Happy New Year

... Or you'll end up like my cat, Jose. :)

I don't have much to say other than that I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable new year's celebration. Or if you're like me and you have to go to your night job then I hope you have a joyous morning putting a few back after a hard night's worth of working. I still have plenty of exciting 2009 releases to review and I'm sure just like 2009, 2010 will be a great year for music. Have fun.

Sequences - Vespertine: A Tragedy In Several Tones Of Grey (2009)

Sequences is a Belgium based solo endeavor and ’Vespertine: A Tragedy In Several Tones Of Grey’ is the projects debut album released earlier this month. Limited to just 75 copies Sequences presents the listener with music within the ambient/drone genre with some mild experimentation. The music as you may have guessed is quite dark in its execution and the experience is like traveling through shadows while descending ever downwards to some unknown realm or cavernous dwelling. The inclusion of some acoustic guitars (performed by J. Neblock of Vindensång) and some barely audible voices only enhances the mood further and makes you wonder if there’s ‘something’ out there as you continue your plunge into the gloom. Truly remarkable the only aspect this album suffers from is the short length (35 minutes) and the fact that it comes in just a plastic sleeve. Hopefully more is to come as I certainly can’t wait to hear more. For the curious this album can be downloaded at last.fm.

Cathedral - Forest of Equilibrium (1991/2009)

Hard to believe it’s been eighteen years since Cathedral’s colossal doom debut titled, ‘Forest of Equilibrium’ was originally released. Back in 1991 I was ten years old and only just then starting to break free of the musical confines my parents had placed on me, which pretty much consisted of just oldies. Flash forward another ten years and I’m twenty and hearing this record for the first time and thinking, “This is amazing!” Yes my readers in case you didn’t know Cathedral fucking rules.

Earlier this year this doom classic was re-issued by Earache Records with the ‘Soul Sacrifice’ EP as bonus tracks and an additional DVD that features a documentary with the Forest of Equilibrium line-up and the ‘Ebony Tears’ music video.

Generally viewed as the first band in the second wave of doom metal, on this initial release Cathedral borrowed a lot of influence from the classic Black Sabbath sound of the early 70’s and 80’s doom bands like Saint Vitus, Trouble, and Pentagram. The guitars are extremely low tuned to create the heaviest thickest tone imaginable while the speed of the music generally shifts between utterly painfully slow parts to faster classic doom metal groovy parts. The inclusion of the flute on a few songs and the well placed acoustic guitars make it all the more enthralling too. The vocals of Lee Dorian are woeful groans of agony and pain and through these voices he treats us to some wonderful poetry while sounding completely downhearted in the process.

I've always found the mood of this record to be strange since at times it can make you feel completely desolate and at other times it can get you banging your head to the groovier rocking parts. All in all though its a tough album to describe.

As for the DVD it includes a documentary with the line-up of this album and basically it’s all four of them in a pub discussing everything from Lee’s early years with Napalm Death to the formation of Cathedral, inspirations, getting signed, early shows and choosing an artist to do the cover artwork. The Ebony Tears video is also included and while it’s not the most visually stunning video you’ll ever see I still do find it to be quite enjoyable.

As far as I know the original pressing of this album is out of print and quite hard to find these days and as such I highly recommend you acquaint yourself with not only one of the best albums ever but definitely one of the best bands ever.

Poccolus - Poccolus (2006)

If you’ve heard Poccolus before, and I do mean actually heard them, then it’s probably safe to say you’re either lying or just darn lucky. Often referred to as the first black metal band from Lithuania, 'Poccolus' was originally released on a small South Korean label in 1996 where it quickly went out of print. Three years ago Supernal Music from England unearthed this long forgotten gem with new artwork, a 16-page leather-textured booklet containing lyrics in both Lithuanian and English translations and the music on a gold disc.

Completely ahead in terms of diversity and experimentation, imagine something like Emperor’s ‘In The Nightside Eclipse,’ Burzum’s ‘Hvis lyset tar oss,’and Nokturnal Mortum’s ‘Lunar Poetry’ all mixed together and you’ll be close to understanding this album. It is essentially mid-paced highly melodic black metal with ample keyboard usage, acoustic guitars, and Baltic folk influences. The music can be epic sounding at one point, sinister at the next, and dark and melancholic sounding completely out of the blue.

The band was essentially the project Ramûnas who handled all guitars, keyboards and vocal duties while two others provided drums and bass. Ramûnas had a very Burzum-ish vocal style, but somehow managed to sound like he was in even more agony than Varg. He also often times used a spoken voice and this weird creepy howl on this record, which is referred to as his wolf's howl. His keyboard and guitar work was also exceedingly impressive, being very melodic and full of character throughout the entire experience.

Truly a gem, a hidden treasure, and possibly one of the best black metal albums ever - Supernal presents us with a unique chance to hear this album. If anything I’ve described above sounds interesting to you then make sure to get your hands on a copy of this stunning classic before it disappears for good.

Urna - Iter ad Lucem (2009)

Sick, evil, oppressive, bleak and atmospheric are but a few words I might choose to use when describing this Italian band who collectively perform under the banner of Urna. ‘Iter ad Lucem’ is incredibly dark and powerful heavy funeral doom with subtle black metal influences that brings to mind the finest moments of Esoteric, Gris, Skepticism, Nortt and Tyranny.

