Nuclear Chaos

2012-02-12T22:56:00.000Z

Trippy.

Janitor of Lunacy

2011-12-14T21:45:00.003Z

Beauty at it's purest form:

Nos ossos que aqui estamos pelos vossos esperamos

2011-10-10T13:08:00.004+01:00

Image by UnprobableView

Aonde vais, caminhante, accelerado?

Pára...não prosigas mais avante;

Negocio, não tens mais importante,

Do que este, á tua vista apresentado.

Recorda quantos desta vida tem passado,

Reflecte em que terás fim similhante,

Que para meditar causa he bastante

Terem todos mais nisto parado.

Pondera, que influido d'essa sorte,

Entre negociações do mundo tantas,

Tão pouco consideras na morte;

Porem, se os olhos aqui levantas,

Pára...porque em negocio deste porte,

Quanto mais tu parares, mais adiantas.

In English:

Where are you going in such a hurry traveler?

Pause … do not advance your travel;

You have no greater concern,

Than this one: that on which you focus your sight.

Recall how many have passed from this world,

Reflect on your similar end,

There is good reason to reflect

If only all did the same.

Ponder, you so influenced by fate,

Among all the many concerns of the world,

So little do you reflect on death;

If by chance you glance at this place,

Stop … for the sake of your journey,

The more you pause, the further on your journey you will be.

by Fr. António da Ascenção

Uncanny, unheard, and unsuspected

2011-08-26T22:10:00.002+01:00

"Out of the unimaginable blackness beyond the gangrenous glare of that cold flame, out of the Tartarean leagues through which that oily river rolled uncanny, unheard, and unsuspected, there flopped rhythmically a horde of tame, trained, hybrid winged things that no sound eye could ever wholly grasp, or sound brain ever wholly remember. They were not altogether crows, nor moles, nor buzzards, nor ants, nor vampire bats, nor decomposed human beings, but something I cannot and must not recall."

by H.P. Lovecraft included in "The Festival"

Limbo

2011-08-10T12:57:00.016+01:00

Surprisingly the best videogames that are coming out lately are from indie developers. I guess they try harder to make something really good and truly shine from other generic crap that gets released everyday from the big developing companies.

Limbo is that type of game that catches you from the very beginning. Visually every single take is a painting, simply stunning. It takes inspiration from German expressionism which consists of dark shadows and black silhouettes. And there are no colours, only different shades of grey. The atmosphere is beautifully dark but also bleak, giving the gamer a sense of dread, horror and despair.

The sound department is nothing short of a masterpiece. The music is practically nonexistent because most of the time you just hear atmospheric sounds. It's very minimalistic and only appears when necessary and the sounds are crystal clear.

The gameplay is very fluid with some puzzles to be solved but nothing very difficult. It's a 2D platform game which kind of reminds me of Flashback and Another World due to the trial and error type of game. But there is no cut scenes, back story nor dialogue. You are just thrown up in a hostile world where the objective is to survive. The scenary goes from a forest to a industrial area remembering the movie Eraserhead.

This is the proof that games can be art too. Amazingly beautiful.

Scariness: 8/10
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Story: 9/10

Overall: 9/10

Trailer:

Available on PS3, Xbox 360 and on Steam.

RAW - Immortal

2011-07-25T21:06:00.004+01:00

Immortal live performances in the golden age of Norwegian Black Metal (1993):

"Call Of The Wintermoon"

"Unsilent Storms in the North Abyss"

"Pure Holocaust"

"The Sun no Longer Rises"

"Unholy Forces Of Evil"

"A Sign For The Norse..."

A fire breathing performance by Abbath:

Sou Galego

2011-06-27T00:43:00.000+01:00

2011-04-30T00:30:00.001+01:00

"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law"

RAW - Swans

2011-04-17T01:17:00.006+01:00

This is the first series of videos showing early stages of bands at their first years, usually raw and less known.

"A Hanging"

"Coward"

"Fool"

New Primordial track

2011-04-11T22:08:00.001+01:00

And another track is released from the next album from Primordial. Check it out here.

PRIMORDIAL | Redemption at the Puritan's Hand

2011-03-25T21:05:00.004Z

Full song of the new album by Primordial available to listen at:

PRIMORDIAL | Redemption at the Puritan's Hand

Pure awesomeness as it usually is from this Irish band.

Dark Ocean Floor Ascension

2011-03-11T20:33:00.004Z

"I cannot think of the deep sea without shuddering at the nameless things that may at this very moment be crawling and floundering on its slimy bed, worshipping their ancient stone idols and carving their own detestable likenesses on submarine obelisks of water-soaked granite. I dream of a day when they may rise above the billows to drag down in their reeking talons the remnants of puny, war-exhausted mankind—of a day when the land shall sink, and the dark ocean floor shall ascend amidst universal pandemonium."

by H.P. Lovecraft in "Dagon"

A Procissão dos Édipos

2011-02-17T19:45:00.005Z

The Shadow Over Innsmouth

2011-02-08T22:28:00.003Z

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Soviet Reanimation Experiments

2011-01-23T15:00:00.001Z

The myth maker

2011-01-23T13:40:00.001Z

Very interesting article about H. P. Lovecraft:

"HP Lovecraft was a kindly misanthrope and a visionary materialist who disdained writing but created an astonishing body of work that transcends its cult status, writes Michel Houellebecq"

Amnesia - The Dark Descent

2011-01-09T15:19:00.011Z

There comes a time when the videogame industry manages to bring us a truly great gem like this game which is the latest from Frictional Games, the same developers that brought us the equally great Penumbra series.

Inspired by H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos this survival horror game excels at giving the player a sense of pure dread and inevitable doom. Besides, the fact that you have no weapons and cannot defend yourself just takes you to another level. When an enemy appears, usually a zombie like creature, you don't fight him, you run for you life and hide. Also you shouldn't look at the monsters because if you do, you become more psychologically affected and it can detect it giving more attention to you and the place where you hide. Every frightening scene, every monster you see, and the time you spend in total darkness affects your sanity and you must be aware of that and spend some time in more illuminated areas. But beware also that standing in those areas won't help hide you either. So during the game there is always this competition: keeping you sanity high and hide from the monsters.

When your sanity is low you begin to listen to some scary scratching noises, the screen becomes all blurry, the controls lag a lot and you start seeing insects everywhere. During the game you also get a good dose of gore and nudity. So it's not really for the faint hearted. You really become immersed in this scary world and it also affects you sanity too. I even dare to say that is perhaps the scariest game of all time. There is a monster that haunts you in the game in a area with lots of water in the ground. The monster is invisible and you only can "see" it splashing water and doing some noises. This may sound silly but that was creepiest thing i've ever experienced because you are being attacked by an invisible monster and you can't hurt him, just run and hide. Forget all horror movies, playing this game really haunts you like any movie could do to you.

This a game that really has to be experienced by any horror and Lovecraft fan. Hugely recommended.

Scariness: 10/10

Graphics: 7/10

Sound: 10/10
Story: 9/10

Overall: 9/10

Trailer:

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

2010-12-15T21:50:00.004Z

You should have acted.
They're already here.
The Elder Scrolls told of their return.
Their defeat was merely delay
Til the time after Oblivion opened,
When the sons of Skyrim would spill their own blood.
But no-one wanted to believe.
Believe they even existed.
And when the truth finally dawns:
It dawns in fire.
But,
There's one they fear.
In their tongue, he's Dovahkiin:
Dragon Born!

Sea Beast

2010-11-30T23:44:00.000Z

" I cannot think of the deep sea without shuddering at the nameless things that may at this very moment be crawling and floundering on its slimy bed, worshipping their ancient stone idols and carving their own detestable likenesses on submarine obelisks of water-soaked granite. I dream of a day when they may rise above the billows to drag down in their reeking talons the remnants of puny, war-exhausted mankind—of a day when the land shall sink, and the dark ocean floor shall ascend amidst universal pandemonium."

— H.P. Lovecraft 'Dagon'

Cromagnon

2010-11-13T20:26:00.006Z

Orgasm (1969)

1. Caledonia

2. Ritual Feast Of The Libido

3. Organic Sundown

4. Fantasy

5. Crow Of The Back Tree

6. Genitalia

7. Toth, Scribe I

8. First World Of Bronze

Pretty unknown rock band from the 60's released this truly groundbreaking album in 1969.

Right in the first song prepare to be amazed by its weird sound, specially noting the year this was released. First the percussion: it seems like it was taken from Einsturzende Neubaten first albums (in the early 80's). Then it's the raw electric guitar sound, the sound of bagpipes and a weird chanting something between a weird hippy cult and some ancient pagan chant. You might even call this hippie Black Metal

The following songs are again pretty experimental: some painful screams, weird sounds, some percussion but not as aggressive, ceremonial chants again, some random sampling; acoustic guitars but all they lead to nowhere.

Then comes “Toth, Scribe I” which predates industrial/noise bands like Coil or Throbbing Gristle.

This certainly is a cult album that deserves to be in the playlist of every music connoisseur.

"Caledonia" videoclip made by a fan:

Swans

2010-11-02T21:21:00.008Z

Filth (1983)

1. Stay Here

2. Big Strong Boss

3. Blackout

4. Power for Power

5. Freak

6. Right Wrong

7. Thank You

8. Weakling

9. Gang

Swans started as a post-punk band as displayed in their debut EP Swans. But after that they based their songs on a single riff, played repeatedly to hypnotic effect. This album catches the band in that period. The sound is typified by slow and grinding guitar noise, and pounding drums, punctuated by Gira's morbid and violent lyrics (inspired by Jean Genet and the Marquis de Sade), usually barked or shouted. It is aggressive beyond words.

It is obvious that this was a major influence for later bands such as Godflesh and for that it deserves a lof of respect. But for the music alone, listening to this album today it is a completely painful experience. Too experimental and too psychotic to take pleasure from.

This album can only be recommended as an historical piece, to understand how band X or Y got its sound from. Nothing more. Better listen to their later stuff like The Great Anihilator.

Classification: 4/10

All Nightmare Long

2010-10-30T16:22:00.004+01:00

"Their outlines were human, semi-human, fractionally human, and not human at all -- the horde was grotesquely heterogeneous."

included in "Herbert West--Reanimator" by H.P. Lovecraft.

Aeternus

2010-10-15T22:32:00.015+01:00

Dark Sorcery (1995)

1. Black Dust

2. Victory

3. Raven and Blood

4. Nordlys

5. In The Darkest Circles Of Time

Aterneus cannot be defined by a single genre. They have the atmosphere and slowness of a Doom Death band. The vocals are quite gutural and slow remembering Funeral Doom. We can also hear touches of some Black Metal and folk. The sound is very hipnotic: slower in the first song "Black Dust", and faster and epic in "Raven and Blood". This song is in my opinion the most interesting."Nordlys" is a very nice instrumental folk piece and the final song "In The Darkest Circles Of Time" is again faster and more thundering and agressive.

They kind of remind also of Primordial. Highly recomended.

Classification: 9/10

Beyond the Wandering Moon (1997)

1. Under the Blade of the Dead

2. Sworn Revenge

3. White Realm

4. Sentinels of Darkness

5. Embraced

6. Vind

7. Waiting for the Storms

8. Winter Tale

9. To Enter the Realm of Legend

10. Celtic Harp Solo (The Last Feast)

This album is also very hipnotic as the first EP but it's more melodic remembering swedish black metal bands like Dissection and Sacramentum. Whereas in the first we had a small colection of varied songs, here we the songs tend to bore a bit as they all sound not very much different from one another but the sheer hipnotic sound mixed with a few good melodies make this a good album.
The highlight of this album is the song "Celtic harp solo" where we can hear a breathtaking instrumental fok piece.

Classification: 8/10

Suicide

2010-09-20T21:13:00.008+01:00

Suicide (1977)

1. Ghost Rider

2. Rocket U.S.A.

3. Cheree

4. Johnny

5. Girl

6. Frankie Teardrop

7. Che

Very interesting album from the New York based no-wave band. This ground-breaking music influenced thousand of bands from Soft Cell to Henry Rollins. Interestingly also is that it was this band that first used the term punk to describe themselves.

Musically it is only based on a drum machine and some keyboards but they have the rawness of the Stooges. The vocalist is something between Elvis and Iggy Pop. The most interesting song is "Frankie Teardrop" due to the trance like music, half-spoken vocals and blood curling screams. Cult stuff indeed.

Classification: 8/10

"Ghost Rider" live performance:

"Frankie Teardrop" played live:

M.I.A. - Born Free

2010-07-16T17:11:00.001+01:00

M.I.A, Born Free from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.

