Category: Album Reviews 2017

Comeback Kid – Outsider

After signing a record deal with Nuclear Blast Canadian hardcore/punk outfit Comeback Kid returns to the metal scene with renewed energy and a promising brand new music venture, number six in the band’s extensive career, entitled “Outsider”.

The title track is all about high impact loud guitar riffs that never cease to build a groovy memorable rhythm with some ‘90s hardcore flavors that naturally shape the catchy inflamed chorus.

“Surrender Control” relies on chunky bass lines that contribute to the creation of a cohesive groovy rhythmic backbone and Comeback Kid adds a generous dosage of radio friendly melodies in the polished, inevitably less aggressive, chorus.

Featuring mastermind Devin Townsend “Absolute” could have been more impressive in terms of songwriting and style nevertheless confidently delivers a vicious hardcore/thrash guitar driven heavy core with extra darkened vibes.

“Somewhere, Somehow” blends easy rock choruses with a thunderous series of heavy faster hardcore guitar riffs that support both modern style screams and clean accessible vocals.

Featuring Chris Cresswell “Consumed The Vision” favors somber guitar melodies sacrificing a bit of wild hardcore spirit to produce a widely accessible track that again focuses on memorable big choruses.

Building pleasant gloomy & softer atmospheres “Moment In Time” features guest vocalist Northcote but also doesn’t refrain from delivering contrasting heavy guitar progressions that relentlessly speed up the tempo and amplify the usual hardcore scenario.

Comeback Kid carefully maintains a traditional hardcore impact focusing on energetic blasts that might become predictable at times nevertheless such soaring dynamics become signature elements of the songs structure on “Outsider” and definitely will not go unnoticed.

Enslaved – E

Against all redundant music rules and limited categorizations, Norway’s finest Enslaved is a band that has courageously embraced a gradual yet radical sonic evolution that reaches an intriguing high point with the darkly enigmatic progressive tonalities of “E”, the new full length which also introduces new keyboard master and clean vocalist Håkon Vinje.

Conceptually inspired by the duality of man and nature “Storm Son” is a grandiose album opener, almost an opus on its own, as it is infused with poetic melancholy carefully embedded in the epic instrumental progressions. Lavish minimalist guitar melodies, soothing clean vocals and solemn choirs evoke introspective feelings while impossibly venomous growls supported by crunchy syncopated guitar riffs provide a dark contrast. In the midst of fascinating, quite complex, music tapestries the prog oriented melodic guitars spontaneously flow into harsh rhythmic sections reminiscent of traditional black metal.

“The River’s Mouth” is a particularly intense track that will stand out immediately due to its inner blackened Nordic force obviously amplified by Grutle Kjellson’s inflamed vocal delivery. Even if the heavier guitar riffing crescendo maintains a dominant role, Enslaved provides additional music diversity with well structured progressive melodic passages that carry a poignant darkened soul.

“Sacred Horse” holds haunting mystical vibes beginning with brief acoustic echoes that introduce a rightfully savage guitar driven assault but the surprising highlight might be found in the psychedelic keyboards arrangements/melodies that channel fashionable vintage rock splendor. Towards the end, cathartic Norse style chants portray an ancient spiritual realm that naturally embraces a detailed round of guitar melodies.

“Feathers Of Eolh” goes full blown prog for a while with refined multifaceted guitar work but still offers darker evocative atmospheric nuances particularly enhanced by soulful clean vocals and nostalgia infused keyboards layers. Occasionally Enslaved shifts focus to unleash a fervent series of thick guitar riffs or to diversify the song’s structure with thrilling borderline experimental progressions.

Guitarist & songwriter Ivar Bjørnson once again leads Enslaved through a philosophical sonic catharsis as the eclectic blend of several intriguing influences, such as atmospheric shoegaze and heavier Viking metal, truly impress the listeners and nothing on this album sounds forced or out of place providing instead hypnotizing songwriting fluidity.

 

Enisum – Seasons Of Desolation

Italian band Enisum has been creating music for several years yet it might still be a new name in the underground metal scene, nevertheless the newest effort “Seasons Of Desolation” is bound to raise interest among atmospheric black metal connoisseurs.

