Symphony X - Iconoclast (2011)

Progressive metal band Symphony X is finally back with a brand new album entitled "Iconoclast." This is the eighth full length album that the they have released. The album is full of progression mixed with symphonic power metal tones. From heavy bass lines and distorted guitar riffs to operatic strings and piano keys, this album has it all.

The album kicks off with the song "Iconoclast," which is over 10 minutes long. This track has got everything. Monstrous guitar riffs fill the air immediately as Michael Romeo shreds the scales up and down. He is accompanied by high cymbals splashing everywhere and constant kick/snare action. This is then surrounded by heavy orchestrated strings, giving the melody a warm background as you jump into the verse. The lead vocalist, Russell Allen, soars over the guitars with aggressive clean singing. Putting so much energy and passion into his voice, he really draws you closer to the music. Half way through the song enters a beautiful guitar solo that destroys every note in sight. The guitar work is absolutely magnificent. Also, pay close attention to the drums as you will notice the constant change in pattern and how smooth each roll is as it flows right into the next one.

"Electric Messiah" fades in with distortion, leading right into a wall of guitars towering over you with catchy yet complicated riffs. After hearing the refrain a couple of times, you will be singing along, as I'm sure you'll find it as likeable as I did. The song also has a melodic breakdown that will have you bobbing your head straight through. The way the drums play off the bass and guitar riffs is incredible. This is followed by a beast of a solo that will leave you breathless as the notes grab you by the throat!

"Heretic" is overwhelming with crazy double bass pedals and constant snares cracking off left and right. The fills that are played between the verses are mind blowing. The guitars are massive as they chug away in heavy melodic patterns. As the verses take over, Allen throws more aggressive vocals at you as he hits both operatic and mid range tones. You'll also find similar elements in "Children Of A Faceless God." Quick guitar riffs accompany booming bass lines giving tremendous power to the lower end of the song. Allen fits in perfect as his vocals fly over top with angelic lyrics. This is a "must hear" song!

Just when you thought things couldn't get any better, you will run into "When All Is Lost." This song starts out soft with ravishing piano riffs and gorgeous lyrics sung with Allen's marvelous vocals. Heavier distorted guitars enter later on. However, they continue to keep sort of soothing feel throughout. Later, an astonishing piano bridge enters layered with consoling strings. This is then followed with an electrifying guitar solo keeping you at the edge of your seat all the way to the end. This is truly a stunning masterpiece with great structure and meaningful lyrics.

After listening to the album straight through, its leaves you begging for more, almost as if they could offer you some sort of encore. Well guess what, Symphony X offers a special edition of "Iconoclast" which includes three extra bonus tracks! I highly suggest you pick this up if you are looking to fill your metal addiction. The album is astounding from front to back. This is a CD you'll want to keep in your stereo for days.

9/10

Official Site - http://www.symphonyx.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/symphonyx

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Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs (2009)

As great as it is to see Swallow The Sun putting out awesome albums, it is even greater to see that certain members of the band can manage to work with incredible side projects at the same time. Aleksi Munter, who plays keyboard for Swallow The Sun, is part of a band known as Ghost Brigade, which is a progressive doom metal band formed in Finland. Their second studio album, "Isolation Songs," is a dark and beautiful masterpiece that was released in 2009. The album has everything from dark, cruel growling to soft clean singing.

The album starts with a soothing guitar melody in "Suffocated." The soft notes are short, as they are disrupted by demonic riffs that come barreling down over deafening drums. The double bass work is quite impressive as it is surrounded by sizzling cymbals. Fist pumping guitars chug away through the verses full of energy and rage. The vocals enter with a roar. Deep growling accompanied by melodic guitar riffs give a catchy yet devilish feel to the refrain. "My Heart Is A Tomb" will put you at ease with its calm verses which contain quiet guitar riffs and light singing. The drums become heavier as the song builds up to the chorus. The rich sound of melodic riffs rush into the refrain leaving no time to breath as you are pummeled by the deep pounding waves of kicks and snares. Dark growling is layered with clean singing during the chorus giving off a unique and beautiful sound.

Track three, entitled "Into The Black Light," contain ravishing vocals, deep with lyrics. The verses have gorgeous melodies that will lure you in. The vocals in the refrain are sung with such beauty and are very catchy. The end carries out with crying guitars that are sure to be ringing in your head for days. "Lost In A Loop" keeps things dark again with its violent growling and aggressive guitar riffs during the verses. The riffs during the refrain are repetitive and will surround you with sadness. The bridge consists of slow soothing violins which help create the dark depressive tones even more.

"22:22 - Nihil" is one of the most beautiful instrumentals to ever hit your ear. Full of progression, the guitar riffs repeat the same melody as they add more instruments and effects to build a larger atmosphere. Piano follows along with the guitars while they play simple notes in the beginning. Distortion is later added when the heavy chords enter followed by booming drums. As the build up reaches its peak, heavy layered guitars chug away in two separate patterns giving the music fullness. The lead guitar work captures you with its angelic melody. Major double bass pedals come stomping in with wicked cymbals as rapid bass lines keep the ground shaking constantly.

If you are looking for that one solid epic song that is full of progressive riffs, "Birth" is what you're looking for. The song runs for over 9 minutes long and includes electrifying guitars and captivating piano parts. Quiet guitar melodies enter in the beginning filling the air with a depressive feel. Later enters loud guitar chords with evil features. The vocals are reckless growls throughout the verses and refrains. The piano towards the middle of the song is absolutely marvelous. You're going to want to replay this track a few times to catch all the details.

With its diverse style and constant change from light to dark sounds, "Isolation Songs" provides a little bit of everything for everyone. It is a well written and well rounded album for all to enjoy. Ghost Brigade has many different elements in their music that they have mashed together to create an epic and unique sound. This is definitely one of those album that you do not want to miss.

9/10

Official Site - http://www.ghostbrigade.net/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/ghostbrigade

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The Podcast: Episode 10 (I've got your Dimmu RIGHT HERE!)

Pagan's Mind has left Murmaider unimpressed, while Hell22 has nothing but good things to say about UneXpect. Chester has returned with a new outlook on life, and ready to finally complete his homework assignment. Dimmu Borgir is our focus, so we talk about how they have twisted their genre to suit their sound. And damn, it works for them!

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=P8QF8N5C

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Helevorn: The Interview

What inspired  "Forthcoming Displeasures", lyrically and musically? And what is
the story, if any, of the album artwork?

"F.D" was inspired of the world’s global situation we’re now living, it’s a realistic and misanthropic concept. Talking about the past as the best thing that happened to us doesn’t make any sense and is unreal but talking about wrong things we are doing to build up our future suggests us a little more, all of this is embodied in the album cover and in the video of "From our Glorious Days". When we were making the album we were conscious about it.

Robert Hoyem (cover artwork artist) soon captured the artistic idea, human race represented by six bodies without face, walking through a path full of obstacles and stained with blood, at the end of this path there’s a big black hole and we all are heading it without asking ourselves why. It was a great opportunity to create a pessimist criticism.

As metal fans in the US, we come across very few true metal bands from Spain. Darkmoor is one that comes to mind. What is the metal scene like in Spain? And how have your roots played a part in the music you've created?

A few years ago, when we start with Helevorn in Spain there were only 2 or 3 “big” metal bands like Avulsed, that were able to make interesting music or with the capacity of touring. Nowadays, we have tons of new metal bands working hard outside our borders. Anyway we have lot of work to do.

So often, bands feel the need to do something crazy to sell records. They add a second (or third) singer, tune the guitars even lower, or invent some crazy gimmick. You guys have perfected your music, without resorting to any tricks along the way. How have you managed to continue to grow, without throwing away your identity?

