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Written by Sameerah
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Sunday, 18 October 2009 |
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Sudakra Crogacht 4.0 Just when I thought the world of Folk Metal couldn't get any more interesting than what it is, Suidakra drops Crogacht. An album that expands on their Celtic style adding heavier riffs and melodies to the lilting wave of traditional instruments. After 13 years in the game they have approached this album with a renewed energy and ferocity that is fucking amazing. While they have always worked with bagpipes, Crogacht finds them working with even more traditional instruments. Taking their signature Celtic sound and making it bolder as they scream war tunes. The cherry on top is their bringing in a choir to do backing vox on a few trax. Sometimes a bands sound tends to get lost by adding a classical choir. But Sudiakara doesn't let them steal the show. Using them just enough to enough to give things a little extra but never letting them take over the bands vision for what they want the song to be. Sudakara brings their A game for Crogahct. Shit like this is why they have been around for 14 years and will be here for another 14!
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 November -1 )
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Written by Sameerah
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Sunday, 18 October 2009 |
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Esoteric The Maniacal Vale Season of Mists 3.0 It took awhile to sort out exactly what Esoteric was going for when I first started listening to The Maniacal Vale. More than a bit of time of spent straining to hear some kind of coherent moment. A cohesive thread to bring it all together. But as the days went on it was the albums lack of focus that made it endearing. The Maniacal Vale is filled with heavy eerie soundscapes that bring to mind doom laden images consumed by chaos. They lift the darkness a bit by incorporating softer more progressive keyboards to their intricate heavy riffs. The Maniacal Vale is more than just a heavy album. Its heavy and cerebral, you're constantly thinking, wondering and exploring when you listen to it. If not about what the band is trying to get across, then its whats going on in your own twisted mind.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 November -1 )
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Written by Sameerah
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Wednesday, 14 October 2009 |
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Criminal Intents Morning Star Metropolis 3.0 By the time I was five or six trax into Morning Star I found myself getting annoyed as fuck. In particular with the track Digital Generation. It has a dated sound that reminds me of the mid 90's. A time that had its moments but not a place that needs to be revisited, if we're going to be honest here. A song made doubly annoying because of its misplaced anger. One of those songs that screams angrily that the digital generation has arrived and isn't going anywhere blah blah blah. Such a weird angry song because anyone with half a brain knows the digital age is now a main stay of society so I don't know what it is that they are going on about with Digital Warrior. After getting past a few rough start tracks I began to soften a bit on Morning Star. As I had to admit to myself that I have been listening to shit for so long I was becoming a bit of a music snob and not enjoying a band like Criminal Intents for what they are. A good time. Once I stopped looking for the substance behind their style the album got better and I could once again appreciate what good programming skills and a remix can do. The KMFDM remix of Lost is a rellay solid mix adding the trademarked KMFDM guitar riffs to a song that may otherwise end up too dark and dreary in a slit your wrist kind of way. The Spiritual Cover Version of Can You Imagine is where they really shine. Mixing charming French Accordions and Tubas into the songs beginning before turns into a weeping mass of chaos with the Bang Your Head mix. So if you can manage to just listen to Morning Star for fun this is an album to enjoy. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 November -1 )
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In the Consallation of the Black Witch |
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Written by Sameerah
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Wednesday, 14 October 2009 |
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Anaal Nathrakh In the Consallation of the Black Witch Candlelight Records 2.5 When I first sat down and give this album a listen I thought that imposable had happened. That I had finally reached my limit with the beloved and sometimes bemoaned Death Metal growls. And was beginning to get a bit sad. By the time I gave it another listen I realized that it wasn't my having a bad day and that this album is just bad. The vox are so hyper produced and raspy that you have almost no hope of capturing what the fuck they are talking about at any given moment. You're left wondering why someone would intentionally leave their album so hard to decipher. But then you get to one of the trax where they mix in some vocal harmonies and then you realize that the vox just aren't good. Where the voices should blend things are a flat and lifeless. Just when you're getting over the shock of how bad the harmonies are they fall back to the reptile screaming. So high pitched and pointless it can cause even the most hardened Metal fan to wince in pain. Musically they seem to only know one or two sets of riffs. Which they use them with reckless abandon. It gets to a point where everything sounds the same. A screaming bleeding mess that goes absolutely no where. These guys are going back to a drawing board and reworking this from the ground up. The only thing these guys are good at thus far is creating melody. And there are some great ones worked in there too bad you have to wade through a bunch of noisy shite to get to it |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 November -1 )
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Revelations of the Black Flame |
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Written by Sameerah
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Wednesday, 14 October 2009 |
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1349 Revelations of the Black Flame Candlelight Records 3.0 When a band has been around as long as 1349 has, you begin to develop certain expectations. You expect them to put together something thats solid. A singular voice with something to say. Even if they are sticking to something as well worn as their dedication to Old Scratch, you expect them to add some kind of awesome to familar material. Almost none of these things happen on 1349's Revelations of the Black Flame. Musically it definately lives up to the standard that they have set for themselves over the years. Its solid Black Metal filled with heavy riffs and thick blast beats. Which prove nothing more than these guys can play.Something we already knew. There are a few places one the album that are annoying boarding on insulting. On the track Maggot Fetus, the title alone is annoying. After being in the game this long why does 1349 still feel that they have to rely on shock value to get our attention? Its the kind of move you expect for a bullshit band that barely knows their way around a drum kit trying to sell records. But coming from a decent band with a following, its insulting and the fans expect better. Revelations of the Black Flame is decent at best but is nothing to get excited about.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 November -1 )
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