Thence – These Stones Cry From The Earth

Genre: Atmospheric Progressive Metal
Track List:  

1. These Stones Cry From The Earth - 57:09

Release: BlackBay Productions, March 16th, 2011
Country: Finland
Line-up: 
Juha Sirkkiä - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards 
Erno Räsänen - Drums, Guitar (12 Strings)
Rating: 99%

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Thence was formed during 2003 by the members from Shade Empire. It took them 8 years to release their first album. These Stones Cry From The Earth features just one song that plays for about 57 minutes. I must admit that I wasn’t expecting anything from this album when I played it as I was too tired of listening to tons of crappy albums last month. I listened to it when I was in my office and I had to put on my headphone while working. I kid you not, I listened to the first few minutes and I stopped my work and got totally hooked into this song. The song writing is totally based on atmospheric epic build-ups and progressive structures. Just what I love!

This is how exactly a progressive metal song should sound like. Period! No adulteration of hardcore elements as most other bands do these days. Of course progressive metal can be experimented but it should be with the right sub-genre, otherwise the beauty of progressive metal is lost. With a drone doom metal kind of opening I thought this is going to be a boring long drone doom metal song. But my opinion changed so fast. My true first surprise started when the melodic portion begins around the 10 minutes mark. Before that it was Anathema like experience. There are many Pink Floyd moments follows during the long interlude – spacy and psychedelic. Then there are beautiful atmospheric acoustic guitar instances that are absolute stellar. Keyboards too play a major role. It gives nice ambiance to the song and the style reminds me of Per Wiberg. The vocals is very emotional and placid, perfectly suits the track.

The heavy riffs kicks in again around 19 minutes mark and it made my blood surge to my brain rapidly. I almost screamed! As if the excitement is not enough an amazing solo follows it. Soon again another very long solo around 24 minute mark, which is again followed by some Saxophone music. Too many things happen in this song and are all not predictable for a single moment.

The heaviest portion of the song begins at 40 minutes mark. You will hear some blast beats that would make you think you were listening to a different band 5 minutes back. The change in gear is so upright, surprising for compelling listening experiences. The only disappointing moment in the song for me is the techno part around 45-46 minutes. Luckily, it didn’t last long. The head banging moment returns again for the rescue.

The song ends with a nice 8 minutes long Pink Floydish finish. The bass guitar stands out during this time. I recommend this album to everyone. This is easily the best release so far in this year. It sets a bench mark for the upcoming releases. I doubt if most upcoming albums can even come half closer to this magnum opus this year. I am taking 1% away because of the techno part in between.

Buy this album here in Record Shop X

- Morgoth

Blodsband - Det eviga och den döde

Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Track List: 
1. Det Eviga I 09:27
2. Det Eviga II 10:25
3. Den Eöde I 11:07
4. Den Döde II 09:46
5. Den Döde III 08:27
Release: Free Distribution, February 2011
Country: Sweden
Line-up: 
Unknown
Rating: 89%

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Blodsband is a Swedish black metal band that produces music with extreme rawness and simplistic atmospheric elements of the second wave. Det eviga och den döde is their third full-length album and this one is a big improvement from their previous releases. However, the recording quality still remains as a concern even though it’s intentional like earlier Burzum albums. Not that worse though. Drums could have been recorded better.

This album is basically just two songs divided into parts. Det Eviga is the opening track beginning with catastrophic drum beats (probably a drum machine). The vocals is extremely harsh and stays down all the time. It’s little bit like Anaal Nathrakh’s raw black metal era. The slow moments are really enjoyable with some great melodic black metal riffs. The atmosphere thickens when the second part of the song begins but this part is very different from the first part however it’s of the same types. This one also has some melodic moments in between, which repeats at equal intervals to build a nice atmosphere.

Den Döde is divided into three parts and all are equally dense and are heavier at times. The first part is the heaviest with many Ukrainian black metal moments. Some denser atmospheric moments are followed by spacey interludes and the band travels back and forth into it to give the listener a spellbinding experience. I am not sure if everybody will enjoy this as it sounds very simple. I enjoyed it for the classic elements of black metal and atmosphere. Having said that, the music is not ripened but it has plenty of new ideas that might grip you upon few listens. The poor drums recording are clearly noticeable in the second and third part of the song. But there are enough good things about the track that will make you let off these errs and enjoy it.

This album kept growing in me when I am writing this review. I have to say that this is one of the few black metal releases this year that pleased me so far, glitches apart. While listening to this album you have to keep aside your ideas of so called complex riffs, preconceived song structure, and conventional song writing. Everything here is conveyed on minimalism to grasp the listener’s aura. This album is distributed by the band for FREE in their MySpace. If you like it, please send them a message and let them know you liked it.

