#CenturyMediaRecords

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/lacuna-coil-sleepless-empire-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Lacuna Coil – Sleepless Empire Review</a>By KenstrosityItalian gothic metal/groove/hard rock outfit Lacuna Coil occupy a special place in my metallic upbringing. Comalies, the band’s third album—and their breakout release—was the very first CD I bought with my own money. It remains a staple in my rotation to this day, thanks to hypnotic blends of dour atmosphere and poppy hooks sharp enough to pierce the gray matter permanently. This disparate combination is what put Lacuna Coil on the map as a common gateway for new metal fans. It also serves as a nostalgic portal for established metalheads like myself, who to this day kneel in reverence at the altar of those groups who lowered us, ever so lovingly, into the hellish arms of the underground and the extreme.Lacuna Coil’s history, unlike some other bands of significance, is fraught with inconsistency packaged into three distinct eras. The first, a moody, doom-laden run that introduced the group to the world, culminating in the legendary Comalies. With Karmacode, Lacuna Coil modernized their approach, pulling inspiration from trendy metal tropes of the mid-2000s mainstream and dispensed with their half-doom half-goth personality (check the Korn-y bass tone on Karmacode and the hard rock attitude of<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/lacuna-coil-dark-adrenaline-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"> Dark Adrenaline</a>). This persisted for the next eight years, all the way through the darker, but shaky misfire <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/lacuna-coil-broken-crown-halo-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Broken Crown Halo</a>. A resurgence and return to form shortly thereafter manifested Lacuna Coil’s current shape on Delirium. Fresh and energetic, Lacuna Coil’s latest sound maximized its impact with the awesome <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/lacuna-coil-black-anima-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Black Anima</a>, striking a compelling balance between the groove-laden swagger of their mid-period and the genuine gothic heft of their origins. Earnest beyond expectation, Black Anima set a new standard for Lacuna Coil and deeply informs their upcoming tenth<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/lacuna-coil-sleepless-empire-review/#fn-212206-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> record, Sleepless Empire.Throughout all of this tumultuous history, the shining beacon leading the way to success was Cristina Scabbia and her venomous, unmistakable siren song. Hemorrhaging power and charisma, Scabbia elevates everything, and that remains true here. To listen to the anomalous “I Wish You Were Dead” threatens to derail the entire experience, as the song itself recalls the bulk of their largely unloved (outside of the mainstream) radio-rock mid-period—but Scabbia’s spine-twisting snarl inevitably twists my conflicted mind towards the positive. Elsewhere, stronger cuts “Oxygen,” “Scarecrow,” “Sleepless Empire,” and “Sleep Paralysis” more faithfully reproduce the fiery swing and sticky pull of Delirium’s and Black Anima’s material, once again showcasing Scabbia’s brilliant placement and diverse range. These cuts make great use of Andrea Ferro’s vicious screams, highly reminiscent of <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/lamb-of-god-lamb-of-god-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Lamb of God</a>‘s Randy Blythe (who himself features on the decent, but not quite excellent, “Hosting the Shadow”), as well. In fact, Ferro—for perhaps the first time in the band’s history—acquits himself with aplomb on Sleepless Empire. By completely abandoning his much-maligned rough-hewn cleans in favor of an extra heavy dose of throat-shredding roars, Ferro finally answers a decades-long call for a necessary shift even die-hard Lacuna Coil fans demanded. To see it finally executed instills a blazing fire of vindication and a soothing wave of relief.Meanwhile, longtime keyboardist Marco Coti Zelati takes over for Diego “DD” Cavallotti on guitars on top of his synth duties, resulting in a bit of a mixed bag on the instrumental front. “DD” earned his stripes by injecting Lacuna Coil’s Black Anima material with everything it needed to resonate with skeptics and fans alike, who both longed for more impactful guitar work from these Italians (see “Reckless,” “Veneficium,” and “Under the Surface”). Zelati does everything in his talented fingers to recreate the same results in his voice but falls short. Many of Sleepless Empire’s riffs and motifs lack punch (“In Nomine Patris”), engage in stale, chugging repetition (“The Siege,” “Sleepless Empire,” “Never Dawn”), or pull too heavily from Lacuna Coil’s past without doing enough to train them up for duty today (“Gravity,” “In the Mean Time”). Thankfully, the rhythm section makes up some of the slack, with former <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/genus-ordinis-dei-great-olden-dynasty-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Genus Ordinis Dei</a> drummer Richard Meiz taking the skins in his confident hands just as he did on Black Anima. As a final note, Sleepless Empire’s production is a notable step down. Inexplicably muddy and loud at the same time, it crushes everything to paper-thin flatness, save for the way-up-front vocals.At the end of the day, I can’t say I’m disappointed with Sleepless Empire. There was little chance of it eclipsing Lacuna Coil’s landmark records. However, if my instincts are correct about how Lacuna Coil evolves—and I believe that they are—I suspect we’re simply witnessing the dying breaths of their current sound. Unfortunately, Sleepless Empire isn’t the explosive send-off it should’ve been to once more careen Lacuna Coil headfirst into new territory. Yet, I find myself charmed even still, such that I remain fascinated by what their future might hold. Rating: Mixed DR: 4 | Format Reviewed: 256 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="http://www.centurymedia.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Century Media Records</a> Websites: <a href="http://lacunacoil.it" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">lacunacoil.it</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/lacunacoil" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/lacunacoil</a> Releases Worldwide: February 14th, 2025<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2-5/" target="_blank">#25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/century-media-records/" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/feb25/" target="_blank">#Feb25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/genus-ordinis-dei/" target="_blank">#GenusOrdinisDei</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/gothic-metal/" target="_blank">#GothicMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/groove-metal/" target="_blank">#GrooveMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hard-rock/" target="_blank">#HardRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/italian-metal/" target="_blank">#ItalianMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/korn/" target="_blank">#Korn</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/lacuna-coil/" target="_blank">#LacunaCoil</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/lamb-of-god/" target="_blank">#LambOfGod</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sleepless-empire/" target="_blank">#SleeplessEmpire</a>

Seth AbrikoosThrowback to: 📍 <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/melkwegamsterdam" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#melkwegamsterdam</a> 🇳🇱 <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Amsterdam" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#Amsterdam</a> 🔥 <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/MentalCruelty" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#MentalCruelty</a> 🗓️ 5/12/2024 📷 <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Sethpicturesmusic" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#Sethpicturesmusic</a> - <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/SethAbrikoos" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#SethAbrikoos</a> 📱 This video is created with a phone to give a small impression of the concert. My full concert photo (of better quality) report can be found via Whiterooom Reviews! ℹ️ Accr. Via WR & CM . . . <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/festivalphotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#festivalphotography</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalhead" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalhead</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/festivalphotographer" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#festivalphotographer</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/concertphotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#concertphotography</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/concertphotographer" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#concertphotographer</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/musicphotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#musicphotography</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/musicphotographer" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#musicphotographer</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalcore" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalcore</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalcoreband" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalcoreband</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/centurymediarecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#centurymediarecords</a> 🤘✌️

