Category Archives: Albums

High Fighter – “Scars & Crosses” (Svart)

Posted by Fraggle on

high20fighter20scars2020crosses202020202020album20front20cover_20by20dominic20sohorHigh Fighter are a five piece doomy sludge band from Hamburg, one of the busiest places in Europe. As Germany’s Equivalent to Amsterdam in terms of the culture and party-like atmosphere of certain districts and areas, the city is also a hotbed of musical activity and given it’s proximity to Wacken, its no surprise many metal bands love to go there, be it touring or passing through it on the way to one of the most celebrated (and extremely divisive) festivals on offer. With some real praise being lauded on them, by the likes of Conan, arguably the biggest doom band currently active right now, John Garcia, a pioneer of stoner rock and various media outlets such as the iconic Sludgelord, big things are expected from this band. Let us see if these guys can fight their way up high.

“A Silver Heart” opens the album up with an initially lightly distorted progression before the dirt kicks in. Rich distortion, deep rumbling bass and steady drums going at a slow pace shift to a lone guitar riff before it kicks in. The bass is clear as it rings out under the hazy, hypnotic and melodic progressions which roll off the guitar with little fuss. Vocally, its clean with a solid tone, occasionally lapsing into the harshness where required and with a very similar feel to the delivery of Mike Patton. As the track progresses there are some slight rhythmic shifts and little rapid drum fills but it maintains that steady pace with ease. The bluesy lead break goes down a treat with some sublime sounding licks and the descent into the heavily spaced out musically and vocally  raw section makes for a great end. In all, an intriguing opening effort.

“Darkest Days” follows and it is more upbeat than the previous one. With a real rocking groove and infectious melodic hook, it has a great stoner vibe to it. Subtle in the verse with rich vocals and a warm bass tone, it gets a little rawer towards the chorus. With plenty of hypnotic and surreal feel, the mid section has a great progression from clear to murky in both vocals and sound. The subtle lead melody, hidden behind the sea of clashing symbols and fuzz surfaces from time to time, punctuated by the growled vocals and as an ending, it does the job well, leaving the track to fade into some heavy breathing and scraping sample noises.

“The Gatekeeper” comes in with its phaser-laden guitar intro. The swirling effect is delivered well as it adds a surreal edge before the bass and drums come in, thickening the sound up well. Slow and steady paced, the verse goes down easy with its simple beat and the vocals have a hazy feel about them. Darkening for the pre-chorus, with some sludge styled harsh vocals, it gets heavier before taking a more melodic and fuller sound in the chorus. Bringing back the phaser, the second verse gets that surreal edge again and the reverb on the vocals just adds that little bit extra before the sludge to melody shift happens again. The hard hitting riff section follows this, speeding up a little and bringing a pseudo-Sabbathian sound before the big build up moment which results in a great sounding classic rock influenced lead with wild wah and fuzz to round the sound out for a solid ending which drifts into a howl of feedback.

“Blinders” has a quick paced intro. With a bouncing feel, a real booming bassline and fuzzed out main riff, it brings the sludge side right out. The harsh vocal delivery hits hard and as it slows to a steadier paced delivery, the vocals clean back up just in time to transition back to the sludge laden groove feel again. With a subtle melodic lesd hook and surreal sounds courtesy of effect use, it comes alive once more before going into the rawness once more. The simple structure and alternating from sludge to melodic in terms of delivery works great and just like before, the howl of feedback signals the end of the track and the first half of the album.

Opening up the second half of the album, “Portrait Gods” hits with a heavy, pounding riff. Heavy on the groove, the vocals really ring out on this one, shifting from raw and harsh growls to soft and expressive cleans with little effort required whilst the riffing sounds like an extremely heavy ‘Welcome To Sky Valley’ era-Kyuss. With ringing out muddy cleans and fat fuzz laden monstrous riffs full over power, it really hits the spot. Not too fast, not too slow, not too overpowering but with plenty of bite where needed and a touch of spaced out for good measure. It’s a joy to behold and the trippy, almost psychedelic solo with the massive wah and phaser use is tremendous!

“Gods” keeps with the more stoner frock friendly sound whilst still containing that power of the doom riff. This time coming off more ‘Blues For The Red Sun’ era-Kyuss meets Fu Manchu, it lays on the fuzz and infectious feel and groove. Subtle lead melodies work in harmony with the vocals, rounding out the sound and giving a twin-headed approach, the power and groove of the riffs and rhythm facing off with the hypnotic delivery of the vocals and hook laden lead. Heavy enough to still maintain links to the doomier side of their sound with the thick sound from the guitar and bass, but having the real rocking flow of the stoner end of the spectrum, its a well balanced track which holds up well.

“Down To The Sky” has an intricate clean intro which flicks to distortion quickly. The slow pace, ringing arpeggios and deep bass create a warm feel reminiscent of Goatess, precariously teetering on the edge of Sabbathian styled doom but having more of a psychedelic edge to it. Heavy but not overpowering, the sound is fantastic with a real depth and fullness to it. The steady pace and powerful vocal delivery works like a charm. The pace allows for some headbanging if needed, but sitting back to appreciate whilst nodding along works well. In the mid section there is a touch of harshness to the vocals but the way the riffs hit with some melodic kicks here and there is what really caps it off. The frenzied wah solo kicks it up a gear as it rips through the steady pace, giving it a more balls out approach which comes in at just the right time. Honestly, this is the best track on the album by far!

Closing the album is “Scars & Crosses”. With a Bill Ward styled drum pattern, it goes into a real raw sounding wah laden lead and you guessed it – right into Sabbathian doom territory. With a brisk pace, a real bite to the snarling guitar tone, this one is a real live-wire. Rough around the edges vocals with some harshness at points cap the faster sections whilst the simple hypnotic main riff hammers away. The lead fills and melodies keep the frenzy going and the shifting from rapid to steady with the pace and delivery is balanced well. Carefully crafted, this track does well to draw on the whole album but adding even more in its final minutes. Solid riffs, great lead progressions, rumbling bass and tremendous drums, this has all the makings of a cracking live track and it serves as a fitting curtain call on an impressive debut full length.

As evident by my review, this album is clearly one of two clear halves. The first half is more orientated to the doomier and sludge side of the musical spectrum whilst the second half, my personal favourite leans more towards the stoner and Sabbathian school of doom with a hefty dose of psychedelic quality added for good measure. When both halves are combined, it gives a well rounded recording which touches on all bases, satisfying fans of all kinds of doom and its sub-genres whilst sounding fresh and unique.

The lavish praised heaped upon Hamburg’s High Fighter is warranted and I highly suggest you should see what the fuss is for yourselves!

(8.5/10, Fraggle)

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Goatess – Purgatory Under New Management (SVART)

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Doom is such a wonderful genre. It ranges from the depths of despair with the crushing, monolithic walls of sound which accompany funeral doom to the groove laden, raw and rocking feeling of stoner doom and of course, Black Sabbath’s ‘trinity of doom’ albums from 1971-1973 (Master Of Reality, Volume 4 and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath). The sonic landscape within this genre is vast and there is so much to choose from. Sure, bands like Sleep, Electric Wizard, Saint Vitus, Church Of Misery, Pentagram and other notable names stand out and you can add Goatess to that list.

