Of The Heavy Sun – After Dark (2018) – Looking much different from it’s cover, the new album from these — post rockers is surprisingly potent, although incredibly short. To call this an album might be a bit of an overreach as it feels like a short EP performance. Opener “Spirits” called to me, especially after listening to the album where I later partook a conversation with Joe Rogan and Elon Musk – you know the one. And yes, this is before it received media attention. It was that “we’re just monkeys floating deep in space” line that kept coming into my head as Musk talked about simulations and traversing the stars. “Wildman” is a bit more punchy, as it encroaches a slight punk vibe, yet still manages to keep a sound lodged between prog and post-rock. The chorus here is especially catchy, but I’m definitely not thinking of floating monkeys. “New Moon” maintains a dreamy vibe with synths, packing in a chorus that slightly reminds me of The Offspring. “Space Legs” definitely punches up the groove while maintaining a synthy, trippy atmosphere. As usual, the vocal lines here are delivered brillaintly. However, I noticed that as much as I enjoyed the opener, the vocal lines seem a bit raw on “Spirits” compared to the rest of the album. There seems to be a bit more clarity and harmony further on, which isn’t a good thing for the band as reviewers that won’t take their time to listen to the whole album might notice that slight hiccup and consider the band amateur, which they most certainly are not. “Staring Into Nothing” fits right at home in a psychological/sci-fi based visual novel. This is just a sample of what I think should be a one-off project. I’d be down to hear some more of this. Any developers looking to make a mindfuck OELVN, you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for there. Question is, can it be reproduced?
Getting back to the album, an absurdly trippy “No Way Out” comes next, with an acoustic ballad in “Sudoku In The Bathtub” to follow. The flute influence definitely peppers the experience, as well as the glassy synths. Guys, don’t get rid of these synths – I don’t think you yet realize how important they are to your sound. Ignore the purists, this adds a whole new dimension to post rock that unfortunately hasn’t really been touched upon. Though dare I throw this in another genre drawer labeled electronic post-rock or symphonic post-rock? It’s also interesting how much the vocals seems to take a glassy Maynard James Keenan approach, though I’d place it more with the ill fated Ashes Divide. Yes, I’m comparing these guys to Billy Howerdell’s solo project and that to me is a great thing. “Ebb and Flow” finishes off the appetizer, but it feels like a main course at this point. I’d love it if the record was a bit longer, but I’m definitely not about to leave upset after hearing this. I just have one major problem with the cover art. It’s a bit gloomy and doesn’t really match the music. It’s like putting power metal artwork on a death metal album – it just doesn’t fit, and this art feels kind of like grim black metal, which these guys certainly aren’t. Something a bit brighter and trippy would have worked more in their favor, because that’s how the music sounds and how it should be marketed officially. I know that you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, but people do. It’s just kinda dark – which I don’t think works all that well, even though I like the artwork as a whole. In any case, if you’re looking for an synthy kind of prog rock that will bring up moments of nineties alternative, then you’re going to find it here. Of The Heavy Sun can go very far with this sound and yes, the radio should be caring about these guys too. iHeart Radio needs to get on this one. It would be much better than the Imagine Dragons song I heard on the modern rock station a few weeks back. How did those guys even become modern rock? I thought they were pop music. That aside, definitely give the album a listen over at the link below and let me know if you agree with what I’ve said about the album cover and opener track.
