Among the many amazing bands from Iceland Kontinuum certainly stands out for the poetic gloom and charming post-rock melodies that continue to have a strong presence on the new album “No Need To Reason”.  

“Shivers” begins with extremely somber yet very accessible guitar melodies that gently accompany passionate vocals creating profoundly emotional waves that will inevitably influence the entire instrumentation.

On “Warm Blood” colder & darker nuances emerge in the mix as guitars acquire a crunchy distortion amplified by uptempo grooves and slightly heavier dynamics while vocals effortlessly shift from poetic delivery to harsher tones.

The title track returns to tranquil soundscapes following a slower tempo to favor the compelling lead guitar work and passionate vocals in the midst of introspective atmospheric layers yet both vocals and instrumentation will occasionally embrace a darker momentum.

Featuring dreamy atmospheric crescendos “Stargaze” focuses again on rich sonic textures and spacey harmonious guitars that naturally build an eclectic mixture of gentle melodies with hints of shoegaze style and significantly darker instrumental segments.

The remarkable soothing poetry of “Two Moons” will lead to increasing feelings of nostalgia & melancholia as guitars smoothly craft moody melodies with a cinematic approach and a distinct introspective nature.

“Black Feather” might amplify the dark side of the band even more with a striking somber melodic ensemble featuring inspired atmospheric arrangements and captivating guitar work that will briefly acquire extra obscure vibes & rhythms yet the recurring hazy harmonies still feel widely accessible.

Overall, the intriguing melodies of “No Need To Reason” will attract lovers of darkly emotional songs that Kontinuum has carefully crafted following a rather natural music evolution.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBYfWjRLGqM

Led by multi-talented composer Tamás Kátai Thy Catafalque is already renowned in the underground metal scene as a profoundly eclectic studio project and the new album “Geometria” definitely continues an interesting exploration of multifaceted music territories.

The enigmatic nuances of “Hajnali csillag” lead to rich atmospheric arrangements and refined soothing violin melodies that certainly hold a deeply melancholic mood smoothly enhanced by enchanting guitar harmonies resulting in a highly cinematic work of music.

“Szamojéd freskó” marks a drastic change of scenario as guitars become rather dominant delivering a generous dosage of crunchy heavily distorted riffs that will later evolve into complex prog oriented dynamics.

Another significant change occurs on “Töltés” which seamlessly embraces modern electronic nuances with fragile melodies and ethereal ambiance accents that gently surround Martina Veronika Horváth’ melancholic vocals.

“Lágyrész” offers a darker sonic vision where guitars often deliberately borrow the ominous force of extreme metal with evident blackened accents while the melodic aspects of this song focus on particularly gloomy & surreal tonalities.

The avant-garde spirit of “Tenger, tenger” is immediately palpable as a violin solo evokes chaotic yet exquisitely elegant nuances that will be followed by uplifting guitar melodies and consequent mellow rhythmic crescendo with dreamy folk vibes.

On the intense final song “Ének a búzamezokrol” an obscure creative force returns fiercely with ominous guitar riffing leading the way to a cold sonic realm where dramatic guitar melodies are suddenly juxtaposed to charming folk chants and peaceful arpeggios.

On “Geometria” there is a lot going on as Thy Catafalque are constantly & effortlessly searching for a unique identity, pushing boundaries to blend diverse music styles in order to create contrasting sonic textures that will inevitably surprise the listeners.
Geometria (Ltd. Ed. digipak CD)

The second release from the mighty Alkaloid, proves that these guys are evolving and growing immensely as musicians. Truly progressive, which seems to not be so common these days.

“Kernel Panic” starts the album off with a very Rush/King Crimson vibe going on. Which then leads into some more traditional death metal elements. It sets the tone for the journey that this album will take you on.

“A Decreed By Laws Unwritten” opens with an absolutely mean riff in the style of Morbid Angel, but more intricate. Even the vocal approach is similar. I love that these guys mix the old school sound with the modern sound so seamlessly. There’s a very eerie clean break that leads into some grooving riffing, and some ripping soling… of course. An overall very cool track.

“Azagthoth” opens with some very eastern sounding percussion and rhythms, accompanied by some interesting use of harmonics. It then starts to groove like no other, with a ton of different vocal styles. I really dig the riffing in this track. And the “Azagthoth!” sounds so evil. You get a lot packed into this track.

“Liquid Anatomy” has a very cool melodic clean intro, with some really haunting vocals. The overall vibe changes things up a bit on the album. It showcases a different side of the band.

