Staff picks by nikarg

Is 35 years too long? Back in 1988 Majestic Ryte released a self-titled tape with epic music that resembled Fates Warning’s early days. Fast-forward to 2023, with the same line-up, the band releases their debut full-length, also self-titled. The music here is U.S. power metal with a significant heavy/thrash twist, close to the sound of Sanctuary and Nevermore. The imposing vocals of Greg Tsaknakis vividly bring the late Warrel Dane to mind, and the guitar goes more for power chords and groove, rather than for melody. The album is very heavy, thanks to a pounding rhythm section and modern production, but still epic, even with its proggy and technical touches. It is dedicated to the memory of bassist John Funk, who passed away in February 2022.

Leave any expectations you have from Avenged Sevenfold at the door, because Life Is Just A Dream… is pushing the band’s boundaries so much that it cannot be anything but divisive. It is one of the most ambitious and surprising albums of the year, and it is impressive how over-the-top it gets, regarding music genres blending together. To claim that its influences are broad would be an understatement; Mr. Bungle, Alice In Chains, Frank Zappa, System Of A Down, Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Daft Punk, Faith No More, Frank Sinatra, Nine Inch Nails, Rush… there is no end to the list. This is an alternative metal act going progressive, avantgarde, pop, experimental, and, quite frankly, batshit crazy. Being a Jack of all trades is one thing, but also being a master of almost all of them, like Avenged Sevenfold are on this album… well, that deserves respect and applause. And taking the risk to scare away the fanbase in favour of evolution and growth deserves all the praise in the world.

What if Pink Floyd played atmospheric black metal? Doesn’t Black Medium Current’s cover art vaguely remind of The Dark Side Of The Moon? Doesn’t its music have this progressive structure, this floating feeling, where one song bleeds into the next, securing a flow that most albums don’t even come close to achieving? Doesn’t it sound immaculate? Aren’t the vocals infectiously quirky, despite the departure of Aldrahn? Don’t the electronics give that familiar avant-garde touch? Doesn’t the piano sound as demented as it has ever been? Is this album a surprise? No, it is not. Dødheimsgard have proved time and time again that they are capable of mind-bending music. Black Medium Current is both mind-bending and earwormingly accessible. An excellent entry point for the uninitiated, and my personal favourite of this spectacular band.

Megaton Sword had the hard task to follow an epic heavy metal album that defined the genre in modern times (Blood Hails Steel - Steel Hails Fire), and they succeeded in releasing something even grander and more ambitious. The band mixes hard rocking catchiness, Manowar-esque epicness, and Manilla Road-like melodicism to create music that is very much their own. It is admirable how this sounds at the same time classic and fresh, without being trapped in either trying to be retro or over-modernizing a style that is meant to be ageless. The vocals of Uzzy Unchained are an alternate version of Cirith Ungol’s Tim Baker, and Megaton Sword are courageous enough to close an album titled Might & Power with a ballad named “Babe Eternal”. And damn, it just rules.

What would happen if you mixed death and doom and black and stoner and 70’s prog rock, gave it an oriental touch, and dressed it all in a psychedelic gown? Here’s what would happen; you’d get Cosmic Fires: The Enlightenment Reversed. Vāmācāra's debut full-length is adventurous extreme metal with clearly heard instruments that play wildly off of each other, it is a bridge between blastbeats and groove, and a marriage of melody and dissonance. And what’s most impressive is that this rich instrumentation and sound comes from just two people.

Head over at Bandcamp and check out one of the most innovative and inspired albums of 2022.

Coming somewhat unexpectedly, Jade’s debut album, The Pacification Of Death, is an end-of-the-year treat for any death metal fan. Incorporating elements of Bølzer, Sulphur Aeon, and The Ruins Of Beverast, this band offers an engrossing take on death metal that is doomy, blackened, melodic, progressive, and exceptionally atmospheric. The synth arrangements give it a cosmic edge, while especially interesting are the clean vocals, whose delivery reminisces the ones used on Mayhem’s Grand Declaration Of War.

Gift-wrapped in Adam Burke’s spectacular cover art, this is a present you need to give yourself, so head over at Bandcamp and get it.

Talk about underrated. Satan is the only NWOBHM band that has released only quality albums throughout their career. And, if Court In The Act is an untouchable classic, these geezers have been crazy consistent in putting out stellar album after stellar album since their reunion. Earth Infernal is another incredible release and features all the ingredients that make Satan special; analogue-sounding heavy metal with an evil, sinister, and dark edge, catchy riffs that touch on thrash and speed metal, triumphant lead guitars, Brian Ross’s powerful vocals that have aged like fine wine, a hard-hitting rhythm section, and the band’s trademark bridges that are simply to die for. You will not find better classic metal anywhere else, no matter how hard you look for it.

Storm Of Magic is evocative, arcane, bardic, and magickal heavy/doom, with elements of folk and prog rock, making brilliant use of acoustic guitars and dungeon synths. A medieval aesthetic dominates the album, the sound is lo-fi and organic, and the songwriting and musicianship embrace the sincerity of their roughness and imperfections. Maija Tiljander’s ethereal voice along with the enchanting music both produce a charming blend of Pagan Altar, Lordian Guard, Manowar’s Into Glory Ride, and Pentagle. The epic title track is sublime. From the cover art to the last lyric, this is Oskari Räsänen’s DIY approach in making music, and it is an absolute triumph.

