This is the debut album from French progressive metal band Ahasver.
Ahasver is made up of members of bands such as Eryn Non Dae, Drawers, and Gorod, among others. Causa Sui contains 42 minutes of music that’s a good deal more individual than most you might encounter. Continue reading “Ahasver – Causa Sui (Review)”
It’s time to take stock of what the extreme metal world has given us this month. As usual, there’s been some storming releases. Continue reading “Monthly Overview – the Best of March 2018”
Eryn Non Dae are one of the more individual bands out there today, and their latest album Abandon of the Self is probably their greatest work to date. Sprawling, epic, and emotive, but probably not in ways you are used to, the band’s new album is a tour de force of progressive, expressive metal.
Bassist Mickaël André gave me some deeper insight into his remarkable band, and how Abandon of the Self came to be… Continue reading “Interview with Eryn Non Dae”
This is the third album from French progressive metal band Eryn Non Dae.
Has it really been 6 years since 2012’s Meliora was released? Admittedly I only discovered it in 2104, but still. Ye gods! Meliora was a hugely distinctive and individual release, one that made a strong impression with me and that I’ve enjoyed exploring and getting to know over the years. Continue reading “Eryn Non Dae – Abandon of the Self (Review)”
This is the début album of Nojia who are from France. They play Post-Rock.
Nojia feature the talents of the bassist from Eryn Non Dae, which is notable simply because of just how damn good Eryn Non Dae are.
Nojia however, are calmer and more restrained. This is instrumental Post-Rock with long songs and a deep Progressive Rock edge.
For musical reference points, think Red Sparowes, Pelican and Russian Circles.
Nojia’s songs are impassioned and emotive beasts. Featuring the trademark rise and fall, build and release nature of Post-Rock; their tracks are further imbued with vitality and life by the Progressive nature of the music.
Memorable riffs and melodies gel together to create music that has impact. These are stories written in sound and each track is like an act in a play. When all three are done you’re left spent; emotionally exhausted but very, very happy.
A great deal of musicianship has gone into Gheist and the investment has paid real dividends.
My favourite track is probably Sama, which creates a tense, expectant atmosphere before diffusing itself in glorious crescendos and Progressive Rock beauty.
Nojia are a success in my book and well worth a listen.
Memories Of A Dead Man are from France and play Modern Progressive Metal.
Here we have a band that merges Metal, Post-Metal, Hardcore and Sludge into one big compelling whole.
This is ambitious music that has the talent to back it up. This is Modern Progressive Metal in the style of Gojira or the excellent Eryn Non Dae – both also French; I wonder if there’s some strange conspiracy to inflict interesting, thoughtful music on the world…? Where do I sign up?
The songs meander and bruise, wander and startle. A pounding rhythm section backs up emotive guitar riffs and a voice like leather. At least that’s when the singer’s not softly crooning at you that is, which he doesn’t do very regularly but when he does it sounds very intimate.
The band will take you on a journey through melancholic atmospheres surrounded by walls of guitars and heavy riffs. The length of the songs work in favour of the band as they make the most of the freedom allowed them, irrespective of genre constraints or rules.
Music like this is full of ideas and quirks, whether it’s as simple as a certain riff in one song or the addition of female operatic vocals in another; the band create an impressive soundscape in which to dwell, and invite you to come join them and sample their world.
Memories Of A Dead Man have crafted a modern Metal treasure with Ashes of Joy. Let’s hope many people get to find it.
This is music for adventurers and explorers.
French band Eryn Non Dae are really upping the ante in terms of quality with this their second full-length.
Eryn Non Dae are a difficult band to pigeon-hole in some ways. I’m going to go with Progressive Metal, (simply because that covers a multitude of sins), but there are also elements of Sludge, Post-Metal, Doom, Ambient, etc. on this artful album.
As a useful reference point think a band like Tool at their most expansive, only make it heavier and add harsher vocals. Prog gone Sludge? Or Post-Metal with the emphasis on the Metal? Tool crossed with Year Of No Light and Rosetta? Maybe.
A sprawling multi-faceted album that requires a guide to fully map out the terrain explored; there is both depth and breadth here, providing the listener with a complete aural experience.
Meliora is darkly atmospheric and bleakly absorbing. The songs have light and shade and never suffer from losing interest. One of the wonderful things about Eryn Non Dae is that they know how to create these various emotions and moods without following the usual Post-Metal template; although there is a good amount of variety on this album it is essentially all centred around aggression and heaviness. This being true, the fact that they have created such landscapes of hardened sound is very telling of their talented nature.
The songs are heavily involving and speak to the listener in private terms, whispering secrets that are hidden in plain sight, wrapped in an enigma of monolithic guitars and towering vocals.
This is an excellent album that I can’t believe has only just come to my attention. Released in 2012 that’s two entire years it has been missing from my life! Definitely a keeper and in it for the long haul. Get this while you can as it will make your life better.
Wonderbox Metal 