Slave One – An Abstract and Metaphysical Approach To Deceit (2017) – The latest EP from French death metallers Slave One actually sounds more like blackened death, if you want me to be honest – and that’s actually a good thing. The same can be said about the band’s decision to record a cover of Dimmu Borgir’s “Blessings Upon The Throne Of Tyranny” which definitely helped to cement their evolution. The press info equated the act to Death and Cynic which I can discern from the promo itself, but there’s definitely a good hunk of black metal here and mixed in with the death and prog shenanigans; which appealed greatly to my ears. Starting off with “Tunguska” we’re introduced to some rather odd background melodies, which entail a little bit of technicality in addition to frighteningly thick vocals and machine-gun drums. They even opted for a solo here, which then suddenly rolls right into a bit of oriental folk. Clearly these guys are on the experimental side of the spectrum, even if the guitar melodies can sound a little electronic for some reason (I can’t seem to figure out what the reasoning behind that is) although I love the chants, and this is only the first song. As you might confer, Slave One are kind of a kitchen sink act, but at least they’ve kept it consistent. My ears are actually quite pleased and I find that I’m largely entertained by the product as a whole. The next cut, “Through Illuminated Void and Meditative Resonance” takes a slightly different approach, though it remains just as excitingly technical as the prior. I’m almost feeling a sort of desert vibe, maybe Egyptian or Sumerian in the rhythms here. Then the piece enters into atmosphere wherein a ritual silence is observed. Obvious Behemoth/Hate influences are recognized, but I definitely feel that Slave One are in a league of their own here and wouldn’t dare say that they sound just like “Behemoth” and such-like. There’s just so much flowing technicality here that Slave One create their own beast, fronting it heavily with memorable guitar solos as well. Maybe it is a little Nile, especially in this piece – but again, I don’t feel that it is right to compare these guys to anyone other than themselves. Any seasoned metal listener can point out the influences, but it’s how they’re used that make this band really stand out. Moving on, we have the last original cut on the disc titled “Uroboric.” It actually encapsulates a tiny melodic rock lead, which we wouldn’t expect with the fierce drums and equally furious vocals. The track also features a little Cynic-ism here and there, as the guys look for a way to really show off their skills within the blackened/death package. I don’t mind that, as it’s been common for the whole album and I think it would shave off their idenity if they ever dropped it in future recordings. They’re not just another blackened/tech-death act, and you can hear that fairly early on. The bonus track is obviously a Dimmu Borgir cover as I explained earlier. This cover seems to sit more with the blackened/death of the previous three cuts, focusing heavily on the death metal. It even seems like they’ve changed the tremolos a little bit. In the end, I feel that there’s a massive amount of promise on this EP and would definitely recommend that fans of technical blackened/death metal check it out. I’m quite pleased and looking forward to what they’ll do next.
(4 Tracks, 24:00)
8/10
Skognatt – Ancient Wisdom (2017) – German atmospheric black metal mastermind Danijel Zambo is back with another intriguing chapter to the Skognatt saga, which returns back to the folk-influenced black metal that we remember from the band’s demo era. Earlier you might remember that he released an entirely left-field album called Stargazer, which I truly loved. This disc however, seems to pile on the black metal and with a decidedly strong production to boot. The first cut, “Xibalba” opens with familiar tremolos, as well as a bit of middle-eastern inspired acoustics in the background. This is different from his traditional European folk instrumentations present in the band’s demo. Focusing on a hugely chorus influenced approach this time around might not sound like the best idea, but mixing it in with heavily textured song structures is a much better way to sell the performance as a whole. Not only am I getting something that I sing-along with, but I’m receiving a bevy of intersecting pieces that convey an enlightening soundscape aside from the black metal. This style might not come off all that vicious, but it does manage to take Skognatt’s music to a completely new and extremely proficient level. The title track comes next, as it plays further on the middle-eastern vibe explored in the very beginning of the disc. It often seems a waste that the disc only features two cuts, as both are quite strong and would have fit better on a full-length album. If this EP demonstrates anything, it is that the world is ready for a debut album from this fellow. Both tracks here are similar, yet different; and seem to show that Skognatt as an artist is and has been evolving into something more than we normally hear with atmospheric black metal. Instead of going the old folky vibe that several thousand similar black metal artists have pursued in the past, this musician seems to be going into the realms of world music which really seems to beef up his image and vibe as an artist. I’ve become more interested in this artist now, than I ever was, which should say something. The only unfortunate part about this album is that it is just two songs, rather than six or eight. Skognatt is at his best right now, and I’d definitely like to hear more. The disc is quite catchy, yet quite ominous and I couldn’t be more pleased.
