Amenra - De Doorn (Relapse Records) [Rich Oliver]
When looking up the word atmospheric in the dictionary there should be a photo of Amenra next to it. For 22 years the Belgian band have been offering some of the most consistently fine albums in the atmospheric post-metal world and with their seventh release De Doorn the band continue to release some of the finest music in the genre. De Doorn is a different album for Amenra in two respects - it is the first album not to be entitled Mass followed by a number in Roman numerals and secondly it is the first album to be entirely sung in Flemish which is the first language of frontman and band leader Colin H. Van Eeckhout. Musically it is still very much the Amenra we know and love being dense apocalyptic soundscapes drenched in a foreboding atmosphere with crushing riffs mixing with evocative ambience. This is music with a cinematic breadth to it which is completely easy to get completely lost in. I’ve listened to this album several times and it feels like it is over in no time despite being nearly 47 minutes in duration.
The five songs which make up the album all have their own individuality and flow so well into each other that it feels like one complete piece of music rather than a collection of songs. The album opener Ogentroost slowly builds up the atmosphere at a steady yet tantalizing pace before the main riff kicks in and the waves of heaviness consume all. The vocals by Colin H. Van Eeckhout are pure anguish and you can honestly believe the dark place from where this performance emanates even if you can’t understand the lyrics. Guesting at several points throughout the album is Oathbreaker vocalist Caro Tanghe whose haunting and evocative cleans are a perfect contrast and stunning accompaniment to Colin’s blood-curdling screams (as well as throwing in some tormented screams of her own). De Dood In Bloei which follows is the polar opposite of Ogentroost being a wholly ambient and atmospheric piece which is simply magical before the crushing heaviness returns in De Evenmens. Some well placed clean vocals towards the end of the song add an emotive edge and had my arm hairs standing firmly to attention.
Similarly the next song Het Gloren perfectly summarizes the bands ability to switch between the calm and the storm with moments of crushing heaviness broken up by the serene and atmospheric so when the riffs drops back in accompanied by Colin’s screams it not only draws you back in to the song it positively yanks you off your feet. The album closer Voor Immer is far quieter to start and for a good chunk of the song with some soft somber guitars and a spoken word passage before the heaviness strikes hard and fast but mixed with a hugely melancholic melody that is quite simply utterly sublime. Amenra have almost cult-like following in metal circles and with De Doorn it is absolutely easy to see why. This is a hugely powerful and immersive album that feels like a journey from start to finish. I can only imagine how incredible this material is going to sound live. De Doorn is an album that is bleak and forlorn but vast and cinematic in equal measure. It is an absolutely magnificent piece of work which I have literally nothing critical to say of. Put simply this is a must-hear album. 10/10
Thy Catafalque is the band name that Hungarian multi instrumentalist Tomás Kátai uses for his main musical project. Originally from Makó in Hungary, Tomás relocated to Scotland, and has now re-relocated to Budapest. Tomás is responsible for everything you hear on Vadak, except for some exquisite vocals from Martina Horváth, who also sing for Mansur and The Answer Lies In The Black Void. Thy Catafalque have been making music since 1998 and have released 9 albums before Vadak; the first being Sublunary Tragedies in 1999, and the last being Naiv in 2020 which was very favourably reviewed in this blog. The album that Thy Catafalque released before Naiv; Geometria was also reviewed in these pages and got a 9 out of ten, so Vadak has a lot to live up too, has Tomás dropped the ball on Vadak? Thy Catafalque’s sound is quite complex, but is also unique and instantly recognisable. Tomás melds together Metal, originally Black in style, but now closer to Progressive Metal, Electronica, World music, Folk, and Jazz to form a whole that is beautifully realised and where the transitions between different styles feel perfectly natural and effortless.
The album opens with the track Szarvas, which after an intro of lush electronics, is a taut and uptempo progressive metal track. The melodies have a slight Eastern European flavour, which isn’t that surprising, along with some harsh vocals, and a great chanted chorus. Next we get the track Köszöntsd A Hajnalt, where the metal Guitars take on a background role and the electronics are further forward. The vocals on this track are from Martina Horváth, and are achingly beautiful. Gömböc opens in a very Metal way with a blast beat and a very driving riff. As the song progresses the electronics take over and we get a much softer section, that then leads into solos from guitar and synth, the track then has a very heavy ending. Az Energiamegmaradás Törvénye opens with vocal samples before fast choppy riffs come in. The track then has an extended drum break, with some interesting samples, the song then brings the clean guitar back in before fading out. Móló opens with taut, mid-paced electronics, distorted guitar is added, giving the song an Industrial feel.
The song has a very strong electronic melody running through most of it, even in a harsh section with driving aggressive Guitars and harsh vocals, before the electronic return for a soft and gentle ending. A Kupolaváros Titka is a great piece of mellow, piano based Jazz (MMmmm Nice!). The track also boasts a Saxophone solo (MMmmmeven Nicer!). Kiscsikó (Irénke Dala) is a Heavy Metal Polka with Trumpets, and is as amazing as that sounds. Piros-Sárga is a taut and simple piece of Progressive Metal, it features a Hammond (or similar) organ, a great synth riff and is a fantastic piece of uncomplicated metal. Title track (sort of) Vadak (Az Atváltozás Rítusai) starts as a huge piece of driving Progressive Metal, it then drifts into soft piano led Jazz, strings are added to make this lusher than lush with a Violin solo and then we get some brass instruments to add to the amazing Jazz.
