Kalmah - Seventh Swamphony (2013)

Back in 1991, a good metal band by the name of Ancestor formed. They continued for the next seven years without recording an album until 1998, when they changed their name to Kalmah. With the release of Kalmah’s first album was released in 2000, they already had a good start with their unstoppable force of melodic death metal with a hint of folk. “Swamplord” had everything, from the overly melodic guitars to the demonic vocals, to make an instant classic. Still to this day, “Withering Away” is still considered a staple song in the genre. When they released their third album, “Swampsong”, they really hit their stride and reached a peak that hasn’t been reached until now. Not saying that the other albums were bad, because they weren’t. Kalmah has never put out a bad album in 13 years. They have tried different things and new sounds, but they always stayed true to the fans. With “Seventh Swamphony”, they have raised the bar for themselves again. They have never sounded this focused and this intent on taking over the entire genre. I may be getting ahead of myself here, but “Seventh Swamphony” is nothing short of a masterpiece.

When the album explodes with the title track, it’s evident that Kalmah wanted to go back to the style of “Swamplord” and “Swampsong”. It’s fast, furious and melodic as hell. “Deadfall” and “Pikemaster” get a little more symphonic. The new keyboard player, Veli Matti Kananen, breathes a new life into the band’s sound that makes them sound more grandiose. The track “Hollo” makes a departure from their other work by including clean vocals. When a band in the melodic death metal genre uses clean vocals, it’s hit or miss. In Kalmah’s case, they nail it. The only problem with “Hollo” is that it’s a little slower than it needs to be. Not that it’s a bad song (it’s not), it’s just sandwiched between the rest of the album which is a lot faster and hard-hitting. The next track, “Windlake Tale”, is a blazing inferno of symphonic mastery.  “Wolves on the Throne” and “Black Marten’s Trace” keep up the momentum with their head banging riffs and great solos.  The last track, “The Trapper”, is possibly the best on the album. It combines everything from the album and squishes it into a song that makes them sound like a more epic Amon Amarth.

“Seventh Swamphony” is every Kalmah album rolled into one. It’s got the speed from “Swamplord”, the symphonic element from “The Black Waltz” and the accessibility of “12 Gauge”. They have created something for the hardcore fans as well as newcomers. To create a perfect balance like that is a true test of a band which they have done impeccably. They’ve never been more symphonic, solid and impressive in years. It’s their best album since “Swampsong” and it should be a part of everyone’s metal collection. “Seventh Swamphony” is a breakthrough.

9.5/10

- Brian DuBois

Official Site - http://www.kalmah.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/kalmahofficial

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Deuil - Acceptance/Rebuild (EP) (2013)

What you look for in a band is your own prerogative. Sound, construction, production, look; it all factors in to which bands appeal to whom, and why. But sometimes you need a little more than that. You want to go deeper; you want something that is higher on meaning and lower on polish and preening. With their name taken from the French word for "mourning," Deuil have more to offer than just some distorted guitar riffs. They've hit on a concept that we've all had to live through, some more than others. The loss of a loved one, for whatever reason, at whatever stage of our lives, can be a crushing one, often followed by those steps of mourning. The band have picked up with the tail end of that process, touching on the two that are often the most difficult. And with their new EP, the thirty minute, emotionally driven "Acceptance/Rebuild," they take you through their own grieving process, with a musical accompaniment to boot.

With the twenty minute epic, "Acceptance," leading off, you are immediately immersed in a different sort of musical world. The song plays out like the ocean current, with a well defined ebb and flow. In some moments, you have a traditional doom metal atmosphere, dragging and crawling through segments at a deliberately slow pace. There is an inherent sadness to how the music is constructed, expressed through the combination of dark guitar melodies and low, rumbling bass lines. Sure, there are heavier moments, often predicated by grisly screaming vocals. But it is the former that does the lion's share of the work, keeping you all the while awash in shadow. Perhaps just as important is the recording process and resulting sound. Done in a live setting (i.e. the band's practice space), there is also an honesty to it all. The much shorter "Rebuild" is no less profound, though, and takes on an entirely different aesthetic. The tone of the drums has changed noticeably, and the drone elements have come to the fore. But unlike the stereotypical drone band, Deuil manage to create a real mood, real emotion in their instrumental. They also have a tight grip on contrast, as an explosion of distortion and crashing cymbals takes over the last three minutes of the track. That raw aggression is the proverbial icing on the cake.

