The age of mistrust and confusion begins with the best of intentions..
Mortiis- Spirit of Rebellion- Digital, LP, CD ( Dead Seed Productions )
So for those of you not in the know Mortiis started out as the bassist for black metal master Emperor but for the last few decades he has been creation ambient, electronic music , harsher industrial and Dungeon synth and this is were Spirit of Rebellion comes into play these two 20 + minute tracks are very much of that fantasy Dungeon Synth legacy I spoke of. From what I'm reading as well Dead Seed is Mortiis own vanity label. On to the music at had this the music I would want to hear playing D&D Reading Dragon Lance book, or you would hear in lord of the rings or Legend yes the Tim curry and Tom Cruise movie from many moons ago. Its Epic, Full of Midevial, Swords and Sorcery elements it reminds me of what Summoning would sound like if they took all the metal elements away. Mortiis is very very good at this . Love the chorus elements and simple percussion it works so well. Do any of you like Puissance "Let us lead " album this could be its brother of a release. Renfest folk everywhere need to get this asap. Mortiis Goblin visuals really do fit in with all of this too. Keep it up sir and you will have a fan for life !!!
Rosewood- Dying kiss of goodbyes- Digital/ CD (Inverse Records)
Finnish band on Finnish label shocking lol. No really what we have is a Punk rock meet Death Rock with elements of Horror over tones. I hear elements of Social Distortion, Misfits, Sentenced, HIM and a touch of Killing Joke for good measure. They have a love of Grave Pleasures and Tiamat at times too. Then the have a poppy punk side of bands like Yellow card and Sum 41 . The are a very odd and interesting band . The Piano parts with that Post Punk meets Death Rock over tones work very well the vocals remind me of Punky death rock I know but once you hear this you will agree. They are not the normal music i listen to but pull off what they are doing well . Wait stop the presses its that glam rock touchs of fellow finns Hanoi Rocks that I'm getting here as well. Ok now I feel better . Check them out and you could dig it too.
Dead Womans Ditch- Hraefn- Digital, CD (Third I Rex )
I really like the way the label describes them. experimental doomed and blackened as that is what we have going on here just for a moment imagine Faith No More or Devin townsend adding Black,Doom and Avant Death metal into blender with that prog and electronic elements and then just making it sinister and unsettling then yes Dead Womans Ditch is just what we have created. There are some very Post metal and Post Hardcore movements going on as well . This is as weird and it is wonderful. There is a madness here that just makes it all the more special. The Ritualistic hymns coming from the vocals at times is just so impressive. There are Arcturus and D.H.G. love happening in the over all sound too. I just don't want to talk about it any more and I want you to listen. Disjointed and beautiful is the way im ending this review.
Lotus Thief- Oresteia- Digital, LP, CD (Prophecy Productions )
Based out of San Fran and what I hear are elements of Madder Mortem, Dead can dance, Third and the mortal and Sabbath Assembly. So Occult Blackened Proggish Doom metal with a very orchestral and darkened tone drenched over the album as a whole. Then those Black snarls are just perfect to complete the element of dispair and loss that truly does come form the speakers on all of Oresteia. I would say that Gospel of the witches has much in common with band like Lotus Thief as well. The electro ambient tones that flow through out give the album a very spacial and haunting vibe too. I don't want this to be too short of a review to lessen it in any way . Though Lotus Thief are more a headphone or live band I can feel for sure. This is music that will become very personal for many of you and the band would not want it any other way i'm sure.
Empire of the Moon- ΕΚΛΕΙΨΙΣ- Digital. LP, CD (Iron Bonehead )
The Greek force is keeping with the deep and storied history of the impressive and complex Black death scene that has come before it. Mixing elements of Melodic, grim and tormented vocals , occult ideals and that fridged and haunting tonal arrangements that make bands like like Empire of the Moon a band that the masses will not ever get but the underground with come running too. Iron Bonehead has shocked me a bit wit have a band with so much melodic overtone and they are more a home of the raw, retro and grim black realms. This is a stunning presentation to a style that borders symphonic and epic but yet is fully in in the occult black death genre. Like I was saying good metal is just that and needed to keep the underground growing and be here for the next wave of metalheads to have bands of there own. Damn this album is impressive and I will be listening to it often.
Suum- Cryptomass- Digital,CD (Seeing Red Records)
Doom from Italy I want to say the I'm having a love and hate moment with this as the music is crushing me as it a mix of Sabbath, Electric Wizard, Crowbar and Crypt Sermon... It's those damn Candlemass meets Solitude Aeternus vocals that get to me . Retro Proto Doom clean sung vocals really can pissed off. I just need them to be less warbled and more powerful and not so over the top in that style I know many of you love this but to me it's no bueno.. The guitars are so crushing with the low end bass and slow and driving drums. When he sounds more like like Danzig I makes me much happier. Suum come on you are so close to being fucking amazing and your lead throat is just taking me away from praising you. You are like the UK Doom version of amazing styled Nola Sludgy Doom. I need Peaceville records less Rise Above folks.. So close but so far from me saying this is amazing.. I craving those screams and growls more then the clean one so so much..
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