Seth Abrikoos- <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/CradleofFilth" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#CradleofFilth</a> - 5-12-2024 - <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Melkweg" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#Melkweg</a> - Accr. via: <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/WhiteroomReviews" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#WhiteroomReviews</a> via <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/CenturyMediaRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> . . . <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/concert" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#concert</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/musicphotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#musicphotography</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/musicphotographer" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#musicphotographer</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/concertphotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#concertphotography</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/concertphotographer" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#concertphotographer</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/festivalphotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#festivalphotography</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/festivalphotographer" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#festivalphotographer</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalmusic" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalmusic</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalband" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalband</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/cemetery-skyline-nordic-gothic-things-you-might-have-missed-2024/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Cemetery Skyline – Nordic Gothic [Things You Might Have Missed 2024]</a>By Steel DruhmWhen members of Dark Tranquillity, Amorphis, Omnium Gatherum, Dimmu Borgir, and Sentenced come together to record a Goth rock album, people take notice. That’s exactly what happened when Cemetery Skyline hit the streets this October with their Nordic Gothic debut. A project overflowing with talent, this Scandinavian collective stirred hopes for good things, and by and large, good things were delivered. Nordic Gothic is 100% pure Goth rock and it’s consistently earwormy and hard-driving with knowing nods to Sister of Mercy, The Cult, and Fields of Nephilim, as well as more metalized acts like Type O Negative, and To Die For. That means there’s just enough of a harder edge to offset the weepy Goth aesthetics and keep things bold and badass. That’s a big win for the sadbois!With the always excellent Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity) on the mic, Nordic Gothic takes you from one hooky Goth rocker to another. Cuts like opener “Torn Away” and the excellent “In Darkness” suck you in to the album’s polished, dark mood, and huge ear candy numbers like “Behind the Lie” make sure you don’t get away. The level of writing and attention to detail is impressive and the whole package plays out like a sleek release crafted by Goth scene vets. The supergroup ensemble acquits itself very well along the way, creating gloomy, grey textures and backdrops for Stanne to paint on with his plaintive clean vocals. The album is blessed by a killer pair of opening cuts, but later tracks like “Never Look Back” and “Anomalie” also have strong legs and big hooks. I have the chorus of the former percolating through my brain at least once a day and I may need to consult a mental health professional if this continues. Lest they fall too far into olde Goth idioms, Cemetery Skyline throw some curveballs at the listener. “The Coldest Heart” sounds like Faith No More trying to mimic Type O Negative and its slightly jazzy swing struggles amusingly against its intrinsic Goth glumness. Even the mega-sullen, uber-morose 7-plus minute closer “Alone Together” hits the sadz bone and avoids feeling too languid.Of course, the star of the show is Mr. Stanne. Completely removed from his death metal background, he spreads his wings and soars vocally, showing depth and versatility. He’s always been good at cold, Gothy vocal tricks but he elevates his game across Nordic Gothic and shows just how much he’s grown as a singer over the years. Markus Vanhala (Omnium Gatherum, Insomnium) finds the sweet spot between sulky Goth noodling and more forceful riffage. His playing provides ample Goth flavor but never entirely lets you forget that there’s a bunch of hardened metal maniacs behind it all. An excellent job by all involved.Nordic Gothic is a great album for winter rumination. It will bum you out but rock your ass, thereby finding a near-perfect equipoise. It’s one of the rare “supergroup” projects that fully delivers on its promise and you’ll be impressed by how well these metal cats turn to emo soundscapes. If you love classic Goth rock, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. If you aren’t a Goth-head, check it out anyway. It just might be The Cure for what ails you.Tracks to Check Out: “In Darkness,” “Behind the Lie,” “Never Look Back”<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/amorphis/" target="_blank">#Amorphis</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cemetery-skyline/" target="_blank">#CemeterySkyline</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/century-media-records/" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dark-tranquillity/" target="_blank">#DarkTranquillity</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fields-of-nephilim/" target="_blank">#FieldsOfNephilim</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/nordic-gothic/" target="_blank">#NordicGothic</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/omnium-gatherum/" target="_blank">#OmniumGatherum</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sentenced/" target="_blank">#Sentenced</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sisters-of-mercy/" target="_blank">#SistersOfMercy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/things-you-might-have-missed-2024/" target="_blank">#ThingsYouMightHaveMissed2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/to-die-for/" target="_blank">#ToDieFor</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/type-o-negative/" target="_blank">#TypeONegative</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tribulation-sub-rosa-in-aeternum-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Tribulation – Sub Rosa in Æternum Review</a>By GardensTaleTribulation has battled its share of tribulations. After an interesting decade of gradually shifting from death metal to goth metal with growls with a new drummer every couple of years, the band lost one of their primary songwriters with the departure of flamboyant guitarist Jonathan Hultén. The last album to include him, Where the Gloom Becomes Sound, was not bad, but certainly more messy and unpolished than its predecessors, and it was the first to largely halt the band’s evolution. Sub Rosa in Æternum sees the reintroduction of Joseph Tholl on guitars, who originally helped found Hazard, the thrash metal band that would become Tribulation. How has the shake-up affected the music, though?In the face of all these changes, Tribulation has resumed its long transformation. The death metal to goth metal slider has been yanked almost entirely to the latter end with the introduction of Sisters of Mercy-style clean vocals. All brooding bass and sonorous aching, vocalist Andersson chews the scenery with appropriate abandon and does well with his newfound laryngeal freedom. Yet I am grateful he hasn’t dropped his trademark expressive growls, but instead transitions between both styles with a practiced ease. The ratio varies from all harsh (“Time & the Vivid Ore”), all clean (“Reaping Song”) to a split down the middle (“Saturn Coming Down”) and everything in between.The instrumentation and compositional style have made a similar shift into dichotomy. On the one hand, the more metal side of the band remains firm, with inventive hooks and multi-part melodies rendered in just enough distortion to remind that this was a full-blown death metal band once upon a time. On the other hand, an injection of goth rock introduces synths like neon-lit noir streets slick with rain. While it seems obvious to use harsh vocals on the former and clean vocals on the latter, Tribulation’s ability to play against expectations make for an amount of variation and dynamism that makes the record positively fly by. “Drink the Love of God” is a quick but effective ditty that recalls Unto Others’ “Give Me to the Night.” “Tainted Skies” has an infectious chorus and I adore the excellent hold-and-charge patterns throughout “Time & the Vivid Ore.” But some of the best tracks of Sub Rosa in Æternum are the furthest from the band’s bed. “Murder in Red” is gleefully grisly in theme but its Ulver-adjacent darkwave is smooth as butter. But “Reaping Song” takes the goosebump-inducing prize with a stunning and emotional gothic tale carrying shades of Nick Cave and Dead Can Dance.With this broad a palette, Sub Rosa in Æternum could have easily wound up a mess, but Tribulation wisely decided to pull back on the song complexity, with the majority of tracks following a more basic verse-chorus structure than the band’s previous ventures. Thanks to the great melody-craft and lean songwriting this is rarely an issue, but when the imaginativity falters, the flaws are more stark. None of the tracks are particularly weak, but the wings on “Saturn Coming Down” fail to unfurl in full, and “Hungry Waters” doesn’t hit the levels of creepy it seems to be going for. Overall, though, it’s simply a more modest record than some of Tribulation’s heyday, and while there is certainly nothing wrong with that, it also doesn’t elucidate as big a response as an album like Down Below did for me.Sub Rosa in Æternum feels primarily like the best-case scenario of a transitional album. This term feels a little redundant given Tribulation’s tendency towards ongoing evolution, but in the wake of the impactful line-up change, it makes sense for the band to test the waters with new ideas and influences in a more stripped-down form compared to their recent work. With that in mind, it is a no less accomplished album, a successful blend of established sound and new influences that integrate into an array of playfully diverse compositions. After the minor letdown Where the Gloom Becomes Sound, it’s heartening to hear Tribulation hasn’t lost its touch. Rating: 3.5/5.0 DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://www.centurymedia.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Century Media Records</a> Websites: <a href="http://tribulation.se" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">tribulation.se</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/TribulationSweden" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/TribulationSweden</a> Releases Worldwide: November 1st, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/century-media-records/" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dead-can-dance/" target="_blank">#DeadCanDance</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/gothic-metal/" target="_blank">#GothicMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hazard/" target="_blank">#Hazard</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/nick-cave/" target="_blank">#NickCave</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/nov24/" target="_blank">#Nov24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sisters-of-mercy/" target="_blank">#SistersOfMercy</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sub-rosa-in-aeternum/" target="_blank">#SubRosaInÆternum</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/swedish-metal/" target="_blank">#SwedishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/tribulation/" target="_blank">#Tribulation</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ulver/" target="_blank">#Ulver</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/unto-others/" target="_blank">#UntoOthers</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/solstafir-hin-helga-kvol-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Sólstafir – Hin helga kvöl Review</a>By CarcharodonThe review game is a funny