I think our preconceived notions of what a style or genre is all about keep us away from discovering things that are new and different. Your previous experiences with music classified as drone notwithstanding, this might shed some much needed light, or perhaps darkness, on the word as it pertains to metal. The combination of doom, sludge and drone elements creates something far richer, and far more interesting than the repetitive tides you may have expected. And the true emotional investment this band has made on this effort, which you can plainly hear with each separate movement, might have made all the difference. Their ability to capture that sense of loss and longing is a special talent that is often cast aside in favor of brutal breakdowns, and nonsensical shredding. But they've avoided all the pitfalls here, and produced something that lives up to their own deep seeded feelings of mourning. While this release certainly isn't for everyone, it might hit you harder than you'd expect. Leave your baggage at the door, and let Deuil give you their own version of acceptance and rebuilding.

8/10

Bandcamp - http://deuil.bandcamp.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/wearedeuil

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Aetherfallen - Revelation’s Eternal (2013)

When Within Temptation released their last album, "The Unforgiving," in 2011, there was concern expressed by many in and around the metal scene. Can a story so deep really elevate the music? Can music of this style be the right vessel for the story to build upon? The band executed the album well, using each track to tell the story of Mother Maiden and her recruitment of lost souls. But the delicate foundations were high risk, as well as high reward. Aetherfallen, a one man project from Denver, Colorado has poured heart and soul into the writing of his "Revelation's Eternal" storyline. But the trasition from concept to album isn't always the smoothest one. On the album of the same name, Hailen G. gives us an audio-visual story of the end of the world, following the path of one man and his partner from beginning to end. With all of the right pieces in place, it would stand to reason that the album would be an emotional, sonic assault on your senses. But as you read along with the story and lyrics, is the album worthy of sharing the title? Or is this a case of a concept too large for metal?

With the story of the album on display from the onset, there is an immediate challenge presented. The balance has to be perfect for things to work, something that the intro track, "Listen," demonstrates. The screams of the people, the emergency broadcast system all play in the background. But the electronic beat and orchestral arrangements play the lead. What results is a clean segue into "I'll Wait For You," which boasts a blaring backbeat, and a mix that is, quite literally, full to bursting. There is a methodical approach to the building of the track, with both clean and growled vocals in the repertoire. The background symphonic elements, as quiet as they may be at times, are the keystone in this arch, holding up the song at the highest level. It stands as a strong opening, with things being full of substance as well as being accessible to the average listener. That theme runs through each track, including the electronic tinged "Save Your Lights." With an immeasurable number of tempo changes and a sea of blast beats, the only thing the track lacks is restraint. Flirting with seven minutes, it stands as a monument to excess, possibly overstaying its welcome. The much more focused "Momentus," though, embodies not only the style, but the spirit of the album. It's concise four minute framework and booming drum beat are more than enough to bring you back into line, soothed by the vocal melodies.

The sweeping orchestral elements of "Conception" are staggeringly beautiful, enough to tell a story all their own. The lack of restraint that flooded the previous long track is not an issue here, with a clear evolution from start to finish, playing out before your ears in each movement. For the first time, the guitars truly shine through the mix, both in rhythm and lead capacity. Their strength is what helps to ignite the blast that comes in the latter stages, crushing drum beats pulsing through your speakers. A clean outro, and dialogue runs directly into the intermission track, "Throughout The Chaos." The light synthesizers are merely a vessel for the speech, given by a man once thought to be crazy, who now seems more prophet than madman. The second half of the album, mood change and all, begins at that moment. As "Silens Veritas" begins, the pain of the characters held within this story can be felt in every lyrics, every melody. The track plays out like a power ballad, coated in spiritual meaning. It's shortcoming, though, is in the mixing and mastering, leaving the instrumental feeling like a brick of sound at times, with no clear division or depth. When the waves of sound come in, they are too crowded for their own good. But once again, there is redemption afoot, with "Chances" standing as the most intensely emotional track on the album. The sadness is now tangible, magnified by the use of keyboards throughout.

While the transition from track to track is nearly flawless over the entirety of the album, it is patly because of the similarity between the tracks themselves. As "Chances" ends and "I, Alone" begins, they seem like parts of the same song, broken up by a momentary pause. The vocal tone grows in strength, reaching to the height of range in the chorus, joining with a pained growl in the verse. That combination, which sees very few uses, is a dynamic one. A few thundering drum fills peek through as well, adding some much needed depth of sound to the song. Much like the title states, "Loving Whispers" is exactly that; soft piano and keyboard harmonies take over, and carry with them the deep pain the main character must now suffer, having lost so much. But the story goes on, as "Desertion (Shades of the Future)" becomes the final chapter. Having seen the arc run its course, there is a sense of finality in every drum stroke and guitar riff here, as if the instrumental has grown right along with the tale itself.