(8 Tracks, 26:00)
8.3/10
Solium Fatalis – Genetically Engineered To Enslave (2018) – Though the disc is only forty minutes, the performance from these slightly experimental/technical groove deathers feels quite a bit longer. “Threshold” starts the disc off with a bang as technical crunch melds in with light melodies and harsh vocal grunts. A guitar solo melds in halfway through the cut, to which it slows down to open up with another punishing cut in “Lake Of Extinction” which comes off as a well-structured death metal cut, with strategically placed vocals that make their mark whenever necessary. Maybe the screams are overdone in some sections as essentially there are some moments where the frontman is literally screaming just because he can and not a word is uttered there. But from what I read in a popular metal group yesterday, the kids don’t care about lyrics and consider the vocals another instrument (which makes me want to stab myself) so this approach should suit the “as long as it’s brutal” crowd well enough. The thunderously heavy technicality of “Servile” comes off as another scorcher, withc absolutely pumeling breakdowns that deathcore needs to take notes from. The band at times feel like they’re made of metal as these ten ton titans bring a sound with them that can sometimes resemble a fucking typhoon. The solo definitely adds notable sprinkles on what is already and incredibly fun track to listen to. There’s a lot of balls in this cut, I think. You know, before the synth atmosphere kinda ruins it, (structure is fine, but why take the piss and vinegar out of the end of your most threatening performance?) but “Synthon” seems to put things back on track, until more synth rolls into a very unexpected cut called “A Gathering Of Storms” which is actually made up of synth-atmosphere, female vocals and a later segue into thunderous doom/death. Her vocals are actually much stronger in the second half of the song, where she really shows her power and potential, right up there with A Sound Of Thunder if I’m being honest. There are still some harsh vocal nodes (and particularly in a raspy tone) but by that time, the song has worn out it’s welcome. These guys just don’t seem to know how to end songs. “Factor Red” is also a cybernetic fist to the groin, but at least it ends well. “Dysmorphic” follows the same crunchy formula, which unforntuately has my under the assumption that this machine is running out of gas. It’s groovy, it’s fun – but we get it by now. Finally, “Chemical Reagent” comes in with a sound and style that doesn’t just resort to Captain Crunch – or at least, not right off the bat. There’s an attempt at some added harmonies and a rather nice distinctive crunch that ends out with some misty guitar effectual reverberation. Interesting, but I was also kind of like, “huh?” “Fiery The Angels Fell” manages to see a little more polish in the formula, especially in the beginning as notable harmonies roll out into an absolute inferno of machine gun drumming, fierce vocals and thunderous guitars. This one’s actually a bit weightier than “Servile” and it comes with an an orgasmic guitar solo right near the end. The disc ends with what seems to be even heavier in “A Tongue To Taste The Collapse” or at least, at first. As I said, Solium Fatalis are capable of being ten-ton robotic purveyors of groove and that’s apparent from this extremely meaty album. This thing is like an Arby’s Meat Mountain drizzled with liquid mercury and sprinkled with bolt shavings. Also, don’t do that, because you’re going to ruin a perfectly good heart att… I mean, sandwich. With the machine finally winding down, I think I’ve reached my verdict that Solium Fatalis are definitely one of the most potent death-groove acts I’ve seen, but they need to learn how end some of their song and how to differentiate even a little more than they have. It wouldn’t be good to release another record with tracks that sound too similar to this, as listeners would already have a copy – but then again, you also have those people that want to buy the same record again and again, so damned if you do in that case. Anyway, if you’re looking for ten tons of death groove that when played loud enough, could probably cause glass to break; you’re going to be interested in checking this one out at the link below.
(10 Tracks, 41:00)
7.5/10
Gourmand – Blossoming From The Grave (2018) – If you’re looking for a groovy progressive death album with enough in the way of melody and atmosphere to keep you listening, then Gourmand is the way to go. There’s a certain rawness to the quality of this record, but that doesn’t hurt the quality of the performance in any way. Rather than being excessively technical (even though one can certainly say that the drumming may feel that way) we have a band willing to incorporate synths, woodwind instruments, piano and all sorts of other bells and whistles in order to stay ahead of the prog/death game. There’s even a very sad number in “Redemption” that feels like an odd intermission and the end to a very depressing movie. I scratch my head and wonder why in the hell that’s there in the first place. It may have made more sense at the end of the album, rather than where the meat and heaviness is. I mean, it’s like watching a horror film, then watching a really sad chick flick in which a character dies and the romance is never requited, then going back to watch another horror film. I mean, 0:43 seconds into “Siren’s Song” and here I am back into death metal. So there’s some female vocals here too, but it’s still death metal. I mean, after I just mourned the death of my monkey Bubbles, now I’m thrust back into the death metal world again. In all honesty though, the female vocal section melds in pretty well with the rest of the song and I guess it sort of backs the sad death of the green ranger that came before it. As I work my way through the tracks, I noticed that aside from some great musical acrobatics, there’s not ultimately too much here that I haven’t heard before. The saxophone would be great if I could hear it over the bass on “Empathy Gap” though. The end of the record comes in the form of “The First of My Name” which again feels out of place. Yep, “Reemption” could have been thrown right here. That way, if someone didn’t want to listen to it, they wouldn’t even have to hit the skip buttton, you know – being the lazy bastards that we are. In any case, while I’m not exactly floored by the performance, I still think that Gourmand offer up some solid death metal that will only get more refined with time. There are a lot of attempts made to mutate the song structures, but the band really seem to be at their best when they’re giving me the business, the brutal gory business of classic and somewhat progressive death metal. It definitely feels a bit more interesting than what comes out of the technical detah metal scene these days though and I’ll give them kudos for that.
