SIEBENBÜRGEN - REVELATION VI (2008)

genre : melodic, atmospheric black

similar bands : Keep of Kalessin, Catamenia, Darzamat, Iskald
origin : Sweden
strong spot : melodies

weak spot : lacks originality

My first acquaintance with Siebenburgen was a traumatic one. I still remember the terrible fake drums and the plastic production of one of their old albums. Nowadays, Siebenburgen changed for the better, the production and performance are extremely professional. Another notable change is that the synths serve as a background instrument in this album and the female voice is much more discrete. Even though their songwriting is a bit predictable and suffers from the ''I've heard it before'' syndrome, this album has some very good moments and doesn't get boring after repeated listens.

8 out of 10 goatheads

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DISOLVO ANIMUS - ALEATORIC MORTE EP (2009)

genre : symphonic black

similar bands : Dimmu Borgir, Transcending Bizarre?, Carach angren
origin : Greece
strong spot : symphonic parts

weak spot : production could be better

This is the first effort from an extremely promising band. Its symphonic orchestrations add a grandiose atmosphere that is hard to find in most of the bands of the genre. Lately, the Greek scene specializes in extreme symphonic albums. Download immediately.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads

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ENSOPH - REX MUNDI X-ILE (2009)

genre : avant-garde, experimental, industrial, gothic, black

similar bands : The Kovenant, Ram-Zet, Arcturus
origin : Italy
strong spot : samples, loops, orchestrations

weak spot : ''love it or hate it'' category

Techno-beats, staccato riffs, operatic vocals, filtered black metal vocals, industrial samples, sad melodic refrains and lots of other elements form what we could just simply call a ''love it or hate it '' album. Fans of The Kovenant will definitely appreciate this album.

8 out of 10 goatheads

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LUNA OBSCURA - FELTIA (2008)

genre : atmospheric doom/death

similar bands : Theatre of Tragedy, Leave's Eyes
origin : Greece
strong spot : songwriting, atmosphere

weak spot : production could be better

Luna Obscura strongly reminded me of the old amazing Theatre of Tragedy. The similarities between ''Feltia'' and ''Velvet Darkness They Fear'' are severe but this doesn't mean that Luna Obscura are mere copycats. Many bands play melodic doom/death but few of them sound descent, the rest are terribly cheesy. In ''Feltia'' you'll find deep growls, female vocals (by one of the most beautiful frontwomen in the scene), ethereal synths that darken the atmosphere and heavy guitars and drums. Excellent release for this genre.

8 out of 10 goatheads

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RANDOMWALK - REDEMPTION (2008)

genre : atmospheric, gothic, metalcore, black/death

similar bands : Paradise Lost, Amorphis, The Kovenant
origin : Greece
strong spot : originality, songwriting, vocals
weak spot : production could be better

The word ''metalcore'' causes me continuous vomiting and I have to admit that Randomwalk is the first ever metal band that is labeled as metalcore without sounding terrible. On the contrary, this album encompasses several heterogeneous elements but manages to sound concrete and original.It flows very easily and its melodies stick to your mind. Superb.

9 out of 10 goatheads

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DARZAMAT - SOLFERNUS' PATH (2009)

genre : symphonic, atmospheric black/death

similar bands : Dimmu Borgir, Vesania, Cradle of Filth
origin : Poland
strong spot : nice combination between male and female vocals

weak spot : some parts sound a bit old-fashioned

Darzamat are one of my favorite Polish bands and I was glad when I found out that they have a new record deal with Massacre Recs , although most of the bands of this label are really CRAP. In their new endeavour the production and the sound of the band are reminiscent of old death metal bands but of course the overall sound is enriched by female vocals and symphonic synths that add a dark/gothic atmosphere to the whole album. If you liked ''Transkarpatia'', you'll like this one too.

