Changeling - Changeling (Season Of Mist)
There's a massive amount of people involved with this album, literally a full 50 piece orchestra's worth and some notable names such as James Dorton (The Faceless) doing spoken word, Ally Storch (Subway To Sally) violin/viola/cello, Yatziv Caspi (ex-Orphaned Land) Tabla/hangdrum/dabouka/riq/shakers. Then three guest guitar solos from Bill Hudson (Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Andy Laroque (ex-Death, King Diamond) and Jason Gobel (ex-Cynic, ex-Monstrosity).
It's one of those latter bands who has obviously influence Changeling, there's a massive whack of Cynic on this album, progressive, atmospheric death metal that has a broad range so soundscapes to it, from jazz to industrial, ambient to black metal. With this range of sounds it's no wonder Changeling is the creation of German guitarist Tom Geldschläger or Fountainhead (ex-Obscura, Defeated Sanity, Belphegor), this newest chapter of his musical odyssey his most challenging yet.
He has been instrumental in introducing fretless electric & acoustic guitars into heavy metal, giving many of these songs a wider variety of vibrato than standard metal songs, much like how fretless bass has become a standard part of progressive extreme metal soundscapes. He also plays standard fretted guitars, oud, keyboards and handled all of the composition/orchestral arrangements. Joining him as the 'core' line up are drummer Mike Heller (Fear Factory, Malignancy, Raven), bassist (fretless of course) Arran McSporran (Vipassi, Virvum) and on vocals it's Morean (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress).
As you can see it's a bit of an extreme metal supergroup and sounds like that too, cinematic right from the off the there's an overarching similarity to Obscura, in fact this album actually featured a sequel to the lauded Weltseele but there's also the huge Cynic similarities and Heavy Devy too on Instant Results. What I was surprised by is that it's only in the latter part of the album where the songs get long run times, it means that there is a clear sense of building from the sequencing leaving the 9 minutes and near 17 minute songs until the last duo. Spitting the 'sections' of this album with short interludes.
A record that you need to give time to and listen in full each time, Changeling is the full realisation of Fountainhead's powers as creator. Intense and at times breath-taking, extreme metal fans get excited. 8/10
Structure - Heritage (Ardua Music)
One man doom projects are often the polar opposite to one man black metal projects, the latter are often lo-fi bedroom affairs that only the true cvlt will rave about. In the doomsphere though, especially atmospheric doom, one person projects are a way to tell your own stories, slay your own demons and just generally put your tainted, introspective world view out there for all to hear.
Structure are a one man project concieved by Dutch musician and Officium Triste man Bram Bijlhout (guitars/bass/keys). With new album Heritage, Bram focuses on loss, family and history, the nostalgia of our past is always tinged with sadness, What We Have Lost a torrid, slow burning, slab of death/doom that creaks with the pace of an iceberg but keeps the attention with it's sheer force.
Joining Bram are Officium Triste vocalist Pim Blankenstein, Elegy drummer Dirk Bruinenberg as Robert Soeterboek adds his cleans as a backing vocalist. There's beauty in the tragedy though as Will I Deserve It and Long Before Me, step into the gothic realms, inviting you to slowly shift your head from your neck with some delectable lead guitar playing, and we descend again into the engulfing atmosphere of The Sadness Of Everyday Life, as the title track is a type of beautiful catharsis of how who we come from defines who we are.
Ardua Music is the home to some of the best death/doom around and as closing instrumental Until The Last Gasp, swells from symphonic beginnings into the lingering final moments you can add another win in the labels box. Structure's Heritage is death doom resplendent in majesty. 8/10
The Riven - Visions Of Tomorrow (Dying Victim Production)
Unbridled rock n roll as the Swedish formed-London based hard rockers The Riven, bring us their third album Visions Of Tomorrow. Having a mighty mix of hard rock, prog and proto metal, the riffs come swinging like a Mike Tyson left hook. Whether grooving on the opener Far Away From Home, chugging proto riffs on Killing Machine and Travelling Great Distance.
The Riven always keep it retro like the bands that crossed over between 70's dinosaur rock and NWOBHM, you can hear the imprint of UFO, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest and Rush all over Vision Of Tomorrow, final track Follow You especially. The influence of Iron Maiden strongly on On My Mind (Tonight), but The Riven merge all these influences into another set of modern retro rock.
Visions Of Tomorrow is the first album to feature new drummer Elias Jonsson who sets an intense pace on Seen It All, adding fills to We Love You. The whole band getting to record and write at Fascination Street Studios which has allowed them to bring some more freedom in their song writing a broader sonic scale in their production.
It means the twin axes have a bit more bite, the rhythm section grooves a bit harder as those vocals are still powerful and dripping with soul. The Riven flex their retro rock muscles again on album number 3 but with a bit more refinement all round. Love the band, love this record, play it loud! 9/10
Pagan Altar - Never Quite Dead (Dying Victim Production)
You may have thought that after co-founder Terry Jones death in 2017, that Pagan Altar would lay down their swords for good however despite a long gestation, they have returned with Never Quite Dead. Led by Terry's son and co-founding guitarist Alan Jones, the Pagan Altar has once again been erected and it's time to worship with some doomy/occult NWOBHM.
The spirit of Terry carries on as soon as Saints And Sinners and Liston Church hits your speakers, though it is not his voice behind the mic this time around. Brendan Radigan of Sumerlands and Savage Oath gets to try and fill those boots and does with his poignant phrasing and power.
All the songs on this album come from writing sessions while Terry was still alive so they have authenticity with being 'Pagan's Altar' with some new flourishes too, influences of Rainbow in the organs, the duo of Madame M'Rachel/Madame M'Rachel's Grave is drawn from NWOBHM, Well Of Despair taking the doom vein and there's even folk.
If anyone doesn't know much about Pagan Altar, then I'll just say this, Green Lung don't exist without them, simple as that. Pagan Altar are Never Quite Dead and they're living large here. 8/10
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