Alcest - Shelter (2014) Review

Album | Shelter
Country | France
Genre | Post-Rock / Shoegaze / Dreampop
Label | Prophecy Productions

| Awaken muses |

I can't estimate how much I have been drawn into the albums of Alcest all these years, since my first listening and absorbing days, as I always had Neige under close attention. Following his projects and the growth of his music, it's easy to grasp on how this band helped very much in creating the modern atmospheric / post-black metal scene, which is now consisted by inferior, similar sounded bands, most of them not as close to their art as they should. One can't blame Alcest for that though, since Neige is utterly bound to serve his breathtaking talent wherever it leads him, taking inspiration from a magical world in his dreams and personal experiences.

Starting as angry teenagers with corpse paint, the band released a demo in 2001, which was a piece of raw and straightforward French black metal, strongly influenced by it's country and Scandinavia. That demo is solid enough but it's nothing compared to what followed in 2005, with the Le Secret EP and the three full lengths of a combination of dreamy post-rock, black metal harshness and a mellow, romantic atmosphere that defined their sound and their style as well. By now, there is no doubt that Neige is a brilliant artist and a visionary, who constantly experiments, goes further and digs deeper into innovation.

As the years went by, he would state in interviews from time to time that he plans to remove any metal characteristics from the music of Alcest and that was more recognizable in the 2012 album Les Voyages de l'Âme, which had clean vocals and no shrieks at all (often used before). Granted that this was the harmless side of "metal", it could be wise to do so and it seems that making softer music has brought the band a whole new bunch of fans, yet I enjoyed his desperate screaming, which made the listening experience even more thrilling and unique. Yet, there is no Alcest record that won't bring something at least intriguing to the table, especially for the calm-minded listeners, who sometimes choose to relax and reach for the sky, through airy sounds and melodies. This is the band for you guys.

There is always a short period of excitement every time I find out about a new record and I felt about Shelter that way too. It looked different from day one, the promotion it got was different, the first couple of songs sounded different and now that it's complete in my hands, it is indeed different. The new Alcest has taken a path towards pure shoegaze / post-rock / dreampop, which might be equally powerful, but it will possibly disappoint some old fans, as myself. Listening to this, I had the same thoughts as I had when I first listened to the black punk albums of Darkthrone, like "this is great, but it's not the Darkthrone I'm in love with". I can't dare and call this bad music, but it won't get as many repeats as the previous albums and it did not have the same power on me either.

Even the arwork has changed. Where are the elegant and outstanding works of Fursy Teyssier, garnishing the album with wonderful pictures and stories of their own? Where is the artistic drawing of the band's logo, where instead lies a default font and a shining picture, clearly more simplistic and less alluring. The art plays a big role in an album and an even bigger one in the records of Alcest, since they ought to be captivating, adding to it's beauty above all. Even if there is a specific explanation and meaning behind Shelter's photograph, I don't think I prefer it over the heavenly swan  or the queen of blue, and I'm sure you don't either.

Reasonably, the music itself is a bit distant from the band's past. The distorted guitars are fewer and fewer, when the ambient  sounds, clean guitars, ethereal vocals are a lot more and describe the album's overall sound. It is not worse or better but equally effective as what Alcest are capable of writing and that's why it does have memorable moments, great tracks and amazing musicianship. Yet, I have a feeling that it now applies to a different scene, closer to the modern pop rock or indie rock culture, or it's melancholic self at least. The guitars are unadorned and similar to modern, easygoing pop. I don't feel any passionate drumming either, the music is vocal driven and focuses on a sum of sounds that create it's engaging atmosphere. Meaning that, I appreciate the album every time I listen to it and it's really good. Yet, I can't feel more or even the same as I felt with his other, truly monumental records.

