Disma - Towards the Megalith (2011) Review

Album | Towards the Megalith

Country | USA
Genre | Death Metal
Label | Profound Lore Records

 

~ We are the proprietors of the abyss ~

I always think death metal should be a merciless, soul crushing experience. Traditional death metal bands are brutal, but not always do they achieve something further than shreddy riffs and guttural growls, which always sounds good anyway. That explains why I loved Incantation from the first listen, as well as the bands that follow the same path with them these years, like Disma. This is the first and only full length by the band so far and it definitely was one of the best albums of the year 2011, since it has thrilling compositions and a "dismal" atmosphere that few bands have today. It was also an awaited listen, since the band's first demo in 2009 and the small taste of an EP in 2011.

There are eight tracks that collect up to fourty six minutes of music in Towards the Megalith. Most of the tracks have been used in previous releases but there are also a few new compositions, which is really a pleasure, since I was eager to listen to their early stuff with the sound they deserve. The production of the record is finally more than worthy of listening, thick and powerful, as the tracks themselves. The guitars and the drums build the first layer of the sound, where the inhuman growls come and go above, creating a deathlike aura from start to finish. The excellent cover artwork visually describes the music too, as a road towards a big gate into the underworld, along with death wizards and necromancers and around a sickly-green main colour.

Disma's style has a lot of doom / death metal elements, as they often slow things down and keep simple riffs, rhythmic drum beats and even slower vocals in various parts of their songs. It feels great when such parts come in, since they are well made and give even more strength to the faster parts (i.e. the transition from the end of "Chasm of Oceanus" to the intro of "Spectral Domination" is like being hit in the face by a sledgehammer) and emphasizing the solid structure the album has. Many would think of Autopsy during the gloomier moments, but still Autopsy are more traditional American death and don't step towards a darker sound like Disma. In Towards the Megalith, the drums sound organic and not squashed out of existence like in most records of the 21st century, which is very cool to listen to. The bass has a dose of distortion in it (check the track "Vault of Membros", which is also masterpiece).

All in all, I took exactly what I expected from the debut of Disma, which is something relentless and gloriously heavy. The band gave all they had to offer in here and no listener is safe when listening to it, being a flawless effort in it's entirety. The band's style is certain but not repetitive, and all the melodies are down-tuned and straightforward, giving a pummeling vibe as  background where all hell breaks loose with each track. I definitely recommend Towards the Megalith to ANY fan of underground death metal, any person who aches for some actual brutality when the genre it taken too far melodically, lyrically and in terms of modernity today, so that more people fit in and like it. Towards the Megalith is strict and and dangerous, if found in the wrong hands.

DAMAGE: [9.25/10]

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Nocturnal - Storming Evil (2014) Review

Album | Storming Evil
Country | Germany
Genre | Black / Thrash Metal
Label | High Roller Records Records

| Tyrants of damnation |

Among my favorite bands of the twenty first century in the black / thrash territories are the Germans Nocturnal, who crushed my brain with their debut Arrival of the Carnivore in 2004 and have been under my radar ever since. The band is busy releasing mini-records but had not offered anything for three years now, before putting their third full length album Storming Evil not long ago. Germany has an excellent history in thrash metal and a notable one in black, so filthy bands out of these lands are always good to check out.

One of the characteristics that I find very appealing in this band is their comfort with the necessary variety of riffs and melodies in their music, which always delivers a lively and old-school feeling, no matter how clean the sound is. The fact is that it's quite polished here but still, I erased any possible complaints with the first listen, an immediate hook up. They achieve more than any average band of their genre with their evident and memorable guitar lines, which enrich each song to it's full capacity. Tracks such as "Rising Demons", "Perish in Darkness", "Storm from the Graves" deserve being called black / thrash jewels.

There is a noteworthy musical harmony in Nocturnal that makes this album very easy to enjoy, as if the tracks are placed in the perfect positions and everything is executed as it was meant to be. I didn't find a dull moment or two, where I thought "ok, nice part but very much in the borders of the genre", all of it is fully entertaining, even for someone who has heard a hundred bands of the same philosophy. I also want to pinpoint the kick ass job done by the vocalist, who has a very powerful throat for shrieked / harsh vocals, but doesn't miss the eighties falsettos from time to time, making his role as important as the one of the guitars.

