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stinkfoot
Cred: 0

Post Cred: 4

Posted - 01/19/2010 : 21:20:14

Well, since no one else seems willing to post one, I'll just get on with it myself. For those who are new to this, well, the topic title should be sufficiently descriptive, surely...

I'll throw out a few to get the ball rolling:

Fear Factory - Mechanize

I have to say I've been enjoying this album quite a bit so far. To be fair, I got severely burned out on the band by the time "Digimortal" came out, and anything they released since, well, let's just say they didn't do themselves any favours there. Suffice to say, my expectations for this were very low, but I was pleasantly surprised. Partly because after all this time the trademark 'FF' sound sounds a little fresh to me again, partly because they just wrote some pretty good songs and added just enough new elements to make this return to form more than a simple cash-grab. Fans of the "Demanufacture"/"Obsolete" era will surely get hard over this album. It does lag a (very) little bit in the second half of the album, but I do expect it to rank highly in many people's lists.

Ihsahn - After

Ihsahn is finally starting to live up to his full potential as a solo-artist. Not that previous albums were by any means awful, but where "The Adversary" was haphazzard and suffered from a major identity crisis, and "angL" tried a little too hard to be black metal's answer to 'Opeth', "After" sees Ihsahn truly finding his own voice again for the first time since the demise of 'Emperor'. And in passing he once again proves that he is one of the most gifted composers and guitar players in the world of metal.
Over the last couple years the extreme metal world has discovered the glorious sound of the saxophone, and here too its inclusion lifts the compositions to a new level when it appears.
Ihsahn has offered up an album of extreme progressive metal that is officially the first essential album of 2010 Winking Goatee

Shining - Blackjazz

Nein! This is not the Swedish vehicle for that little attention-whore emo bitch Kvarforth. This is the Norwegian 'Shining', who play progressive/experimental metal with a bent towards free jazz. Well, they do here, anyway. I've yet to delve into their back catalogue, but apparently they started life as a straight-up jazz/prog band.
Any metalheads out there with a taste for jazz-fusion should snap this up ASAP. Not that this is all-out jazzy. Jazz elements come and go, weaving in and out of the prog metal skeleton. This is not for foot-tapping enthusiasts. This is not for people looking for a good beat. This is for fans of "difficult" music. The music is very calculated, but avoids sounding sterile. At times you think it's spiralling out of control, but the musicians are competent enough to reel 'er back in every time. Except on the final track, a deliberately near-cacophonous cover of 'King Crimson's' "21 Century Schizoid Man". Eat yer heart out, 'Entombed'.
Once again, an album that makes frequent use of the sax. Yes, this instrument gives me a woody.
Recommended more to fans of jazz fusion than metal per se, I'm confident that less than 5 people on SNMR will enjoy this album, but those that will should definitely add this to their list Winking Goatee

Edited by - stinkfoot on 01/19/2010 21:39:06

777
Cred: 8

01/19/2010
22:27:59

Post Cred: 5

OVER KILL - IRONBOUND

What can i say more ? I said it all already but after over + 25 spins i can come up with a mature approach or comment if you prefer.
As soon as the first track started to play to my ears, i mean the intro of the song, i felt immediatly suspicious because it vastly reminded me what i know from what i really like of Over Kill: Their darker side, the melodious unexpected area i rarely hear from them.

Rarely because they went back to the era of "The Years Of Decay" and "Horrorscope". Not totally but you can with evidence hear the infuence melted into some intros of the songs and the riffs and even with the double bass drum so inspired from the "Horrorscope" era without any doubt; you hear it most of the time and it's fucking good.

Add to this a great studio production and you got the result: "Ironbound"
If you felt like Over Kill left you or forgot you since the album "Bloodletting" then this time they are not shitting around, they play fucking good thrash metal at la Over Kill style, nothing less.

The drummer is fucking playing drum like a pro, i mean that guy is a technician, technic should be his name, the bass work is genius, you can even think by moments that Steve Harris is playing the bass on the song "Endless War", very Maidenish. Bobby Blitz sings like he is 25 years old, gotta love that singer, he is one of the best.
The guitars are worthy, they made a real good effort to come up with something very enjoyable, yet thrashy, fast, loud, melodic; everything is like a melted pot of Over Kill's riffs. Heavy and thrashy, melodic with a lot of tempos

If that album is not one of the best in 2010 then damn me.