Shelter is mainly spoken in French, which is a poetic language by definition and the impressive voice of Neige is a main and deciding element in each track. There are more than enough moments to dive into, like the introduction of "Away" (where his voice has a tone similar to the clean vocals of Kvarforth in Shining, strangely enough), the post-rock journey of "Opale" and "La Nuit Marce Avec Moi" or the notable "Deliverance", all of them strong points in the record. The multiple layers of the songs are built around various vocal patterns, which co-work nicely in the album (i.e. in the introduction "Wings", is purely vocals). It flows peacefully, accomodating the listener with a feeling of euphoria and I think it's the album that will make Alcest more known to the world.

It is true, you can't demand from an artist to stay the same forever, new ideas should be welcome as a neccessary and natural continuation of things in a constantly changing world. Bands should not be stuck to the past because they are missing the progress, so Shelter is what would sometime come around by Alcest, sooner or later. Personally, it's the least appealing album by them today, since it feels a bit lowered down, less intense, less vital. While up to this, Alcest were ideal for sitting alone and thinking about inner and outer space subjects, Shelter feels more appropriate as a background music during a morning in bed, cuddling with your lover. Even if this isn't their best album musically, it probably is the most indie approved and radio friendly one. Alcest is on the spotlight right now, when the shoegaze / blackgaze movement has finally exploded, I am happy about them. Like every groundbreaking album, many people will love this and many will loathe it, so I can't wait for the future.

DAMAGE: 7/10

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Aurvandil - Thrones (2014) Review

Album | Thrones
Country | France
Genre | Atmospheric Black Metal
Label | Eisenwald Tonschmiede

| Harvest of treachery |

Bands who focus on long, droning compositions, lacking the intensity of pure black metal but boosting on the serene and complacent side of sound, have been under my attention for some time now. Looking for new bands, I was hooked up to the new album by Aurvandil long before it was released or shared, only by looking at the album cover, something that often works as a driving force for me when choosing what to listen. The band had released more than enough mini records before their debut album Yearning in 2011, which defined their heavily atmospheric sound and made their name a little bit more known to the scene. After a legit basis, the band moves on to their sophomore Thrones with hard work and high hopes, from France with love.

These two guys use several components in their music. While the arrangement of the album is mainly established upon a constant switching of epic distorted riffs and gripping acoustic melodies, there are also clean vocal chants and abysmal screams in the tracks, giving a complex but easy to absorb result that goes along the likings of any, i.e. Wodensthrone fan. The lines themselves don't break any new grounds here but they are still alluring for the most part, meddling with a pagan aesthetic that gives the feeling of sounds of the wind in dense forests, never explored by humans before. I recognized the strength of the guitars from their powerful riffs and their thick sound, as well as their major and leading part in the album.

Thrones contains four tracks, and they might be a little longer than what you usually enjoy. Clocking from nine up to eighteen minutes, these compositions will hardly have any effect to fans of more enterprising stuff or other, more combative extreme metal acts. Inside the borders of it's style, the album shall have a good run among the interested. As for me, I can't say it completely met my expectations, because I innocently expected for more action when listening to it's almost full hour of length. The band knows well how to play and present it's material, but I did lose track somewhere in "Summon the Storm" when it felt a little repetitive, a little monotonous, at least stuck to a higher than average level.

What really messed up my experience with the record is the production. First of all, there is a constant and ongoing noise by the time the distortion guitars come in, which probably means their sound was given too much effect and volume in the studio, to an extent that it's not needed and somehow dismaying to listen to. It seems like the producers of the album tried too hard to add a gloomy and lugubrious feeling and they partly succeeded, as it's obvious that the dusty sound was not a mistake but a choice. Yet, it ruined it's organic elements and some of the compositional beauty has been forever taken away. Moreover, once again the drums sound a bit unnatural and often tremble in and out of the track, since they take a step back when the main parts (which have the guitars at full distortion volume) go on. Not to mention that the toms are absent, as if they were never used.

To me, it seems like Aurvandil have what's needed to create a monumental atmospheric black metal album, but limit themselves with overproduction at the studio and use of the same pattern. If the sound of Thrones was cleaner and more dynamic, it would but much more enjoyable for me, despite the fact that I liked a couple of moments inside, and the whole "For Whom Burnest Thou". Anyway, I don't discourage you to listen to this, it more than nothing for you to find out, especially if you are a supporter of this style. This is the threshold of the new year's releases observation for me, as it's the first 2014 record I'm going through! Way to go, stay around.

