IMPERIAL VENGEANCE - BLACK HEART OF EMPIRE (2011)

genre : symphonic black

similar bands : Carach Angren, Transcending Bizarre?, Cradle of Filth
origin :UK

strong spot : songwriting, symphonic orchestrations

weak spot : female vocals (my personal NoNo)

Imperial Vengeance is one of the few bands whose music really captures a dreamy/unearthly atmosphere similar to that from the cinema. The symphonic orchestrations are once again close to perfection and the songwriting combines passion and wrath with beautiful melodies and fairytale-like sounds.  The metal elements fortunately are not put aside but on the contrary constitute the main core of the music (there is also a very clean and solid production). 
 

8,5 out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM - CELESTIAL LINEAGE (2011)

genre : funeral/atmospheric doom/black

similar bands :Agalloch, Drudkh, Woods of Desolation, A Forest of Stars, Fen
origin :USA

strong spot : atmosphere

weak spot : compositions could be better

Wolves in the Throne room is no doubt one of the bands that crafted what we today call american black metal. They are also one of the first bands who incorporated post-black and shoegaze black influences in their sound. Lots of bands followed later on. Here is their new endeavour, atmospheric, ritualistic and evocative as always. My objections are the following: 1) we have heard this kind of astral atmosphere in their previous releases, only now the production standards are much higher and 2) There are no actual compositions, meaning chord sequences, diverse tempos, tonalities, changes of scale etc etc, here we have some chords played in a minimalistic manner so as to yield in a ritualistic transcendental atmosphere. Simple as that. If you are up for this kind of styff, this album is really convincing. Regarding me, this is not my cup of tea...

6 out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

OPETH - HERITAGE (2011)

genre : prog rock/ metal

similar bands : old Opeth, King Crimson,
origin : Sweden

strong spot :  arrangements, vintage production

weak spot : has some dull moments, no screams attached

Mikael Akerfeldt is no doubt one of the best and most influential musicians in the modern day metal scene. Most of the fans hated this album at first listen but appreciated it later on. I remember my self listening to ''Masquerade Infernale'' from Arcturus and saying ''well, quite good experimentation but that's all''. Needless to say that this is now one of my all time classics, Arcturus were simply ahead of me, ahead of the metal world and fans. Mayne that's the case with Opeth here. I am not implying that this is a future classic but I am sure in a few years from now people will think they misjudged this album and underrated it. The influences from bands like King Crimson or Camel and in general the 70s prog rock scene are audible but Akerfeldt does not copy/paste anyone. There is till enough Opeth identity here.  This an album that contains a huge amount of magic and transcendental atmosphere. Psychedelic landscapes, serene instrumentations, peaceful melodies yield in a ''different'' but lovable album.

9 out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

AENAON - CENDRES ET SANG

genre : post black

similar bands : No Hand Path, The Konsortium, Dornenreich
origin : Greece

strong spot :  songwriting

weak spot :nothing obvious

Greece is full of surprises lately. Here we have the newcomers Aenaon that recently signed with Code666 and present a multidimensional, diverse, thrashy and melodic post black album with avant garde touches (i.e. the use of saxophone in a couple of tracks). There is but a tiny amount of synths or effects here. Aenaon are definitely capable of writing good songs and in the end of the day that's what makes an album stand out from the pile of albums out there. Here the listener tastes darkness, despair, jazzy serenity, wrath and lots of other feelings. The band sometimes  follows the old school black metal paths while others sounds extra modern.

9 out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

LEPROUS - BILATERAL (2011)

genre : extreme progressive metal

similar bands : Dream Theater, Haken, Ihsahn
origin : Norway

strong spot : cover, songwriting, vocals, technical performance

weak spot : I would prefer much more growls


Leprous' debut was one of the most promising debuts I came across since I started this blog. Therefore,you can understand my curiosity about this one, their 2nd album, which I really enjoyed to its last moment. Leprous have turned to more progressive paths with ''Bilateral'' but their music is still powerful, passionate and easy to grasp. The performance of the whole combo and especiall the vocalist is ideal and there is not a single filler  track. Clever songwriting, diverse arrangements, non-common melodies. If I had to compare it to their debut? hmmm, I am sure the new album will appeal to more fans, especially the progressive ones but when coming to musical essence and songwriting I would rate their debut slightly higher.

9 out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

ICS VORTEX - STORM SEEKER (2011)

genre :modern heavy metal

similar bands : Iron Maiden, Sonata Arctica

origin : Norway

strong spot : nothng obivous

weak spot : songwriting is ridiculous(some songs are to laugh at), tracks sound the same, vocals are extremely boring

Well here we have the latest project by the ex-clean vocalist of the legendary blackmetallers Dimmu Borgir. Highly anticipated? yes, Worth the wait? No... Everything here is at least mediocre...hmmm mediocre is not the right word. Bad? yes bad, everything here is very poorly done, the production, the songwriting, the cover etc etc This is the definition of a bad album. Other reviewers referred to this album as prog rock or prog metal. I totally disagree, there is nothing progressive here, the compositions are simple and boring, the performance below average, the style quite common and by no means innovative or experimental. Last but not least, Mr Simen Haestnes' singing is totally messed up. The guy has a great voice but in most of the songs he sings in a single octave and this sounds annoying and tiring.Voice dynamics are almost absent.

2,5 out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

SORGELDOM - ...FROM OUTER INTELLIGENCES (2011)

 genre : post-black metal (experimental and avant-garde influences)

similar bands : Oder Arcarum, Isengard, Fen, Kerbenok

origin : Sweden

strong spot : riffs

weak spot : clean vocals could be better, songwriting could be more solid

The Swedish combo released two (!) albums this year from which I selected the second one to recommend here. Catchy and yet complex riffs, folk atmosphere, diverse vocals, puzzling song structures, lots of clean guitar parts, some experimental parts, all the ingredients of modern black metal are here put in the blender.