8 out of 10 goatheads

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VIRGIN BLACK - REQUIEM-FORTISSIMO (2008)

similar bands : My dying Bride, Saturnus

genre : symphonic doom death/black

origin : Australia
strong spot : symphonic parts
weak spot : too sloooow sometimes

It would be an oxymoron if I said I ''enjoyed'' this album...This album would be the perfect soundtrack for a Lars Von Trier movie about death and funerals. There are many doom albums but few of them can transmit such an unearthly atmosphere to the listener as directly as Virgin Black do. Some similar, very similar albums? ''Turn Loose the Swans'', '' As the Flower Withers'' by My Dying Bride.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads

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DAGOBA - COLOSSUS (2008)

genre : industrial, atmospheric black/death

similar bands : Aborym, Zonaria, Limbonic Art
origin : France
strong spot : samples
weak spot : too chaotic sometimes

Industrial death is not exactly my cup of tea but the French guys here deserve some attention.''Colossus'' is chaotic, melodic, fiendish and heavy as the Mammoth depicted in its cover. If you like the mighty Aborym, go ahead.

8 out of 10 goatheads

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AGATHODAIMON - PHOENIX (2009)

genre : symphonic, melodic black/death

similar bands : Graveworm, Amorphis, Dark Tranquillity
origin : Germany
strong spot : 4 tracks
weak spot : the rest of the album

This album really baffled me...There are 4 tracks that are really really great, full of a deep beautiful melancholic mood. Amongst these four is ''Oncoming Storm'' which is one of the most sad songs I have ever heard from a melodic death metal band. The problem is that the rest of the album is mediocre, all the tracks are caricatures of bands like Dark Tranquillity or In flames. Strange...

7,5 out of 10 goatheads

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GWYNBLEIDD - NOSTALGIA (2009)

genre : progressive doom death metal

similar bands : Opeth, Opeth, Opeth
origin : USA
strong spot : melodies
weak spot : Opeth-ism

Do you miss Opeth? Would you like them to release a new album in 2009? Gwynbleidd are here to make your wish come true. Their new album has some brilliant moments that are overshadowed by their obsession to sound like Opeth. Enjoyable.

7,5 out of 10 goatheads

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ABIGAIL WILLIAMS - IN THE SHADOW OF A THOUSAND SUNS (2008)

genre : symphonic, atmospheric black
similar bands : Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth
origin : USA
strong spot : songwriting
weak spot : lacks originality

Most of the American BM bands are seriously and dangerously boring. Abigail Williams play very typical symphonic BM but at least their compositions are diverse and manage to sound interesting. Fans of the genre, go ahead.

8 out of 10 goatheads

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CODE - RESPENDENT GROTESQUE (2009)

genre : avant-garde black
similar bands : Dodheimsgard, Abigor, Shining, Ven Buens ende
origin : Norway
strong spot : originality, vocals
weak spot : repetition, 2-3 tracks are fillers

Avant-garde BM's eerieness and bizareness in all its might. For those who know the members behind Code, this is not a surprise. My objection? I have heard tons of good words about this album, treating it as classic or flawless. My opinion is that it has its flaws though: the majority of the tracks are great but there are some others that make you think...''didn't they play a similar melody in the previous track?''. Code seem to push it hard in order to sound avant-garde and this sometimes sounds fake in the experienced listener's ear. Overall, a very good release, overrated though.

7,5 out of 10 goatheads

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ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW - CHILDREN OF THE DARK WATERS (2009)

genre : symphonic, atmospheric death/black
similar bands : Amorphis, Katatonia, Hollenthon
origin : Finland
strong spot : songwriting, orchestrations
weak spot : songs follow similar formula

Eternal Tears of Sorrow's new effort has all the essential elements of a great symphonic death metal album: nice melodies, heavy riffs, interesting gothic lyrics, symphonic parts in the right dose, variety in vocals. The Finnish scene knows how to deliver professional albums and Eternal Tears of Sorrow could not be an exception. My only objection to this wonderful album? As usual, I would prefer some more experimentation from them, the ear of a trained listener always craves for different things.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads

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AXAMENTA - EVER-ARCH-I-TECH-TURE

genre : symphonic, progressive black
similar bands : Dimmu Borgir, Soilwork, Evergrey, Emperor
origin :Belgium
strong spot : songwriting, originality, performance
weak spot : no obvious weak spot