DAMAGE: 6.25/10

Bandcamp

Askuror - Des Zornes Eiserne Brut (2013)

Album | Des Zornes Eiserne Brut
Country | Germany
Genre | Black Metal
Label | Bleichmond Tonschmiede

I first met Askuror with their 2005 split release (here's a link) and they are one of these obscure findings you encounter now and then in black metal, when you're not so sure about how it arrived in your hands after all. I did not know of their activities until I run onto this album not while ago, which is their first ever full length album, twelve years after their birth. I did not have high expectations but just wanted to listen to it, because of the familiarity I had with the band.

Askuror present their German rites not only with the album title, but also with the titles of the songs, which are all in German and not German / English, as they used in their past releases. Des Zornes Eiserne Brut means "The Wrath of Iron Brood" and it contains four tracks, each one lasting around six or seven minutes. The total running time of the album goes a little below half an hour and it's fairly enough to display the musical approach of the band, which is safe, steady and moderate as a whole. The band maintains a certain kind of chilling atmosphere throughout the songs and keeps it like that, without overtrying or experimenting at parts.

The whole album revolves a lot around depressive black characteristics, without actually embracing them so that one would call them a DSBM band. Think of a band similar to Kaltetod but a bit inferior to it, caressing both atmospheric and raw black at the same time, while heavily depending on the fuzzy and cold sound of the guitars and and the howling vocals. Looking into it's compositional strength closely, one will stumble upon simplistic, easy to write parts, not having that much of depth or innovation. The drums follow an ordinary playing and they don't make a huge difference to the feeling of the album, as the overbuzzed sound of the guitars, aiming for a sense of isolation and despair, are betrayed by the weak riffs and melodies of the songs.

Aske controls the vocal post in the band and I somehow enjoyed his vocals on Des Zornes Eiserne Brut. He goes with wolfish shrieks, used in atmospheric and depressive black a lot, indistinguishable and painful at all times, lacking variety but keeping a legit level. They're not exactly stomach screams or screaming sheep ones either, but something between, focusing on being as agonizing as possible. Even though his tongue has power, with the proper instrumentation I believe it would have a stronger impact to the listener than it does now, if it does any.

From the first minutes of the first song, I had issues with the production. The band has added a horn in various moments of the tracks, but it it has a watered down, splashed sound that ruins the result a bit, which makes it look like noise or defect. There is practically no bass anywhere, except a second or two, while the drums are too low in volume to be listened at all. You can only listen to the high hats clearly and nothing else from the kit has a decent sound, ensuing a bothersome tone and strongly effecting the overall hype. The album is generally slow, apart from a couple of more agressive black metal moments, which are  also restricted by the damaged mixing and mastering.

As a whole, I was disappointed by the new album by Askuror, even though they are a mediocre band anyway. It is poorly written, limited in variety and ideas and has serious problems with the production and the provided sound. I'm not sure at all if four songs was a good choice for a full length, as this would be ideal for an EP and not a full album as they labeled it. I can't say that this will appeal to anyone outside the genre, or even inside it and it's not something I would suggest you check.

DAMAGE: 3.5/10

Door to Door Promotion - Australasia & Sokushinbutsu

Picture found here.

These releases were sent to me via email and they are posted by request.

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Australasia - Vertebra

The band described their music as post-rock with elements of post-black metal and vintage electronica. This is exactly what this album sounds like and it's one of the most amazing post related records I've heard this year (even though I don't dig too deep into these genres). There are breathtaking piano lines, nostalgic melodies, Alcest-like heavy moments and generally a breath of fresh air compared to the repetitiveness of other bands. Australasia prefer lot's of short songs (4-5 minutes) instead of long tiring ones and this keeps the interest alive through the album, and thank the gods it's instrumental. Apart from some ethereal female chants, there are no vocals in the album whatsoever and that is so much better, leaving the listener with a lot of space to imagine, think and dream  with the music. The electronic additions come and go and often have the leading role of the song, while the guitar work is accurate, well written and meticulous in it's entirety. I can only think of positive things to happen to these guys in the future. A unique album from fans and not only.

