Gorgon are a symphonic death metal band from France and this is their second album.
Symphonic death metal shouldn’t work, and mostly doesn’t. Elegy is different, however.
Imagine Orphaned Land if they were powered by death metal; this is my simplistic, overall Continue reading
Kaleikr are an Icelandic black/death metal band and this is their debut album.
This is black metal that’s progressive and emotive. Heart of Lead is an album that you can almost visibly see change as it develops and unfolds. As it runs through its playing time, Kaleikr’s music becomes increasingly darker and more unhinged. Continue reading
An Argency are a deathcore/metalcore band from Belarus and this is their second album.
So here’s a band that are travelling a path slightly less-worn – self-described as symphonic blackened deathcore, or occult deathcore, Eternal Legacy is the sound of deathcore/metalcore structuring that’s been warped and corrupted by black metal’s sickening touch. Continue reading
Profane Burial are an orchestral/symphonic black metal band from Norway and this is their debut album.
There’s a lot of music out there in the world, and sometimes you have to decide just how you’re going to filter through it all and give something a listen. Sometimes this can be tricky work, but not in the case of Profane Burial. I knew I had to listen to this due to the presence of Continue reading
Septic Flesh are a symphonic death metal band from Greece and this is their tenth album.
A new release from Septic Flesh is always something to get a lot more excited about than that of your average band. Make no mistake either; this is definitely worth getting excited about.
Here’s a band that seems to be going from strength to strength for the last decade or so, and Codex Omega is another top-quality addition to their discography. Continue reading
Promethean are a French symphonic blackened death metal band and this is their debut EP.
The cover of this alone was enough to pique my interest. You know what they say; come for the cover, stay for the music, right? Continue reading
Divine Element are an international black/death metal band. This is their second album.
This is quite a varied release that essentially boils down to about 40 minutes of epic extreme metal.
The music takes Continue reading
Ophidian Spell are a symphonic/melodic death metal band from France and this is their debut album.
Combining aspects of melodic, progressive and symphonic death metal into their delivery, Ophidian Spell offer up the listener a modern blend of these various influences. I can hear aspects of The Faceless, Devin Townsend, In Flames, Emperor/Ihsahn, Ne Obliviscaris, Delain and Septic Flesh in the mix, along with some others. Continue reading
Enthean are from the US and this is their début album. They play Black Metal.
This is progressive, technical and symphonic Black/Death Metal. It’s a bit of a mouthful, but then this is a band who have a lot of different influences. I hear bands like Zyklon, Dissection, Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, Septic Flesh and Fleshgod Apocalypse in their sound.
This is the second album from Indian Extreme Metal band Demonstealer.
This is a very ambitious album. Across 9 tracks the band deliver 57 minutes of music that straddles Death, Black, Thrash, Progressive and Atmospheric Metal to deliver an epic journey.
Recognisably Death Metal at their core, Demonstealer skilfully incorporate the above-mentioned aspects into their sound so that we have something that the likes of Nile, Behemoth, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Septic Flesh, Opeth and other such envelope-pushing bands should be proud of.
This Burden Is Mine hops between genres with ease. One moment it might be all blasting and mayhem, while the next it may be soft, reflective and shamelessly progressive. And then you have the atmospheric, symphonic elements, where the keyboards get to shine and the emotive side of the band is ramped up to full capacity. The band also have a melodic flair that adds a lot to the tracks, with plenty of tasty leads and solos thrown into the mix.
Pure Death Metal growls are accentuated with a more varied delivery of screams, shouts, clean and semi-clean vocals, professionally done and perfectly judged. You’d easily think this album had more than one singer, rather than just one very talented vocalist.
Although this album is extremely diverse and varied, it carries a holistic cohesiveness with it that speaks of the quality songwriting and talent that the band are capable of. This Burden Is Mine is extremely impressive and a rich, evocative listen.
Well well. Albums like this don’t come along that often. This should be embraced and celebrated by all Metal fans as the tour de force that it is.
Essential.