A Metal God passed away

2010-05-17T21:54:00.005+01:00

American heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio, who replaced Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath, has died at the age of 67, his wife and manager have said.

diSEMBOWELMENT

2010-05-01T20:29:00.008+01:00

Transendence into the Peripher (1993)

1. The Tree of Life and Death
2. Your Prophetic Throne of Ivory
3. Excoriate
4. Nightside of Eden
5. A Burial at Ornans
6. The Spirits of the Tall Hills
7. Cerulean Transience of All My Imagined Shores

diSEMBOWELMENT is a unique Metal band due to the use of extremely fast tempos and very slow ones. They mix two genres: Grindcore and Doom Metal. All this with some progressive touches due it's huge variation and quite long songs. They also excel at delivering ethereal soundscapes through the use of Tibetan Bells. Looking at song titles one can say that the lyrics aren't about your typical grind nonsense bands like Cannibal Corpse.
The highlight of the album is in my opinion the song "Excoritate". It starts very brutal then all of a sudden it almost stops like the world gets in pause mode. And i dare to say that is is probably the heaviest song of all time. The guitar melodies are so epic and thunderous, the drumming impressive and the sound cold and nihilist like the world is just a huge black hole devoid of any life.
This is one of the most impressive and groundbreaking albums of the Metal genre. Pity the band ended after releasing this only album. They later went to a more ethnic, ambient terrain band called Trial of the Bow.
Although not a masterpiece, it can bore you sometimes, it's hugely recommended.

Classification: 9/10

"Excoriate"

Everything Dies

2010-04-17T12:29:00.003+01:00

"It is with great sadness that we inform you that Type O Negative front man, bassist, and our band mate, Peter Steele passed away last night of what appears to be heart failure.

Ironically Peter had been enjoying a long period of sobriety and improved health and was imminently due to begin writing and recording new music for our follow up to "Dead Again" released in 2007.

The official cause of death has yet to be determined pending autopsy results. The funeral services will be private and memorial services will be announced at a future date. We’d like to share our thoughts and those of Peter’s family below.
We are truly saddened to lose our friend and appreciate the tremendous outpouring today from around the world.

Sincerely,

Josh, Kenny and Johnny"

Alcest new album

2010-04-06T21:47:00.010+01:00

Écailles De Lune (2010)

1. Écailles de Lune - Part 1
2. Écailles de Lune - Part 2
3. Percées de lumière
4. Abysses
5. Solar Song
6. Sur L'Océan Couleur De Fer

Alcest's new album is another step in their rather original mix of different genres: post-rock, shoegaze and black metal. The songs included have much more variation than the previous one. As a consequence it doesn't catch your immediate attention at first listens. But for example the song "Percées De Lumiere" is quite catchy. It returns again to the black metal sound which was somewhat forgotten in "Souvenirs d'un autre monde". The raspy Black Metal vocals are back also. But the overall feeling is very melancholic again despite the more speedy harsh moments.
But as a whole, i think this album is weaker than the previous one. In the previous all songs were very good from start to finish. Pity we can't say the same about this one. But still, this is a gem found beneath all those awfull and boring albums out there. And i can't stop listenning to "Percées De Lumiere".

Classification: 8/10

"Percées De Lumiere" played live:

Burzum - Belus

2010-03-14T13:49:00.012Z

Belus (2010)

1. Leukes renkespill (Introduksjon)
2. Belus' død
3. Glemselens elv
4. Kaimadalthas' nedstigning
5. Sverddans
6. Keliohesten
7. Morgenrøde
8. Belus' tilbakekomst (Konklusjon)

Finally a new album by Burzum! After Varg Vikernes been released from prison he put his mind in making again what was really important: music. The album thankfully returns to the Black Metal sound that we all enjoy rather than that silly Casio music he made in the last two albums. The sound resembles more to the one presented in "Hvis lyset tar oss" and in a smaller scale "Filosofem".
The sheer hypnotic atmosphere is back along with the usual raspy vocals by Vikernes and they don't seem as extreme and silly as before. Varg sings cleanly in some parts and although his vocal abilities aren't very good, they add a nice atmosphere to the songs. The guitar sound is very hipnotic and repetive. The standout tracks are: "Glemselens elv", "Kaimadalthas' nedstigning" and "Keliohesten". These three songs tickle your subconscious like Burzum previous masterpieces although in a lesser degree. The other songs fail to impress me, specially the last one which to be honest is a borefest: too much repetition that doesn't go anywhere. "Sverddans" seems it doesn't belong in this album as the sound is much more warlike and not hypnotic at all. It's much more akin to Thrash Metal and kind of reminds me of old Celtic Frost but much more simple and with less technical abilities.
Interestingly the album's sound remind greatly of Drudkh which is not surprising as this band had Burzum as a major influence. The album doesn't add anything to the previous Burzum discography but it puts the band in the right path. A little more innovation, a desire to make something different from the rest of the bands and more cohesion is needed. A very welcome comeback. Let's hope the next one will surprise us all.

Classification: 7/10

Amebix

2010-03-02T21:31:00.008Z

Monolith (1987)

1. Monolith
2. Nobody's Driving
3. The Power Remains
4. Time Bomb
5. Last Will And Testament
6. I.C.B.M.
7. Chain Reaction
8. Fallen From Grace
9. Coming Home

Amebix is a British band that created the crust punk genre. This album, which is their best in my opinion, has a lot of different inspirations. The vocals remind me of Lemmy from Motorhead. But the music is not as rock'n roll as that band. It is course, mainly influenced by punk, but it's much more complex and avant-gard. It has that raw crushing Metal sound like Venom or Celtic Frost but at the same time as complex has Voivod or Rush. Other times is very bleak and atmospheric as post-punk bands like Joy Division or Killing Joke. It is amazing to listen to this album now because it sounds so fresh and different from all other bands. This is the proof of how ground-breaking this band was (and still is).
Highly recommended.

Classification: 9/10

"Chain Reaction" played live in 2009:

"ICBM" played live in 2009:

"Fallen From Grace" played live in 1987 (very poor quality):

"Monolith /Nobody Driving" played live in 1987 (poor quality):

Deaf Center

2010-02-22T20:58:00.010Z

Pale Ravine (2006)

1. Lobby
2. Thread
3. White Lake
4. Path To Lucy
5. Stone Beacon
6. Weir
7. Loft
8. Thunder Night
9. Lamp Mien
10. The Clearing
11. Fog Animal
12. Eloy

This album just blew my mind. Its lush ambient landscapes mixed with some epic and neoclassical themes makes one of the best of the genre. From the haunting intro "Lobby", to the pure relaxing and gentle "White Lake", from the epic crushing "Lamp Mien" to the melancholic masterpiece "Stone Beacon" this will take you to a journey that will haunt your mind. Seeing the pictures of the recent devastation of the area i live while listening to this album litterally brought me to tears.

Classification: 9/10

"Lobby" music stream:

"White Lake" video made by a fan:

"Weir" video made by a fan:

"Stone Beacon" video made by a fan:

"Lamp Mien" music stream:

A Summoning Tribute

2010-02-13T18:06:00.012Z

... And In the Darkness Bind Them - A Summoning Tribute (2009)

CD 1:
1. Sarratum - Long Lost to Where No Pathway Goes
2. Hildr Valkyrie - Farewell
3. Frekkr - Khazad Dum
4. Wolves of Hate - The Glory Disappears
5. Morgan the bard - Mirkwood
6. Orthanc - Through the Forest of Dol Guldur
CD 2:
1. Mischosen - Like Some Snow-White Marble Eyes
2. Elffor - Kortirion Among the Trees
3. Griefshire - Land of the Dead
4. Theudho - Marching Homewards
5. The Mirror - Where Hope And Daylight Die
6. Mag Mell - Between Light And Darkness
7. Kauan - Long Lost to Where No Pathway Goes

As a big fan of Summoning this tribute compilation was a must listen. But this is was quite of a letdown.
"Long Lost to Where No Pathway Goes" musically is interesting but has such boring vocals, no emotion at all! They kind of remind me of Dani Filth which are quite annoying. "Farewell" has a mix of choir female vocals and the more typical black metal shrieks. The original song is very interesting because of the contrast of between the two but here they mix them all together, soundind boring as hell. "Khazad Dum" sounds not very far from the original but that is one of Summoning's weakest songs. And that epic feeling is lost. "The Glory Disappears" sounds very different than the original which isn't nothing wrong. The song is harsher, with less keyboards but i don't see anything appealing in the song. "Mirkwood" is again different than the original, much more soothing, with acoustic guitars, and the sounds actually sound more organic than the original so this is the first interesting song of this compilation. "Through The Forest Of Dol Guldur" has good guitar sound but the vocals, have too many effects and are a bit of a mess.
"Like Some Snow - White Marble Eyes" is probably my favourite Summoning song and this version is very similar, the music although gives nothing new gives us that magic felling every Summoning song has. "Kortirion Among The Trees" has vocals that might reminds us of Burzum, but probably sound more comical than Varg. "Land of the Dead" is quite interesting but it doesn't have the choirs at the end! What the fuck? "Marching Homewards" musically is quite amazing, reminding us the more gothic bands like Moonspell or Tiamat but the vocals could be better. "Where Hope And Daylight Die" which is also one of my favourite Summoning tracks, musically is probably the best song in this compilation but the vocals seem like Carl McCoy on heroin, vocalist of Fields of the Nephilim. Again the use of sound effects ruins the vocals. "Between Light And Darkness " sounds awfull. "Long Lost To Where No Pathway Goes " has awesome female vocals, clean male vocals that kind of reminds me of Empyrium but at the end nothing interesting at all.
Conclusion: unless you are a hardcore Summoning fan stay away from this. And even if you are, i wouldn't buy it.
Highlights: "Mirkwood" for being creative; "Like Some Snow - White Marble Eyes" for sounding almost as good as the original; and "Marching Homewards " for the breathtaking music.

Classification: 4/10

Crash

2010-01-20T21:44:00.004Z

The Call of Cthulhu

2010-01-13T22:50:00.000Z

2009-12-24T22:27:00.002Z

Strange life

2009-12-08T23:18:00.007Z

"Children will always be afraid of the dark, and men with minds sensitive to hereditary impulse will always tremble at the thought of the hidden and fathomless worlds of strange life which may pulsate in the gulfs beyond the stars, or press hideously upon our own globe in unholy dimensions which only the dead and the moonstruck can glimpse."

included in "Supernatural Horror in Literature" (1927) by H.P. Lovecraft

The Thing On The Doorstep

2009-12-04T19:28:00.008Z

Drag Me to Hell (2009)

2009-11-26T20:38:00.007Z

Sam Raimi, one of the big names of the horror genre is back. Not with another Spiderman movie but with a horror/comedy hybrid in the vein of the "Evil Dead" trilogy. It will scary you, make you feel gross and make you laugh. Not as good as Evil Dead II but very good nonetheless.

Classification: 9/10

Trailer

2009-11-24T14:56:00.000Z

Esoteric

2009-11-05T23:07:00.011Z

Metamorphogenesis (1999)

1. Dissident

2. The Secret of the Secret

3. Psychotropic Transgression

This album is in my opinion the most impressive of this British Funeral Doom band. It is very dark, hypnotic and heavy. It is not as slow as Skepticism, but it is heavier and darker. It is as thundering as Evoken's Quietus but more violent and hypnotic. This album is somewhat different than most of other albums of this genre because of its psycadelic melodies. Not a happy 60's sound but more of a bad trip nightmare sound. The vocals very between the typical low gutural sound typical of the genre and a more painfull scream.

The first track is the most violent one, most brutal and easily the best of the album. The second one much more soothing and also very trippy. The third is the weakest.

In conclusion: Although having only 3 tracks, its length and multitude of feelings make this one of the most interesting albums of the genre.

Classification: 9/10

"Dissident" played live (incomplete):

The Maniacal Vale (2008)

1. Circle

2. Beneath This Face

3. Quickening

4. Caucus of Mind

5. Silence

6. The Order of Destiny

7. Ignotum Per Ignotius

After the generic borefest "Subconscious Dissolution Into The Continuum" album, Esoteric return with a pretty good album. Right in the very first track you feel an epic grandiouse sound. The beggining of the song has a thunderous crescendo and makes you drool just to hear the rest of the album. The middle tracks don't sound as interesting to me but i confess that didn't hear them enough times. Probably in a time my opinion will change. But the last track "Ignotum Per Ignotius" is a colossus! It certainly is my favourite song of this band and probably one of top 3 of this genre. Be sure to listen to it in high sound pressures and in total darkness...

Although the sound presented in this album is not as original as the one included in "Metamorphogenesis" it feels very solid.

Classification: 9/10

"Circle" played live:

"Ignotum Per Ignotius" album song (incomplete):

R.I.P.

2009-11-01T20:59:00.003Z

A true hero.

2009-10-08T12:09:00.000+01:00

ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn

Death to Videodrome...

2009-09-22T15:01:00.003+01:00

Fear Factory

2009-09-19T15:22:00.007+01:00

Demanufacture (1995)

1. Demanufacture
2. Self Bias Resistor
3. Zero Signal
4. Replica
5. New Breed
6. Dog Day Sunrise
7. Body Hammer
8. Flashpoint
9. H-K (Hunter-Killer)
10. Pisschrist
11. A Therapy for Pain

Fear Factory are one of the big names in the industrial metal scene. The genre, originated by bands such as Godflesh and Ministry is characterized by harsh sounds trying to recreate the brutality of heavy machinery. Fear Factory took thrash metal and influences from bands such as Nine Inch Nails and KMFDM. The result is indeed brutal with heavy guitars and some electronics. The drumming is quite impressive and the vocals shift from melodic to a more brutal performance. The songs are quite interesting making this album one of the most original and influential albums of its time.