business. I genuinely don’t recall liking Endless Twilight of Co-Dependent Love, the last outing by Iceland’s post-metal legends Sólstafir, as much as I <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/solstafir-endless-twilight-of-co-dependent-love-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">apparently</a> did. It was a 2.5/5.0. Surely. But, as I prepared to tackle their eighth album, Hin helga kvöl (The Holy Suffering), I was shocked to learn that I’d 3.5ed Endless Twilight. And, wouldn’t you know, I was right! Yes, Endless Twilight was far too long. No, the production wasn’t good. And yes, Aðalbjörn Tryggvason’s vocals were more love-em-or-hate-em than ever. But, somehow, it held together as a very good album, something I re-discovered afresh delving back in after a four-year break. Speaking about Hin helga kvöl, Tryggvason said that one thing Sólstafir tried was to make the songs shorter but it’s “somewhat harder to write good short songs, so that was a real challenge.” Was it one the Icelanders were up to?While Hin helga kvöl is shorter than Sólstafir’s last outing, at 50 minutes, with six of nine tracks comfortably clearing the five-minute mark, it’s not exactly an EP. But it’s not all about the length, as they (allegedly) say. And it would be fair to say that several of these short(er) songs are good, a few fantastic. The title track could easily have come off Sólstafir’s debut, Í blóði og anda. Harsh, bleak black metal, a big bass groove and Tryggvason’s emotive voice at its least objectionable, all serve to conjure the Icelandic majesty that made the band its name in the first place. This vitality and intensity, much missed on recent Sólstafir records, is matched, in starkly contrasting ways, by the album’s closing duo, “Nú mun ljósið deyja” and “Kuml (forspil, sálmur, kveðja).” The former leans into that Icelandic black metal fury of the title track, building up melodic textures to create layers of stark beauty. Highlight “Kuml” is an altogether different beast, slow, atmospheric doom, building in gorgeous sax and huge, sepulchral, clean vocals, which border on a monastic chant.In fact, the more time I’ve spent with Hin helga kvöl, the more I’ve found to enjoy. Mid-album cut “Vor ás,” which adds in haunting female vocals by Erna Hrönn Ólafsdóttir, is redolent of the more up-tempo cuts (like “Draumfari”) from personal favourite, Svartir sandar. However, Sólstafir also indulge in some of their more recent, uglier vices. Awful hard rock ‘anthem’ “Blakkrakki,” relies on multi-tracked, grainy vocals, with Tryggvason repeatedly shouting the song title over bland, repetitive chords and laboured bass. This simplistic songwriting is repeated on “Grýla,” albeit with somewhat more success. However, unfairly sandwiching it between languid, bluesy lament “Freygátan” and “Nú mun ljósið deyja,” only highlights the basic songwriting. The album’s longest cut “Sálumessa” does absolutely nothing to justify it’s runtime. Attempting, I think, to hark back to the forlorn beauty of Ótta, it succeeds only in making me want to listen to that record.Listening to Hin helga kvöl, I feel like a marionette being sharply pulled between different poles. Sólstafir has simultaneously written some of the best material I’ve heard from them since Ótta (title track and “Kuml”), and some of the worst I’ve heard from them full stop (“Blakkrakki”). They have then combined this with a few other tracks, ranging from the very good (“Freygátan” and “Nú mun ljósið deyja”) to the very mediocre (“Hún andar” and “Sálumessa”) seemingly at random. Only the transition from “Nú mun ljósið deyja” into album closer “Kuml” flows in a way that makes real sense in terms of album pacing. As well as the confused structure, the sound is bad. However, it’s hard to know how much to blame this on the production and how much on the 128 kbps(!) mp3 files that someone deigned to share with us.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/solstafir-hin-helga-kvol-review/#fn-205943-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> In the more stripped-back tracks (like “Kuml”), the production just about holds up, albeit the master is loud. In other places though, notably “Nú mun ljósið deyja,” it sounds crushed and a bit flat. Either way, just like on Endless Twilight, Tryggvason’s vocals are again way too far forward in the mix, offensively so on “Blakkrakki.”Hin helga kvöl is so damn close to being the album I desperately wanted from Sólstafir. Ditch two tracks (which, incidentally, would shave almost 12 minutes off the runtime) and re-order the rest to give the album a logical flow, and you’d be looking at a record that could stand toe-to-toe with pretty much anything in Sólstafir’s catalogue. As an all-around album experience, Hin helga kvöl is fatally flawed but, I think, I maybe, kind of … love it? It’s complicated. Rating: 2.5/5.0 DR: 10<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/solstafir-hin-helga-kvol-review/#fn-205943-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2</a> | Format Reviewed: 128 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://www.centurymedia.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Century Media Records</a> Websites: <a href="http://solstafir.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">solstafir.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://solstafir.is" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">solstafir.is</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/solstafirice" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/solstafirice</a> Releases Worldwide: November 8th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2-5/" target="_blank">#25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/century-media-records/" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hard-rock/" target="_blank">#HardRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hin-helga-kvol/" target="_blank">#HinHelgaKvöl</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/icelandic-metal/" target="_blank">#IcelandicMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/nov24/" target="_blank">#Nov24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/post-rock/" target="_blank">#PostRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/post-black-metal/" target="_blank">#PostBlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/post-metal/" target="_blank">#PostMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/solstafir/" target="_blank">#Solstafir</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/swallow-the-sun-shining-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Swallow the Sun – Shining Review</a>By Steel DruhmSwallow the Sun have been on a slow, steady arc of evolution since their early days of crushing doom-death. Over the years their overall sound lightened and expanded, adding more Goth rock elements along the way. 2019s When a Shadow is Forced into the Light moved away from brute heaviness toward glumly melodic, introspective soundscapes, and 2021s <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/swallow-the-sun-moonflowers-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Moonflowers</a> continued that drift while painting with a gray-forward palette. For Shining the band wanted to push further into new territories and brought in 2-time Grammy nominee producer Dan Lancaster, known for his work with acts like Blink 182 and Muse. The result is what the band refers to as “the Black Album of Death Doom.” It’s a much more polished, slick, and restrained version of Swallow the Sun, with shorter songs and a radio-friendly lean to their writing that approaches straight-up Goth rock and darkwave. Naturally, this comes at the expense of sheer heaviness. Will this shiny new version of Swallow the Sun be palatable to metal fiends or have they crossed the dreaded Rubicon?The newly streamlined, polished sound is evident on opener “Innocense Was Long Forgotten.” It’s very depressive with the Finnish coldness still in place. It sounds a lot like Dawn of Solace at points and it’s full of morose vocals and despondent melodic harmonies. It’s 50 Shades of Gray all day with a decent chorus but the whole enterprise feels underwhelming, safe, and cautious. Lest Swallow the Sun give the impression they forgot the metal, “What Have I Become” leverages latter-day Amorphis-esque death roars and crunching guitars alongside plaintive piano and forlorn clean vocals. The metal may be present yet things still feel neutered and drained of needed vitality. This is the pattern that plays out over Shining. There’s an effort to balance mellower offerings like “MelancHoly” with harder fare like the blackened “Kold,” but the overall impact remains moderate to low. Things often feel too self-consciously rigid and tightly regulated to truly shine with songs rarely grabbing hold of your throat and heart. Worse, the material sometimes sounds uncomfortably similar to H.I.M.There are a few highlights on Shining that show Swallow the Sun can still push a song to a higher plateau. “November Dust” drills deeper into pure Goth, with elements of Fields of the Nephilim and Type O Negative coming together for a bleak, unhappy marriage in a graveyard. Mikko Kotamäk goes full Carl McCoy here with good results as the band fully commits to the dejected energy. It’s an engaging song on an album that sometimes seems unwilling to let the listener in. “Charcoal Sky” is a muted success, going deeper into the death and black elements minimized or forgotten elsewhere. It sounds like a slightly more menacing Amorphis, with Mikko doing an impressive Tomi Joutsen homage as he roars over heavy, crunchy riffs and subtle orchestration. It’s not perfect but it stands out amid the dry writing. The nearly 9-minute closing title track is a microcosm of the album, pairing good moments with flat ones. I’m especially fond of how much Mikko sounds like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQlm0Q8HKUE&ab_channel=progflea" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">David Sylvia</a>n here and I credit the band for making the song as listenable as it is over its runtime. However, it still feels like it’s lacking something special and essential.The individual players are as talented as ever. Mikko is a very good vocalist capable of effective Goth-centric crooning and conveying the proper emotional heft. His death roars and blackened rasps remain biting and effective too. However, he feels as if he’s playing things too safe and can come across as rather anodyne. The main issue is the lack of fire and brimstone in the surrounding music. Juha Raivio and Juho Räihä feel underutilized on some tracks, their playing being too stripped-back and minimalist. When they do cut loose you get some impressive leads and harmonies, as on the title track, but too much of the album feels stuck in rudimentary Goth leads and restrained sullen doodling. This adds to a lurking sense of malaise that undercuts the enjoyment.I came into Shining hoping to be washed away in the moist tears of a heartbroken sadboi but instead, I was greeted by a cold, sterile album that feels emotionally distant and tough to reach. It’s almost like the band put up walls to keep the listener watching from a distance and the result is an overly safe and pedestrian slab of Goth rock with metal uprisings. Swallow the Sun are now doing the same kind of music as The Eternal, but not nearly as well.