(10 Tracks, 44:00)
7/10
Project Wormhole – Time Beings (2018) – When I was asked to review Project Wormhole, I didn’t realize that this was an instrumental album. I don’t do as many of these as I used to, because I haven’t been hearing anything from instrumental prog metal acts that I haven’t heard from other instrumental prog metal acts. It feels like there’s a lot of copycatting in this genre and I tolerated it for so many years. I’m just not that keen on it these days. However, there are some nice things about Project Wormhole. The first section of “Concepts” works as as a nice opener for a pounding metal gone trippy prog rock section which seems to include some pretty jazzy moments. Makes me think of Sonic The Hedgehog a bit. Definitely Chemical Plant zone. “Constructing Human Weakness” would sound a bit better with vocals I think, it sounds a bit “boneless” is what the kids are using now – I think? “Cycles” is a pretty cool prog jam, I think. There’s obvious technical influence with a dash of elevator music. Of course, this is an elevator to some kind of trippy astral realm. “Echoes” is alright, I guess. As I flipped through the rest of the tracks after hearing it completely the first time around, I’m left with the same impression. This is nice, but I think I’ve already heard it done best with Blotted Science, which I was shitting over years ago. If you’re a fan of Blotted Science or other extreme instrumental prog metal acts, you’ll dig this – but I just think that these albums need to offer a bit more for me. To be honest, it feels like different variations of the same formula and that doesn’t speak to me as being truly original. I’d like to see several different types of composition tried with this style of music, not just the bass-heavy extreme prog metalfests that I’ve heard for years now. To each their own, because a lot of synthwave sounds similar and I just zone out to it, so I’m sure that some people feel the same way about this kind of music as well. Though if you’re interested, I’ll provide the link below.
(10 Tracks, 41:00)
6/10
Deicide – Overtures Of Blasphemy (2018) – Playing music in an era that frontman Glenn Benton no longer feels is lucrative, it remains uncertain as to whether or not we’re getting another Deicide disc. Various commenters have criticized the band for “putting out boring music with a dated gimmick” but it’s also far from the early nineties and two generations have spanned the death metal stalwarts long career of death metal. Even if the above remains rule of law for most of these people and only the older purists purchase the album, at least the guys went out with a bang. Opener “One With Satan” really captures the band at what they do best, mixing together elements of thrash with Benton’s thick vocal bark to give people a taste of what classic death metal still has to offer. With a breakneck solo added to top the piece off beautifully, this is how it’s done. “Crawled From The Shadows” comes in fierce as well and it almost feels as if this one record that will not let up. “Seal The Tomb Below” actually features an approach from Benton that doesn’t quite as thick, but it punishes like a classic thrash track. With nice, heavy grooves and pleasant backing melodies, this is so far a quite killer experience. I just hope that the guitar solo lasts a bit longer than ten seconds this time. Oh, nope. Or maybe I second guessed that. The second solo section actually gets carte blanche and isn’t easily kicked to the curb, making for a real pummeler altogether. “Compliments Of Christ” features some mighty grooves, I’m quite pleased with this one. There’s also a great raspy vocal section that feels like experimentation in a sense and should definitely be encouraged at this rate. This record is far from boring. “All That Evil” continues the fierce grooves, while “Excommunicated” throws back into classic thrash. Change the vocal style and we’ve nearly got classic Testament in some regards. Maybe even a hint of Slayer. “Anointed In Blood” opens with memorable guitar melodies, not all that apparent in the other cuts as of yet, so that’s pleasant. I love these kicking grooves too, that’s what I come to death metal for. It’s what I come to thrash for as well, and that’s very much what Deicide are doing right now. Without a doubt, this is now one of my favorite Deicide cuts.