- Morgoth

Sáwol - Through Soil And Skin

Genre: Progressive Death/Doom Metal
Track List: 
1. Furor 4:01
2. Drought 5:04
3. Prisoner 7:00
4. Thorns 6:18
5. Break And Create 8:50
6. Seasons 5:13
7. Closer To The Sun 4:29
8. Murk Of November 5:54
9. Buried 5:04
Release: Bullroser Records, April 2010
Country: Finland
Line-up: 
Pekka Taina - Guitar, Vocals 

Jussi Verkkonen - Drums
Miika Mäkinen - Guitar

Matti Taina - Bass
Rating: 84%

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Sáwol is another one of those Finnish metal bands that proved that their country is the best for the doom metal scene. I listened to their demo sometime back in last year and was totally impressed. Finally, I had some time to listen to this masterpiece. Through Soil And Skin is a fabulous release that should appeal for any metal fans. It has got something for every metal fan to enjoy.

The album opens with a gloomy track Furor demonstrating the Finnish doom metal’s life force right from the start. The vocal performance is nothing new but this is how the growls should be in a perfect doom/death metal album. The slow solos and progressive variations showcase the technical strength of the band. The third track Prisoner has got some very good chord progression. It is sort of old school grindcore influenced (not the modern grindcore, which I don’t like). The drums and bass guitar work well together. The bass guitar especially, is very prominent. The drumming here is very promising, slow tempos handled masterfully, driving forward in the mission of despair for the metal masses. It all worked well for them mainly because of excellent production.

Thorns is again a brilliant song – slow and obscure carrying enormous strength. Somewhat like Shape of Despair. Break and Create takes a little break from the droning heaviness for a while but the soaring guitar riffs comes in soon accompanied by intense cymbal sound. It is not as atmospheric as the other tracks but it’s very progressive and technically strong. Closer To The Sun is my most favorite track in the album. The clean vocals is heard for the first time in this track. It’s more like hard rock style clean singing. The mix of guttural vocals makes a perfect blend crediting to how well the band can compose a song. I think they should do more of this type of songs than regular doom/death metal.

Murk of November and Buried are the final two tracks both of them feature some nice tempo variations. Sometimes the guitar note goes high but it is a part of the variations that the band wants to do. So I guess it’s a good move to make a unique sound for the band.   

They have proven their potential with this release. As I said before this album has something for every metal listener. Even if you are not a doom metal fan you will find something interesting in it. So try it.

- Morgoth

Dala Sun – Sala Dun

Genre: Stoner/Doom Metal
Track List: 
1. Black Karmageddon 5:33
2. I Have A Better Way 3:53
3. In Evil 4:17
4. Fuck It Away 3:40
5. Saladun Theme 4:13
6. Drunk 4:04
7. My Girl My Time 5:44
8. Electric Magician 11:55
Release: Self released, December 2010
Country: Greece
Line-up: 
Haris - Guitar, Vocals
Tolas - Bass
Andreas - Drums
Rating: 83%

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Every now and then I get to find some surprising strange bands on internet. I found Dala Sun like that and I downloaded this album without any regret because the band itself is against any commercial distribution of music and they want everyone to download this album. Sala Dun doesn’t introduce something new here but it is all presented in a diverse way. I listen to a lot of stoner/doom metal bands but never listened to much stoner metal/rock bands. Probably Dala Sun is hanging in between those genres. Not complicated though but very smart!

It’s extremely down tuned and heavy and it’s made very obvious with the first track Black Karmageddon. It is also disgustingly slow and propulsive. However it is also makes you headbang. Then the hard rock influences start showing up in I have a Better Way. Rough stoned vocals don’t stand out but it’s very well layered below the music. The guitar riffs keeps changing between heavy madness and hard rock style solos.
   

Songs like Fuck It Away has some interesting southern swamp groove. It can be labeled as metal only because of its sheer heaviness. Saladun Theme gets into mid-pace tempo and as usual heavy, kind of Orange Goblin –ish but heavier. The band shows off their sly sense of humor with Drunk. It made me laugh. Well, it’s actually very good to hear drunken chorus and sounds of shattering glass, bottles. It’s good and different to hear happy mood in a doom metal track sometimes. My Girl My Time is my personal favorite in this album. While listening to this Chris Cornell came to my mind somehow. Then I thought this band might be taking it from Audioslave and to extreme metal. May be! Or it is just me.

Electric Magician is an enjoyable track. This is song is probably dedicated to Nikola Tesla. Though the song is over 11 minutes long, the effective range only lasts for 6 minutes and after that there is a long pause and then followed by some kind of hidden track.

This is a solid album; you can download and listen to it no problem. But if you like the record then send an email to dalasun@gmail.com and ask them to send you a CD, they will do so for a mere 3 Euros.

