Lord Dying – Clandestine Transcendence (MNRK Heavy) [Paul Hutchings]
It was back in 2015 when I first encountered Lord Dying with their sophomore release Poisoned Altars. I was impressed to give it a 7/10 and four years later they released one of my albums of 2019 with the brilliant Mysterium Tremendum.
Seeing them at Damnation in November of the same year made it all real and then it went a bit quiet after that, although that’s more likely my inability to follow social media with any kind of focus, but in more recent times we’ve had three singles, the most recent being The Endless Road Home, in advance of the Portland, Oregon outfit’s fourth release. And the good news is that it is another mighty slab of metal of the highest order.
But before you turn away, thinking that this will be one thick as custard slog, hold fast, for this is an album that is much more than the traditional sludge that one might expect. No sir, far from it. Over 12 tracks the quartet, with bassist Alyssa Morcere and drummer Kevin Swartz making their full debuts since joining the band in 2019 mesmerise with a swirling blend of heavy rock, sludgy riffs and dynamic metal that captivates, bewitches, and engulfs the listener into the depths of the album.
The opening three tracks provide all the evidence needed. The Universe Is Weeping starts things off with a gentle, guitar-based intro before a creeping riff builds into a pulverising and explosive start. It’s a track that demonstrates all that is good about this band. Tight interplay, plenty of melody that sits below the surface but is very much in evidence, and the growling roars of vocalist Erik Olson.
The opening three tracks provide all the evidence needed. The Universe Is Weeping starts things off with a gentle, guitar-based intro before a creeping riff builds into a pulverising and explosive start. It’s a track that demonstrates all that is good about this band. Tight interplay, plenty of melody that sits below the surface but is very much in evidence, and the growling roars of vocalist Erik Olson.
I Am Nothing I Am Everything follows, a thunderous, semi-death metal explosion of visceral bile. And then the more melodic rock style of Unto Becoming, which brings a Mastodon vibe to the proceedings. Within 14 minutes, three different styles, all beguiling and designed to pull the listener in deep. They do that with ease, and suddenly you are involved. It’s a good place to be!
As the journey continues, you’ll get plenty of opportunity to experience the quality of this band’s playing, with some intricate guitar work, tight rhythms and vocals that switch in texture – it all seems to fit together neatly, when one wonders if it really should. There’s the savage initial thrash of Final Push Into The Sun which surprises with another change of direction as it morphs into a psychedelic ramble that is more bluesy than metal, and the gothic overtones of penultimate song Swimming in the Absence.
Central to the album is the eight-minute Dancing On The Emptiness. A meandering track that gathers momentum, it carries with it a gothic vibe that is both unexpected and familiar. You instantly know that it’s Lord Dying, and you can quickly immerse yourself within the song. It’s followed by the immediate and thunderous three-minute fire of Facing The Incomprehensible. Such is the contrast that Lord Dying can conjure.
There are gentle moments, such as the delicate A Brief Return To Physical Form, or the enchanting yet sinister Break In The Clouds (In The Darkness Of Our Minds) and the drama of A Bond Broken By Death. The flickering difference is what makes Clandestine Transcendence so appealing. The songs vary in length, from eight-minutes to just over two, but Lord Dying make their point in every song, and don’t outstay their welcome.
As the journey continues, you’ll get plenty of opportunity to experience the quality of this band’s playing, with some intricate guitar work, tight rhythms and vocals that switch in texture – it all seems to fit together neatly, when one wonders if it really should. There’s the savage initial thrash of Final Push Into The Sun which surprises with another change of direction as it morphs into a psychedelic ramble that is more bluesy than metal, and the gothic overtones of penultimate song Swimming in the Absence.
Central to the album is the eight-minute Dancing On The Emptiness. A meandering track that gathers momentum, it carries with it a gothic vibe that is both unexpected and familiar. You instantly know that it’s Lord Dying, and you can quickly immerse yourself within the song. It’s followed by the immediate and thunderous three-minute fire of Facing The Incomprehensible. Such is the contrast that Lord Dying can conjure.
There are gentle moments, such as the delicate A Brief Return To Physical Form, or the enchanting yet sinister Break In The Clouds (In The Darkness Of Our Minds) and the drama of A Bond Broken By Death. The flickering difference is what makes Clandestine Transcendence so appealing. The songs vary in length, from eight-minutes to just over two, but Lord Dying make their point in every song, and don’t outstay their welcome.
