If this doesn't make black metal album of the year I'll be surprised.

Sceptre To Control The World alone already topped my black metal lists this year.

Saaaaweeeeeeeet

Wow...that was a truly fantastic album. Ever-changing and never repetitive. Very high quality release. I thoroughly enjoyed this. Thanks JOOE.

Maybe it's just me, but there seems to be more a few more artists moving towards or experimenting with this "style" of black metal (not really sure how to categorize it, lol), and I absolutely adore it.
Great sound, great execution, and brutal as fuck. n_n

The firs time I saw band name mistook it for lykate LOL.
Will check this out asap

This was probably my most anticipated release of 2013 ever since I came across 'Sceptre to Control the World' on bandcamp back in March. The album not only lived up to my expectations, but actually exceed them. Fantastic stuff. CD+Shirt package is in the mail on it's way to me, looking forward to getting my hands on it.

I just realised, I get a huge Opeth vibe from this record. Those moments when Opeth build up and shit gets going. It's like a whole album of that. Well, apart from the driving black metal moments of course.

[EDIT]

Yep, listen to "When Scorn Can Scourge No More" and tell me that the whole thing doesn't reek of Opeth. Everything about those riffs and chord progressions is Blackwater Park Opeth (perhaps with the tone of Orchid. being vaguely black metal of course) to my ears. Lovely stuff.

It's cool & all... but wasn't blow away. Maybe reading the comments did affect me, will listen more carefully before final opinion.

Every time I hear an album this year that I think can't be beaten, some band comes out and releases a fucking masterpiece.
EDIT: Does not hold much replay value. Whatever I thought made this a masterpiece a few months ago seems to have a faded. Still a great album, just not 9 worthy.

Black metal+old opeth+esoteric? count me in

THIS warrants a full-scale listen.

There's a lot in this album that stands out to me, but dammit, I can never get enough of Greg Chandler's vocals. The man is extremely talented, and it's always a treat to hear him on an album I've never heard before.

Written by Alex F on 11.05.2013 at 18:43

Everytime I hear an album this year that I think can't be beaten, some band comes out and releases a fucking masterpiece.

This

Written by Chobo_jokeR on 12.05.2013 at 03:37

There's a lot in this album that stands out to me, but dammit, I can never get enough of Greg Chandler's vocals. The man is extremely talented, and it's always a treat to hear him on an album I've never heard before.

And this .

Hyping albums is not something I usually do but goddamn this albums is massive, it's not only likely to top my end of year list but might be one of the finest BM albums I've had the pleasure to listen to.

I feel like I'm missing something here. It's seems good, but not nearly so much as it's getting hyped up to be. This doesn't sound all that much better than most of the BM I hear these days, at least not to my ears. But that's just my opinion. Maybe I got to hyped reading the comments?

Written by Saiyanity on 14.05.2013 at 09:09

I feel like I'm missing something here. It's seems good, but not nearly so much as it's getting hyped up to be. This doesn't sound all that much better than most of the BM I hear these days, at least not to my ears. But that's just my opinion. Maybe I got to hyped reading the comments?

Well I know all the people who have commented on the album love Esoteric. So hearing Greg Chandler do vocals on a black metal album, may be the reason for alot of the praise. But I don't know, I find that there is an amazing flow to the album. I turn it on, the album flies by, its over, and I repeat it. I've found the replay value to be excellent. I find tons of variation in the songs. Plenty of cool riffs and sections in each song. The comments may have overhyped it for you, which is a shame, but this album had me at "Greg Chandler on Vocals".

Written by Chobo_jokeR on 15.05.2013 at 05:02

Written by Saiyanity on 14.05.2013 at 09:09

I feel like I'm missing something here. It's seems good, but not nearly so much as it's getting hyped up to be. This doesn't sound all that much better than most of the BM I hear these days, at least not to my ears. But that's just my opinion. Maybe I got to hyped reading the comments?

Well I know all the people who have commented on the album love Esoteric. So hearing Greg Chandler do vocals on a black metal album, may be the reason for alot of the praise. But I don't know, I find that there is an amazing flow to the album. I turn it on, the album flies by, its over, and I repeat it. I've found the replay value to be excellent. I find tons of variation in the songs. Plenty of cool riffs and sections in each song. The comments may have overhyped it for you, which is a shame, but this album had me at "Greg Chandler on Vocals".

Ah gotcha, I could definitely see how that would work. I'm sure I'll give it another spin sometime, it's not bad by any means. Hopefully I'll feel the magic next time.

Aside from our affliction with Greg's vocals, the structure of the album is really fresh and sounds like as if Esoteric are playing Black Metal.

Well, I had to see what all the fuss was about. I listened to a couple of songs, doesn't really melt my butter. I may give this another shot at some point.

This is good !

Written by tea[m]ster on 16.05.2013 at 18:29

Well, I had to see what all the fuss was about. I listened to a couple of songs, doesn't really melt my butter. I may give this another shot at some point.

I don't really think this is your thing in all honesty, but it's a pretty solid black output.

I'd definitely give it another shot.

Written by Boxcar Willy on 18.05.2013 at 19:49

I'd definitely give it another shot.

On it.

I am getting into black metal more and more, of course it's along the lines of post-black and atmospheric black but still, give me kudos for trying

Since the staff pick mentions Esoteric, I'd expected a longer album.

Don't get the hype.

Written by Boxcar Willy on 31.05.2013 at 01:48

Don't get the hype.

+1
I listened to this album once and was not that impressed. The only good+ song was Dust of a Gun Barrel. Should definitely give it more spins but I doubt my mind would change

Liked it, but was a bit underwhelming really, given the hype and credentials.

It had it's moments. Scepter To Control The World and Dust Of A Gun Barrel are cool.
But, yeah, as said above, overrated.

Current "black metal world" needs more something like this.

Written by BitterCOld on 15.06.2013 at 11:55

Liked it, but was a bit underwhelming really, given the hype and credentials.

this

Not sure what to make of this one. Impressed the hell out of me on first listen, but after 7-8 listens over 2-3 months it's merely "good" with moments of greatness here and there. Without Chandler on vocals this would not be as interesting. [7½]