Cirith Ungol - Fire (Arthur Brown Cover)

Big fan of both this original song and Cirith Ungol, while I do prefer the original I think Cirith Ungol do a good rendition of it. It isn't too derivative of the original track and they really make it their own. Classic melody, classic song. Good job from the entire band and being in the camp of "Tim Baker is awesome" I think he does great work here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhOT15pYcc4

Ария - Бой продолжается

Weird Russian heavy metal that sounds disturbingly similar to Iron maiden. It opens with a dense and altogether underwhelming "intro" before the powerful roar of melody and rhythm kicks in with a vocalist who lacks the command of Hansi Kursch but maintains the air raid of Dickinson. The YouTube clip comes with this note;
This video is devoted to Soviet heroes of cold war, who fighted in defferent hot spots of the world.
It is an altogether wonderful tune with a great intensity that never lets up and the traditional metal bits are too numerous to love and appreciate.

South African metal?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_tHGHxOUf4

Chromium - Ex Amino

This actually came off their first album which I reviewed but their sound has since taken a dive. Chromium was perfectly aggressive for the people of South Africa when they first came onto the scene and so they have to be looked at with a bit of fitting perspective. The music was too calculated to easily and singularly fall into the metalcore bracket. This particular song shows a wider range of dynamics and is a hybrid of death and groove like what Contrast The Water are doing now. The vocals are where the core influences come creeping in but they largely maintain a worthy rasp.

True African Metal;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88CXiNJQvs

Skinflint-Army Of The Dead

Wow, REAL African Metal is right. The songs starts off with a jazzy little riff and some tribal drums, very progressive. Then the vocalist comes in with a sort of spoken intro that goes on until he says "IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT," then all hell breaks loose with a galloping riff that just breaks through. The vocals reminds me of a sort of British Angelripper, which is kind of hard to picture. Then a little break comes in, with yet another jazzy riff, and AGAIN, breaks into a speedy little jig with the riff continuing to play. All in all, it was a very fun song to listen to, thrashy with an added bit of jazzyness, it's very good stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8oUKsEr1Bw

Dark Empire-The Alchemist

Dark Empire are from here in America (New Jersey to be exact) but they sound German.
Matt Moliti writes very good lyrics and it has always been a big part of why I care for this band. This particular song has a magnificent chorus and the way Jens Carlsson's voice swells and falls gives the words particular power. He has since left by the way, so all the more reason to savor this one. The riffs are nothing spectacular but they work well and nicely complement the atmosphere that had been set at the start. The leads are absolutely SPECTACULAR on the other hand - fast and insane then melodic and moody. I salute Moliti! He has great tone and he has great skill!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAZzwjZ95dk

Powers Court - Tanzania

This starts with that cool sounding middle-eastern synth melody that you hear in every epic desert movie ever. So I wasn't expecting this to gain any points of originality. The production switches completely and you have some rather flimsy sounding female crooning and uninspiring power metal chugging riffs. The girl fares slightly better when she starts singing actual words and the riffs for a brief moment become kind of cool around 3:20-3:30 or so when they speed up to the tremolos, but them go back to that sleep inducing chugging and short instances of laughable ''growls''. God damn it, this has been going on for five minutes now, are there really only 2 or 3 riffs and 2 vocal lines in this entire song? The bass follows the guitar so there's nothing to say about that, and the drummer is actually quite good. I like his tone, and he throws in some nice off kilter fills sometimes. The production is decent for what this is. All in all, I didn't like this.

Something completely different: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kzf7UUUaW0

The Austrasian Goat - Even In Uneven

i've been getting into funeral doom abit the last few years but my primary listening is usually some form of black metal...so this mixture of funeral BM could work out

song starts with off with cold atmospheric strings arrangement, sounds promising so far. Some guitars kick in about 1:30 in and with the strings contrinue to build up to where the heavy sound of the riffs start. Like most funeral doom, this is slow tempo and heavy riffs, but what's different is that this is very much BM influenced. The riffs are tremelo picked...which one would assume means fast, but when its on the same note for a while, it sounds like a slow doom riff. Vocals are raspy and work well with the song. the strings (or keyboard) re-appears with the riffs and really make this song sound dark and heavy. There are a few other elemenets that are abit different with an addition of a saxaphone?? it even sounds like there is a short solo at 4:40 which is kind of cool. about half way through the song there is a quiet accoustic section...the transition to this could have been better, but it adds some more variety to the song, but still wonder if its too necessary. When the guitars kick back in, gone are the tremelo picked riffs and we have more of the typical slow doom riffs with BM vocals...they do come back in a couple minutes and its a good way to finish off a rather impressive song. Definitely will have to listen to this some more....thanks!

