Reviews of metal albums released January 03 – January 09
The metal world is slowly awakening from its year-transitioning slumber, stretching some melodic muscles as well as coughing up some morbid phlegm.
Beyond The Black – Break The Silence
Genre: Symphonic metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Review: The stereotype-ist in me would tell me to expect far more bombast from a German symphonic metal band than is actually present on this newest offering by Beyond the Black. That’s not to say that the lyrics will leave you contemplating life’s great mysteries, the overall feel isn’t majorly uplifting or that the rhythms aren’t head-swayingly easy to follow. But, apart from some occasional, slightly off-putting electronic voice filtering, there’s not a ton of unnecessary fluff in the production. It’s almost lean, and even though it’s certainly not groundbreaking, it avoids the biggest clichés and actually manages a decent variation in tone and intensity, drawing more from pop and hard rock than their own genre’s tropes. The result is lively, optimistic and engaging.
Highlight: “Break The Silence”
Ectovoid – In Unreality’s Coffin
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Review: As you could’ve probably guessed from the album cover, this is coarse, unrelenting old school death metal with a blackened feel. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it terrifying – it doesn’t seem interested in utilizing atmosphere in any sort of nightmare-inducing way – but it’s certainly not the happy-go-lucky kind either. The vocals, the tone, the theme, it all comes from the light-devouring abyss. But you never really forget to appreciate the technicality of it – the merciless riffs, the rhythm transitions like sudden tidal shifts, and the way everything sharpens up and goes on the attack whenever a burst of intensity is called for. In the end, it doesn’t really stand out in any significant way, but its intended audience will likely find their appreciation for it increasing the longer they listen.
Highlight: “Intrusive Illusions (Echoes from a Distant Plane”
For My Pain… – Buried Blue
Genre: Gothic metal
Subjective rating: 2/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Review: I’ve not picked up on this Finnish long-going gothic metal band before, so I can’t expertly compare to their previous material, but based on vibes I certainly see the appeal. It’s got that typical, moody, folk-derived melodic sensibility, heavy riffs and soaring solos pulling up as the morose vocals and doomy sections want to go nowhere but down. For me though, I find way too many inconsistencies in the production, mix and vocal performances, and far too little innovation in the writing.
Lionheart – Valley Of Death II
Genre: Metallic hardcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Review: I guess “Welcome to the West Coast” isn’t the only album to get a sequel series with roman numerals in Lionheart’s discography. This is heavy, extremely riff-forward hardcore with a certain kind of over-emphasized street attitude. Where their last album felt layered and fairly varied, with lasting grooves and well-fitting melodic moments, this is all breakdowns with start-stop riff sections and chest-high stomps. Tons of energy, yes, but I would say that less than half the songs on here tell the whole story.
Oraculum – Hybris Divina
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Review: Chilean death metal that has absolutely no intention of playing nice. It’s raw, ragged, but not underproduced, with hoarse-raspy vocals and low-tempo sections that feel like supplication to malevolent divinity. There’s little new on here for a seasoned OSDM fan, but there’s a commitment to, and honesty about, their particular style that shine through on every track.
Push! – Plowing Ahead
Genre: Hardcore/thrash metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Review: This is a band that manages both restraint and unhinged anger, the former functioning as energy-building breaks to line up their next attack and accumulate interest before accelerating savagely into the next breakneck riff section, accompanied by a vocal performance to tear down any monument or instrument of opposition and oppression on its way. There’s thrash, groove and modern, djent-like crashes of dissonance as well. Nothing feels calculated or forced, making for a malleable style that lets each new expression of outrage feel fresh, like they’re adapting on the fly.
Highlight: “Beyond Exhaustion”
Redivider – Sounds Of Malice
Genre: Death metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Review: Crisp, chugging, semi-brutal death metal with Corpsegrinder-like vocals and a non-vehement attitude towards groove, this is the kind of stuff that’s able to both intimidate and entertain, depending on your disposition. It’s very much about delivering riff punishment in a variety of different tempos, leaning more towards classic styles than the modern, but certainly not skimping on the heft. It’s not the kind of thing where there’s a bunch of layers to uncover beneath the surface, but if it hits your sweet spot it’s a great bit of barbaric fun.
Highlight: “Fratricide”
The Ruins of Beverast – Tempelschlaf
Genre: Progressive doom/black metal
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 4/5
Review: I’ve had to mature a bit as a listener to really grasp the musical concept of The Ruins Of Beverast. Not that it’s fiendishly complicated or lacking structure, but to someone unused to this level of style melding in extreme music it can seem a bit schizophrenic. There’s what feels like slightly hesitant progressive black metal slithering in and out of oily, gothic-tinged death doom, and you never quite know exactly what you’re going to get ten seconds down the line. It can feel massive, ancient, mercurial, intangible and brutally direct, all during the course of a single song. And somehow the transitions between these different personalities just seem to work in the moment, given that you’ve had a bit of time to attune to it. “Tempelschlaf” might actually be a pretty good starting point for getting into the band, as it feels relatively even-tempered and offers prolonged sections of engaging riffs and rhythms or inviting melody to go with the multi-minded darkness. It doesn’t quite feel like the massive statement that related bands like Blut Aus Nord have been able to achieve lately, but it’s still masterfully crafted.
Highlights: “Alpha Fluids” and “Babel, You Scarlet Queen!”
Semper Acerbus – Following Omens
Genre: Metalcore
Subjective rating: 3/5
Objective rating: 3/5
Review: A melding of early and modern metalcore, with quite a few traits reminding me of early-to-mid career Trivium. It’s a mostly aggressive-melodic and groove-centric kind of sound, with only moderate interest in clean sections, which is a plus in my book. If you’re just looking for a big slice of the style without a ton of investment, this will work very well, but it lacks the standout tracks to take it beyond this stage.
Stranguliatorius – Flies Don’t Lie
Genre: Death metal/grindcore
Subjective rating: 4/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Review: If you’ve been digging for that over-cured, crust-encased death metal to effectively purge any delicate sensitivities you might have contracted from your surroundings, then this stuff will most definitely do the job. Stranguliatorius is a Lithuanian deathgrind band that also like to incorporate a touch of morbid doom, and it works surprisingly well, considering the grindcore part tugs in the exact opposite direction. What you end up with though, is kind of the best of both worlds, with a mix of no-regard rampages all the way down to the 8-second title track, and also 4-5 minute behemoths that start out massively sinister and crawling out of the mortuary, before kicking some life into their limbs and building up some bloodlust for another bestial charge. I can hear several classic influences in their style, mostly from the death doom spectrum, but also traces of grind-era Carcass. I might have preferred a bit more crispness and even greater variation in riff- and vocal style, but consider me properly, appreciatively savaged.
Highlights: “They Who Don’t Sleep Will Not Wake Up” and “The Notes Of The Deceased”
Uuhai – Human Herds
Genre: Folk/heavy metal
Subjective rating: 3.5/5
Objective rating: 3.5/5
Review: The debut album of this Mongolian, throat singing heavy folk band. While the idea of mixing traditional Mongolian instruments with modern ones isn’t a new one, there’s still plenty of room for building niches within the style. Uuhai choose a two-fold path of traditional, riff-happy heavy metal and a far more epic and reverent approach involving strings, choruses and mighty drum blasts. While this leaves gaps in the album’s energetic drive, it prevents the band from falling into the category of folk bands where the traditional elements feel like a tacked-on afterthought. I believe that there’s still room to both broaden this conceptually and narrow it down a bit in terms of technical style, but it’s a strong start showcasing the band’s range.
Highlight: “Uuhai”
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, why not pop a comment down below?
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