New Reviews 11/17/2012
Ragnarok- Malediction-CD ( Agonia Records)
So this Black Metal force from the land of Norway has been creating their Satanic fury for almost 20 yrs now and have worked with labels like Head not found, Regain and now Agonia. Ragnarok is one of those Epic Powerful Black metal groups you know like Marduk, Dark Funeral or Saytricon and will never change they from time to time add a very heathen or viking vibe to all that goes on . The production is full and second to none. If you like your Black metal fast and with melody in the cold and grim realm then you need to look no further then Ragnarok. Agonia and connected with a band with many yrs and ideas left they have not lost path with the sound they create and excel at...
http://www.agoniarecords.com/
Anaal Nathrakh- Vanitas-CD (Candlelight Records)
This unit is one of those bands that is a mix of many sounds that comes all at you at once. Black Industrial Death Grind is what I would call this is Nevermore was Black metal or if Napalm Death and Testament mixed with Strapping young lads you would have what is something close to what is going. The vocals go from Scream and Growls to Operatic death vocals. The guitars are manic at best and the effects on everything is over the top forget about the heavy electronic and groove based ultra prog drumming. Anaal Nathrakh really sound like no one else and many other bands all at the same time. Thrash, Death, Industrial and Blackened Doom are all in this stew and Candlelight has the right idea . Let them be who they are and this band just shines.
http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk/
Fen- Dustwalker-CD (Code666)
I Know the term Post Black metal is starting to lose its meaning in 2012 but this is what the embodyment of Fen is all about Post Rock and Avant Guitars , Bass and Drums sounds mixed with the Spacial effects and Prog styling with very grim and sore throat Black metal vocals. If you like bands like Opeth Agalloch, CODE , Manes, Alcest and A Forest of Stars then you more then know where a band like Fen is coming from. The Haunting clean hypnotic vocals and then the acoustics and emo side of this band comes out as well . Fen is one of those bands that is way beyond most bands in complexity and originally and something you just need to understand the beauty behind the full on darkness of a band and with from the UK. Their 3rd album is what is going to take them to another level in cult status. Code666 with Prophecy Productions and Anja Offensive are really the cutting edge of Metal music now.. Fen have one of the albums of 2012 for sure..
http://www.code666.net/
Nidingr- Greatest of Deceivers-CD (Indie Recordings)
So what if Virus or D.H.G kept a more Black/Death over tone to their music you would have Nidingr my friends. Love the Prog and Jazz elements mixed in with the Scandinavian extreme metal sound at times they have the Dismember Swedish Death metal sound and guitar / vocal thing going on. I thought it was odd there last album was on Jester being that its not a metal label at all but Ulver members did have the connection but with being on Indie Recordings they have found a good home from there Metallic sickness that they create. Greatest of Deceivers is not a simple or easy listen. You have to like the almost Voivod like Sci fi time and tempo changes and be ready for odd harmonics and melody and dissidence all in the same song and sometimes in the same riff. Nidingr is just amazing and feel better and a bit more creative just by hearing this album. Horns up hight for this one. Get it....
http://indierec.net/
Arbogast-I-CD (Nefarious Industries)
This Chicago clan mixes elements of Post Hardcore, Sludge Doom and Thrash into a sound that is close to something if Neurosis and Crowbar collabed together working on songs that would have been planned out for a future Surgery or Jesus Lizard album. The Noise Rock from Lower east side or midwest is strong in this Jedi's in training. I want to call it Math rock at times but its just a bit less all over the place to be that genre. Arbogast is Punk , Noise and Hardcore with a Metal flavor over the top of it just to make it all the more interesting to say the least. Check them out as their going to surprise you and that I can count on.
Zatokrev- The Bat the wheel and a long road to Nowhere- CD (Candlelight Records)
So Sludge Doom and Hardcore again come into a mix that is very similar to bands like Noothgrush, Cavity, Floor and Damad to what I'm hearing here. There are a moments where bands like Black Cobra and Isis are going into the mix as well. This is a band from Switzerland that doesn't have a Celtic Frost or Samael worship going on ahem... I love the fragile meets bombastic soungs going on here and the tormented vocals work so well in that Sludge/Crust thought pattern. When the Doom comes in this a wall off sorrow, power and pain. Does anyone remember a band called The Melvins as this is where Zatokrev comes closest in sound to me. Yes some of you will say Neurosis but all Post Doom bands have this element and its not the most over powering of sounds. I would more say they have a sound of bands like Khanate and US Christmas as well too. Great shit for those looking for a more somber doom filled ride.
http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk/
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