http://www.australasiamusic.com/

Listen on Bandcamp

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Sokushinbutsu - Holy Ground

First of all, I like this band's logo. It's great. The music is a chaotic, intense piece of grindcore / death metal, combining the speedy and brutal lines of typical goregrind / grindcore with pure death metal vocals instead of ass gnarling that actual grind bands use. There are even doomy passages that remind of Autopsy (I'm positive that any slower part I lately listen to in death metal reminds me of them) like the one in "Nail Through the Immortal Hand" and "Skorne" I liked this more than a lot of respected bands in that genre and it definitely worths your time if you're into stuff like that. Some elements of dirty hardcore and powerviolence are also out and about in the record. Short but really cool.

http://www.facebook.com/sokushinbutsumd

Listen on Bandcamp / Youtube

Abated Mass of Flesh - The Anatomy of Impurity (EP, 2013) Review

September 3rd, 2013
Rottweiler Records

Abated Mass of Flesh come from Tennessee, US and they are a part of the new wave of brutal death metal, which seems to be in fashion lately. They don't have much of a discography yet and when I listened to their debut EP back in 2011 (one that I had gotten along with the 80.000 Dead EP) I couldn't really get into it, but I did not hate it either, it was a neat, noisy record. Two years later, they release two more EP and one of them is this, which is just wrong to my eyes.

The fans of BDM are almost immune to the flaws of the genre and will jamm on anything you give them, as long as it has guttural, eructating vocals and blast beats, and that's the only way to enjoy this. The songs here are very similar to each other and there is nothing uncommon in them to be any special, except the shredding two second intro in "My Cross To Claim" or in the middle of "Deadland", which again, is often used in such occassions. In general, they sound like the new era of Pathology, with a slightly dirtier production and a worse drummer. I mean, it sounds like there are four guys hitting random notes back there. The high hats are used too often and they are loud enough to toss everything else on the side, making the process of listening somehow staggering.

The vocal work is limited to the regular brutal death singing with some highs and you can listen to a few pig squeels in some moments, but that's about it, naturally. There is a bass drop on every corner of this record, as if it was used to fill the musical gaps and it does, in it's own way. At least they avoided the hardcore breakdowns. There is a sense of randomness to the compositional structure, as if they connected two different songs into one, or fused ideas in a goalless way. The  mini album closes with an instrumental track with a preaching sample about how important the love of God is, and that brings me to my last point, the lyrics. It is a christian band and I can't help but laugh about the content, Give me strength o, Lord.

To sum up, I think "The Anatomy of Impurity" targets it's audience to those who like religious content in their music, as well as the fans of brutal death metal, but it might seem repulsive to anyone outside. Apart from that, it is rather nonchalant on it's own and there are definitely better things in that scene for you to check out.

DAMAGE: 3.0/10

Abigor - Fractal Possession (2007)

Abigor "Fractal Possession"
Spring 2007, End All Life Productions

This album was released under the eager pressure of a strict fanbase, after a wait of six years, which means that the hardcore fans of Abigor would want to love it, but they would burn it to the ground if it had any flaws, because in the case of Abigor, flaws are not accepted. So, as everyone was anxious to witness the comeback of a high quality band with a straightforward sound and a manly use of keys, that had it's own dominance during the nineties and holds respect to this day, they punch everyone in the face with an experimental new approach. They played with fire and one can't say they won, because of the usual kultster whining, but this actually an ingenious album.