Storming Evil was better than I first thought it would be and it already is some of the best material I have listened lately, in terms of underground poser-free metal. Arrival of the Carnivore will always be unique in my heart but this one is also way above average, full of energy and diverse, in it's own way. By now, I have full faith that Nocturnal will never disappoint me with a full length and I will have something to jam on for quite a while, taking breaks from my busy playlists. This record is impressive at first sight and grows on you as you listen too, so beware.

DAMAGE: 9/10

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Ildjarn & Hate Forest - Those Once Mighty Fallen (Split, 2013) Review

Country | Norway / Ukraine
Genre | Black Metal
Date | October 1st, 2013
Label | Osmose Productions

| Mighty fallen heroes arise |

Sometimes, records get enormous hype before their official release and every last person interested into that particular genre is looking out for it, regardless of their taste on the band(s) and / or out of curiosity, they end up listening to it. It's not often but it's reasonable, since people want to be informed on the most important news of their scene, have an opinion on them etc... The split release of Hate Forest with Ildjarn was breaking and unexpected news. It described each blackster's terror and joy at the same time, for a result that had potential for a win or an embarassing loss, as everyone was excited, I know you hoped it is not a fiasco of two of your favourite bands, ruining their image and reputation. When you are informed that these are old recordings remastered, isn't there that awkward moment when you don't really agree with the label's decision but you can't judge either, if they are respected to the scene? Come on, when labels need money, they find shitty, forgotten rehearsals that the (by now famous) band hates, they remaster them and re-release them, hoping for any profit. Am I right?

The situation grows worse when one of the bands is Ildjarn, the epitome of disgusting sound. It's so dirty that it has divided the black metal community into two sides, the ones that consider all his work garbage and the ones that see him as the one and only purist and visionary. Ildjarn is notorious and a famous misanthropist after all. I have to admit that I would listen to this record and leave a sigh when it finishes, for no new music and yet new records, for recycling old glory, for not leaving one artist to rest in peace when they choose to etc.... One the other side, Hate Forest have been raped by re-releases of their hidden recordings several times after they disbanded, which is somehow funny, a band no longer active to release a demo, a split, a compilation and now a second split. It seems like they rushed it. It's natural that the label probably takes the band's permission for all these new albums, but I would prefer they quit the bullshit and get together for new music if they want new albums under their name. Hate Forest are excluded, since I am a huge fan of them and I can't take a black metal fan seriously if they haven't spent time on this fundamental European band.

Dilemma rises when the above thoughts spin around your head and at the same time it's Osmose Productions that organizes the release. It's not the non-existent rip-off label of your fraud neighbor, it's THE Osmose Productions. A look into their roster and history will help the people unfamiliar with it to understand the level of professionalism and accuracy of choices that goes on in there, so this isn't either a joke or a false statement. You are actually going to have a split between two of the most controversial but also approved acts in the whole genre, which is somehow,  a historic event. It might just be my overexcitement and big mouth, but still I was very curious to listen to this, since I like specific parts of Ildjarn's discography and loathe a fair part of them as well. There are times that I do feel the organic, nature-driven raw sound he intended to make, but it's not always undeviating and capturing as it should, resulting in a missed shot. According to the information we have, Hate Forest's side was recorded in 2000-2001 and Ildjarn's side in 1994.

