Spiral Circus: black metal

Showing posts with label black metal. Show all posts

Showing posts with label black metal. Show all posts

Saturday, 16 June 2012

Wolves in the Throne Room, Celestial Lineage

USA, 2011

Celestial Lineage is the fourth full-length studio album by American black metal band Wolves in the Throne Room. It was released through Southern Lord Records on September 13, 2011.
This album might not impress you the first time you listen to it, but it will most likely grow on you.

Playlist:

1. "Thuja Magus Imperium”

2. "Permanent Changes in Consciousness”

3. "Subterranean Initiation"

4. "Rainbow Illness"

5. "Woodland Cathedral"

6. "Astral Blood"

7. "Prayer of Transformation"

Link.

Sunday, 13 March 2011

Gallowbraid, Ashen Eidolon

US, 2010.

Another steal from soundweave, but this stuff is so damn good. This EP is like a mix of Agalloch and Wolves In The Throne Room... or something along those lines. See? This is why I don't write the descriptions myself.

Playlist:

1. Ashen Eidolon
2. Autumn I
3. Oaken And Aspen
4. Autumn II

Link.

Monday, 6 December 2010

Líam, Journey... Two Years and a Fragment

Germany, 2008

Líam is a band hailing from the German state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, founded by M. Bochnig in early 2007. Although the band is usually labelled as post-rock, it contains some black metal elements, making it a candidate for the post-black metal genre.

Playlist:

1. Born

2. Wide
3. A Decision
4. Air

5. Out
6. Debris
7. Etienne
8. Particles

Friday, 10 September 2010

Kvelertak, Self-titled

Norway, 2010.

Kvelertak shamelessly draw inspiration from every corner of something that could fit into their idea of good hard-hitting and catchy rock’n’roll. Regardless of genre, but always truthful to the basic idea of the band; good songs performed with the tongue-in-cheek attitude of their punk-rock pioneers. Unlike the majority of heavier bands they sing in their native language – adding even more character to their already unique sound.

Playlist:

1. Ulvetid
2. Mjød
3. Fossegrim
4. Blodtørst
5. Offernatt
6. Sjøhyenar (Havets Herrer)
7. Sultans of Satan
8. Nekroskop
9. Liktorn
10. Ordsmedar av Rang
11. Utrydd dei Svake

Link.

Thursday, 26 August 2010

Nachtmystium, Addicts: Black Meddle Part II

US, 2010.

Nachtmystium is a psychedelic metal band from Illinois, formed in 1999, that has featured members from other american black metal acts such as Weltmacht, Krieg, and Judas Iscariot. This is their latest album.

Playlist:

1. Addicts

2. Blood Trance Fusion
3. Cry For Help
4. The End Is Eternal
5. Every Last Drop
6. High On Hate
7. Nightfall
8. No Funeral
9. Ruined Life Continuum
10. Then Fires

Link.

Saturday, 14 August 2010

A Forest Of Stars, Opportunistic Thieves Of Spring

UK, 2010

A Forest Of Stars are a British 5 piece (live they metamorphose into a 8 piece!) that play avant-garde black metal. This is their sophomore album, successor of the brilliant 2008 album "The Corpse Of Rebirth". Like their first release, "Opportunistic Thieves Of Spring" is a conceptual album, basically telling the story of the first "attempted communion with incorporeal beings" which ended up in disaster.
With this simple premise A Forest Of Stars crafted one of the most, if not the most, unique black-metal albums I´ve ever heard, tapping into a million different genres (neo-classical, progressive, ambient, thrash, black-metal, folk) and using a vast array of instruments (beside your standard instruments, hurdy-gurdy´s, synths, piano, violin, trumpet, flute and others can be heard on the album) to create a truly cohesive and, as i said before, unique whole that stands out as, in my opinion, the best album of the year. A true masterpiece.

Playlist:
1. Chapter One: Sorrow´s Impetus

2. Chapter Two: Raven´s Eye View

3. Chapter Three: Summertide´s Approach
4. Chapter Four: Thunder´s Cannonade
5. Chapter Five: Stafire´s Memory
6. Chapter Six: Delay´s Progression

Saturday, 5 June 2010

Les Discrets, Septembre Et Ses Dernières Pensées

France, 2010.

Les Discrets is a French metal/shoegaze/post-rock/acoustic project. It is the sole musical creation of Fursy Teyssier, a former member of Amesoeurs and an illustrator for bands such as Alcest, Amesoeurs, Arctic Plateau, Agalloch, Neun Welten and The American Dollar.

Les Discrets is the musical approach of Fursy Teyssier’s artistic research. Originally an animated film director, Fursy tends to evoke the same in both music and animation/illustration: contemplative and esoteric atmospheres, feelings, fears and sensations related to our life and world. His paintings, music or lyrics are mostly about Nature, the feeling of Love and his fear of Death.

This is Les Discrets' debut album and it's absolutely amazing.

Playlist:

1. L'Envol des Corbeaux
2. L'Échappée

3. Les Feuilles de l'Olivier
4. Song for Mountains

5. Sur les Quais
6. Effet de Nuit
7. Septembre et ses Dernières Pensées
8. Chanson d'Automne
9. Svipdagr & Freyja
10. Une Matinée d'Hiver

Link.

Friday, 4 June 2010

Alcest, Écailles de Lune

France, 2010.

"Stylistically, Neige reverts to the sound of Black Metal that once shaped him: a picture of heart-rending, otherworldly screams, collages filled with passion and sadness, and the characteristic clean vocals. These mellow and ageless voices manage to weave a shroud of sorrow around the album. "Écailles de Lune" is like a dream, a manifesto of transience and human inferiority. For all the changes, Neige has kept all of his trademarks: calm passages, massive slabs of guitars, catchy melodies, and hook-lines going straight to the heart – all this once more delivers a convincing articulation of ALCEST's unique style."