My main moments from that album are the songs: "The Green And Black" "Ironbound" "Give Me The Night" "The Goal Is Your Soul" "The Head And Heart" "Endless War" "In Vain" and "The SRC"

A mention for "Give A Little"

And About the song "Killing For A Living" well, i suspect that is a song from their catalog when Tim Mallare was playing with them. Just by the drum i feel that i can hear him... It's not a bad song but it just gets me on my nerves. That is what i dislike from Over kill and everything is concentrated on that particular song. Still i know some of you will enjoy it pretty much.

Well that is it, i hope you did enjoy my review. Sign of the devil dude!

Edited by - 777 on 01/19/2010 23:18:28

axeVictim
Cred: 52

01/21/2010
17:11:06

Post Cred: 2

Dragobrath - Fra Myrer Taake

Dragobrath is a side project of Ukraine multi-instrumentalist, producer and label owner Julian Mytsyk, probably best known for his main band Kroda. Kroda are a pagan folk metal band with black metal influences and this album by Dragobrath is somewhat in the same style. The black metal influences are much more pronounced here however and, although the pagan/folk elements are still important to the sound of the album. this is much closer to traditional black metal than is the case with Julian's main band.

Fra Myrer Taake is a balanced album with pummeling guitar riffs and a solid, bass heavy sound, underpinned by some driving drum work. With simple riffs and a straight forward bass/drum combination there's nothing too complicated here, but this album is more about atmosphere than complexity and all the better for it. A strong early release for 2010 and one worth checking out.

Ihsahn - After

What stinkfoot said. Sign of the devil dude!

Edited by - axeVictim on 01/21/2010 17:16:29

axeVictim
Cred: 52

01/22/2010
17:29:27

Post Cred: 2

The Wounded Kings - The Shadow Over Atlantis

Exceptionally good sophomore release from a very promising, relatively new (formed in 2005) band from England. This is traditional doom metal played the traditional way but with a sound that is firmly rooted in the 21st century. Musically the album is pitched somewhere between St Vitas and early Candlemass but there are frequent nods in the direction of first album/Paranoid era Black Sabbath and a modern slant to the sound that is reminiscent of Skepticism.

The album is full of crushing guitar riffs, that often drift off into ambient sections of depressive, minimalist but atmospheric piano, and the bass and drums are as tight as a camel's arse in a sandstorm. The one little niggle I have with this album is that the vocals are somewhat swamped by the guitars, so much so in fact that it makes them virtually inaudible. Normally that wouldn't be a problem at all but this is actually a concept album and, as with most such albums, you really need to be able to hear the lyrics to follow the storyline.

The concept of the album, as the title suggests, is the submersion of the island of Atlantis by the sea. The storyline is a little complex and, as a result, this is not an album that one can dip into at will. 4 of the 6 tracks are over 8 minutes in length and there are no breaks between the tracks so the whole album segues into one piece of music, meaning that it is best listened in it's entirety. Although the tracks are long there is enough substance to them that they hold the attention throughout and never get tedious or boring.

The Shadow Over Atlantis is another excellent early release and, along with the Ihsahn, Dragobrath and Overkill albums, gets 2010 off to a cracking start. Could this be a vintage year for metal?

Rev. El Duce Guns
Super Mod
Cred: 9

01/22/2010
18:42:23

Post Cred: 2

First legit update of the year (100 pt. system):

90 - Sigh – Scenes From Hell – What you'd expect out of a Sigh record, which is pure greatness. If you like Sigh, it's a must have. Great horn work throughout.

78 – Son of Aurelius – Myocardial Infarction – Pretty solid tech-melodeath. The first couple tracks are really cool, then it fades a little (as it loses the melodic edge), but it's still very listenable throughout. Most tracks are short and it flies by rather quickly front to back. Not a bad discovery.

