Reviews
It’s been fourteen (14) years since the release of the one of the most important (In my humble opinion) black metal albums ever. (Frost) The creators of which, have returned with more progressive music direction as ever. While I ve been listening to “Vertebrae” I realized once again the change of the musical direction that Enslaved did some years ago, a turn into more “complex” sounds with many “clean” vocals and many melodic lines.
Well, this is the second release of the one man project band, Doom VS, which is solo project of Draconian’s Johan Ericson. The “Dead Words Speak” then, sound not so similar to Draconian releases, but in the same time, does.
There is no doubt that Battlelore is not a band that can remain in the\r\nlistener’s memory and unfortunately this tradition continues with their\r\nfifth album “The Last Alliance”. And I say unfortunately because the\r\nband is both willing and inspired.
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\r\n What can I say about this album!! From the very first notes "Man Made Paradise" has no other goal than to grab you by the hair, bang your head against the nearest wall and spill your blood all over the place! I got so thrilled from the very first hearing that I didn’t start this review with the usual way.
\r\n Loits is an Estonian band and they call their style "Militant Flak ’N’ Roll". According to the band "The birth of this slogan belong to our friend Mart Kalvet from the band Herald, who figured that instead of ’black’ we could use ’flak’ (anti-air gun), a word with a similar pronouncement. It fits our ideology and message much better.
\r\n Another old release from Nailboard Records and another one from the Estonians Metsatoll. This album was the band’s first demo, self-released in 1999 and re-released later on in 2005 by Nailboard Records with the title "Terast Mis Hangund Me Hinge 10218 " ("Steel frozen in our souls"), a different cover and 1 bonustrack. Metsatoll connects traditional Eastern European Folk with hard guitars, driving basslines, playful percussion and an eastern atmosphere.
\r\n The Void’s "Vision Of The Truth" contains nine tracks of dark/gothic metal with also strong references to 80s doom and dark wave scene, inspired by bands like Moonspell, Paradise Lost, Tiamat and Type Or Negative. Existing since 1998, the Italian group calls its music as a mixture between Dark Metal and Gothic Doom.
\r\nBathory epic metal, this would be a very accurate title for the album “Vengeance”. The spiritual child of Walter Crom Grosse, guitarist and bassist of the German Black Metallers Dark Fortress, after 2-3 demos and an EP releases its first full length album with Pure Steel Records.
Well, this is a typical example of a Greek band that despite all their efforts, they managed to release their first album, after 19 years of their foundation. So , Nordor despite the fact that they are a band since 1989, only this year managed to release their first album, better late, than never then.