“Autumn Of Melancholy” immediately showcases post-black metal atmospheric nuances with hazy guitar melodies that evoke immense desolation bus soon evolve into a more aggressive guitar riffing & drumming combo reminiscent of old school Nordic black metal.

“…Of Desolation” continues to rely on utterly melancholic guitar melodies that, once again, function as introduction for desperate growls and faster primordial blackened riffing followed by a highly atmospheric shoegaze oriented breakdown.

“Snow Storm” instead unleashes blackened fury at the very beginning and, as expected, the monolithic guitar riffs are surrounded by softer distant melodies so the song’s structure does not really deviate from Enisum’s music formula.

“Dead Star” amplifies a profound melancholy focusing almost exclusively on elegant darkened guitar melodies and accessible mellow female vocals until an urgent crescendo of traditional black metal dynamics becomes suddenly the dominant theme.

“Lake Of Tears” is certainly dramatic with a steady cascade of minimalist gloomy guitar progressions that tend to acquire colder blackened tonalities to temporarily disrupt the introvert melodic flow.

Founder and songwriter Lys has assembled a solid line up that certainly contributed to achieve the confident sound of “Seasons Of Desolation” which might not shine for uniqueness but definitely stays true to its title portraying a heartfelt ensemble of bleak soundscapes.

 

Noumena – Myrrys

Finnish metallers Noumena return with their 5th full length album, “Myrrys” which is chock full of their distinctly Finnish brand of gloomy melo-death.

After a three year hiatus, “Myrrys” is accurately self described as “A celebration of 90’s melodic death and melancholic Finnish mollie tunes.” This is also the first record the band’s lyrics are supplied fully in their native Finnish, which certainly adds an air of mystique to the music. Throughout the record, rife with straight ahead meat and potatoes drumming, über catchy riffs, bear like death growls, and soothing femme vocals to balance things out, Noumena never cease at delivering the goods.

The production is quintessential melo-death supplied by the mighty Dan Swanö! This collaboration certainly couldn’t be a coincidence considering the gravitas the Swanö name brings to a melodic death metal recording. At times it feels like Noumena are channeling the lineage of some of Dan’s older projects mainly “Tonights Decision” era Katatonia, through a more metal lense.

While they certainly aren’t reinventing the wheel here, that’s not necessarily a detriment either. The other elements with the female vocals and traditional Finnish instrumentation certainly add a level of spice that similar bands of the genre seem to lack. Fans of catchy depressive rock metal In the vein of older Amorphis, Insomnium, Daylight Dies, and Older In Flames should certainly find something to enjoy here.

Rings Of Saturn – Ultu Ulla

2017 sees the return of Sci-Fi tech-death masterminds Rings of Saturn with their 4th album of otherworldly, futuristic brand of aliencore that could actually be from the year 2047, Ultu Ulla.

For a band that took the deathcore/tech-death blueprint and expanded on it exponentially, to absurd levels, this new record does the impossible: making brain meltingly complex music accessible to a wider metal audience. The additions of guitarist Miles Dimitri Baker and drummer Aaron Stechauner certainly must be a defining reason for this. The guitar and drum interplay are simply inhuman in terms of speed and complexity, making us wonder what alien technology was used to allow a human to play with such speed.

Most importantly, the songwriting this time around has improved significantly. The juxtaposition of harmony next to bowel rumbling breakdowns and peppered with ridiculous guitar shredding licks are done at their highest level in the bands discography thus far. Keyboards in the vein of Super Nintendo or PlayStation soundtracks have also been added further solidifying the futuristic/alien aesthetic.  The instrumental songs mixed in could arguably be the highlights of this record. Either the Spanish Guitar tinged “Unhallowed” or the melodic shred fest of “The Macrocosom” ROS is pushing their own creativity to the brink. Not only do these tracks break up the chaos but the variety and diversity these songs bring is such a breath of fresh air in the otherwise vacuum of deep space brutality ROS is otherwise known for.

Fourth albums are typically the testing ground for bands, either staying the course with similar material or attempting to expand in new directions. I’m happy to see that ROS has decided to go for the latter. Ultu Ulla is easily their best effort yet and hopefully a sign of even better things to come.

Kadavar – Rough Times

German rockers Kadavar return triumphantly with the fashionably loud album “Rough Times” which, as expected, will take the listeners through a wild fuzzy music journey with blazing retro rock vibes.

