Sirenia - Once My Light

Really digging this. Hopefully the rest of the album is this good.

I think I actually discovered them because of your review, so thanks!

Clandestine Blaze - New Golgotha Rising

Filthy black metal is the best way to kick off the weekend. I haven't really dug that much into CB's discography due to the intimidating amount of full-lengths, but I really should since this is pretty sweet.

Beyond Creation - Elusive Reference

This one song is better than anything off The Aura. They calmed down, stopped trying to cram a billion things into 4 minutes, toned down on the bass wankery (thank fuck), and made an infinitely more memorable, interesting song than the entirety of their first album. I actually hope the rest of the album is like this.

heaven Shall Burn - Whatever it may take
These guys and Neaera are like the closest a melodic death band can get to metalcore without actually offending any hardcore Gothenburg sound fans. I'll admit their last album was kinda bad, but still..

Drudkh- A Furrow Cut Short. Just finishing my 3rd full listen. Loving it.

NP: Squarepusher- Damogen Furies. Holy shit, this is intense. Excellent glitch weird stuff

Below - "Trapped Under Ground"

Been on a doom kick lately, these guys are some sweet epic metal in the typical Candlemass vein. Vocalist seems really great, which is typically make-or-break in these genres.

Killer Be Killed - Curb Crusher

Didn't really give this one a look until a friend of mine couldn't stop talking about the band. I really like this chorus.

Gris – Il était une forêt...

Gris is grey in Spanish too

It's good.


And in french too?!?

Depraved from (2001) Emperor - Prometheus - The Discipline of Fire and Demise.
14 years without the FUCKING Emperor!

Earthborn Evolution is an awesome album. It reminds me a lot of Obscura, but perhaps even better than that band in the way they construct their songs and make them memorable. A real keeper. The shirt is great, too.

Slayer - God Hates Us All

Lots of negative reviews on here, but I love how pissed off Araya is and it's fun to scream to.

"You self-righteous fuck! Give me a reason not to rip your fucking face off! You wanna take a good look in these eyes 'cause I'm the one that's gonna tear your fucking heart out!"

Kamelot - Fallen Star

Wow, sounds a lot like Black Halo right out of the gates.

Lathspell - Impious Incantations

Solid Finnish black metal that has gone pretty much unnoticed.

Soils of Fate - Thin the Herd

Yup, it's slam time!

Killswitch Engage - The New Awakening

Favorite song of Disarm the Descent, toppling The Hell in Me thanks to the great chorus.

Denouncement Pyre - Darkness Manifest

It's really very kind of Denouncement Pyre to surrogate-parent a couple of Destroyer 666 albums while the latter are less active.

Beyond Creation - Sous la Lueur de L'Empereur

Holy shit, that first song wasn't a fluke. They're actually having multiple good songs in an album. Color me shocked.

I think I'll check out their latest album tonight (I have a long commute to go see some friends) as I'm seeing them this summer at a fest. There's 2 songs in French on this album, it would be cool to have a full album in their/my native language like Paroxysm's Voracite album.

NP: Hrom - Hellhound

Solid Canadian heavy/power metal inspired by 80s German stuff.

They changed a lot around considerably. It's not directionless, nonsensical modern tech death with way too active bass anymore, but rather flowing progressive death metal that's still very technical. I'm really, really enjoying this.

Beyond Creation - The Great Revelation

Steel Prophet - Strange Encounter

"Strange life iiiissss thiiiiiiiiiisssss...."

Kick ass.

Taake - Atternatt

Finally gotten around to completing my collection of Taake full-lengths. The temptation to marathon them at some point is there, but I'd best listen to the self-titled in isolation first. Taake's work has always seemed quite light and fluttering; less undulating heaviness and more tumbling snowfall - not usually what I go for in black metal, but very well executed here.

Goatmoon - Voitto Tai Valhalla

Now this is a great album. I really need to get the CD soon. Basically Finnish black metal with a rock pace and vibe with kinda goofy folk bits. Awesome!

Goatpenis - Flesh Consumed in the Battlefield

All hail the true masters of penis metal! This is actually a really great release, and totally unique amongst the filthy, black/death hordes. There's some actual melody used to accent the brutality which offsets what could otherwise have been a rather listless listening experience.

Twitch of the Death Nerve - The Locard Principle

Kinda overlooked the sole LP of this band. It seemed like standard fare brutal death at first few listens, but damn there's actual nuance and interesting, dynamic twists in songwriting to uncover on this one.