Starting off with the first six compositions by Ildjarn, which are, as relieving as it can be, something more than astonishing. Truly amazing, straightforward tracks of pure, delicate black metal for every fan out there. The atmosphere, the feeling of isolation, the hatred for mankind's idiocy, everything flowrishes wonderfully in it's most primitive and basic form. This might be the root of the tree for sure. This material belongs to the solid side of the band and delivers equal strength to Darkthrone's unholy trilogy, equally dirty, destructive and unhuman. The noisy guitar sound, the clear bass, the definition-of-the-genre immense vocals, the banging drums and some additives of keyboard melodies that remind of nostalgic, medieval ambient is what the package contains. There is a decent proportion of synths in the songs, as much as needed, without deviating from the original angressiveness. Track two "Ashes of Stars" and the short "Gates to Bottomless Halls" include some classic Norwegian riffing, while "Birds of Misty Dusk" and "Mountains Covered with Snow Forever" are more atmospheric, in their own unique way. "Forest Crypt" is the opening track and goes through all the elements of Ildjarn's music during it's seven minutes of length.

Descending further into Hate Forest's offerings, they open with "Cimmerian Shadows", which is a beautiful dark ambient piece as an introduction, pointing out the closure of the first part of the record as well. I don't know what recordings are these and under what treatment they went, but it's a crystal clear sound, similar and even cleaner than some of their own albums. The signature of the band shines from the guitar work again, which sounds and feels like Slavonic black metal, a bit less furious than the first but largely epic. The vocals are similar to regular Hate Forest, which might sound unusual to a person that has never listened to them before, because they lean towards death metal. These are deep, old school growls for the most parts, could easily fit to any death metal band of that period and I can't say I would prefer traditional screams, since the instrumentation goes along with the voice perfectly. I liked the first three tracks after the intro, being a great agglomeration of Hate Forest's own style, in both fast (track "Howl of Hyperborean Winters") and middle paced tempos (the penultimate eight minute "Crowned with Crescent Horns"). I was a little dismayed by the beginning of the last track "Abyss Wanderer", which reminds me of weird electronic genres I don't like, as it contains such synth lines at the background. That's why it's the weakest track of their side to me.

I would laugh if you had told me beforehand, that I would enjoy Ildjarn more over Hate Forest (excuse my ignorance). Both bands demonstrate the best of their abilities and their personal approach to the genre, writhing precisely between atmosphere and roughness without getting too repetitive at all. Of course these tracks all come from the long gone past and that's why I enjoy them even more, because it's unheard music of the best era for black metal by two really good acts. Whatever doubts I had before getting into this are gone now and I salute Osmose for this creation, as well as the bands for the original compositions. Under it's sharp surface, the record depicts the nature of it's harmony, bitter and very artistic. Highly recommended for the fans.

DAMAGE: 9.0/10

Aquilus - Griseus (2011) Review

Aquilus "Griseus"
Late winter 2011, Blood Music

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So, Aquilus is a guy from Assassin's Creed, interesting. You can read about him here. As for the band, its an Australian project by one guy named Waldorf, and he plays "atmospheric metal" as he describes it. "Griseus" is the one and only full length by the band, and im troubled with the subgenre, since its too poor to describe the actual music here.

Aquilus are heavily influenced by classical music, as there are a lot of moments of combined black metal with neoclassical syntheses in the album. Besides that, there are even more neoclassical parts alone, which makes the album majestic and orchestral. It sounds like the darker side of classical music in general, since the compositions are mostly dark and haunting, which brings me to the conclusion that the fitting subgenre is "neoclassical black metal". That sounds more like the epicness of the content here.

This guy is an extremely talented musician, to a level that it's hard to think he composed this album all by himself. Every aspect of it is perfectly crafted and brilliant, from the atmospheric black metal, to the ambient/classical parts. The first song "Nihil", is a 14 minute masterpiece, and one of my favourite songs off the album. It consists of a powerful intro and black metal with amazing vocals, it continues with acoustic guitars and then pianos and keys again. Throughout its length, the different musical ideas of Waldorf are flourishing and creating all kinds of different emotions, keeping the listener hooked to the earphone. It depicts the full dynamic of his capabilities. The second track "Loss", is more depressive, starts of with a sad piano melody. There are two heavier parts in the song, but still they are sorrowful and somehow nostalgic. I really liked the vocal monologue in the end of the song, probably was done with effects but sounded amazing. Behemoth's Slaves Shall Serve intro came to mind, but in a more artistic way. The next track "Smokefall", again moves between atmospheric black metal and acoustic/piano clean parts, but by know im familiar and aware of the charisma he has to blend them so harmonically together. There are some influences from eastern music, which is a new element in the album. It ends with a sorrowful piano part and im almost in love with his connection to that particular instrument. The song lasts 7 minutes and its one of the shortest in the album.

