Reviews
Opus Magnum is the third ablum by the Austrian Symphonic Metal outfit Hollenthon, but I have the feeling that this time the guys worked more into the “Symphonic” part, than the “Metal” part of their music. Despite that fact Hollenton sounds like having very wise song writing abilities.
\r\nEvery album of Stormwitch is something special for me. Personally I believe that they probably are the only band that manage to create such a sound and combine so successfully Epic/Power Metal sound with Black Metal. That’s why they are described as an Extreme Epic Metal Band. Mare Nostrum is the Italians’ fourth full-lenghted album and they pleasantly surprise us, as always. This album is more technical and more experimental the band has ever released as there are some new elements but also compositions are more complicated but not exagerating.
\r\nΈχω δηλÏŽσει πολλÎς φορÎς την αγάπη που τρÎφω για την Metal σκηνή\r\nτης Δανίας.
\r\n"Ancient Sorrow" is the first release from the British Fen featuring a mixture of black metal and dark instrumental sound. An EP with three songs that last about a half hour play time producing images of the foggy and dark grey bearing rain cloudy scenery of eastern England over a heath landscape, isolated shrubs and crippled trees stand out from the fog creating an unreal, perfect and mystic surrounding.
The name “Grave” is of course the trademark label of the original Swedish Death Metal scene for sixteen years and over, and this is a fact that none can doubt about. So this is the eighth in the row release by the Swedish outfit during their low profiled career entitled “Dominion VIII”.
\r\nA few days ago I received the second album of the Spanish band Sandalinas that came out at the beginning of 2008.
\r\nAccording to the Celtic mythology Belenos is the god of the sun and warm sources that heal sickness. His name means "shining one" or "henbane god". In the Roman period he was identified with Apollo. So Belenos - the band - is close to the pagan aspect of black metal except that the additive "pagan" applies to the music of this French band only in the broadest sense because the amount of folkloriness or epicness is really restrained.
Lord Vicar is the new outfit by Christian Lindersson, well known from his co operation with the Mighty Count Raven on “Strom Warning” as well as his co operation with The DOOM METAL FATHERS, Saint Vitus , on “C.O.D.” album.
\r\nThe Danish Angantyr initially was an ambient-project, but very quickly (thankfully at least from my point of view) changed into a grim and raw black metal band. The band is constituted by one member only, Ynleborgaz who plays all the instruments by himself. So far Angantyr has released three full length albums with "Haevn" being their latest, released in 2007.
\r\nEllfor is a Spanish symphonic/ambient metal band with some black metal shades and the one man project from Suffering Down’s keyboardist Eöl. The band has released four albums to today and "Son OF The Shades" is actually their second album initially released in 2003.