A charge of charred attitude – thrash and black metal spearheads this week. Expect both sullen atmosphere and riffalicious hellraisers, along with some other truly outstanding releases.
Black Lava – Soul Furnace
Genre: Black/death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
This one tries to exist just enough outside the black metal norm that it sticks out, and in certain ways it does. There are elements of death, hardcore and doom, but they are used with restraint. The vocals are coarse and there is just enough black ‘n roll groove to keep the momentum up during the mid-tempo sections. And still it doesn’t quite sound like a finished style.
Djevel – Naa Skrider Natten Sort
Genre: Black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
If you’re all about that cold, lamenting tremolo melody, then this should be right up your fjord. Devil is unleashing more gloomy, part-atmospheric Norwegian black metal upon the world, and for fans of the traditional sound, this is particularly excellent news. You get a bit of the frosty folk tones mixed in, and even though the tempo is mostly moderate, the rhythms and lofty background notes provide the whole thing with a skeletal majesty. No leaps or bounds are made, but its stylistic consistency is second to few.
Highlights: “Naa Skrider Natten Sort” and “I Daudens Dimme Natt”.
Depressive Witches – Distant Kingdoms
Genre: Black ‘n roll/folk metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Here to show you that the frigid world of medieval black metal can also be fun, this band has released a rowdy rock ‘n roll take on it, that still stays true to the folk-inspired tone and incorporate the appropriate croaking vocal style and gothic mood. The instrumental work is a bit slapdash, but that’s almost to be expected.
(Echo) – Witnesses
Genre: Atmospheric doom/death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
An expansive doom record with aggressive elements from death and black metal. There are progressive elements to it as it winds up to and down from highs of heavy, crushing riffs. The rest is long/stretched atmosphere that goes on for quite a bit, and slows the momentum to a halt. There are interesting elements along the way, but it takes a bit to get to them.
Elder – Innate Passage
Genre: Progressive/psychedelic metal/rock
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 5/5
When a band releases an album with songs exclusively over 8 minutes in length, you think to yourself that this is likely 80% atmosphere, thematic filler content and buildups. Not so with Elder. Whichever point you decide to skip to in any of these songs, something new and near instantly immersive is going on. Each song feels like a journey on its own, and in a distinctly different direction than the last, although very much inside the same world. Overall it feels gentle and highly organic, with drums, bass and guitars alike speaking to you in a language of their own. This is progressive music in a very genre-unbound sense of the word, with an intensity level dialed perfectly in between rock and metal.
Highlights: “Coalescence” and “Merged In Dreams – Ne Plus Ultra”
Euphrosyne – Keres (EP)
Genre: Black/gothic metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
This takes the aggressive bombast of symphonic black metal in the style of Septicflesh and adds one layer of atmosphere and another of restrained gothic gloom. And then some sax sprinkled on top (which, frankly, I’ve had my fill of as a “progressive” element to dark metal). It’s very well produced and spends enough time with each flavor to show off the band’s talent for variety.
Hibernus Mortis – The Monoliths Of Cursed Slumber
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Some demonic death metal coming at you from within a thick fog. It’s dark, heavy and lightly chaotic, with a slight penchant for old school melodeath riffs and a bit of fuzz to the tone. Other than the fact that it’s well performed, there in honestly little to distinguish it among its peers.
High Command – Eclipse Of The Dual Moons
Genre: Thrash/death metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4.5/5
The mix of thrash and death metal doesn’t usually go like this. More often than not the brutality is front and center, and the thrash elements work mostly as a speed pill to propel things along at a higher pace. On this one however, thrash is in the driver’s seat, and the death metal elements, which are very much of the old school variant, function like a grimy texture to grease the gears and provide more of an imposing impact. This thing is a riot from start to finish. What I particularly appreciate is the fact that some of the coolest songs appear in the second half of the album, making for a very strong close to the experience.
Highlights: “Imposing Hammers of Cold Sorcery” and “Fortified in Bloodshed”.
Induction – Born From Fire
Genre: Power/symphonic metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5
Entertaining for sure, in a popcorn-movie kind of way, this is epic, riff-and-synth driven power metal with highly clichéd lyrical content and rhythms out of Eurovision.
In The Woods… – Diversum
Genre: Progressive folk/black metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
Emerging from the rain-soaked, winter-grey, rugged Scandinavian hillscape, this thing brings a bit of that Opeth vibe to a subdued folk-infused black/death metal sound. A distinct vocal flavor and non-traditional approach to progressive arrangements sets this apart in the world of dark prog metal. You get melancholic black metal grandeur, death metal brutality, folk-melodic immersion and a good portion of doomy atmosphere. What’s not to like?
Highlights: “The Malevolent God” and “Moments”.
Judicator – The Majesty Of Decay
Genre: Progressive/power metal
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
This one took me by surprise. Not only is it impressively tight and vibrant – it keeps evolving and adding new elements, especially towards the middle and onwards. Sure, there are several progressive- and power metal genre-bound elements at its core that makes it fairly easy to place, but what’s the matter with that when it’s as alive and playful as this? Heck, it’s such a positive and uplifting experience overall, and then you get straight up black metal tremolo riffing on “Ursa Minor”. The drumming is wild, the vocals versatile and guitars utterly genre fluid, all the while adhering effortlessly to the overarching tone.