(2 Tracks, (10:00)
9/10
Mesmur – S (2017) – The sophomore from international atmospheric death/doomers Mesmur is a much slower-paced, albeit spatial affair that truly seems to take you into the cosmos. In the nature of death/doom, the record features around ten thousand pounds of increasingly slow doom riffs, fronted by waves of potent and sometimes otherworldly melodies. It very much is a melodic doom release, which also benefits greatly from the level of electronics apparent in the last one, though to a much different level. I will be honest though, as I found this one a bit difficult to get into from the start. It comes in at almost a grueling pace, but it decorated just well enough to give me a sort of euphoric feeling, which is sometimes accentuated in the vocal filters. There’s no clean singing here, but said filters can give the vocals a sort of inhuman presence, making the whole thing feel truly (excuse the pun) out of this world. There are four rather large pieces here, each one seeming to be much in the same vein as the last, with the album’s outro appealing the most to me, as it seems to encapsulate one of the most brilliant representations of the surrounding stars, planets and galaxies that I’ve ever heard. Keep in mind, I listened to NASA’s Voyager recordings (and may still have them on my hard-drive somewhere) which show space as a little bit melodic in itself. It almost feels as if we’re all the result of some remarkable tune of cosmic orgasm, by which this performance truly showcases. Mesmur haven’t made a bad album yet, and though I couldn’t grasp onto it in the way that I could the previous, I still would recommend the record for the sake of it’s own creativity and decision to go beyond the common applications found in death/doom, even in the atmospheric realms of it. Mesmur show that they’re not just good at making a death/doom recording, but that they can also illustrate the very stars themselves if given enough time. With a brilliant production value and enough unmistakable melodies flowing through this thing, I’d definitely consider it a solid release. If you’re looking for death/doom that mourns the world above, instead of the one we’re in right now, then I would have to recommend you check out Mesmur’s S. To be honest though, I’m trying to figure out what the “S” stands for. My first guesses were “Space” and “Superman” though I didn’t see the latter described within the disc’s linear notes. Not quite my cup of tea, but I’m sure Bleak Bill would love it. S is just as bleak as I Have No Mouth, But I Must Scream and therein lies the appeal.
(4 Tracks, 52:00)
7/10
Eyes Wide Open – And So It Begins (2017) – These Swedish melodic/deathers have been around for a while, taking as much influence from bands like, Dark Tranquillity In Flames and Soilwork as they have more modern acts like Paint The Sky, Of Mice and Men and others that I’m not all too familiar with and would not really like the chance to be familiar with. To be honest, I don’t recommend that melodeath purists even so much as glance at this album, as it’s going to sound like someone took a perfectly good melodic death disc and ruined it with modernisms. Oh yes, the riffs are there, the melodies are there and the solos are most certainly there. But the punk shouts and other portions born from the core and emo-cultures may not quite be for me. There are times when I listen to this record and see the appeal that it could have to modern listeners, but that just isn’t me. I’ve actually given this one plenty of chances, having listened to it three times before coming to a conclusion and while there are a few songs that I don’t have a problem with, like the opener “Death Of Technology” and “We Reached For The Sky” the majority of this is not my cup of tea. But I will say that from a musical and commercial standpoint, there’s definitely something here that could become a product of sorts and make the band rock stars. If rock was still a popular and viable genre in the mainstream. As I’ve said, it only takes one band to do it, and you never know who that is going to be. Saying little more, this is about as modern as melodic death metal gets; even though it later entertains groove and djent compositions – so there you go. And So It Begins is commercially applicable as can be, but that quality is what might turn some heads away from it quicker than a Limp Bizkit performance. Thankfully, these guys don’t share anything in common with that band and for that I can be thankful. It could always be much worse, and this isn’t really all that terrible – it’s just as I’ve said and will say again, certainly not my thing. If you like modern metal, post-emo and electronic synth metal (I’d prefer Sweden’s Machinae Supremacy in that regard) tied into melodeath, synth and straight-up hard rock, then you might find something here. It’s a bag of tricks, but I don’t believe I’m the intended audience. Are you?
