Solefald - World Metal.Kosmopolis Sud

Norway's Solefald is pretty well known in the metal world. Their brand of avant-garde blackish metal seems to part of the so called "post-black metal' era but I find them to have much more in common with Arcturus than with Deafheaven. Formed in 1995 by Cornelius Jakhelln and Lars Are Nedlund the latter is also well known to be one of the most recognizable voices in the extreme metal world being the backing vocals in Borknagar since 1999 and also provided the clean vocals for what I consider to be the best folk metal album ever made...Asmegin's Hin vordende Sod & Sø. So now with their eighth full length album, World Metal.Kosmopolis Sud, Solefald seems to have reinvented themselves yet again.

This album is all over the place and seems to remind me more of Frank Zappa's early work and The Beatles Sgt. Pepper than a "metal" album. There's also hints of house and techno but with metal riffing and black metal elements thrown in. Lars' signature vocals are all over this album as well and what's even more cool is that his brother, Sindre Nedlund, who was a guest on Myrkgrav's Trollskau, skrømt og kølabrenning is part of this. He actually sounds so much like Lars that I actually thought the backing vocals were on that album Lars until finding out it was his brother. The opening song, "World Music with Black Edges" is exactly what the title implies. There are so many elements to this song that an exact description is virtually impossible. All I can say is that the song title says it all. "The Germanic Entity" is another song that has layers and layers of instrumentation and rhythms that it does remind me of Zappa's poly-rhythmic 70s era to the point that the vibraphone parts on this song made me think that Ruth Underwood was a guest for this one. "La Soliel" is another song that seems to be some twisted love child of Zappa and black metal. But there's also monstrous riffing on here as well as infectious melodies making this on of the coolest songs I've heard in quite some time.

Then you have a song like "Bububu Bad Beuys" that reminds me of everything from African tribal music to Rammstein. But once again, they managed to add some killer riffing into the song to add another dimension to the song. Then you have a slightly more straightforward song like "2011, or a Knight of the Fail," which is a song about Anders Breivik, the coward who committed terrorist acts in Norway, including opening fire on a youth camp in Oslo. This is one of the more "metal" songs on the album, along with "String The Bow of Sorrow" and is riff laden and angry. Given the subject matter, the music fits the atmosphere of the lyrics. The latter song is another great epic metal song that combines layers and layers of melody with aggressive metal riffing. Again, there is not much straightforward about any of these songs because there is just too many elements to them. "Oslo Meloncholy" rounds out the album and this is another song that lives up to it's name. Very eerie and atmospheric is never gets more off the ground that some eerie guitars and almost spoken vocals. A cool way to end an amazing album.

So what we have here is basically the Sgt. Pepper of metal. There is instrumentation from almost every music genre known ti man mixed with some killer metal riffing in places to create one of the most musically diverse albums released in a very long time. This was definitely not what I expected from this band, but it was a most pleasant surprise.

9.5/10

Visigoth - The Revenant King

When I reviewed Salt Lake City's Visigoth's 2012 EP, Final Spell, I knew this band would turn out to be something very special. I was vaguely familiar with front man Jake Rogers' blackened folk metal project, Gallowbraid so I thought I knew what this guy was made of. The EP was actually quite surprising because it was not folk metal or black metal but straight up old school heavy metal and it was really good. So when I heard that Visigoth got signed to Metal Blade Records I was awaiting their full length debut with great anticipation. The Revenant King is the name of this monstrously epic debut and not only did they live up to my expectations, they went way beyond anything I imagined.

I expected more of the same from this band because it seemed that they had a great formula and I assumed they would stick to that formula. They didn't....the threw some shit into the game. They went full on epic with a sound that could only be compared to Manilla Road's classic era. They took a huge chance on this album going for long epic songs that have many layers, instead of going straight up metal, and the result is nothing short of spectacular. Coming right out of the shoot is the title track clocking in at just over eight minutes. That could have been hit or miss for a young band like this but they not only find a way to use all eight minutes to their advantage, they created a new formula that gives this band a new identity. The song is multi-layered with great riffing, great solos, a rhythm that drives the song and melodies that are truly infectious. Vocalist Jake Rogers is a gifted singer with a great baritone that compliments the song, especially the chorus that just sucks you in. Every second of these eight minutes will have you spellbound as they take you on a journey, pulling you inside the story that they are telling.

