ALBUM REVIEW: Watain - "Trident Wolf Eclipse"

By:  Daniel Jackson

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 05/01/2018

Label: Century Media Records

Trident Wolf Eclipse’ is an album that’s both diverse, but also does a better job of staying within the band’s established wheelhouse.  The album’s opening track is a perfect statement of intent: “Nuclear Alchemy” is the sort of thrashy, high-energy hellstorm that sets the stage for the rest of the album

‘Trident Wolf Eclipse’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Nuclear Alchemy

2. Sacred Damnation

3. Teufelsreich

4. Furor Diabolicus

5. A Throne Below

6. Ultra (Pandemoniac)

7. Towards The Sanctuary

8. The Fire of Power

9.Antikrists Mirakel

The Review:

There’s course correction, and then there’s course correction. 2013’s ‘Wild Hunt’ was regarded as something of a misstep by a sizable portion of the band’s fan base. You could make an argument that this was either a fan base’s knee-jerk reaction to any kind of experimentation at all or reasonable reaction with the new direction being seen as a real downgrade. Wherever you fall on that spectrum, ‘Trident Wolf Eclipse’ is an equal and opposite reaction; returning to, and building from, the sound they were working with on ‘Lawless Darkness’.

In that sense, the album’s opening track is a perfect statement of intent: “Nuclear Alchemy” is the sort of thrashy, high-energy hellstorm that sets the stage for the rest of the album, while also being an incredible addition to Watain’slive arsenal. It’s three minutes that runs the entire Wataingamut, from 90s Swedish black metal to black thrash and with a remarkable knack for hooks and arrangement.

The rest of the album covers a number of other bases as well. “Teufelsreich” alternates between an homage to the middle section of Mayhem’s “Cursed in Eternity” and low-tempo Dissection. “A Throne Below” focuses on a more grim, atmospheric darkness. And album closer “Antikrists Mirakel” is an entrancing way to end the album, even with its near-funeral doom tempo. All of this is to say that the album is—as contradictory as this sounds—all over the place in a cohesive way.

‘Trident Wolf Eclipse’ is an album that’s both diverse, but also does a better job of staying within the band’s established wheelhouse. Those who were dreading the possibility of further experimentation will be relieved by this return to safer ground. Those who enjoyed the band exploring new musical terrain will still find a lot of variety to enjoy, though you won’t find anything as adventurous as what was found on ‘Wild Hunt’. In a sense, this is Watain playing it safe, but the songwriting more than compensates for any perceived lack of forward momentum. There are times when a band wants to branch out and try something new and discovers it just wasn’t what they’d hoped for, and that appears to be what Watainhas discovered over the last few years.

‘Trident Wolf Eclipse’ is available here



Band info: Official Site || Facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Myrkur - "Mareridt"

By: Ernesto Aguilar


Album Type: Full Length

Date Released:15/09/2019

Label: Relapse Records

 

Rarely does a recording embody the dynamism of heavy music, while being legitimately artful and musically resplendent, "Mareridt," just happens to be one such album and with it, all your expectations will be exceeded.

"Mareridt" CD//DD//LP track listing

1. Mareridt

2. Måneblôt

3. The Serpent

4. Crown

5. Elleskudt

6. De Tre Piker

7. Funeral (featuring Chelsea Wolfe)

8. Ulvinde

9. Gladiatrix

10. Kætteren

11. Børnehjem

The Review:

What metal fan hasn't had the talk with a friend, partner or acquaintance? You know the talk? It is that moment of judgment. It is at once an inquiry of a sound as it is a question about you are as a person. What attracts you to this howling? Implicitly, because it is less polite, is the query: what in you is broken that prompts you to listen to this?

It is a thematic inquiry too of course. Extreme music's foreboding images and confrontational sound are disquieting for listeners of many other styles of music. Like the ghosts in our stories, the specter of Tipper Gore and the Parents Music Resource Center hangs heavy. For every genuinely curious question, there are three value-laden ones, which probe scarring of listeners to such noxious aural assaults.

Without a doubt, plenty of metal is proudly noxious. The music is by its very definition bellicose. So, when a recording appears that embodies the dynamism of heavy music, while being legitimately artful and musically resplendent, it is singular. Such is the case with the return of Myrkur's new release, "Mareridt."

The one-woman project of multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Amalie Bruun, Myrkur has specialized in the classic sound of black metal with folkloric as well as orchestral flourishes. Bruum's 2014 debut drew much praise for its virtuosity. "M," the 2015 follow-up, saw assists from members of Mayhem, Arch Enemy and Ndingrand received international awards. Buoyed by a live record last year, interest in Myrkurhas only grown since "M."

You will have every high expectation exceeded with "Mareridt," Myrkur's latest. Its title is Danish for "nightmare." It is anything but.

With the title track opening the new record, tinges of folk metal with its waves of ceremony and menace wash over your mind. In addition to being a fantastic start to the many moods you catch across 11 tracks; it is simply an impeccably composed song. Outstanding vocals and exemplary instrumentation make it a great beginning, lolling into crisp guitar work of the fast but understated second wave of black metal. Like some other cuts on the recording, such as "Gladiatrix" and "De Tre Piker," the title track sets a blueprint for a blend of metal snarling and otherworldly singing. Many artists have employed this mode of attack over the years. Myrkurjust happens to do it exceedingly well.