Formed in 2009 by Vocalist Christus (Christoff Linderson, Lord Vicar, ex-Saint Vitus,) and Guitarist Niklas in Stockholm, the band were conceived with the notion that their music would be more about the ‘power of the riff’ – taking a guitar or bass riff and expanding on it, creating a massive soundscape and atmosphere. The result ended up in their self-titled debut ‘Goatess’, released in 2013 on Svart Records and the best way to describe it would be psychedelic stoner-doom metal. Full of wonderful riffs and captivating and mind bending sounds, this album received high praise and three years later with a slightly changed line up, Goatess return once again to blow our minds. With Purgatory apparently being under new management, let us see how it fares under this new stewardship.

The slow, melodic descending guitar line with a warm and rich bass tone opens up “Moth To Flame” and almost instantly you are sucked into it. The subtle drums give it some slam kind of timing whilst the stringed section slowly encircles you and when Christus’ vocals kick in, everything just transforms. Delivered softly with a real remarkable sound, the vocals combine with the music behind them to create a hypnotic effect. Emotive and expressive, the music slowly begins to build up momentum giving a great feel to it and then it happens… Two minutes in, the riff kicks in as the clean, melodic section reaches its crescendo and to put it bluntly.. Fuck!

The fantastic tone is just something beautiful. Rich fuzz and perfectly balanced, the guitar riff brings the bass and drums to build up more and what results is a full on groove which opens up a new feeling and forces you to surrender yourself to it. With more power behind the vocals this time, they have a real hook to them as Christus’ delivery paints a vivid picture with the music bringing it to life. It’s not heavy as such, but the pounding feel and intensity is massive and you just find yourself caught up in it. Before you know it, you’re at the later stages of the track and the riffs become slightly darker and heavier and a sense of urgency and franticness appears, bringing with it some wild guitar sounds and dramatic, powerful vocals, really shaking it up before it subsides and fades out. What an opening track!!!

Title track, “Purgatory Under New Management” follows next and it starts off with a slow, building drone-like riff under a spoken word sample about the assimilation of paganism into Christianity. As this builds up and sets the scene, the drums and bass come in to build it up some more and the sound of the bass is delightful, clear in the mix and with a great tone! Progressing through the track, it begins to get heavier as the vocals bring the lyrics to life, creating another hypnotic effect over an intricate guitar lead melody and much like the previous track, it builds in intensity and atmosphere before getting more distorted, heavier and intense, resulting in an intricate guitar and drum heavy section to end the track!

With a title which is a clever play on the widely known ‘Murphy’s Law’ which is often the go to explanation for pessimists and realists, “Murphy Was An Optimist” is the next track on this album. Opening up with a real driving feel, the solid riff and drums are accompanied by a booming bassline, creating a steady pulse which is perfect to headbang to whilst the vocals are solid and help push the track on. The riff changes throughout the track, in parts it becomes more melodic for the guitar parts, in others the bassline becomes more melodic but whatever approach it takes, it still maintains that headbanging pulse, the whole idea behind Goatess and their musical vision – create the riff then build the atmosphere around it. Be it the hypnotic feel sections later on in the track or the rumbling and melodic lines earlier on, the simple structure of this track appears so massive because of the little touches the band add to create the atmosphere and the simplistic lead line which ends the song caps it all nicely.

Instrumental track, “Crocodillians And Other Creepy Crawly shh…..” is your typical ‘out there’ moment of the album and not just because of its title. The track consists of a slow, doomy riff which grows in volume and presence, accompanied by a hypnotic wah-laden bassline and steady drums all underneath some samples from a wildlife documentary… Yeah… Anyway, it is hypnotic and captivating. The way the bass’s rich tone and then the intricate clean licks of the guitar combine, it has a real surreal quality to it and as it gets heavier once more, surging and swirling effects really bring it to life, making it the musical equivalent of mushrooms or other hallucinogenic substances!

 

Bringing us back to reality so to speak, “Shadowland” can be described in four simple words – ‘All Hail The Riff!”. With a sound reminiscent of the ‘doomy’ Sabbath era, this track sounds fantastic and would easily fit in with the likes of ‘Sweat Leaf’, ‘Snowblind’ and ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ in the musical department. Vocally, its slightly darker and more ominous to the other tracks and as usual Christus’ delivery brings it all to life. With great timing, excellent delivery and memorable hooks across the track, this is just one to lose yourself in. Round the 3:30 point, we get the iconic ‘lone guitar riff’ moment which leads to a thunderous sounding section which is massive in all elements. Pounding basslines and solid drums lay down a huge sounding foundation for the guitar to freely express itself with a unique solo which has a surreal edge to it before the riffs come back once more.

“Silent War” takes us away from the altar of Iommi and into a spookier place. With a thick basslineand swirling sample, it goes into a real heavy riff underpinned by a steady pulse and coated with a powerful presence. With slightly hazy vocals coming and going between the clear deliveries, it further increases the unease about the track and the solid, chugging riffs give a great groove to it. Round the 5:30 section, there is a huge wah-laden guitar riff which really builds the track up, leading it into a huge sounding section. With a rich and boomy bassline, great vocal work, captivating drums and hypnotic guitar lines, it keeps you in its trance before a real slick and delightful guitar solo blows you away, giving the track a real magical edge.

“Wrath Of God” is the penultimate track and it will consume you. With a rich sounding clean intro laced with a melodic quality, the guitars ring out wonderfully whilst the bassline drives it on and the intricate drum patterns lock it all down to a steady pace. It picks up as the vocals come in and round the 2:20 part, we get a big kick as the distorted section comes in with a real thick sound but it isn’t as overpowering as you would anticipate. Going back to the clean sound, it gets hypnotic once again and as expected, it distorts once more, bringing in a real headbanging feel section before the vocals trail off as a melodic guitar lead takes over. Shifting once more, a hypnotic wah-laden bass heavy section follows with subtle vocals and here is where reality starts to slip away. A clean lead is accompanied by ‘Ahhh’ like backing vocals and subtle synths which all create a fantastic and epic sound and atmosphere. From here, it’s just a case of sit back and enjoy as the leads guide you through to another distorted section, backed up and in places, augmented by the backing vocals and synth, it hits with real power and honestly, this track right here is the best way to describe why you need this album!

Closing the album is “Good Moaning” and it’s back to a more groove-orientated feel. With its heavy, steadily thumping rhythm section and muted guitar chugs, it has a powerful edge which is only amplified by the enticing vocal delivery. Changing feel slightly, the riff alters the pace of the track and switches it to a pounding feel before shifting back again, all the while retaining its thunderous feel and delivery, giving it a real heavy sound. Constantly riddled with subtle changes, it keeps flowing smoothly and draws the album to a close.

Overall, this is a phenomenal release. Laden with great riffs, captivating and hypnotic sensations, a massive sound and atmosphere which just takes you away and blows your mind, Goatess have managed to create a masterpiece here which ranks up there with the best of them. Purgatory is under new management and if this is any indication, Purgatory sounds like a wonderful place to visit! Even though we’re only in the first half of the year, Goatess could very well have released album of the year!

(10/10 Fraggle)

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Chestburster – “Slime And Guilt” (Svart)

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unnamedWith a name like Chestburster, you’d expect something horrific lurking beneath the surface, ready to explode to life and bring forth something totally terrifying and impossible to grasp the reality of and this three piece may just be that. With a few EP’s under their belt already, the trio from Kouvola, Finland are set to unleash their debut offering, titled “Slime And Guilt”. With a name like that, you have to wonder just how filthy this album really is.