(11 Tracks, 40:00)
6/10
Liv Sin – Follow Me (2017) – Former frontwoman of Swedish hard rockers Sister Sin (who I wasn’t all that big a fan of) Liv Jagrell has spun-off into her own solo effort, which I can positively assure you is not the kind of flowery pop rock that you’d expect. She said that she wanted to it to be metal, and it is metal. There’s bits of thrash, groove and even black metal rolling about here, all done to perfection. Liv’s vocals are quite sharp as well, they cut like a razor on several of the cuts, putting that new Arch Enemy disc to shame. The Will To Flower, I think it was called – but in any case, this is the kind of bad ass Testament/Judas Priest and a little bit Nevermore kind of power/thrash that I was expecting. If “The Fall” didn’t get your attention and you still aren’t feeling anything after “Hypocrite” then I really don’t know what to say as this is more or less what we expect from the genre. In a nutshell, this is metal. Yes, there are clean vocals here, but that’s kind of the point. Liv Sin aren’t death or black metal, they’re closer to the non-extreme but just as hefty origins of the genre and I couldn’t be happier. What’s more, is that Liv’s vocal approach while similar to Jill Janus from Huntress, isn’t quite as obnoxious and actually seems to have quite a bit more bite to it. Jill might be able to soar with greats like Halford and Dickinson, but Liv just sounds far more animalistic and that’s where it counts for me. She was considered one of Revolver’s “Hottest Chicks In Hard Rock” and was even featured on that tour, but you would never expect such a force coming from this tiny woman as I’m being exposed to on this record. It almost brings back the feeling that I got when I first saw Angela Gossow’s debut in Arch Enemy’s “Ravenous” video. If it hasn’t been already established, women can most certainly hold their own in this genre and are showing that they’re just as relevant as dudes have always been. If you for some odd reason still can’t get around females in metal, then once again – I really don’t know what to tell you. They’re not going away anytime soon.
Backed by such a powerful band made up of artists that were previously unknown to the scene before this album, Liv’s vocals meld quite well with the guitar compositions courtesy of Patrick Ankermark and Christoffer Bertzell, who both offer loads of melodic firepower, nearly creating the same atmosphere responsible for melodic death metal. Though keep in mind, there aren’t any growls on this thing – and there doesn’t need to be. She’s frantic enough on the vocals, whether they pump into groove or go straight Judas Priest. It doesn’t matter, because every bit of it delivers. Even when she sings a few clean bars, it’s still a very relatable affair. Let me just put it to you this way: I was offered two discs from this promoter and one of them was the new Nightrage album, with this being the other. After listening to both discs, I definitely decided to go with this beast. Though to be honest, I’ve always dug thrashy/power stuff a little more and tend to get into that more than ever these days. For some odd reason I want to compare several of the compositions here to that of a familiar power metal act by the name of Dream Evil, which I am hearing quite a bit of in this performance and have for quite a while now. The entire record isn’t a thrash or speed-metal affair, but it delivers regardless of what they’re doing. It’s also more brackish than anything we probably would have expected from the lead singer of a hard rock band, and I hope that it will continue. Judging from this performance, I would actually be up to seeing something like this alive, just to see if she can nail these onstage with as much fire and fury as I’m witnessing on the album. Ultimately, Follow Me is quite killer and I’d certainly recommend it. Even if you’re not a fan of the groove elements, there’s just so much more in the classic metal spectrum to enjoy here and that’s where I have to recommend it. There’s enough here for fans of ten years as there is for fans of thirty years. It even has a goddamned Fight cover with Jyrki 69 of The 69 Eyes on it.
Saying little more, Liv Sin’s Follow Me might go down as one of my personal favorite discs of the year, so pick it up if you missed out on it. The disc originally released in April, but I didn’t see too many metal rags giving a damn about it for some reason or another, even though this is the kind of act that should be pushed in the mainstream. Rather than so many “other” acts that we won’t name here. You’d never expect the lead vocalist of a hard rock act to spin-off into something that doesn’t only come off powerful as it does, but stays true to the spirit of metal. The Grim Tower definitely recommends Liv Sin’s Follow Me, so get your damn hands on it.