Back to the talk. To many people, this style of metal is unexpected. For a mainstream that associates most metal with volume and corpse paint, the variants like this will challenge opinions. Most labels and more observant fans recognize the potential for music like this is break boundaries and attract new audiences. Consider the regard for French act Alcest when it surged to prominence in the mid-2000s with a black metal style that engulfed shoegaze and pop strands at points. Having a sound that is at once bold yet divergent is a blessing and a curse, certainly. By "The Serpent," your internal conversation may be quite active, as you may ponder if there is no limit, in truth. It and the following track, "Crown," are easily the most accessible on the album. Both are appreciable for their artistry. They're also unlikely to be considered metal by American hardcore fans or the mainstream. Regardless these cuts, and several other moments, are sure to make you step back, beyond extreme music, and appreciate their creativity and fearlessness.

Myrkur deserves much praise for presenting a fully imagined release, one that goes from gauzy to portent in the blink of an eye. From the efficaciously strong "Funeral," with singer-songwriter Chelsea Wolfe, or the closer, "Børnehjem," a supernatural first-person tale, Bruun is sure to prompt you, and the friends wanting to have the talk, to think about extreme music in a renewed way.

"Mareridt" is available here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Order - "Lex Amentiae"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full-length

Date Released:28/07/2017

Label: Listenable Records

 

This is harsh, in-your-face, old-school black metal. From the opener "Winter" onward, Order stakes a claim to the thorny crown with its barbarous shrieks, lumbering bass and unyielding guitars.

"Lex Amentiae" CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Winter

2. Prophet

3. Torquemada

4. Dugma

5. Procreation (of the wicked)

6. Victimized

7. Folly Grandeur

8. Order

The Review:

Order clearly cares little about doing itself favors to the first-time listener. Before even kicking into the first song, you'll already know its members claim a lineage going back to the original wave of Norwegian black metal as well as the region's important death metal scene. If that's not enough to make you take note, its players have done time in a host of groups you know and love, including Celtic Frost, Mayhem, Gluecifer, Cadaver and Satyricon. And this is not just some dude who joined the group in Lineup Version 245; we're talking drummer Kjetil Mannheim and Eirik Norheim, of the original 1980s' Mayhemwith the late Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth. It is the squad that literally defined the Nordic black metal sound. Serious O.G. cred, for real.

The question remains, how is a fresh Norwegian black metal act with a debut recording gonna even come close to that sort of pedigree?

Fortunately enough for the members of Order, they know what they do and do it well.

On its 2017 release "Lex Amentiae" (roughly translated to 'law of insanity'); Order jumps out with a classic black metal boom. No subtle string arrangements. No imagery of trees, candles and crows. This is harsh, in-your-face, old-school black metal. From the opener "Winter" onward, Orderstakes a claim to the thorny crown with its barbarous shrieks, lumbering bass and unyielding guitars. It's a refreshing sound, given how amazing the band sounds together and the number of black metal variations we have right now. But far from a throwback or novelty, Order feels original and invigorating in metal.

Nearly two generations have passed since these guys birthed what many a corpse painted youngster have sought to do. In songs such as "Procreation (Of the Wicked)," Order make it clear they still have more music in them, and lessons to teach the new kids. There is an undeniably quintessential black metal ethos. Such a paradigmatic take may thus make finding new influences harder. Yet, there is a maturity to the music many new bands can learn from and be pushed by to test themselves as well.

In recent interviews, Mannheim has remarked the album itself is in concept intended to address humanity's willingness to choose belief over facts, and to side with authoritarians and monsters, through scourges such as religion. That sort of social commentary in black metal has been hard to pull off, though the critique of religious faith is quite familiar. Cuts like "Order"draw an uncompromising parallel between religion and fascism, with the most audible, spoken-word-style lyrics of all the songs. It is a somber close to one of the subgenre's more provocative new releases.

"Lex Amentiae" is available here

Band info: facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Nidingr - "The High Heat Licks Against Heaven"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full length

Date released:16/06/2017

Label: Seasons of Mist

Given the amount of average extreme music that is available, Nidingr’s release is outstanding for such depth alone.

"The High Heat Licks Against Heaven" CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Hangaguð

2. Surtr

3. The Ballad of Hamther

4. On Dead Body Shore

5. Gleipnir

6. Sol Taker

7. Ash Yggdrasil

8. Heimdalargaldr

9. Valkyries Assemble

10. Naglfar Is Loosed

The Review:

The long shadow of Norwegian black metal’s most brutal off-stage moments are the stuff of countless thinkpieces, documentaries and books. Such history is deceptive, because the mainstream merely gets grist for tabloid headlines while a scene that is vibrant as it is seminal to the global metal ecosystem goes underappreciated.

