Bjarm are from Russia and this is their début album of Symphonic Black Metal.
After a bold and bombastic opener the first song proper starts. Knowledge of Doom sets the tone for the rest of the album.
Inspiration comes from bands like Dimmu Borgir, Chthonic, Amiensus and Gloria Morti; essentially this is Black Metal with Symphonic effects, female vocals and a Death Metal influence that gives the band a harsher edge.
The production is heavy and well-recorded; everything stands out and sounds very impressive.
The vocals are deep and growled, for the most part, although spoken parts make numerous appearances. When the female vocals appear they are like the finest silk wrapped around a lovingly sharp blade. Higher, more-Black Metal vocals also have their part to play and these sound serrated like razor wire.
The music is well played and considerable thought has obviously gone into the songs. The level of orchestration and keyboards, etc. is remarkable and the songs are layered with emotion and grandeur. The Death Metal vocals add bite to the tracks and ensure that the band keep their harder edge in amongst the rich textures of the flowing musical theatre.
Overall this is a very professional début that benefits from a huge sound and an impressive theatrical/cinematic quality. For all the pomp and splendour however, they keep a sharper edge to their sound and this prevents the album from becoming stale, in my mind. Add to this some strong songwriting and you have a thoroughly enjoyable album.
Bjarm are ones to keep an eye on that’s for sure. With the right support they could go far.
Ondfødt are a Finnish Black Metal band and this is their début album.
This is Old-School, underground and raw Black Metal that clutches influences from both the Norwegian and Swedish scenes in its grim claws.
The band utilise a firm Old-School Darkthrone-esque base that they start off from and they incorporate other elements into this. Not content with merely copying their heroes they inject their own personality into the album and add their own touches to the style.
The vocals are Black Metal rasps for the main part. These are punctuated by Viking-styled heroic cleans, forceful semi-cleans, unhinged screaming and pretty much everything in between on occasion as well. It adds up to a full package of quite characterful vocals.
The production may be raw and fuzzy but not overly so. The band have a good dark sound suited to this style and the guitars make the most of it.
Energetic dark melodies form the lion’s share of the riffs and the songs tear along nicely under their self-created veil of Blackened hatred.
This style of raw Black Metal is an easy style to do but it’s also an easy style to be bad or boring at as it essentially all comes down to the quality of the riffs, for the main part anyway. Ondfødt are neither bad nor boring and have managed to congeal a good collection of riffs into a good collection of songs. They then add to this with some strong drumming and a vocalist who certainly puts 100% into his performance. The end result is that Hexkonst is a worthwhile listen and manages to avoid being a Darkthrone clone by virtue of the band’s personality and strength of will.
Deus Otiosus have recently unleashed the monster that is Rise on the world. After getting my fill of this very enjoyable album I asked Jesper Holst, bassist of the band, some pertinent questions to find out a bit more about it…
Give us a bit of history to Deus Otiosus
The band started off as a studio project by Henrik Engkjær (guitars) and Anders Bo Rasmussen (vocals) back in 2005. They recorded a demo called Death Lives Again in 2007 and 2009 saw them gathering a full line-up with Peter Engkjær (guitars), Søren Bentsen (drums) and Jens Nepper (bass guitars) and start performing live. Shortly before I replaced Nepper on bass in 2010 the first album Murderer was released in South America and later world wide. Then, for the recording of the second album we brought in a dedicated drummer in Jesper Olsen as our ambitions grew and the band became a more serious and time-consuming project for all involved. As an old friend of some of us, Jesper was quickly integrated and we recorded and released our second album Godless in 2012. With the same constellation we recorded the third album Rise in January 2014 and released it world wide just last month.
What are your influences?
We are influenced by classic metal acts such as Death, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Pestilence and so on. However, while maintaining an old school approach to song writing, we are not just copying what the forerunners of the genre created. We use the elements and the creativity of classic death metal song writing and produce our own, original and potent songs.
What are you listening to at the moment that you would like to recommend?
Right now, my playlist is varied. I have got Unleashed, Dark Funeral and Iced Earth on at the moment. I especially enjoy and recommend Unleashed.
What did you want to achieve with your new album?
Every time we release an album we strive to take a step forward and upward. Up the quality since the last album so to speak. And this pertains to all aspects of the album; the song writing, the riffs, the drum patterns and fills, solos etc. The overall goal is to create a coherent album packed with memorable songs that make up a whole yet retain their own identity. I believe this goal is achieved with Rise and it stands out clearly in our discography. This is the best Deus Otiosus to date and truthfully will be hard to top in the future.
Are you happy with how it turned out?
I grow increasingly fond of this album by the day – even now, several months after I first heard the mastered version. From the drum recordings that were perfected by Rasmus Toftlund at Fast Beat Studio to the mastering by Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio, this album has surpassed all of our expectations. I also gather from the reviews that I have read so far that Rise seems to grow on people from a good first impression to something that they really appreciate. Moreover, it seems that people really grasp what we want to achieve with this album and it feels great to not just reach out to your audience, but to actually reach them. So yes, the entire band is more than thrilled by the outcome.