So far, so good. But can they keep up this momentum? “Crucified Soul of Salvation” is quite standard-fare, so maybe not. But then we have “Defying The Sacred” which opens with a solo and follows a thunderous march that later brings in the guitar solo it opened with, this time decorated with Benton’s voice. Now, some people don’t like vocals during their solos, but this is one case that I’ll accept, especially since it launches into an equally powerful second solo before pounding us to mincemeat with the drumkit. And once again, I really love the melodies here. This might be one of the best records the band will ever release. “Consumed By Hatred” is just kinda there, while “Flesh, Power, Dominion” brings right back the eighties heyday of thrash. The last cut here is “Destined To Blasphemy” which begins on a low node and just more or less features more of what the band does best – straightforward death metal.
While nothing ultimately new, Deicide prove here that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Maybe the kids don’t have ears for this kind of stuff, but those of us who remember the glory days of death metal and thrash and just plain classic metal in general will find a lot to like here. It’s not deathcore, it’s not pipetting samples of guitar for technicality, it’s not atmosphere and female vocals or even anything vocally relevant to socio-political topics, feminist line dancing or Buddhist quilt-making. This is burly death metal the way that grandpa used to make, with all the pseudo Satanic rumblings that made it so great and against the status quo in the early nineties. The status quo may have changed, but the song here remains insane and I’m definitely glad to hear something coming from the Deicide camp that doesn’t feel like just another drop in the bucket. If this really does wind up being the band’s last, then they’ve gone out with not just a bang, but a nuclear explosion that I’d highly recommend checking out. You can grab the album at the link below and it’ll be worth it for all fans of old-school death dealing. Satan commands you!
(12 Tracks, 38:00)
8.8/10
Autumn Tears – The Origin Of Sleep (2018) – Covering something completely different from the norm, I have here a sort of symphonic orchestral folk act by the name of Autumn Tears. “Chasing The Void” sounds like something out of a film, with an briskly epic atmosphere fronted by powerful female vocal chants and striking vocal lines. Her vocals are doubly powerful in the haunting, yet mystical “The Ghost Beside Me” which features additional flute and woodwind instrumentation. We have a lengthy instrumental in “Breathing Beneath The Soil” which begins with piano, but later rolls completely into Lord Of The Rings territory. I think that the word “mystical” might be an understatement here. “Shaping A Fragile Utopia” is a bit more sorrowed though, in which the violins play as strong a role as the vocal front. The song later takes a rather frightening turn, which interests me greatly and leads into some theatrics. Though it is short lived in favor of a return to it’s dreary beginning. Throughout the piece, we still hear pieces of what comes across as a rather devastating atmosphere (along with some creepy gothic organs as well, but they are so seldomly used in the piece) but throws that away in favor of melancholy despair. The last one we have here is “The Origin Of Sleep” which can be described as a melancholy piece that feels like a twisted lullaby. I mean, obviously the vocal touch here is quite soothing, but the music in which such a vocal approach takes place is quite morose. It’s very hard for me to find any happiness here, even if the ending of the album feels slightly uplifting. If this sounds like something you would enjoy, be sure to click the link below.
(5 Tracks, 25:07)
6/10
Kimura – Euthanize Sterilize (2018) – Coming off like a cross between Pantera and Lamb Of God, this groove metal act comes off with a satisfactory first outing. The production value is a little bit raw, not unlike that of a demo, but it is definitely listenable. The frontman offers a growl that reminds me a little bit of Machine Head frontman Rob Flynn, but Kimura here have a bit more bite than Machine Head have offered over the last few years, especially considering the band’s latest abortion. I will say that the sound here is extremely organic and doesn’t feel like it was crafted by one guy, a guitar and a drum program. Now, I know that drum programs can be great, but it feels as there is an actual skinsman here and you’ll notice when he actually pounds on the kit with the right amount of finesse. A few modernisms are used, like Gojira-esque sweep-picking, but it also has a slight Nu Metal vibe, which again drives the Machine Head comparisons. I will note that at least the effort shows some diversity in lieu of speed, style and tempo so you’re not getting the same old groove for less than thirty minutes. Euthanize Sterilize is definitely a listenable effort and it definitely feels like a band at their very beginnings. One can definitely say that they’re playing around their record collections here, but I have a feeling that there will be a greater sense of differentiation and style on the next outing. If you enjoy acts such as I’ve named, then you’re going to enjoy jamming this one; but if you’re into more technical and progressive type music, it won’t be your thing. Kimura definitely comes on hard and strong, but they still have quite a way to go if they’re going to stand out from some of the other groove acts I’ve covered in the past. The journey of a thousand miles starts with one step though, and it’s good to see that they’ve got firm footing on the single step that comprises this album. Although I’ll admit that I really enjoyed “Bloodfan.” Check it out at the link below.