This isn’t an ego trip, more an evolution from a band who have seriously stepped up once more. Addictive in nature and sound, this is an album that stakes a firm foot in top ten country, even at this early stage in 2024. 10/10
Saxon - Hell, Fire And Damnation (Silver Lining Music) [Matt Bladen]
You know what you're going to get with latter period Saxon, it's going to be a bit epic, a bit theatrical, muscular and very very solid. They're veterans and as such have enjoyed a very long run as one of the most reveread and recognisable bands to have emerged from the NWOBHM scene, and while other bands are bigger, Saxon always give 100% to every show they play whether the venue is big enough to fit the eagle or not.
Saxon - Hell, Fire And Damnation (Silver Lining Music) [Matt Bladen]
You know what you're going to get with latter period Saxon, it's going to be a bit epic, a bit theatrical, muscular and very very solid. They're veterans and as such have enjoyed a very long run as one of the most reveread and recognisable bands to have emerged from the NWOBHM scene, and while other bands are bigger, Saxon always give 100% to every show they play whether the venue is big enough to fit the eagle or not.
Still led by the brawny vocals of Biff Byford and powerhouse drums of Nigel Glocker, Hell, Fire And Damnation is their 24th studio album and the first (I think) studio album to feature Brian Tatler of Diamond Head who has been filling in on stage for Paul Quinn.
Starting off with Brian Blessed delivering a oration, the title track is just what you want from Saxon, no fuss, no frills, just classic heavy metal with a big chorus. Produced by Byford and Andy Sneap, they've tried to keep it as raw and close to the live sound of Saxon as they can, limted overdubs and recorded in just four weeks to get it out in time for their upcoming live dates in March with Uriah Heep and Judas Priest.
Mid paced rockers such as Madam Guillotine and Pirates Of The Airwaves have that Nigel Glockler and Nibbs Carter (bass) double team flexing while they can still inject pace with Fire And Steel. It's also here that Tatler slots right in with Doug Scarratt as part of the twin axe attack, shredding up a storm on Kubla Khan And The Merchant Of Venice.
There's the proggier elements coming on There's Something In Roswell, all the while Biff showing why he's in a category of one vocally. Like a Toby Carvery or a tin of Ronseal, you always know what you're going to get with Saxon, the formula won't change but you'll still enjoy it all the same. 8/10
South Of Salem – Death Of The Party (Spider Party Records) [Paul Hutchings]
They are one of the most dynamic bands of the recent NWOCR movement. They have a live show that pulls no punches and if they have the opportunity, as they did at Stonedead Festival in 2023, they will throw everything they can at it to ensure that you remember them above everything else.
The follow up to 2020’s The Sinner Takes It All, the Bournemouth five-piece have been working hard on the road to hone their style. The sophomore release is an important one in any band’s career, bridging the gap between the inevitable high of a debut and the serious business of the third release.
South Of Salem – Death Of The Party (Spider Party Records) [Paul Hutchings]
They are one of the most dynamic bands of the recent NWOCR movement. They have a live show that pulls no punches and if they have the opportunity, as they did at Stonedead Festival in 2023, they will throw everything they can at it to ensure that you remember them above everything else.
The follow up to 2020’s The Sinner Takes It All, the Bournemouth five-piece have been working hard on the road to hone their style. The sophomore release is an important one in any band’s career, bridging the gap between the inevitable high of a debut and the serious business of the third release.
And so, we come to Death Of The Party. Is it make or break time for a band who have poured everything into 2023? Well, possibly not that dramatic, but they stand at the transition to the next level, and after all that effort, a dead duck of an album would really slam the brakes on hard. With changes in the line-up in recent times, the current line-up appears settled, with vocalist Joey Draper, guitarists Denis Sheriff and Kodi Kasper, drummer James Clarke and bassist ‘Dee’ Aldwell all now in place.
The good news is that South Of Salem have produced one big record. I’m not over-keen on the album cover, but that’s a matter of personal taste. It’s what lurks underneath that is most important, what you hear that will persuade you to part with the cash to purchase this release and propel South Of Salem higher.
The good news is that South Of Salem have produced one big record. I’m not over-keen on the album cover, but that’s a matter of personal taste. It’s what lurks underneath that is most important, what you hear that will persuade you to part with the cash to purchase this release and propel South Of Salem higher.
Their combination of horror-edged panache fused with slick modern hard rock provides an easily listenable style that will no doubt appeal to both the mainstream rock fan as well as the harder metal listener. It’s no coincidence that the band are back on the bill for this year’s Bloodstock Festival, only three years after playing the New Blood Stage in 2021.
They open strongly, with single Vultures, a fiery up-tempo track that brings the heavy yet accessible riffs and Draper’s clean but still gravel-edged vocals to the fore. It’s a promising and exciting start, and it is a pace that rarely drops throughout the ten-tracks that comprise Death Of The Party. Second single Jet Black Eyes allows the melody to flood through, with a delicious hook that lingers long in the memory.