Well known band, but underrated album imo

Enslaved - "Nidingaslakt"

While I'll admit to a preference for Enslaved's later, more progressive albums, their earlier ones are some of my favorite black metal albums. Unfortunately, Blodhemn isn't one of those - I always found it a confused, halfway turning point. This is pretty much a relatively straightforward, slightly epic-sounding, surprisingly short melodic black metal piece, with some light keyboard atmosphere and mournful clean backing vocals the only real hint at their more progressive edge. There's not much here that really hits me over the head like Frost or draws me in like Below the Lights. Grutle's harsh shrieks are as strong as always, and there's some pretty crushing drumming (Dirge Rep is probably the best drummer they've ever had) and nicely-done lead work, but overall, this isn't one of Enslaved's stronger efforts. Basically, it just doesn't stick with me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ogb_G5ZtdA

Spiritual Beggars - Blind Mountain

Spiritual Beggars deserves more listens. This is real trippy stoner stuff but one that doesn't sacrifice the power of the riff to descend into nonsensical one dimensional oblivion. There's a real propulsion to the way the riffs flow and they take you along with them. The solo is sweet! That's right...SWEET! It comes and goes and leaves you feeling rather light headed and there's no better reward, really!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo1Rz5lWT1A

Zool-Valley of the Witch

The opening riff immediately resurrects a memory of proto metal and good ole' hard rocking tunes from way before my time. This type of heavy metal rarely does anything for me, but I don't automatically dismiss it the main riff is chugging along heavier and reminiscent of the time before the music became as varied as it is. The solo around 2:20 resounds in the static and the vocalist just keeps chanting familiar phrases "Burn the sinner", what seems to be a notoriously hackneyed mention of "break the crystal ball" (Dio anyone?). As a positive the lyrics to the song even with that one cheesy line are quaint, and that guitar tone really reminds of ZZ top for whatever reason. The vocals rarely deviate apart from the one point he hit a higher not nearly the closing part of the song, a decent song overall no complaints its just not really my style of heavy metal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukbcN68NsVA

Destiny's End - "The Fortress Unvanquishable"

As soon as the unmistakeable voice of Helstar's James Rivera blasted out of my speakers, I knew this was something I was going to like. There's more than a hint of Helstar here, but that's no bad thing. This is a nice slab of speedy 80's-style USPM, instantly memorable fast chugging riffs and wailing solos charging in from every direction and powerful drums and bass providing the perfect backdrop. As for Rivera, he still sounds fantastic, as full of power and passion as he was in the 80's. The chorus is catchy, but not in an overly commercial way, and if you don't want to scream along to "FOR-TRESS UN-VAN-QUISH-ABLE, LET ME DREAM!", you might want to check for a pulse. The production even has that 80's quality to it, raw and organic but not too muddy, and every instrument sounds perfect. Yeah, basically, this is awesome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2ris3S4G6o

Battle Beast - Steel

SHAKE THE WORLD WITH METAL!! I love everything about this song, from its clearly Dio-inspired riffs to Nitte's 80s heavy metal vocals. The song's got a lot of energy and catchy melodic hooks, and it's a great song to put on at any time. The only thing I'm not too wild about is that robotic voice that pops in every now and again during the chorus. But other than that, this is a tremendously fun, rockin' tune. And could you believe this is one of the weaker tracks on the album it hails from? It's true!