The guys probably noticed that technology can be used in favor of music and they added the element of the computer a lot to this album. Every melody is curt and accurate, carefully placed to compose a fresh new sound of sableness, when at first, every guiding lines in the composition process are erased. The songs do not follow the structure or the pattern of their early albums, and for sure the don't sound the same at all. The chaotic synth black metal characteristic of theirs is no more, and machine sounds have been added in the interludes, as well as the general production of the album, which makes every instrument sound crystal clear. A work like this resembles how fusing industrial/electronic parts to your music when you have a pure metal past actually works out and Morbid Angel should have taken a lesson before committing a crime in 2011. "Fractal Possession" feels like a bunch of ideas glued together into one nonlinear, yet consistent result that will be a little uncomfortable for purists to listen, if they do at all, because all of these unidentified noises that come and go. That's what makes a great band and if I was fond of Abigor for their early amazing era, I now salute them for having the ability and the guts to release this.

Apart from the typical black metal vocals, there are various spoken word/announcing deep cleans here and there, as well as backing screams and they are performed by a new person named AR. His services are diverse and not completely succesful, as I do dig the screams / growls but not all clean ones fit the rest of the mechanized madness. TT has returned to the drum post and his effort here is remarkable, with all kinds of fill in and blast beat lines, the sound of his hit is legit, while a bit louder at some parts. I particularly don't like the few moments that contain just the drums with a sample or vocals along, but it's not that important. The guitar parts are quite different from what you might remember, since the riffs remind more of a new age peri-apocalyptic situation, as if the cyborgs have finally conquered and destroyed planet Earth. They're not particularly catchy, but they are were written and accompanied with various robotic samples. The bass lines are enjoyable to the extent that I could understand, because they are way in the background, like an infrasound silently building an atonal groove. I really enjoyed all the electronic elements (samples, sounds etc...) despite the fact that I had my suspicions before listening to it, bands usually fuck up in this territory.

It is an album targeted to more adventurous listeners and the signs of modernity are all over it. There is a high possibility that the old-school fans will loathe every last bit of it, but there are a lot of avant-garde fans that are into innovative music, especially when it comes with an attitude. I can't label this as a masterpiece because of it's minor imperfections, but it is one of the most interesting pieces of modern black metal I have heard so far. The option to get frustrated and annoyed by this nonsense or to get excited and amazed are two black and white nearby squares, so I think this is a love-it-or-hate-it record. You have been warned.

Track listing:
1. Warning
2. Project: Shadow
3. Cold Void Choir
4. Lair of Infinite Desperation
5. 3D Blasphemy
6. The Fire Syndrome
7. Injection Satan
8. Liberty Rises a Diagonal Flame
9. Vapourized Tears
10. Heaven Unveiled

DAMAGE: 7.75/10

Autopsy - Torn From The Grave (2001) [Compilation]

Album: Torn From The Grave
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Peaceville Records
Quality: CD-Rip 320kbps
Website: Facebook / Myspace

"Ok blood friends, get ready for some serious gut munching horror and extreme nastiness, because since you're reading this you have obviously committed yourself to over seventy minutes of bowel stomping brutality. For those who don't know, Autopsy birthed itself into a cloud of green smoke in 1987 and screamed itself into the grave in 1994."

And these are some of the awesome lines you get to miss when you don't buy albums and just download them online from shit places like this one. Of course Autopsy came back and released another massive album in 2011, still this is an awesome compilation demonstrating the way death metal shall be done, it contains 27 tracks including live tracks and demo songs, a must for every fan of the genre.

Abominable Putridity - In The End Of Human Existence (2007) [Reissue 2009]

Country: Russia
Genre: Brutal Death Metal
Label: Lacerated Enemy Records
Quality: CD-Rip 320kbps
Website: Facebook / Myspace

Infamous band in the brutal death metal scene, Abominable Putridity's debut is nothing less than a noisy and annoying sickness, experienced via music listening. Dirty guitars and these gargling vocals, lots of slams and groovy lines, i can actually dance on this album, i don't know if that's weird. Such bands are easy to be hated, but once you get on the other side, you just love them and want more, i enjoy lots of disgusting BDM bands for their rawness and apathy towards fame (almost all of them).

In case you have listened to their second album, it has nothing to do with this one since it has a crystal sound quality, this one is a toilet recorded one.