So, the year 2021 is over, welcome 2022. The first album I listened in the new year is the one that got the most plays from me during the previous one. Soen found their own sound with Lykaia, they improved it with Lotus, and with Imperial they created what I consider to be the perfect album. Superb musicianship, astonishing melodies, bass, drums, guitars in faultless sync, and vocal hooks for days. Imperial has been a constant companion for me since it came out, and it is one of these albums that make me happy that music exists.

I will be delighted if I find something as satisfying as this in 2022.

I could have staff-picked anything from the first five Trouble albums following today's tragic news of Eric Wagner's passing. Psalm 9 and The Skull were essential for the evolution of U.S. doom metal, possessing a sound that is still being - or trying to be - replicated. When the band decided to add more heavy rock and classic rock in their formula with the self-titled in 1990 or with the Beatles-loving Manic Frustration that followed, Trouble still were one of the coolest doom bands around. Their debut though remains unsurpassable to me and it is one of the most defining albums in the history of the genre. Wagner's unique voice had so much to do with it; this was a man who was singing and you could immediately tell who it was behind the mic. He could be menacing, emotional, and hard rocking with the same ease and simply sounded like no other.

Doom metal is so much poorer today. Rest in peace, Eric. I hope you are floating in strawberry skies.

Fallensun is a Canadian duo by Axis Disrupt's Taylor Pottle and James Coyle, and The Wake Of The Fall is a wonderful debut filled with melodic death metal that wears a thick black cape to face the winter and the storming winds. Fans of Insomnium, Be'lakor, Eternal Storm, and Opeth should take notice. The music is as cold and blue as the cover art suggests; emotional acoustic passages and string instruments blend with aggressive blastbeats, soulful solos and melodic leads soar over prog-like drumming, and blackened tremolo picking antagonizes chugging and devastating riffs. Incorporating a number of guitar and vocal approaches and tones, the album is bookended by two beautiful instrumentals and features four compelling compositions in between, with the second half of "The Language, Death, Eternal" boasting some of the most compelling music of the year regardless of genre. And clocking in at under 35 minutes, you will find yourself wondering why this album is over so soon every time you play it.

Beastlor is the one-man black metal project of Mick Barr, mostly known through Krallice and Encenathrakh, and Galaxies Of Death is an adventurous sonic journey into the world of contemporary black metal done right. One can only admire the flow of inspiration and the abundance of ideas, present from start to finish; from the riff factory that is "Ignorant Sin" to the avant-garde and progressive black metal masterpiece that is the closing title track. In between lie four songs balancing intricate atonality with blazing riffology in a way that is unconventional but also palpable and comprehensive. The undeniable apex is "Become The Planet", with its swirling dissonance being driven by a demented lead guitar which offers one of the finest metal moments of 2021, equally grand and memorable as Bølzer's "Entranced By The Wolfshook". Yes, it is that good.

In 1986, when every band tried their hardest to be faster than the rest, Candlemass showed the world that the words 'heavy' and 'speed' don't always have to go together. The low end, the deep sound, and the darkness brought by the hand of doom was unparalleled on Epicus Doomicus Metallicus and remains like that up to this day. Nothing has ever come close to the sheer brilliance of this album in 35 years. More classic than the classics. More epic than the epics.

Doom. Metal. Perfection.

"Earth to earth
Ashes to ashes
Dust to dust
And please let me die in solitude..."

Featuring four songs that were part of the astounding debut EP, Deliver Us, the album And The Cannons Of Destruction Have Begun... is nothing less than monumental. Combining the skilful drumming of Mark Zonder, who would later join Fates Warning, and the goosebumps-inducing guitar melodies of Bill Tsamis that were brimming with lyricism, it is the perfect heavy metal album. The term 'underrated' is often used and is rarely as justified as in this band's case. Warlord never received commercial success, although they thoroughly deserved it. To quote Mark Zonder: "Not taking anything away from any of the great artists that I have had the honor and privilege to play with over the years, but I can say without thinking twice Bill was the most talented and dedicated guy I ever met. Obviously great musician, the world knows that, but just a great guy to hang with. Funny and very intelligent. One of the most humble people you would meet. Very matter of fact but never over the line and never handing out BS. Just straight up. Without Bill Tsamis and Warlord I have no idea of where I would be today. This was the beginning and I owe him everything. Thank you for showing me the way."

If you have never listened to this album, it is never too late to discover one of the masterpieces of heavy metal. If you already know it, play it once more to honour this great guitarist's memory. And don't forget to check out his other band, Lordian Guard.

Rest in peace, Mr. Tsamis. The cannons of destruction will never cease, the music lives forever.

Born from the ashes of Asphodèle and choosing the title of that band's only album as their name, Jours Pâles is the new black metal project of Spellbound, also of Aorlhac fame. This is black metal that incorporates so many different shades of it; atmospheric black, post-black, melodic black, depressive black, blackgaze, and even black thrash at times. A gothic and melancholic aura hovers over it but less so than how prominent it was on Asphodèle because Éclosion has a more rocking / metal character due to its songwriting choices and the guitar playing of James Sloan (Uada). With Christian Larsson's (Gloson, ex-Shining) amazing bass lines and the expressive vocals of Spellbound singing lyrics in French, Jours Pâles demonstrate an impressive ability to make the different aspects of their sound feel special on their own but also to make the sum equally engaging as its parts. For a fusion of aggressive and depressive black metal, this is as good as it gets.