It is nearly impossible to absorb all of the information that comes along with this album, without having to sit down, and truly pour over the story multiple times. Aetherfallen is just a name for a project that has visions beyond the music itself. And therein lies the complication this album leaves us with. The story itself is one of depth, meaning, and emotional investment. But is this album, musically, able to convey all of that? There are times when the two intersect; when the music truly echoes all that is going on in the world of these two people as they struggle to survive. But there are also times when the two feel disjointed and disconnected, only linked by the assertion that they are one and the same. Without a doubt, Hailen has given everything imaginable to make this all work, and it is beyond me to see how the pieces all fit together. But "Revelation’s Eternal," after several listens, with each more in depth than the last, leaves me with a thought that may or may not be common. In this case, the story exists without the album, as written on the main lyric site. But does the album make an impact without the back story? How do you separate, or rejoin, the two for maximum success?

7.5/10

Bandcamp - http://aetherfallen.bandcamp.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/AEtherfallen

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The Podcast: Episode 87 (Youth comes to take the throne)

Is the passing of the torch a real phenomena in metal, or are we just imagining things? It seems like the best bands of the last few years have started to fade, and new bands must step in to take their place every day. This week, Sleepwalkers proved that they have the talent and the power to be the top death/doom band in America, while Nymronaut gave us a thick blend of space rock and sludge on their new EP. Tristania may still have the same name, but it may be time to move on after their latest effort. Exthenia gave us a taste of some youth-infused guitar wizardry, while the return of a familiar face gave the new Northsong album a lift into a new stratosphere. Young to old and young again, I guess.

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Northsong - The Final Journey (2013)

We love to talk one man bands. We are infatuated with the concept, and obsessed with the results. But it wasn't always this way. When we began this humble vampire blog in 2011, we had no idea what we would find along the way. It was two men, hundreds of miles apart, that changed the way we looked at how much is made. Dan Klyne, the lone member of Appalachian Winter, and Cortland Runyon, who makes the gears move on Northsong, gave us reason to believe that while one is the loneliest number, it is certainly not the weakest. Their respective works stand as testaments to their talents, yes, but also to their singular resolve. And over the last two years or so, our site has grown. And they, in turn, have grown faster than we could have imagined. Klyne reached new heights with his latest effort, "Ghosts of The Mountains." And with the release of a new full length album, Runyon looks to have done the same. But despite the name, 'The Final Journey" is anything but. With his inspiration working overtime, and his talents growing stronger by the day, Runyon and Northsong are far from finished with us.

It seems odd to say that the first installment of the "Final Journey" trio makes a solid opening track, but it does just that. Runyon creates a very deep mix, allowing the music to speak for itself. With an assist from Hvile I Kaos cellist extraordinaire Christopher Brown, the stunning melodies that fill the track are both a testament to the forward thinking and strong melodic sensibilities of a musician at his prime. The music bends and sways, beautifully atmospheric and refreshingly rich. There is a clear and distinct evolution in both sound and structure, as compared to the debut EP some two years ago. The connection between parts one and two is seamless, which is important if not easily overlooked. Momentum has already been built, which gives the second installment a head start. Runyon's vocals emerge for the first time, subtle at first, but moving into the low growls he has mastered. The constant presence of double kicks is the driving force here, bolstered by a sweeping, if not hidden symphonic layer. It's the smallest touches that do the most good here, with every minor tone change and pluck leaving a lasting impression. Running a risk with a spoken word segment, which can either aid or stunt the growth of a song, Runyon chooses wisely. The German speech, provided by Wilbur Salisbury, begins what may be a highlight of the album. The instrumentation is at full strength here, with ringing guitar chords laying down a thick layer of distortion on top of the biggest drum sound you've heard from the album yet. The main melody, presumably provided via keyboard, can only be dubbed enchanting. This makes for a dynamic contrast between beauty, and the beast of a harsh, blackened vocal. An aura of triumph leads a rousing outro.

For the first time, though, the mix becomes a weak point as "Yggdrasil" begins with a slightly flat sound. The opening trio of drums, guitar and vocals merge together into one solid chunk. While their strength is undeniable, it becomes difficult to separate the three. This is only a temporary hurdle, however, and as the track begins to shift and change, so does the soundscape. The difference might be immediately clear, but as "Northern Blood" fades in, the inadequacies of the previous track come with it. There is a clarity to the instrumental here, despite multiple layers. It's what Runyon does outside of the guitar, bass, and drum realm that makes it so profound, and this is no different. Rolling kick drums can only go so far without proper accompaniment, something they get in spades here. Between the melodic, chanting vocals, and the intricate symphonic elements, there is a lot to take in all at one time. The much shorter "Trolls" is a complete 180 flip, as you are thrown into a black metal scream fest, bringing the element of evil and treachery back to the fold. The screeching vocals make your skin crawl, and also give you a reminder as to the range you are witnessing.

