Cult of Luna – Page 13 – Wonderbox Metal

Amniac – Infinite (Review)

Amniac are from Greece and this is their début album. They play Post-Metal.

This is Post-Metal that’s largely moulded after the trinity of Isis/Neurosis/Cult of Luna, although they also have a more Metal quality to their sound akin to Gojira; both bands share a love of emotive, winding leads as well.

The singer has a clear and powerful voice. It’s legible and deep at the same time. It’s a very strong focal point for the band to have and he puts in a commanding performance.

The music is equally strong and commanding though and ultimately this is the real star on Infinite. The build/release nature of Post-Metal is present and correct, although Amniac are probably a bit heavier than some who play this style, with chuggy Metal riffs and Sludge influences thrown into the melting pot.

Amniac seem to have a firm grasp of good songwriting skills and of what makes a good riff. The guitars are very emotive and manage to carry the emotional content well whilst retaining that strong and forceful side.

This is a very accomplished album, especially for a début; lots of thought and skill has clearly gone into its composition.

Give Amniac a listen. Highly recommended.

Devil Sold His Soul – Belong ╪ Betray (Review)

Devil Sold His Soul are from the UK and this is their latest EP. They play Progressive/Post-Metal.

I’m a big fan of Devil Sold His Soul’s early work, but somehow I never kept up with them and this is my first exposure to them in a while. I was interested to hear this EP for this reason, especially as this is their first release with a new vocalist.

As always their music is impassioned, expansive and very heavy when it needs to be. Their songwriting has become even more developed than their older work, however.

It’s immediately apparent that their new vocalist fits the band like a glove. Scathing screams seem to spike painfully into your mind, but you like it anyway; soaring cleans rise gracefully from the emotive riffs whilst cascading leads swell up around them. Replacing a vocalist can be a very tricky thing to do successfully, but I’m immediately sold.

These tracks, (of which there are five), combine crushing guitars and soothing, sombre tones to create a collection of songs that pluck at the heartstrings as well as trying to pull them out.

The combined fiery melancholic nature of the guitars mix with vocals that veritably drip with emotion; these songs reveal a band that are at the height of their powers.

It’s like the power and passion of Year Of No Light, the dynamic energy of Deftones and the flawless delivery of Cult of Luna all rolled into one exciting package.

I love this. You will too.

John, The Void – EP (Review)

John, The Void are a Post-Metal band from Italy and this is their début EP.

The band play Post-Metal with a gloomy, negative vibe and a bleak aura.

Harsh vocals are screamed out from behind a haze of darkness as the music sweeps away from the point of origination, obscuring all that’s happening with a miasma of night.

John, The Void manage to create and perpetuate this atmosphere over the course of the near 36 minute playing time with ease. This is not a one-dimensional album though as the band, in true Post-Metal style, take their time to build and expand upon the negativity that they create.

Heaviness and lightness, shades of darkness and a rich, varied palette are the mainstays of their sound and they do the genre justice.

Obvious reference points are the usual triumvirate of Cult of Luna/Isis/Neurosis but as is typical with bands of this ilk John, The Void put their own spin on things.

These songs seem to live and breathe in their own right, endowed with life by their mysterious creators to do their bidding. Their expansive, exploratory sound is always mired in the twilight realms and, let’s be honest, this only imbues the band with even more strength. Darkness is a powerful ally after all.

These are well-crafted songs that showcase this relatively new band as a great new addition to the Post-Metal pantheon.

If they can continue to improve on these already impressive writing skills then their first album should be stunning.

Seek this one out.

Trysth – Soulchambers (Review)

Trysth are from Bulgaria and play Atmospheric Doom/Post-Metal. This is their début.

At 51 minutes in length this album takes in all that’s slow, contemplative, expressive and heavy. The band delve into Doom, Sludge and Post-Metal in an attempt to nail down their core sound.

