Sonata Arctica, Turisas and Children Of Bosom jamming together as the ultimate expression of the Nordic heavy metal scene, that's how I would describe Reset The Sky the fantastic debut album from Ice Exiled. It's full of folk, thrash, electronica, classical, power and melodeath, fused together brilliantly. I mean brilliantly as Reset The Sky grabbed me and didn't let go from the first chords.
Those first chords are acoustic scrubbing which shifts into triumphant folk metal, the drumming of Ville Nummisalo and vocals of Miika Matilainen immediately drawing the Sonata Arctica comparisons, but then his voice turns to a growl with ease and it's Turisas. This influence also coming from using Veikko Sajaniemi's cello as a prominent instrument in the same way Turisas used violin.
Even when they fully embrace death metal on Civilisation Zero, the cello takes the leads as Oskari Kilpi's guitars and Roger Gottleben's bass gallop with melodeath speed. Starting life as Archares in 2016, the played gigs and then during the pandemic they became Ice Exiled, wrote the songs on this album and signed to Inverse Records.
They've defined themselves with all the best parts of their Finnish metal scene, performing songs with passionate theatricality and instrumental technicality, both feature on Bloodfeud which plays with duality Oskari Kilpi adding piano to an already broad soundscape. Reaper's Feast on the other hand pairs melodic death metal with electronic pulses, The Satellite (We Call Home) closing the album with a groovy jazz section and slinky guitar solo. Every part of Reset The Sky just hits right, Finnish metal at it's best. I loved every minute of it. 9/10
Burn Down Eden - Epiphany (Seek And Strike) [Mark Young]
Following on from the release of Dismal earlier this year Burn Down Eden close the year out with what is the companion piece, Epiphany. The beauty is that this can be consumed as a stand-alone set of songs or together with Dismal as a full-length release (you can name it yourself – this comment is not provided by the band). I think this is a clever way to go to work and I guess that it means that the band can really focus on making sure that their material is the strongest it can be.
So, it is quite heartening that this collection literally explodes into action, as Epistrophy comes in amongst a flurry of blasts and melodic guitar that settles into a rapid arrangement. And it is rapid, urgent and is a blast of an opener and although there a more measured tempo on Fake News For Breakfast it’s still a breathless affair.
Following on from the release of Dismal earlier this year Burn Down Eden close the year out with what is the companion piece, Epiphany. The beauty is that this can be consumed as a stand-alone set of songs or together with Dismal as a full-length release (you can name it yourself – this comment is not provided by the band). I think this is a clever way to go to work and I guess that it means that the band can really focus on making sure that their material is the strongest it can be.
So, it is quite heartening that this collection literally explodes into action, as Epistrophy comes in amongst a flurry of blasts and melodic guitar that settles into a rapid arrangement. And it is rapid, urgent and is a blast of an opener and although there a more measured tempo on Fake News For Breakfast it’s still a breathless affair.
Looking back to their bio, they promised something a little darker, something groovy but generally heavy. This is this song right here. I’m not suggesting that it is wholly original, but there is something in the way they do it which makes it swing. I love those songs that have that constant forward motion that pulls you along in its wake.
Tears Of Persephone sees more of a melodic approach, it still has its rapid moments, but these sit side by side with some cracking guitar work, mixing in the technical amongst the aggression. There are times in it where it pulls in opposite directions which wrongfoots but they right that course and as it winds down, they throw in some whammy abuse which is always welcome.
Tears Of Persephone sees more of a melodic approach, it still has its rapid moments, but these sit side by side with some cracking guitar work, mixing in the technical amongst the aggression. There are times in it where it pulls in opposite directions which wrongfoots but they right that course and as it winds down, they throw in some whammy abuse which is always welcome.
Burn Down Eden brings the kitchen sink as they throw everything together – slow/fast/melodic flourishes all whilst the drums are firing. It’s a logical progression of ideas that started on Epistrophy, those melody lines are supreme on here, and that movement I spoke of earlier is also here in terms of how the songs get better and for me this is the pinnacle of their efforts on this.
Suckbox is a monster and is a storming way to close this EP down. If Burn Down Eden was missing, then this would have been my favourite track. The meshing of the brutal and technical is spot on and I get a little Arch Enemy in here in how the lead breaks are put together, which is no bad thing. Going back to my opening comments, I believe that they have succeeded in what they set out to do with this release.
Suckbox is a monster and is a storming way to close this EP down. If Burn Down Eden was missing, then this would have been my favourite track. The meshing of the brutal and technical is spot on and I get a little Arch Enemy in here in how the lead breaks are put together, which is no bad thing. Going back to my opening comments, I believe that they have succeeded in what they set out to do with this release.
It’s tight, super focused and each track does a little more than the one before it. There are no weak tracks on this, and by having it at EP length they don’t overstay their welcome at all. It offers a lot within its 5 tracks and is well worth your time. 8/10
Denigrate - To The Goddess Unknown (Inverse Records) [Matt Bladen]
The fourth album from Finnish doom metal band Denigrate doesn't differ wildly from their three previous offerings but change is overrated right? Denigrate play mid 90's doom/death, basically doom metal with harsh vocals, the sort of music spearheaded by the "Peaceville Three", but made more popular by the Scandinavians.
So these Finns aren't copyists they were formed in '96 so are contemporaries to My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost as well as Sentenced a band they share a lot of with in both music and location. With the low cleans and raw harsh vocals there's a maudlin approach that screams of melancholy and depression.
To The Goddess Unknown is only the fourth album, the band favouring quality over quantity, between a hiatus, line up changes and all the rigmarole to that goes with a band in their 30-odd year history. From the heavy Crystal Rest to the gothic The Ethics Of Loss, the anthemic The Apparition Of One, and the orchestral Sesame And Lilies, it's In The Light that for me is the best track here.
The way the vocals shift from remorseful cleans to demonic growls against the introspective but driving riff it's a true showcase of Denigrate as a band. For this song alone To The Goddess Unknown scores highly, for fans of Scandinavian doom/death it's a a great album. 8/10
Old Forest - Graveside (Soulseller Records) [Mark Young]
I may have said this before, but black metal is not what I would normally choose as my typical listening choice. So, If I come across something that I like in this genre, I really like it. Obviously, the opposite applies.
The fourth album from Finnish doom metal band Denigrate doesn't differ wildly from their three previous offerings but change is overrated right? Denigrate play mid 90's doom/death, basically doom metal with harsh vocals, the sort of music spearheaded by the "Peaceville Three", but made more popular by the Scandinavians.
So these Finns aren't copyists they were formed in '96 so are contemporaries to My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost as well as Sentenced a band they share a lot of with in both music and location. With the low cleans and raw harsh vocals there's a maudlin approach that screams of melancholy and depression.
To The Goddess Unknown is only the fourth album, the band favouring quality over quantity, between a hiatus, line up changes and all the rigmarole to that goes with a band in their 30-odd year history. From the heavy Crystal Rest to the gothic The Ethics Of Loss, the anthemic The Apparition Of One, and the orchestral Sesame And Lilies, it's In The Light that for me is the best track here.
The way the vocals shift from remorseful cleans to demonic growls against the introspective but driving riff it's a true showcase of Denigrate as a band. For this song alone To The Goddess Unknown scores highly, for fans of Scandinavian doom/death it's a a great album. 8/10
Old Forest - Graveside (Soulseller Records) [Mark Young]
I may have said this before, but black metal is not what I would normally choose as my typical listening choice. So, If I come across something that I like in this genre, I really like it. Obviously, the opposite applies.
Old Forest are another band that has flown under my radar and as a result I’m going in blind. On this it is about re-affirmation of direction, at least according to their PR and based on how it sounds I’m inclined to agree. Comparing it to other releases this year, it doesn’t have the same ‘shine’ to it, nor does it feel the need to embrace a more modern sound.
This is a throwback to a simpler time where you knew what you were going to get just by looking at the cover and the song titles. This is confirmed as soon as Curse Of Wampyr kicks in with what I consider to be a classic black metal attack – everything hitting at a 100mph with a healthy dose of atmosphere provided by keys which fills the air. So far, so good but what I had a problem with was the clean vocals that pop up as it navigates its way to the end.
The traditional metal vocals are suitably black and give it that boost in speed. Witch Spawn is cut from that cloth that sees them lean into a gothic-horror theme, the organ giving the arrangement that extra oomph. What it does well Is nail those urgent razor blade riffs, the frantic nature of the music doesn’t affect how these accompanying keys land. Simply put, everything meshes well and no one part overshadows the others. Remember those cleans I didn’t like?
They resurface on Solstice Sacrifice and immediately annoy. I appreciate that they are there as backing but they do nothing to make the song better. This shows that they can put together a slower arrangement that still lands well, but those cleans, for me they just don’t fit. Interment Of Ashes is our instrumental interlude, and how well you will like this depends solely on how you like your instrumental music (if you like it at all).
For me, dropping an interlude after three songs doesn’t work, it breaks up any momentum and reduces my engagement with it. Decrepit Melancholy starts with those cleans now taking a more prominent role. I’m going to come out and say it: It feels like an attempt at humour. I’m probably wrong, but putting this to one side, it has a cracking rhythm pattern to it, with speed breaks that come in to shake it up.
Luckily the proper vocals come in and start battering you as the song, now picking up speed like a train starts to move you. Halfway Human continues in that vein, gradually building and building in both tempo and atmosphere and we are now back on track until Soil Of The Martyrs dabbles in those cleans again, undoing the sterling work done by the traditional vocals. Indeed, there is a stunning break where they pull back and quietly drop a wonderful lead break that just fits it so well.
They bring back the epic for Forgotten Graves, coming in off the back of a massive opening arrangement. This is more like it, guitar lines that are constantly moving against a visceral vocal delivery. Great riffs and a pearlier of an arrangement. A full album of this would have been spectacular, and I have to say that had they dropped the cleans then I would have given them a higher rating. There are great songs on here and others might dig it more than me, but I cannot get past how those cleans affected it for me. 6/10
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