Wonder no more, as the opening bars of “Faces In The Rain” reveal all you need to know. With a real sludgy feel with doom-like atmosphere backing it up, it’s unsettling and evil, just the way we like it. Initially steady paced, it really hits in for the verse, delivered hard, fast and rather loosely, there is a real punk vibe to it, hidden under all that grimy sludge harshness coating it. Despite being rough around the edges, both instrumentally and vocally in terms of the delivery, there are subtle lines of melody buried within the layers and when you pick up on them, they are rather good. Delving into Black Metal territory slightly round the break with a real frantic paced delivery with huge sounding chords played at a blistering pace, the song just jumps from varying levels of intensity on a whim, keeping you on your toes, especially towards the end with its screamed vocals and sinister sounding lead guitar section for a chaotic end.

“Experienced Virgin” has more of a real raw stoner feel to it, oozing with copious amounts of sleaze and dirt. With a raw tone and slightly ‘off-beat- feel, the hazy vocals have a slight hypnotic effect to them. There’s plenty of nifty little blues licks across the track, all of them packed with plenty of flair and character but as you’d expect, Chestburster don’t do things normally. Speeding proceedings up, it gets more chaotic and all of a sudden, there is a lot more happening – wild drums, fast paced bass and guitar and harsh vocals all lead to a real solid sounding solo soaked in a fantastic wah-rich tone to round it all off. Title track “Slime And Guilt” switches it up again, this time rolling back the years to a real hard and loose late 70’s styled punk sound. With the raw and loose feel about it, combined with the hazy vocals, it really captures the essence of the album so far, that being it is wild, uncoordinated and frantic with no real flow to it whatsoever.

“Gas Station Pilgrim” keeps this lack of flow going, changing it up again and bringing a near 10 minute epic to the party. Its real slow blues feel works like a charm, allowing for some great atmospheric build up without much intensity to it. When the verse finally lands, the bass is stupidly heavy and those hazy vocals return yet again along with small flashes of intensity to the sound. With the chorus, it gets more prominent, having a ‘bigger sound’ to it and you kind of get the feeling this is like a slow burning fuse, just waiting to explode to life but as it goes on, through some real hook laden riffs and plenty of ominous vibes given off, there isn’t that explosion which is so brilliantly teased. It does get heavier towards the end after the massive solo section but the only explosion is the expressive lead to cap this epic length track off.

From here on out, things begin to settle in to some kind of flow. “The Arm Stretches Out”, “Rojo Sangre” And “Licking Letters” all have real prominent feelings of stoner-doom groove to them. Packed with riffs which in some cases are tributes to the Godfather of riffs himself, Iommi, and others which are more hook laden and infectious in nature, this trio of songs gets some good momentum and continuity building and shows just what the band is capable of when they settle on one direction. There are flashes of the chaos which ran through the opening tracks, it wouldn’t really be Chestburster without those, but it is a welcome change to have a block of tracks which work well with each other.

This of course changes for the final two tracks. “Tame” is more doom friendly than stoner/groove and the sinister sounding guitar and bass intro really sets up the massive Sabbath styled riffs perfectly, but from here, it is anything but tame. Picking up the pace significantly for the verse, it goes flat out before slowing down again, repeating this pattern to the end of the track. Each section has some great pounding riffs (Slow) and some reall hook laden instrumental sections and slick lead line deliveries, but after the continuity of the previous tracks, it just feels a little off. “Ice Age Inside My Head” is the closing number and this brings back the groove feel. With a solid pace, some great melodic hooks to the riffs and some good energy in it, the track brings the band back to doing what they do best . More accessible than most of the album, its an enjoyable track to listen to with its straight to the point rock and roll vibe coated in a thick stoner styled delivery and the guitar work is magnificent, oozing class be it in the lead sections or the riffs.

In all, “Slime And Guilt” is an album of two parts, the opening part in my mind being the weaker of the two. If you can get past the first four tracks, you have a remaining 5 which are great slices of groove laden doom which would make the perfect soundtrack for some high and good times. It is an album which does get better as it goes on, but given how different the two parts of this release are, its a case of persevering and dealing with the dynamic and entropic qualities of the first half.

Still, it’s not bad, it’s just not for everyone.

(6.5/10 Fraggle)

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Baphomet’s Blood – “In Satan We Trust” (Iron Bonehead)

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Italian dark thrashers Baphomet’s blood take the primal and grim ambience and atmosphere of black metal and the occult and mix it with the early thrash styled approach of the early 80’s to create a real fast paced and evil sounding record. Aptly titled, “In Satan We Trust”, every track has a name drop or reference to El Diablo himself/herself/itself, whether it be samples from horror films or screaming out his name, it’s very evil and that’s always a fun thing.

From the 2 and a half minute sample based opening of the album’s first track, “Command Of The Inverted Cross” to the final bars of “Eleg”, a Farao cover, it’s a fast paced, stripped back, simplistic and predictable approach, mixed with plenty of dark themes and ill intent. Powerful drums and basslines pin the pace down and allow the wild and untamed guitars to do their thing. Buzzing away like a swarm of angry locusts dosed up on Methamphetamine, the twin guitar assault with the Venom-meets-Motorhead styled vocal delivery, the speedy Satan praising thrash onslaught pulls no punches. With that classic 80’s sound and some lightning quick and blistering solo’s, it is a full on assault.

“In Satan We Trust” brings some Merciful Fate styled sounds to the table with the hybrid bastard offspring of heavy metal and thrash metal, packed with plenty of speed and plenty of bite, but instead of the piercing wails for vocals, it’s the raw and sleazy shouts , complete with a guitar solo trade off spot which goes down well. “Hellbreaker” is frantic paced from the get go, hitting speeds which veteran windmillers like Corpsegrinder would have trouble keeping up with at times and the vocals are even wilder. After this, the remaining tracks all follow the same formula and structure near enough – fast, wild, shouted vocals, solo’s played at rapid pace and plenty of powerful rhythms.

“Infernal Overdrive” breaks this mold slightly, being the most intense track of the album. Starting off dramatically, it builds before it peaks and explodes into a thunderous sounding and venomously delivered slice of no bullshit thrash. Pounding drums, powerful and booming basslines with tight and precise lead fills and licks which have a building feel, ramping the intensity up even more, it really gets going and as expected, the wild and maelstrom of chaos which comes in the form of the solo is fantastic.

Overall, “In Satan We Trust” is a solid album. It isn’t shit, but it doesn’t excel or shine out either compared to its contemporaries which were released in the thrash scene this year. All it is, is no nonsense speed-thrash metal with some darkness, primal anger and shameless Satan supporting with a real 80’s feel to it. It’s worth a listen, especially for the diehard thrashers out there, but as for everyone else, you’ll either like it, or tire of it quickly. To the point, no fucking about, Baphomet’s Blood trust in Satan, and that trust has been repaid with some fast as fuck riff wizardry!

(6/10 Fraggle)

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Seer – “Volume 1 & 2” (Art Of Propaganda)

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Seer are a doom band with some serious sludge and psychedelic influences. Hailing from the Pacific coast of Canada, the sound the guys come out with is just as massive as the expanse they hail from. A two-part release, Volume 1 & 2 promises a surreal journey through the vast expanse with some serious sonic landscapes to traverse and many challenges to whether ranging from intense to heavy to ominous and discomforting. Perhaps named in tribute to the guys who started it all, Black Sabbath, Seer are certainly ready to unleash something special and with a raft of guest musicians to make this possible, we can only hope the two parter makes one complete piece.