Classification: 9/10

"Demanufacture" played live:

"Self Bias Resistor" played live:

"Zero Signal" played live:

"Replica" played live:

Martyrs (2008)

2009-09-15T12:52:00.005+01:00

Here is another french movie that crosses the line of the acceptable. The violence presented is indeed brutal remembering "À l'intérieur". The movie is very well directed giving the viewer a nauseating dose of horror and scariness. The story is also very interesting: in the beginning it seems that the movie is going to the monster kind of thing but then it goes all metaphysical and theology. It is quite original and surprising, making this one of the most interesting of the genre.

Classification: 8/10

Trailer:

Hope

2009-09-09T22:16:00.003+01:00

"I love the planet
The great benign she-wolf
Benefactor
Spinning gently on towards the red giant four aeons hence
When all the rose gardens are consumed in the flash-fire of flying time
She'll leave alone to you"

"Hope" song from "Eternity" by Anathema. Originally performed by Roy Harper & Jimmy Page. Written by Roy Harper & David Gilmour. Video by sinxsentido.

Blut Aus Nord

2009-08-27T12:59:00.011+01:00

Mort (2006)

1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5
6. Chapter 6
7. Chapter 7
8. Chapter 8

After a very interesting album, the french avant-garde Black Metal band are back with a full release. This time they took the spooky atmosphere to an extreme and forgot writing songs. This album is a huge mess. It's just a bunch of scary sounds, with no structure at all and boring as hell. Avoid it like the plague.

Classification: 2/10

Odinist: The Destruction of Reason by Illumination (2007)

1. Intro
2. An Element of Flesh
3. The Sounds of the Universe
4. Odinist
5. A Few Shreds of Thoughts
6. Ellipsis
7. Mystic Absolu
8. The Cycle of the Cycles
9. Outro

They are back with a more conventional Black Metal sound remembering "The Work Which Transforms God" album. It has that frightening atmosphere mixed with some good guitars solos with amazing melodies. It gives you a sense of dread like a black hole of nihilism is sucking the vacuum of life.
However, it is not as interesting as that album, the songs are somewhat uninspiring and a great defect of Blut Aus Nord appears again: boredom.

Classification: 6/10

Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue with the Stars (2009)

1. Acceptance: Aske
2. Disciple's Libration: Lost in the Nine Worlds
3. The Cosmic Echoes of Non-Matter: Immaterial Voices of the Fathers
4. Translucent Body of Air: Sutta Anapanasati
5. The Formless Sphere: Beyond the Reason
6. ... The Meditant: Dialogue With the Stars
7. The Alcove of Angels: Vipassana
8. Antithesis of the Flesh: ... And Then Arises a New Essence
9. Elevation

What a surprise! After the dreadful "Mort" and the boring "Odinist", the french avant-garde Black Metal band finally released a really good album. Amazing melodies, good songs, dark atmosphere, all within a good balance and without the boring defect. "The Meditant" grabs your attention the first time you listen to it. It is somewhat between the magic feeling of Burzum or Summoning and the epicness of Primordial or Drudkh. "The Alcove of Angels" is more brutal and faster and it is amazing due to it's majestic atmosphere remembering maybe Lunar Aurora.
I dare to say that their sound is more epic and also more happy. Like this is the last war we are fighting and our deeds are to be forever carved in stone. A liberation.
This is one of the few Black Metal works that caught my immediate attention after the disappointing last works from Drudkh and Wolves From The Throne Room. Black Metal is still alive and strong in 2009.

Classification: 9/10

Ah Pook Is Here

2009-08-06T14:03:00.000+01:00

Metallica

2009-08-01T14:57:00.011+01:00

Kill'Em All (1983)

1. Hit the Lights
2. The Four Horsemen
3. Motorbreath
4. Jump in the Fire
5. (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth
6. Whiplash
7. Phantom Lord
8. No Remorse
9. Seek & Destroy
10. Metal Militia

Metallica appeared when extreme Metal begun. Drawing influences from Hardcore Punk like Discharge and New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands like Diamond Head and Venom. They are one of the big four of Thrash alongside with Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. However they succeed in becoming the biggest band in Metal history.
Their first album is the one that has the most punk influences. It's quite similar to Slayer's Show No Mercy. It is fast, has a collection of simple but good and catchy songs. Although it isn't a masterpiece, it's the perfect soundtrack for headbanging.

Classification: 9/10

"Metallica (Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth" played live:

"Seek And Destroy" played live:

Ride The Lightning (1984)

1. Fight Fire with Fire
2. Ride the Lightning
3. For Whom the Bell Tolls
4. Fade to Black
5. Trapped Under Ice
6. Escape
7. Creeping Death
8. The Call of Ktulu

It was with this album that Metallica became the biggest band in the world. From the big epic songs like "For Whom The Bell Tolls", "Creeping Death", to the melodic masterpiece "Fade to Black" and to the magical instrumental "The Call of Ktulu" we can see clearly that they have the talent that no one else has. All the praise the band gets is well deserved for the music displayed in this album. They are certainly gods amongst men.

Classification: 10/10

"For Whom The Bell Tolls" videoclip made by a fan:

"Fade To Black" played live:

"Creeping Death" played live:

Master Of Puppets (1986)

1. Battery
2. Master of Puppets
3. The Thing That Should Not Be
4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
5. Disposable Heroes
6. Leper Messiah
7. Orion
8. Damage, Inc.

Again a new masterpiece. Please bow to songs like "Master of Puppets", "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" and "Orion".

Classification: 10/10

"Metallica-Welcome Home (Sanitarium)" played live:

"Master Of Puppets" played live:

"Orion" played live:

...And Justice for All (1988)

1. Blackened
2. …And Justice for All
3. Eye of the Beholder
4. One
5. The Shortest Straw
6. Harvester of Sorrow
7. The Frayed Ends of Sanity
8. To Live Is to Die" (Instrumental)
9. Dyers Eve

Cliff Burton died in a bus accident and the music suffered a bit. But still we can get (again) masterpieces like: "One", "Harvester of Sorrow" and "To Live Is To Die".

Classification: 9/10

"One" videoclip:

"Harvester Of Sorrow" played live:

"To Live is to Die" played live:

Metallica (1991)

1. Enter Sandman
2. Sad but True
3. Holier Than Thou
4. The Unforgiven
5. Wherever I May Roam
6. Don't Tread on Me
7. Through the Never
8. Nothing Else Matters
9. Of Wolf and Man
10. The God That Failed
11. My Friend of Misery
12. The Struggle Within

The band became very well known due to the songs included in this album. It has certainly a much more commercial sound but nonetheless they made again a masterpiece. Pity that after this album they haven't made anything as worthy as the previous works. But we can still listen to these albums again and again...

Classification: 10/10

"Enter Sandman" videoclip:

"Sad But True" played live:

"Wherever I May Roam" played live:

"My friend of Misery" played live:

Atari Teenage Riot

2009-07-25T21:29:00.010+01:00

Delete Yourself (1995)

1. Start The Riot!
2. Into The Death
3. Raverbashing
4. Speed
5. Sex
6. Midijunkies
7. Delete Yourself! (You Got No Chance To Win!)
8. Hetzjagd Auf Nazis!
9. Cyberpunks Are Dead!
10. Kids Are United!
11. Atari Teenage Riot
12. Riot 1995

Atari Teenage Riot is an anarchist anti-fascist and anti-nazi band formed in Berlin. They do a very interesting mix of electronica, drum'n bass, hardcore punk and hip-hop. They sometimes have a very soothing sound like in the track "Sex", very brutal like in "Start The Riot", more danceable like in "Atari Teenage Riot" or very party like in"Kids are united!". Lots of samples and different types of sounds, shouted vocals or whispers. One thing is for sure: this album won't bore you at all due to its immense diversity and energy.

Classification: 8/10

The band playing live in the middle of a real riot:

"Speed" videoclip:

"Kids Are United!" videoclip:

60 Second Wipe Out (1999)

1. Revolution Action
2. By Any Means Necessary
3. Western Decay
4. Atari Teenage Riot II
5. Ghostchase
6. Too Dead For Me
7. U.S. Fade Out
8. The Virus Has Been Spread
9. Digital Hardcore
10. Death Of A President D.I.Y.!
11. Your Uniform (Does Not Impress Me!)
12. No Success
13. Anarchy 999

This time the band formed by Alec Empire, Nic Endo, Carl Crack and Hanin Elias did a more extreme album. It sounds as brutal as a black/thrash/death Metal album. The use of noise, hardcore tecno beats, extreme shouted female screams and overall distortions make it one of the worst ear-friendly albums of all time. But on the other hand, the music displayed here is indeed very interesting. It's the musical materialization of the original anti-system establishment present in the original punk years.
Although not a masterpiece by any means, it's essential to your musical collection.

Classification: 9/10

"Revolution Action" videoclip:

"Too dead for me" videoclip:

Madness

2009-07-22T22:53:00.001+01:00

"In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom! "
— J.G. Ballard

Voivod

2009-07-18T14:55:00.014+01:00

War and Pain (1984)

1. Voivod
2. Warriors of Ice
3. Suck Your Bone
4. Iron Gang
4. War and Pain
5. Blower
6. Live for Violence
7. Black City
8. Nuclear War

Voivod started as a pretty standard thrash metal band from the early 80's. Their first album sounds as Slayer's "Show no Mercy". Although not as good as that album it's quite interesting. It has plenty of interesting riffs and is very aggressive. The production is not very good but sufficient enough to hear the songs with clarity. The vocals, by Denis "Snake" Bélanger, are similar to Tom Araya.

Classification: 7/10

"Warriors of Ice" played live:

Rrröööaaarrr (1986)

1. Korgüll the Exterminator
2. Fuck Off and Die
3. Slaughter in a Grave
4. Ripping Headaches
5. Horror
6. Thrashing Rage
7. The Helldriver
8. Build Your Weapons
9. To the Death

Album somewhat similar to the previous one but the songs are sloppier and less interesting. The production is also weaker. The aggressiveness is higher but don't shine as before. One of the least interesting of their career. Only recommended for fans of the 80's extreme genre and to someone interested in hearing all their catalogue.

Classification: 6/10

"Ripping Headaches" played live:

"Build Your Weapons" played live:

Killing Technology (1987)

1. Killing Technology
2. Overreaction
3. Tornado
4. Too Scared To Scream
5. Forgotten In Space
6. Ravenous Medicine
7. Order of the Blackguards
8. This is Not An Exercise
9 Cockroaches

Now this is really interesting! Awesome guitar riffs, lots of variation and catchy songs. And this time we got a decent production so that we can hear it with great detail and tone. This album was a breath of fresh air in the 80's thrash scene due to it's progressive sounds. No other band sounded as original as this. Highly recommended.

Classification: 9/10

"Ravenous Medicine" videoclip:

"Forgotten in Space" live performance:

Phobos (1997)

1. Catalepsy I
2. Rise
3. Mercury
4. Phobos
5. Bacteria
6. Temps Mort
7. The Tower
8. Quantum
9. Neutrino
10. Forlorn
11. Catalepsy II
12. M-Body
13. 21st Century Schizoid Man

This is in my opinion one of the most underrated albums in the Metal genre. It is in fact my favourite of this Canadian band. It's a mix of thrash-metal with industrial and weird science themes making it one of the most interesting of the genre. The only downside i may find, are the vocals which could be a lot better. The new vocalist, Eric Forrest has a too raspy voice for my own taste. But to be honest, i never really liked Skane's vocals either.
What is amazing in this album are the amazing riffs and the dark atmosphere. It has crushing guitars and a very good use of weird sounds like you were watching some old sci-fi horror movie from the 50's or some tale from H. P. Lovecraft.

Classification: 9/10

"The Tower" videoclip:

Invocation

2009-07-03T21:40:00.007+01:00

"This book is dedicated to the Ancient Ones, to the Lord of Abominations, Humwawa, whose face is a mass of entrails, whose breath is the stench of dung and the perfume of death, Dark Angel of all that is excreted and sours, Lord of Decay, Lord of the Future, who rides on a whispering south wind, to Pazuzu, Lord of Fevers and Plagues, Dark Angel of the Four Winds with rotting genitals from which he howls through sharpened teeth over stricken cities, to Kutulu, the Sleeping Serpent who cannot be summoned, to the Akkkharu, who suck the blood of men since they desire to become men, to the Lalussu, who haunt the places of men, to Gelal and Lilit, who invade the beds of men and whose children are born in secret places, to Adddu, raiser of storms who can fill the nightsky with brightness, to Malah, Lord of Courage and Bravery, to Zahgurin, whose number is twenty-three and who kills in an unnatural fashion, to Zahrim, a warrior among warriors, to Itzamma, Spirit of Early Mists and Showers, to Ix Chel, the Spider-Web-that-Catches-the-Dew-of-Morning, to Zuhuy Kak, Virgin Fire, to Ah Dzis, the Master of Cold, to Kak U Pacat, who works in fire, to Ix Tab, Goddess of Ropes and Snares, patroness of those who hang themselves, to Schumuun, the Silent One, to Xolotl the Unformed, Lord of Rebirth, to Aguchi, Master of Ejaculations, to Osiris and Amen in phallic form, to Hex Chun Chan, the Dangerous One, to Ah Pook, the Destroyer, to the Great Old One and the Star Beast, to Pan, God of Panic, to the nameless gods of dispersal and emptiness, to Hassan i Sabbah, Master of Assassins.
To all the scribes and artists and practitioners of magic through whom the spirits have been manifested...
NOTHING IS TRUE, EVERYTHING IS PERMITTED.

by William Burroughs included in "Cities of the Red Night"

The Hunt for Gollum (2009)

2009-06-14T15:33:00.004+01:00

Gandalf asks Strider for help in order to search for Gollum as he knows the secret location of the One Ring. Short movie about the events that happened before "The Lord of the Rings" and after "The Hobbit". Recommended for fans despite the low budget.