And now, for something just as awesome:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC_q3LIIg_4

@Zelkiiro

Orphaned Land - Birth of the three

One thing I like about Orphaned land is they draw from many influences and usually tie them all together quite well. This is one of the albums I do not have though, so I think this song is new to me. The vocals range from good clean vocals to some harsh vocals every now and then....both work well with the music and definitely a strong point. The first part of the song has the inclusion of accoustic folky guitars but middle of the song tends to be a more melodic metal with a strong keyboard sound brought into. The last couple minutes has all elements going at once creating quite an epic finish. So overall, very enjoyable song from a solid band. I may have to check this album out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzXjfZTfeTU

Isole - "Nightfall"

First off, I don't feel like the guitar riffs really go with the drums, which usually play with double bass (which is too loud in the mix) for the first half and feel a bit too fast for the riffs. It's too bad, because the riffs are all pretty memorable - not as slow and crushing as I usually like my doom, but still, all memorable and pretty damn heavy, and the guitar tone is excellent, especially when things slow down in the second half of the song. I like the singer - he's good at doing the operatic style that epic doom like this demands (no, I will not make a Messiah Marcolin comparison). There's a decent solo as well, and the layered choral vocals at the start of the slower section are just nice. The production is also excellent, and avoids sounding too sterile. But overall, there's really not too much I can say about this. Fine stuff, but I've heard better in the epic doom genre.

I need something to wash the bad taste of The Lord of Steel out of my mouth, so here's this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BExMRGMfG1o

Sanctuary - Die For My Sins

Warrel Dane in high shriek mode sets the pace that governs this rather decent but derivative piece from Sanctuary's "Refuge Denied" which is just one of those albums that got away.
There was nothing ever truly "unique" about Sanctuary. They were not underwhelming by any sense of the term but neither were they anything to get greedily joyous about. This song is moderate in speed with Warrel coming forth in full evil glow, shrieking and promising great doom. It is OK stuff to headbang to but nothing that really leaves a mark riff wise-and you know why? BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE...AND BETTER!

Candlemass anyone?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb9tjjJ8dyg

Candlemass - Dancing in the Temple (Of the Mad Queen Bee)

I like Psalms for the Dead, I really do, but this is easily one of the worst tracks contained within the album. Now, I usually love it when Candlemass step on the gas pedal (Black Dwarf or, I don't know, fucking At the Gallows End anyone?), but this is an exception. Now, it's not like I hate the song or think it sucks, as it's veritably catchy power/doom number and it contains great leads as per usual by Lars Johansson, but the thing simply doesn't grab me. Lowe's vocal lines are mostly uninteresting, which is a shame, as the man has so much character in his voice..... I mean, on this very album you have the mad ramblings of a sorcerer in The Lights of Thebe and the desperate cries of a haunted man in The Sounds of Dying Demons, and that's just to name a couple of examples, but here he limits himself to drone on about some generic temptress (and Waterwitch already serves that purpose here, while being much more successful at it). The drums throw in some cool fills once in a while, yes, though that still doesn't make the rhythm section particularly entertaining, and Edling's bass is nowhere to be found (funny how the man writes almost all of the music, yet his instrument isn't very important, uh?). Again, the song is catchy and enjoyable, but also ultimately forgettable, especially compared to some of the better pieces from the same record.

I wonder how this will be received.....

!

Rata Blanca - Rompe El Hechizo

Heh, I thought the intro was a shriek and not a guitar wailing over. Anyway, the song starts off with some speedy riffs...it's not hard to imagine this, indeed is 80's stuff. Unfortunately the production is quite muffled which isn't something that really works well with this music. The vocals could be a bit more powerful, too...the guy tries, sure, but the high pitched vocals rather make me think of Mickey Mouse, rather than a glass-shatering shrieker that I'm used to when it comes to typical heavy/power metal. Cute little guitar solo in the middle that pays tribute to Judas Priest. Once the guitar solo stops there's a short section that sounds like a bland copy of Accept's ''Fast as a Shark'' and eventually it ends.

I thought this was decent at best. Their hearts are in this so it seems...but at the same time, I find it to be a bit too ''dated'' in a bad way. The production should have been better, (although, since the band is from Argentina I could forgive them, I suppose) but the vocals really lack bite. Alright background music I suppose, but that's about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJXnDFnfyTI

Sentenced - My Sky Is Darker Than Thine

This is GRAND great stuff! It is melodic as fuck yet manages to maintain a strong rhythmic core with lots of winding riffs that are a tad excessive but still work. The vocals are massive and superior and create just the right atmosphere of complex emotion and chaos. The music though is the best aspect, Sentenced before they went all gloomy on us were such nifty, quick and complex players. This winds and twists as if Helstar's "Nosferatu" met Death in their latter days.
There's so much in here that some might find a bit much to digest on first listen but it gets better and in the end is the more worthy for it. Highly recommended!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozwP3_HqB90