When we write a song we also think on playing that song live and is really important for us to be faithful to the recorded version. It’s crazy to think that adding more and more instruments or 17 voices to a song you would sell more records.

The Death/doom genre is exploding, thanks to bands like Helevorn, as well as Draconian, Swallow The Sun, etc. What is it about the music you, and you brethren, create that draws so many people?

Maybe is the mix between the atmosphere and the aggressive sound of guitars, clean voices, etc.

Do you have plans on touring in America?

Not for the moment, but we are opened to any suggestions! We would love to tour in America. At this present moment we are promoting ourselves around Europe.

Do you have any bands (big or small) that you would want to tour with?

Britney Spears! Hehehe. Seriously, lots of them, but personally I think that Officium Triste or The 11th Hour would be nice. They are great people and good friends so what can be better than tour and party together?

What are your thoughts on the downloading of music? Do you see it as a problem, or is it helping to spread great music across the world?

I think that is a good chance for little bands like Helevorn to get extra promotion than a problem. We do not sell millions of copies and internet is a real important tool for bands like us to be promoted.

What does the future hold for Helevorn?

Perform as much as we can to promote “Forthcoming Displeasures” and start working on the new songs also. We are looking and moving forward for the new Helevorn album.

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Insomnium - Across The Dark (2009)

When last we left Finnish melodic death heroes Insomnium, they were taking the world by storm with their breakout album, "Above The Weeping World." Three years and countless tours later, the band find themselves at a unique crossroads. Do they continue down the path they forged over the course of 10 years, or do they do that which so many bands before them have done: "progress"? Thankfully, the choice they made was easy. No time for a 50 piece orchestra. No room for fluff. "Across The Dark" is Insomnium at that intense, in your face best.

There is no intro, no preparation for the slaughter to come. The band crashes into their own brand of high speed thrash, with the first riffs blastin g through your speakers. Drums, guitar and bass are in perfect unison with one another, laying the framework on which the deafening vocals will be built. Harsh, violent and abusive, the screams are relentless. Even as the music slows, the growls only grow more intense. A short, but stunning acoustic portion gives you moments of reprieve. One final attack commences with a piano outro.

A headbanging anthem follows, with "Down With The Sun" giving you all you can handle. Rapid double bass and crashing cymbals are a constant, sharing time with jabbing guitar notes and distorted chugging. It may seem impossible for screams of agony to be considered "beautiful," but you may change that opinion here. Often lost in the senseless screams of death metal are the emotional lyrics contained. Don't let them pass you by, or you will regret it. The soft tones of an acoustic dominated "Equivalence" are followed with booming kicks and a roaring bass line. The grating vocals have their moments, guiding the track to an end.

Whispered lines are replaced with overwhelming cries of pain. Guitars are uptempo and precise, but only half as bludgeoning as the lightning speed of kicks and snares. A rare, but short lived, solo flies by, giving light to the darkness of "Into The Woods." The track ends with a bang, and slows nonchalantly into the next, "The Harrowing Years." The low, almost hollow punch of the kick is the perfect compliment to the bass line. Clean, melodic singing, though not used often, becomes a powerful tool on this track, especially when offset with the grit and grind of the normal vocals. A down tempo outro section pairs those same harsh screams with a clean guitar tone, creating a surprisingly great marriage of light and dark.

Running for nine minutes, "The Lay Of Autumn" isn't your typical metal epic. It starts delicately enough, but quickly chooses the sound of distortion over the clean strings. The acoustics return, with melodic chords being played in partnership with a strong bass. Back and forth, from clean to dirty, the song holds your attention, leaving you marveling at talent on both sides of the spectrum. A dazzlingly depressing title, "Weighted Down With Sorrow" is a delivered, as advertised, with hopelessness throughout. Unreal amounts of emotion are poured out, not only in the defeated vocals, but in each guitar note, bass line and drum beat. You will share in their pain, if only for six minutes.

There is not time to feel bad, no time to hang your head. "Where The Last Wave Broke" is as strong a closer as you will find. Versatile and downright impressive, thrashing guitars are force fed. Blast beats and fills consume your ears, unseated only by the deep growls. Stunning clean vocals pair with the screams in a harmony none thought possible. With every ounce of energy spent, the band give everything they have left in a drum filled, string tinged outro.

There is something so empowering about a band sticking to their guns, continuing to make the music that they, as musicians, can be proud of. Insomnium are true superstars of melodic death, time and again creating tunes that are as catchy as they are punishing. From their formation in 1997 until now, so much has changed. But even more has stayed the same. Like a candle in the darkness, Insomnium are lighting the way to the higher ground.

9.5/10

Official Site - http://www.insomnium.net/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/insomniumband

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Ava Inferi - Onyx (2011)

Formed as the brainchild of former Mayhem composer Rune Eriksen and Portuguese singer Carmen Susana Simões, Ava Inferi has influences that stretch far and wide. But the one truth that stretches throughout their discography, albeit a small one, is the constant gray of life. Whether it be through the misery of everyday life, or the fascination with death and the hereafter, each track on their latest offering, and follow-up to the criticially acclaimed "Blood Of Bacchus," is ripe with pure, unadulterated gloom.

Dark riffs ring out, followed by operatic chanting and increasingly powerful drums. The title track, "Onyx," is chilling in it's female fronted verses, which are light on instrumentation. However, the choruses leave room for a flurry of solo guitar work. Quiet whispers create a mood that will leave goosebumps on your arms. It remains heavy, dark and brooding. Effects laden guitar leads you into "The Living End," before distortion kicks in. The clean vocals throughout are beautiful, yet emotionally draining. An eerie male voice enters in the refrain, gloomy and melancholy. Drumming is persistent, not tearing your attention away from the lyrical message, but not weighing down the composition.

Shortened, distorted scales take hold of "A Portal." The tempo never moves past a low roll, but momentum is not an issue. The song flows seamlessly from verse to chorus and back again. Brief keyboard induced orchestration only help to accentuate the gray clouds and their silver linings. No intricate guitar work, no crashing drum breakdowns. Only smooth, structured gothic style. "((Ghostlights))" could not have carried a more fitting title, sprinkled with recorded paranormal investigations. To say frontwoman Carmen Susana Simões' voice creates imagery of "the other side" is an understatement. Her tone will haunt your dreams, especially when paired with some more aggressive doom metal chugging. Slow, deliberate and otherworldly.

After a brief intro, "Majesty" sees some heavier guitar work, sliding up and down the neck. Drums enter, with a roll of toms. Vocals range from the somber, low range to the sublime, higher octaves, delivered with power and conviction. Bass work is a constant, never overpowering the leads. Spoken words and crashing waves provide the perfect opening for "The Heathen Island." In the nine minute track, you get a taste of everything the band has to offer. The bass gets a starring role, flowing through spoken passages. Guitars enter and exit, distorted riffs trading with harmonic picking. The drums throw a few unexpected fills at you, knocking you off balance. All the while, smooth, soothing female vocals put you at ease.

"By Candlelight And Mirrors" sees the band enter the realm of traditional doom at times, with a crawling pace and the typical kick/snare drum patterns. Guitars finally screech forward, on top of blazing double kicks. But the vocal patterns remain unchanged, soaring over the top of the chaos. A dark angel, delivering line after line of pitch perfect opera. Soft guitars and orchestration takes over in "Venice In Fog," building toward an unearthly finish. You may find that the delicate vocals provided by Ms. Simões will stay with you, long after the music has stopped.