Cross Vein "Royal Eternity"

Really good album, a bit exhausting though. It probably would've benefited having one song moved to the preceding single, but I can't think of anything I'd want to subtract. Deceptively technical for this style of music - maybe not at a Galneryus level, but definitely up there with MinstreliX, Light Bringer, Gauntlet, Crying Machine, etc.

Mgla - With Heart Towards None

The point where the blast beats come in on VII always gets my blood pumping. Incredible album

Arcturus - Bane. Fucking Chaos Path pt II!!!

Imber Luminis- 'Silence pt II (bonus track)..
..in awe.. a perfect mix of atmospheric doom and gloom.

Cain's Offering "Stormcrow"

Seems ok so far, but I'm not exactly blown away. Its pretty much what I expected the followup to be though. I don't think I'm really in the mood for this at the moment, and this sounds pretty simplistic compared to that All Images Blazing album I just finished listening to. Hopefully this will grow on me with a few plays though.

[edit]It picked up as the album went on. The Japanese bonus track being one of the best songs on here.

Immortal - Pure Holocaust

I remember hating this the first time I heard this as I was used to the band's riffy, more polished style. Now I actually really like it.

Arcturus - Arcturian

Surprisingly this is my first time listening to this band aaand.....
it's not my thing. The clean vocals are littered with pitch problems and I don't like his tone.
The musicianship is impressive as expected from such caliber of musicians

Nightwish- Song of Myself (live)

The track is apparently 16 minutes long but only 6 minutes of it is played live. What's the point?

You should try another album to get into the band. Arcturian was done by Vortex drunk in studio and it's harder to digest IMO. I suggest to go in the following order:

This is off The Sham Mirrors with Garm from Ulver in vocals. More space-like atmosphere.



From La Masquerade Infernale. More classically inspired, similar in arrangements to Arcturian but different vocals and production.



Vortex' first album with the band, Sideshow Symphonies. His delivery here is different.



This old track also has some similarities in arrangements to Arcturian IMO



Lastly, their black metal debut album, Aspera Hiems Symfonia. More aggressive, colder yet the arrangements are easily recognizable as the same band.



NP: Arcturus - Crashland. Really beautiful track, Vortex here sounds pretty good!!

Kveldulfr, I just listened to the older songs you posted and they were all very good. I'll have to explore those albums in their entirety later.
I wonder why Vortex' bandmates would allow him do the album drunk. Good thing for them most metalheads aren't as picky as I am when it comes to clean vocals.
Thanks man.

Osgiliath-Ainulindale

Too bad that this demo has never been re-released. Good stuff.

You were used to new Immortal but the old riffy style is the Black Metal one.


I think it's a quite hard band to digest.
My easyest albums to get into were (1991, 1994, 1996) Arcturus - Aspera Hiems Symphonia + Constellation + My Angel (2002 Remaster) and (2005) Arcturus - Sideshow Symphonies.

Den Påtvingade Tvåsamheten from (2015) Shining - IX - Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends (Limited Edition).
Starting to enjoy some parts of the new album.

Insomnium - Weather the Storm

I seem to cant get enough of listening to this song, I'm so drawn to it. Last time I felt so empowered by a song was 10 years ago listening to Dark Tranquility - Lost to Apathy (and every other track on Character).

It is, but after Kveldulfr's suggestions, i'm really enjoying Aspera Hiems Symfonia. My main gripe with the new one is the vocals and I doubt i'll ever get past it.

Macabre Omen - God's of War At War

Was feeling a little down and decided to listen to this and it's definitely working. Such uplifting music

Celtic Frost - Visions of Mortality

So, I'm finally getting around to listening to this one. And I'm shocked. The EP/album is fantastic, but I cannot believe how much black metal bands, especially Darkthrone, has taken from these tracks. I mean, listen to Earth's Last Picture... where does paying tribute end and ripping off begin? A Blaze... is also filled with Celtic Frost moments.

Return to the Eve also has some uncomfortable moments. The beginning is identical to In the Shadows of the Horns, and that fast guitar part is replicated exactly on Taake's Du ville ville vestland.

Okay, I'll stop now.

Opeth - Closure

Specifically the extended version from the Lamentations DVD. Legitimately one of my favorite songs ever in this form.

Djevel - De Som Hadde Onde Oeyne

Really similar to their last album. Endless solid tremolo melodies. Nothing particularly memorable or unique but not bad by any means. Second Wave 101.