Opening up with “Glimmervoid”, a wall of colossal sounding riffs backed up with some booming bass kicks things off and the slightly hazy, spaced out vocal delivery gives it a real ominous and surreal edge. Shifting into a fantastic groove laden section, the vocals get harsher, taking a real sludge-like edge to them before it quickly slips into the powerfully delivered chorus. The ‘bouncy’ feeling riff with a great tone and clean vocals once again come in, changing the pace slightly, and this approach continues throughout the track, slipping from slow paced to thick and heavy groove, clean and trippy singing to real harsh roars. It’s a simple exploit of dynamics, but it works fantastically. As the track continues, it gets heavier and there are some wonderful sounding riff sections and some real heavy pounding moments, all leading up to a dramatic and intensely heavy ending which eases off into some howling feedback to draw the track to a close.

“Hive Mind” is a steady paced, dissonant feeling and huge sounding track. With a melodic lead over a pulsing drone-like rhythm, it has a hypnotic quality to it. The clean hazy vocals return and as they float across the riffs, the rich and booming bass really shines, acting almost as a counter melody to the vocal progression. Guitar-wise, it sounds similar to Sleep’s ‘Dopesmoker’ with the harsh and powerful droning tone and it certainly hits like it in parts – a huge wall of distorted noise and roared vocals near the mid-section is both captivating and intimidating, very similar to Conan in some ways. Some real filthy riffs round the 4:30 mark lead into a slick solo which brings in a frantic feel which in turn leads to more feedback which acts as the curtain call for part 1 of the release.

The second part, “Volume 2” opens up with “Cosmic Ghost”. With some samples of wind blowing over a vast empty expanse backing up a clean acoustic guitar which has some droning to it, it has a real atmospheric feel to it. The vocals are cleanly delivered with that spaced out edge once again. The added string sections add an extra edge and the spaced out chanting like vocals of the slightly droning acoustic guitar really creates a relaxing feel, even as the distortion subtly begins to creep in halfway through. As the distortion grows, the slow and steady pace with acoustic layering remains, keeping it more restrained than the previous tracks.

“Haunter” opens up with a Sleep styled riff before really kicking in. Massive sounding and almost crushing in the delivery, the thunderous pounding just hammers away at a mesmerizing pace. The hazy vocals are layered just behind the pounding musical onslaught, almost lost in the noise and this mixing trick works to good effect, making you fully immerse yourself in the sonic landscape the track has created just to hear it. Luring you in and taking hold, it puts you under its spell, smothering you with the distortion and the wild almost atonal guitar solo before going into a harmonized riff section which acts as a slight reprieve before it goes more atonal and even heavier, pummeling you with harshness which persists until the end.

“Antibody” is the penultimate track and it has a more Black Sabbath feel to its intro riff. With more of a kick to it but still retaining the heavier edge of Haunter, it powers along with a great headbanging pace, bringing some up-tempo doom styled riffery with some great vocal harsh moments in the right places to really kick it in. With more precise and dissonant sounding leads over thundering rhythms, it embodies chaos whilst still having a solid groove and it sets up for the closing track quite well. “Aeons” brings a dramatic sounding close to the album. Howling wind samples with some atonal sounding chords and bass bring the track slowly in, almost mimicking a bell tolling. Slowly progressing, it has a very unsettling feel to it and this persists throughout. Some small melodic melody lines and heavily effects-laden vocals fade in an out, toying with the listener and keeping them on edge, anticipating the explosion of noise. Except this explosion doesn’t come. Instead it stays like this before slowly trailing off into silence, giving a strange and uneasy end to a strange album.

Overall, “Volume 1 & 2” is a fascinating release. The intensely heavy opening double of Volume 1 brings the intensity and despite some slight dips into this sound in “Volume 2”, the later quadruplet of tracks are more atmospheric and bring a different kind of intensity. One favours noise whilst two favours toying with the senses. Starting off with a harsh and heavy variant of sludge-laden doom, it evolves into a full on psychedelic sludge-doom hybrid which keeps you under its spell for the whole duration of the album. Head on into the Glimmervoid and follow the Seer.

(7/10 Fraggle)

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Aborted – “Termination Redux” (Century Media)

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635826745208491354Death Metal is such a diverse genre which slips into so many other genres with relative ease but also has its own unique sound and feel. Whether it is brutal, traditional, USDM, UKDM, Melodic Death Metal or doom, black, grind or gore tinted, it has that signature intensity which sets it apart and currently, none seem to shine brighter than Belgium’s own Aborted.

I first discovered this band back in 2007 when they played Damnation Festival 2007 along with Kataklysm and strangely enough, nine years later, the two are touring once again! The Belgian five piece are uncompromising in their approach, laying waste with harsh vocals which are barked or guttrally smashed into you whilst the precise rhythm unit of the band lock everything down to lay a solid foundation for some real phenomenally heavy and brutal riff work. In all, its a band who after 20 years in existence, seem to have reached that point where it comes so easy to them. As a taster for what is to come and to celebrate 20 years in the DM scene, Aborted release Termination Redux, a short EP with all new brutal material. Are you ready for some blast beats?

Opening up with “Liberate Me Ex Infernus”, we have the usual introduction setting short sample intro track which sets the scene. With distorted voices and a sinister atmosphere, it would have served better just being a part of the track it leads into, but nevermind, it does the job well enough and as “Termination Redux” explodes into life, it is time to experience the full fury of Aborted. Opening up with a sheer wall of force, hitting like a sledgehammer to the skull, the blasting drums with evil sounding guitars crush all in their path with no remosre. The verse speeds things up significantly, the harshly delivered vocals create a maelstrom of chaos as they tear ahead and the delivery is just spot on. Precise rhythms, effortless blasting and brutal feeling riffery, its exactly what you expect from the band. Round the 2 minute mark, things take a sinister turn with a real malevolent sound and feel – a big breakdown section with haunting clean melodic lines over harsh vocals and a slower pace which brings a sense of unease. This slips into a fluid and flowing technical solo which in turn leads to a massive vocal roar which signals the return of the maelstrom , ending the track with an explosion of brutal proportions.

“Vestial Disfigurement Upon The Sacred Chantry” is furious from the off. The relentless blasting of the drums with intricate and pounding guitar riffs played at a rapid pace cuts through with little fuss or care for what is in its way and the venom in the vocal delivery is magnificent. With a wild and chaotic feel, it is unbelievably intense and heavy and that is just the opening minute! It slows slightly into a more controlled section which has a real thunderous feel to it and the guttral vocal stylings begin to rear their head once again, adding to the intense atmosphere. Speeding up again, the twisting, harmonic laden riffs up the frantic feel as they squeal out clearly between blasts and chugs and overall it has a fantastic no nonsense death metal groove to it.

“Bound In Acrimony” is another full force, relentless sonic assault with some serious power in it. The blistering pace from the off, provided by the furious blasting on the drums gives a real tightly controlled groove with an intense delivery. It doesn’t let up, from the thundering bass to the buzzing guitars and machine gun like drums, it just keeps on going, letting nothing get in its way, making for what could be a spectacular track in the live setting just for the sheer ferocity of it! Closing the EP is “The Holocaust Reincarnate”. Possibly the heaviest and most intense track on this short EP, the closing number has it all. Pounding bass which brings a heavy as fuck quality to the sound, really letting the low end thunder through whilst the buzzing guitars and drums bring the pace. Slipping into a full on audio-assault of death metal, the precise and rapid-fire groove just steamrollers everything in its path. Like a madman on PCP charging through the streets, shrugging off tasers and gunshots, the venomous delivery of the track pulls no punches and takes no shit! Even when it slows down with an ominous sounding breakdown, it has a full on headbang feel with plenty of slam styled riffs to keep the intensity going, occasionally broken up by sporadic bursts of pace and rapid riffery, leading into a technically sound solo over the controlled brutality to draw it to a close.