Metal magazines work like this: labels give money and magazines give exposure to bands in exchange, everything is based on money. In other words, many talented bands are completely ignored if they don't pay. This is the reason nobody would know Axamenta some years ago, when internet was not that popular and magazines were more powerful than today. Musically now, the Belgian combo delivers an excellent concept album that combines the grandiose sound of Dimmu Borgir with the staccato riffs of Soilwork and the atmospheric synths and technical guitar parts of Evergey. The final result is more than satisfying, this album is a vast source of musical ideas, orchestration techniques and epic melodies.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads

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ELENIUM - ECCENTRIC SOUL'S ANATOMY (2009)

genre : symphonic, progressive death
similar bands : Sadist, Cynic, Therion
origin : Poland
strong spot: performance
weak spot : too much technicality gets tiring sometimes

This albums comes from the Polish Elenium, there is also a Finnish band with the same name around. If you crave for symphonic choirs and progressive technical performance, this one is for you. Since it is difficult to find descent melodic lines in most of the progressive bands in the scene,it is worth mentioning that Elenium's melodies, especially in the 2nd half of the album, are really really beautiful. Some parts reminded me of Nocturnus, does anybody remember them??

8 out of 10 goatheads

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TRANSCENDING BIZARRE? - THE SERPENT'S MANIFOLDS (2008)

genre : avant-garde, symphonic black
similar bands : Dimmu Borgir, Septic Flesh, Arcturus
origin : Greece
strong spot : songwriting, symphonic orchestrations
weak spot : vocals could be more diverse

Horror, grandiose symphonic sound, sad melodies and insanity.In other words: Transcending Bizarre?. In this album the band has reached the perfect balance: some tracks follow conventional song structures, others implement more experimental and innovative techniques, but all of them have sth really addictive,really unique. These Greeks know how to compose and arrange music...simple as that, simply amazing.

9,5 out of 10 goatheads

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THURISAZ - CIRCADIAN RHYTHM (2007)

genre : melodic, atmospheric death/black
similar bands : Graveworm, Katatonia, Amorphis
origin : Belgium
strong spot: songwriting, variety in vocals
weak spot : some riffs and melodies are too common

As soon as I read the name of the band I thought ''omg, this is one of these crap bands with difficult names'' but fortunately I was wrong. Thurisaz do not play sth I haven't heard before but they are very capable of writing good songs. Even though the songs sound somehow similar to each other,''Circadian Rhythm'' has extremely few boring moments and manages to maintain the listener's interest. Imagine amorphis being a little more melancholic and you've got the picture. Amazing songs: ''Falling'', ''Point of no return'',''Switch to red''.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads

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KATATONIA - NIGHT IS THE NEW DAY (2009)

genre : Katatonia

similar bands : Anathema, Opeth, My Dying Bride
origin : Sweden
strong spot: compositions
weak spot : repetition

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KALISIA - CYBION (2009)

genre : progressive,symphonic death
similar bands : Dream theater, Septic Flesh, Hollenthon
origin : France
strong spot: compositions, performance
weak spot : kidding?

Here we have more than one hour of flawlessly executed and composed progressive death metal. It consists of two songs (part 1 and part 2) lasting almost 35 minutes each. There is not a single moment that the album gets boring, one brilliant idea succeeds another,you can almost find everything here: slow passages, aggressive outbreaks, melodic mid-tempo parts, choirs that enter exactly when needed etc etc... Kalisia have created an album of unique beauty and originality. So far, ''Cybion'' is the only album that gained ten out of ten goatheads in this blog.

10 out of 10 goatheads

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LE GRAND GUIGNOL - THE GREAT MADDENING (2007)

genre : avant-garde, symphonic black metal
similar bands : Transcending Bizarre?, Arcturus, Morgul
origin : Luxemburg
strong spot: insanity, originality
weak spot : too insane sometimes

This album is the epitome of black metal avant-gardism. Imagine Berlioz or Mussorgsky taking pills, freaking out and trying to compose a black metal album. Even though ''The great Maddening'' is extremely diverse and eclectic,the band maintains its personal style without copying anyone. Talented bands that dare to experiment always come up with interesting albums.

