A strong week for dark metal that strives to be a little different. Whether it’s doom, death or even metalcore, they’ve all embraced the shadows, then headed off in slightly unorthodox directions. Let’s see what they’ve come up with.
Aenimus – Sacrificial (EP)
Genre: Progressive/melodic deathcore
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
A short EP to showcase an excellent range of technicality and musical skill. To me it feels like a sample, without much on an obvious theme to bind it together, but the playing is undeniably great. They score highest on the melodic parts, a little less on the brutal ones.
Battle Born – Battle Born
Genre: Power metal
Subjective rating: 1/5
Objective rating: 2/5
God damn, I hope this is supposed to be ironic, cause it’s quite possibly the most clichéd power metal that I’ve ever heard. Here’s an example of the lyrical genius on display:
He is fighting a metal war
That’s ’cause he’s a man of war
Strikes with the power of a dragon’s roar
That’s ’cause he’s a man of war
He is fighting a metal war
That’s ’cause he’s a man of war
Bend a knee, get on the floor
Bow down to the man of war
I’ll give it one point for (unintentional?) comedy.
Black Eye – Black Eye
Genre: Hard rock
Subjective rating: 1.5/5
Objective rating: 2/5
Some rousing hard rock with an epic quality to it. It starts off well, then it quickly becomes obvious that vocalist and band aren’t quite… in tune.
Cosmic Putrefaction – Crepuscular Dirge For The Blessed Ones
Genre: Progressive/blackened death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Ready for a bludgeoning? This is a fairly chaotic one, but it comes with layers. Solemn, ambient tunes play in the background of wild beats and turbulent guitars. It’s only occasionally disharmonic, but there is still so much going on that it’s hard to get a hold of. It’s an experience though, and makes you appreciate the moments where they reign in the madness and present a wicked riff.
The Dark Overlords – Darkpocalypse (EP)
Genre: Black metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
With a name like “The Dark Overlords” you kind of raise expectations from the get-go. And while it’s mot the almighty soundtrack to the apocalypse that you might hope for, it’s still a fairly impressive, albeit rough, effort. They serve up some tasty riffs and solos and have fun with the dark tone of it all.
Demonical – Mass Destroyer
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
While this runs dangerously close to a “run-of-the-mill”-label in the context of modern, evil-sounding death metal, they still manage to distinguish themselves in a few key areas. First of all, the production is fantastic – both crisp and full. Second of all, they’re not afraid of a good bit of groove. If you’re into bands like Endseeker, you should also dig this. So while they don’t score big on creativity, they do on entertainment value.
Elbow Deep – Homeschool Shooter
Genre: Death metal/hardcore
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5
Over-the-top in its mock-offensiveness, this is primitively-produced, punky death metal that’s all about pushing buttons. Most of the lyrics and song titles are edgy just for the sake of it, and while there are a few hilarious ones, there’s also quite a bit of low-effort, juvenile stuff picking low hanging fruit.
Fozzy – Boombox
Genre: Heavy metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
As catchy, accessible, modern heavy metal albums go, you can do a lot worse than this. The melodies aren’t offensively generic and there’s some decent groove going on.
Fuzz Meadows – Orange Sunshine
Genre: Instrumental psychedelic doom metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
This is an album that takes you places, and isn’t afraid to step on the gas pedal every now and then. There are some absolutely serene melodies on here, but also a fair dose of heaviness that edges into disharmonic territory at times for added contrast. I think they could have done without that last part, but that’s a matter of taste. Check out “Death Echo” and “You Are the Void”.
God Mother – Obeveklig
Genre: Hard/mathcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Ready to have your ears invaded by a swarm of pissed-off insects? That’s pretty much what this sounds like, and it’s pretty rad – if you’re into that sort of thing.
Halestorm – Back From The Dead
Genre: Hard rock
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
As anyone who’s familiar with this band would expect, this is BIG hard rock with ample catchiness and a decent portion of attitude. While it’s got some playful rhythms now and then and a good variation of rowdy intensity and melody, I can’t help but think that it’s a bit overproduced, and slightly predictable. Other that that, Lzzy’s voice is as awe-inspiring as ever.
Haunted By Silhouettes – No Man Isle
Genre: Melodic death metal/metalcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
This one leans heavily on the melodic side, while still favoring harsh vocals and some pretty heavy riffing. My main problem with it is that none of the melodies are particularly memorable. Add to that the fact that the rhythms are fairly straightforward, and you’ve got something non-distinct. It’s good, just lacks personality.