Overall, this isn’t just a stop-gap release. This is a signal of intent, a statement, something to show what 20 years of brutal and technical death metal can lead to. Termination Redux is a taste of what Aborted plan to bring to the table with their next full length release. Uncompromising, taking no prisoners and demonstrating why they are shown so much respect and admiration, Aborted have delivered once again. In roughly 15 minutes, the brutal Belgians have got 2016 off with a blastbeat and the coming tour with Kataklysm promises so much.

(8/10 Fraggle)

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Sonic Recapitulation’s top 20 of 2015

Posted by Fraggle on

2015 was a stellar year for releases. Anyone who said there was nothing worthy or of note released seriously needs to take a long look at themselves and ask the question – “Just what the fuck was I listening to?”

Great tours, Fantastic albums and some bands stepping up to the plate and others passing on the torch or re-inventing themselves and showing what they can do with some new ideas, it was a great year for some and a let down for others.

This has been a rather interesting year musically! I’ve probably reviewed around 100 albums since the start of the year and listened to a few more so I had a pretty big list to try and condense down. There were some expected musical deliveries, some surprise packages, some expected dreadful albums and a handful of one’s which should have been so much better than they actually were, it was rather disappointing (See Slayer, Geoff Tate). Anyway, there won’t be any honorable mentions this year so lets crack on with it:

 

1) Iron Maiden – “The Book Of Souls”. (EMI)

It had to be this really, the moment I heard “Speed Of Light” before the album was released, I was impressed with the more hard rock vibe delivered in that classic Maiden style. Bruce has had some big health troubles recently, but you’d never have thought it listening to his work on this album. For me, it’s the best one they’ve put out since Bruce rejoined for ‘Brave New World’ as it pushes the boundaries a little more for Maiden – actually using drop-D tuning for one song, Harris only being the creative mind in half of the tracks and of course, that epic closing track, “Empire Of The Clouds” which showcases Dickinson’s creativity, ingenuity and fantastic vocal story telling… Also, can’t forget mentioning that sweet guitar solo on “Tears Of A Clown”!

 

2) Night Viper – “Night Viper” (Svart)

This was the surprise package and for the past week or so (at time of writing this up), it was the one thing which actually came close to topping Iron Maiden on my list. Delivered with that classic NWOBHM style sound, mixing the early Maiden, Priest and Saxon sounds with some realy modern grit and fantastic vocals, the Swedish classic sounding metal outfit produced one of the best debut albums of the year and one of the most authentic sounding metal albums which borrows heavily from the 80’s. My review of this album really explains just what I think of the release so feel free to give it a read.

3) Armored Saint – “Win Hands Down” (Metal Blade)

Whilst this album didn’t score as high as the album in the #4 position, this is possibly one of my most listened to records of 2015. A solid album which showcases why John Bush is easily one of the finest metal vocalists of our time and how the often overlooked and underrated thrash and groove metallers always deliver when its time to offer up a new record. With scathing views on society combined with fantastic guitar work and some slick bass and drums, it’s an all round album which was so nearly my album of 2015 if it wasn’t for the two above it!

 4) Jupiter Falls – “Revolution” (Broken Road)

I said enough about this release in my review and my opinion still hasn’t changed. To me, it is a modern day version of Appetite For Destruction – it’s got all the bases covered, it’s an explosive sounding album made by people who really know how to put together some solid sounding tracks and play a wide range of styles, from your modern metal to classic sleaze tainted rock to big heartfelt tracks. Having heard a demo of a new track for the follow up, I can safely say this is an album which will solidify Jupiter Falls in years to come! A fine debut and one hell of a sound!

 5) My Sleeping Karma – “Moksha” (Napalm)

The album which literally blew my mind when I listened to it was again another heavy contender for album of the year. In fact all my top 5 were, that is how close they all are! Stunning songwriting, beautifully arranged melodies and a massive sounding sonic landscape for you to immerse yourself in, the German instrumental psychadelic doom and groove merchants have created easily the best instrumental album of 2015 and probably recent years too. If you do anything, just listen to the title track and prepare to be left an awestruck drooling mess after it!

6) Evil Invaders – “Pulses of Pleasure” (Napalm)

Much like Night Viper, Evil Invaders have brought out a convincing classic sounding album with some modern edge to it. Speed Metal at its finest, “Pulses of Pleasure” is a high tempo, high intensity, full on metal onslaught. Big riffs, big solo’s, air raid siren vocals and copious amounts of attitude behind it, it shits on a lot of the speed and thrash metal releases. Mr Araya and Mr King could learn a few things when it comes to recording a thrash album if they listened to this before hitting the studio!

 7) Diemonds – “Never Gonna Die” (Napalm)

Infectious and melodic hard rock with sacks of attitude, Diemond’s were another surprise for me this year. The great melodic hooks laced across the tracks, combined with the solid vocals from Priya which go from 80’s sleaze friendly to seductive and powerful just get stuck in your mind and the rebellious attitude flowing through each track just grows on you more and more. Simple, straight to the point and memorable, it’s an album you should take the time to check out!

 8) Napalm Death – “Apex Predator-Easy Meat” (Century Media)

It’s fucking Napalm Death, do I need to say any more?

 9) Psycroptic – “Psycroptic” (Prosthetic Records)

Aussie technical death metal fourpiece Psycroptic blew me away when I saw them in a tiny venue, performing a real storming set which had the crowd in the palm of their hand. Technically precise, intense, heavy and pulling no punches, this is one release I am glad I picked up!

 10) Iris Divine – “Karma Sown” (Sensory)

The top progressive metal album of the year for me. A massive sound from a three piece, channeling the spirit of Rush but with a heavier edge to it. With some fantastic arrangements, intricate solo’s and riffs and plenty of hidden nuances in each track which you discover each time, like hidden bass solo’s in a chorus or soaring synths which teasingly fade in and out of earshot between the heavy metallic riffery, it’s fantastic!

 11) Anthropia – “Non-Euclidean Spades” (Adarca)

 12) Abhorrent Deformity – “Entity Of Malevolence” (Comatose Music)

 13) Jorn Lande and Trond Holter present DRACULA – “The Swing Of Death” (Frontiers)

 14) Apophys – “Prime Incursion” (Metal Blade)

 15) Queensrÿche – “Condition Hüman” (Century Media)

 16) Cattle Decapitation – “The Anthropocene Extinction” (metal blade)

 17) PIST – “Rhythm and Booze” (When Planets Collide)

 18) Vision Of Disorder – “Razed To The Ground” (Candlelight)

 19) Weedeater – “Goliathan” (Season Of Mist)

 20) The Answer – “Raise A Little Hell” (Napalm)

Jess And The Ancient Ones – “The Second Psychedelic Coming: The Aquarius Tapes” (Svart)

Posted by Fraggle on

jess-and-the-ancient-ones-second-psychedelic-coming-cd Psychedelic six-piece Jess And The Ancient Ones (now refered to as JATAO from here out) hail from Kuopio, Finland and well, they prove that once again, if you want some brilliant music, look no further than the northern reaches of Europe. Scandanavia has always been a hotbed for great music – it was the birthplace of the melodic death metal scene, it helped augment the notoriety of black metal and some of the best doom acts hail from the frostbitten northern countries. Now we can add Psychedelic Rock to the list. The eagerly awaited follow up to their debut full length in 2011 and EP in 2013, “The Second Psychedelic Coming: The Aquarius Tapes” (Now refered to as The Aquarius Tapes from here out) promises so much. Let us see just what the second coming sounds like.