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/swallow-the-sun-shining-review/#fn-204817-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> Shining is easy on the ears but fairly drab and forgettable. That’s the real source of sadness here. Rating: 2.5/5.0 DR: NA | Format Reviewed: Lame Ass Stream Label: <a href="https://www.centurymedia.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Century Media</a> Websites: <a href="http://swallowthesun.net/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">swallowthesun.net</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/swallowthesun" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/swallowthesun</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/swallowthesunofficial/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">instagram.com/swallowthesunofficial</a> Releases Worldwide: October 18th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2-5/" target="_blank">#25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/amorphis/" target="_blank">#Amorphis</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/century-media-records/" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/doom-metal/" target="_blank">#DoomMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/fields-of-the-nephilim/" target="_blank">#FieldsOfTheNephilim</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/finnish-metal/" target="_blank">#FinnishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/gothic-metal/" target="_blank">#GothicMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/h-i-m/" target="_blank">#HIM_</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/moonflowers/" target="_blank">#Moonflowers</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/oct24/" target="_blank">#Oct24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/shining/" target="_blank">#Shining</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/swallow-the-sun/" target="_blank">#SwallowTheSun</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/the-eternal/" target="_blank">#TheEternal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/type-o-negative/" target="_blank">#TypeONegative</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/when-a-shadow-is-forced-into-the-light/" target="_blank">#WhenAShadowIsForcedIntoTheLight</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/blood-incantation-absolute-elsewhere-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere Review</a>By SaundersA star was born when Denver’s Blood Incantation launched itself into prominence on its exciting 2016 debut <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/blood-incantation-starspawn-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Starspawn</a>. The album’s rugged, sometimes cavernous old school death drew inspiration from legacy acts such as Morbid Angel, strengthened by their ability to contort and leverage their brutish qualities with a heavy lashing of psychedelic and progressive elements within spacey, sci-fi-themed realms. Blood Incantation possessed the talent, musicianship, and compositional prowess to match the growing hype. Momentum continued on 2019’s equally ambitious and experimental <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/blood-incantation-hidden-history-of-the-human-race-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Hidden History of the Human Race</a>. Part of the Blood Incantation appeal has been their magically creative pairing of forward-thinking ideas, psych-prog experimentations, and thickly oppressive, atmospheric death metal.When 2022’s <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/blood-incantation-timewave-zero-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Timewave Zero</a> came rolling through as a bold detour embracing their ambient soundscapes and minimalist synthwave experiments, offloading vocals, and suppressing their metallic instincts, I was left bewildered. Admittedly the jarring nature of the experiment played a part in my disappointment. The songs were crafted with care yet failed to grip or sustain interest, resulting in an album that placed question marks over the band’s future endeavors. Absolute Elsewhere alleviates concerns that Blood Incantation was going to navigate its way down a different wormhole, continuing to lead the listener down unexpected channels. Essentially, this latest experiment finds Blood Incantation dividing the runtime into two separate, though closely interconnected suites, comprising three episodes each, the first being “The Stargate” trio, followed by “The Message.”Absolute Elsewhere marks a bold, adventurous journey from the Denver heavyweights. The death metal core returns, sharing space with an increasingly heavy dose of retro progressive rock, spacey electronica, and ambient soundscapes. Prominent influences include German stalwarts Tangerine Dream (member Thorsten Quaesching features on “The Stargate (Tablet II)”), to the legendary Pink Floyd. Sometimes the disparate elements interlock with remarkable fluidity, other times they feel as if an extra jiggle may be required to loosen slight clunkiness. Absolute Elsewhere is a wild ride that will leave your noodle in a spin, encapsulating Blood Incantation’s astral inspirations and fascination with the mysteries of the universe, in cool, atmospheric ways. Electronic bleeps, shimmering synths, rich instrumental passages, and psychedelic wig-outs smack headlong into walls of dense, crushing death. Retro and futuristic, mellow and crushing, melodic and atmospheric, ambient and heavy, progressive and technical, Absolute Elsewhere covers a vast territory, creating an intriguing experience that takes a good while to unpack and appreciate. Best absorbed as one complete package and designed in halves, the album can also be dissected by its individual ‘tablets.’Opener “Stargate (Tablet I)” lays the cards on the table. The rollicking, warped journey abruptly shifts from its galloping, hard-hitting opening to extended psych-prog instrumental jamming and back again. The transitions feel jarring, but the writing and musicianship are top-notch. “The Stargate (Tablet III)” features dreamy, acoustic-backed transitions deftly integrated into the predominant death metal presence, as lurching death-doom meets blasty, urgent power plays. While intriguing aspects of their psych-prog odyssey remain, it is pleasing to hear Blood Incantation get down and dirty with their death metal roots again. Healthy doses of death keep the album grounded in guttural, aggressive, riff-heavy realms, despite the experimental passages and progressive prominence. “The Message” is arguably the stronger suite, but it isn’t night and day. Both are consistently engaging and feature their share of highlights. Closer “The Message (Tablet III)” for instance is a whopping eleven-minute monster, drawing the album to an emotive, unpredictable, rollercoaster conclusion.Blood Incantation’s Absolute Elsewhere is a compelling, though not flawless, endeavor. Grounded in ambient soundscapes and samples, “The Stargate (Tablet II)” overstays its dreamy welcome and stalls momentum, to be redeemed only by its riffy, psych-marbled climax. Later on, the overt Floydisms of “The Message (Tablet II)” form an infectious slab of mesmerizing prog rock, yet the cleaner passages and vocals border on plagiarism. Meanwhile, the production is crisp and organic but would benefit from a warmer, more dynamic master. Quibbles aside, Absolute Elsewhere offers a unique, boundary-busting, cosmic excursion into strange, trippy realms, that sounds atypical to the average progressive death metal album. A true headphones album to get lost in, the record feels like a death metal love letter to prog nerds. Despite the odd lull in its energy or excess in its composition, it’s a bold and triumphant album, with gripping writing and performances. Absolute Elsewhere is a bright, exciting return to form. Rating: 4.0/5.0 DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s CBR MP3 Label: <a href="https://www.centurymedia.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Century Media Records</a> Websites: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/astralnecrosis/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/astralnecrosis</a> | <a href="https://bloodincantation.bandcamp.com/album/absolute-elsewhere" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">bloodincantation.bandcamp.com</a> Releases Worldwide: October 4th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/40/" target="_blank">#40</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/absolute-elsewhere/" target="_blank">#AbsoluteElsewhere</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blood-incantation/" target="_blank">#BloodIncantation</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/century-media-records/" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/morbid-angel/" target="_blank">#MorbidAngel</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/oct24/" target="_blank">#Oct24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/pink-floyd/" target="_blank">#PinkFloyd</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/progressive-metal/" target="_blank">#ProgressiveMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/progressive-rock/" target="_blank">#ProgressiveRock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/tangerine-dream/" target="_blank">#TangerineDream</a>

Seth AbrikoosHappy release day* to <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Allt" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#Allt</a> ! 🔥From The New World - Out Now🔥💥Listen NOW! <a href="https://alltband.lnk.to/FromTheNewWorld-Bio" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no">https://alltband.lnk.to/FromTheNewWorld-Bio</a> . . . * Non paid band support . . . <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalcore" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalcore</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalcoreband" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalcoreband</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalmusic" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalmusic</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/sethpicturesmusic" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#sethpicturesmusic</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/sethabrikoos" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#sethabrikoos</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalheads" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalheads</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalband" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalband</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/oktoberpromotion" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#oktoberpromotion</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/contrapromotion" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#contrapromotion</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/centurymediarecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#centurymediarecords</a> 🤘✌️