Haunter – Discarnate Ails
Genre: Black/death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Hold on, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride. This one moves up and down and back and forth, delivering a punishing beat and frantic guitars along the way. The effort is impressive, the result a little exhausting. The atmosphere is solidly ominous, so if you have a higher tolerance for dissonance and blast beats than me, you might really dig this.
I Am The Night – While the Gods Are Sleeping
Genre: Melodic black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Brrr! This is some frosty ass black metal that’s in much more of a hurry than what the intro track might lead you to expect. While there’s not really anything on here that screams innovation, it’s solid all the way through. As mentioned, it’s mostly fast paced, with sneering guitars and melancholic, lofty melodies. Probably not for the kvlt fan who likes it low-fi and gritty, but also far from all-out symphonic. Give “I Am the Night” and “Hear Me ‘O Unmaker” a listen.
Ibaraki – Rashomon
Genre: Black metal/metalcore
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
First of all, I wouldn’t go in expecting a black metal album here. It’s much more in the realm of blackened, progressive metalcore with a sprinkling of traditional instruments. On the other hand, there is a lot less Trivium on here than I had feared. Not because I dislike Trivium (I’m a fan), but I wanted this to be different. And I really do believe you get the best of both worlds here. It’s undeniably dark, but it refuses to give wholeheartedly into black metal genre tropes, instead flirting with most every incarnation of the genre that exists today while still anchoring it in the songcrafting of someone used to reach a big audience. And that’s not meant to be a disparaging remark. It means that there’s a grandeur to it all, and the desire to make something genuinely grim and melancholic shines through. Try “Akumu” with Nergal and “Susanoo No Mikato” with Ihsahn.
Kaleidobolt – This One Simple Trick
Genre: Progressive/psychedelic hard/indie rock
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Get ready for a whacky one. Not as in silly, but as in it goes which ever way it damn pleases. It sways and stumbles, runs, skips and pauses. It’s also pretty chill and groovy at times. And it’s mostly guitar based, so you know it doesn’t get too zany. If that doesn’t sound too tiresome, you might have some real fun with this one.
Jani Liimatainen – My Father’s Son
Genre: Heavy/progressive metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
This is heavy metal of the soaring, near-symphonic kind, with elements of prog in the vein of Devin Townsend. It doesn’t exactly push any boundaries, but is well executed and has an aptly epic feel, without grossly overusing any clichés.
Lord Of The Lost – The Heartbeat Of The Devil
Genre: Gothic metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Some electronic-infused, big, melodic goth metal. It’s fairly accessible, almost forced in that respect, like they’re trying hard to expand their fan base. They still have an unique expression, and decent variation, so not too bad for a genre enthusiast.
Morgue Supplier – Inevitability
Genre: Experimental death metal/grindcore
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5
This is one that seems to revel in its dissonance. Combined with its kind of metallic sound and reverb it conjures up a kind of torture chamber feel. It doesn’t give me much, but it you want your death metal to violate your eardrums, have at it.
Ou – One
Genre: Progressive metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
This, I think, is definitely one for the more hardcore prog enthusiasts. Or if you just want to experience something new. It’s a mix of odd time signatures, heavily synthesized atmosphere, prog riffs and ethereal vocals that sound like they were made for an entirely different style of music. I like that it’s exploring new territory, even though, musically, it’s not doing a ton for me.
Puppy – Pure Evil
Genre: Hard/punk rock/stoner metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
What do you get if you cross Smashing Pumpkins with Deftones and tell them to play doom? You guessed it. This one kind of wavers between just wanting to rock out and trying to convey something more substantial, and not landing squarely on either. You get a good deal of fun in the process though.
Silverstein – Misery Made Me
Genre: Hard/metalcore
Subjective rating: 1.5/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5
An emo/hardcore thing that gets way too sappy for me, but is undeniably catchy and with some decent heavy parts.
Jeff Scott Soto – Complicated
Genre: Heavy metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5
Hey, if you just want a dose of 80s sounding, melodic heavy metal without any sharp edges, you’ll probably have a good time with this one.