One of the things that really caught my attention with this band immediately is the mood and just how depressing it all is. It’s interesting how the band shifts from bludgeoning heavy riffs to completely synthesized interludes within the same song and back again. Likewise the music has a sort of progressive quality to it which saves the music from sounding to repetitive, tired or just plain boring. It’s also fascinating the way there are some cleaner sounding guitars which stick out from the heavy distortion and gloom of this record.

The drum work is also just spot on and keeps perfect rhythm with everything which I’d think to be challenging with the music being as slow as it is. Strangely there are even some moments where the drummer uses some fast double bass foot work and the guitars actually speed up a bit too. Lastly the vocals are performed in a fair mixture between low guttural growls and blackened metal screams, which just adds even more diversity to this album.

Of course when it comes to this sort of music it’s all about emotion and Urna is rich with it. As I hinted at it within the opening paragraph, Urna has the ability to inject the listener with misery, horror, wickedness and even the unspeakable.

Thick in ambiance and drenched with heavy punishing malevolence and melancholy, Iter ad Lucem is an incredible funeral doom record that I’d highly recommend to fans of the genre and all of the bands mentioned above.

Warbringer - Waking Into Nightmares (2009)

Since catching them as openers for Exodus a few years ago, Warbringer has become a constant favorite of mine and a clear reminder that thrash metal is alive and well (not that I ever doubted it to be). ‘Waking into Nightmares’ is a flesh ripping, fist pumping and throat lacerating thrashing metal attack that hankers back to the glorious days of thrash metals past.

It seems like the band received a lot of criticism for their debut ‘War Without End,’ and while I agree with some of it (lousy production, generic riffs, short solos were the common ones I seen) I still found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable thrash revival album. WiN on the other hand seems to see the band finding their true voice by assaulting the listeners with breakneck thrash metal that’s filled with varied and appealing riffs, excellent lengthy solos, great lead vocals and a perfect production job courtesy of Gary Holt of Exodus.

What I really like about this album and good metal albums in general is when they are able to get me completely charged up and full of energy. If your anything like me (you can admit it) you’ll find yourself head banging, tapping your feet, pumping your fist and shouting out the lyrics to this album a lot even if you live with just cats or even by yourself. That’s just one of the things I love about metal or music in general is the emotional response I feel when I listen to it and frankly Warbringer has become a constant when I need to get myself going.

As far as favorites are concerned, well I really can’t hesitate to say that every single song truly stands out, but ‘Severed Reality,’ ‘Living in the Whirlwind’ and ‘Forgotten Dead’ really stick out the most for me. The slower instrumental, ‘Nightmare Anatomy’ is also perfectly placed and allows listeners to catch their breath for a few minutes too.

Overall this band has gotten much better since their debut and frankly this is one of the better if not the best thrash metal album I’ve heard in recent years. Lastly if these guys come to your town to play you’d best be absolutely sure not to miss them. I’ve seen them four times in the past two years and each and every time they’ve been absolutely incredible. Thrash!

Altar of Plagues - White Tomb (2009)

Fifteen years ago, if you had said that black metal would grow to become one of the most popular, and also most diverse metal genres, I'm sure you would have gotten quite a few strange looks. But now, black metal has grown to unheard-of popularity, and the amazing subtleties within the genre has both drawn in new fans and stratified those who claim one is better than the other. From the nasty, bedroom production of punk black to the ambient drones of 'forest black metal' to weird, blackened noise, it seems every month or so another band has come out with their version of the infamous 'black metal' tag.

So what is the Altar of Plagues approach to the genre? White Tomb, the first full length release from the Irish band, is an amazing fusion of atmospheric black metal of bands such as Wolves in the Throne Room (who this band cannot seem to avoid being compared to), the doom sounds of Khanate, and the crushing post-metal of bands such as Isis and Mouth of the Architect, and even a dash of down-tempo, blackened sludge thrown in. Confused yet?

Every minute of this sprawling four track album (divided into two separate parts, labeled 'Earth' and 'Through the Collapse') is a foray into the caustic destruction of the world, but from a bleak, inevitable, point of view. Haunting riffs emerge from flowing ambient feedback, masterfully working themselves into epic passages of droning, tortured black metal. The 'Earth' side of this album ('As a Womb', and 'As a Furnace'), while not itself innovative, is just atmospheric black metal done right. But it is the second part, 'Through the Collapse', where Altar of Plagues really shine, unleashing a track of skull-crushing sludge ('Watchers Restrained'), and then twisting feedback into a post-apocalyptic plea for help, bridging the two parts masterfully. And these days, when so many bands utilize ambience yet fail to actually put true work into it, the noise passage is a perfect fit, manipulating its sound right into the true blackened post-metal sounds of 'Gentian Truth', the track which defines this album. There's not much left to say; this is the soundtrack to the whimpering finality of human civilization, the last cries for help before the cities fall upon themselves, the last of humanity dies cold and starved, and the world begins healing its wounds.

Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue (2009)

Back in 1992 Alice in Chains released their breakthrough album ‘Dirt’ into the mainstream crowd via Columbia records. Alongside Seattle comrades Nirvana and Soundgarden the grunge sound was firmly established and Alice in Chains became icons over night. Ten years later, already after a number of years of inactivity lead singer Layne Staley died of a Heroin overdose. Buried but not forgotten, one would have thought the passing of Layne would have finally triggered the retirement of the Alice in Chains moniker. Exactly seventeen years after the release of Dirt Alice in Chains returns with a new singer named William DuVall (guitarist/vocalist of Comes with the Fall) and their fourth studio recording titled ‘Black Gives Way to Blue.’

Wrote and recorded over the past couple of years, Black Gives Way to Blue hankers back to the classic AiC’s sound with songs that are both heavy and catchy, slow and somber and the classic grunge gloom of the early 90’s. Regrettably though after numerous listens this album has generally failed to fully capture my attention and keep me clamoring for more. Sure the album has some great songs like the poignant ballad ‘Your Decision’ or the hard rocking ‘Lesson Learned’ and I wouldn’t hesitate to say ‘Check my Brain’ is one of the finest songs the band ever wrote. It’s just that the rest of the songs are basically very standard and somewhat forgettable in there execution. Nevertheless I find interesting characteristics within these other songs that lead me to believe that one day I’ll appreciate this album further.

Oddly enough it would appear both Jerry Cantrell and William DuVall split the vocal duties up about 50% and in general I prefer Jerry’s voice over William’s. I won’t take anything away from William though, he’s a great singer, absolutely, but filling the shows of a unique voice like Layne’s is like replacing Freddy Mercury or some other iconic lead singer. It just can’t be done and to some it might be a bad idea too.

In the end I wouldn’t say BGWtB is a bad album nor were my expectations let down, because frankly I never thought there would be a fourth Alice in Chains album. As previously stated I think some of these songs may grow on me over time, but as of now I remain only semi won over by this albums inclusion in the otherwise stunning AiC discography.

Secrets of the Moon - Privilegivm (2009)

I’ve known about the German black metal band Secrets of the Moon for a few years now, but honestly I never heard them until they were playing in front of me as openers for Moonspell back in October. As drunk as I was at this particular show it didn’t stop me from thoroughly enjoying these guys and really appreciating the fact that they came all the way from Germany to play in this dinky pool hall for us.

At any rate these Germans play a sort of occult and progressive-esque black metal that’s full of both eerie and headbanging guitar melodies, mystifying atmospheres, tribal percussion, choral chanting and decent lead vocal work. All of the songs are long (over seven minutes) except for the two instrumentals which serve as intro and intermezzos from the action. Collectively the whole thing clocks in at sixty five minutes and I must admit there are some parts that seem a little dragged out (The intro of Track 5 as an example) but nevertheless this record is enjoyable. The production is also top notch crystal clear, which as I hear is quite different from the bands earlier work, but I don’t think conservative black metal fans will mind too much.

I find that it’s hard to pick a candid favorite from this album as each song has some interesting characteristics, moments and even catchiness in them and you really have to listen to the album a good handful or so times before the thing really clicks with you. As a whole though I find it hard to describe this album and it’s really just one of those releases you’ll have to hear to understand. It may not be the best black metal album of 2009 but at least for me it’s been an interesting introduction to the music of Secrets of the Moon.

Souvenirs from Hell (1997)

‘Souvenirs from Hell’ is a rare and much sought after compilation released in 1997 via Cthulhu Records. I bought this year’s ago specifically for the Ulver track which is exclusive to this comp. and it's absolutely one of the best songs from the bands early days.

Ulver’s song is an utterly stunning acoustic/neo classical song much in the vein of the material from ‘Kveldssanger.’ The song features breathtaking acoustic guitar work, cellos, Garm’s powerful lead vocals and no less than Hellhammer (Mayhem) on the snare drum. Blood Axis’ song on the other hand is one of most sinister and depressing pieces of music I think I’ve ever heard. It consists of Annabel Lee’s amazing violin work with Michael Moynihan reciting a poem by George Sylvester Viereck in his well known deep stern tone while the light percussion in the background sounds like a heartbeat slowly collapsing. The Electric Hellfire Club song is within the industrial rock genre though I’m not as pleased with it as the two previous songs. Honestly I’ve known about these guys for years but I never managed to check them out.

It’s anyone’s guess who Empire 44 is and I must admit their KMFDM-ish song is nothing impressive at all. Diabolos Rising on the other hand was a short lived project between Magus Wampyr Daoloth (Necromantia) and Mika Luttinen (Impaled Nazarene), which released three albums in the mid-90’s. The band’s sound was somewhere within the industrial to ritual area, but it really has its own thing going. Later on the band changed their named to Raism and released two more albums before breaking up. Peter H. Gilmore was involved in the death metal scene back in the 80’s & early 90’s and you may remember him as the guy that recorded no less than ten intro tracks for the first Acheron album. Anyway I have no idea what kind of music he released during his solo years but this piece at least is a neo classical synth piece that features Peter reciting the story of Vlad Tepes. Lastly (yeah only 7 songs on this comp…) N.A.O.S. was another short lived project from Magus Wampyr Daoloth. This song is within the ambient/experimental vein with both male and female vocals.

