New reviews 5/22/2011

Before the Rain- Frail-CD (Avantgarde Music)

Just from the 1st moments of listening this has the major influences of Anathema, Katatonia, Dan Swano's Moontower and Porcupine Tree. So Prog Doom is what I would like to call it. As I read some more Gary Griffith formerly the Guitarist of the amazing Morgion has joined there ranks. There is a layer of Complexity and an almost Gothic edge to what is going on here. The more I listen as the tracks go on there is very much a Draconian Times vibe from Paradise Lost as well.  The Songs all have a driving beat and bass line going on with a very talented guitar and synth arrangement. The vocals are sung , spoken and slightly guttural which makes its all the more special. I will be the first to tell you this album gets Doomy as hell at times. Something I do adore. This is very impressive to say the least check them out ...

http://avantgardemusic.com/

Kauan-Kuu-CD (Avantgarde Music)

There is so much going on with Kauan its really a journey in its self to explain if you mixed Amorphis, Dead Can Dance and Mogwai into one project with a healthy dose of Tenhi as well it would come close to all the genres, styles and sounds going on. This is not a metal or hard rocking album . Its epic, symphonic, lush, electronic and Post Metal... The String, Percussion Male and Female vocals make the album something to remember. Wow Kauan is a massive undertaking to say the least... There really is a delicate nature to Kuu and thats what makes it all the more a must have album in 2011. I will be listening to this over and over again it really is that good.

http://avantgardemusic.com/

Amnis Nihili- Christological Escalation-CD (Avantgarde Music)

Industrial Black Doom Noise this what your getting here my friends. This album is madness in the most wonderful and passonate of ways. If you like bands like Code, DHG, Mayhem (Grand Declaration album), Manes, Marduk, MZ412, Burzum then folk you have major winner. There are so very Blut Aus Nord , Shining (NO) moments going on with this gem. Droning and Drifting sounds are heavily mixed into the darkness and sorrow that is Aminis Nihili . Bands like this are an advance listen to say the least but so well worth it in the end. The way you experience this album will never be the same twice. Aminis Nihili is mood music for the Occultist/ Outsiders of the world.

http://avantgardemusic.com/

Rev 16:8 - Ashlands-CD (AFM)

Raise your horns for the Warmachines of the old guard of the Black metal battle cries. If you like that dirty Thrashing sound mix with blistering and nasty Black metal full of Ritualistic hymn and that frozen hypnotic vibe them welcome home to the new dark age of destruction. Watain, Marduk, Death spell omega,  Gorgoroth etc. You get the point of this, Black metal that will break bones and scare the God fearing right back into the mighty dark ages where they hide in churches and caves till the plague was done killing off the weak. AFM shocked me a bit with this as there are more a traditional metal or power metal label. With a move in this direction AFM can become a major player like Candlelight and Regain in Europe...

http://afm-records.de/

Mortualia-S/T-CD (Moribund Cult)

There are moment when you hear something so sick, twisted, tortured and just plain off kilter that it just takes you back for a moment and you just need to re think what under ground music is really all about . The tones and low fi sounds on Mortualia are just are unsettling and the vocals , A voice that sounds like the vocalist is being skinned alive at times. This Self timed album guitars are so dissident and atonal at times I really feel that death will be the only release for those that listen and maybe after all that is the reason this Horna/ Sargeist member has yet another project on the Masterful Moribund Records. To top it all off this is a reissue that gladly most of us get to hear now. Slow sickness like this takes time to perfect and that is just what happened with this.

http://moribundcult.com/

Moon- Caduceus Chalice-CD (Moribund Cult)

Do you remember a band called Profanum or Azrael . These are what I hear in moon from the 1st moments of this review.  Another project that has that same hopeless ethereal Black ambience that just really draws the life from you is Lustre and you know again the lo fi and over the top brittle production makes the album all the more powerful to listen to. Spiraling into depression is very much the same as a spin with this album. Moon is so haunting and looping with verb and different slowly phasing sounds  you will get caught up in this and remember the Gods of old are pissed off you forgot about them and what to be reminded again from the shadows which they were cast away too. Moribund you just keep finding bands like this and its a win for all the underground occult metal fans.

http://moribundcult.com/