@DeathBySuicide:

@colin040:

I used to own a Runemagick album many years ago now (can't remember which one...), and I recall it not holding my attention for some reason; it was good certainly, but nothing that I found to stay in one's mind after listening. This track has something to it, as it's far from terrible, being a solid, bruising death/doom experience, as you would expect from Niklas "Terror" Rudolfsson (from Sacramentum and Deathwitch fame), with some admittedly sweet heavy as hell riffage. There is some creepier elements to this as well, with the lumbering, slowly plucked guitar in the guts, backed up by crushing chords. The low, ominous vocals are another welcome dimension with depth and harrowing, dirge like quality. The real (Rune?)magick though is conjured towards the close of the track, where the pace picks up into a quicker, steam-roller pace, flattening all in it's path. Overall, this is fairly great, but won't have me breaking out my wallet in a hunting spree.

Staying in the same country.

Merciless - "Unearthly Salvation"

Just the thing I need to wake up in the morning. A nice high-speed death/thrash blast, with a hint of black metal from the vocalist's harsh rasp. The riffs do kind of get buried under the vocals when they come in, but they're still good, extreme but still catchy and memorable instead of just blasting away, though the solo is kind of disappointing. The vocals are pretty awesome - I don't know who this guy is, but his screams are pretty amazing. The drumming is mostly typical double-bass stuff, but this doesn't really need anything to complicated. Production isn't that good, but that just adds to the raw and brutal feel of this track. Yep, I'm enjoying this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJco78CL2f8

Thorun - Once I Was A Champion

Really great and greedy stuff. The band hails from Wales and this is the first track off their"Chorus Of Giants" EP. The first thing that hits you about them is how catchy they actually are. I guess the fact that it is all instrumentals makes them work an extra bit harder to make it more lasting for the listener. This song is heavy with good riffs and although not wildly experimental, it makes its presence felt and will stay with you long after you've heard it. The playing is impressively cohesive and unexcessive and doom/stoner/sludge (yes, all three!) fans should hungrily eat it up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXi5H2Vb ... re=related

Pagan - Deep Cutting Steel

So I really don't like this. It's traditional heavy metal with strong glam influences. It comes off as massively cheesy, and is more irritating than anything. It lacks any real power or drive and the riffs are average at best. The backup vocals are horrible and lead vocals are generic. The solo was also pretty bland, featuring a fair amount of generic shredding. Not much to say about this song except that I really didn't like it and it comes off as watered down, cheesy and generic.

Thanks to IX Leviathan for showing me this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brH96DzlmAk

Eyeless - "The All Seeing Eye"

Right when I saw the album cover and name, I knew what I was getting into - prog death. The opening riffs and solo on (what sounds like) a seven-string manage to be melodic and catchy, but still undeniably brutal, which is difficult to do. In fact, the opening section with vocals is quite a bit groovier than I would have expected, with what sounds like an organ in the background. Not complaining, it's still good, even though it starts to get repetitive at about three minutes in. At 3:30, there's a really good lead break over... yep, the same riff. And at 4:40, we have a nice eerie keyboard part, joined with... oh dear. The same riff. It switches to a clean part at 5:30, but unlike Opeth, it actually makes sense and flows naturally. I really like that section, it feels almost jazzy. Sadly, it's short, but it leads into a kickass double bass driven section! The singer letting out some more brutal growls... it's pretty damn awesome. But, oh crap, it leads back into the same groove to end the song. The vocalist mostly uses a high-pitched, melodeath-style rasp in the groovy sections, and sometimes a more brutal style - some lower vocals probably would have enhanced this, but no matter. Something about this reminds me of Nevermore, but I'm not sure what. I liked this - if they hadn't repeated the same riff for so much of the song, I probably would have enjoyed it more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6gxudiH05c

@jerk:



See, I would never have guessed Arcturus, here, as the last things I had heard from them were experimental black metal of sorts, which this is not at all. This is pretty enjoyable. Half of the time (the first and last 2 minutes) solid, catchy doom/stoner metal/rock with some piano thrown to good effect, and okay background/atmospheric/space music the rest of the time (the middle 2 minutes). The metal parts have excellent clean vocals bordering on a moody speech, the riffing is simple but works really well as a support for the melody, which is rather captivating. The drums could have been more creative, but it might have been too crowded, then, especially during the piano parts. The long break evokes Muse, although it's nowhere near as epic as Muse is when they use this sort of loops. When it picks back up after the break and returns to metal, it's pretty awesome, though. Nice soloing, great reprise of the haunting loop with the piano segueing into the keyboards, really good crazy ass crushing ending, perfect demented yet somewhat contained higher-pitched vocals. Overall, a pretty good song showing quite some ear for melody, a talent for atmosphere, and excellent musicianship (save for the programmed drums, maybe). I would have preferred either a shorter or a more intense break, but this is still interesting. I might check out their "avant-garde" phase, now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN3SG5lVRQo

@LegendMaker:

Hey y'all..it's been a long time!

Witchery: "Awaiting the Exorcist"

Well, here's a band I haven't listened to in a very long time, and I don't recall whether I've heard this song before. I like the guitar sound a lot, which really serves to highlight those chunky, decisive riffs. They keep it simple, yet oh so perfectly effective. The drums are maybe a bit more minimal than I would do and yet I think they're entirely appropriate, and the song has that great hard rock feel while remaining very metallic. The two short solos are actually superb and very memorable, and that tone...wow, it's like honey in the ears! My one criticism is the usual for this kind of music (retro black/heavy metal, or whatever you want to call it)...the vocals are just kind of there, and if they were absent I hardly think I would miss them. I'd generally prefer a different approach, or someone with a more commanding presence...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDLZsm-oJAU

Ophthalamia - Black as Sin, Pale as Death / Autumn Whispers

When i opened the link, this sounded so familiar but couldn't place it. The first minute or so are slow clear heavy riffs. When the main riff at 1:05 kicks in, i was getting flashbacks from Primordial's EP (Dark Romanticism)...slow and heavy and similar vocals. The tempo picks up though and all relations with that are gone. I really dig this. Mid tempo with alot of different riffs and really good guitar work...the drumming is also steller providing good fills and is actually interesting. The section at 3:40 has some killer riffs. All the changes in riffs transition quite well and the vocals fit perfectly. The only section I didn't really "get" was the last part where the tone/atmosphere of the song seems to take a 90 degree turn from a dark tone to something much "happier" like a NWOBHM band....but other than that, I really enjoyed this song. I have heard their first album with Jon on vocals, but this song sounded like a completely different band.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zBsep7Pc30

@Abominatrix: Likewise.


This is one of those songs, symptomatic of the type of extreme metal we had back in the latter half of the 90s, which enthusiastically and indiscriminately mixes elements of melodeath, black, power and doom, with some folk/celtic elements for good measure in its atmosphere, and does it awesomely well, the result being a damn fucking epic, gloriously driving metal hymn, with captivating melodies aplenty and still packing some serious punch. I say one of these songs because, beyond the similarities in style and spirit, there are several songs from this era that share a similar melodic pattern and song structure, most of which equally awesome, and a lot of it also from Sweden (from Dissection to Sacramentum to Dead Silent Slumber to Amon Amarth circa 'Once Sent from the Golden Hall'—yes, Amon fucking Amarth, and death to those claiming otherwise!). The vocals use a standard yet well-done melodeath approach: blurry, raspy, pissed-off and dramatic guttural screams/whispers, not spectacular but quite suitable. The guitars, especially the omnipresent warm, meaty harmonic leads shine throughout, and the organic, energetic drumming, not too heavy on the blast beats, is really great as well. Nice, subtle arrangements (especially the acoustic guitar parts) and a very neat production job enhance the whole even further, and this is just an awesome song. Please more!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtyxoxqNIb8

Err, guys?

Between The Frost - Naked Between the Frost

As the title would suggest, this seems to be very, very frigid and icy black metal. The structure is interesting, with very pronounced drums, and a general dynamic edge which sounds a little bit unusual, but not necessarily in a bad way. There's that real regal, austere and grandiouse edge which some of my favourite black-metal has, and the music sounds proud and stands tall, with interesting, brooding and occult tremolos reminiscent of albums such as Gorgoroth's "Pentagram" - this similarity extends to the shrill, vicious cackle of the vocals, which seem to both sing and enunciate and viciously spit their lyrics in a similar way. All in all, the music seems a little haphazard, but at the same time thoroughly enjoyable black-metal, with more than it's fair share of rhythmic character, and indeed variety within the song itself. I may well check out the band properly at some point.