Bombastic tracks like Left For Dead provide the necessary anthems that will be killer when played live, whilst they can also drop it down a little, such as on Hellbound Heart which still rocks big time but adds some synths for additional layers. It’s aurally pleasing, vibrant, effective, and most of all, catchy. There’s something pleasing about the overall effect of this album, which doesn’t stray too far from the blueprint needed. You feel that there is more than a bit of Those Damn Crows about this album. It’s polished but with enough grit to make it appeal to more than just the dedicated fan base.
There’s isn’t a bad track on this album. I’m not over enthused by the spoken delivery on Bad Habits (Die Hard) but that’s probably my only complaint. The title track is huge, a real anthem on a record that has more than its fair share of anthems. Versatile enough that you can drive, workout, sit and enjoy, or have on in the background, Death Of The Party works on every level.
They open strongly, with single Vultures, a fiery up-tempo track that brings the heavy yet accessible riffs and Draper’s clean but still gravel-edged vocals to the fore. It’s a promising and exciting start, and it is a pace that rarely drops throughout the ten-tracks that comprise Death Of The Party. Second single Jet Black Eyes allows the melody to flood through, with a delicious hook that lingers long in the memory.
Bombastic tracks like Left For Dead provide the necessary anthems that will be killer when played live, whilst they can also drop it down a little, such as on Hellbound Heart which still rocks big time but adds some synths for additional layers. It’s aurally pleasing, vibrant, effective, and most of all, catchy. There’s something pleasing about the overall effect of this album, which doesn’t stray too far from the blueprint needed. You feel that there is more than a bit of Those Damn Crows about this album. It’s polished but with enough grit to make it appeal to more than just the dedicated fan base.
There’s isn’t a bad track on this album. I’m not over enthused by the spoken delivery on Bad Habits (Die Hard) but that’s probably my only complaint. The title track is huge, a real anthem on a record that has more than its fair share of anthems. Versatile enough that you can drive, workout, sit and enjoy, or have on in the background, Death Of The Party works on every level.
With a UK tour and several festival slots already booked, 2024 is looking to be a fine year for a band who look well equipped to move to the next level very soon. 8/10
Dark Oath - Ages Of Man (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
On their debut album Portugese symphonic death metal band Dark Oath, focussed on Norse mythology, especially Ragnarök. With their second album they go back further in time basing this recoard around Greek mythology told from the poet Hesiod. I won't bore you with the details as my degree is in classics but let's just say that he covers quite a large amount of life with both Theogony and Works And Days, the former based on the myths of the gods and the latter on humans (pesants).
Dark Oath - Ages Of Man (Self Released) [Matt Bladen]
On their debut album Portugese symphonic death metal band Dark Oath, focussed on Norse mythology, especially Ragnarök. With their second album they go back further in time basing this recoard around Greek mythology told from the poet Hesiod. I won't bore you with the details as my degree is in classics but let's just say that he covers quite a large amount of life with both Theogony and Works And Days, the former based on the myths of the gods and the latter on humans (pesants).
Dark Oath have split this nine track album into ages; two from Gold, two Silver, two Bronze, two Heroic and one from the Iron Age. So I'd say they draw more lyrical inspiration from Theogony than Works And Days, which is poem that lends itself more towards the cinematic sound of Dark Oath's music.
A track such as Bronze II (Raging Waters) or Heroic I (Sons Of Gods And Mortal Men) for instance bring not only intense extreme metal, blastbeat drums and snarled vocals but also colossal orchestral swells and some traditional instrumentation too for authenticty. The passion for storytelling is evident but utilising the style of music that say Septicflesh are known for has made it all the more effective.
A track such as Bronze II (Raging Waters) or Heroic I (Sons Of Gods And Mortal Men) for instance bring not only intense extreme metal, blastbeat drums and snarled vocals but also colossal orchestral swells and some traditional instrumentation too for authenticty. The passion for storytelling is evident but utilising the style of music that say Septicflesh are known for has made it all the more effective.
Those orchestrations come from Joël Martins who locks in with Sérgio Pinheiro as the guitar duo drive these tracks like the Amott brothers did in Arch Enemy. Behind them is Afonso Aguiar's bass brillaince and the drumming of Léo Luyckx is top notch throughout but most diverse on Heroic II (Elysian Fields). The final piece of this epic puzzle are the venom spitting vocals of Sara Leitão, savage and nasty, they counter the theatrical music with reality.
What I liked about this album is that as we head through the ages, the music becomes more complex, as if humanity is evolving with it, the thematic element works well as the climactic Iron (Through The Veil Of Night) is a definitive ending. Ages Of Man impressed me a lot, having never heard Dark Oath before, the theme of Greek history and the symphonic death metal made for a engaging listening experince. 8/10
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