With crazy borderline chaotic crushing weight the title track ensures high impact with tremendously heavy fuzzy guitar riffs that carry glorious ‘70s tonalities but occasionally the instrumentation and the vocals acquires easier melodic textures.

“Into The Wormhole” feels dizzy and dazed as we are traveling back in time under the influence of hallucinogenic stoner rock jams with roaring guitar riffs bearing a hint of the heaviest doom available and crunchy thick bass lines while the vocal delivery in the chorus is absolutely catchy.

“Die Baby Die” is an unforgettable track that offers addictive guitar riffs & melodies with a solid up-tempo groove, as the mood grows darker a blistering psychedelic fuzzy guitar solo inevitably steals the spotlight.

“Vampires” could have been composed in the ‘70s as Kadavar are able to naturally channel pure vintage melodies that here express a moody sense of melancholia but never fail to build a charismatic rhythm enriched by an excellent retro rock infused guitar solo.

“Tribulation Nation” sounds like a spacey blurry trip as a true psychedelic galore with an intergalactic essence surrounds the guitar driven grooves resulting in a memorable glistening catchy song.

“A L’Ombre Du Temps” takes you to an alternate reality as it deviates from the heavy stoner rock structure to deliver trippy dreamlike ambient vibes spiced up by ethereal distortions and bohemienne French whispered recitation.

“Rough Times” can easily hypnotize the audience with an impulsive psychedelic rock whirlwind and monumental spacey grooves confirming that Kadavar have become a mature prolific band with a remarkable creative force.

Eluveitie – Evocation II – Pantheon

After major lineup changes beloved Swiss folk metallers Eluveitie is ready to release the new acoustic effort “Evocation II – Pantheon” which is the sequel to the acclaimed album “Evocation I – The Arcane Dominion”. Fans will certainly rejoice as this new album features a grandiose folk music journey inspired by Celtic mythology and carefully crafted with a wide array of traditional folk instruments.

It might be the use of the ancient extinct language Gallic instead of plain English but “Epona” really takes you back in time, preferably in the middle of a forgotten forest where magical instruments such as mandola, hurdy gurdy and bagpipe create radiant melodies surrounded by positive energy.

With “Nantosvelta” you are still stuck in the forest and a bit of melancholia takes over the whistles melodies but soon the rhythm gains more energetic dynamics with a solid series of strings passages and groovy drumming.

“Lvgvs” features darker enigmatic atmospheric vibes enhanced by Fabienne Erni’s spellbinding vocal delivery and the whole instrumentation bears a mystical power even when soft whistles & strings create memorable charming melodies.

Created as an invocation of the Helvetic battle god “Catvrix” is probably the darkest track on this album starting with borderline ominous chants and a majestic rhythm in contrast with Fabienne’s passionate luminous vocals.

On “Artio” Fabienne’s ethereal voice becomes the center of attention evoking an arcane chant style surrounded by graceful acoustic atmospheres.

Similarly “Esvs” feels particularly peaceful favoring soft arrangements elegantly crafted by gentle acoustic melodies but also holds a mysterious aura enhanced by soulful choirs.

“Tarans” picks up speed with entertaining multi-instrumental grooves in proper folk fashion and towards the end fiery chants add extra ancient folklore vibes.

Some listeners might not appreciate the lack of metal on “Evocation II – Pantheon” nevertheless Eluveitie delivers an excellent performance on this acoustic collection of songs that truly portrays the profound mystical nature of folk music.

Satyricon – Deep Calleth Upon Deep

Norwegian masters Satyricon are ready to begin a new chapter as our favorite duo, Satyr and Frost, has crafted the new diabolic opus “Deep Calleth Upon Deep” with a charismatic creative force that seems to rise directly from the darkest hidden depths of human soul. During a long and intense music history Satyricon has always challenged black metal traditional boundaries embracing a cathartic sonic evolution that ultimately leads to the confident honest songwriting of “Deep Calleth Upon Deep”.

“Midnight Serpent” features the recognizable blackened energetic dynamics of Satyricon’s signature style. Fervent guitars are capable of crafting the darkest melodies as well as an irresistible groovy rhythmic assault that marches through an absolutely sinister sonic realm inevitably enhanced by enigmatic spiritual atmospheres.