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/bewitcher-spell-shock-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Bewitcher – Spell Shock Review</a>By Mark Z.Bewitcher has always felt different than the blackened speed metal wave that emerged in the last decade or so. I’ve enjoyed some Midnight or Hellripper in my day, but by the late 2010s, it seemed like there were way too many groups offering a stock combination of raspy black metal vocals, bouncy riffs in the style of Exciter or Kill ‘Em All, and a chorus where they shout something about fire or Satan or some shit. By the 666th time I’ve heard a song like that, it just starts feeling tired and disingenuous. Not so with Bewitcher. Not only was their 2016 self-titled debut more ferocious than much of the blackened speed metal it preceded, but Bewitcher also quickly broke beyond the style’s tight leather confines. With 2019’s terrific <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/bewitcher-under-the-witching-cross-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Under the Witching Cross</a>, this Portland trio began incorporating hard rock elements, an influence that became even more pronounced with their Century Media debut, 2021’s <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/bewitcher-cursed-be-thy-kingdom-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Cursed Be Thy Kingdom</a>. Through it all, the band is more fun, genuine, and inspired than most of their peers. Now, with our resident Bewitcher scribe Holdeneye unavailable due to entirely unsuspicious circumstances,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/bewitcher-spell-shock-review/#fn-203499-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> I must bear the burden of reviewing Bewitcher’s fourth album, Spell Shock.Spell Shock feels like a logical continuation of Cursed Be Thy Kingdom. With the resources of Century Media still behind them, the band has crafted another album brimming with sharp hooks, and a modern, punchy production,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/bewitcher-spell-shock-review/#fn-203499-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2</a> and plenty of hard rock influences. “We Die in Dust” has perhaps the most blatant rock vibes, with stomping beats and crunchy riffs that sound like 80s hair metal performed by Venom. At times, the rock similarities are even more direct. The main riff of barnstorming opener “Starfire Maelstrom” evokes the main riff from HIM’s “<a href="https://youtu.be/ukWlHkt_sXY?feature=shared" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">You Are the One</a>” repurposed for a speed metal context, while the guitar line in the bridge of the title track sounds like a reinvention of the main guitar melody from Heart’s “Crazy on You.”Spell Shock finds Bewitcher’s increasing rocky influences not only working but also making the more typical blackened thrash moments hit harder. “Lavish Desecration,” the album’s second track, charges forward with the playful and jumpy riffing we’ve all come to expect from Bewitcher, but fresher and more invigorated. Other tracks strike equally hard. While gang vocals are an oft-used trope in this style, I still can’t help but throw my grimy fist in the air when the chants of “Spell shock!” hit in the title track. “Out against the Law” burns rubber like classic Motörhead, while “Seasons of Foul Harvest” crafts a simple hook using sustained bends that recall heavy metal’s golden age. Through it all, vocalist and guitarist M. Von Bewitcher keeps an eye toward extremity with his gruff and charismatic rasp, sounding better than ever over his kinetic riffing. The man’s leads are also an unholy force to behold, with almost every one of these ten tracks containing slick and wild solos that fly high and reek of vintage charm.The best thing about Spell Shock, though, is how it feels like a refinement of the last album. Whereas Cursed Be Thy Kingdom felt like a collection of (good) songs, Spell Shock has a better sense of cohesion and structure. Spell Shock’s penultimate track, “Pagan Shadows,” is a two-minute Western Americana instrumental, which is somehow exactly what the album needed at that point. Likewise, the band wisely forego a third iteration of the chorus on the closer “Ride of the Iron Fox,” ending the record more effectively with an extended instrumental outro of clean picking, rocking solos, and a weird atmospheric sample. While some songs aren’t as impressive (“Dystopic Demonolatry”), most of the tracks are great, if uniform; a weird curveball or two wouldn’t have hurt. Lars Frederiksen of punk legends Rancid also does an excellent job on production duties, offering a vibrant guitar tone and an overall sound that’s powerful and clear without being sterile.If Spell Shock isn’t the best Bewitcher album, then it’s certainly the most fully realized. It’s an improvement over the last album while featuring the same high energy and fantastic hooks they’ve always had. This time, it’s with better production and a renewed swagger. Ultimately, Spell Shock is a terrific addition to the Bewitcher catalog and I’d recommend it to even the crustiest and most jaded of heavy metal fans. Rating: 4.0/5.0 DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://www.centurymedia.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Century Media Records</a> Websites: <a href="https://bewitcher.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">bewitcher.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="https://www.bewitcher.us/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">bewitcher.us</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BewitcherOfficial" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/bewitcherofficial</a> Releases Worldwide: September 27th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/40/" target="_blank">#40</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/american-metal/" target="_blank">#AmericanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/bewitcher/" target="_blank">#Bewitcher</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blackened-thrash/" target="_blank">#BlackenedThrash</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/century-media-records/" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/exciter/" target="_blank">#Exciter</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/heart/" target="_blank">#Heart</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hellripper/" target="_blank">#Hellripper</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/him/" target="_blank">#HIM</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/midnight/" target="_blank">#Midnight</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/motorhead/" target="_blank">#Motörhead</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/rancid/" target="_blank">#Rancid</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sep24/" target="_blank">#Sep24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/speed-metal/" target="_blank">#SpeedMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/spell-shock/" target="_blank">#SpellShock</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/venom/" target="_blank">#Venom</a>

Seth AbrikoosHappy release day to <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Kanonenfieber" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#Kanonenfieber</a> 💿!Check out their just released album* via <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/Spotify" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#Spotify</a> 🖤 <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/15cBVOLGxioRUCDrkcLiAr?si=9ARolCWUT8KLUmsGNoc4kg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no">https://open.spotify.com/album/15cBVOLGxioRUCDrkcLiAr?si=9ARolCWUT8KLUmsGNoc4kg</a>*Non paid band support <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/centurymediarecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#centurymediarecords</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalband" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalband</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalmusic" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalmusic</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalhead" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalhead</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/oktoberpromotion" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#oktoberpromotion</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/metalgirl" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#metalgirl</a> <a href="https://mastodon.online/tags/altgirl" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#altgirl</a>🤘✌️

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kanonenfieber-die-urkatastrophe-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Kanonenfieber – Die Urkatastrophe Review</a>By CarcharodonWhen I <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kanonenfieber-menschenmuhle-things-you-might-have-missed-2021/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">wrote up</a> Menschenmühle, the debut full-length by Germany’s Kanonenfieber, in late 2021, I described it as “stunning.” The storytelling arc that it achieves, opening with the almost enthusiastic bombast of the early days of the Great War, through to the exhausted horror of No Man’s Land, is incredible. Cast in shades of blackened death metal, I ended up <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/thekenwords-and-carcharodons-top-tenish-of-2021/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">crowning</a> it my Album of the Year, calling it a “masterpiece.” So how does one write the follow-up to a masterpiece? When I <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/interview-with-noise-of-kanonenfieber-leitha-and-non-est-deus/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">sat down</a> with anonymous Kanonenfieber mastermind<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kanonenfieber-die-urkatastrophe-review/#fn-202692-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> Noise in 2023, I asked. He admitted to “having some struggles […] I don’t know, I’ve written the album four times over now but somehow, I just don’t like any of it.” Scroll forward a year and I finally got my sweaty little fanboy fins on Die Urkatastrophe. Did Noise get through his struggles to produce a worthy successor to Menschenmühle?Like its predecessor, Die Urkatastrophe (which translates as something like “The Original Disaster”) focuses on the tragedies of the Great War, taking its inspiration from reports, letters, and other documents created by the soldiers who fought in that conflagration. It is uncompromising and brutal. Whether it’s the tale of the suicidal member of a mining team, tunneling under the front (“Der Maulwurf”)<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kanonenfieber-die-urkatastrophe-review/#fn-202692-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2</a> or the grinding battle that saw Austria-Hungary retake Lviv / Lemberg from the Russians (“Lviv zu Lemberg”), there’s an almost frantic energy to