To be honest, this album pales in comparison to "Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde". Whilst it still has some very good songs, it didn't really astonish me.

Playlist:

1. Écailles de Lune (Part I)
2. Écailles de Lune (Part II)
3. Percées de Lumière
4. Abysses
5. Solar Song
6. Sur l'Océan Couleur de Fer

Link.

Wednesday, 21 April 2010

Cobalt, Gin

US, 2009.

Cobalt is a two-man project composed by vocalist/lyricist Phil McSorley (a US army scout stationed in Iraq) and multi-instrumentalist Erik Wunder. Two tracks also feature vocals from Jarboe (ex-Swans). Not your trve, lo-fi black metal, "Gin" is tempered with progressive, doom, experimental, avant-garde and sludge influences - but who cares? It's pretty damn good.

Playlist:

1. Gin
2. Dry Body

3. Arsonry
4. Throat
5. Stomach
6. A Clean, Well-Lighted Place
7. Pregnant Insect
8. Two-Thumbed Fist
9. The Old Man Who Lied For His Entire Life
10. A Starved Horror
11. Stew Craven / ...

Link.

Friday, 19 February 2010

Alcest & Les Discrets, Split

France, 2009.

Absolutely brilliant combination of post-rock, shoegaze and black metal. Especially promising considering the upcoming albums by either bands on Prophecy Productions.

Playlist:

1.Les Discrets - L' Échappée
2. Les Discrets - Après L' Ombre
3. Les Discrets - Song For Mountains

4. Alcest - Percées De Lumière
5. Alcest - Circe Poisoning The Sea

Link.

Monday, 14 December 2009

Sólstafir, Köld

Iceland, 2009

Kold asserts Solstafir's attempt at claiming the most impressive metal album of the year, and they get pretty close. Somewhere between Neurosis and Primordial, Kold may lack the experimental edge of the former, but prove much more consistent than the latter, producing memorable epic tracks which consistently build in momentum.

Playlist:

1. 78 days in the Desert

2. Köld
3. Pale Rider

4. She Destroys Again
5. Necrologue

6. World Void of Souls
7. Love is the Devil (and I am in Love)
8. Goddess of the Ages

Link.

Friday, 10 July 2009

Caïna, Caïna EP

England, 2009.

Caïna is a one-man band, from Hampshire/Sussex. Stylistically, it draws from influences as disparate as Black and Death Metal, drone, dream-pop/shoegaze, neofolk and post-rock.

Playlist:

1. The Approaching Chastisement
2. Drilling The Spire
3. To Pluck The Night Up By Its Skin
4. You Worship The Wrong Carpenter

Link.

Friday, 3 April 2009

Amesoeurs, Self-titled

France, 2009.

In 2004, guitarist/singer Neige of Alcest formed Amesoeurs, a black metal project that incorporates post-punk and shoegaze, accompanied by beautiful female vocals. Unfortunately, the band split up after the release of their first full-length, in March this year.

Playlist:

1. Gas in Veins

2. Les Ruches Malades
3. Heurt
4. Recueillement

5. Faux Semblants
6. Trouble (Éveils Infâmes)
7. I XIII V XIX XV V XXI XVIII XIX ˆ IX XIX ˆ IV V I IV
8. Video Girl
9. La Reine Trayeuse
10. Amesoeurs
11. Au Crépuscule de Nos Rêves

Link.

Sunday, 15 March 2009

Sólstafir, Köld

Iceland, 2009

One of the better releases of the year, and I'm expecting this to hold itself pretty well throughout 2009. It's hard to tag a subgenre onto Köld: it teases you with viking/folk, before transitioning to black metal, and at times resorting to doom, with post-metal and hard rock passages thrown in the mix. If you enjoy Primordial give this a try.

Playlist:

01 - 78 Days in the Desert

02 - Kold
03 - Pale Rider

04 - She Destroys Again
05 - Necrologue
06 - World Void of Souls
07 - Love Is the Devil (And I Am in Love)
08 - Goddess of the Ages

Link.

Saturday, 14 March 2009

Wolves in the Throne Room, Black Cascade

US, 2009

The second dissappointment of 2009. Unlike Pure Reason Revolution's latest album, this one is actually pretty good, just not close to the level of Two Hunters. The improved production comes at the expense of what made their previous albums such black metal masterpieces. Less visceral, less broody and less gritty, it might however have enough post-metal elements to attract new fans into the fold.

Playlist:

01 - Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog

02 - Ahrimanic Trance
03 - Ex cathedra
04 - Crystal Ammunition

Link.

Thursday, 27 December 2007

Wolves in the Throne Room, Two Hunters

US, 2007

Black metal is a pretty stale genre usually, but this release proves mixing in elements of post rock and doom can make things a lot more interesting. Vocals will be slightly distracting if you don't usually listen to cookie monster metal, but they're very well executed, timed and are occasionally intertwined with female vocals.

Playlist:

01. Dia Artio
02. Behold the Vastness And Sorrow
03. Cleansing
04. I Will Lay Down My Bones Among The Rocks And Roots

Monday, 26 November 2007

Arcturus, The Sham Mirrors

Brilliantly constructed avantgarde-black metal for the masses. As with everything Garm touches, the album's appeal far transcends it's genre. This is a must for any metal collection and should be appreciated by all fans of progressive music.

01. Kinetic

02. Nightmare Heaven
03. Ad Absurdum
04. Collapse Generation
05. Star-Crossed

06. Radial Cut

07. For To End Yet Again

Link.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)