December is always a tricky month, as generally the releases slow down in the run up to the new year. That doesn’t mean there were no notable releases during this time, however. Check out the outstanding metal albums below and let me know which your favourite is… Continue reading
This is the seventh album from Dirge, an atmospheric sludge/post-metal band from France.
I loved 2014’s Hyperion, which was one of my favourite releases of that year. Last year the band released the experimental electronically-slanted Alma | Batica, which I also really enjoyed. It’s great to finally have a new full length from the band though, one which offers us their rich use of guitars once more. Continue reading
Dirge are a French atmospheric post-metal band and this is their latest EP.
Making my 2014 end of year best of list, I’m a huge fan of the band’s previous album Hyperion, so it’s great to have some new material from this band. Continue reading
Endname are a Russian progressive doom band and this is their fourth album.
Triatom is a long, involved, and weighty release that spreads out to cover doom, atmospheric, progressive, sludge, and post-metal territories across its playing time of 72 minutes. Continue reading
Dirge are a veteran French band and Hyperion is their sixth album.
The band play atmospheric Post-Metal Sludge with an electronic/Industrial influence.
I should also note at this juncture that although it’s irrelevant to the music and I have no idea what it’s depicting, I love the album artwork.
The music is mysterious and enticing. There is also a strong feeling of grandeur running through the tracks, especially when the singer goes all semi-clean-shouting, (a technical term…); it almost makes the hairs stand up with goosebumps.
The vocals have a lot of variety and the singer uses his voice to best accentuate the music and the feelings they wish their songs to evoke. The added female vocals used in Venus Claws are a master stroke of judgement and elevate an already well-crafted song to the next level.
Each of the long songs shows an excellent knowledge of dynamics and composition, with light and shade used expertly. The tracks have a droning, near-hypnotic quality yet don’t sound bleak or unforgiving; rather the feeling is cautiously optimistic. Melancholia and uncertainty play a role but ultimately it’s a feeling of uplift-through-awe that the band project; a sense of ascension to be attained.
A near-flawless album and an abject lesson in the mastery of the aural arts. Essential.