Trailer:

You can watch the full movie here.

Desaster

2009-06-12T22:10:00.006+01:00

Hellfire's Dominion (1998)

1. Intro
2. In The Ban Of Satan's Sorcery
3. Expect No Release
4. Teutonic Steel
5. Metalized Blood
6. Thou Shalt Be King
7. Hellfire's Dominion
8. Past…Present…Forever…!!
9. Castleland
10. Accros The Bloodfields

Interesting epic thrash/speed/heavy metal hybrid with some touches of old-school attitude. Reminds me of Deströyer 666 and Destruction. "Teutonic Steel" stands out in the album due to its amazing epic riffs and war hymns.

Classification: 7/10

"Teutonic Steel" played live:

Låt den rätte komma in (2008)

2009-06-04T23:10:00.009+01:00

Swedish movie about a kid who suffers from bullying at school, meets a young female vampire and the two become in love. Shot like a frozen beauty of a Sigur Rós song along with some horror and gore. Brilliant actor performance and a captivating story.

Classification: 9/10

Trailer:

Form, force and symmetry

2009-05-17T19:36:00.006+01:00

"Never was a sane man more dangerously close to the arcana of basic entity -- never was an organic brain nearer to utter annihilation in the chaos that transcends form and force and symmetry"

by H.P. Lovecraft included in "The Whisperer in Darkness"

Autechre

2009-05-09T19:14:00.006+01:00

Anvil Vapre (1995)

1. Second Bad Vilbel
2. Second Scepe
3. Second Scout
4. Second Peng

Autechre alongside with Aphex Twin are the most known names of the Intelligent Dance Music (IDM) genre. It is a very experimental sub-genre of tecno music drawing influences from the Detroit scene. The standout of this EP is the first track. A very brutal song, filled with industrial noise, hard beats and a very haunting atmosphere. Although the beats sound familiar, the atmosphere is like anything you never heard before. It has a trance-like effect and a very alien sound, epic and haunting. A must listen! The rest of the songs are also very interesting and original.

Classification: 9/10

Gantz Graf (2002)

1. Gantz Graf
2. Dial.
3. Cap.IV

Again, in this EP, the first song is the most interesting. It is constructed in a very weird way. You get a lot of different sounds, glue them together almost chaotically and hope it works. And it did. It is very weird and different. One may say that it is just noise. In fact, Sarah Dempster, writing for the NME, gave the EP a strongly negative review, claiming "It bleeps. It skronks. It krrraaaanks. But mainly, it blows like a ruddy awful hurricane". But keep this in mind: this is pure abstract art and is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Classification: 9/10

The videoclips of the two best songs i mentioned are again truly works of art.

"Second Bad Vilbel" videoclip:

"Gantz Graf" videoclip:

Ancient

2009-05-09T18:07:00.005+01:00

Trolltaar (1994)

1. Trolltaar
2. Nattens skønnhet
3. Fjellets hemmelighet

Ancient is a Norwegian Black Metal band that appeared during the genre's best period. This EP gives us a very interesting preview of that golden age. It has the majestic sound of early Emperor, the epicness of early Enslaved and it also has some progressive/jazz bits. It has the usual raspy Black metal vocals but also others of the more epic genre. In the second song a very unusual instrument in the genre, a trumpet makes an appearance giving a very chilling experience. Filled with atmospheric and epic riffs, excellent guitar solos this is one of the most interesting music of our preferred genre.

Classification: 9/10

Science

2009-04-12T20:45:00.004+01:00

"Life is a hideous thing, and from the background behind what we know of it peer daemoniacal hints of truth which make it sometimes a thousandfold more hideous. Science, already oppressive with its shocking revelations, will perhaps be the ultimate exterminator of our human species -- if separate species we be -- for its reserve of unguessed horrors could never be borne by mortal brains if loosed upon the world."

by H.P. Lovecraft in "Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family"

Killing Joke

2009-04-06T21:00:00.008+01:00

Killing Joke (1980)

1. Requiem
2. Wardance
3. Tomorrow's World
4. Bloodsport
5. The Wait
6. Complications
7. S.O.36
8. Primitive

Killing Joke is a very influential English post-punk band. Its gloomy and mechanical but quite danceable sound was a major influence for rock bands like Nirvana or Tool but also to industrial rock/metal bands like Ministry, Nine Inch Nails and Godflesh.
Their first album, sounds fresh even today. We get some good songs, some more gloomy, others more danceable or more heavy. They rely their sound on guitar, bass and drums but also give a nice use of keyboards and some sound effects.
Do take a listen to one of the most interesting and original cult bands that appeared on the post-punk scene. This album historical value is quite high.

Classification: 9/10

"Requiem" live performance:

"Wardance" live performance:

"The Wait" live performance:

Death

2009-03-31T21:05:00.004+01:00

"It is good to be a cynic — it is better to be a contented cat — and it is best not to exist at all. Universal suicide is the most logical thing in the world — we reject it only because of our primitive cowardice and childish fear of the dark. If we were sensible we would seek death — the same blissful blank which we enjoyed before we existed."

H.P. Lovecraft in "Nietzscheism and Realism" from The Rainbow, Vol. I, No. 1

Nokturnal Mortum

2009-03-16T19:45:00.009Z

Nechrist (2000)

1. The Funeral Wind Born in Oriana
2. Night Before the Fight
3. Black Raven"
4. The Call of Aryan Spirit
5. The Child of Swamps and Full Moon
6. Death Damnation
7. In the Fire of the Wooden Churches
8. Jesus’ Blood
9. Nechrist: The Dance Of Swords
10. Perun’s Celestial Silver

Nokturnal Mortum is a national socialist Black Metal band from Ukraine. The music is a mix of Black Metal with Ukrainian folk music. One may remember Graveland but the music is not so epic nor as necro. The production although not bad has a problem. The guitars have a very weird sound, not powerful at all. It's is very different from everything i've heard but it's not unlistenable.
Although this is not the first time someone mixes Black Metal with folk, the music sounds very interesting, especially the track "Black Raven". There are some traditional instruments and some chants but Black Metal is predominant in the album.
Although not as interesting as Graveland nor Drudkh, if you are into Black Metal with a preference of a folk sound with keyboards and of course, if you don't mind their silly ideology, this a good band to explore the discography...

Classification: 8/10

"Black Raven" played live:

Legend

2009-02-03T22:34:00.006Z

From The Fjords (1979)

1. The Destroyer
2. The Wizard's Vengeance
3. The Golden Bell
4. The Confrontation
5. R.A.R.Z.
6. Against the Gods
7. The Iron Horse
8. From the Fjords

Legend is a quite unknown american heavy metal band who were formed in 1978 in Connecticut, USA. But it's quite unfair because this is a pretty good album, expecially the first track "Destroyer". It's quite epic and it is perhaps one of the best Metal songs of all time. They mix Heavy Metal, progressive music and some jazz touches. The lyrics are well sung and are very teatrical remembering Genesis. This album is one of the holy grails of vintage heavy metal vynil album collectors. The band Legend put out just this one record, self-produced and self-manufactured, in 1979. Only 500 copies were made. If you are lucky to listen to a original i bow to you.

Classification: 8/10

Coven

2009-01-02T23:04:00.007Z

Witchcraft Destroys Minds And Reaps Souls (1969)

1. Black Sabbath
2. White Witch of Rose Hall
3. Coven in Charing Cross
4. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
5. Pact with Lucifer
6. Choke, Thirst, Die
7. Wicked Woman
8. Dignitaries of Hell
9. Portrait
10. Satanic Mass

Coven is a rock band, composed of vocalist Jinx Dawson, bassist Oz Osborne (not to be confused with Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath), Chris Neilsen on guitar, and drummer Steve Ross. The music on this album is hard rock psychedelia; what made it distinctive at the time was released, was the heavy emphasis on diabolical subject matter, including songs such as "The White Witch of Rose Hall" (based on the story of Annie Palmer), "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge", and "Dignitaries of Hell". The album concluded with a 13 minute track of chanting and Satanic prayers called "Satanic Mass" . Also included inside the album, was Coven's infamous Black Mass poster, showing members of the group displaying the sign of the horns as they prepared for a Satanic ritual over the naked altar.
The album was released a year or two before Black Sabbath's eponymous debut in 1970, but the hidden links that exist between the two are up for speculation. Their lives shows put many of the modern Satanic bands to shame. In a 1996 interview, former band Osbourne recounted the grandiose proceedings to Descent magazine as follows:

"We did a lot of our album and other things as our stage show, intermixing the Black Mass, or Satanic Mass, as a kind of a segueway betweeen the songs. Behind the stage we had an altar and on top of the altar we had what we called a Christian cross and we had one of our road people hanging in the Christian cross as Jesus, and he just kind of stayed there during the whole show. Our stage was lit with abviously a lot of reds, and we had candles and that kind of thing. Then we would do our whole album and other materials that all dealt with interesting stories of witchcraft. Of course we were costumed... right at the end we did a Procol Harum song that was just appropriate, called "Walpurgis". And right in the middle of it we brake into the "Ave Maria". At that point Jynx would do the benediction of the Black Mass and she'd recite the Latin bits and she would, "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law", which is Crowley... She'd say the Crowley bit then would hail Satan and would turn and scream "Hail Satan!" at the cross and altar, at which point the guy (Jesus) would pull his arms of the cross, invert the cross into that Satanic symbol, and would go dancing off the stage while the music was playing"

How cool is that?

The music presented in the album is interesting but the last song, a proper "Black Mass" is a must listen.

Classification: 9/10

"Black Sabbath" videoclip, made by a fan, using images from a silent movie called Haxan:

NON

2008-12-20T14:39:00.005Z

God & Beast (1997)

1. God & Beast
2. Between Venus & Mars
3. Millstones
4. The Coming Forth
5. The Law
6. Lucifer, The Morning Star
7. Out Out Out
8. Phoenix
9. Total War

Boyd Rice is an American experimental sound artist, archivist, actor, photographer, prankster and writer best known for his pioneering industrial noise music under the name NON.
First coming to prominence as an avant-garde audio experimentalist, Rice was a founder of the first wave of industrial music in the late 1970's. In the 80's, Rice further endeared himself to the underground with recountings of his uproarious pranks and promotion of 'incredibly strange' cult films.
Early NON performances were designed to offer choice to audience members who might otherwise expect only a prefabricated and totally passive entertainment experience. Rice has stated that he considers his performances to be "de-indoctrination rites". Rice has performed using a shoe polisher, the "rotoguitar" (an electric guitar with an electric fan on it), and other homemade instruments. He has also used found sounds, played at a volume just below the threshold of pain, to entice his audiences to endure his high decibel sound experiments.
Rice coupled his aural assaults with psychological torture on audiences in Den Haag, the Netherlands, by shining exceedingly bright lights in their faces that were deliberately placed just out of reach. As their frustration mounted, Rice states that he:

..continued to be friendly to the audience, which made them even madder, because they were so mad and I didn't care! They were shaking their fists at me, and I thought that at any minute there'd be a riot. So I took it as far as I thought I could, and then thanked them and left.

This album, God & Beast, explores the intersection in the soul of man's physical and spiritual natures over the course of an album that alternates abrasive soundscapes with passages of tranquillity. It is a good experience to hear the album as it is very haunting but it fails at making the listener want to listen to it again. However, the last track, is an awesome,very brutal and trancelike song. For this reason alone, i recommend this album.

Classification: 7/10

"Total War" videoclip made by a fan:

Death In June & Boyd Rice

2008-12-14T15:19:00.005Z

Alarm Agents (2004)

1. Untouchable
2. Black Sun Rising
3. You Love the Sun
4. Tears of the Hunted
5. You Love the Sun, Don't You?
6. Storm on the Sea (Out Beyond Land)
7. You Love the Sun and the Moon
8. Summer Is Gone
9. Deeper Than Love
10. An Ancient Tale Is Told
11. Are You Out There? (Dornier 17 Mix)
12. Sunwheels of Your Mind
13. Get Used to Saying No!
14. Symbols in Souls
15. An Ancient Tale Is Told Again
16. The Man Who Laughs
17. We're All a Little Afraid
18. Boyd's Gift

This album is the result of a collaboration between Death and June and Boyd Rice. In fact this was the last one between them. Acoustics guitars, sea sounds and some samples make this an ode to sea, the summer, storms and Nature. Very interesting to those interested in the neofolk genre.