Highlights: “Daughter of Swords” and “The Black Elk”.
Karg – Resignation
Genre: Atmospheric black metal/hardcore
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
This sounds like a marriage of atmospheric black metal, progressive melodeath and artsy hardcore. It’s four long songs of sad melodies and some extreme metal harshness. I imagine it can be quite gripping if it hits you right. The shouted spoken-word vocal style is not for me, but that’s a personal preference.
Katapult – Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes
Genre: Thrash metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Here we have some Swedish/Swiss thrash leaning slightly into extreme metal, with harsh vocals and fairly heavy guitar work. There are traces of Swedish melodeath all over it, but they keep the tempo and attitude up all along. Enjoyable, if not particularly distinct.
The Last Ten Seconds Of Life – Disquisition On An Execution (EP)
Genre: Deathcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Addicted to kick drum? Get your fix here, and then some. This sounds like the goal was to make it as heavy of a deathcore iteration as possible, with beastly vocals and massive chugs. And yes, insane kick drumming. The shock and awe value is definitely there, if not a lot of finesse, but that’s hardly what you’re looking for in this subgenre. Although brutality for the sake of it can get a little substance-lacking in the long run.
League Of Distortion – League Of Distortion
Genre: Pop/alternative power metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5
Cosmetically edgy, style-focused stuff that’s basically radio friendly alt rock with heavier riffs. It’s got some decent hard-rock-y moments in the vein of Halestorm.
Leather – We Are The Chosen
Genre: Heavy/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
A cool melding of old school classic and thrash metal, played mostly at mid-tempo and with a good amount of groove. The forced vibrato on every single vocal high gets to be too much for me though, and the choruses really tend to kill the momentum.
Lykotonon – Promethean Pathology
Genre: Industrial black/death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
This has one foot firmly planted in that black, jagged place that’s only meant to disturb you. The tone, rhythms and vocal style are all hostile in a sinister kind of way, and it switches between lurking in the gloom, knife in the dark and hammer blow in broad daylight. It’s not enormously rewarding beyond that experience of mild terror, but it’s well crafted.
Maceration – It Never Ends
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Here we got some straight up modern horror death with a bit of a blackened tinge to it. The tone, which is that classic eerie death metal vibe, is firmly set from the get go, and doesn’t change for the duration, which does cast everything in light monotony. But if this expression is what you’re craving, then you’re getting the goods here.
Mycelium – Mycoticism
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
This one’s pure nastiness. Crusty, slightly muted, grinding death metal that’s all about decay. Fitting, considering the fungal nature of the band name. Some parts of the album feel fairly formulaic, but they’re clearly really committed to the style, and then you get some moments of raw, badass riffery that’s just bound to please.
Oceans – Hell Is Where The Heart Is – Part III: Clarity (EP)
Genre: Progressive metalcore/deathcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
The final chapter in the “Hell is Where the Heart Is” EP trilogy has arrived, and it’s a two-sided experience. The intensity increases the further in you go, starting with an interlude and ending on straight up melodic deathcore. The tone is very familiar Oceans style, and the melodies are as melancholic as ever. There is a certain artificiality to the heaviness with the synth-backed riffs, but if you’re already into the band then you’ll probably enjoy each aspect of the experience equally.
Rienaus – Luciferille
Genre: Black metal
Subjective rating: 2.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Black metal with a sinister, raw tone to the guitar work and a kind of cursed folk vibe. It’s a bit messy in its execution, doesn’t have too many standout tracks, and the rather monotonous vocal style can get tiring.
Spiritworld – Deathwestern
Genre: Thrash metal/hardcore
Subjective rating: 4.5/5
Objective rating: 4/5
If you’re thinking that mixing a shameless amount of that wicked Slayer guitar tone with a brick load of hardcore grit sounds like a great idea, then you’d be goddamn right. This is an outright riff orgy, powered by a relentless attitude engine like that of Hatebreed. The western theme gets a little lost in the heat of battle, which is a bit of a shame, and I find myself craving just a tad more atmosphere, which might have elevated it to another level. But if a neck wringer of an adrenaline ride is what you’re looking for then you could hardly do better than this.
Highlights: “Relic of Damnation” and “Moonlit Torture”.
Terrörhammer – Gateways To Hades
Genre: Speed/black metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Get ready for a wave of sympathetic wrist cramps. Ultra fast riffing mixes with muted black metal screems, a fuzzy bass and drums that are a little out of control. if you’ve heard blackened speed metal before, you’re honestly not in for any surprises, but as a genre beast it’s a fine specimen.
Toxic Youth – Back to You-th
Genre: Hardcore/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 2.5/5
With a recognizable style and a bit of thrash umph to top it all off, this is an old-schooler street stomper with a heart of pure punk rock.
Witchmaster – Kaźń
Genre: Blackened death/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
A venom-spitting, teeth grinding, war declaration of a thrash-y blackened death album. There’s plenty of blast beats, tremolo squeals and bloodthirsty vocals, and guitar groove all the way through. The thrash guitar tone unfortunately gets to be a little tame compared to everything else, which robs some of the ferocity, but it’s still a good time.
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 