It is an accomplishment to be so dark, so dreary, and yet so melodic. Ava Inferi does not sacrifice structure and flow, simply to throw in a head banging breakdown or air guitar inducing solo. The music created comes off as very organic and effortless, in the best possible way. It seems as though, three albums in to what promises to be a long and successful career, the band have recorded what will be known as their seminal offering. Much like its namesake, "Onyx" stands as a truly magnificent gem.

8.5/10

Official Site - http://coven-of-avainferi.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/avainferi

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Finntroll - Nifelvind (2010)

 

Created in the midst of an alcohol fueled tirade, Finntroll have lay claim to the pagan metal crown. Their mission was to fuse the raw, larger than life sounds of black metal with traditional Finnish music (which could be called "Hoedown"). Over a decade and six full albums later, you think you have this band figured out. On  2010's "Nifelvind," Finntroll are here to tell you to sit back, and enjoy musical fusion at its finest.

A strong tribal drum beat builds into chanting and orchestrated strings and horns in the intro track, "Blodmarsch." But calm gives way to calamity, and "Solsagan" is unleashed. A flurry of kick drums and a deafening growl give you a taste of what is to come, a battering array of blast beats and high speed chugging. Background chanting keeps the aura of pagan folk metal intact, but only as support. The screams are powerful and, at times, tense. This creates the darkest of imagery for the album.

A set of toms with varying tones helps to pave the way for distortion and dismay. "Den Frusna Munnen" pairs hypnotic keyboard melodies with flowing, yet crunchy, guitar work. Vocals are coarse, demanding attention amidst the well timed snare/cymbal punch. The outro portion is a head bobbing success. Ethnic strings introduce you to a blood curdling scream in "Ett Norrskensdad," a track that is equal parts playful and painful. Even with instrumentation that seems upbeat, the vocals delivered are gritty. Is it possible to dance and swing your hair at the same time? "I Tradens Sang," on the other hand, leaves no room for celebration. The brutal double kicks are ever present, with lyrics pelting you in a harsh manner. Guitars take the fore, beating you down with distorted riff after distorted riff.

With a taste for the epic, Finntroll carve out the down tempo hammer of "Tiden Utan Tid." Rolling thunder and chants kick things off, with a constant chugging guitar emerges, only deviating to throw in a partial scale. The drum rolls are slow, in comparison to the previous tracks, but no less damaging. Things get violent as the track draws to its end, highlighted by the presence of tormenting keys and chants. "Galgasang" steps away from the bloodshed long enough to deliver a folk acoustic ballad, of sorts. Beautiful vocal melodies emerge for the first, and last, time. Don't get too comfortable, though, as "Mot Skuggornas Varld" returns the band to the heavier comfort zone. Synthesizers play the lead through most of the song, with a jaunty bass line cropping up at opportune times.

The musical carnival of "Under Bergets Rot" is as amusing as it is enjoyable. So many instruments, so many happy little notes emanating from your speakers, but only three minutes to catch them all. "Fornfamnad" seems to be a continuation, before it breaks away from the happy and dips into the harder side of life. Back and forth it goes, trampling the line between somber and sublime. The seven minute closer, "Drap" ties the album up in a dirty, choking knot, taking the chugging and slashing guitars and giving them a full two minutes to fade away into silence.

Finntroll manage to, once again, deliver an album worthy of the pagan metal moniker. Combining the raw with the refined, they have written, and subsequently rewritten, the text book on the genre. They have succeeded in their goal of combining two styles that would seem to be at odds with one another, and creating something that is mysterious, yet somehow soothing. Though, at album's end, you may also be telling the tale of the Finntroll.

8.5/10

Official Site - http://www.finntroll.net/

Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/officialfinntroll

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Pagan's Mind - Heavenly Ecstacy (2011)

After waiting almost four long years, Pagan's Mind has finally released their fifth studio album, entitled "Heavenly Ecstasy." The power metal band from Skien, Norway has gone over the top with electrifying solos and mystical lyrics.

The album starts with a short introduction of eerie synth sound effect giving off a dark feel that builds up into the next track. "Eyes Of Fire" fades in with shattering cymbals and powerful drumming. The refrain is full of energy as Nils K. Rue soars over the blaring guitars and heavy drumming with his angelic clean vocals. The song grabs a hold of you with chugging guitars that later enter the song. An insane guitar solo follows towards the end that will absolutely blow you away.

"Intermission" is the first single released off of the album, and you will see why, as catchy up beat guitar riffs lure you into the song. This fades into a calm verse as the instruments fall back and slowly begin to build up again. The chorus will hit you hard, as the vocals are loaded heavily with reverb effects. The melodies mixed with the gorgeous guitars will consume you with its catchy sounds. The song will leave you bobbing your head from start to finish.

If you're looking for something a little more aggressive, check out "Follow Your Way." Tons of distorted guitars layered on top of each other blast catchy chords at you, combined with detailed drum fills and fast bass lines. You will definitely want to hit the repeat button a couple of times for this song. "The Master's Voice" is another track that shows off their true power metal sound as the vocals in the refrain echo over the catchy melodic guitars. Thick bass lines are used to connect the verses and choruses smoothly. Epic strings accompany the explosive drums in the middle of the song which lead to a quick solo hitting every high note that there is. This song stands out a little more from the album because the vocals switch up and get a little darker at times, as you will hear in parts of the verses a more screechy high pitch vocal that differs from the regular power vocal you are used to hearing. Also, the drum solo that concludes the song is extraordinary as rapid change in patterns keep you at the edge of your seat the entire time.

Overall Pagan's Mind has much potential and definitely write some memorable choruses and detailed solos. However, that's about all you will find in "Heavenly Ecstasy." There are a lot of generic riffs and a lot of the songs sound the same. The album is average for what they have to offer. A little more musical creativity and a little less reverb on the vocals could improve their sound, and help them gain a little more attention. Check out the record if you get a chance, but I wouldn't put it at the top of the list of "must hear" albums.

6/10

Official Site - http://www.pagansmind.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/pagansmind

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Mastodon - Leviathan (2004)

Loosely based on Herman Melville's novel "Moby Dick," Atlanta, Georgia's Mastodon have shown their creative and deeply imaginative side once again with the incredible "Leviathan." This is an earlier album of the progressive group that shook the metal industry back in 2004. For those of you who are unfamiliar, each of Mastodons albums have, so far, represented an element. This album represents the element of water.

It kicks off with a heavy dose of violence with the song "Blood And Thunder." Groovy guitar riffs immediately fill the air through the verses. The refrain has tremendous amounts of aggressive vocals that include a unique mixture of yelling and growling. The drum fills are phenomenally performed by Brann Dailor. Loudly distorted guitars surround Troy Sanders' monstrous vocals during the last verse. This is an amazing opening track full of energy and excitement. And no, it doesn't stop there, "I Am Ahab" continues the fast pace, with deafening guitar riffs and vicious drum work. The vocals are violent and mixed with dark emotion. Unfortunately, this magnificent song runs for less than 3 minutes long, leaving you wanting more. Hitting the replay button is a must!

"Seabeast" starts out a little slower with eerie melodic guitars. Things pick up in the verse, with uncontrollable drumming and overwrought vocals. The song ends with stormy guitar riffs chugging away heavily layered with punchy bass. The opening guitars in "Iron Tusk" contain turbulent riffs that will be stuck in your head for days. Harsh vocals enter for the verses and are accompanied by deep bass lines and relentless drumming. The structure of this song is unique as its constantly changing melodic patterns.