7 out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

THE KONSORTIUM - THE KONSORTIUM (2011)

genre : black metal

similar bands :Kvelertak, Satyricon, Whirling, Carcass(?)

origin : Norway

strong spot : songwriting

weak spot :nothing too obvious

Norway has the recipe, that's for sure. The Konsortium features members of Mayhem and Kvelertak as their myspace page claims. They play thrashy black metal as it should be. Cool riffs, complex structures,avant-garde touches, changes in tempo, a versatile vocalist, a somehow raw production etc etc, I guess you get the picture. Go for it...

8,8  out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE - AGONY (2011)

genre :symphonic death metal

similar bands : Hollenthon, Transcending Bizarre?, Septicflesh, Hour of Penance

origin : Italy

strong spot : classical orchestrations, compositions

weak spot : nothing too obvious

Death metal in the core, classical music in the surface.As a fan of symphonic music I have to bow my head in gratitude to the almighty Fleshgod Apocalypse. The band is more symphonic than ever and I guess their hardcore death metal fans will be disappointed. But the band shows huge new potential and present an almost flawless album that I never saw it coming. Extra credits go to the drummer that plays constantly at high speeds (live performance is definitely a challenge for him since he is always around 300 bpm) and to the synth player that has done a phenomenal work. Even though there is no orchestra taking part, the sounds and the arrangements are so advanced and complex that they give the illusion of a real orchestra. Clean vocals may sound strange to some ears but in the end the result is more than satisfying. A MUST RECOMMENDATION!!

9,5  out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

VALBORG - BARBARIAN

genre : black metal

similar bands : Darkestrah, Dornenreich, Todtgelicher

origin : Germany

strong spot : vocals

weak spot :boring at parts

I have to admit that I was never a fan of Valborg but I saw a lot of potential in their previous work ''Crown of Sorrow''. Sadly, I was wrong. Valborg present a somewhat boring album that lacks energy, passion, continuity and originality. I would not label it as progressive since it is very flat and predictable. In any case, it has 2 or 3 tracks that show potential and talent. I will have to expect their next endeavour again...

6,9  out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

PESTE NOIRE - L'Ordure à l'état Pur (2011)

genre : experimental black metal

similar bands : Pensees nocturnes, Deathspell Omega, Armagedda

origin : France

strong spot : originality

weak spot : some ideas are too weird while some others sound ridiculous

France is a country that has pushed the boundaries of almost every kind of art and Peste Noire could not deviate from this tradition. They present modernized old school black metal with touches of experimentalism and large doses of insanity. I guess this is again a love it or hate it album. So far, I enjoy it and I am not annoyed by the rooster that is featured on the first track :) It definitely sounds like sth new and refreshing but I guess it needs time to grow into the listener.

8,5  out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

SHINING - VII: FODD FORLORARE (2011)

genre : black metal

similar bands :Opeth, Murmuure, Totalselfhatred, Valborg, A Forest of Stars

origin : Sweden

strong spot : originality

weak spot : I'd prefer more new elements

Shining are back with a new album. If you liked their previous ones, I am sure you won't be dissapointed. My only objection is that this one does not showcase a wide range of new elements but sounds a bit stale and stubborn. Even so, it is a very good album with plenty of good black metal riffs, melody when needed and a large dose of schizophrenia. This guys' vocals are really expressive and passionate.

8,5  out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

KRALLICE - DIOTIMA (2011)

genre :melodic/progressive black metal

similar bands : Iskald, Enslaved, Ludicra, Todtgelichter

origin :USA

strong spot :production

weak spot :

If you like the above bands there is a high possibility you already know Krallice. Most of tracks last more than 10 minutes, so be prepared. Personally, I found the duration of the songs a bit tiring. This is an album that demands several listens in order to be fully comprehended. But it's worth the try.

8,3  out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

MURMUURE - MURMUURE (2010)

genre :experimental / ambient black metal

similar bands : A Forest Of Stars, Shining (NO), Sleeping Peonies

origin : France

strong spot : arrangements, compositions, originality, innovation

weak spot : production is sometimes a bit more raw than it should

For some reasons I don't know, I considered this album mediocre when I was first acquainted with it. I gave it a few more spins now and I have to thank Thornspire for recommending me to do so. Well, Murmuure are sometimes unbelievably beautiful and unexplainably intriguing.  Most of the times nothing is really audible and yet the sound result is so original and captivating. The band equally shares its inspiration between experimental BM and ambient music. The synth sounds they use are really fitting and they manage to create soundscapes that are not familiar even to an experienced ear. I really don't know if they use vocals or if they use drums, or even guitars and bass because everything is put to the blender and everything sounds like part of a whole. And the whole is really abstract but beautiful.

9,4  out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link

SEPTICFLESH - THE GREAT MASS (2011)

 

genre : symphonic black/death

similar bands :  Hollenthon, Transcending Bizarre?, Dimmu Borgir

origin :Greece

strong spot : arrangements, compositions

weak spot : almost nothing

Septicflesh are definitely  the best composers in the extreme metal scene according to my opinion. So, their new album had no chance of being mediocre. Once again they have created a dark monstrosity, a piece of art for the open minded and the ones in love with music. It is less catchy than ''Communion'' and I have to congratulate the band for this. After the huge success of  ''Communion'' they didn't commercialize their music even more but they used new elements, new chord progressions, new moods. ''The Great Mass'' is another step forward for the band, maybe one of the best bands ever in the extreme scene.

9,5  out of 10 goatheads 

Click on title for Download link