And Hell Followed With - Proprioception (2010)

Country: USA
Genre: Deathcore
Label: Earache Records
Quality: CD-Rip 320kbps
Website: Facebook / Myspace

I like "Proprioception" much more than their first release, i think its an album that could describe the quality side of deathcore, musically, aesthetically and lyrically. The band has touched perfection with their combination of guitar work, drums and vocals, there are several death-metalish riffs in here and the breakdowns are well put in between songs, they do not overuse them like the shitty bands do.

To me, its one of the best albums of the genre to date, since the band has not fucked up with popularity or attitude, after all, these are all hardcore type jamming songs with a death metal outlet.

Alestorm - Leviathan (2008) [EP]

Country: Scotland
Genre: True Scottish Pirate Metal
Label: Napalm Records
Quality: CD-Rip 320kbps
Website: Facebook / Myspace

Its not power metal with pirate lyric themes. Its not folk or heavy metal with a pirate concept either. Its pirate metal. I think Alestorm have managed to set the basis for what actually sounds like pirate metal, since they don't simply sing about them, they are them. Napalm hit gold with this and they've taken the whole pirate subject to a new level, standing right near to Running Wild (time will prove me on that). This is the only release i found at a store nearby, it contains four tracks that were later included in their full lengths, still its a great EP and it has some kick ass artwork too. Remember to love pirates.

Abazagorath & Blood Storm - Ancient Entities Arise (2008) [Split]

Country: USA
Genre: Black Metal
Label: Elegy Records
Website: Myspace / Myspace

I grabbed this EP mainly for Abazagorath, in the long run i figured out im glad i checked Blood Storm too. Their debut "The Atlantean Dragon" is really a piece of art, the fact that its pretty unknown makes even more amazing, you should listen for yourselves.

As for this EP, it is american black metal, with its good moments and downsides, in case you already have an opinion on the subject, ignore this. Both sides are equally listenable, there is nothing horrible in here, they are not taking things to the edge, instead they stick to the typical lines for black metal and succeed.

Acolyte - Oceans Of Blood (2007)

Country: Greece
Genre: Power Metal
Label: Freedom Records And Multimedia
Quality: CD-Rip 320kbps
Website: Myspace

So, this is a greek power metal band with lots of symphonic and progressive elements, led by the -quite talented- musician Lazarus Varla. I got this by accident since i liked the front cover art, and it was included in a special package, i don't regret it but im not listening to it that much either, this kind of fancy metal is not my thing. I leave it here to be devoured by power metal fans since it has many catchy riffs, solos, keys everywhere, high vocals, melodies and everything they would like, i guess. I think they have been having band member problems, they have only released this one even though they jam since 2002, im not sure. A back cover and CD scan are included.

Download (Sendspace)

Askuror & Vargshelske - Kirchenbrand (2005) [Split]

Askuror & Vargshelske "Kirchenbrand"

2005, Nordsturm Productions

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It always gives me a great pleasure digging up obscure splits and demo releases by unknown black metal bands, i stumble upon loads of shit to reach a dungeon but the process and the result worths it. The joy gets bigger when i get to do that research with original albums and not just digital copies of them, its even more interesting to inspect the layout, the messages, the ideologies and the general concept and feeling those bands try to provoke.

That is one reason i find black metal one of the most intriguing metal genres, and fuck the haters. As for, i got it for the cover and kept it for the music, solid black metal sound, nothing memorable but still solid executions. The Vargshelske side was really good, sadly they haven't released anything else, no information links either. Anyway, its for fans only.

Annotations Of An Autopsy - The Reign Of Darkness (2010)

Annotations Of An Autopsy "The Reign Of Darkness"

Winter 2010, Nuclear Blast

Another band raised by Siege of Amida and then taken by Nuclear Blast. They have changed style with almost each release, and this one is closer to death metal, the reason i like it more than the rest of their albums (deathcore in 2007-2008, hardcore in 2011).

Erik Rutan from Hate Eternal participates in this album, so i knew it could not go wrong, the result is a solid death metal album to be listened over and over.

I read on their FB recently, that they are doing some more live shows and then they will disband, im not feeling that bad anyway since the path of hardcore they followed makes me sick. Will keep this as a strong DM punch though.

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