and Occultism related I was looking forward to listening to this release. But to my surprise it’s not up to par with other releases from Moribund records, while it’s ‘different’ it’s not the good type of different.

    The 2 man band plays a weird mixture of black metal, ambient and even some hints of doom metal. Don’t get me wrong I’m all about listening to new interesting mixtures of genres. But Nåstrond fails to deliver, since the album is not cohesive enough. All the tracks feel like they where put together in installments of 2-3 tracks intended for an EP.

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