“Samhain” opens the album and right away, it’s like stepping back into the early 70’s. A blend of mysticism and classic rock with plenty of flair and dramatic vocal work combines fantastically. Blending sounds which can be likened to The Doors, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd and the mighty Blue Öyster Cult, it is a storming rock and roll boogie filled track with plenty of trippy vibes emanating from it. With a real retro-rock boogie feel, full of swagger and flair in the delivery, the six piece really throw out a captivating track to begin with. The organ which sits just ontop of the vocals and guitar work really brings it to life and the power in the vocals really brings the track to life, especially with the big, dramatic Jim Morrison-esque belted out vocal sections near the end of the track.

“The Flying Man” brings a shade of Hendrix to the album. With its wah-soaked guitar and massive drum roll into a more darker and slower paced track, it is full of atmosphere. Once again, the lead guitar fills and organ add that extra edge to the track as they dance their way across it whilst the solid rhythm section and vocals really carry the track, hammering it home. Flair filled blues fills turn into a full blown tasty bluesy feel guitar solo and not to be outdone, the bass even gets in on the lead melody and has some soloing of its own towards the end which leads into the powerful final chorus with a real massive big vocal outro.

“In Levitating Secret Dreams” we get the pomp and bite of Blue Öyster Cult – trippy feeling rock and roll. With call and response styled vocals over a lightly overdriven rhythm, flowing classic styled lead and hypnotic drums, it takes hold like the early 70’s BÖC sound. Wild sounding lead fills accompanying the Vocals, the chorus has some great melodic sections and the second verse shows a more darker and sultry vocal delivery, showing just how versatile JATAO really are. It’s a short and energetic track with some real classic rock flair behind it. “The Equinox Death Trip” is a fantastic track. The rhythm section really stands out on this one with some solid bass and drums which lead to an infectious groove which I challenge you to resist. With cleaner vocal delivery and atmospheric guitar and organ interplay, it has a really mystical quality to it, kind of like The Doors but with a heavier edge. The beefy riffs and organ interplay round the 2:40 mark give a real great sound, especially in the organ solo but the real magic happens at the 4:20 mark where big vocal wails, frantic and loud organ abuse and a bass solo under a guitar solo just lead to a convoluted but majestic maelstrom of creativity and expression which hits the mark!

“Wolves Inside My Head” is more ominous and slightly harder in its musical delivery. Almost like it has been laced with Venom for some real impact, it opens up with an ominous rumbling synth under a soundbyte sample which goes into a quick lively burst before it eases off in the verse. With a punchy rhythm and real build up element to it in the verse, the lead guitar subtly mirrors the vocal progression as it enters the chorus and the spooky feeling organ sounds just make for a rich atmosphere to get caught up in. With some real storming grooves which are infectious as hell, it has that classic rock-come-blues boogie feel to it at times but with a darker tone and it eases off into a hypnotic bass/vocal combo to end it in a real solid display. “Crossroad Lightning” brings back the mysticism again, starting off with something which sounds almost Native American-like , giving it a slight ‘epic’ feel. With overarching synths over a steady and melodic verse, it has a big feel and the synths essentially dictate the dynamics of the track – as they grow louder, so does the vocal delivery. Round 3:40, the bass really kicks in and there’s some fantastic vocal work and bluesy riffs and as the track progresses, it picks up that BÖC feel again with the raw sounding riffs and a really good bass riff/solo spot. Round 5:40 we get a real big melodic moment with some massive vocals and piano before it starts to wind down towards the Native American sound once more to end it.

“The Lovers” is a short burst of energy. A bouncing feel rock and roll groove underpins the track as it’s infectious nature takes hold of you once again. With some great vocal delivery and solid synth voicing’s, it really has a kick to it, especially in the choruses where it gets louder and the vocal and lead melodies shine through before we get a real blistering paced solo. This then leads into “Goetia Of Love” which keeps up the lively feel. With some solid musicianship providing the energetic and slightly bouncy feel backing for the vocals which just roll off so smoothly, it’s got a great sound to it. The chorus brings the retro rock feeling back into full swing with some backing “oooh’s” and a memorable descending run for the main hook and later on in the track we get a touch of some Robert Plant styled vocal wails which really add to the sound.

This of course leads us to the final track of the album which is also the longest. Clocking in at just over 22 minutes, “Goodbye To Virgin Grounds Forever” is an epic in every sense of the word. Given how the rest of the album has had that big rock feel with a lively pace to it, this track is the polar opposite. It’s slower and more sorrowful in its delivery which in a strange way, makes it rather beautiful sounding. The track opens up with a lone piano melody which is joined by a flute and some periodic cymbal clashes to up the mood and to set the scene, building a sorrowful but captivating sonic landscape to get lost in. The rest of the band joins in and it is more bluesy – subtle bassline, vocal freestyling in the Plant wail delivery and subtle guitar licks and progressions steadily build up and the first real change in dynamic is round the 6 minute part. The drums pick up, the vocals get slightly softer in their delivery and the guitar becomes more prominent. This approach leads to a smooth bluesy solo before it picks up again round the 8:30 point, growing in volume and intensity, giving a sense of a bigger, more dramatic musical shift to come, especially when the vocal delivery gets more dramatic and horns and building feel drums join in, making it even louder.

Round the 10 minute spot, we find ourselves dipping into the BÖC style again and the rich bassline and strong piano really ties it all together well before it changes again. Easing off on the volume but speeding up with regards to some instruments, the 11:30 point leads to another major shift as the piano gets faster and it gets more frantic and the guitar and horns get a little more intricate. Cascading into a Hendrix styled section round 14 minutes, it picks up again and then two minutes later, it shifts again, with more power coming from the vocals and the twisting bass and turbulent drums, really shifting it more to the classic psychedelic stylings.

Eventually the track begins to slow down before the final major change – a near enough all vocal three minute outro with a folk-like melody which follows the vocal harmony lines to great effect. Initially this shift doesn’t quite work, but as it progresses, it works out rather well and brings a very dynamic track and album to an epic close.

Overall, “The Aquarius Tapes” is another astounding release from Svart Records. It’s got everything you want from psychedelic rock and blues – its arrangements, phrasings and progressions get you caught up in them so much you cannot help but have your mind wander through the rich sonic landscape which Jess And The Ancient Ones have created. With slick guitar chops, infectious and feel dictating synth and organs, a solid rhythm section and some magnificent vocals, JATAO have created a real hit here.

(8.5/10 Fraggle)

https://www.facebook.com/jessandtheancientones

Out 4th December!

Night Viper – “Night Viper” (Svart)

Posted by Fraggle on

Before I get into this album, I want to say the following:

Svart are a fantastic label. You should check out their roster and some of the releases. From classic rock infused metal to full on dark atmospheric doom and the more mystical qualities of stoner doom, there are some cracking releases on the Scandinavian label and if you do one thing, make this a purchase from it in 2015!

