After seeing Sarcosanct’s thread, I thought it might be a good idea to have a separate ‘Metal’ thread, as to not clutter up her thread with a genre that’s only going to apply to a small minority in the first place.

So, yeah, any recommendations, reviews of any albums you’ve recently picked up? I’d be interested to hear them.

Me first:

Deathspell Omega - Paracletus

1. Epiklesis I 01:42
2. Wings of Predation 03:43
3. Abscission 06:07
4. Dearth 03:47
5. Phosphene 07:03
6. Epiklesis II 03:06
7. Malconfort 04:57
8. Have You Beheld the Fevers? 02:59
9. Devouring Famine 05:09
10. Apokatastasis Pantôn 04:01

Recent release from the secretive French group (whose members have mostly managed to remain anonymous through ten years of existence), their 5th album.

Rough, haunting black metal. Mixed quite differently from most black metal releases I've come across, with the bass and drums given the majority of the attention, with the guitar work taking a more reduced role than one might expect.

In a surprising turn, Mikko's vocals actually contain variety this time around, rather than his trademark monotone growl, injecting the passion and anguish that this release so desperately required.

Being a Deathspell Omega release, the lyrics are a joy to behold, and just as important as the music. One of my personal favorite stanzas, from 'Phosphene':

The bleak sterility of these buds belies their fragrance
A pestilence that permeates the vastest plains with frightful odours
Among these foetid marshes wanes the echo of a promise
Hope stumbles amidst the solitary shades and loses substance
Facing the glowing darkness whilst ravens croak for doom
The other worlds on high sent us a harbringer
Ignis ardéns – He breathed on them
and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.

The meaning is as murky as always, but ultimately the album seems to be suggesting that the Heaven sought by zealots is infinitely worse than the Hell they fear so greatly.

Anyway, a quality release, up to Deathspell's high standards.

9/10




​

 

I've been listening to metal (and classic rock) for most of my life. Modern rock and pop doesn't do it for me. I listen to stuff from Ozzy and Behemoth and everything in between.

Right now I'm still stuck on Amon Amarth's new album Surtur Rising. I already left a review of the album in another thread, so i'll just link my favorite song from the album. For Victory or Death

I've also been listening to a bit of Epica lately. More specifically, their 'The Divine Conspiracy' Album. It's symphonic metal, and the lead singer is smoking hot, but some of the songs get quite brutal with guitar riffs, blastbeats, and guttural vocals. The Obsessive Devotion

 

Here's a little something I found recently that's worth a listen:

Blackthorn- They seem to be an all female russian wiccan-metal band, and I must say I am quite taken with their over all aesthetic.
Edenbeast:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnstCI96E-M
Nekromans:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGhvhcfYOHM&feature=related

@Anarchy: If you like the Divine Conspiracy, I highly recommend some of their earlier stuff, particularly the album Consign to Oblvion. I also suggest listening to After Forever, which to be entirely honest, kick the crap out of Epica.
Mother of Light:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPykLtJ6ccw

After Forever- My Pledge of Allegiance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3euXu_m0F-w
Transitory:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6739E7ZbBg

 

I've listened to the whole Epica discography, and Divine Conspiracy is my favorite. I will never say one band is better than another (I thing After Forever is very similar to Epica, the band pops up in Pandora all the time), but I prefer Kamelot to anything else in their genre. Shame Roy Khan left under a month ago.

 

Good God that guy could sing. Saw them live in London about four years ago on the Ghost Opera tour, and it was epic. Without Khan, I don't feel they're really Kamelot anymore.

I won't pretend to be up-to-date on Metal, as I've barely listened to it for two years now, but I am still into the occasional bit of Prog-Metal. Riverside, in particular, are pretty good (along with Opeth and -perhaps- you could slip Porcupine Tree into there, but I won't even start giving you links to them because I will be here forever /me ends PT fanboyism).

Also, Korpiklaani, Turisas and Alestorm are great for a laugh.

Extra links to awesome sauce.

 

I have a few Amon Amarth albums, but never bothered to pick up the new one. I liked the song you linked though.

Never really heard Epica before. I'm not a fan of the synth employed, but the other aspects of it were decent enough.

---------- Post automerged at 18:55 ---------- Previous post was at 18:49 ----------

Blackthorn was a pleasant surprise. Enjoyable, even though the rather intriguing guitar work was buried too deeply in the mix.

 

I hadn't heard Riverside before. Thanks!

@ Anarchy: My bad. A lot of people jumped on Epica after that album, so its kind of become a knee-jerk reaction for me to rec their earlier work. On that note, have you listened to Revamp, Floor Jansen's new band?

 

I was just actually reading the wiki article on the band right before I read this. I'm going to listen to a few of their songs shortly.

 

I prefer Freedom Rock.

Did someone say Freedom Rock? Well turn it up, man!

 

Damn, I hadn't even heard he'd left. Kamelot's one of my favorites, but he really made the band.

I'd recommend anything and everything by Opeth (if you couldn't tell by the avatar.) They're just fucking amazing.

Anyone who hasn't heard Ayreon, or any other of Arjen Lucassen's projects should check them out right away (Although I'm not a huge fan of his latest one, Guilt Machine.) He uses tons of different vocalists, a lot of them from pretty high profile bands, and all of his albums are concept albums.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve6sJTvHyys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjhEE13-7RE&feature=related

 

I'm an avid listener of all three of those bands at the end, perhaps Turisas is my favorite of the bunch. If you like Turisas, then you'll like Ensiferum. They've been around for the better part of 15 years so they have many standout songs, but I think Victory Song is a good place to start. Also, Finntroll is a similar Folk Metal band, but much, much heavier. Trollhammeren Rivfader. Also, someone in IRC (I forget who) recommended a band called Tyr. I've only listened to the album Ragnarok so far though, but I like it.