It would seem fitting, of course, that the sound of flowing water would open "The River;" but it is what follows that will become the lasting sound of the track itself. The intro music is very clean, very crisply delivered. The drum beat is sure to get a head nod or ten out of each listener, and it is only the base for what comes after. Beautifully plucked strings and synthesizers form the body of the piece, creating a perfect flow. The spotlight in the latter part of the album shines brightly on "Mímisbrunnr," which may best embody Runyon's viking and folk metal roots. It also captures him at his musical best, delivering some of the strongest guitar work on the album. Not only do his riffs burst through, but his vocals match them stride for stride. The breakdown, of sorts, that surrounds the four minute mark sets the table expertly for the remaining outro. But it is the epic conclusion to the "Final Journey" saga that will be most talked about here. The track, which clocks in well over the twelve minute mark, has the evolution of an entire album captured within it's walls. Not to be lost in all of the instrumental wizardry, the lyrical content is both enjoyable and easily dissected. The deathly growls come full circle here, hitting their most powerful levels. What stands out most is the way Runyon doesn't just tell you about the adventure, but the way he takes you along with him. It becomes a sort of first person experience, which is difficult to come across.

When you've been fortunate enough to see someone rise from their beginnings into a full fledged star, everything they do resonates just that much stronger. By no means can we take any credit for "discovering" Cortland Runyon and his Northsong project. In fact, he found us nearly two years ago. But it has been incredible to watch the growth over that scant 730 days worth of time. The four songs on "Winter's Dominion" were better than good; they inspired us to bring together a release a sampler in late 2011 in hopes of garnering some attention for some bands who had so much to offer. But the changes that have occurred since then are remarkable, to say the least. There is a maturity on display here that only comes through sheer dedication and commitment to one's craft, something Runyon obviously has. And that isn't to say that "The Final Journey" will be the best thing we get from the Northsong name; it would be safe to say things will only continue to get better from here. But the amount of time, blood, sweat, and screams that went into this album are worthy of praise.

9/10

Bandcamp - http://northsong.bandcamp.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/Northsong

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Exthenia - Dominate The Wind (EP) (2013)

Sometimes, life just isn't fair. While many aspiring musicians wallow in the unfortunate talent-less pool, their counterparts go off and show that the metal scene is more like the movie "Twins" than we ever could have imagined. On one side, you get the runt; the Danny Devito, short, bald, fat, joke bands. On the other side, the model of musical perfection; talented, creative and brimming with ideas. We've all seen too many of the former, both locally and internationally. But it is the latter that keeps us coming back. And Exthenia, for their six months of existence, have already given us enough to show which side of the fence they are on. With one demo already released, this Finnish three piece must have their DNA twisted in just the right way to enable their first official release seem all too easy. The five songs on "Dominate The Wind" may lack the clean, crisp sound of a professional engineer, but the substance far outweighs the vessel, something they prove time and time again.

It doesn't take long for the title track to inject a little energy into your diet, as the guitar work comes fast and furious right from the onset. What "Dominate The Wind" lacks in slick production values and needless overdubs, it more than makes up for in pure skill. Lead guitarist Mikael Weckström blazes a sweep picking trail throughout the track, flanked on one side by a high speed drum attack, and on the other by an unpolished and brutally raw vocal line. The final twenty seconds are eye opening ones. The sheer amount of instrumentation to take in, particularly on "Falling Down," is incredible, with multiple layers of guitars and drums flooding the mix. The lead melodies alone would be enough to pad out the entire run time, but the way they lock up with the rhythm guitars, provided by vocalist Juho Raita, only strengthens their ability. The barely three minute offering eliminates the need for useless filler, and keeps things brief, concise, and powerful. With the longest track, "Eternal Spirit," clocking in just over four minutes, it seems the band have found a perfect formula for their message. And while the metallic crash of cymbals can be overbearing, sometimes drowning out the leads, they do redefine the term "heavy metal." Drummer Ville Lähteenmäki blasts his way through verse and chorus with a flurry of snares, toms, cymbals and furious double kicks. His work could easily constitute an hour workout session.