One of the most appealing songs on the album is "Naked Burn." Brent Hinds takes over the vocals, singing catchy melodic lyrics throughout. You can hear so much passion in his voice during the refrain. "Aqua Dementia" contains wicked vocals that might make you flinch. The guitars are reckless and groovy all in one, and will probably make you want to dance to its catchiness! However things slow down again with "Hearts Alive" which is one of Mastodons most epic and progressive songs. Running for well over 13 minutes, it starts with the sound of the ocean as soothing guitars and insane drum fills fade in. Dailor is one of the most talented drummers in the metal industry, as you will hear some of his complex fills and snare patterns throughout the song. The structure is truly different as the riffs switch up in tempo and get heavier and softer without notice. Loud yelling vocals start off the verse while demonic clean vocals follow. The guitar work throughout this song is astonishing and at times, hard to keep up with. Considering the lengthiness of the track, its still a song your going want to hear a couple of times in a row to catch every little detail. "Joesph Merrick" is the final track that ends the album on a calm, relaxing note. It is a simple three and a half minute instrumental that gives great imagery to the end of the album.

With every album comes great surprise and amazing results, as Mastodon grows and changes their style each time. "Leviathan" is a well rounded album offering everything from catchy refrains to heavy progression at its best. The album also contains beautiful artwork done by graphic designer Paul Romano. Who would have thought that the element of water could be so metal?

9/10

Official Site - http://www.mastodonrocks.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/mastodon

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UneXpect - Fables Of The Sleepless Empire (2011)

UneXpect, the kings of the bizarre, are making a comeback after a five year absence. With their new album, titled "Fables Of The Sleepless Empire," the band look to reassert themselves, and assure you that they have not changed. A trip to the wild side awaits you, one that you will be hard pressed to describe, but you won't soon forget.

Angelic female vocals are the perfect intro to "Unsolved Ideas Of A Distorted Guest," immediately fulfilling the "beauty" side of the band. A strong drum beat keeps the pace, supported by a up and down bass line. Lightning fast guitar work, in the form of picking and plucking, breaks down to distorted chugging. The soft voice disappears, unavailing devilish screams and deep, guttural growls. Now the beast is unleashed. The instrumentation seems chaotic at times, with keys tying all the pieces together. Harsh screams take you down a dark path to the conclusion.

Smooth bass and passive strings join that same heavenly voice to begin 'Words," a track that quickly turns. Dark symphonics peek through, yearning to take over. The bass and guitar move at lightning speeds, leaving the drums to fill the gaps with roll after fill. Vocal diversity is a key here, borrowing from every possible style, from clean singing to death styled growls, and everything in between. Keys are demented and spacey, creating an atmosphere that will frighten you. "Orange Vigilantes" has all of the drumming prowess of the best black metal has to offer, but relies heavily on immediate tempo changes and a hint of the wicked. You are not afforded time to rest and catch your breath in the dulcet, female lead vocal passages. Seconds later, piano keys and jazzy bass work take you into another realm. Variety is the spice of life.

The band blaze through odd time signatures and equally strange instrumentation on "Mechanical Phoenix" and the aptly titled "The Quantum Symphony," a track which will leave you trying to hash out new mathematics to figure out what beat this band marches to. "Unfed Pendulum," a taste of the bizarre, combines shredding strings with robotic chants and screams that could come from Satan himself. That is, if Satan likes to boogie. Dust off your dancing shoes, because there is a jazz swing breakdown that will have you on your feet. "In The Mind Of The Last Whale" is only three minutes in length, but not short on creativity. A short instrumental to cleanse the pallet.

"Silence This Parasite" highlights the drum capabilities and solidifies the "beauty and the beast" vocal stylings the band is known for. The drums punch ahead, with brilliant string work and frightening vocal passages. "A Fading Stance" is a welcome interlude, with sweet vocals and layered strings, almost dreamlike in its harmony. The album ends on as bizarre a note as it begins with crushing "When The Joyful Dead Are Dancing" and "Until Yet A few More Deaths Do Us Part," with the latter being a demented set of wedding vows.

Fans of the same old same old will be instantly turned off by everything this album has to offer. There is simply no way to take it all in with only one listen. Being unique is not always a recipe for success. Different isn't always better. But in the case of UneXpect, strong musicianship and creative writing make being strange seem like a good idea. The circus is in town, and it is time to enjoy a taste of the bizarre.

8.5/10

Official Site - http://unexpect.com/unxpct/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/unexpect

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The Podcast: Episode 9 (Birthday Dethday)

Can you believe it? Nine weeks, nine podcasts, and Mastodon mentioned in each and every one. New artist spotlight focuses on Hell, Infestus and While Heaven Wept. And to celebrate Murmaider's birthday, we go off on a tangent of Black Metal. How do the stereotypes represent the black metal scene as a whole? And how do break away from them, and form your own identity? Not every black metal band wears corpse paint and burns churches, guy.

Part 1 - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5V5EFHOO

Part 2 - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FEL65R9I

Fans of black metal, unite and leave us your comments!

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Skogen: The Interview

Let me start off with how honored we are to have an interview with Skogen.

Thank you very much! Always good with an interview.

What inspired  "Svitjod", lyrically and musically? Are the lyrics written from a personal perspective, or are they just simply lyrics? And what is the story, if any, of the album artwork?

Lyrically it's a mix of the dark parts of old Swedish history, like witch burnings, the bubonic plague and torture, and just cold, long winters, solitude and nature. Musically we did riffs and melodies that we thought would set the mood, and that we like ourselves. We always look for the right atmosphere.

Black metal stereotypes paint all people in the genre as Satan worshippers, who burn churches. How do you feel about that? Is black metal all evil and darkness?

Well, we do not play satanic black metal. We play the music we like, and people just categorize us. The music itself it rooted in black metal though.

The black metal I listened to, and still listen to the most, is satanic. Bands that I looked up to back in the days, are now less satanic and have stupid outfits. Take Dark Funeral for example. Their first mcd and "Secrets of the black arts" are amazing! Blackmoon certainly knew how to make evil riffs. But now it's all about speed, they're posing with their instruments in the photos and the singer looks like Skeletor from He-Man. People might think that it doesn't matter, but it does.

When it comes to church burnings, I think it just adds more feeling to the mystique. Christianity is a filthy religion filled with hypocrisy and lies, and that so many millions still worship it in 2011, is just a proof that mankind's stupidity is only increasing. I'm not against church burnings, but I wouldn't do it myself.

How important was it to maintain that raw, black metal sound?

It can't be too easy listening, but not too low-fi either. There are too many shitty bands with shitty sound out there, that can't even play their instruments properly. I think it's important to have a sound where you can hear all instruments perfectly, and that sets the mood. I have alot of cds at home with bands that have bad sound, and with one of them I actually couldn't hear if the drums were playing grind or a slow, steady beat, because of the poor sound. So to sum it up: raw, but clean and listenable.

What is the typical recording process like for you? What kind of studio or equipment do you use?

For "Svitjod", we recorded the drums in a nameless studio in our hometown. Then we recorded all guitars, bass and vocals at Mathias' studio, like we also did with "Vittra". We are pretty fast in the recording process, we just have alot of material and take our time to get it exactly how we want it to be, before recording it. All three of us can play guitar, so everyone's making riffs and stuff. As for the recording, we use Cubase 3, and the equipment we used are Gibson guitars, Engl head with a Marshall amp, Ashdown amp for the bass, and Tama drums.

Who were some major bands that have influenced you?

It's everything from the obvious bands like Drudkh and Walknut to maybe less obvious like King Diamond.

What bands/artists do you enjoy listening to in your spare time? Are there any other genres besides metal that you like?