But wait, they throw another twist into this album as the follow up song, "Dungeon Master". This song doesn't bother to be over the top epic but instead just kick your ass with major riffage all the way through, kicking it up a notch with a more speed metal oriented song. This is another song that has a great chorus as well as great guitar work. It slows down in the middle only to kick your ass with dual lead solo battles that are nothing less than godly. Another song that has this driving speedy rhythm is their cover of Manilla Road's "Necropolis." They not only did this song justice but just they killed it. It was this cover that actually made me go back and have a new found appreciation for Manilla Road. They also re-recorded "Creature of Desire" from the EP but for some reason I prefer the original. That song seemed to work better for the production on that EP and may be the only song on this album that did not seem to fit in with the rest.

For the most part, though, this album is just plain epic metal. You have songs that are metal anthems like "Mammoth Rider" with it's slower tempo and crushing riffs that even touches on doom with the riffs towards the end. You also have the absolutely heavy and pounding "Iron Brotherhood" that is the metal anthem for this generation of metal heads. Then you have a song like "Blood Sacrifice" that begins slowly, almost as if it was a ballad with clean guitars with a lead part and Jake Rogers' incredible vocals building up to an all out speed metal assault. This song just slays from beginning to end with it's catchy chorus, pounding rhythms, monster riffs, monster solos, and melodies towards the end that grab you and never let go. To round out the album they end it as they started it...with an almost 10 minute epic monster of a song, "From The Arcane Mists of Prophecy." If you thought the opener was as epic as they could get, think again. This song has so many layers and twists but never becoming chaotic or falling apart. The riffs, the melodies, and just the overall triumphant feeling of this song will make you want to pound your fist in the air.

As I said, this band took a chance it it paid off, in spades. They aren't showing off or over reaching and there is nothing here could be construed as pretentious. This band is the future of traditional epic heavy metal. The torch has been passed, they ran with it... and they will make heavy metal history. I predict only great things for this amazing band.

9.8/10

Satyrasis - ...of the Dead

Sometimes you make a discovery that changes the way you look at certain things. That is how I feel about Lansing, Michigan's Satyrasis. They play a mixture of progressive metal with thrash and melodic death and tech death thrown in. They are as all over the place as you can get. A member of the Metal Archives forum posted a song from their second full length album ...of the Dead and I found myself in awe. This band, formed in 2003 has only one other full length under their belts from 2008 and it took them seven years to follow it up...and I can see why. They were not about to release anything that they did not feel was pure perfection.


And it's that sheer perfection in this release is so apparent in each and every song on this album. As soon as you hear the opener, "A Foot in Each Grave" you get the idea where this album is going. Sheer technicality that does not sacrifice the riffs. Instead, the riffs on this album are plentiful and are crushing. Opening the song with pummeling thrash riffs and a death/thrash vocal sound that kinda reminds me of King Fowley of Deceased, the song goes in a different direction midway through with some blackish metal riffs and keys that sound like a mellotron. The riffs kick back in only to give way to another shift in direction with an acoustic guitars and keyboards adding a new dimension and some nice melodies. The song winds up with some dual lead riffing and more thrash riffs that abruptly end and the rest of the song is some eerie keyboards that fade out. "The Foreman's Face" kicks right in with more of the same, bad ass thrash riffing but with a technicality of tech-death. What sets these guys apart is there is emotion in their songs as well as the different directions that each song takes. This is what technical metal should be, showing your musical skills without sacrificing the riffs.

Of course there is wankery but it's done in such a way that it's not pretentious or give the appearance that they are showing off. The songs are not just one long solo or djenty odd time signatures just to show that they can do it. The ability of this band to write a great song sets this band apart. Most of the songs are over six minutes but you'll never know it because there is so many levels to them. The song that I was first exposed to and that was released as a sample, "Excision," starts off sounding like 8-bit midi then kicks in with a full on ass kicking riff fest. This song has so many riffs and is possibly the most straight forward song on this album. Mostly straight thrash/speed metal with the gruff vocals the song does deviate slightly to let you never forget that these guys are technically brilliant. At seven and a half minutes, if I had to pick this would be the best song on the album. It has that epic quality to it as well. But as you will see, this is one of those albums that is not a song album but something to be consumed in it's entirety.

The biggest surprise for me was their cover of Rush's "Circumstances." I was actually put off by it at first. The verse has a thrash/punk vibe to it with the chorus being just slightly faster than the original. The vocals are still that gruff death/thrash style. They throw their own spin in there in the middle as it doesn't seem to resemble the original at all but goes right back to the chorus. After a few listens, I finally got what they were doing and the album would not be the same without it. "In Ruins" rounds out the album and is the longest song on the album clocking in at just over eleven minutes. This song is slightly slower and less thrashy than the rest in most places, almost going off in a progressive doom direction. The riffs are there along with some dual lead riffing but with a slower tempo. The mid section starts with some bass leading to some seriously demented chaos only to begin the riffs again, this time sounding like some good prog metal.

Once in a while you come across something truly spectacular and this is one of those times. This album is nothing short of perfection. It has something for everyone. There's riffs, there's wankery, there's brutality, there's melody. This is essential for any and all metalheads!

10/10

Blind Guardian - Beyond the Red Mirror

In it's close to 30 year history, Blind Guardian has never released a bad album. That's right, you read that correctly, not a one. Every album the band has released, including their post-Imaginations albums were nothing short of spectacular. Yeah, their sound became more progressive, symphonic, even over the top. But that never got in the way of the sheer brilliance of their songwriting. With the release of their tenth full length, Beyond the Red Mirror, Blind Guardian has taken all the elements that made them great and combined them in an album of sheer brilliance that one would expect from a band of this caliber.


This is epic as only Blind Guardian can do. We have orchestras and choirs, namely the Hungarian Studio Orchestra and Choir Budapest and the FILMharmonic Orchestra and Choir Prague as is evident on the album opener, the monstrously epic "The Ninth Wave." This song seems to be a continuation of "Sacred Worlds" from the previous outing, At The Edge of Time. However, instead of just mirroring that song they expanded on it and created something even more over the top but brilliant. Starting with male choirs, gradually adding the female choirs as the song builds. As the choirs build the orchestra arrangements builds as well until the guitars kick in and Hansi's unmistakeable voice. He sounds better than ever as he always seem to sound as if he is a bard singing a tale of old. The chorus is bombastic and catchy. The background vocals are impeccably done complimenting Hansi's tone. This is not the most riff centric song but instead they use the melodies to make this song what it is. When the riffing is used it's typical Blind Guardian as with the leads. The dual harmonized leads are Andre Olbrich's signature sound and add to the melodies. The song ends with the same choirs that opened it...and this is just the first song!

In contrast to the epic opener we have a lot of metal here that reminds me a lot of Imaginations from the Other Side and even Nightfall in Middle Earth. The opening of "Prophecies" reminds me of "Blood Tears" from Nightfall but when the riffs kick in this song is all business. Moving between mid paced rocking riffs and some speed metal riffing, it's the melodies that draw you in. The leads are also highly on display here. "Ashes of Eternity" is another riff monster that pummel you but with tons of melody, especially in the choirs, which are just incredible. Olbrich's signature solos are the icing on the cake with this song. This is actually one of the heaviest songs they've done in a long time, second maybe to "The Holy Grail", which is another riff fest with the band showing their speedy side once again. This is a Blind Guardian speed metal song that could have been released on any of their 90s albums. The vocal melodies are, again, just pure perfection.

"Sacred Mind" starts off slow but picks it up after a bit with more of the band's signature riffing. At first listen it seemed that this would be a slight disappointment but it actually builds to be a really strong song. Speedy and riff laden with great vocal melodies and monster guitar work, this song could actually be on the epic side of this album. "Miracle Machine" might be seen as a weaker song as it's just a piano, strings and vocals and isn't the strongest Blind Guardian of this type, but it is necessary as a prelude to the album closer "Grand Parade", another monster epic song. In contrast to the opener, this is a long epic number with all the pomp of the opener but more riff oriented and the perfect way to close the album.

The version I have is the two disc mail order earbook edition. This version has two bonus tracks that are just as strong as the rest of this album with "Doom" being the strongest of the two. This song is a rather epic song going in several directions without being muddled. Mid paced in places, speedy in others the melodies are infectious and the chorus is really strong. This song closes this version of the album and actually adds another dimension to an already amazing release. All in all this is the best Blind Guardian album in two decades. As I said, I don't think they've ever released an album that is not worthy of this band's name but this album pushes the limits. It just gets better with each listen and has that magic and intensity that made me love the band to begin with. This album shows that Blind Guardian are still leaders in the metal world.

10/10

Venom - From The Very Depths

We all know Venom, the band that spawned a lot of what would become the extreme metal genres. They were thrash before there was thrash. They coined the term black metal. They influenced many of metal's heaviest bands all the while being part of the NWOBHM that sprung up in the UK during the late 70s. Although Conrad (Cronos) Lant is the only original member left, he has decided to carry on the Venom torch an astounding thirty-six years after their formation even though the band has disbanded and reformed several times over the years. Their most recent releases have been hit or miss and even though it seems that some have written them off....I haven't quite yet.

So 2015 brings us Venom's fourteenth full length album, From The Very Depths and it is this album that gave me some hope that this legendary band still has some life left in them. Now, granted, I have not heard anything since Metal Black, which was not a bad album, just not as strong as I would like. That said, I saw them in September of 2006 and they slayed, although the set was extremely short, so they have yet to put a bad taste in my mouth. Sometimes it's that bad taste that will prevent listener from even giving a band's new releases a chance. But when you have a song open an album (there's an intro that seems useless) like the title track to this album, it might be time to give the band another chance. This song just kicks your teeth in from the start. This is the Venom we all know and love, pummeling riffs, screaming solos, and Cronos's gruff vocals screaming about worshiping Satan. "The Death of Rock N Roll" shows the band's punk/metal hybrid roots with much more emphasis on the metal but maintaining the punky vibe. To round out the opening trio of crushers is "Smoke." This is a slow pounding song that just pummels you with a doomy heaviness. This is Venom doing doom rather well.

There's more to this album than that trio, though. "Stigmata Satanas" is another evil sounding crusher of a song. The riffs are just pounding on this song and it is just sheer heaviness. Cronos is sounding as evil as ever. "Crucified" is another song that just slays with pounding rhythms and evil riffs. These might not be the most innovative songs that the band has done but that does not take away from the sheer enjoyment of the songs. These are headbangers, through and through. "Grinding Teeth" is a Venom speed metal song that has that punk vibe just hanging there but it's mostly crushing metal that only Venom can produce. It;s after that song that the album seems to run out of steam a bit. The useless "Overture" that leads into "Mephistopheles," a song that starts off strong but falls away as it goes. This isn't a horrible song, but with the intro build up this should have been better. It just doesn't seem to go anywhere but leaves you hanging like there should have been more. "Wings of Valkyrie" plods along and is a skip worthy song. Sad because with a name like that it should have been better. "Rise" finishes the album and lifts it up just a bit after the plodding before it.

So what this album shows is that Venom is capable of writing really good songs. They should have cut their losses and released the album without the last four tracks. This album is far from perfect, but it's no turd either. Listen to songs two through ten, skip the rest.

7.0/10

Auðn - Auðn

When it comes to Scandinavian metal, especially black metal, most people automatically think Norway. Although not technically part of Scandinavia, Iceland is starting to produce some good metal bands.  Auðn, an atmospheric black metal band is a new band that I discovered  while scanning Bandcamp and my life is much better because of it. They seem to remind me of Vinterbris as they are quite good at producing some great atmosphere without the use of keyboards or effects. Their debut self titled album is a blast of melody, aggression, and atmosphere that makes this band one to watch for because I predict big things for them.

The atmosphere of this album sets in immediately with the album opener "Klerkaveldi." Clean eerie sounding guitars set the mood then lead into some heavy riffs. This band doesn't seem to need to rely solely on blast beats because this is a mid paced song with loads of heaviness but also with plenty of melody that provides an eerie atmosphere. The English translation of this band's name is Desolation and that's the atmosphere they are pulling off. The vocals are a black metal rasp that's not too screechy but also add to the atmosphere they are trying to convey. "Sífreri" uses some blast beats and killer tremolo riffs in the beginning but slow it down in the middle with some softer clean guitars that build to some epic riffs to wind up the song. It's that type of atmosphere that makes you actually feel the cold and grimness of this album. Being from a cold and grim place this bands is a perfect representation of what Icelandic metal should be.