Borre-based outfit Nidingrbear a claim to Norwegian black metal’s story. Formed as Audr in 1992, the project of Morten Iversen has been bruising heads with its caustic edge to the music. Maybe such a sound for Nidingr is not completely unexpected. Iversen counts Gorgoroth, Orcustus, Mayhemand other acts on his resume. As you think about that experience, you might wonder why Nidingris considered or classifies itself in the black metal camp. Herein lies a curious departure in this tale.

What makes Nidingrsuch a unique part of metal in Europe is the influences you hear in its sound over time. Go back and listen to the crew’s past releases and you will most assuredly hear doom metal, crust punk and even some non-extreme orchestration in its songs. Lyrically, the band fits well into the subgenre, creating often horrific imagery. Iversen and company are not above pushing the musical boundaries, however.

Your first trip through "The High Heat Licks Against Heaven" is a relentless experience. The hefty drum and bass throughout the recording makes every track particularly foreboding and intense. The bark of vocalist Cpt. Estrella Grasa snatches you almost immediately. Grasa, the pseudonym of Alf Almén, snarls outward with the essence of Norwegian black metal stylings, but is wholly original. You might catch some inspiration from punk in parts of the vocal in "The Ballad of Hamther" and other moments. Mathcore elements dot "On Dead Body Shore"as well. Credit Almén for his creativity behind the microphone. He’s giving a performance that will please the casual listener, while giving the metal music snob something to marvel at. Given the amount of average extreme music that is available, Nidingr’srelease is outstanding for such depth alone.

One of the standout selections fans will put on repeat is "Gleipnir" – even though the opening will possibly make you turn your head and ask, ‘what the fuck is this?’ It is sandwiched between the previously mentioned "Shore" and the similarly hard charging "Sol Taker" yet sound like neither in the slightest. Instead, there’s a strong hint of doom. Either way, it is exceptional, as is one of the other doom/sludge tracks, "Ash Yggdrasil." You, in fact, may find black metal on the full-length, but there’s more here than meets the eye.

"The High Heat Licks Against Heaven" is available here:

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Artificial Brain - "Infrared Horizon"

By: Daniel Jackson

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 21/04/2017

Label: Profound Lore

The artwork depicting a mournful android grieving the loss of another android is absolutely devastating as a visual, and that same feeling permeates the whole musical experience. It’s bleak, sorrowful, and violent.

‘Artificial Brain’ CD//LP//DD track listing:

1. Floating in Delirium

2. Synthesized Instinct

3. Static Shattering

4. Estranged from Orbit

5. Infrared Horizon

6. Anchored to the Inlayed Arc

7. Mist like Mercury

8. Vacant Explorer

9. Graveyard of Lightless Planets

10. Ash Eclipse

The Review:

Death metal isn’t normally seen as an emotional genre. It might thematically play with fear, trauma, horror, mortality, religion, and related areas, but emotional depth isn’t something anyone points out when explaining or even defending death metal in a broader sense. It may be time to change that. Over the last several years there have been some releases that have helped broaden death metal’s range in this regard, but there may not be an album that has done so as effectively (and affectingly) as Artificial Brain’s new album ‘Infrared Horizon’

“So much deeper than programming” - from “Static Shattering”.

Anyone who has been lucky enough to hear Artificial Brain’sdebut will be familiar with the general musical idea here: jangly, gnarled death metal, constantly churning and changing abruptly. The name and theme of the band has always been apropos; as both their debut and this new album resemble the sounds metal crashing and crunching violently, even for a metal band. It’s not just the harsh changes in course; it’s the force and feeling with which these sharp turns are carried out. Artificial Brainwas a killing machine right out of the gate.

On ‘Infrared Horizon’, the band gives its killing machine a soul. That process starts with the absolutely stunning artwork for the album from Adam Burke, who has also recently done artwork for Vektor, Gatecreeper, and the upcoming Sólstafiralbum. The artwork depicting a mournful android grieving the loss of another android may not read is absolutely devastating as a visual, and that same feeling permeates the whole musical experience. It’s bleak, sorrowful, and violent.

None of this is to say that the band aren’t as sonically devastating as ever. In fact, they may have topped themselves in the ferocity department thanks to some well-timed, but absurdly fast palm muting in places. The technique was something Mayhem made use of during Blasphemer’s time with that band, but here it’s taken even further, even if it’s used more sparingly. You could argue that there are other places where black metal makes an appearance as well. The opening moments of “Static Shattering”certainly bear some resemblance to it, the title track sees the band somehow channelling 90s Enslaved at about a minute into the title track while still finding a way to blend that kind of sound into their own. If anything, it shows that the band are so sure of themselves that they’re willing to constantly throw in unique stylistic elements like these knowing exactly how to make them work within their framework.

Artificial Brain arrived fully formed in 2014, both musically and thematically. They weren’t a band in search of their voice; they’ve had it from moment one. With ‘Infrared Horizon’, the band shows us all just how rich and complex and wide ranging that voice can be. If you thought the band was just a talented band with a cool theme, they’ve made an emphatic statement about just how much more than that they are. Artificial Brain are much deeper than programming.

‘Infrared Horizon’ is available digitally here and a CD/LP copy here(EU) and here (US/NA).

Band info: Facebook