Anyway download it here, say thanks, follow the blog and while your at it have yourself a merry fucking Christmas too.

Katatonia - Night is the New Day (2009)

when I heard there would be a new Katatonia album in late 2009 I was left feeling utterly rapturous to say the least. And why shouldn’t I? I’ve realized (much like Amorphis) that Katatonia is one of my favorite bands. Katatonia will always have songs that will emit from my speakers endlessly, albums that will delight my interests for a lifetime and the sentiments they provide through their music will work for every one of my moods. These Swedes are absolutely the ideal band for me.

Anyway it’s been about three and a half years since ‘The Great Cold Distance’ and while I loved the album I also found it to be the most accessible and possibly one of the more optimistic sounding Katatonia releases. Forget all that. ‘Night is the New Day’ brings back a lot of the melancholy and dark sounds of older releases and blends it perfectly with the bands modern sound. The result is something absolutely original and something surely only these guys could create.

All at once this album is heavy, calm, catchy, low-key, melodious, downhearted, atmospheric and just stunning from start to finish. You may find that just one listen won’t reveal the true beauty behind this album and my experience was quite similar. In fact each subsequent listen has exposed something new and electrifying for me. Be it a memorable chorus or a backing synthesizer glimmer there is so much within this album that will grip your senses and keep you coming back for more.

A song like ‘Forsaker’ hits the listener with a heavy, calm and depressed sound simultaneously while ‘Idle Blood’ is far from being even a metal song, but its atmosphere and vocal delivery are absolutely astounding. ‘The Promise of Deceit’ is probably the catchiest tune and ‘Departer’ is just pure gloom all the way. I love this record. If you don’t own it - get it!

Paragon Impure - To Gaius (For The Delivery Of Agrippina) (2005)

"I have existed from the morning of the world and I shall exist until the last star falls from the night. Although I have taken the form of Gaius Caligula, I am all man as I am no man and therefore I am… a God!" -Caligula

A few short years ago, Paragon Impure’s fourth release (after two demos and a compilation) was among the finest black metal offerings of 2005. As a historian with a great affinity for Roman history, I was obviously enthusiastic about the theme Paragon Impure embarked upon for “To Gaius (For The Delivery Of Agrippina).” Breaking from the tired and cliché Viking theme, this is a concept record based on the personage of the infamous Roman Emperor Gaius Caligula - one who is historically renowned for excessive cruelty, immoral sexual escapades, and disrespect toward not only the Senate but also time-honored Roman tradition.

The band is comprised of two members: Noctiz, who is responsible for composing the majority of the music, and Storm, who deals with percussion. They’re also known for playing in other bands like Gotmoor and Verloren. “To Gaius…” is as pure as black metal gets. Comprised of four excellent tracks, the musicianship on the record is blisteringly unrepentant and rife with scathing and raw riffs that are complimented by exceptionally aggressive vocals. I wait impatiently for Paragon Impure’s next masterwork release because they are not only among the best that Belgium has to offer, but the band delivers some of the finest black metal I have heard in the last ten years. Give us a new release already!

Porcupine Tree - The Incident (2009)

I must admit I was slightly excited when I heard Porcupine Tree was going to be making a double album, because, ya know, these guys have made some good music. In the past. The 90’s, umm the early 90’s. Well it’s been awhile since Porcupine Tree has made a bonafide awesome album. Don’t get me wrong ‘In Absentia’ and even ‘Deadwing’ had some good stuff on them, but as a whole they utterly pale in comparison to the glorious progressive/space rock performed on colossal releases like ‘Voyage 34,’ ‘Up the Downstair’ or ‘The Sky Moves Sideways.’

Apparently this is a concept album; about what I do not know and frankly I’m not about to sit down with this album again and read the lyrics after I write this review. The big problem with this album is that the riffs are just tedious and simple, the solos (the few there are) hardly grab my interest, the progressive rock influences are scant, and the little ambient moments are not interesting either. The hip hop beats in ‘The Incident’ are not cool either neither is the fact that there are two songs that sound exactly alike (tracks 1 & 10). The fact that nothing is really catchy doesn’t help them any either. All things considered PT in 2009 sounds like an alternative rock band with some small progressive and ambient influences to their work. Meh, I say.

The only really positive thing I can say about this release is that as usual Steven Wilson’s singing is quite good and there are some interesting parts in tracks 5, 9 and 14. Of course that won’t save the record at all. Basically when you struggle to get through even the shortest tracks on the album you know something is wrong. It’s kind of like when George Lucas made the Phantom Menace. He should have known from the start that it was a stupid goddamn bad idea, but no he went and did it anyway and tarnished the greatest sci-fi epic ever. PT has been on a descending spiral of failure for a while now, but man never did I expect them to make an album completely devoid of even one thoroughly decent song.

If you manage to make it through the first disc (yeah there are two of them…) and all fifty five minutes of it then you’ll have an additional twenty minutes of music to deal with, which truthfully isn’t much better, though like the first there are a few smidgens of appealing material. It also beckons the question as to why the entire thing was not just on one disc. Yeah I know that’s over seventy five minutes and compact discs only hold seventy five, but seriously remove track 10 for fuck’s sake. Ugh!