Now back to the review…

 

night-viper-cd

Night Viper are a five piece classic sounding heavy metal band based out of Gothenburg, Sweeden who include in their ranks, musicians who have played in Miasmal, The Order Of Israfael, Church of Misery, Guerilla, Radiation and Firebird. Formed in 2014, the five piece are set to unleash their debut album, the self titled release “Night Viper” on Svart and given the interest and buzz about this band, this is one album which surely excites.

Opening up with the title track, “Night Viper”, the classic rock meets classic metal feel hits right away. With its high octane rhythm consisting of well structured chords and riffs to a solid drum beat with some flair filled bass licks added for good measure, it kicks in with that attitude and snarl you’d expect from the early NWOBHM bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. The female vocals were not expected at all, and the clean delivery of them with plenty of weight and power behind them is sublime. With a real rocking feel and rawness to it, this opening track sinks fangs in and injects the classic metal venom into you, putting you completely under its spell. Blistering guitar work is strewn across the song, from crafty little fills to a wild but melodic solo which even has some harmony and trade off sections in it for good measure and all of this together creates a fantastic opening track.

“The Hammer” follows on with more of a harder sound to it. With more beef in the sound, its low end rumbles like a chopper, making sure everything around knows where it is. With that metal attitude oozing from it and the passionate vocal delivery which brings back the feeling of the first three Iron Maiden albums but with less punk snarl and more vocal control, it just hits you right on the head. Catchy hook laden riffs provide a fantastic backdrop for headbanging and the semi-thrash like soloing just adds that kick at the right time to really up the tempo.

“Curse Of A Thousand Deaths” is this album’s ‘epic’, clocking in at seven and a half minutes. Opening up with a sinister atmosphere setting progression of guitars laden with chorus and reverb playing a dark sounding arrangement, it really sets the scene for what promises to be an enticing sonic experience. The softly delivered vocals, almost like a ghostly whisper but full of haunting melody seep out from the melody, giving one of those raise the hairs on the back of your neck moments. As it slowly progresses, growing in volume and atmosphere, the anticipation builds and builds as the melodies become more intricate and cleverly arranged to the point where you’re just expecting an all mighty wall of noise to smash into you and leave you lying there in its wake. That wall doesn’t exactly come crashing down, but after four minutes, the fast paced metal seems to seep through the dense atmosphere of the song and inject some life into it with a fast paced section. With the solid vocal delivery and soaring feel riffs, it has an epic feel to it and the payoff is wonderful, especially the lead guitar section… Simply fantastic!

“Run For Cover” has a slight thrashy vibe to it. Bringing in the classic palm muted gallop, it charges ahead at a good energetic pace which encourages headbanging. The vocals are delivered faster and with more attitude behind them and in the chorus there is a slight hint of balls to them as they come off really powerful. With the fantastic riffs and wah-laden shredtastic solo, it is a classic 80’s metal track if there ever was one and it wouldn’t have sounded out of place on an album like “Killers” or “British Steel”. With some great fist in the air feel and rawness to it, it blends the heavy metal wildness and classic metal sound to maximum effect and that wild second solo sandwiched between some more gritty delivered vocals with sneering attitude behind them really nails it!

“Warrior Woman” follows on and this is another seven minute epic of a track. With a dramatic building harmony lead over some spoken word samples and war like drums, it grows in volume, creating another atmosphere before the big bass slide brings in a colossal sounding slow paced monstrous sound. Pounding riffs at an almost doomy pace really ramp up the loudness factor of the album and by the two thirty mark, it finally kicks in. Faster drums and hook laden guitar riffs drive the song on. As with the previous tracks, the well articulated and clean vocal delivery really comes through and holds its own. With the right mix of attitude and balls to it, the vocals really bring the track to life with some real metal flavour and those riffs are just great. Simple and effective, it is minimal input with maximum effect. The guitar and bass harmony section right before the raw sounding solo is great and when that solo comes in, it’s so simple it works brilliantly, allowing you to enjoy the solid rhythm work underneath whilst still finding your hands working up and down that air guitar’s fretboard. The post-solo breakdown is bass and vocal driven and it really builds the mood once more so when the guitars come in, the power really rings out in the vocals and wow… It’s fucking fantastic when it kicks in for the final run down with some big classic sounding Maiden chord work.

“Faces In The Mirror” brings back the more thrash/speed metal approach with a rapid guitar riff over a fast paced heavy groove. Vocally sharp and laced with great riffs and tricky fills, it really brings the action back to life after the previous track slowed it down by just the right amount. With a great headbang worthy pulse, it simply captures the attention and keeps hold of it, bringing tremendous energy to it and that shreding solo with some pounding riffs underneath hits the spot. Getting wilder as it goes on, the solo leads into a complicated sounding fast riff section where the guitars and bass harmonise with each other to great effect before the final chorus really brings it home. Short but with a great impact. “Never Be Enslaved” sounds like something out of the Iron Maiden back catalogue. Any moment now in the intro I’m expecting a “SCREAM FOR ME…..” shout ala Bruce Dickinson. The fantastic harmony lead and chordal approach from the bass with gradual drum build up really pumps the song up and when it explodes to life with that classic Maiden approach, it just sounds great. A sublime solo with a great bass groove underneath it nails the mood and the verse has the right pace to keep the energy going. Vocally its delivered great with the melodic voicing’s acting as an instrument in their own right, giving the chunky sounding riffs some flavour but when the chorus kicks in, it has that big moment feel. Powerful vocals, a rich bass tone which comes from an intricate bassline and some well phrased chords work to maximum effect. The break before the solo has a heavy kick to it and when the solo comes in, the rhythm is full on galloping power under a slick and technically sound dual guitar solo which hits the right balance between flair and structure. The harmony which follows again builds the mood, building the feel for a big sounding ending which really wraps it up nicely.

“The Dagger In Hand” kicks off with a bassline which has buckets of groove to it and a sweet sound. Steady drums and growing feedback slip into a heavy, chunky sounding riff fest with some tight vocal work which has some great power behind it and the simplicity of the chorus, those stabbed chords which pound away work great. Returning to the bassline and feedback, the second verse follows the same path as the first. It’s a classic metal track at just the right pace to headbang or drink and nod in approval to with plenty of scope for some fantastic sing along moments in the live setting. The twin guitar solo harmonies come in again over that pulsing bass riff and as the guitars work their way up the neck, it gets more intricate, growing more and more complicated with each passing phrase in the sequence and the end pay off – a furious sounding wild short solo which explodes to life before shifting into the chorus with no fuss in the slightest and it wraps things up nicely for the album closer. “The Wolverine” brings a close to proceedings with a rapid bass drum and guitar riff heavy intro which goes into that classic NWOBHM feel for one last time. With faster vocals, subtle but effective riff changes and tricky harmony fills, it just oozes heavy metal goodness. With a storming chorus it gets heavier and the dynamics, rolling the second guitar and bass in and out to give it an extra kick before the verse is a great touch. It ‘s just a solid track and like every track before it, it has that classic sound but played with a more modern feel, keeping both the great sound and appeal to it. For the final time we head into a slick sounding dual guitar solo run over a steady rhythm and as the two guitars trade off against each other, it gets faster and explodes into a great harmony ending before that classic metal riff comes in for the final chorus which draws a close to the album, ending in the most rock and roll way possible – the wild flailing round on instruments to give a chaotic and dramatic end to what has been a thoroughly enjoyable album!