76 - Soulgrim – Ancestor Worship – Singer wants to be Dani Filth. Gothic/black metal. Two covers. Original stuff is pretty good though. I can see potential, but this album isn't the complete deal.

75 - Temnozor - Haunted Dreamscapes - listenable folk/black with a few bright spots, but nothing that will wow you.

73 – Aktarum - Gang of Trolls – If a viking metal band doesn't sing about vikings, are they still viking metal? Viking or folk, it's pretty good for what it is. Not going to blow you away, but I can see folk nuts really liking this one.

70 - Dragobrath – Fra Myrer Taake - Cool song progressions on a couple of tracks, particularly when they slow the back end tempo down. But more than a few uninspired tracks on here. Decent, but not memorable.

53 - Myrath – Desert Call – Middle easternish, progressive band from Tunisia. I find the vocals to be a little gay sounding for my liking. Straddles the metal/prog rock border in my eyes. While it is interesting in what it brings to the table, this isn't remotely my style. Proggies or those who like middle eastern elements might dig this one though.

AbbyTritonus
Cred: 11

Tywysoges SnakeNet

01/30/2010
17:29:52

Post Cred: 3

Dream Evil - In The Night

I quite like this. Lyrics are all about Heavy Metal and love (well, what do you expect with a song called "The Ballad") and stuff... Quite generic, quite cheesy but I'll survive. I found it an energetic album, with all the right elements for a damn good album. "In The Fire of the Sun" is thoroughly melodic and hard hitting. The album is also ass well produced as I would expect.

Dark Fortress - Ylem

I've only been able to hear it once so far, but I liked what I heard. It's not your archetypal straightforward Black Metal, and I enjoy it because of this. It starts off at high speed with the the title track and then becomes much more melodic for the rest. The production is not bad at all, too.

stinkfoot
Cred: 0

02/03/2010
20:20:56

Post Cred: 1

quote:
Originally posted by Rev. El Duce Guns

73 – Aktarum - Gang of Trolls – If a viking metal band doesn't sing about vikings, are they still viking metal? Viking or folk, it's pretty good for what it is. Not going to blow you away, but I can see folk nuts really liking this one.

Meh, I found this painfully mediocre. The world simply doesn't need another run-of-the-mill troll metal band, imo.

Downloading 'Myrath' now Grinning Goatee

EDIT: Concerning the 'Myrath', I don't hear too much gayness in the vocals, tbh. I will say that there's some room for improvement there, but other than that they don't bother me.
The guitar riffs on the whole are often a bit too cliche for the genre, though, imo. But it's worth checking out if you like sort of proggy metal with Middle Eastern folk influences. Probably shouldn't bother with it if you don't.

Edited by - stinkfoot on 02/04/2010 21:53:35

Rev. El Duce Guns
Super Mod
Cred: 9

02/06/2010
11:50:59

Post Cred: 3

85 – Orphaned Land – The Neverending Way of ORwarriOR – Nice and progressive throughout. At times, some of the things they write are as good as it gets; there are a couple of riffs that are just disgusting. There are parts that are good, but don't wow you though; this wouldn't be too bad except for I find myself waiting for one of the elite sections to come around now and again.

82 - Abigor – Time is the Sulphur in the Veins of the Saint – A bit bizarre, like a continuous flowing stream. Good basslines. Nice dissonant tones create a welcome unease throughout. One of the more interesting releases I've heard in a while, but it's not going to appeal to everybody.

79 - Agrypnie – 16[485] – At times it's death metal, at others, black; this album is at it's best when they're rocking death metal riffs. Quite long, but never boring with frequent pace changes from section to section. I'd say it's definitely worth checking out.

72 - Baptised In Ice – Ironhorn – I find that Brazilian bands typically come strong, and this is another example of that. Clean vocals are a little bland, but I really like them for some reason, particularly in the instances where they harmonize. It's melo-death for the most part, but it stays interesting throughout.

70 - Arsis – Starve for the Devil – I know Arsis can play. I just find no connection to about half of what they're doing here. A couple of tracks are really fucking good, my favorite being Forced to Rock. Sable Rising is another. But the middle of the album is hit or miss.