We listen to alot of different stuff. Without revealing who's listening to what, here are some bands: Rush, Deicide, King Diamond, Drudkh, Queensrÿche, Exodus, Graveyard, Depeche Mode, Marduk, Ghost, U.K., Funeral Mist, Testament, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Walknut, Mercyful Fate, Strebers, Immortal, Black Sabbath, Possessed, Emperor, Autopsy, Windir, Megadeth, Repulsion, Watain, Fleet Foxes, Metallica, Morbid Angel, Slayer, Dissection.   

Obviously, black metal fans across the world are finding your music online. Do you see downloading as a problem, or is it helping to spread great music across the world?

I think Lars Ulrich is the only one who actually cares and fights it nowadays. We think it's great that our music is available for everyone. The genre we play is not very broad, and not every store care to sell it, so it's only good. But we also want people to buy our albums, of course!

What does the future hold for Skogen? When can we expect an American invasion?

We're rehearsing new songs at the moment, for a new release in the future. An American invasion sounds good! Maybe it's not so easy with our Swedish lyrics though. We haven't play a single show yet, but sometime, somewhere in the future we will! We haven't gotten any requests yet.

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Rhapsody Of Fire - From Chaos To Eternity (2011)

Italian power metal band  Rhapsody Of Fire, has returned with yet another epic and exciting album entitled "From Chaos To Eternity." It's packed with massive amounts of symphonic orchestrated instrumentation, along with the concept story of their fantasy saga which started in 1997 with their first album "Legendary Tales." This is said to be the final chapter of the saga. Definitely read up on the lyrics as the album takes you on a long dark journey.

"Ad Infinitum" is a short introduction that starts the album off with crazy guitar riffs and booming cymbals. Words are spoken in a narrating style to provide you with where their story last left off. This runs into track two, "From Chaos To Eternity," as you are immediately greeted with rapid solos combined with piano and violent drumming. A lot of the vocals are layered with multiple voices which really give the song an epic and symphonic feel. An incredible solo enters towards the end of the song with tremendous amounts of melodic notes flying through the air. Luca Turilli is one of the most talented guitarists in the world, and manages to keep his solos fresh and exciting on every album that he writes. Tom Hess is the other guitarist who has recently joined the band this year. Together they write some of the most impressive patterns ever heard.

Things slow down for a moment with a soothing flute that opens the angelic "Anima Perduta." Soft vocals fill the air, layered with calm drums and bass. Little by little, more instruments enter as they build up to the chorus. Distorted guitars and symphonic strings surround Fabio Lione as his voice becomes more operatic almost matching the strings high notes. The song then fades into "Aeons Of Raging Darkness," which opens with powerful punchy bass lines and melodic guitars riffs. Some of the vocals in the verses lean more towards demonic screaming, which adds an interesting flavor to the whole mix. The refrains, however, take over with soaring operatic vocals taking you right back to that symphonic sound. A wicked solo later enters mixed with beauty and darkness.

Jumping to the final song, "Heroes Of The Waterfalls' Kingdom" isn't the average length you expect after listening to a whole album of four and five minute tracks. This last song runs for an astonishing 19 minutes and 39 seconds! It is broken up into 5 parts. It starts out with a short narration as soft, beautiful acoustic guitars follow and light vocals which are sung with Italian lyrics. Heavy orchestrated strings are later introduced and the song picks up in speed. Monstrous double bass pedaling accompanies the deafening guitars and powerful vocals. As the song goes on, you will come across many unique and detailed solos that will take your breath away. Also, you will notice the use of violent growling about 14 minutes into the song. The structure of this song is absolutely mind blowing and is definitely an amazing way to end the story of their fantasy saga.

Being as marvelous and well written as "From Chaos To Eternity" is, it amazes me how Rhapsody Of Fire is able to pull off new and unique music structure and sound with ever album that they release. Luca Turilli is a genius with his creative imagination and meaningful lyrics and story telling. And if you are unfamiliar with the saga that the album is about, I suggest you look into the story line and check out their earlier albums as well.

8.5/10

Official Site - http://www.rhapsodyoffire.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/rhapsodyoffireband

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Hell - Human Remains (2011)

Hell has officially been unleashed upon the Earth. Almost three decades after the band were formed in 1982, they are set to reveal their debut album, 'Human Remains." Yes, their debut. Often overlooked in the 80's British metal scene, the band fell by the wayside after the suicide of their singer/guitarist Dave Halliday. But with a few new additions, including acclaimed producer (and obsessed Hell fan) Andy Sneap on guitar, they are back. Theatrical, blasphemous, and foaming at the mouth, Hell is here.

The symphonic "Overture" kicks things off, with timpani and strings leading the way. The all out shred launches "On Earth As It Is In Hell," with a thundering bass line winding in and out. Double bass pedals push the tempo, with brilliant drum fills. Vocals are high pitched, but coarse, a wonderful dichotomy of styles. Throw in a few growls for flavor, and combine with dark chanting, and you have a fist pumping success. The guitars have all of the stomp of Judas Priest, changing from chugging to scales.

"Plague And Fyre" begins with a low tone, horses whinnying and snorting. A baby cries, a bell rings, and Hell is unleashed. Melodic, yet crushing, the band assault you from all angles. The guitar work is simply dirty firing off riff after riff of pure evil. The drums are fast paced and booming. But the highlight in the bass work, climbing up and down the scales with surgical precision. Story telling is surprisingly strong, despite a vocal style that may leave you wondering, at times, if this band is serious. Harmonized chants ring out, and you are informed that London is, in fact, burning to the ground.

The tempo slows for "The Oppressors," but the intensity does not. Guitars fly through note after note, punctuated by snare hit and cymbal crash. "Blasphemy And The Master" starts slow and evil, before ramping things up to a devilish crawl. The low growls offset the high octave wailing, forming a brilliant one-two punch. Haunting keys find their place, laying the groundwork for chants of epic beauty. A solo reveals itself, and takes the track to faster places before concluding. "Let Battle Commence" is the shredfest you have been waiting for, with guitars and bass engaged in a war of power. But rather than fade back and let the fight occur, vocals and drums intensify the scene. Heavy, demonic and battering, this song is not for the faint of heart.

As close to a ballad as you will come, "The Devil's Deadly Weapon" is a head bobbing masterpiece. Bass notes keep the beat moving, guitar chords descend to low end scale mastery, and the vocals keep your ears tingling. "The Quest" and "MacBeth" follow, showcasing the songwriting ability that may get lost in the over the top pageantry of it all. This isn't a meaningless piece of demonic fluff. News reports of priests abusing young boys build, and the band unleash blazing solo after blazing solo in "Save Us From Those Who Would Save Us." The lyrics here are particularly poignant, and the delivery of said lyrics makes them even more powerful. The band unite with each note, creating an aural assault that you may not be prepared for.

Deep chugging and darkening bass guitar welcomes you to the grand finale, "No Martyr's Cage." All of the elements that make this album great are present here. And I mean all of them. The guitars take you on a wicked, winding journey. The bass aggravates that whiplash you had when you first heard Slayer. The drums are constant and deliberate, filling every space with a snare, cymbal, kick or tom. But again, the vocals are the icing on the cake. Eerie, odd and torturous at times, this isn't something you hear every day. This is the sound of insanity.

There is a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach when I say that this album is "refreshing." It seems almost wrong to call something like this a "breath of fresh air," especially given the time period when these songs were written. But alas, it is all of those things, and so much more. A debut album, 25 years in the making, "Human Remains" is one of the very few that was truly worth the wait.