It’s played well, sounds great and the songs themselves are mature compositions simultaneously satisfying fans of the immediate and heavy alongside the slower, brooding nature of this kind of music.

Soulchambers sounds quite apocalyptic and harrowing in places. The slow build/release mechanics that form the core of Post-Metal rub shoulders with the simpler miseries of Doom and the grim edginess of Sludge. The end result is an album of pits and troughs, lows and highs, ebbs and flows; an album that reaches for more whilst strengthening and safeguarding its central identity of desolate and bleak landscapes populated by oases of life and vitality.

The band know their art well and the album is a studied dissection of atmospheric Doom that is remarkable in its completeness. This is especially impressive as it’s the début of the band; such a strong album usually denotes more experienced hands. However, Trysth also share a member with the excellent Blackened Doom band Upyr, so it should come as no surprise really that Trysth should share similar levels of quality.

The vocals are tortured shouts that stop just short of descending into growling territory. These are accentuated by semi-cleans and cleans that are used for added effect and emotive appeal. The singer suits the heaviness of the music and the vocals are used sparingly.

The album cover is a very fitting choice as it visually represents the band’s sound extremely well.

For fans of Neurosis, Cult of Luna, Isis and the rest. Basically, for fans of thoughtful, heavy music. If you like this style then this is a must.

What an album!

Inter Arma – The Cavern (Review)

Inter Arma are from the US and this is their latest EP. Although calling it an EP is a bit of a stretch; at almost 46 minutes it’s pretty much an album.

Oh and did I mention that the entire running time is comprised of just one track? No? Well I have now.

I’ve not heard Inter Arma before, although I’m aware of them by reputation, so this is something that I was eager to listen to.

It starts off gently, with almost 3 minutes of soft, acoustic sounds, before the heavy guitars hammer down like Thor’s own wrath. Inter Arma play a highly talented form of Sludge/Post-Metal/Doom Metal. Ultimately it’s a Doom behemoth that takes in a variety of different genres and subgenres throughout the length of the song.

The Cavern is a very involving and captivating listen that has been masterfully put together with lots of thought to the weaving of the different elements into a complete tapestry of sounds.

Vocally, we get pretty much everything; cleans, semi-cleans, shouts, screams, growls; it’s all present and correct.

The song transitions through various phases and it’s complex and endearing. The band have invited a plethora of different guests onto the EP which only enhances the feeling of something truly special unfolding in front of your very ears. The guests all add something different, (female vocals, violins, synths), and their contribution is valued and integral.

The pacing and dynamics of this song are just astounding. This is the kind of Progressive Metal masterpiece that you always wanted Isis, Neurosis or Cult of Luna to do.

As the song progresses it takes in all available moods, from slow and despondent to psychedelic and expansive, to subtle and coy, to raging and tumultuous. This is an incredibly detailed journey into foreign soundscapes and as tour guides extraordinaire Inter Arma are well placed to blow your mind with their shockingly good display of songwriting. The performance and musicianship is flawless too.

Inter Arma take the Post-Metal template of the masters, (Isis/Neurosis/Cult of Luna), combine it with the extra-dimensional quality of Mastodon, layer it all in their own unique personality, add lots of individual flourishes and quirks and serve up scalding hot; The Cavern is here and it’s a delicious treat.

Stunning.

Hegemone – Luminosity (Review)

Hegemone are from Poland and play Post-Black Metal. This is their début album.

With an album cover that promises mystery and rich rewards to those who reveal the music within, this is an album that doesn’t give up its secrets lightly. Even when they’re being overt there are hidden delights to be had here.

Luminosity is a sprawling album stretched across 6 tracks of dark Post-Black Metal with a good amount of Sludge thrown in for good effect.

The guitars sound like they’re coated in tar and the melodies are Blackened and deep. It’s a surprisingly heavy affair and the Sludge influence to their sound allows the band to get away with all sorts of mischief under its banner.

