Saturday, April 10, 2010

ORANSSI PAZUZU - MUUKALAINEN PUHUU (2009)

genre : avant-garde/psychedelic black metal
similar bands : Klabautamann, Angst Skvadron, Burzum, Odem Arcarum, Pink Floyd (Syd Barrett era)
origin : Finland
strong spot : 100% original
weak spot : only for advanced listeners (beginners should stay away!)

There is a bunch of metal bands that attempt a psychedelic approach to black metal. I've listened tons of them but unfortunately, the majority is really crap. Finnish Oranssi Pazuzu are an exception. Imagine Pink Floyd's legendary live at Pompeii performed by skilled black metal musicians and you've got the picture. Everything in ''Muukalainen Puhuu'' serves a purpose and everything sounds different than normal BM bands. First of all, the drums and the bass play unconventional rhythmic parts. Then, the synths and the guitars use a variety of abstract space sounds and don't hesitate to improvise. The production is as raw as it gets (imagine a BM version of the production of ''The piper at the Gates of Dawn'') and serves as the perfect canvas for the surrealistic spirit of Oranssi Pazuzu. Bands like this stretch the barriers of black metal and give a new meaning to the term '' post-modern black metal''.

9 out of 10 goatheads


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Friday, April 9, 2010

SHAOLIN DEATH SQUAD - FIVE DEADLY VENOMS (2010) INTELLIGENT DESIGN (2006)

genre : progressive/avant-garde/experimental/rock/death
similar bands : Stolen Babies, Diablo Swing orchestra, Arcturus
origin : USA
strong spot : songwriting, originality
weak spot : production could be more solid

Strange tunes, diverse vocals, progressive performance, experimental and avant-garde orchestrations. What more do you guys want? ''Intelligent Design'' is more progressive death metal oriented, while ''Five Deadly venoms'' is more progressive rock oriented. Nevertheless, I'd recommend downloading both albums, they both abound in pioneer spirit and talent.

9 out of 10 goatheads for ''Five Deadly venoms''
9,2 out of 10 goatheads for ''Intelligent Design''


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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

KIANA - ABSTRACT ENTITY (2009)

genre : melodic death
similar bands : Children of Bodom, Kalmah, Soilwork
origin : Finland
strong spot : performance
weak spot : if you are searching for sth out of the ordinary, you'll be disappointed

Even though these Finnish guys play typical melodic metal, they have some interesting ideas and melodies that make the whole album really enjoyable.

7,5 out of 10 goatheads


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Sunday, April 4, 2010

BARREN EARTH - OUR TWILIGHT E.P. (2009)

genre : melodic,progressive doom/death
similar bands : Amorphis, In Mourning, Moonsorrow
origin : Finland
strong spot : melodies, diversity
weak spot : -

I just discovered that one of the best findings of this year, Barren earth, released this EP one year before their amazing full-length album ''Curse of the Red River''. Before listening to this EP, try their full-length here.

8,5 out of 10 goatheads


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Saturday, April 3, 2010

THROES OF DAWN - THE GREAT FLEET OF ECHOES (2010)

genre : atmospheric/dark
similar bands : Amorphis, Swallow the Sun, Anathema, Tiamat, Pink Floyd
origin : Finland
strong spot : songwriting, dark and sad atmosphere
weak spot : I'd prefer more screaming vocals

Throes of Dawn are from Finland and this is their fifth endeavour. The band's style has a wide range of influences but I wouldn't say it lacks originality. The music is mainly mid-tempo and slow, the vocals are most of the times clean and melodic and occasionally screaming and aggressive. While the core of the music is based on the diverse guitars sounds, the synths play an important role and contribute to the lyricism and the sad/dark atmosphere of the music. Overall, ''The Great Fleet of Echoes'', as the name implies (check Pink Floyd's ''The Great gig in the Sky'',''Echoes''), is a dark metal album with a Pink Floyd-ish psychedelic touch. Try also their previous works, they are worth checking too.

9 out of 10 goatheads


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Thursday, April 1, 2010

PENSEES NOCTURNES - GROTESQUE (2010)

genre : avant-garde, psychedelic, symphonic black metal
similar bands : Solefald, Le Grand Guignol
origin : France
strong spot : orchestral arrangements
weak spot : vocals are...a bit strange

Pensees Nocturnes are as strange and avant-garde as it gets. The music follows no standard rules, these guys are really a perfect example of artistic expression's freedom. The symphonic parts are complicated and extremely sophisticated, sometimes atonal, sometimes melodic, but never catchy and easy to swallow (I hardly remember any melodies from this album and yet I don't consider it boring). The metal parts incline towards sophisticated primitive black metal and manage not to sound stale.I'm sure that some people will hate the vocals but fans of Solefald or Le grand Guignol will love them..

8,5 out of 10 goatheads


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BURZUM - BELUS (2010)

genre : melodic black
similar bands : Darkthrone, Carpathian Forest, Alcest :)
origin : Hell
strong spot : kidding?
weak spot : repetition of the same ideas in almost every song

This album is ok if you just want to remember the old times when black metal was trendy as hell.Burzum are one of these bands that their hype is ten times bigger than their talent. I suppose people like Ihsahn can write 10 albums like ''Belus'' a day. And it's extremely funny when reviewers praise this album. What do you praise guys? The predictable chord progressions? or the naive orchestrations? Maybe the boring compositions?

6 out of 10 goatheads

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