59 - Guerrilla – Kickstart Revolution – Starts out alright. Kind of a Shadows Fall guitar sound, but thankfully lacks core elements. While the first couple of tracks are decent, it gets boring kind of quickly.

51 – Sons of Azrael – Scouting the Boneyard – There's a good riff in the second track that lasts about five seconds, and the last track is pretty good. Other than that, this is pretty mediocre. I didn't rush to turn it off, but the whole time through I'm thinking, I'm not listening to this again.

45 - Orden Ogan – Easton Hope – Pretty generic melodic power metal. Softer edge. There has been worse, but this one isn't memorable at all. I'd pass.

Juletti
Cred: 1

02/25/2010
05:01:08

Post Cred: 0

quote:
Originally posted by axeVictim

The Wounded Kings - The Shadow Over Atlantis

Exceptionally good sophomore release from a very promising, relatively new (formed in 2005) band from England. This is traditional doom metal played the traditional way but with a sound that is firmly rooted in the 21st century. Musically the album is pitched somewhere between St Vitas and early Candlemass but there are frequent nods in the direction of first album/Paranoid era Black Sabbath and a modern slant to the sound that is reminiscent of Skepticism.

The album is full of crushing guitar riffs, that often drift off into ambient sections of depressive, minimalist but atmospheric piano, and the bass and drums are as tight as a camel's arse in a sandstorm. The one little niggle I have with this album is that the vocals are somewhat swamped by the guitars, so much so in fact that it makes them virtually inaudible. Normally that wouldn't be a problem at all but this is actually a concept album and, as with most such albums, you really need to be able to hear the lyrics to follow the storyline.

The concept of the album, as the title suggests, is the submersion of the island of Atlantis by the sea. The storyline is a little complex and, as a result, this is not an album that one can dip into at will. 4 of the 6 tracks are over 8 minutes in length and there are no breaks between the tracks so the whole album segues into one piece of music, meaning that it is best listened in it's entirety. Although the tracks are long there is enough substance to them that they hold the attention throughout and never get tedious or boring.

The Shadow Over Atlantis is another excellent early release and, along with the Ihsahn, Dragobrath and Overkill albums, gets 2010 off to a cracking start. Could this be a vintage year for metal?

A song was just played on the stream. Very good shit indeed, gotta buy the album Sign of the devil dude!

Also heard the new Burzum, which had some hypnotic moments but deserves only 7.5 in the end. Dragobrath was a bit better.

I used to like some older Throes of Dawn material, but the new album was something I dumped after two spins. Same can be said about new Finntroll.

Thor Bear
Cred: 18

03/31/2010
12:57:42

Post Cred: 0

Burzum - Belus
This was a pleasent experience. I miss some of the old desperate vocals, but the music is well crafted, repetitative and atmospheric. The production is quite good, too. The album won't be my top pick of the year, but at some moments it really blew me away.

Thor Bear
Cred: 18

04/01/2010
06:49:00

Post Cred: 1

Gamma Ray - To the Metal
For fans of the band this album is a safe investment - power metal from the start to the end. The first song is awesome and there are highlights spread throughout the record, but it is a safe investment in the same sense as saving money and putting the in the bank (as if that was safe nowadays...) - not much excitement in that. Run-of-the-mill Gamma Ray one might say. If that's good or bad is for you to judge, but I quite like it.

Thor Bear
Cred: 18

04/02/2010
06:50:28

Post Cred: 0

Astral Doors - Requiem of Time
Quite bland and boring but not without the occasional highlights. The style is more or less what we in Danish would call "bottocks rock" paired with some heavy metal and power metal elements. Not groundbreaking at all and for fans of the genre/band only.

maidenrules
Cred: 0

04/03/2010
04:21:13

Post Cred: 2

overkill-ironbound.........9.5-10
this album is 4/5 months old on myh ipod and still kicks major ass. i see this as my top album of 2010 to this point. kudos to blitz and the old geezers for finding the magic again. this album simply slays.

charred walls of the damned-st....7.5 of 10
kinda underground supergroup who put out a kiler heavy metal album. one of rippers better performances (prolly due to the fact he didnt do too much writting). could move higher or lower w more spins but pretty enjoyable throughout.

high on fire.....snakes for the divine...undecided (7 of 10)
so far another excellent slab of doom meets thrash buy one of the doom masters. while basically very simillar too death is the communion, it also peaks a b it more yet has some flat moments as well. right now im giving it a 7 of 10.

