Below - Upon a Pale Horse
In 2011, Below was formed in Sweden and in 2014 the critically acclaimed full-length, Across the Dark River, was released. Now they are back with Upon a Pale Horse. The album showcases an epic, heavy and dark style of doom. Think late Black Sabbath, Candlemass, King Diamond but with vocals that remind me of Michael Kiske or Geoff Tate. After a short intro, the album features 7 songs in 47 minutes. The first being "Disappearing Into Nothing" which opens with an Iommi-like riff, several power metal moments and fantastic vocal performance from Mr. Zeb. "The Coven" is slower and beautiful, a King Diamond homage. The title track is the longest with 9:40, a slow tempo classic doom song. "Suffer In Silence" is the most traditional metal song of the album, it's here that the parallel to Queensryche can be argued. After the acoustic intro "Hours Of Darkness" enters a super slow riff followed by a very moody and melodic vocal line. "1000 Broken Bones" is the second rocker with its faster tempo and NWOBHM riff, it's a banger. The album closes with the epic doom "We Are All Slaves", the second longest track with 8:40. I really enjoyed this album, tight song writing, catchy songs, fantastic vocals, and awesome doom riffs. All packaged with a very good production and dynamic mix. A top traditional doom album (of the year?).
Tombs - The Grand Annihilation
It's black metal, sludge, death metal, post-punk...no, it's not messy or schizophrenic, this is actually Tombs new record, their 4th studio album. A concise and impressively executed genre mix resulting in one of the best extreme metal albums of the year. The first 3 songs are mostly back metal and sludge, but "November wolves" slowly integrates post-punk vocals into it while still sounding like Enslaved, very interesting. Even more so because it leads perfectly into "Underneath" which is even more post-punk with a slow beat and clean deep dark vocals. But then the "Way of the storm" returns to pure black metal. The next 3 shorter tracks continue the same mix of genres leading to the final song, the sludge "Temple of Mars". Overall a fantastic album, the 49 min and 10 songs flow seamlessly. I do appreciate the very well written and executed genre mix and the variability of the sounds, making The Grand Annihilation one of my favorites of the year so far.
Leprous - Malina
With their fifth studio album, the Norwegian progressive metal band dives into a post rock sound (and dare I say more accessible) a path . While I haven't spent enough time with their previous releases, Malina caught my attention. I enjoyed the whole album but it does extend its welcome and gets a bit too soft at moments. The first 5 songs form a very strong sequence that got me sold on the album half way through it.
Temple Of Void - Lords of Death
Every now and then I find myself hypnotized by an extreme metal album while not being able to put my finger on exactly the reasons why. It's anyway, a fantastic feeling. That has been exactly the case with Lords of Death by Temple Of Void. The quintet from Detroit describe themselves as "ToV harkens back to the somber sound of early British doom, while channeling the energy and devastation of old school American death metal." I can't argue with that!
Cormorant - Diaspora
Cormorant is a progressive black/death metal band from the Bay Area formed in 2007. Diaspora is not an easy listen. With only 4 songs in one hour, the listener is challenged to pay full attention to this progressive and beyond genre boundaries work of art. The band is rooted in black metal, mainly due to the dominant vocals, but even there death vocals and clean singing are heard at points. The group however is much more than black metal, they have been known to incorporate jazz, progressive rock, death metal and folk elements to their music. Diaspora requires a considerable investment from the listener to appreciate it fully, but it is worth it! A diverse and dynamic artistic masterpiece.
Dying Fetus - Wrong One To Fuck With
This is the eighth studio album by this American death metal band and it took 5 years since their last studio album. Wrong One To Fuck With is a very consistent album with no surprises for those who know the band. There's groove, technicality and brutality well mixed by one of the most brutal Death Metal bands out there. From the first second to the final 10th tittle track, we are hammered with crushing drums and super technical, fast and heavy riffs. Great extreme metal album, but a bit too long.
Orden Ogan - Gunmen
Gunmen is not a great album and it falls short compared to 2015's Ravenhead. But it's still a very capable and enjoyable album for Power Metal fans. It starts and finishes very well, but there are ups and downs in the mid sections. Orden Ogan continues to be consistent with their sound based on epic German melodic metal (think Blind Guardian) with folk, symphonic and elements of modern metal into their sound. If you are not into this genre or band, that's not the way to start, but for the lovers, it is worth checking it.
Accept - The Rise of Chaos
More of the same. There are no surprises with Accept. Already on the 4th album with Mark Tornillo, guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and band deliver another solid traditional metal album full of killer riffs, melodies and big choruses under a very polished production from Andy Sneap. While being its strength, the consistency is also its weakness. By the half of the album, it gets way too repetitive. Luckily it closes strongly with "Race to Extinction".
Decapitated - Anticult
One of the most well known bands from Poland, Decapitated is releasing their 7th studio album. 3 years after Blood Mantra which I liked a lot. Decapitated is one of those bands that doesn't want to "release the same album again". Consequently their sound has been evolving from a pure technical death metal by incorporating elements from Pantera (already done in the last album) and now Anticult has Meshuggah and Gojira influences all over the place. As always, this evolution seems to be polarizing fans and critics. I think it works and I appreciate what they are trying here. The album has an addictive groove, and fantastic guitar work, "Kill the Cult" being the most prominent example. Besides the musicianship and songwriting, the album is very well produced and sounds great. I also love the art cover. So where the complains come from? I don't get it. If pure tech death metal is what you want, there is no lack of bands doing that sound.
Iced Earth - Incorruptible
This is such a difficult album for me to review because IE is one of my all time favorite bands. Hence I have high expectations and tend to be very critical. With that said, let's get to it. Incorruptible is the 12th album from Iced Earth and already the third with Stu Block on vocals and the first with the fantastic Jake Dreyer on lead guitars. This is pure IE as you would expect, no frills and no surprises. 8 straight forward tracks, one instrumental ("Ghost Dance") and an good epic closer. While I like the first half of the album, the second half sound a bit uninspired. One highlight is singer Mr. Block. He uses more his range and incorporates his personal style instead of mimicking his predecessor, "Seven Headed Whore" being a clear example. This song and "The Relic (Part 1)" also display Mr. Dreyer shredding capabilities, a very good addition to the line-up. I hope Dreyer can contribute with song writing and spice things up a little in the next album. While Incorruptible is a better album than the previous release, it sounds a bit "fabricated" and almost recycling ideas from IE classic albums. WIth that said, as a fan, there's a lot to enjoy here.
Tombs - The Grand Annihilation
It's black metal, sludge, death metal, post-punk...no, it's not messy or schizophrenic, this is actually Tombs new record, their 4th studio album. A concise and impressively executed genre mix resulting in one of the best extreme metal albums of the year. The first 3 songs are mostly back metal and sludge, but "November wolves" slowly integrates post-punk vocals into it while still sounding like Enslaved, very interesting. Even more so because it leads perfectly into "Underneath" which is even more post-punk with a slow beat and clean deep dark vocals. But then the "Way of the storm" returns to pure black metal. The next 3 shorter tracks continue the same mix of genres leading to the final song, the sludge "Temple of Mars". Overall a fantastic album, the 49 min and 10 songs flow seamlessly. I do appreciate the very well written and executed genre mix and the variability of the sounds, making The Grand Annihilation one of my favorites of the year so far.
Leprous - Malina
With their fifth studio album, the Norwegian progressive metal band dives into a post rock sound (and dare I say more accessible) a path . While I haven't spent enough time with their previous releases, Malina caught my attention. I enjoyed the whole album but it does extend its welcome and gets a bit too soft at moments. The first 5 songs form a very strong sequence that got me sold on the album half way through it.
Temple Of Void - Lords of Death
Every now and then I find myself hypnotized by an extreme metal album while not being able to put my finger on exactly the reasons why. It's anyway, a fantastic feeling. That has been exactly the case with Lords of Death by Temple Of Void. The quintet from Detroit describe themselves as "ToV harkens back to the somber sound of early British doom, while channeling the energy and devastation of old school American death metal." I can't argue with that!
Cormorant - Diaspora
Cormorant is a progressive black/death metal band from the Bay Area formed in 2007. Diaspora is not an easy listen. With only 4 songs in one hour, the listener is challenged to pay full attention to this progressive and beyond genre boundaries work of art. The band is rooted in black metal, mainly due to the dominant vocals, but even there death vocals and clean singing are heard at points. The group however is much more than black metal, they have been known to incorporate jazz, progressive rock, death metal and folk elements to their music. Diaspora requires a considerable investment from the listener to appreciate it fully, but it is worth it! A diverse and dynamic artistic masterpiece.
Dying Fetus - Wrong One To Fuck With
This is the eighth studio album by this American death metal band and it took 5 years since their last studio album. Wrong One To Fuck With is a very consistent album with no surprises for those who know the band. There's groove, technicality and brutality well mixed by one of the most brutal Death Metal bands out there. From the first second to the final 10th tittle track, we are hammered with crushing drums and super technical, fast and heavy riffs. Great extreme metal album, but a bit too long.
Orden Ogan - Gunmen
Gunmen is not a great album and it falls short compared to 2015's Ravenhead. But it's still a very capable and enjoyable album for Power Metal fans. It starts and finishes very well, but there are ups and downs in the mid sections. Orden Ogan continues to be consistent with their sound based on epic German melodic metal (think Blind Guardian) with folk, symphonic and elements of modern metal into their sound. If you are not into this genre or band, that's not the way to start, but for the lovers, it is worth checking it.
Accept - The Rise of Chaos
More of the same. There are no surprises with Accept. Already on the 4th album with Mark Tornillo, guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and band deliver another solid traditional metal album full of killer riffs, melodies and big choruses under a very polished production from Andy Sneap. While being its strength, the consistency is also its weakness. By the half of the album, it gets way too repetitive. Luckily it closes strongly with "Race to Extinction".
Decapitated - Anticult
One of the most well known bands from Poland, Decapitated is releasing their 7th studio album. 3 years after Blood Mantra which I liked a lot. Decapitated is one of those bands that doesn't want to "release the same album again". Consequently their sound has been evolving from a pure technical death metal by incorporating elements from Pantera (already done in the last album) and now Anticult has Meshuggah and Gojira influences all over the place. As always, this evolution seems to be polarizing fans and critics. I think it works and I appreciate what they are trying here. The album has an addictive groove, and fantastic guitar work, "Kill the Cult" being the most prominent example. Besides the musicianship and songwriting, the album is very well produced and sounds great. I also love the art cover. So where the complains come from? I don't get it. If pure tech death metal is what you want, there is no lack of bands doing that sound.
Iced Earth - Incorruptible
This is such a difficult album for me to review because IE is one of my all time favorite bands. Hence I have high expectations and tend to be very critical. With that said, let's get to it. Incorruptible is the 12th album from Iced Earth and already the third with Stu Block on vocals and the first with the fantastic Jake Dreyer on lead guitars. This is pure IE as you would expect, no frills and no surprises. 8 straight forward tracks, one instrumental ("Ghost Dance") and an good epic closer. While I like the first half of the album, the second half sound a bit uninspired. One highlight is singer Mr. Block. He uses more his range and incorporates his personal style instead of mimicking his predecessor, "Seven Headed Whore" being a clear example. This song and "The Relic (Part 1)" also display Mr. Dreyer shredding capabilities, a very good addition to the line-up. I hope Dreyer can contribute with song writing and spice things up a little in the next album. While Incorruptible is a better album than the previous release, it sounds a bit "fabricated" and almost recycling ideas from IE classic albums. WIth that said, as a fan, there's a lot to enjoy here.
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