(6 Tracks, 27:00)
6.3/10
Cultural Warfare – Warmageddon (2018) – When I first heard Cultural Warfare, I was under the impression that they were just your run of the mill thrash act, heavily inspired by Exodus. However, I found that they were more like power/thrash in the vein of Helstar, Artillery, Halcyon Way or Savage Messiah. This interested me greatly, as I’m a huge fan of power/thrash and Cultural Warfare seem to provide a memorable dose of it. But what’s more, is that the frontman attempts a few Warrel Dane impressions and the band even kick things down a notch in order to attempt a Nevermore influenced cut, which I’ll discuss later. Bands should always be encouraged to step out of boundaries and that is what you’ll get there. Now, for you “keep it pure” thrash fans, you’re going to like that this slight intrusion is just a one-off and for the most part, you’re getting a well-produced thrash effort that features not only more than a few memorable lead and solos, but an amazing frontispiece that captures not only the melancholy howl of Warrel Dane, but the high flying vocal antics of Rob Halford. “Eyes Of The Land” features a chorus that definitely brings to mind Nevermore and that’s reason enough to recommend this disc right from the start. Especially since we’re not going to get another Warrel Dane anytime soon. And I’m not ready for Robo-Dane or a clone. Let’s just commit the man’s work to memory.
That being said, “Two Spirits” definitely has that Dead Heart In A Dead World vibe, and I’m not going to beat around the bush about that. It also features a female vocal section, which might equal out to a change for hardcore thrash fans. It’s decidedly a “what?” moment, but the structure of this piece warrants attention and shows listeners that Cultural Warfare can do more than just thrash. And yeah, they do offer some thrash in the track, just so that it doesn’t come off as too much of a change from what thrashers expect. I personally think the cut is beautiful and a mighty standout. The female vocals are performed quite well, duetting perfectly with an already potent frontman. The solos actually add a nice touch as well, showing how quickly the band can bounce to and fro between different styles at the drop of a hat. We might be looking at a real heavy hitter here, folks. Make no mistake. Now if I was a label guy, I’d want this cut to be the band’s second single. Theatrical video and all. The first one could of course be a catchy thrash cut, maybe opener “Warmageddon” or “Divided We Crawl” but then throwing listeners an unexpected bone like that could work in the band’s favor. The rest of the disc is listenable, but standard-fare (aside from a great chorus in “Punished”). Thrash fans will love it, but I felt that I’d heard all that I needed to at that point and many of the latter tracks seemed to bleed into each other. Not that there was anything wrong with potent thrash from a more than capable thrash act, but the lack of diversity seemed to take it’s toll on me as I longed for another approach. This is only a slight nitpick though and I can’t quite get upset about a thrash act for playing thrash, especially as well as they perform it here. If you’re a fan of power/thrash and also enjoy the work of Nevermore, then you’re going to love this one.