Bear
Cred: 3

04/03/2010
15:09:35

Post Cred: 0

quote:
Originally posted by Juletti

I used to like some older Throes of Dawn material, but the new album was something I dumped after two spins. Same can be said about new Finntroll.

Really on the Finntroll? I'd rather listen to the newer, darker, more aggressive works than their old stuff.

Rev. El Duce Guns
Super Mod
Cred: 9

04/04/2010
12:46:51

Post Cred: 0

I've got to go with Bear on the new Finntroll. I like the new one, whereas older Finntroll never really did it for me.

Other new stuff (real brief, some on only one listen):

Burzum - liked, interesting parts
Ereb Altor - awesome
Bifrost - enjoyed it a good bit
Nydvind - good listen, not as good as Bran Barr
Svartsot - better than the last one
High on Fire - nice, but better on first listen than on subsequent ones
Lair of the Minotaur - would rather listen to High on Fire

Fuller write-ups on these and a couple others hopefully later this week

Bear
Cred: 3

04/04/2010
17:22:38

Post Cred: 3

Hour of Penance (Ita) – Paragdogma (Brutal Death Metal) 8.5-9.0/10 –

Basically if you take away all the, mostly superfluous, Middle Eastern elements of Nile you are left with this style death metal. Hour of Penance do it at least as good as Nile does, these days, and I’m going to have to say I’d rather listen to this. Its straight forward, its brutal and its fun; highly recommended to all fans of death metal, unless you demand the true school of old.

Decrepitaph (US-TX) – Beyond The Cursed Tombs (Old School Death Metal) 8.5/10 –
If you want your death metal produced yet raw and nasty, and new but in the true vein of the old school, Decrepitaph is your band. I was not in the camp of those disappointed by their debut full length “Condemned Cathedral,” but I am in the camp that this is an improvement. Not a change in style at all, but a tad more solid songwriting. The production on this album is definitely rougher than on “CC” as well, which can be a plus or negative depending on your taste. I enjoy the hell out of it and highly recommend it most fans of death metal (unless you demand technical wankery).

The Grotesquery(Swe-US) - Tales Of The Coffin Born (Death Metal) 8/10 –

Extreme metal centipede Rogga Johansson (yes, it’s a stolen term, but a damn good one) teaming up with the Legendary Kam Lee once again, but this time in a clearly more straight forward Stockholm style than Bone Gnawer (which has a bit more of a clear American DM influence). This is a straight up King Diamond style concept album, same, easy to follow, story all the way through. I had to take a few points away as the narratives seem a bit unnecessary, but at least make the story easier to follow. Overall, as expected, we have another solid release with Johansson’s name on it. Is there really someone who can challenge this man for the current reign of Swedish Death Metal King?

Impherion (Rus) - Torzhestvo Bez Ploti (Death Metal) 7.5-8/10

The old Eastern Block has really been a hotbed for black metal and the most extreme forms of death metal and grind. This band doesn’t really fall into either of those categories. They play some very thrashy straight forward, at times somewhat technical, death metal. Though their sound isn’t exactly unique these guys really shine in the song writing department. They definitely do a lot in almost every song, which could be an influence taken from the modern trendcore, lots of tempo changes, solos varied from Slayeresqe thrash to old school blues based, etc. Vocally they range from low gargled “brees” to straight up high screams. A lot of their transitions feel a bit awkward and forced or this album would get a higher rating from me, but I could definitely see this album being raved about. This is a monster of a debut, and hopefully a sign of a great future.