The first ReVamp song I just listened to, Here's my Hell, was very good. I especially liked the transitional halfway through to the heavy vocals.

 

And not just on the records; they're incredible live, too. Saw them play about two years ago on the Watershed tour. Was immense.

Cheers, I'll check them out - of them, I've only tried Tyr before.

 

My 'bachelor party' was at an Opeth show, on the Watershed tour, Boston, MA. From the moment Enslaved took the slave, my friends kept me going with a steady supply of hard alcohol.

By the time Opeth even started, I was nearly falling-down drunk, yet still remember the show clearly, and awesome it was.

It was striking to see how packed it was. I remember seeing Opeth back in 2003 in Worcester, MA on the Deliverance/Damnation tour. The Palladium was only half full. Didn't detract from the quality of the show, but it's nice to see that now they can sell out the House of Blues now, which is slightly larger, and far more expensive.

 

Here's a relatively unknown (I think?) band that I have been listening to. They are called High on Fire, and have been around since the late 90's. They've done some touring with popular bands like Metallica, Opeth, and Mastodon.

Anyways, I've been listening through their Snakes for the Divine album. The song Snakes for the Divine has one of the sexiest guitar riffs ever. I'm not a big fan of the vocals as it leans more towards hardcore than growling. The only hardcore metal band I really like is Unearth, but their a discussion for another post

 

I'm familiar with High on Fire. The name is terrible, reminding me of another generic hardcore band, but they actually are good.






Falkenbach – Tiurida

1. Intro 01:38
2. ...Where His Ravens Fly... 07:25
3. Time Between Dog and Wolf 06:01
4. Tanfana 05:32
5. Runes Shall You Know 05:59
6. In Flames 07:53
7. Sunnavend 05:51
8. Asaland 04:06

Fifth album from the German mastermind, ‘Vratyas Vakyas’, sole constant member of the band. Falkenbach plays Folk Metal, have since 1989, and unquestionably opened the doors for other bands such as Finntroll, Ensiferum and such.

This band won’t wow you with their technical ability or speed, it’s with regards to atmosphere that they excel. Most of the guitar work comprises of simple power chords, almost providing a ‘bass-like’ background for the songs, the quality synth work coming to the forefront. The production is crystal-clear.

Overall, certainly not his best effort, but after a six year absence, it’s nice to just have some new Falkenbach to list to.

7/10

 

I listed to the two you linked, and I liked them a lot. I can definitely see where Ensiferum got its influence from. Good songs to fall asleep to.

Wodensthrone - Loss

1. Syrgenstream
2. Leodum On Lande
3. Heofungtid
4. Those That Crush The Roots Of Blood
5. Black Moss
6. Upon These Stones
7. Pillar Of The Sun
8. That Which Is Now Forgotten

Classified as extreme metal, but it sounds more like melodic black metal to me. Has some ambient overtures as well, and I like them a lot

 

Some good and not particularly well known bands off the top of my head.


Perfect Circle- A little more rock than metal but eh.

4. Judith - A Perfect Circle
10. Pet - A Perfect Circle


Flaw
Flaw - Medicate
Flaw - Whole


Trivium

Trivium - And Sadness Will Sear
Trivium - Down From The Sky
Trivium- Anthem (We Are the Fire)

 

Melodic Black Metal indeed. Nice find, I really liked the song you linked. In general (Falkenbach being one of the few exceptions) this is how I prefer synth to act. As background to quality guitar work, accentuating the riffs rather than overwhelming them.

-

I like A Perfect Circle, though in no fashion would I refer to them as metal. Flaw, meh. Trivium, they're okay.

 

I love metal, but I haven't been listening to much music for the last several months, I'm definitely going to be sampling some stuff from this thread.

Does anyone like Russian Circles? Pretty great band, all instruments, no singing.
Carpe - Russian Circles

 

Song was pretty boring to be honest, and not really metal. Reminded me of An Endless Sporadic.

I'm not one to say my metal is better than your metal, because we all have to unite against the forces of evil in the world known as Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga. But Flaw was just not very good, and same with Trivium. The first Perfect Circle song was pretty average, but not really metal. They were all pretty boring. Trivium- Anthem was kinda okay, but it seemed more like a stadium rock song from the 80's, like Def Leppard. I think that's why it was alright, because they were not trying to be a metal band.

Flaw and Trivium just remind me how much I dislike "Nu Metal" such as Slipknot, Killswitch Engage and Korn. They are boring. In my opinion they just seem like 'entry level metal.' Music that people listen to start, but they never branch out to see what the genre really has to offer. It takes more than just some semi-hardcore vocals to make a metal band. Where's the passion? I don't mean to derail this thread or anything, and everyone is free to listen to what they want, but I like my music to be passionate, exciting, and enthralling. I guess that's why my favorite genre is melodic death metal.


Anyways. I just picked up Devildriver's new album "Beast". The band is kind of hit or miss with me. I either like a song a lot, or don't like at much at all. The new album sounds less like an extremer version of Lamb of God like their previous albums, but more like All That Remains. A good change. Probably my second favorite album of their's behind "Fury of our Maker's Hand"


1. "Dead to Rights" 4:53
2. "Bring the Fight (To the Floor)" 3:33
3. "Hardened" 5:46
4. "Shitlist" 4:04
5. "Talons Out (Teeth Sharpened)" 4:20
6. "You Make Me Sick" 5:18
7. "Coldblooded" 4:06
8. "Blur" 4:58
9. "The Blame Game" 4:00
10. "Black Soul Choir" (16 Horsepower cover) 5:07
11. "Crowns of Creation" 4:55
12. "Lend Myself to the Night" 4:01