Weekly Round-Up: 22nd March 2014

The eagle-eyed among you (or just those who pay attention, to be fair) will notice that this is the second such post this week, so it isn't strictly a "weekly" update. There is also only 4 bands featured as I haven't managed to get through the rest of the music yet, but still wanted to post an update.

Demon Hunter

Demon Hunter are a strange band - not even taking into account the odd misnomer -as they appear to take their influence as much from Cold's brand of Post-Grunge as much as they do from the likes of Killswitch Engage and Trivium and even from 90's artists such as Pantera and Skinlab. Add to that they are classified as Metalcore. To a point, this would be a fair description, but it is one that is far too narrow and likely to put people off listening to them. While it doesn't deliver anything that you haven't heard before, this is a confident album filled with massive hooks and even bigger choruses - All held together by the powerful vocals of Ryan Clark. Absolutely brimming over with memorable songs, varied enough to have a fairly wide appeal, but not so much as to ruin the flow of the album. I can't recommend this album highly enough.

Arch Enemy

I have been a fan of Arch Enemy since the Burning Bridges album ( ) and I have always felt that they were a band that really captured the sound, feeling and energy of the "Gothenburg Sound" - After all lead guitarist / mainman Mikael Amott was once a member of the style's pioneers, Carcass. It wasn't until Angela Gossow replaced original vocalist Johan Liiva though, that the band gained the popularity and relative mainstream appeal that they continue to enjoy today. That said, the last couple of Arch Enemy albums have left me a little cold. It felt as they had lost their way a bit as a band and both the song writing and vocals had begun to slip. Fast forward to early-March 2014 and the news broke that the band's vocalist (and business manager) Angela Gossow was stepping down. What made this news of particular interest was that she was in the enviable and unusual position of being able to (help) choose and recruit her own replacement. Enter (now former) The Agonist vocalist, Alissa White-Gluz. Now, I am quite a fan of The Agonist and especially of Miss White-Gluz' vocals, so I was quite excited by the news - and I was right to be. The new song is immense - very possibly the best song Arch Enemy have put their name to (it's been on repeat for half an hour this morning) and I can now say that, for the first time in over a decade, that I am really looking forward to a new Arch Enemy album and tour. Come on Bloodstock, make this happen.

Acheron

Turn the clock back 20 years and get ready to windmill your head. The opening track starts off with a startlingly Paradise Lost style guitar melody before veering off wildly into more old school Sepultura territory (pun not intended) with it's raw, Death Metal nastiness.Slow, seismic riffs meet widdling solos reminiscent of vintage Obituary with squealing Death Metal guitars and thrashing break-neck passages. Definitely an album for those of you who enjoy your (Blackened) Death Metal mid to fast-paced and crushing. Side note: For some reason track 3 "Raptured To Divine Perversion" reminds me of a (much) more brutal take on Judas Priest's "Grinder". Ahem.

Lacuna Coil

While I don't begrudge bands popularity, sometimes (most of the time) they are better when they are away from the "mainstream". Without the pressure to shift units, a band's true personality is allowed to shine. Lacuna Coil had there time in the limelight around a decade ago, but are now back where they belong. I was always more taken with their earlier, Paradise Lost influenced Gothic Metal material then I was with the more Alternative Rock/Metal of the later releases, but the band's 2012 album "Dark Adrenaline" was definitely a step back in the right direction - heavier than the albums that came before it, but not so much so as to alienate the fans they had picked up during their flirtation with the mainstream. Here we are in 2014 and from what I've heard so far, I don't really know what to expect from the follow-up. If I'm truly honest, I'm not convinced by the strange Nu-Metal sound of new single "Die And Rise", but we'll see what "Broken Crown Halo" brings when it is released later in the month.

Weekly Round-up: 20th March 2014

Due to wealth of great music that I've been ploughing through this week, this is a special mid-week (ish) edition of my weekly update. The next one will be up on Saturday. There should be plenty here to keep you good people going.

Mantar

Hailing from Hamburg, this German duo conjure up a delicious noise that incorporates elements of Sludge, Doom, Stoner and Black Metal, but achieves a finished result that all but defies specific genre classification and is a sound that is completely their own. Like Kvelertak before them, it seems as if Mantar have performed some type of musical alchemy and have succeeded in producing gold. The tortured vocals howl, the riffs crunch and the drums crash in a wonderful cacophony of dischordant noise. The single most exciting and interesting new band I've been privileged to hear since the aforementioned Kvelertak back in 2010. Album of the week, month and potentially, year. Merely listening to this album has been a life-affirming experience for me. Mantar are making the most exciting noise on the planet right now and have left their peers choking in the dust. Truly indispensable. Turn this up loud and wait for the huge grin to spread across your face.