Classification: 9/10

Death In June

2008-12-10T21:44:00.009Z

Operation Hummingbird (2000)

1. Gorilla Tactics
2. Kapitulation
3. Flieger
4. The Snows of the Enemy (Little Black Baby)
5. Hand Grenades and Olympic Flames
6. Winter Eagle
7. Let the Wind Catch a Rainbow on Fire

Death in June is one of the most important bands in the neofolk genre. They originated in the post-punk scene and moved next to a folk music-oriented approach. However this album has a more martial/industrial sound remembering more Blood Axis. It is short but has a few good songs.
"Kapitulation" has that martial sound sounding very powerfull. "Flieger" has a very good use of keyboards and you can even dance to it! "The Snows of the Enemy" is also similar but a little more introspective. "Hand Grenades And Olympic Flames" sounds very epic and powerfull as well as the next track: "Winter Eagle". These two songs are indeed very interesting. Think of the best Blood Axis has created and there it is.
So, if you are interested in this genre, go listen to one of the masters.

Classification: 9/10

"Flieger" videoclip:

Benighted

2008-11-30T21:08:00.006Z

Heljarför (2003)

1. Heljarför
2. The Dying Age
3. Into the Sea of Nothing
4. The Tide

Benighted was a swedish Black Metal band that released two demos and has been dead since. Their first demo is an impressive work of epic Black/Viking Metal remembering Enslaved's early works. The production is also typical of this kind of sound, treble buzzing guitars and incomprehensible lyrics. The sound has also some acoustic guitars scattered but the sound is always epic remembering big battles where the Vikings rule supreme.

Classification: 8/10

Avgrundshjärta (2005)

1. Like Draperies of Night Itself
2. Avgrundshjärta
3. Vibration of My Thoughts
4. Decadence

Their second demo might be called the masterpiece of the Black Metal demos. Very few demos sound has amazing as this one, except maybe Yggdrasill from Enslaved. It doesn't sound amateur at all, the band seems it's been playing Black Metal for ages! It rivals with all the best norwegian Black metal bands and even surpasses them. The sound is a mix of epic Enslaved hymns with blazing fast Darkthone tunes. The only downside is that the sound is not original at all but they excel at this genre. I have no idea idea what happen to this band, but it's really a pity we can't hear any more works from them.
The song "Vibrations Of My Thoughts" has one of the best Black Metal riffs i've ever heard. It sounds so cold, epic and nihilistic. A must listen!

Classification: 10/10

Note: Some years ago you could download the full demos at their website but it's been dead for a while :(

Pelican

2008-11-29T21:18:00.014Z

Pelican (2001)

1. Pulse
2. Mammoth
3. Forecast for Today
4. The Woods

Pelican is an american band from Chicago that is one of the leading acts of the post-metal genre alongside with Isis and Neurosis. But they are much more similar to first band due the more thunderous sound. The music is instrumental and this EP is perhaps one of the heaviest of the metal genre. Not heavy because the music is very fast or very slow but because the riffs have a lot of power. The sound is downtuned giving an enormous feeling of heaviness. And thankfully the music is very well recorded making an awesome experience listening to it in high sound pressures.
This EP may not seem as interesting as a full album but i guarantee you this is well worth it. Right from the beginning they show an enormous talent of writing good songs.

Classification: 9/10

Australasia (2003)

1. NightEndDay
2. Drought
3. Angel Tears
4. gw
5. Untitled
6. Australasia

The music presented here is perhaps the perfect soundtrack to hear while driving through big mountains. The feeling goes from huge epic and thunderous sounds representing maybe violent storms and also more calm passages but always with a great sense of beauty. You can see that from the song titles, Nature is present in the album theme. The sound is again very heavy but i sense a bit more attention to melody and not so to crushing sludge guitars although they are again represented in a huge way. "Drought" is very heavy remembering their first EP, Sludge Metal at its best. But on other songs the sound is sometimes more smoothing, approaching more the post-rock genre. The final song is very interesting having more variation. Highly recommended.

Classification: 9/10

"Drought" played live:

March Into The Sea (2005)

1. March into the Sea
2. Angel Tears (Justin Broadrick remix)

This EP has two songs, the first one is a new song from their next album which gives the name of this EP and the second is a remix by Justin Broadrick (Godflesh, Jesu) of "Angel Tears" from their previous album. The first one, clocking more than 20 minutes is simply their best song and one of the best of the Metal genre. Hugely epic, thunderous and with amazing riffs. You should sell your soul just to hear this song. The second song is interesting but doesn't have the usual good qualities that a Pelican song has and it's a bit repetitive. The remix reminds me of Jesu. it has that drone/industrial and trance-like effect.

Classification: 9/10

"March Into The Sea" played live, part1:

"March Into The Sea" played live, part2:

Explosions In The Sky

2008-11-21T22:43:00.006Z

All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone (2007)

1. The Birth and Death of the Day
2. Welcome, Ghosts
3. It's Natural to Be Afraid
4. What Do You Go Home To?
5. Catastrophe and the Cure
6. So Long, Lonesome

Explosions In The Sky are one of the best bands of the post-rock genre. They are in the line of Red Sparowes, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Mono because of the epic melodies and the absence of any vocals. Their last album is the best of them. Long songs with a lot of variations: from subtle and calm sounds to monstrous and epic wall of sounds. The music is very dynamic and the production is amazing. We can hear all the instrumental with a stunning clarity. The drums sound is especially amazing. Please use a good stereo to fully appreciate this album and listen to it without any backgrounds noise. The album is pure musical majesty from start to finish. It is not has dark as Red Sparowes or not as heavy as Mono's latest but i think this band has even better musicians. This album is the the clear definition of good music.

Classification: 10/10

"The Birth and Death of the Day" played live:

"Welcome, Ghosts" played live:

Thor's Hammer

2008-11-15T16:34:00.004Z

Three Weeds from the Same Root (2004)

1. Three Weeds from the Same Root
2. The Law of the Wave
3. J. Ch.
4. Egality Hurts Pride
5. The Blind Searchers
6. Via Cruces - 11th Station
7. Serpents Bite Their Allies
8. Organized Illusion
9. The Day Has Come

Thor's Hammer was a polish band formed by Capricornus, Graveland's drummer. Their latest album is a mix of National Socialist Black Metal and a more raw punk sound. It's quite similar to Graveland but it's more "in your face" and not so epic. The lyrics are about typical religion bashing:

“Pigs of Jehovah,
Lambs of Christ,
Dogs of Allah--
Your time is up!”

The sound is quite dark, sometimes fast other times not so much. But it is always very powerful. Keyboards are used in some songs quite brilliantly, especially in "Via Crucis - 11th Station" where are they are amazingly dark, remembering the "Carpathians Wolves" album from Graveland. The songs are very well built and somewhat catchy despite the harsh sounds. So, this is a recomendation.

Classification: 9/10

Mão Morta

2008-10-22T21:29:00.029+01:00

Mão Morta (1988)

1. E Se Depois
2. Até Cair
3. Sitiados
4. Oub' Lá
5. Carícias Malícias
6. Aum
7. Oub' Lá (K7 Mix)
8. Véus Caídos (K7 Mix)
9. Abandonada (K7 Mix)
10. Aum (K7 Mix)
11. Sitiados (K7 Mix)
12. E Se Depois (K7 Mix)

Mão Morta (Portuguese for "dead hand") is a Portuguese avant-garde rock band that started its activities in 1984 in Braga. They're one of the most influent Portuguese bands, mostly because their work in the 80's Portuguese rock scene. The bands' live concerts are known to be quite impressive because of the stunning presence of their vocalist Adolfo Luxúria Canibal. Their music reflects the urban violence and human search for pleasure and freedom.
The sound of their first album is rather raw, quite dark and has some industrial influences. The song "AUM" is pure industrial and has a spoken word performance by Adolfo. The vocalist has a lot of charisma and his voice is very thunderous giving great impact on the listener. The song "Véus caídos" (Fallen Veil) sounds gothic having a dark nature.
The music seems inspired by the post-punk scene namely Joy Division and has also the industrial rawness of early Swans albums. It also reminds me of Bauhaus.
This may not be the best place to start listening to this band but nonetheless this album is impressive by its raw and dark nature.

Classification: 8/10

"E se depois" played live:

"Oub'lá" played live in 1993:

"Abandonada" played live:

"Aum" played live:

Corações Felpudos (1990)

1. Ventos animais
2. Olho da máscara
3. Desmaia, irmã, desmaia
4. Fogo fátuo
5. Destilo ódio
6. Fado canibal
7. Cristina Vai Às Compras
8. Maria, Oh Maria
9. É Uma Selvajaria
10. Santana Menho
11. Freamunde Acapulco
12. Facas em Sangue
13. Arlequim

The first impression by listening to this album is that the production is not very good. The music is not as raw as the first one but certainly is more dark. It presents other instruments like piano and some keyboards. "Fado canibal" is a rather dark and funny version of a fado song. Adolfo tries is best at singing but with his thunderous voice it doesn't help at all. Yet it feels very soothing and dark at the same time and achieves at surprising the listener. "Selvajaria" meaning savagery, is again an industrial song with Adolfo giving an impressive performace. In the beggining of the song he just makes some savage sounds, meaning nothing of course but demonstrating how he just gives everything he can in his vocal performance. "Facas em Sangue" (Bloody knifes) is the best song in this album. It is purely gothic and with amazing lyrics.

Classification: 8/10

"Desmaia, irmã, desmaia" videoclip:

"Maria, Oh Maria" played live:

O.D., Rainha do Rock & Crawl (1991)

1. Bófia
2. Anarquista Duval
3. Charles Manson
4. Quero Morder-te as Mãos
5. O Divino Marquês
6. 1º de Novembro
7. Rotte - A Morte é um Acto Solitário

"Bófia" (Cops) is a industrial rock song about police violence. Adolfo makes a spoken word performace with his thunderous voice. "Anarquista Duval" is probably their heaviest song. The sound is almost as heavy as thrash/death metal and the voice is just as raw. "O Divino Marquês" (The Divine Marquis) is a spoken word song whose lyrics are a must. The album is quite short but very interesting in its own way.

Classification: 8/10

"Bófia" played live:

"Quero Morder-te As Mãos" videoclip:

"Anarquista Duval" played live:

"1º de Novembro" played live:

Mutantes S.21 (1992)

1. Lisboa (Por Entre as Sombras e o Lixo)
2. Amesterdão (Have Big Fun)
3. Budapeste (Sempre a Rock & Rollar)
4. Barcelona (Encontrei-a na Plaza Real)
5. Marraquexe (Pç. das Moscas Mortas)
6. Berlim (Morreu a Nove)
7. Paris (Amour A Mort)
8. Istambul (Um Grito)
9. Shambalah (O Reino da Luz)

This album is nothing short as a masterpiece. It portrays different stories about various cities. The songs have pure rawness and also a rock'n roll feeling specially present in "Budapest". This song became a hit but the band refuse to play it live many times. The sound is quite heavy specially in "Lisboa", "Barcelona", "Berlim" and also "Paris". "Instambul" and "Shambalah" are two very soothing songs. The first one has an impressive spoken word performance by Adolfo and the latter is only instrumental but it is very haunting.
Do listen to this immediatly.

Classification: 10/10

"Lisboa" videoclip:

"Budapeste" videoclip:

"Barcelona" played live:

Vénus em chamas (1994)

1. Escorpiões com Sida
2. Velocidade Escaldante
3. Anjos Marotos
4. Massagens Suaves
5. Negra Flor
6. Festim Carnal
7. Hotel Paradis
8. Fogo Selvagem
9. Veados com Fome
10. Desejos Mecânicos
11. Orgia Scherzo em Fá #
12. Delírios Motores
13. Champanhe Quente & Caviar
14. Cães de Crómio
15. Escravos do Desejo
16. Vénus em Chamas

From the pure rawness of "Anjos marotos" (Naughty angels), "Festim carnal" (Carnal feast), "Fogo selvagem" (Savage fire), "Desejos mecãnicos (Mechanical desires) almost a death metal song, "Orgia Scherzo em Fá #" pure vocal madness, "Delíros motores" (Delusional motors), a raw rock'n roll song about fast cars and hot women and "Escravos do Desejo" (Slaves of desire) again an almost death metal song. "Cães de crómio" (Chromium dogs) a pure industrial song remembering maybe KMFDM or early Ministry.
Again a masterpiece.

Classification: 10/10

"Anjos marotos" videoclip:

Mão Morta Revisitada (1995)

1. Sangue no Asfalto
2. Véus Caídos
3. Chabala
4. Oub' Lá
5. E Se Depois
6. Bófia
7. 1º de Novembro
8. Facas em Sangue
9. Abandonada
10. Sitiados
11. Até Cair
12. Maria, Oh Maria
13. Anarquista Duval
14. Charles Manson
15. Quero Morder-te as Mãos
Budapeste (Sempre a Rock & Rollar) */ Velocidade Escaldante (hidden tracks)

Celebrating 10 years of existence of the band it was released this collection of older songs. The idea was not to give only a "best of" but a sort of a revisiting, giving to the present the past that is still alive.
Older songs were rerecorded and it was presented some unreleased songs. "Sangue no Asfalto" (Blood in the tarmac) and "Chabala" are the highlights of this album.
Although most of the songs are old, this recording is worth it because of the better production of these songs. And the unreleased ones are indeed worth it. This album and the previous two, may be the best way to start listening to this band.