9/10

Official Site - http://www.hell-metal.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/hell

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Opeth - Watershed (2009)

The term "progressive" is overused, despite the fact that very few people can define what it truly means to be "progressive" in the musical sense. In the case of Sweden's Opeth, the word has stuck. Progressive death metal seems to be their tag at this stage of their career. And while the proverbial shoe does, in fact, fit, Opeth can not be confined to one genre, no matter how broad or vague it may be. They have returned, and with this latest offering, "Watershed," are tearing down the walls of genre.

The album leads off with an acoustic gem, in the form of "Coil." The dulcet tones of guitar and organ lay the framework for Akerfeldt's brooding voice. Bassist Martin Mendez provides a smooth, fluid bass line, before Akerfeldt is replaced with an ethereal female voice, belonging to folk singer Nathalie Lorichs. As the track fades out, you become aware that evil lurks ahead. A low rumble breaks down into crashing guitars and drums. It is as if the stage has collapsed and let loose a destructive force. A slide up the guitar neck unleashes the fury, and "Heir Apparent" takes hold of you. Deathly growls take command, as rapid fire drum fills and rolls lock into alternating chugging and scales. A solo erupts amidst the clang of cymbals. Soft organs and acoustic picking  have their place, but it is only to set the table for the onslaught ahead. The blood curdling screams and masterful thrash are mixed flawlessly with a slide guitar solo. The outro section is loaded with distortion and sizzling cymbals, but is backed with tremendous bass work.

A lone hum seems to lower your guard, and a mighty drum roll snaps you back to life. "The Lotus Eater" sees Akerfeldt using his brilliant vocal range to deliver on all levels. Keyboards set a ghastly mood for the piece, while drums are fast and furious, with the technical prowess you have come to expect from a metal titan. The constant changes in tempo and time signature will leave your head reeling, but they do not hurt the momentum of the track. The rhythm section is the backbone, allowing guitars to flourish in the sea of low end fury. Keys and guitars come together in a graceful melody. Organ keys are tickled, darting in and out as the song builds back to speed. A deep growling finish fades away to muffled conversation and ghostly keys.

Piano keys ring out over the faint whine of an electric guitar, and layers build into the seventies rock tinged "Burden." Their is no mistaking the influence here. Beautiful melodies are formed, from bass to guitar, drums to synths. Akerfeldt's vocals are dynamic, bringing the occasional goose bump to your skin. Electric piano gets to steal the show, setting the stage on fire before passing the baton to a short, but powerful guitar solo. The lyrics are chilling, with Akerfeldt singing "Whisper in my ear, you've taken more than we've received. And the ocean of sorrow is you." Harmonizing chanting and solo after solo fills the end of the track, with dueling guitars accompanying a strong bass. Distortion exits, and an acoustic guitar falls further out of tune with each pick of the strings.

Darkness reenters, and a heavy riff storms into place. Softly played strings and delicate crooning get the first act of "Porcelain Heart" underway, bowing out to reintroduce the evil riffs. Drum tempos increase, with sticks flying in every direction, breaking down to a high pitch note and acoustics. The ever-changing beat of the song will keep you on your heels, waiting for the next eruption. From soft and pining to hard and heavy, and back again in seconds. "Hessian Peel" is welcomed by a ringing bass note and guitar picking. The vocals are delivered in a style that often resembles a lullaby, with an eerie calm solidified by organs and strings. Drum rolls still find a way to fit in, despite the minimal aggression displayed in the track's opening half. But the devil is waiting to burst out, and he does so with an ear piercing scream. The skies darken, and the song moves to high gear. Guitars shred and chug, almost simultaneously, but quickly give way to clean vocals. The track ends with a fury of kicks, snares and screams, fading out to a bass and organ outro. "Hex Omega" is an entire albums worth of changes, shifts, emotions and aggression balled into one closing track. It is both alarming and passionate, delivered with surgical precision and overwhelming strength.

Once again, Opeth has managed to change our perception of what metal is, what it will be, and what it can be. This isn't a intro, verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus, outro kind of band, nor should they be. The songs take on a life of their own, going wherever they choose. The album is not a complete departure from earlier works, but it remains fresh. When your output is as eclectic and varied as Opeth, there is very little chance of becoming stale. And maybe the term "progressive," with all of its blurry meaning, just doesn't do this band justice.

10/10

Official Site - http://www.opeth.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/opeth

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While Heaven Wept - Fear Of Infinity (2011)

 

For over two decades, While Heaven Wept has been in building mode. Line-up changes, relocation, and refining the sound have been the norm, a constant shift. They unleash their newest album, one of progressive power metal tracks, strong in promise. But when things are always in a state of change, can the band deliver on the promise, or will they fall short with "Fear Of Infinity"? 

Building drums and guitar scales are the only introduction needed, as "Hour Of Reprisal" begins. Technically sound drum rolls and fills are key, padding out the background as soft, but intense vocals are delivered. The track sounds like a stripped down Dream Theater song, with James LaBrie at his prime. The harmonies are well placed and well executed. Drums are relentless, controlling the tempo, giving the illusion of a much heavier track. Light synthesizers add to that feel, with haunting notes layered throughout.

"Destroyer Of Solace" finds the band changing things up. Oddly timed vocals take the verses, before giving way to operatic chants. A rapid fire breakdown of blistering drums and shredding guitars fills the breakdown section. But at just short of three minutes, the track fails to gain momentum. The intro portion of "Obsessions Now Effigies" is a bright spot. Not overly complex, but solid in its delivery. Guitars and drums take a full third of the song, before vocals enter. Down tempo and somber, the clean singing is merely an accompaniment to the instrumentation, which culminates in a double bass induced crescendo of keys and chords.

Acoustic guitars, strings and pianos back the ballad, "Unplenitude," which shows the melodic sensibilities you would expect from a power metal outfit. Soft, delicate, and haunting. "To Grieve Forever" is asong that delivers the sadness the name implies. The tingle of cymbals and punch of kick drum lays the foundation for a song of loss. It is gentle in its approach, and seems oddly subdued, never going farther than a low boil of guitars and synths. Vocals are beautiful, if not a bit low key. A down played chug highlights "Saturn And Sacrifice," which seems to be following the same pattern as the previous tracks, before unleashing a chunk of aggression. rolling guitars chords and mile a minute drums intertwine, finally giving a change pace to the album. They cut to distorted chugging, with mid range operatic vocals flying over the top.

The album's finale, an eleven minute epic titled "Finality" is a mixed bag of power metal elements, drawing influence from every aspect of the genre. The drums lead, as has been the case throughout the disc. Changes in tempo and rhythm are many, but the constant remains the unchanging vocal patterns. You wait for something to happen, assuming that it simply must. But as the seconds tick down to the conclusion, you are treated to little more than a kick-kick-snare fill and fading keys and chords.

This album is odd in its simplicity. There is nothing extraordinary to be had, but there is also nothing inherently wrong. If you are looking for the winding solos and soaring vocals of titans like Stratovarius and Blind Guardian, you need not press play on this one. However, if you go into the fray knowing full well that you are getting middle of the road power metal, then I say go, young man. Maybe you, too, can conquer your fear of infinity.

6/10

Official Site - http://whileheavenwept.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/whileheavenwept

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Arch Enemy - Khaos Legions (2011)

All the way from Sweden, the hell raising Arch Enemy is back with a new melodic death album entitled "Khaos Legions." The album is full of rebellious lyrics surrounded by distorted guitars and earth shaking drum fills. The band wrote and recorded the entire album without any help engineering the audio. Rickard Bengtsson was the only person outside of the band who helped produce the album. He is known for his work with Arch Enemy's 2005 album "Doomsday Machine." The sound quality of the recordings have come out amazing as it is clear and full of power all around.