Kanonenfieber that is both vicious and beautiful. Simultaneously heavier and more melodic than what went before, Die Urkatastrophe flits between taking in the whole, awful scale of the War, panning across its fronts (“Gott mit der Kavallerie”), while at others zooming in on specific horrors (“Verdun” and its counterpart “Ausblutungsschlacht” ).Kanonenfieber has developed an immediately identifiable sound and sense of individuality that sets it apart from the many reference points I could cite. Sure, the likes of Bolt Thrower and 1914 still feature strongly in Kanonenfieber’s work but Die Urkatastrophe is much more diverse. A blackened thrash edge creeps into Skeletonwitch territory in places (“Gott mit der Kavallerie”), while “Panzerhenker” and “Waffenbrüder” (the latter featuring Maik Weichert of Heaven Shall Burn) draw Kvaen into the mix. The infectiously catchy “Ritter der Lüfte” evokes Panzerfaust. While all those references and more are valid, the truth is that from Noise’s razorwire rasps and snarling growls—now expanded to include funeral doom-esque roars (“Panzerhenker”)—to his crystalline tremolos and killer death riffs, Kanonenfieber is now a touchstone in its own right. Part of what makes that true, and what distinguished Menschenmühle, is the skillful incorporation of samples and original recordings. These give Kanonenfieber the weight of authenticity, which is taken to the next level on Die Urkatastrophe. The threads of its stories of bloodshed, death, and despair are tied together by perfectly integrated battlefield effects and spoken word pieces, which feel organic and an integral—even essential—part of the whole. The tension built into opener “Grossmachtfantasie,” as the first rumbling riffs rise beneath a crackling recording is enough to give me goosebumps.Noise’s vocal performance, already a selling point previously, is the strongest he’s ever given. This is amplified by the multi-tracking deployed across the record, as well as adornments, like the choral backing vocals on “Ausblutungsschlacht,” giving its ending an appropriately grand, symphonic feeling, as it details the slaughter at Verdun. As ever, the production is fantastic, although on this occasion Noise had assistance from Kristin Kohle of Kohlekeller Studio. The stellar guitar tone is hard to put into words. Whether it is the tremolo assault of “Menschenmühle” or the gorgeous percussion-free lament two-thirds of the way into “Lviv zu Lemberg” (recalling “Die Schlacht bei Tannenberg” from the previous album), the sound is organic and effortless, like a blackened Opeth in their heyday. The bass is also much more prominent in the mix, which is welcome, adding richness to the sound. My single critical comment is that Kanonenfieber tried to repeat a trick from the last album, ending with an acoustic semi-ballad. However, for me at least, Noise comes up very slightly short here. “Verscharrt und Ungerühmt” from Menschenmühle was lightning in a bottle; it tore out my heart and stamped it into the blood-soaked mud. Here, “Als die Waffen kamen” is a good song in its own right but lightning rarely strikes twice.Die Urkatastrophe is more than I dared hope for. I’ve had this thing for nearly two months and must have listened to it fifty-plus times. The sole flaw is that its closing track doesn’t quite match the magic of its debut counterpart. Everything else is at least as good, and often better, with “Der Maulwurf,” “Lviv zu Lemberg,” and “Waffenbrüder” forming among the strongest three-track runs I’ve ever heard. The textures Kanonenfieber weaves into the sound, coupled with the subtle tempo and stylistic shifts, give this album an almost languid fluidity and make it a heart-wrenching joy to listen to. The skill and attention to detail that went into crafting this record are outstanding, while the one-man performances by Noise are phenomenal. What makes this record truly iconic, however, is the storytelling and Noise’s ability to tailor his chosen sound to each horror he is conveying, be it the insanity of the war as a whole (“Menschenmühle”), suicidal desperation (“Der Maulwurf”) or otherwise.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kanonenfieber-die-urkatastrophe-review/#fn-202692-3" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">3</a>In a review of Non Est Deus, I <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/non-est-deus-legacy-review/#:~:text=I%E2%80%99m%20starting%20to,underrated%20Reue." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">said</a> that I would, reluctantly, have to pass on the reviewing baton for Noise’s projects. I lied. Obviously.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/kanonenfieber-die-urkatastrophe-review/#fn-202692-4" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">4</a> Rating: 5.0/5.0 DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3 Label: <a href="https://www.centurymedia.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Century Media Records</a> Websites: <a href="http://noisebringer-records.bandcamp.com/album/die-urkatastrophe-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">noisebringer-records.bandcamp.com</a> | <a href="http://noisebringer.de/index.php/en/projects/kanonenfieber#" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">noisebringer.de</a> | <a href="http://facebook.com/Kanonenfieber" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/Kanonenfieber</a> Releases Worldwide: September 20th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/1914/" target="_blank">#1914</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/50/" target="_blank">#50</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/atmospheric-black-metal/" target="_blank">#AtmosphericBlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/blackened-death-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackenedDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/bolt-thrower/" target="_blank">#BoltThrower</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/century-media-records/" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/die-urkatastrophe/" target="_blank">#DieUrkatastrophe</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/german-metal/" target="_blank">#GermanMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/kanonenfieber/" target="_blank">#Kanonenfieber</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/kvaen/" target="_blank">#Kvaen</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/melodic-black-metal/" target="_blank">#MelodicBlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/melodic-death-metal/" target="_blank">#MelodicDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/opeth/" target="_blank">#Opeth</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/panzerfaust/" target="_blank">#Panzerfaust</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sep24/" target="_blank">#Sep24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/skeletonwitch/" target="_blank">#Skeletonwitch</a>

Tuomas PelttariMiika Tenkula sävelsi Sentenced-albumeille myös instrumentaalikamaa. Millaista se on? Ari Väntänen avaa asiaa Levyhyllyissä. 🎶Kirjastoblogi Levyhyllyt • Musiikista pintaa syvemmältä Varauslinkit 🎶📱 Finna.fi <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/centurymediarecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#centurymediarecords</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/sentenced" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#sentenced</a> <a href="https://levyhyllyt.musiikkikirjastot.fi/sentencedin-sanaton-suru-instrumentaalinen-sentenced-1989-2005/" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://levyhyllyt.musiikkikirjastot.fi/sentencedin-sanaton-suru-instrumentaalinen-sentenced-1989-2005/</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dark-tranquillity-endtime-signals-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Dark Tranquillity – Endtime Signals Review</a>By Steel DruhmDark Tranquillity have long held a special place in my heart since I first heard The Gallery back in 1995. They’re the indisputable champions of the “Gothenburg Sound” and the only original purveyor that aged well.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dark-tranquillity-endtime-signals-review/#fn-201473-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> While they’ve had distinct phases and dabbled in different approaches over their lengthy run, their core sound always resonated deeply with me. That said, they’ve had some sizeable ups and downs through the years with several albums falling short. 2020s Moment in particular was a standard-issue release that felt too safe and phoned in. It lacked the creative energy and highs of 2016s <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dark-tranquillity-atoma-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Atoma</a> and made me wonder if the band was running out of creative steam. This made me approach Endtime Signals cautiously, hoping for better. After a bunch of time lashed to the stream of Endtime Signals, I’m happy to report that the heart of Dark Tranquillity still beats strongly and the long-term prognosis may not be as dire as Moment suggested.Endtime Signals opens mightily with “Shivers and Voids,” which is the archetypal Dark Tranquillity song. It has their proprietary blend of sharp melodeath riffs and cold, sterile keyboards topped with Mikael Stanne’s excellent death metal rasps and a touch of his clean crooning for extra spice. It’s moody and aggressive at once and has a chorus that sticks on first contact. It’s exactly what I want from DT and it kills. This vitality and enthusiasm extend into follow-up “Unforgivable,” which packs fury and aggression, its blackened edges used to good effect. This sounds like something coughed up during the Fiction era and that’s a compliment. “Neuronal Fire” also surprises with its bright energy and urgency, making me wonder if I slipped into some earlier era of the band’s extensive catalog. The chorus is hooky and all the pieces work in unison to get the blood pumping. Song after song delivers the goods that DT fans want with way more enthusiasm than the last time. I found my hope growing with each successive track that brought the hammer down on my grey matter. Maybe Moment was an aberration after all. Maybe.“Drowned Out Voices” is an angry thrasher with nostalgic bits of Projector in its DNA, and “One of Us is Gone” is the classic DT emo/Goth ballad draped in grey hues and decorated with Stanne’s plaintive sadboi crooning. It works well and offers a nice change-up from the impressive melodeath onslaught. It isn’t until eighth track “Enforced Perspective” that something a bit less toothsome arrives, though it’s not bad. “Our Disconnect” is around the same level, okay but not super ear-grabbing. Things course correct after this slightly flabby section, with a strong run to the finish carried by the extra heavy “A Bleaker Sun,” which reeks of the Damage Done / Character days, and the effectively Gothy mood piece “False Reflection.” The album feels a bit too long, but by keeping most songs in the 3-4 minute window, the pace is plenty lively. The end result is a DT album with real bite and heft.With a new drummer and bassist on board, this still sounds like classic DT. The album even functions as an effective tour through the band’s various eras, with certain songs strongly reminiscent of classic albums. It goes without saying at this point that Mikael Stanne kills it vocally. He’s one of the best extreme metal vocalists and he never disappoints. His raspy death metal vocals are as good as ever and his Goth-tinged crooning is smoother than Doc Grier‘s baby-like brain.