I’m not exactly sure what happened during this incident but I can tell you one thing had I witnessed it I just would of turned my head and kept walking. You should too.

Mantic Ritual - Executioner (2009)

Mantic Ritual from Pennsylvania originally formed in 2005 under the name of Meltdown; they recorded demos in ’05 & ’06, and finally a debut full length in 2007. A year later they signed with Nuclear Blast Records and changed their name to Mantic Ritual and completely re-recorded this album from 2007 and released it under the Mantic Ritual moniker.

Mantic Ritual plays fast relentless thrash metal the same way Testament, Exodus and other bay area thrashers were doing it twenty years ago. Of course the production is very clear and modern sounding so it doesn’t sound like a true 80’s thrash band.

The band for the most part plays fast and keeps the mood optimistic and as such the album has the ability to really grip your senses and energize you. They really exemplify this on the song ‘Panic,’ which frankly I wouldn’t hesitate to say is one of the best thrash songs I’ve heard in recent memory. Other songs that really stand out are ‘One by one’ & ‘Double the Blood,’ but generally speaking the whole album is consistent and catchy making it an excellent modern day thrash record. The lead guitar work shows great skill throughout this entire record and the solos are utterly catchy and keep me coming back for more while the vocals are clearly sung with some snarly shouts and the rest of the band also provides plenty of backing vocal yelling.

Vocalist and guitarist Dan Wetmore did recently depart from the group so it should be interesting to see if the band can produce an equally exciting sophomore release. I shall hold the horns high for them.

Black metal prank call

A few months ago while waiting for a concert to start a buddy of mine pulled out his phone and let me watch this absolutely hilarious video of a black metal musician getting prank called by a black dude. Good funny stuff.

Agalloch - From Which of this Oak (2009)

In the past couple of years many people have come to know the name Agalloch but personally I first heard the band back in the autumn of 2000 through one of the songs on the 1996 cassette tape ‘From Which of this Oak.’ Back then Agalloch wasn’t a well known name in the underground, in fact not too many knew them at all. ‘Pale Folklore’ caused a bit of a stir in the metal underground in 1999, but it seems it really wasn’t until ‘The Mantle’ in 2002 that Agalloch was truly recognized. Back in late 2000 I got my hands on both Pale Folklore and From which of this Oak. At first I really didn’t even know what I was hearing, because I had never heard anything like it before. Never had such beauty, grace or originality met with my ears. I knew these guys would be huge one day.

Fast forward to September of 2009 and I find Agalloch doing a few gigs in the Midwest where I live. I was thrilled to say the least. At the gig was limited merchandise, one item of which and much to my surprise was a picture vinyl re-release of the demo that got me started on the band nearly nine years earlier.

I won’t delve much into the actual sound of this recording since I’m sure you’ve either downloaded the demo or perhaps even bought the ‘Demonstration Archive’ CD they released in 2008. Even so From Which of this Oak is surely the most metal recording Agalloch ever released showcasing mostly faster instrumentation with influences of Scandinavian melodic death metal, black metal, and just a tiny bit of doom metal. Not surprisingly the ambient, acoustic, post rock and progressive tendencies that would become such a huge part of the bands later recordings is nearly absent on this debut demo.

As for the actual LP; the first thing that really caught my attention was the photo of John Haughm on Side A, which featured a rather melancholic looking Haughm in some dilapidated area whilst he was decked out in gauntlets, a bullet belt and in hand he brandished a rapier. Nice. The photo of Don on the reverse side is interesting as well since he has long hair and spiky gauntlets to boot. Seeing these old photos you can’t help wondering if Agalloch was intended to be a much blacker metal oriented group. Additionally this re-release also comes with a foldout poster and it’s limited to 900 copies. If you missed out on this LP I’m sure you’ll regret it, just the same way I regretted selling that original demo tape a few years ago, but thankfully both this LP reissue and the aforementioned Demonstration Archive have brought these songs back.

Blood Stained Dusk - Black Faith Inquisition (2008)

Blood Stained Dusk’s third album ‘Black Faith Inquisition’ was one of the most intense, exciting, and rewarding records I came across in 2009. Hailing from Huntsville, Alabama and originally set in motion in 1998 this American black metal band seemed to originally take a lot of flak for sounding entirely too much like Emperor during their ‘In the Nightside Eclipse’ era, and while some of the same traits are there this is by no means a rip off band.

BSD writes absolutely sweeping, epic, lengthy (9-14 minute) black metal songs filled with majestic symphonic keyboards, powerful riffing, incredible solos and no less than three different vocal styles (clean operatic, spoken, and growled/screamed) performed by Thomas Kronenes AKA Pest from Gorgoroth and Obtained Enslavement. The actual flow of the music is interesting as it shifts from breakneck black metal speeds to absolutely epic sections, some calmer moments and even some portions of this record are purely synthesized. BFI is an enormously atmospheric and dark recording that projects a mental image of the heavens aflame and shadows stretching throughout all the land.

It should also be mentioned that the album is produced quite well with all the instruments being audible and the front cover and inlay artwork is highly impressive too. Unfortunately BFI marked the last album with original band member Dageth who sadly died in a traffic accident in 2005 at the age of twenty five. It is however inspiring to see that the band was able to pick up the pieces from such an incident and still record an absolutely stunning black metal record.