Gus G

I have to say that I wasn't exactly overjoyed or filled with optimism when the news reached my ears of a Gus G solo album. History is littered with the rotting corpses of solo efforts from many a lead guitarist - and they are, pretty much without exception, awful. It is with great pleasure (and surprise) then, that I can report that Mr G has resisted the urge to show us all how good a player he is, at the expense of writing "real" songs and has instead opted to record a bloody great hard rock album. As is par for the course with solo albums from prominent artists such as Gus G, he has taken on board a wealth of "guest" musicians - including Mats Levén, Dave Ellefson and Billy Sheehan - for this album and has let them write the lyrics for the songs they feature on. This gives each song a more personal touch and allows Gus to concentrate on the music. This also gives the album a more varied feel as each song is often different from the previous one, while the music remains cohesive over the course of the album. Of course, this isn't to say that Gus tones down his flamboyant playing style, but rather allows it to complement rather than overpower the songs. I can't recommend this highly enough. It probably isn't what you are expecting.

Woland

The name might well bring to mind Jonathan Ross saying a certain male name, but this is a really rather good album. Technical Progressive Blackened Death Metal would possibly be the best way for me to describe this - although that is admittedly a bit of a mouthful (that's what she said!). There is a distinctly Norwegian sound going on here (even though the band are, surprisingly, Finnish)  - think something along the lines of early-mid era Dimmu Borgir, Vreid, Immortal, etc. - and for the first few tracks I was absolutely enraptured. Unfortunately, the unexpected Spanish guitars on "Living Water" aside, the lack of variation on offer starts to grate after a while. This slight niggle aside, "Hyperion" is an album that is, at times, jaw-droppingly good and never drops below being competent. There isn't a single weak track on here and they do what they do very well and this album has just crashed straight into my top 20 of the year list.

Karkaos

What a strange blend of Melodic Death / Metalcore / Folk / Power Metal (happy now, Emil?) there is to be heard on this debut album from Canada's Karkaos. I actually wasn't impressed or convinced by this album initially as the contrasting styles sounded at odds with each other. Despite my reservations though, I didn't switch it off and I'm very glad that I didn't as this is actually a very respectable debut release from a talented young band. The production is flat and the vocalist could be better, so it's not a perfect album by any stretch and it feels as if the band has yet to fully decide on the style they want to play, let alone refine and hone its sound, but I am very much looking forward to hearing what they come up with for the follow-up. In the meantime, I'll just enjoy this interesting concoction for what it is - a fun, energetic Metal album.

Lorelei

Symphonic Black / Death Metal that invokes the spirit of Dimmu Borgir, Septic Flesh and even The Black Dahlia Murder. Although no where near as polished as any of those bands, this is as solid an effort as can be expected from a band without the weight of a good record label behind them. Crushing riffs, pounding drums and brutal, varied vocals (Death, Black, Hardcore and more) rub shoulders with some exquisite keyboard work. This album gripped me from the start and maintained my interest for its duration. No mean feat it has to be said. I hear more than a few generic albums in the course of a month, and this is certainly not one of them.

Drakwald - Resist Fatality review

Band: Drakwald
Album: Resist Fatality
Label: Self Released
Genre: Folk Metal
Country: France
Release Date: 1st Feb 2014

Firstly I should mention that on the band's official homepage they claim to be influenced by, and I quote "Scandinavian Death Metal and Pagan Folk". OK, so I'll give them Pagan Folk, but I hear very little Scandinavian Death Metal on this album. To my ears it comes across as a (brilliantly delivered) cross between Svartsot and Eluveitie - and yes, it is every bit as good as it sounds. There are plenty of nods to the Irish Pagan Metal scene and especially Waylander and Cruachan, yet at the same time this album evokes the (ancient) spirit of countrymen such as Bran Barr and Heol Telwen.

Although their influences are worn proudly on their collective sleeves, Drakwald have recorded an album that positively shines with personality and their passion for the genre is very much evident. A cursory glance at the song titles and it becomes abundantly clear that English isn't the band's first language and to be honest, I think that this just adds to the charm of this superb little gem.

I do, however, have a couple of gripes. For their debut release, you might expect that a band would want to go all out with the presentation to grab the attention of potential punters. Instead, it appears that Drakwald have opted for a forgettable, drab effort. So "nul points" then for the artwork which is irredeemably terrible. This is a real shame as dull, forgettable and drab are words which couldn't be further from describing what this excellent French act have to offer - which is actually a really solid, classy and exciting take on the Folk Metal genre. But my biggest issue with this album - the Eluveitie-aping "Enter in The Den of The Night" aside - would be the running time. It is far too short for an album - clocking in at only slightly over 31 minutes (including an instrumental intro), this is barely an EP, let alone an album and just as you start to really get into it, it's all over. But to turn a negative into a positive, this just gives you an excuse to do as I did and put it on repeat.

Overall though, this is a fantastic effort and a wonderful debut album from a band I am looking forward to hearing a lot more from in the future. If they can follow this up and maintain their momentum, then Drakwald will be a band to watch within the Folk Metal scene. The best Folk Metal band you've never heard of. Probably.