Classification: 9/10

"Sangue no asfalto" videoclip:

"Chabala" videoclip:

Müller no Hotel Hessischer Hof (1997)

1. Vaso Coronário
2. Eu Sou o Anjo do Desespero
3. E Entre Dois Vezes Dois e B-A Ba / Infância
4. O pai
5. Revi a malvada prima
6. A Ventura da Produtividade: A Noiva do Soldado
7. Ontem Comecei
8. Autoretrato Duas Horas da Manhã 20 de Agosto de 1959/ Auto-Crítica 2 Chave Partida
9. Medeaspiel
10. Ontem Pela Tarde Ensolarada
11. Carta de Ano Novo 1963
12. Anjo Azarento 2
13. Müller no Hotel Hessischer Hof
14. Cárie Dentária em Paris
15. Hiena
16. Morte de Teatro
17. Floresta em Sonho

This album is the result of some live performances by the band in 1997 in theatres across the country. The play was about Heiner Muller poems. The band created music to play along with the spoken word performance by Adolfo. The result is an amazing industrial/rock experience. Angels and demons confront each other in this masterpiece.

Classification: 10/10

"Vaso coronário" live performance:

"Floresta em sonho" live performance:

Há Já Muito Tempo que Nesta Latrina o Ar se Tornou Irrespirável (1998)

1. The Music Is Free
2. Aviso à População - Adolfo Luxúria Canibal
3. Anjos de Pureza - Miguel Pedro
4. Em Directo (Para a Teelvisão)
5. Menores na Publicidade
6. Atentado no Metropolitano
7. Falácia do Rentável - José Pedro Moura
8. As Tetas da Alienação
9. Rádio Variedades-Hoje
10. Cidadão Informado
11. É Um Jogo - Vasco Vaz
12. Aldeia Global
13. Yracub
14. Conferência das Nações
15. Canção dos Inquietos
16. A Revolução É o Remédio - António Rafael
17. Vamos fugir - Sapo
18. O Fim da História
19. Euforia na Bolsa
20. Comércio Tradicional

This album is perharps the most political and also the most commercial of this cult band. The music displayed is interesting but it doesn't have the mystique that their previous works have. The album is well built with good ideas but it failed to impress me.

Classification: 7/10

"Em Directo (Para a Teelvisão) " videoclip:

Primavera de destroços (2001)

1. Cão da Morte
2. Arrastando o seu cadáver
3. Tu disseste
4. Penso que penso
5. Gin Tonic
6. O jardim
7. Humano
8. Nada a perder
9. O combate
10. Primavera de destroços

Mão Morta return to their good form. The result is a rather interesting album, specially in tracks like "Tu disseste" (You said) where the use of keyboards is amazing. The song is trance-like and has amazing lyrics. "Cão da Morta" (Dog of death) is the rather typical Mão Morta song with a good blend of rock and industrial. "Arrastando o seu cadáver" (Dragging his dead body) is again a very typical song with a good spoken word performance by Adolfo. "Humano" (Human) is amazingly built around keyboards and is inspired by William S. Burroughs and it even has some samples of his voice.
This album put again the band in the art direction that they lost in their previous album in favour of political ideas.

Classification: 9/10

"Cão da Morte" videoclip:

"Arrastando o seu cadáver" played live:

"Mãe", a Xutos & Pontapés cover, played live:

Jesu

2008-10-21T19:36:00.011+01:00

Jesu (2005)

1. Your Path to Divinity
2. Friends Are Evil
3. Tired of Me
4. We All Faulter
5. Walk On Water
6. Sun Day
7. Man/Woman
8. Guardian Angel

Jesu is a band formed by Justin Broadrick after the breakup of Godflesh, the most known name of the Industrial Metal scene. This is Jesu's first album and it remains the most interesting of their catalog. The sound is almost as heavy as Godflesh but it also more soothing and atmospheric. We feel a doom like ambiance like the one present in Neurosis works. But the music has a more ambient edge. It aims at giving atmosphere through dense shoegaze fuzzy distortion. The vocals are sung by Justin and although he hasn't a great voice they are a good addition to the songs which have also a pop feeling despite the harsh sounds. This music excels at giving a very trance-like and sometimes an epic feeling. At the time this was released it was quite original and even at the present day it feels fresh.

Classification: 8/10

"Walk On Water" played live:

"We All Faulter" played live:

Swans

2008-10-12T21:23:00.005+01:00

The Great Annihilator (1995)

1. In
2. I am the Sun
3. She Lives!
4. Celebrity Lifestyle
5. Mother/Father
6. Blood Promise
7. Mind/Body/Light/Sound
8. My Buried Child
9. Warm
10. Alcohol the Seed
11. Killing for Company
12. Mother's Milk
13. Where Does a Body End?
14. Telepathy
15. The Great Annihilator
16. Out

Swans started as a rather nasty, brutal industrial band led by Michael Gira. They were purely abstract, surreal, and violent, striking similarities with bands like Einstürzende Neubauten and early No Wave bands from the New York 70's scene. Gira's lyrics were morbid and violent (inspired by Jean Genet and the Marquis de Sade), usually barked or shouted and one of the trademarks of Swans' early period was playing at painfully loud volumes during concerts, to the point where some audience members would vomit or the police would stop the show. With the entrance of Jarboe in the band it begun a slow thawing in the overt brutality and energy of the Swans' early work.
So in all they came to this album: experimental, soothing, etheral, exotic and quite easy to listen. The music has a lot of electronics but it feels organic. It is one of the best albums of the alternative music scene in the 90's. So, go listen to it now.

Classification: 9/10

Kalashnikov

2008-09-24T13:23:00.006+01:00

Oh Yeah Motherfucker! (2007)

1. Peace Is Deads
2. Genocide Fields
3. Tiananmen
4. One Love, One Familys (George Bush Bin Laden)
5. Sniper
6. Brothers In Africa
7. Suicide Bomber
8. Warriors Of The Hezbollah
9. Hash Murders
10. Kalashnikov

Kalashnikov were born from a sketch in "Vai tudo abaixo", a portuguese comedy show. There, a pseudo-punk band sung "Bin Laden, George Bush, One Love, One Family?".
From their many years of playing in concerts in battlefields they released this CD where you can get a glimpse of their wartime rock'n roll. Lyrics are extremely funny and the sound lies somewhere between thrash metal and hardcore punk. Good for a laugh.

Classification: 7/10

"Warriors of the Hezbollah" videoclip:

"Tiananmen, Tiananem Kill Another Yellow Man" videoclip:

"One love one family" playing in a tv show:

"Peace is dead" videoclip:

Fireaxe

2008-09-20T21:48:00.007+01:00

Lovecraftian Nightmares (1999)

1. Beyond Zimbabwe
2. Nightmare Lake
3. The Ancient Track
4. The Outpost
5. Despair
6. Whispers in the Night
7. Hounds of Tindalos
8. Nemesis
9. Festival
10. Nathicana

I fell in love with this album a few years ago. Although it isn't of my preferred Metal genres i gave it a spin because, of course, the lovecraftian theme. The music is traditional Heavy metal with some progressive touches. Fireaxe is a one-man musical project founded in 1995 by Brian Voth. The album has a collection of well composed songs with great guitar work and vocals. It is not dark as the lovecraftian themes may suggest but it is very interesting.

Classification: 8/10

Dimmu Borgir

2008-09-18T14:46:00.011+01:00

For all tid (1994)

1. Det nye riket (The New Kingdom)
2. Under korpens vinger (Under the Wings of the Raven)
3. Over bleknede blåner til dommedag (Over Faded Blue Horizon unto Judgement)
4. Stien (The Path)
5. Glittertind (Glittertind)
6. For all tid (For All Time)
7. Hunnerkongens sorgsvarte ferd over steppene (The King of the Huns' Sorrowful Black Journey over the Steppes)
8. Raabjørn speiler draugheimens skodde" (Raabjorn is Mirrored in the Mist of Draugheimen)
9. Den gjemte sannhets herskar (The Ruler of the Hidden Truth)

Dimmu Borgir, alongside with fellow Norwegian band Emperor and the British band Cradle of Filth, were the first that created the Symphonic Black Metal genre. Their first album, released in 1994 is a classic of the genre. Gothic keyboards, typical Black Metal shrieks with some clean, epic vocals and a somewhat majestic sound. Maybe the best representation of this sound is the song "Over bleknede blåner til dommedag" with some good melodies and very interesting clean vocals with a lot of feeling although sometimes they seem weak. The songs, although at a first listen they may seem amateurish they are indeed good but because of the album's bad production they don't shine as they should. The level of quality is not the same throughout the whole album but nonetheless this was very interesting at the time it was released because of the originality of the sound.

Classification: 7/10

"Raabjorn Speiler Draugheimens Skodde" played live:

Stormblåst (1996)

1. Alt lys er svunnet hen (All Light Has Faded Away)
2. Broderskapets ring (The Ring of Brotherhood)
3. Når sjelen hentes til helvete (When the Souls Are Brought to Hell)
4. Sorgens kammer (Chamber of Sorrow)
5. Da den kristne satte livet til (When the Christian Lost His Life)
6. Stormblåst (Stormblown)
7. Dødsferd (Journey of Death)
8. Antikrist (Antichrist)
9. Vinder fra en ensom grav (Winds From a Lonely Grave)
10. Guds fortapelse - Åpenbaring av dommedag (God's Damnation - Revelation of Judgment Day)

This time Dimmu Borgir released an album with a decent production. The songs really shine here and the keyboards seem so huge and majestic. But what's great of this album is a sense of cohesion like we were listening to Emperor masterpiece "In The Nightside Eclipse", the songs flow very well between each other. The general atmosphere is very melancholic and the speed is much slower in some parts. It seems like we were listening to a neoclassical piece but with electric guitars and Black Metal shrieks, This is when Dimmu Borgir starts to get really interesting. A feeling of fascination (typical of the Black Metal genre) starts to appear like we were listening to a Burzum or an old Enslaved song. One of the best examples of this genre.

Classification: 8/10

Enthrone Darkness Triumphant (1997)

1. Mourning Palace
2. Spellbound (by the Devil)
3. In Death's Embrace
4. Relinquishment of Spirit and Flesh
5. The Night Masquerade
6. Tormentor of Christian Souls
7. Entrance
8. Master of Disharmony
9. Prudence's Fall
10. A Succubus in Rapture

This time, Dimmu Borgir made a more commercial album with happier melodies: gone is the melancholic atmosphere of the previous album. But, the songs are very well written with a good production. In my opinion this is their masterpiece and ranks as high as Emperor's "In The Nighside Eclipse" and "Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk" so it is in the top three albums of the Symphonic Black Metal genre. Don't listen to crap that they sold out in this album. Just listen to it and prepare to be amazed.

Classification: 10/10

"The Mourning Palace" videoclip:

"In Death's Embrace" played live:

"Spellbound (By The Devil)" played live:

"The Night Masquerade" played live:

"A Succubus In Rapture" played live:

Death Cult Armageddon (2003)

1. Allegiance
2. Progenies of the Great Apocalypse
3. Lepers Among Us
4. Vredesbyrd
5. For the World to Dictate Our Death
6. Blood Hunger Doctrine
7. Allehelgens Død I Helveds Rike (The Death of All Saints in The Kingdom of Hell)
8. Cataclysm Children
9. Eradication Instincts Defined
10. Unorthodox Manifesto
11. Heavenly Perverse

Don't get me wrong i do think that this album is not bad, but when i'm listening i'm always skipping it to the parts when ICS Vortex sings. That guy has one of the best voices of the Metal genre. Everything he touches turns into pure magic. Just look at for example the song "Progenies of the Great Apocalypse": the song is not bad with wonderfull orchestrations but when Vortex starts to sing you just feel a huge musical orgasm. It is beyond me why he isn't in the main vocals. Shagrath singing is not bad but it's like comparing a Volkswagen Golf to a Bugatti Veyron, they are in a completely different league.
The production is amazing, the orchestrations are awesome but as whole this album doesn't reach the masterpiece that was "Enthrone Darkness Triumphant".

Classification: 7/10

"Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse" videoclip:

Stormblåst MMV (2005)

1. Alt lys er svunnet hen ("All Light Has Faded Away")
2. Broderskapets ring ("The Ring of Brotherhood")
3. Når sjelen hentes til Helvete ("When the Souls are Brought to Hell")
4. Sorgens kammer – del II ("Chamber of Sorrow - part II")
5. Da den Kristne satte livet til ("When the Christian Lost His Life")
6. Stormblåst ("Stormblown")
7. Dødsferd ("Journey of Death")
8. Antikrist ("Antichrist")
9. Vinder fra en ensom grav" ("Winds from a Lonely Grave")
10. Guds fortapelse - Åpenbaring av dommedag" ("God's Perdition - Revelation of Judgment Day")
11. Avmaktslave" ("Slave of Impotency" or "Powerlessness)

Dimmu Borgir decided that they should re-record their second album "Stormblast." At first i thought it was a bad idea because that album already had a decent production. It was "For all tid" that deserved a better production. Not this one. But as i listen i just felt amazed by the album's production. It is indeed huge and gives quite a blast if you listen to it with a good stereo. Gone is the melancholic atmosphere of the previous recording but in this way we get a really powerfull sound. I really can't say which version i prefer, it depends of my mood, if i prefer a more simple and melancholic sound or a more powerfull and epic one. I, for one, think that after all this re-recording was indeed worth it. It gives two different prespectives of the same songs.