What can you tell us about the lyrics?
The lyrics, like the songs play in to a greater whole that binds the album together. We cover sinister and dark concepts using philosophy, mythology, history and prose (e.g. Poe, Lovecraft) and put them on edge do describe a guide-less, godforsaken world, as the band name also implies.
Tell us about the album cover
The cover artwork was created by artist Claude Witt who is a friend of Anders. He created the entirety of it over a few weeks and we were completely thrown aback by it. The level of detail is really jaw dropping. Our idea was to show a monster rising from the abyss as an analogy for the band and the album title. Claude did an awesome job depicting just that.
Give us a bit of information on the songwriting process.
The main composer is Henrik Engkjær who co-founded the band with Anders Bo Rasmussen. The way we go about song writing is that Henrik writes the main framework for each song, the riffs, the drum patters and the lyrics. Then we arrange the songs in rehearsal and the drums are refined. I will add bass to the riffs at this stage. We keep adding improving details to the songs, even at the studio stage when we are recording. Other than that, on Rise, I have partly written the lyrics for the song Vultures.
How do you see your songs/direction developing in the future?
We are still rising and we are already now working full steam with new material. As said, we always strive to top our last release and this will not change. We use the descriptor outlaw death metal because we refute genre-talk and we stick to this. So people can expect original, boundless yet coherent death metal.
What’s next for Deus Otiosus?
As of now, in conjunction with the release of Rise, we have already been on a Danish tour and played at a Copenhell Festival Warm Up event as well as at Metal Magic Festival, all in Denmark. We aim to take our presence abroad as we have done in the past. In particular, Germany and Scandinavia should look out for Deus Otiosus, but our ambitions go beyond as well. Meanwhile, we are hard at work with new material and we promise great deeds in the future!
This is the début album from Germany’s Psychedelic Doomsters Monolith.
This is Black Sabbath-inspired Doom Metal with a healthy Psychedelic component.
The album cover and the sound that the band have conspire to increase the overall impression of a spaced-out jam with lots of shining surfaces and dubious substances.
Dystopia is catchy and has plenty of hooks. The solos, leads and riffs are all fully realised and the bass is an important part of the overall feel of the songs.
The singer does his best Ozzy Osbourne impression but it fits the music perfectly and with the music being so laid back and glittering with Psychedelia no-one can really complain.
The most important thing about this release is the songs themselves. They’ve clearly been put together by a band who have a love of the genre and are passionate about what they do. These are class songs that will have you humming the tunes in your head for days to come.
Give them a listen and I dare you not to enjoy it.
The Wolves of Avalon are from the UK and this is their second album. The band play Pagan/Folk Metal.
The Wolves of Avalon are the latest incarnation of Metatron from The Meads of Asphodel, who will always hold a special place in my heart; one of the most unique and underrated UK Metal bands out there.
I was looking forward to hearing this album due to this and I haven’t been disappointed. This is as impressive and ambitious as anything he’s done before, (his work that I’ve heard, at least), more so in some respects. Sounding like early Meads only with a heavy Folk/Pagan slant, this is pure ear candy.
The album starts with a light, classical instrumental, at least that’s what I think it’s going to be until Metatron’s inimitable vocals kick in halfway through and then guitars and drums come in shortly after.
The album is heavily orchestrated and features wonderfully diverse instrumentation and female accompaniment. These are hugely impressive and extremely well-done. The band don’t neglect the Metal component of their sound, however.
The dynamics and sense of energy given off by the tracks is strong, and the whole album is a veritable treasure trove of gems and delights. The songwriting is impeccable and Metatron’s voice seems to be getting better with age. Some of the vocal harmonies used, especially when twinned with the female vocals, are just hair-raising.
Some of the best bits are extremely subtle but do wonders for the songs. The barely audible female sighs/noises on Bonded by Blood and Sword is just one example of many; you can only just hear them in the background but for such a small addition the song is enhanced so much.
There are pulse-raising sections, slower atmosphere-building parts, Black Metal rage, Progressive Metal explorations, huge choruses and sublime melodies – there is so much here to enjoy and be spellbound by.
This is an hour of interesting, captivating and unique Metal that everyone should ideally have the privilege of hearing. Do yourself a favour and go and listen to this.
Final thoughts? Fantastic album. This is a contender for the Album of the Year slot.
Favourite Track: Iceni Queen Unfurl’d In A Tempest Of Crows. Fucking Hell!
Ars Moriendi are from France and this is their third album of Black Metal.
This is atmospheric and creative Black Metal that makes a left-of-centre entrance under the guise of some form of slinky lounge lizard whilst retaining a core of darkness so you know you actually are playing the right album.
When the Black Metal truly kicks in though it’s noticeable and memorable. Propelled by interesting riffs and subtle but meaningful effects the music is stimulating and diverse.
The vocals are Black Metal croaks that have some personality to them and the singer appears to have a good range to his voice rather than staying too monotone.
Long songs allow for plenty of variation around the central theme and the band allow themselves the luxury of exploring and developing the soundscapes they create.
Progressive Metal elements make appearances here and there, adding character to the songs and increasing the listener’s depth of appreciation for the tracks.
The production is low-key and surprisingly warm and organic for a Black Metal release. The adds another facet to the album and the songs are very easy to listen to and enjoy; the music is warmly absorbed like a fine wine.
This is a quality release from a band who are likely to be overlooked by many. Don’t make this mistake – give Ars Moriendi your full attention.
Of Spire & Throne are form the UK and this is their latest EP.
Looking for some dirty, colossally heavy Doom? Then you’ve come to the right place. Of Spire & Throne have it in spades.
This three track EP clocks in at just over 30 minutes in length and is the latest release in a growing catalogue of quality works from this band. I can only hope they get around to releasing a full album at some point in the near future as I’m sure it will be something special.
The songs here are crushing in scope and monolithic in their oppressive nature. The singer’s vocals only seem to be getting deeper over time and the guitars have never sounded better.
This is slow, uncompromising Doom that won’t be rushed for anyone and can’t be made to clean up its act. Not that we would want it to of course, as Toll of the Wound is covered in just the right amount of filth.
It’s not all about playing slow however, as the band understand and fully utilise dynamics. The build-and-release nature of Post-Metal is here translated into its Doom counterpart with the same effective results.
Raum Kingdom are from Ireland and this is their début EP.
They play Post-Metal in the Cult of Luna/Isis style, showing that they have learnt their trade well from the masters but are now more than capable of branching out on their own.
Vocally the songs employ mainly deep shouts and cleans. Curiously, for a genre as diverse and potentially experimental as Post-Metal clean vocals are still relatively uncommon, so it’s a nice added touch to the band, especially when they’re done this well. Regardless of what style of vocals are employed the singer has a good voice and the band put him to good use.
The music is as sprawling and emotive as any in Post-Metal. The songs are more concise than some though, with average song lengths a bit shorter than some bands of this genre, and only one track, (This Sullen Hope), approaching the 10 minute mark. The entire EP clocks in at just under 30 minutes.
I enjoy this kind of music as even though you know the loose framework of Post-Metal is invariably based on the legendary trio of Cult of Luna/Isis/Neurosis, you can rarely predict exactly how a given band is going to sound or what aspects of the masters they’re going to emphasize. This is before you even take into account the things they add themselves of course.
Raum Kingdom have good songwriting and the clean vocals are a definite boon to the songs. This release shows a maturity and strength of focus that will benefit the band across many releases to come and they already make this début shine brighter than most.
There is a core of strength and power to these songs. The band have made a big impression and here’s to even bigger things to come for them in the future.
Fallujah are from the US and this is their second album of Death Metal.
But this is not your normal, run-of-the-mill Death Metal by any standards, this is something truly special. Fallujah play Technical/Progressive Death Metal with expansive melodies, daring structures and bold ambitions.
A huge production is a prerequisite for anything like this in order for everything to be clear and exact, and this is what we get.
The songs are hugely impressive both technically and song-wise. There’s a lot packed into these tracks and every second of music seems to have been considered and planned to complete precision before anything has even been played. It’s tight, proficient and worthy of the title master-crafted.
Their material has its brutal side of course, (this is Death Metal after all), but they mainly deal in atmospheres and moods. For example; it often seems like two songs are being played at the same time, with an intricate Death Metal song being played over the top of a haunting Post-Metal track. Fallujah’s genius is to make this fit together flawlessly and with utter precision so that the juxtaposition of styles sounds whole and complete.
Somehow the band manage to be rhythmic, brutal, spacey, melodic and colourful simultaneously, with the songs positively dribbling emotion and atmosphere.
The album is laden with effects and additional instrumentation providing so many layers of depth that it’s almost easy to overlook the phenomenal playing of the core instruments and the rather impressive noises that they make. There’s too much going on here to take in in only one sitting, and like the best albums it grows on you like a welcome disease.
Fallujah have produced a stunning album that raises the bar so high that most other bands will fall by the wayside just trying to keep up.
This is a review of two releases, Zero and II, both of which are reissues.
Zero contains one new intro track, as well as the entirety of their Interlude First and Interlude Second EPs. Both have been completely remastered, as well as the two tracks that comprised Interlude Second being combined together into one long song. You can read my original review of Interlude Second here.
II is their second album, containing one 50 minute song, and has also been completely remastered.
So what’s changed? Essentially the sound is a lot fuller, well-rounded and less plastic feeling. The originals had a perfectly fine sound of course, but the songs now sound as if they are clearer, warmer and just plain better. The instruments are in a better place balance-wise and the bass seems more noticeable as well.
Monolithe specialise in epic Doom of the long variety, with lots to take in and some space-age effects added into the mix.
Deep, bowel-shaking growls accompany the music and the band create dirge-like soundscapes that accompany the listener on a musical journey through unexpected places and wide vistas of possibilities.
If you’re unfamiliar with Monolithe these are an excellent set of releases to start with.
Bjarm are from Russia and this is their début album of Symphonic Black Metal.
What did you want to achieve with your new album?
Give us a bit of information on the songwriting process.
Wonderbox Metal 