The vocals barks forth brutal noises over music that can be either harsh or beautiful depending on the mood of the band. The music itself may be capable of subtlety and nuance but his is a commanding presence that demands attention and floors all in front of him.

At times recalling second-wave Black Metal, at others recalling the darker side of Post-Metal in a Cult of Luna style; this is a heavier and Sludgier proposition than a lot of Post-Black Metal out there. Yes, they are perfectly capable of creating atmospheric and awe-inspiring musical soundscapes, (and they do), but they also like to make sure that the good old Darkthrone/Satyricon groove is felt to full effect when needed.

There are moments of unbridled creativity and flair displayed on these songs as well. Unexpected delights include appearances by a saxophone that don’t sound incongruous and rivals anything artists like Ihsahn have used.

This is a very accomplished, ambitious and rewarding listen. Hegemony have put together something special that they should be proud of.

This is a cold-hearted gem that’s just waiting to be discovered.

Erlen Meyer – Erlen Meyer (Review)

Erlen Meyer are from France and play Post-Metal. This is their début.

Featuring a bold and striking album cover, the album itself is the sound of nightmares made musical and given a soundtrack.

This is dark, heavy and cathartic music. The walls of guitars and screaming vocals conjure negativity and rage. The overall effect Continue reading “Erlen Meyer – Erlen Meyer (Review)”

Raum Kingdom – Raum Kingdom (Review)

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.

An absolute top quality release. Check this out.

Semara – Old Man’s Tale (Review)

Semara are a Post-Metal band from Sweden.

This is their first release and it contains 4 tracks, just under 30 minutes of music.

This is Post-Metal fashioned after the Isis/Cult of Luna/Neurosis pantheon and straight off it’s clear that Semara have a good grasp of what makes the genre a compelling one.

The guitars are also reminiscent of Red Sparowes, with a haunting and light feeling to them; combined with a heavier Cult if Luna-take on some of the rhythm guitars it’s a nice mixture of the two.

The band have the entire build/release, light/heavy angle covered and musically they know their way around the instruments.

There is nuance and subtlety to the music and Semara show that they understand the Post-Metal dynamic well.

The singer produces a good throaty roar and adequately bellows his way through the tracks. His is a brutal voice that punctuates the more melodically fragile music. The Earth Turns is probably the strongest track out of the four as it has the most vocal variation, (cleans as well as roared shouts), and is the most musically developed and individual of the songs.

A promising start for this band. If on their next release they return with a stronger production and continue to develop their sound then they could do well.

Have a listen and see what you think.

Sól – Black Mountain (Review)

Coming from the US, Sól play Post-Metal and this is their début.

The first thing to grab my attention is the bold and striking album art. I like a good cover.

As for the music, this is dynamic Post-Metal and the band appear to have fully mastered the build/release nature of the genre very early on in their career.

Lighter, relaxed, softer sections wind their way upwards; inevitably building to something darker and heavier than what they might seem to suggest at first.

Initial reference points are the standard triumvirate for this genre – Neurosis/Isis/Cult of Luna – but those are a given really, almost not worth mentioning. More interesting is an additional feeling of atmospheric Metal in places, such as the like that Agalloch produce. Indeed, helped along by the album artwork and title there is a strong feeling of nature and the natural environment throughout these songs that is not commonly felt in the Post-Metal genre as a whole.

The heavier sections can really let loose when they need to as well. The band don’t feel restricted to limiting their style to the perceived limitations of the genre, (as wide as they may be anyway), and when they’re not creating apocalyptic atmospheres reminiscent of horrendous natural disasters, they simply rage.

The feelings created by this release are immense and powerful. Whether soft or heavy, light or dark, this is an exemplary release that shows a multidimensional grasp of what makes exploratory and inventive music such as this as compelling and involving as it is.

Bands like Maeth, Monachus and Sól are truly exciting forces in heavy music these days; pushing the envelope and developing songs that are as addictive and satisfying as the best stories.

Amazingly, this is the first and only thing that Sól have done so far. I already want more.