9 out of 10 goatheads

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IMPERIAL VENGEANCE - AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN (2009)

genre : symphonic black
similar bands : Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Arcturus
origin : U.K.
strong spot: compositions
weak spot : cheesy lyrics at some tracks, ridiculous ending in 2nd track

There are tons of band that try to copy/paste Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth. Imperial vengeance are not amongst them, their style encompasses some degree of originality. They are capable of complex compositions and orchestrations without being boring and repetitive.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads



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SKYFIRE - ESOTERIC (2009)

genre : progressive, symphonic death/black
similar bands : Dimmu Borgir, Children of Bodom
origin : Sweden
strong spot: orchestrations, performance
weak spot : something is missing (ehh?)

The mightiness of a symphonic BM album + the progressiveness of a power metal band = the hybrid Skyfire sound.There is no doubt that Skyfire's songwriting is very good, and so is their performance. But is this enough? For me the answer is no, simply because the Swedish combo presents nothing I haven't heard before. Skyfire don't seem to push it enough in order to differentiate their style from the bunch of other BM and progressive bands out there. Even so, there are certainly people who will love this album.

8 out of 10 goatheads

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KLABAUTAMANN - MERKUR (2009)

genre : avant-garde, post-black
similar bands : Enslaved, Opeth, Ihsahn
origin : Germany
strong spot: originality, cult
weak spot : sometimes parts don't blend together and can be tiring

This album is very interesting. The band uses strange chords that are reminiscent of Ihsahn and Enslaved and has a lot of clean guitar parts that bring Opeth to my mind. The brutal guitar parts sound raw but not tiring while the vocalist and the drummer give a very convincing performance that enhances the cult atmosphere of the album. Overall, it's worth the shot.

9,5 out of 10 goatheads

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LEPROUS - TALL POPPY SYNDROME (2009)

genre : progressive,melodic metal
similar bands : Arcturus, Opeth, Pink Floyd, King Crimson
origin : Norway
strong spot : original style, songwriting
weak spot : no obvious weak elements

Leprous baffled me: how can i describe their music? Sometimes words are too poor to depict the atmosphere of an album. There are lots of emotions here, aggression, depression, melancholy, insanity. Black metal riffs, acoustic guitars, jazz passages, symphonic elements and lots of others form a musical mosaic that every open-minded metal fan will definitely enjoy. Enjoy!!

9,2 out of 10 goatheads

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COR SCORPII - MONUMENT (2008)

genre : melodic black metal
similar bands : Windir, Vreid, Kampfar
origin : Norway
strong spot: songwriting
weak spot : no obvious weak elements

Cor Scorpii are from Norway and they play black metal (this is like saying ''I 'm English and I drink tea''). Yet they manage to distinguish themselves from the pile of uninspired black metal bands and deliver an album full of beautiful melodies that easily stick to your mind. Some words to describe this release? Grief, melancholy, lament.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads

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SECRETS OF THE MOON - PRIVILEGIUM (2009)

genre : black metal
similar bands : the majority of BM bands
origin : Germany
strong spot: cover
weak spot : more boring than watching an empty wall for 10 hours

This band scored high in LordsofMetal e-zine, which means they probably suck and their music is totally pretentious. Easy-to-write riffs, pretentious lyrics, parts that don't blend at all, ridiculous melodies, they are all here in one album. This is an accomplishment, how can they be so boring? The press greeted this release with very positive reviews, which means a) music is becoming shittier than ever b) reviewers prefer to listen to the hype of a band instead of the band's actual music. INSULT!!!

1 out of 10 goatheads

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ORAKLE - TOURMENTS AND PERDITION (2008)

genre : avant-garde, post-black
similar bands : Code , Blut aus Nord, Artefact ,Deathspell Omega
origin : France
strong spot: originality, weird songwriting
weak spot : almost nothing

How come nobody knows these guys? Why should people know Diablo Swing Orchestra, Secrets of the Moon,Sleepytime Gorilla Museum when bands like Orakle are completely unknown? This album incorporates the insanity and weird song-structure of Dodheimsgard and the haunting bizarre melodies of Code. Orakle have the typical French madness in the exact right dose. Black metal lunatics, this one is for you.

9 out of 10 goatheads

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LYFTHRASYR - THE RECENT FORLORN (2007)

genre : symphonic black
similar bands : Dimmu Borgir
origin : Germany
strong spot: songwriting, performance, diversity in song structures
weak spot : some parts are repeated over and over again

I didn't know these guys but I am very pleased for my very first acquaintance with them. The production and the music style share similarities with the usual suspects, Dimmu Borgir, but Lyfthrasyr try and finally manage to sound different and compose intriguing songs. I am 100% sure that symphonic BM fans will love this album.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads

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HERMH - COLD BLOOD MESSIAH (2008)

genre : symphonic black metal
similar bands : Dimmu Borgir, Arcturus
origin : Poland
strong spot: orchestrations, excellent performance
weak spot : lacks originality

I find it extremely irritating when some bands know how to perform and write music but they don't dare to try sth different, sth new. Hermh have created an album that i would categorize as ''professional''. There are all the essential symphonic black metal elements here, plus a very technical performance .What ruins the show is that once again, a band copies Dimmu Borgir and follows the path of the conventional black metal riffs,scales and vocals. Apart from this, it is an impressive album, not original though.

8 out of 10 goatheads

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SONS OF SEASONS - GODS OF VERMIN (2009)

genre : doom, melodic, symphonic
similar bands : Epica, Iced Earth(!)
origin : Germany
strong spot: orchestration, cover
weak spot : production, album has 3-4 fillers

There is definitely talent in these German guys, this is obvious especially in the first half of ''Gods of Vermin''. My main objection is that there are a few filler songs that reminded me of Iced Earth, a band that I utterly hate. It could climb up even to 8,5 goatheads if all tracks were like ''Fall of Byzantium'' or ''Gods of Vermin'', but unfortunately filler songs take it down to 7,5 goatheads. I have to add that Simone from Epica participates in a couple of songs.

7,5 out of 10 goatheads


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ETERNAL DEFORMITY - FROZEN CIRCUS (2007)

genre : avant-garde, doom, black
similar bands : Arcturus
origin : Poland
strong spot: orchestrations, compositions
weak spot : no more clowns in metal covers!

These polish guys seem to know how to compose good and diverse avant-garde music. Diversity is actually the key word for this album: there is rich instrumentation (cellos, organs,harmonicas, large variety of key sounds), BM riffs, clean and brutal vocals, easy-to-remember refrains, interesting couples and bridges, a horror atmosphere (= circus). All these are packed into an album that every avant-garde fan will at least find interesting. This is exactly my cup of tea.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads


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SAMMATH NAUR - THE ANHEDONY DOMAIN E.P. (2009)

genre : symphonic black metal
similar bands : Vesania, Dimmu Borgir
origin : Poland
strong spot: compositions
weak spot : duration is too short even for an EP

Sammath Naur present their new EP that shows a change of direction towards more symphonic paths.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads

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SAMMATH NAUR - SELF-PROCLAIMED EXISTENCE (2005)

genre : atmospheric, progressive black metal
similar bands : Emperor, Vesania
origin : Poland
strong spot: performance
weak spot : as usual, progressive stuff gets boring in big doses

Sammath Naur play black metal with a lot of technicality and originality. The production is quite raw and fits perfectly the atmosphere of the songs.

8 out of 10 goatheads

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RHEINKAOS - DEMO (2008)

genre : experimental, avant-garde black metal
similar bands : Emperor, Pink Floyd
origin : Greece
strong spot : original style, songwriting
weak spot : production could be better

I don't usually listen to demos but this is SO GOOD that I felt obliged to recommend it here. Experimental BM at its finest, the guys have created a unique sound that is the amalgam of songwriting abilities, bizarre influences and the will to create something that is different and transcends the barriers of conventional metal music.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads

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UNHOLY RITUAL - REX MUNDI (2009)

genre : intelligent, symphonic black metal
similar bands : Emperor, Limbonic art
origin : Greece
strong spot: songwriting
weak spot :unreal performance in the drums, plastic production

Unholy Ritual do not play something new.This is not bad of course since their music has the essential black metal spirit and the members of the band seem to feel obsessed with what they sing and play. You can find real passion in this album, not the usual pretentious stuff that is considered as true black metal (bleach!).