Next comes "In The Land of Ashes", which is mainly classical and deeply beautiful. It has some folk elements and it has small bits of vocals in whispers/growls and drums, mostly counting on the acoustic guitars. It is a warmer composition, and describes its title, since it would fit as a background of the world's aftermath. "Latent Thistle" comes out with heaviness immidiately and here some of the guitar riffs and solos are more conspicuous than usual. The acoustic parts are not absent, again with a folk touch and an amazing piano line in the end. The album flows as a calm river. The following track "Arboreal Sleep" is just as palatial as the rest, moves between acoustic black metal with whispering vocals and atmospheric black metal with clean chanting vocals. The clean parts with the whispers reminded me of Summoning a bit. There is a piano part in the middle of the track as well, giving the black metal parts one portion at the time, to keep the listener constantly hungry. The next song "The Fawn", is again one of my favourite. It starts off with a magnificent piano melody (again), which slowly builds up and explodes to the main song, one of the heaviest in the album. The synths and the vocals are omnipotent, the only mellow moment that's maintaining the peace is the classical piano in the end.  The last song of the album is called "Night Bell" and it could be reviewed, all by itself. It lasts 17 minutes and it contains all the musical ingredients of the band in one awesome track. It is the epitome of neoclassical black metal, at its finest.

What comes to get the album a little bit closer to excellence is the lyrics. As much as i don't really care about them in an album, that much mesmerizing they are here, with superb stories and words, poetic, natural and really artistic. I can't think of a band that sounds like Aquilus, but the people that will enjoy would also like bands like Wolves In the Throne Room or Agalloch. A marriage between Emperor and Beethoven, maybe. Whatever it is, you're going to experience something amazing. Children should be taught of this album. Orchestras should play it.

 

DAMAGE: 9.5/10

Monarque - Lys Noir (2013) Review

Monarque "Lys Noir"
Spring 2013, Sepulchral Productions

Listening Needs

I was looking forward to this new release by the Canadian Monarque, since i first listened to them from the split with Mortualia. It started off as a one-man project by Monarque himself, then in 2008 there was a drummer hired, and now there is a third person as well.

The music of Monarque would be described as deep atmospheric black metal. Please don't imagine soft and sad post-black bands that tend to have an atmosphere in their music, it is not the case here. The fast paced drums with harsh vocals and riffs, enhanced by disctinctive synths placed meticulously all over the tracks, gives you the feeling this band expresses. A cold snow-white mountain peak exposed to the wrath of nature. The cover artwork intrigued me so i searched for the artist to find more information about it. The title of the work is "Novissimis Temporibus" created by Maxime Taccardi, who also used his own blood to paint it. The art symbolises the end of the world. It is a a painting of great artistic merit and it is a fine choice for a great music synthesis.

The album starts off with a narration in french (i have no idea what it is about). Then begins the music, which is a relentless black metal piece, powerful and agressive. It brings out sorrow and despair not only with intense black metal, but also with the ambient or acoustic parts in the songs. There is also a bit more narratting in the album and solos. You heard me, and solos. One would not expect this in that particular music style, but Monarque has done it before and it gives a certain taste to every album they have released. Lys Noir is third album of them in 10 years and the preparations had begun since 2011 with a demo called La Mort, which contains the first recordings of the songs included in here. There is a serious amount of effort put in every Monarque album to achieve the best result possible, and that is clearer than ever in this album. To me, its the finest and most complete album they have released so far. There is also an instrumental composition entitled "Solitude", along with a cover of a Frozen Shadows track.

This band has been offering outstanding music to us since they first started and this new album is yet another step ahead, an improvement. A sophisticated, beautiful and influential record that should be not overlooked. Might make a list for me this new year's eve, who knows.

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DAMAGE: 9.0/10