(11 Tracks, 45:00)
9/10
Khazaddum – Plagues Upon Arda (2017) – International death metallers Khazaddum have returned with their self-released debut, Plagues Upon Arda. Wherever the hell Arda is. It’s quite apparent that aside from the films and games, I’m no tolkien buff. Though I will respect his contribution to the world of fantasy. Prezir’s Luka Djordjevic is featured on vocals, while the majority of guitar compositions are performed by Alex Rausa. Tony Cannizzaro handles the bass and Peter Kissane is on drums. Though all of these gentlemen hold their own and Trae Titus is responsible for the Tolkien-esque symphonics featured on the disc, it doesn’t honestly feel like it belongs in the world of Tolkien. In fact, the best way that I could describe Khazaddum is Nile for Tolkien fans. Though I’d be fooling myself if there weren’t any early Swedish death slabs popping up as an influence here too. (I’m not going to keep saying Grave all the time, you know what I mean by now). The overall product isn’t bad, comes off rather pummeling and in completely different territory than you’d expect (like I said, early Swedish death) but the album cover and such might come off with the wrong idea. I guess if there were a bunch of dead dwarven warriors on the front cover slaughtered by orcs or something in the traditional of gory Swe-Death covers, it would fit the sound a little better. To be honest, the artwork here looks like something common for a power metal act, and maybe there needs to be a bit of blood dripping from those mountains in the band’s logo. It just doesn’t match what a listener would expect to hear, so it’s a bit of an odd fit. This may sound like a petty concern, but I think it would be as apparent as a major label concern as well.
That being said, if we strip all the adventure gear from these guys, they come off as pretty solid death metal. I think the 64% on Metal Archives was just a little harsh here, as I’d at least bump that up to a 70%. They’re not terrible by any means, and obviously taste is subjective; but I’ve certainly heard more boring approaches from this genre – and at least it isn’t riddled with core elements. I even think that if death metal fans (and yes, I am marketing this to fans of classic death metal, synths aside) give this one a few listens, they’re going to find that it’s a suitable album in the genre. The production is raw, but audible; the vocals are as scathing and volatile as we’d like them to be, the bass nodes thunder, the leads full of heat and fire – it definitely matches the sound of classic death metal. The disc is a little on the short side, but it’s about average length for a death metal disc. It opens with a nice synthy intro and throws into synths every now and again, but these sections often feel forced. Maybe on a future album, they won’t. Don’t get me wrong, I would like these guys to continue and explore this Tolkien Death Metal concept, but I’d like a better melding of the fantasy elements. Something that would take me into the dark side of Tolkien. I’d love to see that happening. There are a couple of guitar solos here and there, and a really nice riff idea on “Oathkeeper’s Curse” right at the very beginning. It’s obvious that Rausa can write, even throwing it into black metal a bit. But I still think that this debut shows the kind of band that Khazaddum can be, rather than what they will be. Out of all of Luka’s many projects, I find Prezir to be the strongest as of this writing. Though I won’t say that Khazaddum doesn’t have a chance of becoming the next big thing in death metal, either. They might just need to analyze the formula a little bit, and make some possible changes that will take this idea into the next stage of evolution. Plagues Upon Arda is a very promising recording, but it needs to be a bit more to make it past the hurdle. If they have a “Giant Growth” somewhere in their Magic deck, it might be a good time to tap a few lands and put it in play. If you want me to be honest, if they switched “Oathkeeper’s Curse” and “The Halls Of Khazaddum” the album would open and close much better than it did. From the very minute you hear the beginning of “Oathkeeper’s Curse” and those awesome melodic leads, plus the majestic drumming, you soon realize that this switch-up would have made all the difference.