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dark-tranquillity-endtime-signals-review/#fn-201473-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2</a> He owns these songs and shines on the ballad-y cuts like “One of Us is Gone” and “False Reflection.” New-ish axe Johan Reinholdz does a significantly better job this time than on Moment, delivering plenty of razor-sharp riffs and moody harmonies that pierce the ear and embiggen the heart. His playing on tracks like “Shivers and Voids” and “Unforgivable” is alternately in-your-face and understated, and on several tracks, he successfully borrows the stadium melodeath aesthetic from Omnium Gatherum. Longtime keyboardist Martin Brändström does his best to put a gothy, melancholic sheen over the material and he nails it. The material feels cold and a wee bit forlorn.While Endtime Signals doesn’t quite reach the heights of Atoma, it’s a sizeable step up from Moment. The things I love about Dark Tranquillity are back front and center and the writing is much more memorable. Fans will be pleased and newcomers should be impressed. It’s nice to hear these guys back in the groove again giving the people some proper melodeath. Tranquillity now!Rating: 3.5/5.0 DR: NA | Format Reviewed: STREAM Label: <a href="https://www.centurymedia.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Century Media</a> Websites: <a href="https://www.darktranquillity.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">darktranquillity.com</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dtofficial" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/dtofficial</a> Releases Worldwide: August 16th, 2024 Dr. A.N. GrierLike many writers and readers, Dark Tranquillity has long been part of my life. I think I first explored these Swedes back in the days of The Gallery and never looked back. And that was a mighty time for the band, releasing incredible releases from then on—the unique Projector, crushing Damage Done, and almost flawless Character. Then, the band went through several lulls before and after 2016’s Atoma, so there was a bit of hesitation going into Endtime Signals.<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dark-tranquillity-endtime-signals-review/#fn-201473-3" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">3</a> Mikael Stanne and Martin Brändström continue to keep this ship rolling, bringing in new blood to hammer out twelve tracks of melodeath that combine the heaviness and somber beauty the band has been producing for thirty fucking years. And I’m happy they have not slowed down with this new effort. OK, that’s a lie, there are some slow songs.While the band will never touch their greatest moments again, Dark Tranquillity continues to be relevant in their way. While plenty of Dark Tranquillity wannabes exist, these gents always emerge above the pack. Their style is distinctive and emotional compared to the rest. Few bands can batter you with massive riffs as powerful as fellow melodeath legends, Mors Principium Est while making you want to cry with those beautiful guitar leads and clean vocals. Dark Tranquillity has always had an addictive character<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dark-tranquillity-endtime-signals-review/#fn-201473-4" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">4</a> regardless of the quality of their output. With so many damn albums under their belts, never venturing far from what they do, and constantly adjusting lineups, their catalog is impressive. And Endtime Signals is another pleasant addition to their catalog. It won’t trump their best work but it’s good to see an uptick in quality following 2020’s Moment.“Shivers and Voids” gets the album going on a good foot with swimming chords, building energy, and that classic Dark Tranquillity combination of heaviness and melody. The chorus is one of the stronger on the album with Stanne’s rasps spitting at the sky. The follow-up track, “Unforgivable,” keeps things moving similarly, mixing a touch of At the Gates into the riffage before another powerful chorus comes into play. But the biggest difference is the crushing thrash licks on the album’s back half, adding a touch of diversity to the album only two songs in. But of all the melodic hard-hitters, “The Last Imagination” is one of the more memorable pieces on the record. Starting with a soft introduction, it finally erupts into an Evergrey-esque stop-start chug before climbing to the key-backed chorus. It also sports one of the best solos on the record before swinging into the strongest iteration of the song’s chorus.As with most great Dark Tranquillity albums, Endtime Signals also contains sad, passionate clean vocals. Sometimes in combination with the harsher stuff, other times completely alone. “Not Nothing” is of the former caliber and one of the album standouts. After opening with some sad, soft guitar work, those signature clean vocals arrive, shrouded in fitting effects. Then, the rasps charge forth with the dissonant riffage before blossoming into a chorus so Dark Tranquillity that it feels like being reunited with your baby blanket. For nearly five minutes, this song alternates between powerful builds and sad interludes before closing with a hopeless outro. “One of Us Is Gone” and the closer, “False Reflection,” are tracks that exclusively use clean vocals. After beginning with some damning strings and piano, Stanne’s clean vocals provide some hope for a brighter future in “One of Us Is Gone.” When the distortion finally arrives, the strings, orchestration, and keys build with great intensity, pushing this song to its utmost conclusion. “False Reflection” is a fitting close to the journey taken on Endtime Signals. Using a simple piano-driven approach, Stanne settles into his clean-vocal element, providing support for a simply gorgeous song with a chorus that delivers the passion seamlessly.Endtime Signals is the proper next step after coming off the lackluster Moment, delivering a combination of old-school Dark Tranquillity, modern-day seasonings, and everything in between. While petty, the two songs that do very little for me are “Neuronal Fire” and “A Bleaker Sun.” The first is for its weird Amon Amarth subtleties and its mediocre chorus. In the same vein, but with an olden Dark Tranquillity nature, the bonus track, “Zero Sum,” would have been a better addition. “A Bleaker Sun,” on the other hand, is so out of place with its speed guitar work and sinister key atmosphere. Neither song is particularly bad but they aren’t as strong as others. This criticism aside, Endtime Signals is a strong release from these melodeath legends and one I will continue to return to for the rest of the year. Rating: 3.5/5.0<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/amon-amarth/" target="_blank">#AmonAmarth</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/at-the-gates/" target="_blank">#AtTheGates</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aug24/" target="_blank">#Aug24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/century-media-records/" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dark-tranquillity/" target="_blank">#DarkTranquillity</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/endtime-signals/" target="_blank">#EndtimeSignals</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/evergrey/" target="_blank">#Evergrey</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/melodic-death-metal/" target="_blank">#MelodicDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/moment/" target="_blank">#Moment</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/mors-principium-est/" target="_blank">#MorsPrincipiumEst</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/swedish-metal/" target="_blank">#SwedishMetal</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/in-aphelion-reaperdawn-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">In Aphelion – Reaperdawn Review</a>By HoldeneyeA celestial object is in aphelion when it is at the point in its orbit where it is farthest away from the sun. Good god, that sounds so nice right about now. Yes, I live in the temperate Pacific Northwest, and yes, my summer has probably been way cooler than yours, but that doesn’t change the fact that summer fucking sucks. Give me 40-50°F and rainy any day over this 80+ sunny bullshit. I blame my inability to handle warmer temperatures on DNA I inherited from my straight-outta-Norway great-great-grandad, Knut,<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/in-aphelion-reaperdawn-review/#fn-201386-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> and I can’t wait until fall and winter rear their damp, dreary heads and restore some goddamn order around here. In the meantime, it would be nice to have some sort of musical cooldown; yes, a fresh batch of icy black metal through which I could fantasize about wet, windy days and early falling nights would probably be just what the doctor ordered. Enter In Aphelion. These guys wowed me so much with their debut record <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/in-aphelion-moribund-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Moribund</a> that it <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/holdeneyes-top-tenish-of-2022/#:~:text=%233.