MALEVOLENTIA - EX OBLIVION (2011)

genre : symphonic black

similar bands :  Carach Angren, Dimmu Borgir, Lyfthrashyr

origin :France

strong spot : symphonic arrangements and samples

weak spot : common chord progressions, lack of identity

 Interesting compositions that lack sth extrordinary.

7,5  out of 10 goatheads 

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TORCHBEARER - DEATH MEDITATIONS

genre : symphonic/progressive death/black

similar bands :  Axamenta, Transcending Bizarre?, Kalmah

origin : Sweden

strong spot : performance

weak spot :sth groundbreaking is missing

A quite interesting album that lacks a surprising/groundbreaking element. Pretty much everything is predictable. This is not bad necessarily but in the era where 100 new CDs are released and leak every day, the listener demands sth extraordinary good.

7,9  out of 10 goatheads 

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FEN / DE ARMA split (2011)

genre :shoegaze, post-black

similar bands : Lantlos, Heretoir

origin : UK / Sweden

strong spot : the lyrics are not in French (like Alcest), trippy atmosphere

weak spot : some tracks lack diversity

I never understood the meaning of a split album but anyway, here Fen are presenting some more stuff that is very close to their stunning latest album but is somehow inferior. I didn't know De Arma before and I can say that their stuff is quite nice but they are missing diversity and strong character/originality.

8  out of 10 goatheads 

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