(9 Tracks, 37:00)
7/10
Soul Remnants – Ouroboros (2017) – Well, here’s a crusher. Let’s give it a ten and put it up there as one of the best traditional death discs I’ve heard all year. Maybe you didn’t think much of them when you heard their song “Dead Black (Heart Of Ice)” in Rock Band 4 (What? They made that many?) but they’ve definitely upped their game since then and have given a performance that I’d certainly consider the best in the genre. Now someone has these guys tagged as sounding most like another of my favorite DM acts, the almighty Bloodbath, which I think are a worthy enough representation. Yet there are also a few cuts on this disc that feature more of the melodic side, as guitarists Chad Fisher and Tom Preziosi show what they’re made of when Colin Conway’s drums aren’t blasting and Ryan Murphy isn’t pounding his bass. Mitchell Fletcher has never been in an act prior to Soul Remnants, but he clearly has the style downpact and that’s really all that matters. You will hear mesmerizing riff compositions, you will hear drumming that goes well above the norm, and you’ll hear a solid enough vocal performance to perfectly front the musical mastery apparent here. It’s a good disc, and you really don’t need me to tell you that. Even the instrumental moments, “Walled City” (which is a feast of technical prog meets death mayhem) and “Decomposition” are completely necessary to the performance. Not only are they potent pieces, but they actually manage to transcend the normal Swedish death standards that hold back most bands in this genre. Soul Remnants are trying to show the world that they want to be recognized as a bit more than just another Bloodbath, Entombed or Grave clone. With this record, they really could have it. But don’t get me wrong – the band haven’t completely thrown the formula out the window, it just features more variation and comes off as a powerful disc because of that. When I listen to Ouroboros, I hear a disc that a band really put time into. Also, the solos on this thing are nothing short of amazing. It’s regrettable that I don’t have enough time to really sit down with it, because it’s just the kind of disc that I feel even after three listens, still requires more time to soak in. I keep hearing new things on this album, it just keeps on giving. I almost feel that the vocals are deterrent in some ways, because I’m missing out on some of the riffs due to the being so thick in the mix. Not that that’s a bad thing, I quite like the full-force vocal. Fletcher’s vocals are nothing uncommon for death metal, but I couldn’t see the album without them. He really seems to put a lot of emotion into this, which is felt heavily on certain pieces. It’s more than mere gravel, it’s more than a scowl or a scream, it’s a purging of one’s very essence plastered into the music. Even though I’m truly digging “Echoes Of Insanity” right now, there’s something to be found in each song on this disc, and that’s not something you get often. Even from anything that the legends have currently put out. I know, that’s a very tough claim, but I think this album is strong enough to back it. Let me just say this, it makes me really proud to have this album in my collection, and even though eOne accidentally put the back cover on upside down and the case was slightly cracked (don’t worry guys, I bought a bulk order of two-hundred clear plastic CD cases as this has been happening a lot with my current postal carrier) I had no problems repacking it into a brand new case and fixing the back cover issue.
For those of you that think maybe I’m just high off the fumes of this one and that it might not be nearly as good as it sounds, I challenge you to give it a listen. This is how death metal stays relevant, in my opinion. There’s just so much to like and I’d be a complete idiot if I didn’t recommend it, all the while salivating like a dog who had heard Pavlov’s bell. As far as I’m concerned, Soul Remnants can break up, never make another album after this and Ouroboros would still be considered a modern monument in the genre. The disc isn’t even that long to be honest, but it doesn’t need to be either. There’s enough here that they could play for a set and should. I think the world deserves a complete Ouroboros set, and it very well might be better than anything they’ve released prior. If there’s a top of the mountain, Soul Remnants found it and I don’t think they’d ever be able to top this one, so it’s knitting for the lot of them! I’m sure they would knit fine death metal flavored blankets and mittens, especially for those cold days. Gentlemen, you’ve mastered the art of death metal; so let’s see what you can do with another genre. Can they strike twice? Can Soul Remnants save pop music? Can they improve hip hop? What about electronica? Can they create such a memorable rock band that the mainstream comes back from it’s slight departure? Whatever they do next, I’m sure it’s going to be memorable, because this is just fantastic. The Grim Lord thinks that everyone in the world should have a copy of Ouroboros, so get it right now! Now! Don’t wait. Head to the Bandcamp link and hit order. Order it again. Maybe your aunt Nancy wants a copy, or how about good old grandpa Joe? Can you see the look on his face when the postman arrives to bring him such a memorable album? He’ll put twice the amount of tobacco in his pipe that day! Saying little more, The Grim Tower highly recommends Soul Remnants Ouroboros and we think that everyone else will too. It’s the best death metal album of the year, even if you don’t think so. We do.
(9 Tracks, 36:00)
10/10