(12 Tracks, 56:00)
7.5/10
Immortal Guardian – Age Of Revolution (2018) – Immortal Guardian remind me a little of Into Eternity during their landmark Buried In Oblivion era, albeit with more power metal influence. The record features extreme metal vocal stylings throughout most of the cuts here, opening “Zephon” with what I’d deem a mixture of Into Eternity, Helloween and Dragonforce. The band are incredibly skilled, which is an understatement to be brutally honest – the guitar work here is as magnificent as the keyboard playing, which reminds me of only some of the greatest keyboardists in the metal genre. “Aeolian” comes across with an amazingly potent chorus, even though my favorite cut on the disc is “Stardust” which I’ve played at least three or four times during the process of review. The frontman’s vocal tone is a bit gruff though, which might not fit everyone’s palette, but the clean choruses are where this act truly shines. “Trail Of Tears” is also heavily notable, showing off Immortal Guardian’s wide spectrum of styles that can often sound like a mixture of progressive metal and neoclassical. I was ounder the assumption that only the Japanese could perform this properly, but Immortal Guardian has me convinced that western approaches to neoclassical can be competent as well. Not to mention the fact that the band carries a familiar crunch that would be great to hear further explored. Though extreme metal is a focus, I guess I’m still stuck on Into Eternity’s “Three Dimensional Aperture” formula, which I still think is one of the greatest heavy metal songs ever written; and I suppose that I found myself longing for something that would even be partway similar. The band also gets into modern day politics with “Hunters” which is about police brutality, which will soon be a thing of the past as the entire police force will be considered obsolete and replaced with machines. You think I’m kidding, don’t you. What’s even more startling is that this type of brutality is still rampant, despite the fact that people can record the attacks, which might mean there is definitely a plan to ruin society’s concept of police and make it more appealing to replace them all with machines. Please keep in mind, Russia just built the thing from RoboCop and it supposedly works. So, yes, we now have mechs. Only with The Grim Tower do you get all the latest tech news inside of album reviews, heh heh. But who knows, maybe the band will read this review and become inspired to write a song about mech battles or police robots. That is, if I don’t get to it first!
In any case, I was quite pleased with this album, even though it sounded much better streaming on my Bluetooth speaker than on my laptop speakers, which I found bizarre. The second time through I’m not digging some of these cuts as much as I did on the Bluetooth speaker. I’ll have to look into that. Aside from all my ramblings, I think that fans of extreme power metal in the vein of Dragonforce will like this, though it doesn’t come off cheesy and features more of an intellectual proggy vibe. There’s a lot to like here and I’d definitely recommend the record as a whole. Maybe my laptop speakers muffled the performance, so I’ll definitely have to go with my Bluetooth speaker score on Haulix, which is rather high and some would say is befitting of the work at large. Check it out at the link below, I think that you’ll be impressed.
(9 Tracks)
9/10
Korpiklaani – Kulkija (2018) – Korpiklaani are still going at it, with yet another Finnish pagan festival album, this time titled Kulkija. The entire record is this time performed in the band’s native, though I’ll remember classics like “Man Can Go (Through The Grey Stone)” and of course, “Happy Little Boozer.” Even that cut goes back to ’16 which means that even though I’m getting old, bands that I remember from my teenage and young adult years are still around to keep me company in my thirties. I can say this much though, there’s not a hint of negativity to be found on the album, which is largely folk-metal with an extra large emphasis on the folk. Though if I’m not mistaken, that was the last one too. Whereas their mates (and I’m only guessing here, I don’t know if these guys drink and party together or not) Finntroll have gone in a more serious and even a slightly industrial direction, Korpiklaani have continued the spirit of Finnish folk music and offer more of the same, which is never a bad thing if listeners already know what to expect. There are some bands who change their style every album and others who just continue on with the same formula and keep trekking all the same. And I’ll be honest, if you can do what bands like ACDC have done for many years now and become a global hit from the same style of music, then more power to you. I hold a great deal of respect. That being said, even if the record features largely the same atmosphere, it isn’t exactly the same song performed over and over again. “Aallon Alla” for example, offers a slightly more melancholy vibe even though the root of the piece is still quite based in cheery folk.