“Chaos Theory And Practice” opens about as “in your face” as it gets. Very chaotic and dissonant, followed directly by a very badass riff (Again very Morbid Angel styled) which I absolutely love! There’s a very cool riff that bounces back from heavy chords and scattered harmonics, with a haunting lead over it. It creates a very cool vibe, with some very memorable vocals on top of it. The same idea gets played around with throughout the song. This is one of the highlights for me, being that it really showcases the band’s versatility and compositional skills.

“Rise Of The Cephalopods” is the 20 min epic on the album. There’s an interview where Hannes talks about how he came up with the initial musical idea for it. It’s definitely my favorite track. We’ll just leave it at that…

For me, this was one of my top albums of the year. Every track stands out on its own. Truly progressive. I recommend buying this, and supporting these guys.
Liquid Anatomy

Norwegian cult black metal stalwarts Tsjuder are proudly releasing a new edition of their first EP “Throne Of The Goat” which includes the original tracks and a complete re-recording.

There are two full track on this EP and both the 1997 original recording and the new versions share the same raw blackened energy that will inevitably characterize the band’s entire discography.

The new version of the title track is certainly more polished and benefits from fancier gear but the cult black metal dynamics are still intact with thunderous guitar riffing galore, demonic growls and super fast & brutal rhythmic segments.

“Dying Spirit” often follows a breakneck speed and as traditional black metal dictates evokes absolutely bleak soundscapes with evident oppressive feelings fully expressed by raw guitar riffs, ominous growls and scattered diabolical melodic moments.

Needless to say the sonic realm of “Throne Of The Goat” is made of undiluted darkness and hellish nightmares hard to leave behind as Tsjuder shows the fans how it all started.
Throne of the Goat

Australian extreme metallers Nocturnal Graves are ready to spread undiluted darkness and uncompromising ferocity on the newest full length “Titan”.

On “Resistance” the mood is absolutely oppressive as the band knows no restrain and unleashes a tight series of guitar riffs staying true to old school extreme metal elements while ominous growls and extremely somber melodic leads diligently amplify the song’s inner darkness that acquires impending doom tonalities in the final moments.

The blackened force of “Ecdysis, Shedding Weak Flesh” is immediately palpable as killer guitar riffs lead the scene relentlessly accompanied by steady abyssal growls and precise rhythmic sections that here do not feel exaggeratedly fast but rather give space for darkly contemplative and dramatically slow moments favoring the grim melodic guitar work.

“Bow Before None” conjures a traditional blackened thrash essence with menacing riffage that at times feels simply unstoppable following merciless rhythmic blasts spiced up by inflamed lead guitars and a darkly cathartic momentum.

On “Silence The Martyrs” guitars hold a hellish raw energy and drums dictate a breakneck thunderous speed but there are still introspective moments where lead guitars focus on more melodic and variegated progressions.

The title track is a triumphant hymn to darkness as venomous guitar riffs and drums successfully build ruthless grooves but a massive blackened aura persistently surrounds and influences the intense melodic solos.

Nocturnal Graves have a clear music vision in mind and never refrain from delivering an overwhelming dosage of brutality so you better be ready to mosh & headbang like there’s no tomorrow when you listen to “Titan”.
Titan

Emerging from the darkest depths of metal Nightmarer proudly releases the debut full length “Cacophony Of Terror” confidently exploring extreme metal territories to achieve a unique music identity.

As darkness descends “Stahlwald” evokes oppressive soundscapes through technical guitar work shifting from ominous relentless riffing to slower doom phrases while eclectic tempo variations generate borderline chaotic moments.

“Skinner” continues to revolve around a series of variegated instrumental passages where guitars skillfully craft highly somber progressions leading to punishing grooves perfectly supported by the sinister power of the precise rhythmic section.

On “Fetisch” a neverending darkness leads to asphyxiating faster progressions that will often sound rather ferocious as the band blends dissonant elements and doom tinged melodies within well balanced rhythmic segments.

“Tidal Waves Of Terror” immediately offers dissonant guitar work bearing a melodic doom core that will recur throughout the song amplifying a darkly contemplative mood but will eventually morph into a series of menacing super heavy rhythmic dynamics.

Introduced by nightmarish atmospheres “Death” is constantly surrounded by feelings of absolute despair as guitars will follow unusual tempo changes and favor dramatically slower melodic progression to fully evoke a sense of inescapable terror further enhanced by ravenous growls.

With a distinct sonic manifesto in mind Nightmarer is ready to conquer a solid status in the underground metal scene and “Cacophony Of Terror” is a pitchblack work of music dedicated to lovers of the blackened dissonant tonalities of modern extreme metal.
Cacophony of Terror