Heavy Metal – Page 39 – Wonderbox Metal

Weapon – Naga: Daemonum Praeteritum (Review)

Oh this is wonderfully dirty underground Black Metal! Gritty and raw. The kind of sound that can garrotte the unwary listener at 100 yards.

This is a collection of three demos, (Within the Flesh of the Satanist, Violated Hejab and Para Bhakti…Salvation), all remastered by Lars Broddesson of Marduk. The sound is brutal and distorted; filthy and fuzzy. This is the sound of a band expressing themselves with whatever means at their disposal – straight for the jugular.

For the main the vocals are guttural shouts – almost what you’d expect from old-school Death Metal rather than Black Metal, but it suits the style well. There is also some variety in places; from almost-spoken harshness to slightly higher-pitched-but-still-quite-deep; enough to keep the listener interested.

The music is slithering, sharp and surprisingly rhythmic in the drum department on occasion. The riffs are simple and classic for the most part, but they are not afraid to experiment as the needs of the song dictate, with plenty of interest and ideas to be had throughout. The emphasis here is on expressing feelings of darkness and hate and vomiting them forth into the recording, a tone which is captured well.

The sound may be primitive but that shouldn’t put you off – here we have some perfect examples of aggressive underground Black Metal that any true fan of the genre can’t help but appreciate.

Overall I would rate this release very highly indeed. It’s non-generic, interesting and has plenty of feeling and passion. What more could you want?

Caves of Glass – Caves of Glass (Review)

Ever wonder what would happen if a band like Vinterriket stopped playing their brand of atmospheric ambient Black Metal and instead started playing atmospheric ambient Post-Metal instead? Of course you have. Well wonder no more! The result would probably sound much akin to Caves of Glass. This is my initial impression at any rate and it serves as a useful starting point for their sound.

From fuzzed up heavy riffing, to classical instrumentation, this is a varied and complete journey into feeling and effect. Heavy guitars meet Moby-style effects and ambience to chilling effect; all wrapped up in the type of recording normally reserved for Black Metal; good but grimey. This is beautiful music not afraid to get mired in the sludge. The vocals as well cover all points – clean, growled, Vinterriket-style almost-too-high-to-hear-screeching…very impressive.

This is a collaboration between members of about 6 different groups, so that would presumably account for the variety on offer here, as well as just how well everything fits together. All members obviously know what they are doing and must work well together as the songwriting and grasp of dynamics on display certainly equal the best of the Post-Metal bands around today. Some of the parts of this album are just hair-raising. They are seriously that good.

This is a band that takes you on a journey through darkness and light, aggression and peace. An album for people who enjoy the distance travelled as well as the final destination. An album that grows and gets better with repeated listens. An album that has a lot to offer open minds and adventurers in sound.

I came across this band essentially by accident – it was recommended to me via Twitter. Now I’m recommending it in turn. You won’t be disappointed.

Favourite track: Barren Earth

Arfsynd – Hesychia (Review)

Hailing from Sweden; Arfsynd play underground Black Metal with plenty of both melody and bite. The overall feeling conjured by this album is one of an evil majesty.

Epic, soaring melodies juxtapose against solid Black Metal drums while a distinctly non-standard Black Metal voice shouts over the top of it. The slight clash of styles, (simplicity of the drums, brutal hoarseness of the vocals, epic melodies and riffs), works better than it might otherwise sound, coming together to create songs of real character that are instantly memorable and enjoyable.

As touched on; the vocals are not the normal Black Metal shrieking that you may expect; rather they are hoarse, ugly, shouted things – someone has been dredged up from the bowels of Hades to provide these vocals and they are making sure that their mark is felt. Extra vocal styles are used to accompany the main ones throughout this release, adding another layer and further interest to the music.

With this album though it’s always the intricate, impressive use of melody that I return to. The guitars and bass are used expertly to provide such a wealth of feeling and depth that the music sounds alive and vital.

This is no run-of-the-mill colder-than-thou generic Black Metal. This is real, living, vibrant and essential. Highly enjoyable.

Pantheon of Blood – Tetrasomia (Review)

Scything, razor-sharp Black Metal from Finland. This is their third release and shows much promise for the future.

There are good melodies aplenty on this release, with a sound that is at once on the raw side but not really enough to qualify as “necro” or to obscure the music that is on display here. The vocals are suitably high and screeching, (in a good way), so there are no problems in this department. The instruments are all played competently and the band have a good grasp of the basics of songwriting, which can only develop further in the future.

I enjoyed this release – it is relatively short, but then it is an EP, and should be viewed as a taster for a (hopefully) upcoming full-length. I look forward to hearing what they come up with.

Give them a listen and see what you think.

Perditor – Divine Riddles (Review)

Perditor are a Black Metal band from Holland. They play a razor-sharp brand of Black Metal that has a palpable aura of menace about it. Indeed; this is not for the faint-hearted. This is an hour of evil music.

Underneath the grimness though is not just a band going through the motions; this is the real deal and thankfully the music can more than keep up with the passion on display here. The songs are well-written and complex enough to keep interest while still having a scything, brutal, black heart. There are plenty of well-thought out blackened melodies on offer here, and a lot of ideas that elevate this release far above the run-of-the-mill.