Alright, so maybe it has been a while since I last heard the record as “Harmaja” comes off with an impressively sullen acoustic performance. I would not have expected the record to take such a turn, but it feels as though a great deal of passion can be felt within the vocals here as the violin only helps to decorate the piece a bit further. After that, we have “Kotikonnut” which makes me proverbially scratch out everything that I just said earlier about a “constant celebration” vibe and the fact that there “isn’t a hint of negativity to be found.” I’m not sure of the translated context of these pieces, but they definitely don’t seem very happy. In fact, this might be Korpiklaani’s most depressing disc ever. So yes, let’s forget everything I just said. “Korppikalliota” also comes off a bit darker, even a bit heavy in some sections. I suppose I can wipe off the fact that I said Korpiklaani weren’t going the same way as their Finnish mates in Finntroll, because that is exactly what I’m hearing here too. And then we have another melancholic cut here in “Kallon Malja” which is just as unsettling as the cut that came before it. What happened to all the joy and celebration guys? Are you that stressed out from world events as well? Alright, then we have some massive doom influence creeping up into “Sillanrakentaja” which doesn’t even sound like Korpiklaani. Is this Candlemass or Cathedral they’re emulating now? I must say, I’m quite impressed and taken aback by this massive change in the Korpiklaani formula. I honestly don’t think the band have ever been this heavy. It’s like they’ve thrown all their folk instruments into the garbage and are content with watching the world burn. To hell with joy, they said – the world is a pretty fucked up place right now and we’re going to write a record to reflect that. Though to be honest, I am completely fine with this version of Korpiklaani as man when through the grey stone over a decade ago and maybe it is time for a new approach from these guys. Even a cheery song like “Henselipoika” ends up getting rather teary in just a few areas.
“Riemu” brings the familiar sound that we’ve known from the band back into the fold, complete with a chorus fit for radio. The next few songs showcase the band back at their normal folk-metal stylings, only to end with a nearly eight-minute cut called “Tuttu On Tie” which finishes out the album on an extremely depressing note. Korpiklaani were not feeling ultimately great when this album was written and you can tell that. Hell, they even channeled doom metal, which was not something I’d ever expect to hear from the guys that brought me “Beer, Beer” and yes, this is authentic doom. Again, it doesn’t even sound like Korpiklaani and has me curious as to why it has even been featured on the album. But that doesn’t mean I’m against it either. Ultimately, I was extremely wrong about Kulkija and it’s worth hearing for listeners that are looking for a more depressive and less celebratory approach to folk metal. That’s not to say that the celebrations aren’t there, but maybe the guys in Korpiklaani need to cut down on their cellphone usage (cellphone usage has been clinically linked to depression, by the way) and then we might get another joyous album from them. In any case, I’m quite sure that fans and even fiends are interested in this one, (particularly for the doom cut) so definitely give it a listen. You can check out Kulkija at the link below.
(14 Tracks, 71:00)
7.5/10
Ken Mode – Loved (2018) – I love how the genre description for this one is noise/metal, which fits as it feels like one of the guys in the band decided to beat you to death with a sledgehammer for about thirty-five minutes, only to rise again in order to suffer the torture again. It’s a calculated torture though, technical without being insane and featuring enough piss and vinegar in the vocals to make one vomit profusely. I’m reminded of early technical metalcore approaches like Every Time I Die and Dillinger Escape Plan, we could even say Converge and Jane Doe. Yes, I know what that sounds like; but I know what I hear too and this is definitely the sound of strategic destruction. Nothing will ever be Jane Doe, but this elicits an almost similar feeling in some areas. “The Illusion Of Dignity” features a great touch of industrial, while “Feathers and Lips” comes across with a slew of raging grooves to back almost poetically delivered vocal approaches. It’s like arthouse on steroids. “Learning To Be Too Cold” seems to continue that approach, making the album seem like one hefty artistic performance piece. Ultimately, listeners are getting this feel throughout most of the album, until the avant approaches come in with “This Is A Love Test”, this time in the form of jazzy prog aesthetics which also happen to include a couple of saxy bits. Considering the album and track titles, the record seems to focus on the dysfunction with human relationships, which I can only say will only get worse in this technological age. There are so many reasons for that and of course I’d love to discuss that with these guys at length. I’ve talked to them a few times, they’re great guys. So I would have no problem doing that in person, even though that will not be a luxury until Lyft or Uber come to my area. I especially love the song title here “Fractures In Adults” which says so much about the human condition, just with three words. A lot of people claim to be infallible in their reasoning, obviously we voted one of those people into political office and are largely reaping the consquences of it. But in his defense, this isn’t the first time we’ve done so either. People often forget the Nixon years and why we call things “insert object here”gate, because the man literally was a crook and largely responsible for the infamous Watergate scandal. He told the American people that he wasn’t a crook, but his actions showed differently. We could in all reality be facing the same situation and many feel that we are. The last song here, “No Gentle Art” is quite intriguing, as it doesn’t feel like a metal cut per se; at least for the first few minutes. However it moves into a slight meltdown which is not unlike that of some of the most extreme noise music I’ve heard. It’s no Hanatarash, but it’s definitely in the right boulevard. The mixture of acid jazz, noise elements and crunchy metal here is a perfect mix and makes for a wonderful performance in itself. I honestly would have liked to hear more noise and avantgarde elements on this record, because Ken Mode have all the trappings of being a great noise/metal act. But I’ll take what I can get and you can check out the album over at the link below.
