I like a bit of prog metal. Wouldn't describe it as my go to genre, if you get what I mean, but there are odd moments when I'd rather be swept up in a compositional journey, as opposed to usually being pulverised into a fine paste. I also don't mind a deep conceptual narrative to my music either, something beyond the clash of satanic carnage or the screams of the murdered. Deep shit, y’know? Something one can truly sink ones gnashes into, matching the music in density and complexity. Enter German prog collective The Ocean, with their scientific brand of audible immersion returning one more on their latest offering, Phanerozoic I: Palaeozoic. The concept? Well, to quote the band; “The Phanerozoic eon succeeded the Precambrian supereon, spanning a 500 million-year period leading to the present day, and it has witnessed the evolution and diversification of plant and animal life on Earth, and the partial destruction of it during 5 mass extinction events.”
Better press play then, hadn’t I? The Cambrian Explosion begins our journey, slow synths leading us into the lowest reaches of Earth. The ominous textures increases in tangibility, as we descend deeper into the planets core before exploding into life, with first real track Cambrian II: Eternal Recurrence. Huge guitar chords and thunderous drums drive us onwards, conjuring images of the planets chaotic core in constant motion. It briefly speeds up in the middle, as both clean and harsh vocals synergise in tasteful union. Ordovocium: The Glaciation Of Gondwana increases the aggression, as we enter a new geological period and ecosystem, exploding into life. Solid enough so far. Silurain: Age Of The Scorpions is a nuanced beast, guitars and synths rising and falling into a sprawling 9 minute epic, though the tempo more or less remains the same as before. Devonian: Nascent his simply gorgeous, thick in it’s atmosphere lead by the vocal talents of Katatonia's own Jonas Renske.
The Carboniferous Rainforest Collapse is a pleasant enough instrumental, clashing chords falling on each other before giving way to closer Permian: The Great Dying. As a finisher, it’s the musical equivalent of the tectonic plates shifting on each other, the ground rupturing open to swallow all life on it’s surface. Simply crushing, both physically and emotionally. All in all? A very pleasant listen to be sure, chock full with the weighty atmosphere that the German collective are renowned for. It’s an engrossing listening experience. Every note and voice seamlessly interplay, done so with much articulation and compositional guile but only really, REALLY comes together in it’s second half. 8/10
Amaranthe: Helix (Spinefarm Records) [Matt]
The fifth album from Swedish electro-metal band Amaranthe may have a new singer in Nils Molin but the music doesn't differ much at all except for refining the melodic sensibilities. Working in unison the three vocalists play off each other with Elize Ryd taking the lead on 365 which is overly poppy, the electronics ramped up but offset by Henrik Englund Wilhelmsson's screams and the heavy riffs. I'll say that out of all the clean male vocals the band have had Nils has the best voice making the record sound more rounded with this current trio behind the mic.
Elize states that "Helix describes the concept of how the past forms us and how life makes us become." while guitarist Olof Mörck states that the album "is a statement, a declaration and an assertion that we are here to stay" so with these defiant words aimed at the bands detractors they have honed their songwriting and musicianship as much as possible delicately balancing the electronics (which in the past have been a little overpowering), the metal (which seems much chunkier here) and the vocal lines which mesh better than before. Helix is Amaranthe at their apex crushingly heavy but with a shimmering pop shine along with even some rap on Dream and GG6. It's the most fully formed three dimensional release from this band well worth picking up! 8/10
In Shadows and Dust: Enlightened By Darkness (Redefining Darkness) [Sean]
I know I’ve harped on about it before but fuck it, Imma harp on about it again. I FRIGGIN love my Swedeath. No ifs, buts or coconuts, I’ll worship at this altar till I ascend to the great gig in the sky. I also like black metal, even more so when it’s violently combined in pursuit of ultimate satanic depravity. Just look at Necrophobic’s Darkside or The Third Antichrist, flawless filth crusted gems to satisfy even the most the basest of desires. French one man band, In Shadows And Dust, also know the horrid power of this combination, wielding both gore and grim with wild abandon. So, does 4th album Enlighetend By Darkness conjure the furious firepower of both sounds? In the immortal grunts of Glen Benton, let the killing begin!
Thunder rolls across the sky, malefic atmosphere and melodic strumming taking the lead on intro Maëlys. Wasting little time, title track Enlightened By Darkness thunders into my poor eardrums with the force of a megaton bomb. Promising start indeed, blackened tremolo picking flowing perfectly with Stockholm groove. Revenge is solid enough though noticeably generic, blasting along under the snarls of mainman Stephane Thirion. Occasionally a melodic lead rings out, the only real sense of melody amongst a wall of buzzsaw guitars. This works to great effect on Deathlike Silence, where the In Shadows And Dust REALLY grab me (3 guesses where). Dawn Of A New Day amps ups the ante even more, adding more nuanced layers to the onslaught. Black Sword features some utterly ridiculous double kicks but feels ultimately flat until end section somewhat redeems it. At The End Of The World and Beloved Darkness are fucking monsters, with the latter instilling some involuntary urges to literally RIP AND TEAR EVERYTHING IN THE FUCKING ROOM! Death and black are one, all is dust and I pick up what is left of the pieces that remain. Whew…..
I’ll start by saying this;I like this record. It’s performed with passion, the production is sublime and it’s mighty impressive that all this came from one man. However, and it pains me to say it, I did feel a slight air frustration in my listening experience. A slight feeling of inconsistency in the riffs department, with certain sections ranging from blazing to…well….blandness and often in the same song. Thankfully, this feeling doesn’t always prevail, with that dumb grin working it’s away across my mug when Enlightened By Darkness gets it right. 7/10
Le Menhir: Aube EP (Self Relased) [Sean]
Post Metal isn’t the most immediately rewarding genre to dive into. Either it isn’t “metal” enough for the impatient “troo” or misunderstood by the passing casual. For the rest of us, we enjoy it for what it is. Melancholy with a touch of muscle, forlorn with a pinch of fury and willingness to go beyond genre convention altogether. UK one man project, Le Menhir, weaves a wall of doom laden disparity, intense as it is introspective with a few blackened touches for good measure. Intro Rituel is a stirring opener, hornpipes calling out majestically before Monstre really beings the proceeding. Swirling Mgla-esque riffs under slow and steady beat guide us through a desolate landscape, with Paul Sparshott voice soaring above a ruined landscape stripped of all its beauty.
Well, in this authors mind anyway. Final track Centenire stirs everything back, as a narrative is spun of a fallen kingdom from beyond out time. Instrumental layers gradually build upon each other, surrendering to those aforementioned swirling riffs and the tale of the fallen kingdom is concluded in fitting fashion. Despite both songs being over 7 minutes in length, not once did my mind wander, such was the gripping atmosphere that cascaded from my speakers. The performance matches it equally, though the vocals do miss their intended note on occasion. This small detraction does little to dampen an otherwise engaging EP, so the only thing left to say is this; give me more! 7/10
Well, in this authors mind anyway. Final track Centenire stirs everything back, as a narrative is spun of a fallen kingdom from beyond out time. Instrumental layers gradually build upon each other, surrendering to those aforementioned swirling riffs and the tale of the fallen kingdom is concluded in fitting fashion. Despite both songs being over 7 minutes in length, not once did my mind wander, such was the gripping atmosphere that cascaded from my speakers. The performance matches it equally, though the vocals do miss their intended note on occasion. This small detraction does little to dampen an otherwise engaging EP, so the only thing left to say is this; give me more! 7/10
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