On the whole, Night Viper is an astounding debut. It’s the kind of release which makes you sit up and take notice. It takes the classic, much loved NWOBHM style approach and sound and injects some modern kick into it, making the band sound like they belonged there in the early 80’s, on the road alongside Maiden, Priest, Saxon, Diamond Head and the other greats of 1980-’84. This is essential listening for all metal fans! You cannot miss out on this album. It is an all round solid with no weak moments whatsoever.

For me, this is a serious contender for Album of the Year.

(10/10 Fraggle)

 

Release date: December 4th

Anomalie – “Refugium” (Art Of Propaganda)

Posted by Fraggle on

CD Digi Wallet.indd

Anomalie is the project of Austrian Black Metallers Selbstentleibung’s guitarist Marrok. Unlike his main band’s work, Anomalie is more of a Post-Black Metal sounding project. Using the core elements of black metal song writing and structure – blastbeats, pounding rhythms, tremolo picked guitars and harsh vocals which border between scream and rasp at times and most importantly, the art of being able to craft a vast sonic landscape to explore whilst you listen to it. With this being Marrok’s own personal vision, we join him on his journey through a vast spectrum of emotions and states – hope, despair, beauty, bleakness, reality, the surreal, liberation and oppression. With the album name translating to ‘refuge’, let’s see what we could be seeking refuge from.

Opening up with a haunting and atmospheric acoustic tinted progression, “In Fear Of Tomorrow” begins to draw you in. With almost tribal like drum patterns and dramatic sounding tremolo picked distorted lead melodies, it creates a slightly surreal and intense feeling before it kicks in fully with a massive sound. Raw and passionately delivered vocals over a solid rhythm and melodic dark sounding lead riff make for a stunning sound in the verse and this continues to the first major feel change round the three minute point. Here the vocals take on an eerie sound with a softer delivery before a minute later, it explodes into a melodic death metal sound reminiscent of Dark Tranquillity but with black metal overtures in the vein of Ishahn. It’s a stunning opening effort.

“Spiritual Distortion” doesn’t take the easing you in approach however. From the off its pounding and dissonant sounding intro hits you at a steady pace with thunderous force. Picking up the pace a little, the slightly symphonic sounding lead melody adds an extra layer to the sound and has a Borknagar like feel to it. Clever use of clean lead fills add a good touch and more dynamics to the track and the riff sections come heavy and at a decent pace with precise drums, a tight melodic progression and a solid vocal delivery. As it progresses, it slips between a smooth flowing and jarring feel with minimal fuss or momentum lost and the melodic solo towards the end is well composed and has some brilliant phrasings and tone behind it.

“Untouched Walls” keeps the dramatic feel up. With a synth and sample heavy intro, a faint guitar riff comes in which is just about audible, especially when the meaty sounding rhythm guitar section kicks in. The main melodic guitar progression is simple but has a good quality hook to it which keeps it feeling familiar and the subtle vocals which are barely audible in the build up finally come to life with venom and ferocity in their delivery round the 1:30 point. Despite being overly nihilistic sounding, it does have some brighter melodies in it to provide a good contrast to the rhythm and vocal delivery and at times it descends into entropy with a furiously delivered middle section which eventually eases off and ends on a clean, melodic acoustic section which draws the track to a close.

“Between Reality And The World Beyond” brings back the livelier feel with that Dark Tranquillity edge to the sound despite the dark overtures of the track. Once again, the musical delivery is tight. The simplistic progression of the rhythm with the expressive lead melodies which dance across the track add more layers to the sonic landscape Marrok is creating here and it sounds even bigger than what it actually is. With a melodic solo leading the way to a faster feel section, its delivery is spot on. The bass sounds huge and like the rest of the tracks so far, it has a real powerful delivery which certainly gives a good impact and brings that intensity to it in terms of atmosphere and not heaviness or volume. “Solace” slows it down with a heavy chugged rhythm and the slow building lead melody gives a great build up feel so when it does kick in to the pounding rhythm with fast paced riffs and a real thunder to it, it comes across even more venomous. Once again, the simplistic rhythmic structure of the song provides a great backdrop for the dynamic vocal delivery which really dictates the dark feel and the lead guitar melodies which help bring the track to life and the only real intricacies lie towards the end when it shifts into a clean and acoustic progression with a warm sounding distorted lead which fades the track out.

“Leaving Somina” brings back the drama and flair. With a hypnotic acoustic guitar line over a thick chugged distortion and clean, spoken vocals, it builds the anticipation and round the 1 minute mark, it kicks into life with some melodic riffs before it really gets going at the 1:30 point. Faster pace, thicker sounding rhythm and more complex drum patterns really up the heaviness and intensity of the track and as always, the lead melodies augment the rhythmic backdrop brilliantly, giving it a massive sound and feel. With some real powerful vocal displays across the track, this is one of the stand out moments of the album, especially with the acoustic and distorted guitar interplay sections but the ending is the best – a real blackened approach to a mid-90’s In Flames sounding progression with some powerful primal roar like vocals. “Freiflug 48° 23´ N, 16° 19’ O” translates to ‘free flight’ and what I assume to be co-ordinates (A quick look in google isn’t much help but possibly it’s Austria, if any readers crack this, please let me know!). It has a slower, more melodic approach to it with a bright tone which is a welcome change given how dark the majority of the album has been. With multiple layers intricately weaved on top of one another, it has a complicated sound initially but when you focus on the individual parts and not the entire thing, it’s easier to follow. The layers eventually clear up to a stripped back acoustic progression which has a warm sound and very uplifting feel to it but this doesn’t last too long as the distortion kicks in with the harsh vocal screams once more. What is unique though is how despite the heavy sound and style of music, it still maintains its upbeat edge and the rich bassline underneath all this is a delight to take in. With a clean melodic progression adding extra to the scope of the track, it goes near enough totally acoustic round the 4:20 point before a powerful vocal roar soon after snaps it back into the distorted progressions to bring the track to a close.

Closing the album is the title track, “Refugium” and it is an 11 minute epic. From the start you have a sense that this draws the entire album together and you wouldn’t be wrong. The huge hybrid of melodic death metal and black metal composition brings a multi-layered chaotic sound. Blasting drums, rapid fire guitars with that melodic hint to them and powerful bass brings the ferocity once again but as the verse comes in, it slows down. The sound is huge and the vocals are as raw as ever but when it springs back to life again round the 1:46 part, we get one of the best faster paced sections of the album. It has a real melodic hook to the lead progression and this pops up again several times through the track, often preceding or following the shifts to a more black metal sounding section where the chaotic feel comes back once more. Near the halfway point it eases off to a lighter distortion before heavy chugged guitars come back in before the black metal urgency explodes again and at the 6 minute point, there is a fantastic lead melody section which has a great atmosphere building effect and a real rich sounding bassline. As mentioned before, the switches between fast melodic progressions and slower intense heavy progressions continues and round the 9:30 point, the distortion slowly eases off, being replaced by a haunting keyboard based melody and clean sounding ringing guitars which fade out and draw this experience to a close.

Overall, “Refugium” is a fantastic album for a genre of music which is not one of my preferred ones. It takes the core elements of black metal and applies a more progressive slant to them instead of primal and animalistic one, giving a better atmosphere and a different kind of intensity and listening experience to the more traditional black metal bands who are all about harshness, dissonance and grim sounds. With the melodic death metal touches, the blackened metal journey through Marrok’s immersive sonic landscape is an interesting one and even if you aren’t much of a fan of the melodic side of extreme metal, I do recommend checking this out at least once, you may be pleasantly surprised.

(7.5/10 Fraggle)

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