Syberia – Statement on Death
Genre: Instrumental atmospheric/doom metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Feel like a good dose of dreamy melancholy? This one takes you on a trip with a thousand-yard stare, ever into the horizon, all the while the ups and downs in life pass you by as a dull ghost of an impression. If it wasn’t for the fact that most of the songs sound fairly similar I would definitely rate this higher.
Terror – Pain Into Power
Genre: Hardcore
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
It’s not every day you hear a sound as refined as this. This is razor sharp, straight-to-the-point, raging hardcore. They know when to speed up and when to get in a groove, and do a great job of weaponizing the rhythm to deliver key lyrics in a forceful manner. Ironically, I find myself enjoying the parts where they stray ever so slightly off the path and try a different flavor or two, which just goes to show I’m probably not in their target audience.
Three Days Grace – Explosions
Genre: Hard rock/alternative metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
This is one where I feel like my opinion will matter very little. Fans of the band will dig it and haters will, well… hate it. Objectively though, they’ve definitely made stronger stuff than this. But for people for whom this was a gateway band, this album should be a pleasant trip down memory lane without too much cringing involved.
This Is Oblivion – This Is Oblivion
Genre: Experimental metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Without looking too much into it, this definitely feels like a concept album. It has a modern poetry vibe to it, and doesn’t really land on a specific musical direction. It’s kind of a melancholic, meditative experience. Judging it as a metal production it could have been delivered with much more force, but for what it is it’s still interesting as a contemplative thought-provoker.
Tómarúm – Ash In Realms Of Stone Icons
Genre: Progressive black/death metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
Here we have some very suitably expansive black metal with atmospheric tendencies and a progressive streak. It gets quite technical and aggressive at times, leaning into death territory, but retains a cold, dark tone throughout. Even so, it dares to be lofty at times, almost hopeful, and will definitely appeal to fans of melodic extreme metal in general. They do a very good job of contrasting minimalist, acoustic parts with massive, aggressive onslaughts, and manage the transitions between the two beautifully. Listen to “Condemned to a Life of Grief” and “Where No Warmth Is Found”.
Tzompantli – Tlazcaltiliztli
Genre: Death/doom metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
This one just sounds like pure evil – like something that was crafted in a dark cavern as tribute to a horrible abomination. Furthermore, it sets itself apart with use of traditional instruments, particularly drums, that give it a very tribal feel – somewhat in the vein of early Sepultura. The riffs are absolutely crushing, the production is just right, and the growls are deep and threatening. It’s pretty much right on the money for how I want my death doom to sound. “Tlatzintilli” and “Tlazcaltiliztli” are two prime examples.
Ufomammut – Fenice
Genre: Doom/psychedelic/noise
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
This is very much a droning, aggro-psychedelic kind of experience for those who just want their minds invaded by subliminal messages, probably about the end of the world. To me it’s pretty unbearable.
Upon A Burning Body – Fury
Genre: Metal/death/hardcore
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
How about some heavy-ass metalcore with breadowns? This one is pure energy, definitely a good workout album. It’s got a bit of a Five Finger Death Punch vibe, minus most of the melodic elements but not the groove. So not one to push the envelope in any way, but absolutely to get fists pumping and heads banging. Give “Snake Eyes” and “Code of Honor” a go.
Vital Spirit – Still As The Night, Cold As The Wind
Genre: Black metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Classic black metal with an epic flair. In my opinion they could have more wholeheartedly embraced this grand, somewhat folk-y leaning. Instead we get what I feel is an attempt to make something authentically black metal but with this other idea for a direction kind of tacked on. Others might disagree.
Windwaker – Love Language
Genre: Pop metal
Subjective rating: 0.5/5
Objective rating: 1/5
They might as well just drop everything remotely heavy about this and embrace their already overwhelming poppy, boyband-y side. Cause it doesn’t appeal to a fiber of my metalhead sensibility.
Wo Fat – The Singularity
Genre: Stoner/doom metal/hard rock
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
A strong doom effort with a clear hard rock groove running all the way through, which really suits it. They take their time exploring melodies, and are proficient and thorough enough not to make it monotonous, only strengthening the identities of the songs. This exploration reminds me a bit of Mastodon, and while this is not as progressive in its approach, it still achieves a measure of the same confidence in the final output. Form your opinion with “The Snows of Banquo IV” and “The Singularity”.
As always, if you think I’m completely off on an observation, unfairly dissed your favorite band or need to give an album another shot, do feel free to express yourself in the comments section below.
The Metal Dispatch 