The album kicks off with a short instrumental introduction entitled "Khaos Overture." After fading out, "Yesterday Is Dead And Gone" jumps right in with screaming alarm sound effects and rapid guitar riffs. The chorus is a memorable one, as catchy melodic riffs consume you. The drumming is full of constant kick-snare patterns and jump in and out of fast double bass pedaling. As far as the vocals go, they are down right destructive! Don't be surprised when the innocent lead vocalist tears you a new one. Angela Gossow has proven time and time again that you don't need balls to growl your head off on a mic in front of thousands of fans.

For those of you who are not familiar with her, she is considered a veteran when it comes to the art of growling. She has been known to put a lot of male growlers to shame with her vicious vocals. "Bloodstained Cross" and "Cruelty Without Beauty" are two perfect examples from the album where she really goes over the top with vocals that sound like they came from the devil himself. She is of course, accompanied by many wicked solos and constant heavy guitar riffs. The drumming is filled with double bass action and fist pumping bass lines.

"No Gods, No Masters" will have you bobbing your head with its catchy melodic riffs and powerfully delivered vocals with inspiring lyrics. The drumming during the bridge is absolutely stunning, as Daniel Erlandsson destroys low frequencies with monstrous kicks. "Through The Eyes Of A Raven" also has bone crushing drums and high flying cymbals that echo brightly throughout the song. Heavy layered guitars chug away with wicked speed and dominating distortion. The vocals give it the perfect touch for the demonic tone we all love to hear.

Things slow down for a brief second with "Turn To Dust," which is really just an instrumental build up to the following track, "Vengeance Is Mine." Screaming guitars immediately enter, pulling you into the dark abyss of scale ripping solos and fierce drum fills. This is definitely a song you are going to want to thrash your head to. The constant wave of guitar notes will completely consume you throughout the track.

The Amott brothers have done an excellent job with the detail and structure of the guitar work in the album. "Khaos Legions" is nothing short of overwhelming guitar riffs filled with catchy melodies layered with quick drums and heavy lyrics. Also if you manage to buy the Japanese released version, there are two bonus tracks on it. One is "The Zoo," which is a Scorpions cover, and the other is an acoustic version of the song "Snow Bound." Clearly Arch Enemy has proven, once again, why they are one of the most impressive death metal bands in the world. They definitely deserve a listen!

9/10

Official Site - http://www.archenemy.net/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/archenemy

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Infestus - E x I s t (2011)

 

From the dark shadows of Germany comes an underground black matel outfit that goes by the name of Infestus. They are in the process of releasing their fourth full length studio album entitled "E x I s t." Creating the full black metal feel, the album was recorded in a semi-low quality. Mainly it's the vocals, the volume could be turned up a little louder in certain parts of certain tracks. Besides that, musically, it has much potential with great song structure, evil riffs, and destructive drumming.

The album opens with a four minute track entitled "Akoasma," which starts out gloomy and slow, with eerie strings. A devilish guitar enters about 50 seconds in, followed by monstrous drumming. Incredible double bass fills the air for a brief second before going back to it originally quiet mellowness. You'll notice that the songs tempo jumps up and down giving you absolutely no time to breathe. After slowly fading out, the song "Down Spiral Depersonification" follows immediately, displaying wicked drumming and aggressive distorted guitars. The vocals enter for the first time and are performed in a raw demonic style of growls, going perfectly with the melodic riffs in the background. There are a few breakdowns in the middle that have catchy heavy riffs as I am sure you will be bobbing your head.

Running for almost nine minutes long, "Darkness Blazing In The Flame Of Fire" gives the album a solid back bone as it offers everything from soft melodic guitar notes, to violent chugging accompanied with explosive double bass and shattering cymbals. The growling vocals are overwhelming and full of energy. The ending solo is incredible, as layered guitars clash together with demonic vocals over top, giving you everything at once. Make sure to blast these last three minutes of the song to get the full experience.

The album ends with a 9 minute and 37 second masterpiece entitled "Descend Direction Void." Guitar riffs are filled with an evil beauty, creating a dark mental photograph. The vocals are dominating with loud, vicious growls that echo throughout the song. About 6 minutes in is a powerful breakdown containing beastly guitar riffs chugging away non stop, while cymbals are crashing everywhere and completely consume you. Get ready to throw you devil horns up for this monster of a track.

It's tough now a days to really stand out and be recognized from all the other bands that are trying to make it in the black metal scene. Infestus definitely has a lot of potential and are heading in the right direction with their style. As long as they keep putting out solid albums like "E x I s t," I think it will only be a matter of time before they step out of Germany's underground scene to be known and heard by all.

7/10

Official Site - http://www.infestus.com/

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The Podcast: Episode 8 (Phantom Menace, the downloading is)

We keep digging up new artists to share with you guys. This week is no different. MaYan, Alcest and Year Of No Light all get the nod of approval from Murmaider and Hell22. But let's be honest. Downloading music illegally is a problem. Or is it? While the labels are trying to pin the tag of "thief" onto anyone who grabs an album online, they might be missing the bigger picture. We discuss the good, the bad, and the morals of downloading.

Here is a link to the article we mention: The Quietus

Part 1 - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZN824I00

Part 2 - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Y6TZGCOC

As always, let us know what you think. Thieves, criminals, or just curious.

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Epica - Design Your Universe (2009)

When it comes to electrifying guitars, thunderous drums, and symphonic sounds and structure, you can expect nothing less from Epica. And I'm not talking about Kamelot's "Epica" album from 2003. I am talking about Mark Jansen and his symphonic outfit from the Netherlands. Their latest album, entitled "Design Your Universe," takes you into the world of science with references to quantum physics and its breakthroughs. The lyrics are very inspiring and motivating.

The album starts off with a short prelude with outstanding instrumentation that will lure you in immediately. This leads you into the first full song "Resign To Surrender: A New Age Dawns, Part IV" which starts with a choir chanting over tons of orchestral instruments. Then heavy guitars enter with aggressive growling from Jansen. As he fills the verses with darkness, their female vocalist, Simone Simons, takes over the refrain with gorgeous clean singing. She shows off her talented voice as she sings soft lyrics, yet is also able to sing in a high operatic voice as well. Following this song is track three, "Unleashed," which, during the chorus, you will find yourself being consumed by Simons ravishing lyrics and impressive reach of high notes. Not to mention the melody of the chorus itself is catchy and breathtaking. There is no doubt that it will be playing in your head for days.

If you're looking for something a little heavier, don't worry. The album offers "Martyr Of The Free World," which contains lightning guitar riffs and punchy kicks and snares right in the beginning. The song quiets down while Simons lays down her soothing vocals, but the refrain picks up again with fast double bass pedals and bright cymbals. Another song with similar heavy tones is "Kingdom of Heaven: A New Age Dawns, Part V." You are immediately greeted by machine gun guitar riffs and monstrous double bass drumming. Operatic vocals take over as they are accompanied by beautiful orchestral strings mixed with distorted guitars. The drum fills are absolutely incredible throughout this 13 and a half minute masterpiece. Demonic growls enter later in the song, as they are delivered in a deep devilish tone. It's terrifying and exciting all at once!

Things slow down with "Tides Of Time," which is a beautiful ballad with Simons belting captivating lyrics as soothing strings and piano keys surround her. "White Waters" is another calm, refined song that is actually a duet between Simons and Tony Kakko, who is the lead vocalist of Sonata Arctica. The vocals compliment each other beautifully, as if they had been practicing and preparing this song for years. This is definitely a song you cannot miss.