If you’ve ever doubted the American black metal scene then pick up Black Faith Inquisition and find out first hand that black metal is alive in America and it’s much better than what you’re hearing from other countries.

Wyrdstone - Cuffern (2009)

'Cuffern' is the debut album from West Sussex England native Clive Murrell. Cuffern is an acoustic/folk album with a theme around the Wickerman, though the album is completely instrumental, save for what I believe is a sampled voice on the first song. Musically the feel of this release is more within a traditional folk vein rather than say within the neo folk genre, but even so the music has a timeless or heathen sort of aura to it and it remains quite beautiful from the first to the last song. Generally the only instrument used is an acoustic guitar, though some flutes and shakers are used and there is even one song that falls in the ambient genre. The sixth song and title track is the absolute highlight for me as it is breathtakingly gorgeous in its delivery and becomes trapped within my mind every time I listen to it. I'm also quite fond of 'Cam Ye 'er Frae France' since this one makes use of the flutes and shakers I mentioned earlier and it almost has a medieval like vibe to it. I honestly wouldn't hesitate to say this is one of the finer folk related records this year, but the fact that it comes in just a cardboard sleeve in CDr format and unfortunately limited to just 50 copies might make the average fan of the genre think otherwise. If so you've surely missed a stunning record that personally I can see myself playing for many years to come.

Stuzha - Through the Snowfield EP (2008)

When sounds of brisk Siberian landscapes are captured and laced together with haunting, minimalistic compositions, chances are you're either stranded in a frozen well near a Siberian concert hall, or listening to Stuzha's first EP...or both. Created by the mastermind of _Algol_, Through the Snowfield guides the listeners in some of the most desolate locations in central Siberia in four dark ambient tracks.

The most domineering aspect of Stuzha's music is the ability to create and show perspective of the natural sounds included in the field recordings. Sounds such as fire, one trudging through the snow, heavy gusts of wind, breaking wood, and the echoes of a hollow cave are captured and mixed specifically to paint a picture in the listener's mind of the landscapes explored in each song. Guitars soaked with freezing reverb are prominent yet minimal in style, along with acoustic guitar and choral singing.

Stuzha's approach to sound selection on Through the Snowfield is different than most other ambient projects around these days. To be honest, not all of the sounds used in this EP are always beautiful. Dissonant shrills are summon every now and then under ugly, depressive melodies to possibly symbolize the chilling cold brushing against one's body in barren terrain. It's safe to say that most of the sounds and their timbres and placement have some symbolic meaning to them.

It's a shame that a band who releases an EP like this only has just little over 500 listeners (on Last.fm.) The music and overall atmosphere of the music is very appealing especially to those who enjoy atmospheric ambient music or anything experimental.

Arbeit - Zum Einem Neuen Licht (2008)

“Zum Einem Neuen Licht,” loosely translated from German means something along the lines of “a better future,” which is emblematic of Arbeit’s bleak and yet poignant sonic message detailing the intrinsic struggle for hope and light in a world beset by unparalleled darkness. Opening with a wailing air raid siren and the sound of marching boots, Arbeit’s ominous prologue details the onset of an enormous, inhuman, and inconceivable war (particularly referring to the Second World War); while the epilogue – comprised of foreboding and yet militant dark ambiance - reveals the raw struggle of the human spirit as it attempts to survive the aftermath.

Arbeit utilize guitar, piano, keyboards, kettledrum samples, and myriad of other instruments including spoken German passages to create a truly haunting, monstrous, and depressive ambiance that breathes to life the memory of some of histories darkest days. This brilliant debut is entirely confrontational with its stirring and exhilarating martial industrial technique, while also retaining the more emotional and provocative dark ambient elements. At times the music oscillates between those extremes, alternating between suffocating and crushing light-devouring sounds, bullets whistling close by and the agonizing screams of wounded soldiers; to the almost ephemeral sunshine-lit post-war scenario; a Spring, a new beginning. With their debut, Arbeit have crafted a magnum opus that any listener, regardless of your genre preferences should want to hear.

Brilliant.

Oathless - Seen Through Reflection (2009)

As far as I'm concerned Oathless is one of the best bands on last.fm that is offering up free music. This UK based solo project began back in 2006 as an acoustic/neo folk styled entity, but recent releases has seen Oathless move onto a pure ambient style, and 'Seen Through Reflection' continues in this vein. STR is a short twenty two minute EP that brings to mind Ildjarn-Nidhogg's 'Hardangervidda' duo of albums. The music is light, slow, relaxing, melancholic, trance inducing and absolutely beautiful for the EP's entire duration. I think you'll find that playing Oathless' music while in a somber mood or when you just want to relax with a good fantasy novel that this is a perfect match. Do yourself a favor and discover one very interesting and talented musicians music soon.

March Of Heroes - March For Glory (2007)

Definitely an apocalyptic debut!