Though I think I need to add that the dark figure on the cover looks quite frightening and I would not want to see him at any point in my life. Seriously, the album cover is nightmare fuel. Also, this guy looks like he had eaten about three or four Slendermen. At least. I’ll put it to you this way, if I saw that thing – I’m running. It won’t even be a cognitive response, it would go straight into survival mode. I’ve seen a lot of dark images on album covers, it’s the name of the game as reviewer. But the entire Goetia and the devil himself doesn’t hold a candle to whatever in the hell that thing is. I’d be safer in the jaws of Cthulhu. This shadowy figure can stay on the cover, where he is a threat to no one. Hopefully.
(9 Tracks, 35:00)
7.5/10
Daniel & Mikael Tjernberg – Flight Of The Raven (2018) – I have here an example of experimental Viking neo-folk, which I found to be quite interesting. After a slight introduction, we are introduced to “The Fires Of Muspelheim” which you’ll have to excuse me for this – but it sounds as if it would fit in a strategy game based on Nordic lore or perhaps even Viking history. Loud trumpets merge with smooth synths and eventual drums to bring what feels like a battle-charged anthem for a game that I haven’t played yet. A guitar worms it’s way in, to later offer up some solos towards the end; which would again work well for the main anthem to this software product. That doesn’t exist, mind you – but should. Things change quite a bit when “Thundergod” comes into play as smooth jazz duets with harsh vocals and even some tribal harmonies to make what comes off decidedly tropical. If you’ve ever thought about hailing Thor while riding a wave, then this one’s for you. I have to say, I’ve never heard anything like this before and I’m quite pleased with it. This is the kind of Viking metal that Varg would have made if his drug of choice happened to be THC with a side of DMT. Actually, that reminds me of Jason Louv’s experience with DMT as explained in a podcast with Duncan Trussel. The man claims that he was able to have an orgasm through intercourse while on DMT, which is quite unbelievable as the substance literally takes you out of body – you no longer feel your body. It’s essentially the same chemical that we excrete upon death and would be comparable to “the big death” as opposed to the “little death” that the French consider to be the common human orgasm. So piling the “big death” on top of the “little death” has to be worthy of causing glitches if in fact, we are inside of a simulation. Don’t try this at home, folks.
As for the longest cut, which is also the title track; it removes us from the trippy nature of the previous DMT filled experience and brings us into a subtler, piano driven moment. As the piece continues, it starts to resemble a very sensual tone, not unlike what might be played in the background of one of those softcore porn films. That doesn’t mean it’s cheesy, as it’s rather quite the jam. Maybe you’re supposed to get high before you listen to this disc? In any case, our last observation here involves “Ginnungagap” which while won’t be as great as the Therion track by the same name, certainly closes a rather unique experience with an unexpectedly melancholy number. I can’t say that I’m all too fond of it, but it may sound great in a visual novel. It would set the atmosphere for quite a few of them. After the final note is played, that’s literally all he wrote. As in, there’s no more music there. Aside from my jokes, I hope that you’ll check out this interesting mix of different emotions and most certainly “Thundergod” which stuck out to me the most. That’s quite a chilled out track, man. If any of this appeals to you, the record is available at the link below. Just make sure that you imbue a certain psychoactive substance before listening. Might make for a better experience, you may even be able to see worlds in the music itself. And drugs are bad, by the way.
(4 Tracks, 22:00)
7/10