"Feigð" is just over five minutes long but shows the bands entire dynamic in this epic song. Clean guitars that display that cold and eerie atmosphere kick this song off as it builds to some blast beats and tremolo riffs while still having those beautiful melodies that gives this song such and epic feel. The middle of the song blasts faster with some awesome tremolo riffs that just add more to the epic atmosphere of this song. As I listen further to this album it is becoming more apparent that, although this may not be a concept album, this is an album that must be listened to in it's entirety rather than focusing on individual songs. This band seems to put all they have into each song making them more like compositions than songs. "Þjáning Heillar þjóðar" is another of those epic numbers that flow with all the beauty and all the aggression of the previous songs but with something extra that I just can't pin point to really go all out for the "goose bump" effect. Once a band gets me to that point, I'm hooked.

The album closes with the title track and they just go balls out epic on this one. Clocking in at close to nine minutes, this song just grabs you from the very star, holding nothing back. This is epic, this is aggressive, and this is absolutely beautiful. The melodic lead guitar that enters the song about a third of the way in is the icing on the cake. This band is capable of adding so many different elements into each song and that, to me, is a sign of great songwriting. My only complaint about this album is it's length. I feel like an album that is this epic should last a bit longer than thirty-six and a half minutes. If you enjoy epic, melodic black metal than this album is essential. It has all the ingredients of a classic. As I said, I am predicting big things for this talented band.

9.5/10

Night Demon - Curse of the Damned

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and in some cases it's true and in other cases it's not. There has been a major influx of metal bands that are considered "throw back" because of the stripped down productions reminiscent of the 80s as well as the actual music itself. Some bands pull it off real well while others are an epic fail. So it is with pleasure that I introduce you to Ventura, California's Night Demon. They pay homage to the NWOBHM with a sound that is a lot like a mix of early Diamond Head and early Iron Maiden but with their own identity and sound. The songs range from speed metal to straight up rockers with massive riffs and infectious melodies that make this one enjoyable album.

Curse of the Damned is their debut full length album and there is a major punch packed into this just under 45 minute slab of true metal. "Screams in the Night" kicks it off with a speed metal sound and with a vocal sound that sounds a bit like Sean Harris while not being a total rip off. The melodies compliment the speed metal riffs to create a fresh take on a classic sound. There is no shortage of speedy numbers like this as "Full Speed Ahead" keeps it going with a riff that almost sounds like they are ripping off "The Prince"....almost. Instead it pays homage without being lazy. There is some nice dual leads sounding like it could have been on Maiden's first two. The title track slows it down to a mid pace but with some really nice riffing and catchy melodies. The lead work on this and the rest of the album is old school almost going in a proto-metal direction. There is very little wankery here hearkening back to the days before everybody was trying to sound like Malmsteen. Yes, you heard that right...me saying that wankery is not always needed to be a good solo.

"The Howling Man" is a track that would be considered the epic track on the album, clocking in at almost seven minutes. It starts slow and eerie with a bombastic sound before it picks up the speed with the riffs kicking in after about a minute and a half. Once again the vocal melodies are catchy as fuck. Jarvis Leatherby, who provides the vocals as well as the bass, has a good voice that gets the job done without having to have a ridiculous range or having to hit the highest notes known to man. Instead he lets his melodies do the talking...I mean singing. The song slows down with a clean melodic part then leading to a bombastic finish with some really cool old school riffing. "Heavy Metal Heat" is your typical "metal" anthem that should grace any album of this kind. I'm sorry but as cheesy as this may seem, this does not get old. Massive metal riffs, gang vocals, and lyrics about metal...I fucking love it!

"Masterrmind" is a song that sounds like it's been done a billion times over but these guys seem to do it with a class and style that makes that just fine with me. From it's strong intro to the opening riffs to the vocalist singing over just the bass before the riffs kick in again, it's the melodies of the verse that shows the abilities of this band to do something that has been done plenty of times before but also sounding fresh and new. This is actually becoming my favorite song on the album. The album closer, "Save Me Now," starts off with some eerie keyboards leading into some mid paced epic riffing. The chorus is catchy with some great melodies.

Yes, this is a case of imitation truly being a sincere form of flattery. This album is just pure 80s metal fun. No frills and nothing over the top. Instead you get heavy metal that may sound dated to some but in actuality is full of hooks and melodies that make this album irresistible to any fan of classic metal.

8.5/10