"March For Glory" is an exceedingly epic, dramatic, and militaristic release that infuses a WWII / Eastern Front chaos into its kaleidoscope of neoclassical martial and post-industrial sounds. Released on Rage in Eden, formally known as War Office Propaganda, Poland’s major label for some of the best Industrial, Ambient and Neo-classical acts from all over the world, my high hopes for this record were not met with disappointment. The album begins with ominous winds supported by a minimal selection of dissonant string orchestra that fades into the slow rhythm of loud and yet distant drums - a final and faint heartbeat of life before the war pulse of death, dust, and steel emerge.

The mixture of classically trained strings, machine gun salvo and pounding percussion create an aural assault that is the perfect complimentary soundtrack to the war images taken from the Eastern Front that adorn the albums inlay and artwork. The neoclassical orchestrations on the record are equal to and perhaps even surpass contemporary purveyors in the genre, and the segments of dark ambient / martial milieu are among the finest I have ever heard. Truly, the chaotic ambiance on "March For Glory" invokes an ambiance that feels as if I am actually living the pages of Anthony Beevor's Stalingrad. It is for those who lose themselves in history books, war-documentations and collected medals.

For those who possess the ability stare and lose themselves in the narration of a picture of any soldier for hours, wondering what became of them and their lives - this is your album. It is for those who want to see, feel and live certain moments in history, although standing safely on the edge of the portrait. "March For Glory" is a brilliant release and a masterpiece debut.

Battle Dagorath - Eternal Throne (2008)

This was one of my favorite albums in 2008 and I've realized in the time its been since I initially heard the album its really only just got better. Battle Dagorath hails from an undisclosed part of the USA and this three piece black metal band features members from such obscure acts as Nekroholocaust and Warwulf.

I find that describing Battle Dagorath and their stunning debut 'Eternal Throne' to be a challenging task since it sounds both typical, but then again not so typical. Although the music is mostly very fast with plenty of blast beats and raw blazing fast guitars it does however remain very cold and atmospheric sounding throughout the albums entire fifty eight minute duration. When listening to this I can find similarities to a bands like Nocternity, Paysage d'Hiver, and Darkspace, but that aside Battle Dagorath sounds very original to my ears.

The music has a sick sort of melodicism to it, which is really something to behold and I honestly wouldn't even hesitate to say there is some sort of catchiness to be found within this bands work. Besides that the overall musicianship is absolutely beyond excellent with plenty of killer riffs and superb drumming. The vocals are also a key area in this recording since they are some of the best I've heard in recent memory. They range from harshly screamed grim vocals to some spoken passages and these demonic sounding beastly cries that are just incredible and work perfectly with the music.

The album also features two fantastic ambient pieces composed by Christoph of Vinterriket and as you might expect they are in the same vein as his usual work and as always they are some of the best within the dark ambient genre.

As a whole this is really one of the best black metal recordings to come out of the USBM scene in the past couple of years, however I'd imagine like most bands from the USA its more than likely getting overshadowed by there European black metal brethren.

The Voice of Idols

I found this on YouTube this morning and I must admit it made my day just a bit more pleasant. Just watch, laugh, and then ask yourself why you didn't think of doing this first.

Arditi - Omne Ensis Impera (2008)

Arditi are among the most mesmerizing and hypnotic martial industrial bands in the genre. The talented Swedish duo dedicated their new and arguably greatest album "Omne Ensis Impera" to war, quoting: "We sing the praise of war. Not for the way it makes people die, but for the way it makes people come alive." Surely their bombastic and militant neoclassical style inspires and brings to life vivid images of war, nationalism, and violence in the minds of erudite listeners. Arditi, over the course of a brilliant discography have mastered the art of harnessing a dramatic nostalgia, epic in its proportions, skilled in its delivery, that transports the listener into the battle-ready lines marching boldly off to war. This is a martial industrial band that has captured the compelling essence and humanistic proclivity to war, nationalistic fervor, and violence more accurately then any 'war metal' band ever could. "Omne Ensis Impera" is an exceptional addition to the genre, but quality of this caliber can only be expected when considering Arditi's historic tendency toward virtual perfection.

Clockwork Illusion - Memento Mori (2005)

Clockwork Illusion was a short lived solo music project of one Mario Marino who released his one and only demo back in 2005. Titled ‘Memento Mori’ and limited to just 50 copies this twenty two minute demo is a serious treat if you favor the music of Sopor Aeternus & The Ensemble of Shadows. I had not listened to this demo in a long time, but after giving it another spin I quickly remembered how exceptional it indeed is. ‘Midnightbloom and the Dreamer’ is the opening song on this demo and the one that has the strongest Sopor Aeternus feeling to it. The vocals are performed in a few different ways, but mostly sounding in a downhearted gothic tone, while at other times much more unusual voices are present some that even remind me of Marilyn Manson. The music although completely synthesized sounds remarkably well done both then and now. The next song ‘Unveilling the Façade’ and the following two songs are slightly different as they introduce some electro elements, but the core of the music stays the same.

I wasn’t going to originally do this, but I’ve decided to on occasion share demos and other rarities with my readers, but you’ll have to hit some other blog for stuff that’s readily available. Just reviews and rare shit here, folks.