It would be criminal to not mention the vocals as well. While sticking predominantly to the style that one would expect for a Black Metal album; the vocalist is highly accomplished and has a surprising range and versatility that, like the music, is much better than the average.

With this album Perditor acknowledge the past while stamping their own identity on the Black Metal template; twisting it to serve their will rather than being a slave to it. And thus true power and purpose was born.

This is a superior album in every way. If you have a taste for the blackened art then you should seek this release out immediately. There is a depth and longevity to this album that you will not want to miss. Highly recommended.

Favourite track: Servus Diaboli.

Colosus – Blestem (Review)

Well this is a surprise. For some reason I wasn’t expecting to like this release that much. Not really sure why – something just put me off it for some reason. I’m happy I’m wrong though as what we have here is some excellent atmospheric Black Metal from the UK. Just the right combination of feeling, grimness and sound quality to ensure that the album sounds suitably murky but clear enough to make everything out.

We start off with a suitably (un-)pleasant intro, followed by the almost-thirteen minute “Mormant” which is a well-executed chunk of depressive Black Metal. Here Colosus shows the ability to produce a very atmospheric track that draws you in and slowly absorbs you until, before you know it, it is almost over and you are left wanting more. Thankfully the next track supplies.

The vocals scream and wail, almost in the background; almost used as another instrument. Not a million miles away from a band like Vinterriket; such a comparison is a good place to start actually, although it only a starting point as Colosus are certainly no clone.

Interspersed within the pieces of Black Metal are more ambient interludes. Thankfully these are not mere filler though and add to the atmosphere of the album and provide another facet of the journey to get lost in.

Overall a very strong album, and one that I will be enjoying absorbing myself in for some time to come.

Barbelith – Barbelith (Review)

Barbelith are a depressive Black Metal band from the US who also have just a touch of post-metal to their sound. The music is deliberately emotional and atmospheric and evokes feelings of darkness and mournfulness in the listener.

At 25 minutes in length this is a short EP containing just 5 tracks; an Intro, Outro and 3 songs proper. As such it can be considered a taster release for what will (hopefully) be an upcoming full-length album.

Each of the three main songs concentrates on a atmospheric journey into bleakness and mourning that works well and sits comfortably with the current slew of bands combining elements of Black Metal and post-metal, although I would say that Barbelith consist mainly of the Black Metal side of the two.

A release that best works its bleak magic over time – I suggest you give it the time to breathe that it deserves.

Anciients – Heart of Oak (Review)

Ever wondered what it would sound like if Mastodon and Enslaved got together and released an album? Well wonder no longer, as it would probably sound like Heart of Oak. Imagine a 50/50 collaboration between both of those bands – the melodies, both vocally and musically displayed here are reminiscent of both groups and are hugely enjoyable.

This is not to say that Anciients are a rip-of band of course – far from it – the Mastodon/Enslaved comparison simply serves as a useful starting point when describing Anciients and they certainly have their own individuality and flair – more so than most bands. Amazingly this is only a debut album – a release of this calibre is usually not heard of on a first full-length and is as refreshing as it is enjoyable.

The songs on display here are arguably simpler/less complex than a lot of Mastodon/Enslaved songs, (to use these bands as a reference point again), but this is not to their detriment, as this album is all about the melodies and the song structures. This is probably one of the catchiest metal albums you’ll hear all year, and yet it still manages to retain its edge that will allow it to age well and not become tired as some melody-driven albums can become after time.

An album that is as long as it is good. Worth it.

Insain – Spiritual Rebirth (Review)

Insain are a brutal Death Metal band from France. The album starts with a nice, slow, ease-in before entering full-on brutality mode proceeding to pummel the listener into submission, in a thoroughly enjoyable way that only this style of music can do.

This album has a very nice sound – the best way I can describe it is satisfying. As the songs play and the brutality unveils, it feels like a very satisfying listen. This is the kind of album that reminds you why you first got into Death Metal in the first place, and makes you hungry for more.

This is an album that grabs you immediately but it’s also clear that it will stand the test of time and still remain an enjoyable listen down the line. Riffs, beats and (brutal) melodies are in abundance with both simplicity and technicality being displayed.

Special note should go to the vocalist, who I feel has done a particularly good job and whose vocals are very satisfying (there’s that word again) indeed.

Apparently there’s a new album in the works for the near future – after hearing Spiritual Rebirth I can safely say that this is something every Death Metal fan should be looking forward to.

To The Pain – To The Pain (Review)

Now this is the stuff! Here we have a Thrash/Power Metal band from the US who really know their stuff.

Here we have some classic, 80s/90s-style thrash with a power-feel to some of the vocals. There are seven songs on offer here and each one of them is as enjoyable as the next. No trends, no compromise, just old-school metal played by people with an obvious passion and talent for this style of music.

There are plenty of great riffs, melodies, solos, vocals, etc. being shown off here. Each song is an actual song and stands strongly by itself, with plenty of feeling and quality poured into it and covered liberally in pure molten metal.

As I sit here listening to this album I am transported back to the formative years of my metal youth; listening to the giants of the thrash and heavy metal genres – this album has a similar feel to those, all wrapped up in a modern sound that lends it a freshness that a lot of bands lack these days.

I really, really like this release – I suggest you check them out as soon as you can.

https://www.facebook.com/ToThePainNY

http://www.reverbnation.com/playlist/view_playlist/-4?page_object=artist_2481832