Try a bit of this

@Ancient_Sorrow:


In all likeliness, some retro-thrash band from under 10 years ago (I'm familiar with neither the band nor the song). This is mostly reminiscent of old school thrash musically, with the manic palm-muted riffing, the in-your-face abrupt transitions, and the downbeat drum patterns (at least it feels that way, if one of our friendly neighborhood drummers can confirm, that'd be nice), but it has a cold, overly clean and compressed, loudness war compliant production which is one of several clues that tell me they might actually (think they) play death metal, or something extreme and modern sounding like "blackened deathrash". The other clues are: the 1/4 death metal-like tremolo-picked riff which, while not bad in and of itself, feels a little bit out of place with the slower palm-muted thrash riffs; the chugging deathcore/groove metal-sounding verses, which somehow evoke some moments of weakness of modern-day death metal; and last but not least, of course, the oh-so-versatile lead vocalist. I don't like his vocals at all, and what's more, they sound fake and tepid as fuck to my ears; the guy jumps from your typical stock death metal growl, to your typical stock black metal rasp, to your typical stock hardcore scream, to your typical stock thrash pissed-off shout, to your typical stock melodeath guttural whisper... all over the course of one fucking song! None of it is very convincing individually, and the whole just screams (and shouts and whispers and shrieks) that he took lessons with that gal whose DVDs creepily take all of the rage and oomph out of harsh vocals and teach kids how to sound like recent day Angela Gossow... They have lots of energy to spare, for sure, and their technical skills are not at fault, but they could use a decent songwriter and a bit more focus on finding their own sound, rather than this patchwork of all-around generic extreme metal. Sorry man, I might be a bit hard on them, but this song leaves me cold, even after 5 or 6 listens. Are they a formerly deathcore band who only recently evolved to death metal?

Alright, how about this?

I'm back!



Alright, where do I start with this? At the beginning seems like a good place... This was...okay, I guess. The harmonised opening run, is cool, but nothing earth shaking, being somewhat typical of the style, which is power/speed metal to the bone baby! The next part is a little better, with a brief, chugging section and some hammer-ons tapping away furiously. Their vocalist is alright, but seems underpowered, and reminds me of Helloween around their Walls Of Jericho period, just not as captivating, he seems slightly "whiny" which loses them a few marks. Not that he's bad, far from it, the vocals do complete the whole package. Apart from being slick musicians they certainly deliver with passion and energy, but I can't shake the feeling that they may have better than this? Because to me this feels like a stock number, one that they could bang out blindfolded, easily and comfortably. This is the real problem for me, it doesn't have enough variation to grab me, and furthermore being a genre I only occasionally dabble in does them no favours with me. Seems kind run of the mill, but if this is your thing, then no doubt it would be rocking your world with it's near constant double bass rolling and hook-riddled riffage, and soaring, uplifting bridge-chorus section, and rocket fueled solos. Ultimately the actual song structure could be more compelling, to lift it above mediocrity, as like I said, it is very stock.

Change of pace. Watch the sound kids, it's quite loud, and raw...

Verdunkeln - Blutrunst

This sounds like the soundtrack to a nightmare. The constant, fuzzy, semi-amorphous riffing, the metallic, monotone and excruciating drumming, the distant, screamed vocals..... It all says "background music for a bad dream" to me. The calmer though no less atmospheric change towards the middle of the song was unexpected as it was very sudden, though it managed to not break the flow of the piece. And then, when the horrific sounds starting oozing in again, wrapping themselves around the aforementioned clean ambience, it all makes up for a very compelling songwriting trick. I can't say I like (or even know) stuff of this ilk, though it was a pleasant surprise, and a breath of fresh (or, to do the song justice, rotten) air. One look at their MA page, and I see that they're labeled as "atmospheric black metal". I'm not surprised, though their take on a style of music that I usually abhor did manage to shock me a bit. The only thing that seriously bothered me was the sudden ending, though it surely indicates that the song is directly linked to another one in the record, so it's in a way forgivable. Sorry to not be more descriptive about the music, but it's just that I never listen to this kind of thing, so I'm at somewhat of a loss for words.

I recently got hooked on this record. I guess the reason why is understandable.

@LegendMaker