- Morgoth

Burzum - Fallen

Genre: Black Metal
Track List: 
1. Fra Verdenstreet 1:03
2. Jeg Faller 7:50
3. Valen 9:23
4. Vanvidd 7:07
5. Enhver til Sitt 6:17
6. Budstikken 10:12
7. Til Hel og tilbake igjen 5:58 
Release: Byelobog Productions, March 2011
Country: Norway
Line-up: 
Varg "Count Grishnackh" Vikernes - Vocals, All Instruments
Rating: 95%

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Varg Vikernes doesn’t take long break between his albums. This is his second album since he came out of prison. Belus was good but it wasn’t very typical of Burzum. You’d always expect something new in every Burzum album, which was missing in Belus. However, this time around Varg is back with his experimental black metal. Fallen is like an outcome of blending old school Burzum with Belus, Hliðskjálf and plus many new raw sounds. It’s a bridging album between the very early Burzum and the new direction.

Fallen starts with an ambient chanting intro track Fra Verdenstreet then followed by Jeg Faller, I immediately fell in love with this track. It didn’t take more than one listen to like this one and I knew exactly where Varg is headed with this sound. It refreshed my old Burzum memories. Varg’s high pitched and raspy vocals are back, which I think is a big come back. That’s one thing I always believed to be accompanying the overall atmosphere of his albums.   

The third track Valen greets you with trademark Burzum raw guitar riffs. It hoards the entire dark emotions through an intolerant sense of dissonant minimalism. The spoken words give a strange vibe to the song. Vanvidd is the next track and I consider this song as one of the high points of the album. The classic black metal guitar riffs made my hair stand. This is something that is almost extinct in modern metal scene. This is probably the darkest track in the album. Especially when the chanting comes in that followed by screams with some howling were creepy shit!

The album moves to mid-pace with the track Enhver til Sitt. It contains some melodic moments but pretty raw. A dying end to this song gives a nice break in the album and it is much needed considering the next track’s sound shift. Budstikken is the longest track in the album. It is surprisingly groovy and still manages to be dark. This is very new in black metal as far as my knowledge goes. Some riffs reminded me of Magog/Evangeli (Black Metal band from Sweden). Til Hel og tilbake igjen is the final track. It’s an ambient song and there is nothing much to say about this. It’s just like any other Burzum’s old ambient numbers. Good but bland! And this one is too long!

To sum up, this album in my opinion is lot better than Belus. As I said before it’s a marriage of Burzum’s earlier work and modern work. The presence of Belus is weak but all the good elements are carried forward. It will sure appeal all kind of Burzum fans.

*For those who are drooling at the album cover. It is a portion of the painting Douleur d'Amour by William Bouguereau.

- Morgoth

Ufomammut – Eve

Genre: Psychedelic Stoner/Doom Metal
Track List: 
1. Eve  44:42
Release: Supernatural Cat, May 2010
Country: Italy
Line-up: 
Urlo - Bass, Vocals, Synths
Poia - Guitar, Synths
Vita - Drums 
Rating: 96%

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Ufomammut started it all from Satan, then Godlike Snake and then Snailking and so on into the story of Eden. Now the sixth album is about Eve. This is an interesting concept for a psychedelic stoner/doom metal band. Just one track that clocks about 45 minutes takes you through different phases of intoxicating musical journey.   

This album is much heavier than the previous one Idolum but it’s not always the case as there are many filling moments. The song starts with enthralling feedbacks accompanied by intoning guitar riffs that continues for some time like a chant. As it does, it creates the right atmosphere to make you want to get in further, just like dope smoking. If you are not in the right mood then it may sound monotonous to you, otherwise it’s simply a staggering experience. The vocals too when it comes in is chanting rightly toning the music as you would expect. Any other style would have simply altered the mood. Before you realize, i.e.; when you are in the right mood, the music grows into some other dimensions and you will start feeling the bass pounding your ears already. But you will have to wait because the album is still within the build-up stage. Ufomammut jumps into their business very slowly.

Around 13 minutes mark you will be hearing some down-tuned guitar madness in the vein of Sleep. Having said that, musically, Ufomammut is not raw like Sleep for some post-metal influences in them.  Around 18 minutes mark the song is now more dronish until the drum starts rolling. This is another clever piece of build-up for what is going to come. Throughout this song I predicted what will be the next part and the band played as if obliging my request. Just giving what your mind wants. There is no other better way to play this genre.

Behold and be ready by 23^rd minute as suddenly everything opens up with crushing down-tuned guitar riffs and incomes the stoned up vocals to psych you up mad. The occasional slow down with the bass guitar riffs sounding as if the strings are sagging on the guitar are quite the moments that puts you in total trance state. But do not be sunk in it forever the guitar solo around 26^th minute terrains in a field of patterns into your mind, such a way that you can’t restrain yourself being emotive. This is highest part of the entire 44 minutes trip.

The last 14 minutes is more or less like how the album started with occasional sludge of drone doom metal elements.

As I have said before in one of my earlier reviews, you will need very good speakers to listen to this genre. It goes for all the ultra-doom metal sub genres. Especially this album has plenty of feedback effects that you may not hear in an ordinary audio system. Try listening to it in a head phone turning up the volume and you will know what I mean. Particularly when the feedback effect changes from left to right channel and vice-versa.

- Morgoth