Classification: 8/10

Azathoth

2008-09-13T21:09:00.004+01:00

"When age fell upon the world, and wonder went out of the minds of men; when grey cities reared to smoky skies tall towers grim and ugly, in whose shadow none might dream of the sun or of Spring's flowering meads; when learning stripped the Earth of her mantle of beauty and poets sang no more of twisted phantoms seen with bleared and inward looking eyes; when these things had come to pass, and childish hopes had gone forever, there was a man who traveled out of life on a quest into spaces whither the world's dreams had fled.

Of the name and abode of this man little is written, for they were of the waking world only; yet it is said that both were obscure. It is enough to say that he dwelt in a city of high walls where sterile twilight reigned, that he toiled all day among shadow and turmoil, coming home at evening to a room whose one window opened not to open fields and groves but on to a dim court where other windows stared in dull despair. From that casement one might see only walls and windows, except sometimes when one leaned so far out and peered at the small stars that passed. And because mere walls and windows must soon drive a man to madness who dreams and reads much, the dweller in that room used night after night to lean out and peer aloft to glimpse some fragment of things beyond the waking world and the tall cities. After years he began to call the slow sailing stars by name, and to follow them in fancy when they glided regretfully out of sight; till at length his vision opened to many secret vistas whose existance no common eye suspected. And one night a mighty gulf was bridged, and the dream haunted skies swelled down to the lonely watcher's window to merge with the close air of his room and to make him a part of their fabulous wonder.

There came to that room wild streams of violet midnight glittering with dust of gold, vortices of dust and fire, swirling out of the ultimate spaces and heavy perfumes from beyond the worlds. Opiate oceans poured there, litten by suns that the eye may never behold and having in their whirlpools strange dolphins and sea-nymphs of unrememberable depths. Noiseless infinity eddied around the dreamer and wafted him away without touching the body that leaned stiffly from the lonely window; and for days not counted in men's calandars the tides of far spheres that bore him gently to join the course of other cycles that tenderly left him sleeping on a green sunrise shore, a green shore fragrant with lotus blossums and starred by red camalotes... "

H. P. Lovecraft, written in June of 1922

Flesh

2008-09-07T23:17:00.002+01:00

"If religion were true, its followers would not try to bludgeon their young into an artificial conformity; but would merely insist on their unbending quest for truth, irrespective of artificial backgrounds or practical consequences."

H.P. Lovecraft

Metallica

2008-09-06T17:22:00.007+01:00

Death Magnetic (2008)

1. That Was Just Your Life
2. The End of the Line
3. Broken, Beat & Scarred
4. The Day That Never Comes
5. All Nightmare Long
6. Cyanide
7. The Unforgiven III
8. The Judas Kiss
9. Suicide & Redemption
10. My Apocalypse

Finally Metallica releases a good album. I mean good when comparing to most albums of other bands out there. Certainly not at the same level of their pre-Load albums but at least is something. They are back with a real Metal album and thankfully thrash riffs are back, guitar solos and gone is the horrible drum sound.
There aren't any epics like Creeping Death or Master of Puppets or the melodic heaven of Fade to Black and Welcome Home (Sanitarium) but instead we get songs with a good groovy vibe remembering their "Black Album" but with the thrash riffs and greater aggressiveness of previous albums.
Production is quite good with a good balance of agressiveness and sound clarity. I really can't say which song is the most interesting as all of them sound quite similar but nonetheless this one is an album that will certainly grow in time.

Classsification: 8/10

Note: i made a review of this album using a leaked version which you can find here but i think i will buy this album which is something that i didn't do since S&M.

"The Day That Never Comes" videoclip:

Nothing really matters

2008-09-01T19:16:00.000+01:00

"Nothing really matters, and the only thing for a person to do is to take the artificial and traditional values he finds around him and pretend they are real; in order to retain that illusion of significance in life which gives to human events their apparent motivation and semblance of interest"

H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Walter J. Coates, March 30 1926

Joy Division (2007)

2008-08-19T18:28:00.005+01:00

Grant Gree directed a documentary about the band Joy Division. After the brilliant movie Control about Ian Curtis, again another attention is given to this very special band of the late 70's early 80's. It not only gives a brilliant biography of the band but also explains the relationship between Joy Division's music and their hometown: Manchester. From their raw punk influences to their higher wishes of playing along with legends like Bowie and the Velvet Underground it gives an excellent idea of what the post-punk movement was all about. Bleak, futuristic and minimalistic just like Joy Division's music is.

Classification: 8/10

trailer:

The Dark Knight (2008)

2008-08-03T23:09:00.008+01:00

Finally i had a chance to see the most anticipated movie of the year. Expectations were certainly high much because all the hype in the Internet and also due to previous Batman movie by Christopher Nolan, "Batman Begins".
The film begins with a awesome bank robbery sequence that present us the most interesting character in the movie: the Joker, played by Heath Ledger, the new Hollywood martyr. His performance is indeed very good but not outstanding. Every scene he enters is a kill but i think the character could be a little more explored in the plot. After this sequence the film drags a bit and the plot is sometimes is not present in a very clear and interesting way like say, Michael Clayton was.
We can see that this film is not trying to be just another super hero’s flick, were the good guy beats the bad guy. It's really trying to be serious, way more that Burton movies. The reality presented feels real and not just a cartoon. Gone are the gothic sceneries by Tim Burton and the silliness of the Joel Schumacher's movies (thankfully). The action scenes are incredibly realistic and spectacular and give quite a punch. However, some scenes with hand to hand combat are confusing and not interesting at all.
The plot is quite dark and is quite interesting but as I said it could be done in a more interesting way. Comparing this movie with the two awesome movies by Burton, i really can’t tell which one is better. Maybe the first two are more consistent from beginning to end but Dark Knight certainly has a handful of good moments: every Joker scene, the new Batmobile and the motorbike with the big tires. The best scene is one where the Joker blows up a building and it’s incredible funny and disturbing at the same time. Again I can’t say which Joker I prefer. Both ones are incredible. Christian Bale certainly is a better Bruce Wayne but when he dresses the Batman costume he uses such a gay voice which I find amusingly funny in a movie that is supposed to be taken more serious.
The Dark Knight certainly is a movie to be seen: the Joker, the action scenes and the dark atmosphere make one of the most interesting of the year. But don’t believe in all the hype. It certainly isn’t a masterpiece and it doesn’t go near it.

Classification: 8/10

Trailer:

Weakling

2008-07-15T22:13:00.005+01:00

Dead As Dreams (2000)

1. Cut Their Grain and Place Fire Therein
2. Dead as Dreams
3. This Entire Fucking Battlefield
4. No One Can Be Called as a Man While He'll Die
5. Desasters in the Sun

This album from Weakling, released in 2000 is very similar to the works of Wolves In The Throne Room. It is very trance-like, dark and progressive. The vocals aren't as good as the later band and there aren't any female vocals. But the ambience is very similar. The songs are long with various emotions but always very interesting. The production is the typical norwegian sound of the early 90's. Very cool stuff.

Classification: 8/10

MySpace

Will it blend?

2008-07-13T11:59:00.000+01:00

This is for the Macfanboys:

Windmills by the ocean

2008-06-24T21:09:00.006+01:00

Windmills by the ocean (2006)

1. (untitled)
2. (untitled)
3. (untitled)
4. (untitled)
5. (untitled)

Windmills by the ocean released their self titled album in 1996. The sound lies between Sludge and Post-Metal genres. It is as heavy as early Pelican and it is also instrumental. But they write their songs differently, they have a tendency to write repetitive melodies that can bore the listener. Nonetheless the music sounds fresh and sometimes fascinating.

Classification: 7/10

MySpace

Portal

2008-06-13T13:04:00.009+01:00

Outre (2007)

1. Moil
2. Abysmill
3. Heirships
4. Omnipotent Crawling Chaos
5. Black Houses
6. Outre
7. 13 Globes
8. Sourlows

Portal is an australian death metal band. The sound displayed in this album is very dark, apocalyptic and also ambient remembering at times Blut Aus Nord. But it is also very brutal and progressive like Demilich or Gorguts. The atmosphere is very haunting and it suffocates you like you were listening to Evoken's masterpiece Quietus. The death metal genre does a major leap in this album but somehow the songs suffer from an average composition. Really good songs are missing. But if you want to hear some originality and a terrifying atmosphere this is a good choice.

Classification: 7/10

MySpace

Rock in Rio 2008

2008-06-11T22:50:00.013+01:00

June the 5th was the day for the metalhead in Rock In Rio: Moonspell, Apocalyptica, Machine Head and Metallica were the entertainers. The portuguese band and Metallica played in the last edition, so without any surprise the festival didn't sold out in that day.
i arrived at the festival at 18.00 after taking the subway. Surprisingly it was fairly easy to get in, and was given to me some free chewing gum, hurray! What i love about festivals is the great variety of people you encounter: from careful parents with a young boy in a baby car to hot goth chicks or just casual people to typical metalheads with Metallica t-shirts. The sun was still shining when Moonspell started playing. They started with some songs from their latest album. The crowd didn't seem to know them as i was the only guy who was singing the lyrics. Anneke van Giersbergen was not present to sing the awesome "Scorpion Flower" from their latest but there were some guest female vocalists that provided the necessary backup. Fernando said she was sick in Germany. The sound was not so good in their first song, the drums sound was too loud and we could barely hear the guitars but thanfully the sound got a lot better in the second song. They played the classics, Opium, Alma Mater and Full Moon Madness and also Mephisto from Irreligious. The crowd was certainly pleased in hearing the songs. In sum, was fairly good despite being under sunlight lowering the mystique of the songs but we feel that the band delivered the most they could.

"Scorpion Flower" by Moonspell:

Later i went to please my tummy so i missed most of the Apocalyptica concert. But their greatest moment was when they played "Seek n Destroy". It was amazing to see people dancing to the music, so much fun. They played at dusk so the concert had a greater degree of beauty, the sound was quite good but between songs there was one guy from the band that just wouldn't shut up! Blablabla.... I don't know who it was but because of his finish accent i couldn't understand a word he said...

"Seek And Destroy" by Apocalyptica:

Machine Head started when was already full night. Pity i don't know much of their songs, only their first album which is quite good. The sound was very heavy but we could barely destinguish the guitar sound. The blast of noise had a lot of power but poor definition. And it was too damn loud, my ears were all fucked up because of that and not in the good sense. But the concert they gave was indeed good with amazing energy. Pity i don't know them well enough. They played "Davidian" at the end and that moment the crowd was really crazy! They also played an Iron Maiden cover, " Hallowed be thy name" which was quite interesting.

"Davidian" by Machine Head:

After a long wait Metallica came in and started right with Creeping Death! The crowd went nuts immediately. They played "Where i May Roam", "Nothing Else Matters", "Enter Sandman", "Sad but True" from the black album. From their oldies they played "One", "Master of Puppets", "Welcome home (Sanitarium)" and "Damage, Inc". From their sell-out albums they played "Fuel" who is quite amazing, "Bleeding Me", "King Nothing" who are quite average and the horrible "Devil's Dance" for whom they should be impaled for hours for making such a horrible song. At the encore they played 2 covers, "Last Caress" from the Misfits, "So What" from Anti-Nowhere League and finally "Seek and Destroy" (again). Pity that they didn't played my 2 favourite Metallica songs: "Fade to Black" and "For Whom The Bell Tolls"....

"Creeping Death" by Metallica:

Final note: at the festival they were giving fake pink plastic mohawks to people and at the Moonspell concert there was a tall nerdy guy with that kitzsch thing blocking my view. I was almost smacking him in the head but... i controlled myself...

"Billy's Balloon" by Don Hertzfeldt

2008-06-07T02:15:00.000+01:00

Botched (2007)

2008-06-04T00:03:00.004+01:00

If you like black comedies with lots of gore like "Bad Taste" or "Braindead" by Peter Jackson this is the right movie to you. It has hilarious scenes with amazing caracteres. The story is kind of stupid but it's typical of these kind of movies. Highly recommended.

Classification: 8/10

Trailer:

Omega Massif

2008-06-01T16:52:00.006+01:00

Geisterstadt (2007)

1. In der Mine
2. Geisterstadt
3. Nebelwand
4. Unter Null
5. Arcanum
6. Exodus

Omega Massifa is a german band that launched their first full length last year meaning "Ghost Town" in German. Here they re-use the formula given by Pelican and Isis: instrumental post-metal with crushing and thunderous guitars. The music is very heavy but also melodic and soothing at times. It may not be original at all but they excel this genre. Very interesting.

Classification: 8/10

"Murgang" played live, part1:

"Murgang" played live, part2:

MySpace

Kansen (2004)

2008-05-28T01:02:00.006+01:00

Kansen, also known as Infection, is a japanese horror movie about an infection that spreads in a hospital. It has a very creepy atmosphere that makes you, the viewer feel really sick like the infection was really spreading to you. It really gets in you. Watch out what you eat before viewing this one.
The story is interesting, a little silly at times but not as much as One Missed Call for example. It may not be the best example of the genre but you certainly won't regret if you see it.