Rompeprop (Hol) - Gargle Cummics (Death/Grind) 7.5/10

First off… Do not take this album seriously. This is just some campy fun 70’s horror inspired death/grind. Its punky/thrashy, its bouncy and VERY straightforward. Sixteen, admittedly somewhat formulaic, tracks in under 34 minutes covering such high brow topics as “Scottish Handcuffs” and the “Cleveland Steamer.” There is even a quite entertaining “re-imagining” of a classic that I shouldn’t have to name in “Porn to Be Wild.” If you are only a casual fan of death/grind I recommend checking this out as it grabbed me. It’s not great by any means, but for some odd reason it keeps getting spins. It’s just plain fun.

Edited by - Bear on 04/04/2010 17:24:23

Bear
Cred: 3

04/04/2010
17:47:37

Post Cred: 3

Arkaik (US-CA) - Reflections Within Dissonance (Tech. Death Metal) 7/10

With Unique Leader Records you can pretty much always expect some form of extreme brutality. Arkaik are definitely not an exception. They play a very standard technical death metal style and they do so well. It’s nothing to write home about, but I have a feeling we are going to hear about these guys in the future (average age: 22.6). Tech. death fanatics will probably rate this higher, but as a more casual fan of the genre I say this is just interesting enough to recommend that you at least give one spin this year.

Fuck the Facts (Can) - Unnamed (EP) (Death/Grind) 7/10

These crazy Canucks are recognized by many as preeminent players in the death/grind scene and for good reason. This Is just a quick slab of brutality that pretty much demonstrates what these guys have been up to for over a decade. Its death/grind, but you can hear clear black metal and thrash influences in the riffs, and they tend to have a lot more changes than many of the more straight forward death/grind acts. Of course, you are going to get plenty of pick squeals and breakdowns. This DYI 7” will kick your ass for about 12 minutes, gotta buy it direct from the band, but I say it’s well worth the $6.

Serial Butcher (Bel) - A Crash Course in Cranium Crushing (Brutal Death Metal) 7/10

What do you get when you cross Deeds of Flesh with some slightly muted melodicism (in the vein of Avulsed)? Serial Butcher. I see this album getting slagged in a lot of places on the net, and I have to say I don’t see why. Sure, it’s not overly original, but what is these days (Shining – Blackjazz excluded)? There isn’t a ton to say because it is very straight forward, but if you do something well originality isn’t required. These guys do it well, and I know I’d rather hear this than much of the death metal that has been getting near blind praise in the last few years.

Tentacles (US-NY) - Tentacles (Death/Grind) 6.5/10

This album is fun, but nearly as good as this year’s Rompeprop. This is very straight forward death/grind, and probably only gets this high of a rating because of the humor aspects. You can tell these guys do not take themselves seriously, and I’d guess if they did this would be rocking more like a 2 rating. The shorter songs tend to be concise with some direction and the longer songs tend to not really go anywhere (mostly poorly organized okay ideas). Can’t help but be amused by some of the samples and antics on this album, but they aren’t enough to save it. Sure, check it out, but I think this could be more of a sign of a decent future than any real current relevance.

Bear
Cred: 3

04/05/2010
14:34:13

Post Cred: 0

quote:
Originally posted by Rev. El Duce Guns

Lair of the Minotaur - would rather listen to High on Fire

I'd rather listen to Lair of the Minotaur Grinning Goatee

. On that note, this is really the first album of theirs that I would compare to High on Fire. This is by far their least aggressive album, but its still very good.

axeVictim
Cred: 52

04/07/2010
09:57:18

Post Cred: 0

quote:
Originally posted by Bear

Hour of Penance (Ita) – Paragdogma (Brutal Death Metal) 8.5-9.0/10 –

Basically if you take away all the, mostly superfluous, Middle Eastern elements of Nile you are left with this style death metal. Hour of Penance do it at least as good as Nile does, these days, and I’m going to have to say I’d rather listen to this. Its straight forward, its brutal and its fun; highly recommended to all fans of death metal, unless you demand the true school of old.

I totally agree with Bear on this one. It's a great album and out-Niles Nile. My favourite release so far this year and a strong contender for my end of year top 10. A must for death metal fans and one that everyone should at least check out. Sign of the devil dude!