The title track takes you to the cold Nordic wilderness with solemn atmospheric vibes, enticing dark melodic guitars and mesmerizing classical backing vocals that work together harmoniously to create profound mystical melodies.

“The Ghost Of Rome” can be mysterious with a shroud of perennial gloom and gothic nuances surrounding the whole instrumentation yet fierce guitars create a complex crescendo of captivating melodies and intensely blackened riffs while Satyr’s renowned vicious vocal delivery flawlessly matches the majestic dismal mood.

“Dissonant” will definitely impress the listeners with a quite experimental approach that offers eclectic tempo variations and the addition of flamboyant jazzy saxophone to the powerful blackened grooves steadily built by charismatic melodic progressions entwined with harsh guitar tonalities.

“Black Wings And Withering Gloom” drastically amplifies an overwhelming cold darkness with ardent faster guitar riffs and plummeting technical drums that channel a memorable traditional black metal flavor. Without hesitation, Satyricon also delivers more accessible tormented guitar melodies elegantly embellished by classical violins that evoke vivid poetic depth.

Once again, with “Deep Calleth Upon Deep” Satyricon fearlessly reinvents the band’s style exploring music territories beyond the standard black metal category and continues to diverge from the typical rules of such subgenre delivering a passionately refined dark work of music.

 

Barb Wire Dolls – Rub My Mind

As the story goes legendary Lemmy Kilmister discovered Barb Wire Dolls and signed them to Motörhead Music. Now Barb Wire Dolls continue their explosive career with the newest release “Rub My Mind” recorded at the legendary studio Rancho De Luna in California.

“Back In The USSA” relies on catchy rhythms and raw punk rock energy with simple but entertaining guitar riffs and savage vocals.

“If I Fall” bears the same fiery raw exciting guitar dynamics but offers also additional music textures with extra groovy bass lines and consistently rebellious vocals.

On “Desert Song” you can perceive the Joshua Tree desert influence as graceful guitar melodies acquire hazy tones while Isis Queen delivers a particularly flamboyant vocal performance with emotive intensity.

“Fade Away” slows down but doesn’t feel like your standard rock ballad as the languid bluesy melodic guitars and the melancholic vibes create a wistful dreamlike state.

Isis Queen embodies the uncompromising punk rocker spirit with edgy vocal delivery and “Contract” feels electrifying with a super catchy grungy chorus carrying the typical punk attitude that requires total artistic freedom, therefore Barb Wire Dolls don’t refrain from creating untamed groovy & dirty guitar driven riffs.

“Fire To Burn” lowers the tone putting aside the punk savagery to deliver a sincere emotional rock ballad featuring the traditional round of acoustic arpeggios and lovely melodies.

Overall, “Rub My Mind” is a fun album that can be absolutely wild like a punk rock revival with strong feminist attitude and Barb Wire Dolls showcase music variety exploring also softer retro rock nuances.

Loviatar – Loviatar

Hailing from Canada Loviatar proudly releases the first self titled full length effort crafting an interesting blend of gloomy doom/post-metal nuances surrounded by a remarkable mythological aura.

“Nascent (Stygian Wyrm Part I)” opens the album with charismatic guitar melodies that often showcase the dark magnificence of doom metal while the overall mood features some arcane folk accents. In contrast “Discordant (Stygian Wyrm Part II)” offers a highly energetic guitar driven rhythm supported by super thick bass lines and turbulent drumming.

“Ascendant (Stygian Wyrm Part III)” instead shifts the focus to more melancholy infused memorable guitar melodies and desolate atmospheres.

“Blind Goddess of the Nine Plagues” is a monolithic lengthy music piece that cannot be ignored as it includes all the major elements that characterize Loviatar’s music pathway. Thick atmospheric layers enhance a super heavy tormented ensemble of doom oriented guitar riffs and mournful melodies. The band builds a monumental bass & drums backbone with occasional balanced powerful faster blasts while solemn moody guitar melodies provide profound darkened textures and acquire multidimensional hypnotic quality during the slower mystical moments.

In terms of composition and conceptual creativity Loviatar confidently delivers a cohesive album that will certainly trigger interest in the current metal scene.