Classification: 7/10

trailer:

Red Sparowes

2008-05-22T00:08:00.009+01:00

At The Soundless Dawn (2005)

1. Alone and Unaware, the Landscape was Transformed in Front of Our Eyes
2. Buildings Began to Stretch Wide Across the Sky, And the Air Filled With A Reddish Glow
3. The Soundless Dawn Came Alive as Cities Began to Mark the Horizon
4. Mechanical Sounds Cascaded Through the City Walls and Everyone Reveled in Their Ignorance
5. A Brief Moment of Clarity Broke Through the Deafening Hum, But It Was Too Late
6. Our Happiest Days Slowly Began to Turn into Dust
7. The Sixth Extinction Crept Up Slowly, Like Sunlight Through the Shutters, As We Looked Back in Regret
8. I Saw The Sky In The North Open To The Ground And Fire Poured Out (Bonus Track)

"Red Sparowes is epic without bombast and heavy without a single bar-chord riff. Its attack is syrupy and serpentine; subtle but frighteningly deliberate."

This maybe the best description of Red Sparowes' music. It lays between post-rock bands like Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky and more heavy post-metal bands like Isis or Pelican. It is intrumentall and we really don't feel the need of vocals because the music stands well on its own. It never gets boring or repetitive, it is sometimes heavy, others very soothing and gentle and others very happy or very dark. This is a celebration of life and an album that everyone should listen in every possible occasion.

Classification: 10/10

"Alone and Unaware" played live:

"Buildings Began..." played live:

Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun (2006)

1. The Great Leap Forward Poured Down Upon Us One Day Like a Mighty Storm, Suddenly and Furiously Blinding Our Senses.
2. We Stood Transfixed in Blank Devotion as Our Leader Spoke to Us, Looking Down On Our Mute Faces With a Great, Raging, and Unseeing Eye.
3. Like the Howling Glory of the Darkest Winds, This Voice Was Thunderous and the Words Holy, Tangling Their Way Around Our Hearts and Clutching Our Innocent Awe.
4. A Message of Avarice Rained Down Upon Us and Carried Us Away Into False Dreams of Endless Riches.
5. Annihilate the Sparrow, That Stealer of Seed, and Our Harvests Will Abound; We Will Watch Our Wealth Flood In.
6. And by Our Own Hand Did Every Last Bird Lie Silent in Their Puddles, the Air Barren of Song as the Clouds Drifted Away. For Killing Their Greatest Enemy, the Locusts Noisily Thanked Us and Turned Their Jaws Toward Our Crops, Swallowing Our Greed Whole.
7. Millions Starved and We Became Skinnier and Skinnier, While Our Leaders Became Fatter and Fatter.
8. Finally, as That Blazing Sun Shone Down Upon Us, Did We Know That True Enemy Was the Voice of Blind Idolatry; and Only Then Did We Begin to Think for Ourselves.

This album is not as easy to listen as the previous one. In fact the previous was not easy to listen as well. But this one needs really a lot of careful listens in order to the music to get into your head. But when it clicks you again feel the magic. Not as dark and epic as the previous but good nonetheless.

Classification: 8/10

"The Great Leap Forward Poured Down ..." played live

A preview of the album and interviews:

Celtic Frost

2008-05-11T15:17:00.014+01:00

Morbid Tales (1984)

Side One
1. Into the Crypts of Rays
2. Visions of Mortality
3. Dethroned Emperor
4. Morbid Tales

Side Two
1. Procreation (Of the Wicked)
2. Return to the Eve
3. Danse Macabre
4. Nocturnal Fear

1984 was such a good year for Metal music, many interesting bands appeared. Drawing influences from Venom, a lot of bands were created in order to copy their satanic attitude. Slayer from the USA, Bathory from Sweden, Sodom from Germany and Celtic Frost/Hellhammer from Switzerland. They created the first wave of Black Metal and spawned also other genres like Thrash and Death Metal.
The swiss band Celtic Frost was created from the ashes of the extreme band Hellhammer. They improved greatly their musicianship and begun to write proper songs. This first album might not represent their best work but nonetheless is one of the best albums of extreme Metal music ever written.

Classification: 8/10

"Into The Crypt of Rays" live performance in 1986:

"Procreation of the Wicked" live performance in 1986:

"Dethroned Emperor" live performance in 1986:

"Visions of Mortality" live performance in 1986:

To Mega Therion (1985)

1. Innocence and Wrath
2. The Usurper
3. Jewel Throne
4. Dawn of Meggido
5. Eternal Summer
6. Circle of the Tyrants
7. (Beyond the) North Winds
8. Fainted Eyes
9. Tears in a Prophet's Dream
10. Necromantical Screams

Now this is where Celtic Frost turned into a great dark beast. A morbid and gothic guitar sound, grandiose vocals by Tom Warrior, the avant-garde music and lyrics and the operatic female vocals in the track "Necromantical Screams" make this album one of the greatest in the Metal genre.
One should also notice the awesome album cover designed by H. R. Giger.

Classification: 10/10

"Circle of the Tyrants" videoclip:

"The Ususper" live performance in 1986:

"Jewel Throne" live performance in 1986:

Into the Pandemonium (1987)

Side One
1. Mexican Radio
2. Mesmerized
3. Inner Sanctum
4. Sorrows Of The Moon
5. Babylon Fell8

Side Two
1. Caress into Oblivion
2. One in Their Pride" [Porthole Mix]
3. I Won't Dance! (The Elders' Orient)
4. Rex Irae [Requiem]
5. Oriental Masquerade

This album is a mix of awesome and bad. Awesome when the band goes even deeper in their gothic and morbid music in tracks like "Mesmerized", "Tristesses De La Lune" a full orchestral piece with beautiful female vocals, "Sorrows of the Moon" and the magnum opus "Rex Irae (Requiem)" that is the opening part of Celtic Frost's requiem, the third, concluding part of which, "Winter (Requiem, Chapter Three: Finale)" can be heard on 2006's Monotheist.
Other tracks are just average trash metal songs or obnoxious pop songs. These pop songs certainly don't belong in this album. If you look at the cover one should expect a very dark sound and not happy songs like "One in Their Pride" or "Mexican Radio". Perhaps they belong to their horrible "Cold Lake" 1988 album, no?

Classification: 9/10

Monotheist (2006)

1. Progeny
2. Ground
3. A Dying God Coming into Human Flesh
4. Drown In Ashes
5. Os Abysmi Vel Daath
6. Obscured
7. Domain of Decay
8. Ain Elohim
9. Triptych I: "Totengott"
10. Triptych II: "Synagoga Satanae"
11. Triptych III: "Winter (Requiem, Chapter Three: Finale)"

Celtic Frost are back and with a great album. They return to their good form of "To Mega Therion" but also make a return of the grandiose and gothic sound of the "Into the Pandemonium"'s best moments. The sound is quite aggressive in some tracks like "Progeny" and "Ground". But it also very soothing in tracks like "A Dying God Coming Into Human Flesh" and "Drown in Ashes" with female vocals. The band even tries some oriental sounds, remembering Dead Can Dance in the track "Incantation Against".
These comebacks of older bands are most of the times a big disappointment but this time Celtic Frost came back in top form and made an album that truly represent what was great with them in the 80's.

Classification: 9/10

"A Dying God Coming Into Human Flesh" videoclip:

Unfortunately Fischer, bands vocalist and leader, tendered his resignation from Celtic Frost on April 9th, 2008, with this message displayed on the band's official website:

"Celtic Frost singer and guitarist Tom Gabriel Fischer has left Celtic Frost due to the irresolvable, severe erosion of the personal basis so urgently required to collaborate within a band so unique, volatile, and ambitious."

Maybe this interview explains why he left:

Moonspell

2008-05-05T21:43:00.008+01:00

Night Eternal (2008)

1. At Tragic Heights
2. Night Eternal
3. Shadow Sun
4. Scorpion Flower
5. Moon In Mercury
6. Hers Is The Twilight
7. Dreamless (Lucifer And Lilith)
8. Spring Of Rage
9. First Light

Night Eternal is the newest unreleased Moonspell album. It is expected to be released in May 19 but it was leaked in the Internet in April 24th and it is with this version that i'm writing the review. Yeah i download full albums from the Internet, sue me!
It was pre-produced by Waldemar Sorychta in Portugal and produced in Denmark by Tue Madsen. The band returns to the good form of previous works like Worlfheart and Irreligious. The sound is quite harsh and it is a hybrid of Gothic, Black and Death. The vocals are mostly quite agressive and the album is very well produced. It has crushing guitars and lots of keyboards, but the music doesn't depend entirely of them. There are even some quite interesting female vocals.
I confess that i begun losing my interest in the band when they released Sin/Pecado. But i always found something interesting in their music. But with the release of The Andidote and Memorial they just became an average gothic metal band with little interest for me. With the rerecording of their first Ep and demos, something has changed. Although the final result of that album, Under Satanæ, wasn't that much interesting, they probably begun a return to their past and discovered again what kind of music did they like.
This album may not have anthems like Alma Mater, Opium or Full Moon Madness but nonetheless it is their best to date since Irreligious. And, yeah, go please BUY the album. It's worth it.

Classification: 9/10

MySpace

New Moonspell album

2008-05-01T00:51:00.003+01:00

Like no other bands on this planet, the Portuguese translate the sadness and despair as well as the enterprising spirit and the raving passion of their countrymen into the language of heavy metal. Moonspell were among the founders and foremost protagonists of that style during the nineties. Like the Portuguese metropolis, "Night Eternal" is riddled by a multitude of alleys and places. Moonspell s city of Lisbon and their new album share a wise and experienced beauty as well as the opposing principles of heat and cold, life and death, severity and gentleness, male strength and female magic. Moonspell have re-discovered themselves once more and still found a way back to their origins. They continue to couple the fire within their souls with poetic emotionality, a gentle touch of the erotic, as well as a distinct melancholic mood.

taken from Amazon

A review coming soon. Need to listen to the album properly but by the few i've heard i think i regainned my interest in Moonspell. I need to finish my Master Degree thesis first... :S

Falkenbach

2008-04-25T17:31:00.004+01:00

Heralding - The Fireblade (2005)

1. Heathen Foray
2. ...Of Forests Unknown...
3. Havamal
4. Roman Land
5. Heralder
6. Laeknishendr
7. Walkiesjar
8. Skirnir
9. Gjallar

Falkenach is german Viking Metal project. It has only one member, Vratyas Vakyas. This record is made up of songs originally intended to be Falkenbach's debut album Heralder, which was shelved in 1995. For the 15-year anniversary of the band, the tracks were finally re-recorded and released.
This album is perhaps one of the best examples of the Viking Metal genre: epic melodies and lyrics taken from heathen literature, namely from the Edda. Take a look for example the lyrics of "Heathen Foray":

...In ancient times once rode across the land
A man unknown on a horse of untold grand,
Adorned his cape by thirty runes of gold
Of whom the tales since ages unknown told...

...The man arrived at the shore of sea
And gazed onto the nightly sky,
His ears could hear and his eyes could see
Two ravens dark as night passing by...

...In a distance far the thunder sounds
And lightnings reached the frozen grounds,
His breath ran fast, his heart pounded strong
As the day now came, awaited oh so long...

...Tears will fall and blood will soon be shed
When the dawn heralds the twilight of the day...
Then into battle they will ride with their swords in hand
For a heathenish foray...

...Countless miles he rode through ice and knee-deep snow
Over mountains 'till the landscape changed its face
So he at last arrived where winds blew strong and chill
Like a welcome to all those who trod this place...

...He in cape was wrapped, and with his hammer 'round his neck
He forced his way though he didn't saw the path,
But he did not rest, 'till he had crossed this land of chill
And the storm had calmed, when he stood alone on hill...

...His eyes could see the forrest shining bright
And it's trees reflected solens golden light,
The sound of horns then reached his ears
To welcome him and take away his fears...

...From all their lands the kings, they came
With their retinue of countless men,
And the maiden in full armour sat on their horses,
Winged, until the right began...

So he rested a while an recovered from his ride,
The horizon gleamed by the mighty northers light,
And the elder ones sang tales about the past,
Of their ancestors pride, that will forever last...

...As the darkness fell and gone was solens light
The silence ruled amongst the men of heathenpride,
Who gatheren in a mighty battle-line
And awaited their Gods to give the final sign...

The vocals shift between epic clean ones and black metal shrieks. The music is sometimes slow and epic and other times more harsh, closer to Black Metal. There are some acoustic guitars and keyboards but they are very well integrated in the music.
This band, along with Enslaved and Bathory are the best of the genre. So this is an excellent recomendation.

Classification: 9/10

"Heathen Foray" videoclip made by a fan:

À l'intérieur (2007)

2008-04-16T15:21:00.005+01:00

"À l'intérieur" is a french horror movie about a pregnant woman that is haunted by a mysterious woman. It delivers quite a punch because it has really shocking scenes with lots of gore remembering at times 70's exploitation films. In fact, the violence is as extreme as scenes from movies like Men Behind The Sun or Irreversible. So, proceed with caution because you may not be the same person when you finish viewing the movie.
Viewing extreme gore can either have artistic value, in movies like the Guinea Pig series or Nekromantic, can be very funny or just plain nonsense like in Braindead or Ichi The Killer or have social meaning like Cannibal Holocaust or Men Behind The Sun. But other movies just exist to please really sick minds like for example August Underground. "À l'intérieur" just touches this very narrow line. You really question your (in)sanity when you end viewing this movie.
It is well directed and the story is really interesting. The ending scene may be the magnum opus of all horror movies but it can all be just too much to bear.

Classification: 8/10

Trailer: