October 2006 Archives
CD, Candlelight Records 2006
Track list: Earth Erasure - Post-Apocalyptic Wastelands - Interloper - Desert Messiah - Sowers of Discord - The Axiom Depicted
Axiom is a curious batch of extreme metal with all sorts of tricks involved. The roots are in black metal, but the tree branches out to progressive metal and whatnot. It takes few rounds to get your head around it all, but I've enjoyed it since. I wouldn't mind if they improved the vocals, though; now the distorted vocals are sparse and feel a bit pasted-on. Proper, well-sung vocals would've made a huge difference here. ****
CD, Fear Dark Records 2005
Track list: From Out of the Mist We Came Forth - Call to Arms - Mortal Serenity - On the Eve of Battle - Besieged - The Spoils of Treason - Thunder of War - Black Raven Death - Desertion - Under a Moonlit Sky
Slechtvalk is a black/dark metal band; musically, it's black metal alright, but the lyrical concepts lean to epic power metal with all the glory of the medieval warfare. The whole blast works pretty well - there are real musical highlights, like Besieged. The clean vocals are a bit clumsy and the song-writing isn't top-notch throughout the album, but still: a decent album. ****
CD, Moribund Records 2006
Track list: Intro - Fragments - The Funeral Rain - Winter Lights - Pantings in a Gallery - Labyrinthine - Thorns - Insects - Her Demons - A Once Great Man - Outro - En ring til aa herske (Burzum) - The Heavens Drop with Human Gore (Judas Iscariot) - I Filled with Woes the Passing Wind (Judas Iscariot)
Here we have a cult classic of sorts. The album has been lying in the Moribund archives for ten years, but now it has seen the day of light again. I Shalt Become is a follower of Burzum; the style is the same, dismal and depressive hypnotic monotony. It's executed well enough to lift I Shalt Become from being just another copycat. Despite thelack of sound quality and the rough edges of some of the tracks, Wanderings is a fine album for the fans of suicidally depressive black metal, and now there's even three appropriate covers as bonus tracks. ****
CD, Moribund Records 2006
Track list: Intro (Passing) - Fragments of Wisdom - Tale of Prophecy - Throne of the Gods - Malignant Spirits - Ancient Symbolism - Descension Human Weakness - Golden Columns - The End of Times - Outro (Irae)
Fear of Eternity is an Italian one-man band focused on creating gloomy atmosphere. While the music has a background in black metal, the guitars are toned low and the horror-film synths and organs take the spotlight. The vocals are a disgusting (in a good sense) growl, which is a direct nod to black metal. The atmosphere is indeed dark, but otherwise this is not my cup of tea and I'm quite sure I'm in majority here. Check this out if you know you'll like it. **
CD, Fear Dark Records 2006
Track list: Welcome - Evil - Ignore - Not Quite Right - Consequence (of abusing human weakness) - Silence - Freakshow - Paths and Crossroads - Högmod - Your Master - Mind Numbing Crap - Past the Horizon - Bring Me Water - A New Day
Swedish Taketh plays technical death metal with thrashy and even some small black metal influences. I like the way they've kept their songs short, around three minute mark, but there are few too many. More variety would've been necessary. I think they could also use a better vocalist. Now the result is fairly mediocre, to be honest, but at their best, Taketh really shines. ***