7 out of 10 goatheads



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TRANSCENDING BIZARRE? - THE FOUR SCISSORS (RERELEASE 2009)

genre : experimental, avant-garde, industrial black metal
similar bands : Arcturus, Limbonic art, the Kovenant
origin : Greece
strong spot: compositions, originality, insanity
weak spot : mechanistic performance in the drums, weak production

Transcending Bizarre? are quite an interesting case of a band. Their songwriting abilities are huge and their style is unique. Although some influences are audible, I cannot think of a single band that plays like them, they mix electronic loops with symphonic orchestrations, epic melodies, power metal solos, black metal riffs, industrial sounds and lots of other elements. It is probably one of the most eclectic and diverse albums i have ever heard. This rerelease has better production than the original, it is remixed and remastered and includes two new tracks.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads


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FAIRYTALE ABUSE - PERVERSIONS OF ANGEL VI (2008)

genre : symphonic black
similar bands : Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir
origin : Denmark
strong spot : songwriting
weak spot : lacks originality, silly band name

I enjoyed listening to this album multiple times but if you are searching for sth extraordinary or perhaps groundbreaking, you will be disappointed. Goth romance, BM growls and typical BM riffs, triggered drums, common scales and orchestrations, the usual conventional stuff is here again. Worths downloading, some tracks reveal real talent.

8 out of 10 goatheads

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ISKALD - REVELATIONS OF A RECKONING DAY (2008)

genre : melodic black metal
similar bands : Dissection, Kampfar, keep of Kalessin
origin : Norway
strong spot: songwriting, production
weak spot : no obvious weak elements

This album is 100% what we can call a future classic for the genre. Iskald hail from Norway and have successfully transferred the cold ice climate of their country into this album. There is no doubt that the best album of Scandinavian melodic black metal is ''Storm of the light's bane'', but this one is very close.

9 out of 10 goatheads

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ARTEFACT - RUINS (2008)

genre : epic, progressive black metal
similar bands : Mayhem, Keep of Kalessin, Emperor
origin : France
strong spot: compositions, performance
weak spot : no obvious weak elements

At first, Artefact strongly reminded me of Keep of Kalessin but after some more thorough listens I saw lots of additional elements in their music. Emperor were there, Mayhem were there, Opeth were there, Dimmu borgir were there. All these influences were put into the mix and the result is this great album. Artefact are by no means copycats, they just know how to use their influences and ''marry'' them with their original ideas.They sound progressive but they know where to stop, they are epic but they know how to avoid being cheesy.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads


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SHINING - VI-KLAGOPSALMER (2009)

genre : suicidal, experimental black metal
similar bands : Mayhem , Opeth , Katatonia
origin : Sweden
strong spot: variety of vocal techniques
weak spot : short album duration (5 real songs) , solos sometimes sound too rock for a BM band

Shining are confident about their music, they don't try to push things in order to impress. Even though their music is quite minimalist and simple, they manage to produce an album that transcends the black metal boarders and sounds like something fresh and new. They are playing what we use to call suicidal BM but sometimes they sound like a doom metal band accompanied by sick vocals and lyrics about hate and depression. The fact that the lyrics are in swedish gives an extra feeling to the songs, making the vocalist sound really pissed off and freaked out.

8 out of 10 goatheads


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CARACH ANGREN - LAMMENDAM (2008)

genre : symphonic black
similar bands : Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Arcturus
origin : Netherlands
strong spot: compositions , intense horror movie atmosphere
weak spot : production could be even better

Carach Angren play symphonic black metal exactly as it should be. They don't copy anyone, they use interesting chords and scales, they are not afraid to experiment, they know how to write music. Simple as that, simply amazing.

9 out of 10 goatheads


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MYLIDIAN - BIRTH OF THE PROPHET (2006)

genre : symphonic, theatrical power/black
similar bands : Dol Ammad, Therion
origin : France
strong spot : vocals, compositions
weak spot : no obvious weak spots

This is an impressive concept album. Compositions are very good, musicians are skilled, style is balancing between black metal and theatrical power metal. They manage to create the appropriate atmosphere for a concept album. I was used to avant-garde BM bands from France, Mylidian are an exception.

8 out of 10 goatheads

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