Thor Bear
Cred: 18

04/07/2010
13:09:44

Post Cred: 0

Dark Tranquillity - We are the Void
Often I find myself satisfied but also strangely unfulfilled. Dark Tranquillity does that to me. This album is very good simply because their level is generally very high, but it doesn't hit the hammer on the nail when it comes to sending shivers down any spine. They are on the top of their game but don't seem capable of progressing even higher. Fast, melodic, dark, and catchy - it contains it all, but no surprises.

Bear
Cred: 3

04/07/2010
13:37:37

Post Cred: 0

People really need to check out that Impherion though. I think that's a sign of great things to come, and I want to hear what others think.

Bear
Cred: 3

04/07/2010
13:43:19

Post Cred: 1

quote:
Originally posted by Rev. El Duce Guns

53 - Myrath – Desert Call – Middle easternish, progressive band from Tunisia. I find the vocals to be a little gay sounding for my liking. Straddles the metal/prog rock border in my eyes. While it is interesting in what it brings to the table, this isn't remotely my style. Proggies or those who like middle eastern elements might dig this one though.

Oh, I very much disagree with this.

Myrath (Tun) - Desert Call (Folk/Progressive Metal)8.5/10

I have never heard a band that so smoothly intertwines traditional Middle Eastern music with metal. This isn't like Nile where much of it is simply thrown in there to create atmosphere, but without it wouldn't make the music seem empty. Here without the folk influences the music would feel completely empty. I think the vocalist is fucking phenomenal and I plan on tracking down everything with him on it. I'm very picky when it comes to traditional/progressive metal, and this hits me in the sweet spot.

Sortiment
Moderator
Cred: 32

04/07/2010
14:29:42

Post Cred: 0

This one has entered my very short wish list of 2010 Smilie Goatee

Wintersun
Cred: 34

04/07/2010
14:31:32

Post Cred: 0

quote:
Originally posted by Bear

People really need to check out that Impherion though. I think that's a sign of great things to come, and I want to hear what others think.

This made me take another listen to it. It's growing a bit on me, I enjoy the music, but I find the vocals too high pitched. A more guttural voice would suit this much better I think. I can't see it go anywhere near the top of my list.

Bear
Cred: 3

04/07/2010
15:04:40

Post Cred: 0

quote:
Originally posted by Wintersun

quote:
Originally posted by Bear

People really need to check out that Impherion though. I think that's a sign of great things to come, and I want to hear what others think.

This made me take another listen to it. It's growing a bit on me, I enjoy the music, but I find the vocals too high pitched. A more guttural voice would suit this much better I think. I can't see it go anywhere near the top of my list.

It may make a top 10 list for Death Metal alone, but yeah... Though really? They are constantly changing vocal styles on there, from gutteral "brees" to old school growls to the screams.

Lord Slayer of Light
Cred: 27

04/07/2010
17:38:12

Post Cred: 1

quote:
Originally posted by Thor Bear

Dark Tranquillity - We are the Void
Often I find myself satisfied but also strangely unfulfilled. Dark Tranquillity does that to me. This album is very good simply because their level is generally very high, but it doesn't hit the hammer on the nail when it comes to sending shivers down any spine. They are on the top of their game but don't seem capable of progressing even higher. Fast, melodic, dark, and catchy - it contains it all, but no surprises.

You said what I was thinking - though I wouldn't have known how to put it Smile

- There was this Gothic Metal undertone in this record that IMO doesn't fit the concept. It's not that I mind Gothic Metal, not at all. It's just that so many times DT are referred to as one of the first original MDM Bands, one of the Big Göteborg 3 ... and I mean let's face it: At the Gates is no more (I liked them the most actually). In Flames was good, apparently becoming better (Come Clarity is how I would explain MDM to someone who had no clue - "Just listen to that"), but in the end they fell from grace just the same. I mean "A Sense of Purpose" is not a bad record, I like it very much but it's not what they were supposed to be doing. And what is worse - they don't even bother to deliver live performances worthy of their fame anymore, and now with Jesper Strömblad gone ... Anyway DT were for me the last original MDM Band (I know that this is a narrow perspective, it's just an impression) and this last record, well Thor Bear said it all - It's too great to be called a disappointment but it's not what we had hoped for either, not after "Fiction"

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