Their most polished effort, the shredding masterpiece of "Disappointment" shows off the band at their most focused, and perhaps most deadly. It is their seamless transition from verse to chorus, mid tempo to high, that comes off as being much more precisely planned and rehearsed. But it is the breakdown portion that will likely stand out here, with the band adopting a few scarce moments of pure melody, nailing down a guitar lead that sets off the final assault. Weckström, in all of his virtuosic talent, often brings to mind the incredible, albeit fictional, playing of one Skwisgaar Skwigelf. His tone, reminiscent of Skwigelf's real life musical double, Brendon Small, is larger than life. That album finishes with another exhibition in drumming domination, as Lähteenmäki powers his way through a series of earth rattling double kick segments, somehow refusing to waver under what must be a massive amount of exhaustion and lactic acid buildup. For his part, Raita delivers an outstanding vocal performance, if not slightly overshadowed in the mix. Cleaning up his place in the pecking order might, in fact, be the difference in their future efforts.

It seems absolutely crazy that, after just 6 slim months, Exthenia are at this high level of operation. They seem to have all of their proverbial ducks in a row, on this their first official release. They aren't trying to disguise themselves as anything other than what they are. This is melodic death metal, with an infusion of some major thrash riffs. No frills, no lacy borders or hidden Easter eggs. The straightforward, full speed ahead nature of the EP is part of what makes it so enjoyable, and so painstakingly good. Twenty minutes is absolutely a finite measure of time. But rarely has it felt so much shorter, so much more compact and compressed as it does here. Raita, Weckström, and Lähteenmäki don't have it down to an exact science yet; a date with a proven engineer and mastering firm might prove me wrong. But they've shown that the talent pool may be large, but it is certainly not divided up equally. From where they are standing, things are looking pretty damn good. From the other end? A lot of bands and aspiring musicians will be looking up at the giant-to-be.

8.5/10

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/Exthenia
Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzSeiw5YydM

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Tristania - Darkest White (2013)

If anyone is a fan of symphonic gothic metal, chances are they’ve at least heard of Tristania. While not as mainstream sounding as Within Temptation or Sirenia, they have definitely built a strong fan base. With  the release of “Beyond the Veil” in 1999, Tristania made something that was hauntingly beautiful and completely unforgettable. It was almost the perfect album with it’s harsh male vocals complimented by lush soundscapes and gorgeous female vocals. They hit the proverbial high mark with that album, but everything after wasn’t bad either. “World of Glass,” “Ashes,” and “Illumination” all had their fair share of incredible songs. It’s when the band saw the departure of the lead vocalist, Vibeke Stene, that they started to falter. On “Rubicon” it was very clear they were going in a different direction than previous efforts. Mariangela Demurtas wasn’t trying to imitate Vibeke Stene in the least, and that change in vocal style really brought down the appeal of the band. The vocals went from operatic and grand sounding to an almost monotone sound that had no dynamics. “Rubicon” wasn’t a bad album per se, but it in no way stacked up to anything they’ve previously done. Now, three years later, they’ve released their new album “Darkest White.” Again they’ve missed the mark and created something that’s more woefully boring than anything they’ve ever done.

Right from the very start of the album with “Numbers,” the band sounds extremely bored. It’s all over the place, sounding like three different songs in one. It’s also one of the most repetitive on the album. Not a good way to start it off. The next track, “Darkest White,” has a chorus that almost sounds like Tristania of old. Too bad it’s stuck in the middle of ho-hum verses and repetitive riffs. The album trudges along the next four songs with the only thing standing out being the chorus on “Diagnosis.” It’s ethereal and enjoyable. Too bad the rest of the song isn’t like that. The album really hits an awkward stop with “Night on Earth.” The beginning riff sounds like something off of Tool’s “Lateralus” and then goes into something that sounds like it belongs on the radio. The song is so mind numbing, boring and out of place on an album that’s already full of out of place songs. The next track, “Cathedral” is one hell of a saving grace on the album. It’s a good song that’s catchy and has a great chorus. “Lavender” is sleep inducing and won’t be missed by the listener if it’s skipped. The album closes with “Cypher” and “Arteries” which are the two other good songs on the album. “Arteries” is probably the most dynamic song on the whole record and a good way to end it. It opens with a face smashing riff that leads into the best chorus on the album. If this is what they can achieve, why couldn’t the rest of the album be this good?

It’s hard to compare this album to “Beyond the Veil.” They are so incredibly different, that the band should have changed their name with the release of “Darkest White.” I don’t think a band should keep churning out the same album again and again; change is good if it’s done right. In this case, the new sound they were going for just came off lazy and very sporadic. Still, underneath all of this muddle and filler, there is still talent that can make another mind-blowing album. They have what it takes with the new members to create something extraordinary next time.  As it is, “Darkest White” is just an unfocused, Frankenstein monster of an album with good parts sewn together here and there.

5/10

- Brian DuBois

Official Site - http://www.tristania.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/OfficialTristania

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