The album comes to an end with a nine minute epic piece called "Design Your Universe: A New Age Dawns, Part VI." The verses are filled with clean vocals backed up by catchy bass lines. Harsh growling follows to help build up to the chorus. The chorus is full of operatic vocals which are delivered in a unique pattern of melodies that really make this song stand out from the rest of them. Catchy and overwhelming, as I'm sure you'll be humming along. Make sure to look up the lyrics when you get a chance.

As you can see, "Design Your Universe" has a lot to offer both musically and lyrically. Epica clearly delivers pure symphonic beauty and reaches out to all sorts of sounds and instruments to create such a detailed album. So much is going on between the song structure, the tempo, the lyrics, and the instrumentation that you will definitely have to go back through the album a couple of times to catch everything. And for those of your who buy the album from iTunes, you will also get a duet version of the song "Unleashed" where Simons is joined by the ravishing Amanda Somerville who has worked with multiple groups such as Avantasia, Kamelot, and Luca Turilli. Be sure to check that out as well.

9/10

Official Site - http://www.epica.nl/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/epica

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Alcest - Ecailles De Lune (2010)

Alcest is a one man project from Bagnols-sure-ceze, France. The band did have three members in it at one time, however the main writer, Neige, decided to take the music in a different direction. Doing so, he has released a new album, entitled "Escailles De Lune." The album leans more towards a post-metal feel, with black metal influences underneath. There are 6 songs total, and half of them are over eight to nine minutes long.

The album starts with the song "Ecailles De Lune" which is is actually broken up into two tracks, part one and part two. They each run for over nine minutes long and change in structure frequently. The guitars are very atmospheric with heavy reverb effects throughout. The vocals are very calm and relaxing adding great imagery to the album immediately. This is followed by operatic singing that comes off as soft and soothing. It also gives very depressive vibes to the song. The last two minutes pick up speed and volume, as rapid kick-snare patterns jump out at you with cymbals crashing all around. Harsh guitars riffs are played on top of the drumming, layered with a light hint of strings as the song fades to an end.

"Ecailles De Lune (Part 2)" picks up with a short guitar part that has an incredible "outer-space" feel to it. The reverb effects on the guitars consume you like they did in part one, as they slam you into a deafening wall of monstrous layered guitars riffs. The vocals in this song is where the "black metal" influences come in. A few minutes into the song enter raw devilish growling filled with viscous rage. The constant drumming will have your fists pumping and your head bobbing. About half way through the song, all of the instruments and distortion cut out and the beautiful echoing guitar enters with chilling melodic notes. Soft clean singing accompanies the guitars, and a very catchy rhythm. The song closes out with dark beautiful humming loaded with more reverb effects that sound absolutely stunning.

The song "Percees De Lumiere" consist of catchy instruments and beautiful vocals which add great scenery to the album as a whole. More poisonous growling is included in certain parts which helps balance out the style. Its soft and beautiful but with a sharp kick to it. The guitar work is phenomenal in between the verses. It's filled with tons of melodic parts. Even "Solar Song" has powerful guitars, but are balanced with the catchy melodies of certain riffs and the delicate vocals performed on top.

Overall, "Ecailled De Lunes" is magnificent and full of passion and inspiring emotions. The album contains tremendous atmospheric elements throughout as you will come across strings and synthesizers that create a strong background to the music. Also, the demonic growling add uniqueness and balance. The guitar recordings are a little edgy and have a scratchy low quality to them. However, I feel that this helps give more of the black metal tone to it as well. This album is definitely an experience you won't want to miss.

8.5/10

Official Site - http://www.alcest-music.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/alcestmusic

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Nightwish - Dark Passion Play (2007)

When the news broke Tarja Turunen had parted ways with Finland's very own Nightwish, fans of the band were left wondering what the future would hold. Enter Anette Olzon. A far cry from Tarja's operatic talents, Anette wasn't (and still isn't) completely accepted by rabid Nightwish fans the world over. But with the release of "Dark Passion Play" in 2007, she turned many skeptics into believers.

Masterfully sculpted symphonies lead the albums opening track, "The Poet & The Pendulum." The band leads with strength, showing versatility and creativity in their new direction. The drums come at you, fast and furious, and keyboards lay down the orchestrations. Anette enters, in a voice that is both soothing and accessible. She blends in, rather than taking center stage. Bassist Marco Hietala furnishes the gritty male backing vocals, which offer the perfect compliment. The track slows to a beautiful crawl, before horns take the song down a darker road. Back and forth, the tempo continues to change and evolve.

"Bye Bye Beautiful" allows Anette to show off her own talents, carrying a melody with bass and drum backing. Crunchy guitars enter to lead Marco through the chorus. His vocals are often forgotten, but cannot be ignored on this track. "Amaranth" offers a chorus that defines enchanting. The guitars offer distortion throughout, but plays off the hollow thud of the kick drum and the flowing basslines. Band mastermind Tuomas Holopainen plays a delicate set of keys, worthy of classical comparisons. There is a far more sinister tone to begin "Cadence Of Her Last Breath." As has always been the case for Nightwish, storytelling takes a key role. Amidst the crushing breakdown, Anette croons "Sometimes a dream turns into a dream."


Marco sees lead vocal duties on "Master Passion Greed," a track that contains a glorious double kick stomp, but all the while paints a symphonic picture. Darting guitar solos trade off with keyboard runs in an evil sounding give and take. "Eva," the first of several ballads, is soft and delicate. Strings and horns provide all the backing Anette needs to spin a tale of cruel children. The orchestral arrangements should be celebrated. Holopainen continues his mastery of the ivory with a brilliant intro to "Sahara," reigniting the fire of the album. The heads start to nod, fists reach high into the air, and Nightwish show they still have a heavy side. Guitars chug along and horns blare, with a smooth bass line leading into a soft reprieve. Vocals are strong, showing that you don't need to have Tarja's range to be powerful.


The band carry through the winding "Whoever Brings The Night" and the emotional "For The Heart I Once Had." But the star of the album's second half is the acoustic genius of "The Islander." Marco again takes the lead, with Anette supporting. Musician Troy Donockley appears on the track in a variety of ways, from the Uilleann Pipes to the tin whistle, all of which are key to the success of the song. The song is a folk masterpiece, with each note bringing a chill. The beauty continues into "The Last Of The Wilds," a fully instrumental piece that shows off the bands use of unique instrumentation. Donockley rehashes his role on the Uilleann  Pipes, taking the melodies to new places, all the while highlighted by a flurry of guitar work and orchestrated synths.

The ominously named "Seven Days To The Wolves" fires on all cylinders, pairing Anette's heavenly voice over scratchy distortion and a raspy Marco-led refrain. There is simply no weak link here, with each instrument filling a necessary role. Everyone gets a chance to shine, everyone is equally important to the whole. A fitting closer, "Meadows Of Heaven" is a sweet after dinner mint after a filling buffet. While Tarja possessed a voice that could peel paint from a wall, Anette has sheer emotion to rely on. This is never more evident than on this piece, showing her range, her character, and her belief in the music she is a part of.

Many people argue that Nightwish is better, or worse, without Tarja at the helm. After traveling through their catalog, you may find yourself leaning one way or the other. But preference is not an absolute. And while Tarja gave us signature Nightwish tracks like "Nemo" and  "Wishmaster," Anette has very quickly asserted herself as a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps they are not better, or worse. They are simply different.

9.5/10

Official Site - http://www.nightwish.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/nightwish

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