Anyway Download Here

Betray-Ed - An Everlasting Drift (2009)

Since Betray-ed's inception a few years ago the band has been very productive by releasing a number of demos, EP's and full length albums, all of which have had a slightly different sound and feeling to them and generally improving upon the previous one. Although François is the main composer of Betray-ed there has been a host of guest musicians aiding him on his path thus far. The music has ranged from melodic ambient to acoustic folk, piano ballads, and even medieval style songs, however on this latest release we see a much more prominent metal influence, but most songs are in the previously mentioned genres. 'Merry Tune from the Castle Court' as an example has a heavy electric guitar riff paired with bouncy folky keyboards that reminds me of some of the old Falkenbach stuff while 'Quiet Agony' is a lovely piano piece. 'A Scent of Forlorn Love' sounds a lot like the old Empyrium songs complete with Schwadorf-ish vocals too, however the finest moment of this album is the final song 'And All Shall Turn Back to Oceans,' which happens to be a really beautiful and melancholic piano/acoustic piece. Perhaps the albums only faults would be the underground production and the diversity of the music might make it an odd listen, but all in all this is fairly good release worth hearing. For those that are curious this album as well as all previous Betray-ed releases are fully streamable on last.fm. Check them out.

Lunar Hypnosis has returned

Lunar Hypnosis was originally a webzine based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin founded on May 14, 2001 by architect JJM. The ‘zine featured many freelance writers from around the USA as well as a few from abroad. While the ‘zine originally started as a bland heavy metal-only ‘zine it eventually expanded into reviewing almost all styles imaginable. After just a little over seven years of existence Lunar Hypnosis was buried in December of 2008. One year later Lunar Hypnosis returns - in blog form.

As for the old LH archive I have decided to not upload all of it rather instead I will go through the old reviews and from time to time and they will appear online eventually. The reason for not just uploading everything is simply because in some cases I don’t even own the CDs anymore since I sold them for extra cash or I just didn’t like them any longer. It wouldn’t seem fair to publish reviews like this. Also because in a lot of cases my opinions have changed or I simply don’t feel that the old review is adequate. The good news is that because of this there will be an update everyday or nearly every day. Keep in mind if you’ve proven to be a friend over the years your album will surely be present before others. You know who you are. Hope you understand my choice.

As for the interviews they will eventually appear online as well, though probably only the ones I conducted in the last couple of years since I really didn’t start doing good ones until 2006 or so. The same goes with the articles and other random stuff that was on the old ‘zine.

As far as promos are concerned you can contact me and will go from there. I won’t accept any mysterious packages like before.

Other than that follow the blog, comment on the posts and let me know what you think. As always thanks for reading and do take care.

* Funny cat photo by Kenneth Rougeau

Spiculum Iratus – Summa Anti-Theologica (2009)

After a split release a few years ago Spiculum Iratus returns in 2009 with their debut recording titled 'Summa Anti-Theologica.' On this album the band has been joined by vocalist Os Miserum whom has made appearances with Xasthur and Chaos Moon as well as being the mastermind behind the ambient/industrial band Nostalgia. Spiculum Iratus' music is generally very chaotic, fast, and raw in its execution, but it still has a very dark, atmospheric, creepy, and occult like characteristic to it, which makes it stand out from other black metal bands within this style. There are also some calmer ambient sections, samples, and even some cleaner sounding guitar harmonies present too. The vocals definitely stand out as they sound like deep venomous cries from a demon within the very bowels of hell itself. There's quite a bit of an echo effect placed on them, but they manage to sound very original and hellish as they are screamed out. There isn't any single song that truly stands out, but at thirty five minutes the whole thing proves to be an exciting and fresh sounding release within the USBM underground that is definitely not one to be missed.

Beherit – Engram (2009)

Upon hearing that Beherit had reformed I more or less just sat here in my computer chair scratching my head thinking, “Why?” I mean don't get me wrong. Its cool when bands reform, assuming they still have the right motivation and drive to make the same music they did in their heyday. In the case of Beherit, well they are for one thing considered to be one of (if not) the first black metal band from Finland, and besides that their brand of ugly raw blackened death metal violence has served as inspiration for countless bands since. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that 'Drawing Down the Moon' is one of the best black metal records ever conceived either. And so its fourteen years later and Beherit is back on the scene. Riding along with Holocausto is original drummer Sadomatic Slaughter as well as Sami Tenetz (Thy Serpent) handling guitar and Twisted Baptizer (Chaosweaver) with bass duties. The music as you might expect is raw and barbaric at times and brings to mind those old demos, but it also has a strong atmospheric quality to it which makes me think back to DDTM era. 'Engram' is a strange record though, at times it sounds like classic Beherit, but perhaps more modernized and actually the production is a bit better than those old cult demos and albums. I must admit at first this album didn't do much for me, but after about five or so spins its really started to grow on me, in fact songs like 'Pagan Moon' and 'Axiom Heroine' are goddamn excellent. The vocals are delivered quite well too ranging from Holocausto's classic growled shrieks to hypnotic sounding clean vocals, which sound like some sort of spirit from the beyond speaking to you. As I understand it this album charted and sold like a motherfucker in Finland upon its release. I suppose that makes it all worth while then. Apparently he’s also a Buddhist. A Buddhist who writes songs about Satan. Kind of weird, no? While Engram may take a few spins to get it into I do still recommend checking out the Beherit of 2009 and hopefully beyond.