The track then takes a turn back towards the Metal for big ending. Zúzmara is the final track on the album. It is very gentle and melodic keyboards with another stunning vocal performance from Martina Horváth. It is a simple, minimal and exquisitely beautiful way to end the album. Vadek is a stunning album. It has the distinctive sound that makes Thy Catafalque instantly recognisable, but at the same time does not sound as if Tomás is repeating himself. This album has its own personality that is different from his other albums. The huge melodies that are featured all over this album stick in your head, and will be hummed to distraction. The complexity is really impressive, but what is even more impressive is the way that that complexity is smoothed out into a whole that is coherent and cogent. So, to answer my earlier question; No, Tomás has not dropped the ball, Thy Catafalque have produced yet another amazing album. Highly Recommended. 9/10
Urne - Serpent And Spirit (Candlelight Records) [Paul Scoble]
Urne are a three piece based in London. Two of the members have risen, Phoenix like, from the ashes of Hang The Bastard; Joe Nally on Bass and Vocals and guitarist Angus Neyra. The pair of former band mates are joined on Drums by Richard Wiltshire and have been making music together since 2018, in that time the band have released one EP, in 2018’s The Mountain Of Gold. Serpent And Spirit in the bands first album. Urne’s sound is a mix of different flavours of Heavy Metal, from huge and heavy doom to fast hardcorey thrash. The album opens with the title track, Serpent And Spirit, which has some fantastic Queen like Guitar harmonies before going into some very heavy, sludgy Doom, the song has a very melodic chorus with some clean singing and is a great mid-paced start to the album. Next up comes The Palace Of Devils And Wolves, which has a faster and very purposeful feel to it, this is like mid-paced thrash, in fact the track is quite similar to Executioner’s Tax by Power Trip.
Urne are a three piece based in London. Two of the members have risen, Phoenix like, from the ashes of Hang The Bastard; Joe Nally on Bass and Vocals and guitarist Angus Neyra. The pair of former band mates are joined on Drums by Richard Wiltshire and have been making music together since 2018, in that time the band have released one EP, in 2018’s The Mountain Of Gold. Serpent And Spirit in the bands first album. Urne’s sound is a mix of different flavours of Heavy Metal, from huge and heavy doom to fast hardcorey thrash. The album opens with the title track, Serpent And Spirit, which has some fantastic Queen like Guitar harmonies before going into some very heavy, sludgy Doom, the song has a very melodic chorus with some clean singing and is a great mid-paced start to the album. Next up comes The Palace Of Devils And Wolves, which has a faster and very purposeful feel to it, this is like mid-paced thrash, in fact the track is quite similar to Executioner’s Tax by Power Trip.
Memorial is slower than the previous track, but is also purposeful and driving, although in some places it feels like the tempo is a little too slow and it comes across as a little plodding. The song also boasts a very impressive Guitar Solo. Next we get Moon And Sky, which feels expansive and huge, the track has a very good chorus that is a little bit grungy. The song gets much faster and thrashier nearer the end, for a nice blasting conclusion. Desolate Heart is a cracking piece of Hardcorey Thrash, it has a slower but still powerful chorus and a very good Guitar solo. Envy The Dead is a short blast of driving Sludge, before a chorus that is Grungy and similar to Alice In Chains. Memorial - Sing Me To Rest takes its time getting going with a strummed into and soft vocals, the track builds and feels expansive. In the second half of the song the band adds some Tremolo picked riffs that feel very Post Black Metal, and this is combined with some Blasting to make probably the most interesting track on the album.
Serpent And Spirit comes to an end with the song A Tomb So Frail, which has a very soft and quiet intro, before blasting into some savage crossover Thrash, which is then juxtaposed with some slower passages with clean vocals, before a very heavy and pounding ending, bringing the song and the album to a very pleasing end. Serpent And Spirit is a great album, the fact that it is a debut makes this even more impressive. There is a slight issue with some of the pacing, but apart from that this is all very well written and performed. There are a lot of different styles of Metal morphed together on this album, and the way they have moved from one to the other, without it ever feeling jarring or forced is an achievement, personally I’d like to hear them expand on the Post Black Metal style they use on Memorial - Sing Me To Rest, but however they chose to develop their sound, I’d be very keen to hear what this band does next. 7/10
Deathchant - Waste (RidingEasy Records) [Matt Bladen]
L.A quartet Deathchant play noisy, droning proto-metal which is thick in psychedelic explorations. Across 33 minutes and 7 songs, Waste is a soundtrack to a outlaw motorbike film that hasn't come out yet. Kicking out the jams with the twin leads of Lizzy opening Rails you're knuckled down for some riffs and echoed vocals, you may start thinking that you're in for a load of big NWOBHM anthems and if you just listened to Gallows and Holy Roller but the transitions between the songs such as on the evocative Black Dirt or the punk rock thrust of the Motorhead sounding title track. Deathchant improvise a lot of their music but they aren't in the vibe of Gov't Mule no Waste is an album that has more akin to The Sword with Maker fully amped up stoner rocker to close things out. Deathchant rock out with lots of different sounds like punk, grunge and heavy psych as well. Play it loud with your Harley ready to go. 7/10
Deathchant - Waste (RidingEasy Records) [Matt Bladen]
L.A quartet Deathchant play noisy, droning proto-metal which is thick in psychedelic explorations. Across 33 minutes and 7 songs, Waste is a soundtrack to a outlaw motorbike film that hasn't come out yet. Kicking out the jams with the twin leads of Lizzy opening Rails you're knuckled down for some riffs and echoed vocals, you may start thinking that you're in for a load of big NWOBHM anthems and if you just listened to Gallows and Holy Roller but the transitions between the songs such as on the evocative Black Dirt or the punk rock thrust of the Motorhead sounding title track. Deathchant improvise a lot of their music but they aren't in the vibe of Gov't Mule no Waste is an album that has more akin to The Sword with Maker fully amped up stoner rocker to close things out. Deathchant rock out with lots of different sounds like punk, grunge and heavy psych as well. Play it loud with your Harley ready to go. 7/10
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