%20In%20Aphelion%20//%20Moribund" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">earned a top-3 spot</a> on my year-end list for 2022. Let’s see if follow-up Reaperdawn can follow suit and cure my horrendous case of swamp-ass.Originally intended to be an outlet for Necrophobic guitarist Sebastian Ramstedt’s more progressive ideas, In Aphelion quickly auto-corrected its sound into that of a ferocious melodic black metal band. Ramstedt, who handles lead guitar and vocal duties for the project, quickly recruited Necrophobic’s other guitarist Johan Bergebäck to perform the rhythm parts and Cryptosis drummer Marco Prij, and after initially handling bass himself, this time Ramstedt has handed that job off to Necrophobic’s Tobias Christiansson. Needless to say, In Aphelion’s output has a strong Necrophobic bent while still maintaining it’s own unique identity. Embedded single “When All Stellar Light is Lost” shows the band’s Necrophobic sensibilities with its melodic tremolo intro, but injects a far more savage, thrashy attack than that more well-known band is used to employing. Ramstedt’s vocals are the perfect black metal utterances, and his solo towards the end of the song is spellbinding.In Aphelion are definitely at their best when they lean into their strengths of laying down aggressive black metal laced with majestic, frozen melody. The title track is the perfect example. Like the aforementioned “When All Stellar Light is Lost,” it oozes Dissection-y energy and exhibits Ramstedt and Bergebäck’s considerable chemistry as a guitar duo. It’s the kind of song that hearkens back to the glory of Moribund, and I can almost feel myself howling from atop a snow-covered peak as I listen to it.Unfortunately, most of the rest of Reaperdawn brings me back down to my sweltering reality. Moribund was so amazing because it had multiple Song o’ the Year contenders and the rest of its songs nearly matched those. That just isn’t the case here at all. The world-beater highs just aren’t present, and when they almost land (see the incredible conclusion to “They Fell Under Blackened Skies”), they often have a bit too much extraneous material smothering them. Reaperdawn is eight tracks and 50 minutes, and while it is shorter than its predecessor, the material doesn’t feel nearly as essential—alas, there’s not a single song on the level of <a href="https://edgedcircleproductions.bandcamp.com/track/let-the-beast-run-wild" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">“Let the Beast Run Wild”</a> here. Many of these songs (“The Field in Nadir,” “A Winter Moon’s Gleam,” “Further From the Sun,” “They Fell Under Blackened Skies,” “Aghori”) could have been trimmed by a minute, or three, to enhance their effect, and I think that may have strengthened the entire album. “When All Stellar Light is Lost” and “Reaperdawn” are great tracks, but overall, Reaperdawn feels like it meanders too much—many of the atmospheric bits seem to add less to the equation than last time around—and I kept finding myself wishing the guys would just keep the pedal mashed to the floor.I was hoping for an arctic blast to the nether regions, but what I got felt more like a lukewarm soak. Like me, Reaperdawn bears incredible strength but suffers from a bit too much flab. It was always going to be hard for In Aphelion to match their magnificent debut, and while they muster up a couple of fantastic songs here, the rest get lost in a haze of excess. For my money, <a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/necrophobic-in-the-twilight-grey-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">this year’s</a> Necrophobic feels far more vital. Reaperdawn sounds like a band pushing against the boundaries of its identity, but in the process, that identity has become blurred and dulled. I hope these guys can hone things down and come for my throat next time. Rating: 2.5/5.0 DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 128 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://www.centurymedia.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Century Media Records</a> Website: <a href="http://facebook.com/inaphelion" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/inaphelion</a> Releases Worldwide: August 9th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2-5/" target="_blank">#25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/aug24/" target="_blank">#Aug24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/black-metal/" target="_blank">#BlackMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/century-media-records/" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/cryptosis/" target="_blank">#Cryptosis</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dissection/" target="_blank">#Dissection</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/in-aphelion/" target="_blank">#InAphelion</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/international-metal/" target="_blank">#InternationalMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/necrophobic/" target="_blank">#Necrophobic</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reaperdawn/" target="_blank">#Reaperdawn</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a>

Angry Metal Guy<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dream-evil-metal-gods-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Dream Evil – Metal Gods Review</a>By HoldeneyeIf you’re not a fan of straightforward heavy/power metal, there’s a good chance you’re not familiar with Dream Evil’s legendary output. But if you’re a fan of metal at all, odds are you’ve heard the work of the band’s founder, Fredrick Nordström. Best known for his work in the production booth, Nordström has left his mark on many classic albums; pick your favorite record from At the Gates, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, or just about any famous Swedish melo-death band—and this guy probably had a hand in producing it. The aptly named Dream Evil is Nordström’s love letter to Ronnie James Dio and everything that the diminutive giant represented: guitar-driven heavy rock/metal imbued with the spirit of heroism. Starting with the amazing Dragonslayer, Dream Evil has released six full-lengths, and while I can’t speak to the quality of sixth album Six (on account of I had no idea it existed until I started writing this), the discography is remarkably strong. They say that seven is a holy number, so let’s see if Metal Gods can’t make Heavy Metal Jesus smile.Will you take a look at that glorious early-2000s artwork? It pairs perfectly with the early-2000s heavy metal that accompanies it. If you’ve heard any of Dream Evil’s classic albums, you know exactly what Metal Gods sounds like. Much like their countrymates Sabaton, Dream Evil offers mightily produced heavy metal anthems. Opening single and title track “Metal Gods” starts things off with a militantly beefy crunch as singer Nikolas Isfeldt recounts the classic metal albums that influenced his musical journey. Dream Evil are well known for delivering massive amounts of cheese amongst their goods, and “Metal Gods” shows right away that the lactose intolerant might want to steer well clear. But if this is your jam, read on, because Dream Evil is about to dump a vat of molten Velveeta down your ear holes.Metal Gods may not live up to Dream Evil’s greatest highs, but it can stand confidently as yet another solid page in the book of heavy metal. Tunes like the aforementioned title track, “Night Stalker,” “The Tyrant Dies at Dawn,” and “Lightning Strikes” would automatically qualify for a Dream Evil best-of compilation, and most of the rest of the tunes are just plain good heavy metal tracks. As per the band’s usual, the guitars sound huge, and while Isfeldt’s voice shows a slight touch of age, he’s just as compelling as he was over two decades ago.With a more consistent overall quality, Metal Gods could have scored more highly, but the back half is weaker than the front. “Born in Hell” is the only track I’d even consider calling outright filler, but the fact that it’s sandwiched between a pair of the album’s lesser-but-still-good numbers causes a noticeable lull in momentum. Closer “Y.A.N.A.” is a decent semi-ballad, but probably would have worked better towards the middle of the album for maximum impact. But minor quibbles aside, the songwriting, performances, and production come together to make an easily repeatable 41 minutes of righteous heavy metal.The name “Dream Evil” conjures sounds of fist-pumping anthems, meaty guitars, and gloriously ESL lyrics, and Metal Gods carries on that tradition admirably. It’s great to see these veterans still chasing draygons at this stage of the game. On the seventh album, heavy metal is reborn! Rating: 3.0/5.0 DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3 Label: <a href="https://www.centurymedia.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Century Media Records</a> Websites: <a href="http://facebook.com/DreamEvilOfficial" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">facebook.com/dreamevilofficial</a> Releases Worldwide: July 26th, 2024<a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/30/" target="_blank">#30</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/century-media-records/" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dio/" target="_blank">#Dio</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dream-evil/" target="_blank">#DreamEvil</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/heavy-metal/" target="_blank">#HeavyMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/jul24/" target="_blank">#Jul24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/metal-gods/" target="_blank">#MetalGods</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/power-metal/" target="_blank">#PowerMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/sabaton/" target="_blank">#Sabaton</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/swedish-metal/" target="_blank">#SwedishMetal</a>

Metal InsiderBlood Incantation announce new album ‘Absolute Elsewhere’<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BloodIncantation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#BloodIncantation</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/NewMusic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#NewMusic</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/OctoberReleases" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#OctoberReleases</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/CenturyMediaRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a><a href="https://metalinsider.net/releases/blood-incantation-announce-new-album-absolute-elsewhere" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://metalinsider.net/releases/blood-incantation-announce-new-album-absolute-elsewhere</a>

Metal InsiderSwallow The Sun unveil “Innocence Was Long Forgotten” video:<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/SwallowTheSun" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#SwallowTheSun</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InnocenceWasLongForgotten" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#InnocenceWasLongForgotten</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/NewSong" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#NewSong</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/CenturyMediaRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a><a href="https://metalinsider.net/video/swallow-the-sun-unveil-innocence-was-long-forgotten-video" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://metalinsider.net/video/swallow-the-sun-unveil-innocence-was-long-forgotten-video</a>

Metal InsiderPhotos/Review: Stabbing rip through New Jersey – 5/22/2024:<a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Stabbing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Stabbing</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Stabbinglive" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Stabbinglive</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Dingbatz" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Dingbatz</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/deathmetal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#deathmetal</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/CenturyMediaRecords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#CenturyMediaRecords</a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Livegigs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#Livegigs</a><a href="https://metalinsider.net/photos/photos-review-stabbing-rip-through-new-jersey-5-22-2024" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank">https://metalinsider.net/photos/photos-review-stabbing-rip-through-new-jersey-5-22-2024</a>

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