Total Playing Time: 31:42

Overall: 9/10

Tracklist:

The Drowning
Let The Slaughter Begin
Diving In The Depth Of Agony
Escape The Claws Of Fate
When Beer's Flowing
Enter In The Den Of The Night
Giant With The Axe
Raise Our Swords
Inhale The Ashes of Honor

Official Webpage: http://drakwald.com/en

Weekly Round-up: 15th March 2014

Delayhead

Ok, so the band name isn't great, but I really like this. the problem is that I don't really know how to begin to describe the sound. It's not that it's particularly unusual or experimental, but more that I don't want to sell it short with a lazy comparison. For example, if I say "...And Justice.."-era Metallic meets Five Finger Death Punch with hints of Godsmack, Paradise Lost and even Poisonblack, there is a very real chance that I will be either over-selling it or putting people off. Either way, don't judge before you listen. This could be one of your new favourite bands. It is certainly one of mine.

Destrage

This Italian band has been around for a few years now - this is album 3, in fact - but remain pretty much unknown, which is a real shame as they are offering up something that is new and exciting, but at the same time drawing from some overwhelmingly obvious influences. These include, but are not limited to: Sikth, Dillinger Escape Plan, Ephel Duath, Faith No More and even Igorrr. As you would expect from that list, this is an eclectic collection of songs that cover almost the entire spectrum of heavy music (and byeond). Despite (or perhaps because of) these influences, the finished result is completely their own. An interesting and unique band, to say the very least. I'd recommend listening to the entire album to truly understand what they are doing, but as is customary, I have posted a (brilliant) video anyway...just to get you started. 

Battleaxe 

Sunderland's own NWOBHM heroes, Battleaxe were originally a going concern between 1979 and 1987 and are therefore the real deal, not merely a young band trying to sound vintage. Having reformed in 2010 the band have taken a similar route as peers Hell and Satan (theme?) inasmuch as they have continued right where they left off without appearing to have missed a beat. Vocalist Dave King falls somewhere between  Udo (accept) and Rob Halford (I'm not even going to explain). You have to remember when listening to this, that this was a band that was there back in the day and so musical similarities with other bands of the era are pretty much to be expected. Saying that, this album does occasional steer a little to close to plagiarism - opener "Heavy Metal Sanctuary" (yes, really) has a very Judas Priest vibe, "Hail To The King" opens with a riff that is startlingly similar to Maiden's "Two Minutes..." and "Give It More" sounds rather a lot like Accept. You will no doubt, hear a lot of other bands represented under the duration of this album, but to be honest, if it's originality and cutting edge music you want, then maybe a re-united NWOBHM band isn't the right place to look. Old school in every way, but the production which is crisp and modern. The only truly bad song here is the terribly named "Devil Calls". I have my limits ad far as lyrics go and unfortunately said song invokes almost every Heavy Metal cliche known to man. After all is said in done, what you have is a good old-school Heavy Metal album. Enjoy it for what it is.

Metsatöll

I've been a fan of this excellent Estonian band for the best part of a decade now and that the popularity gained by others in the Folk Metal scene has evaded them is both frustrating and a completely understandable. Allow me to explain. One one hand there are easy comparisons to be made to the likes of Korpiklaani, but it soon becomes apparent that this is a more raw, primitive beast that has more in common with the Slavic Pagan Metal bands. The use of an unusual array of traditional instruments and rhythms can be a little chaotic and overwhelming and vocalist Markus has a slightly punk edge to his gruff bellowing. Metsatöll have the energy and genuine passion, but lack the obvious catchy songs of some of their peers. If you are willing to give them your time, you will be rewarded. Not recommended for those after a "quick fix".

Issues

I usually reserve this blog as a place where I share the 'best' of the new music I've heard, but this is so terrible that I felt it deserved a dishonourable mention. With its smooth, R'N'B-esque clean vocals (think Justin Trousersnake), Korn guitar breakdowns, shouty hardcore vocals and horrible Chris Brown-stlye pop hooks, I don't think you've heard a worse band this year. This is modern music at its very worst. Fucking awful! I don't even think that this band are going to polarise opinions as I can't imaging anybody reading this blog actually liking this. This is a band that wants mainstream success and want to sell as many records as possible and it shows. Fans of While She Sleeps, TRC and maybe even Kanye West "might" find this little oddity of interest, but in my (humble) opinion, to call this album utter toss would be too kind. Click on the link below if you feel the need to, but then move on with your life.

I've Made The Century!

So, here it is. My 100th post, which strangely, has fallen exactly 4 years to the month since my very first post. I actually wrote it on Monday (the 10th), but decided to wait until today to post it as today marks 4 years to the very day.

I can hardly believe that it has come this far. I started this blog as a way of sharing the latest music I had found with friends and to get thoughts off my chest and out of my head. At first, it had just a handful of visitors a week, but has since grown to be something much more that I ever hoped or expected. I cannot even begin to express just how much I appreciate the support I receive from each and every one of you who take the time to read my ramblings (even just out of pity or a sense of loyalty), but after countless hours and an unfathomable number of words typed, I think that it's your turn to give me something back.

I thought that it would be a good opportunity to get some feedback.What do YOU think? What would you like to see more of? Have I introduced you to any new bands? (go on, stroke my ego). How often do you read my blog? Is there any particular sub-genre you feel gets a raw deal? Come on, guys. I say this a lot, but this time I mean it. I have spent hundreds of hours hunched over this very keyboard and it will take just a few minutes of your time to type something in the comment box below.

On another note, there have been some amazing releases over the past 4 years and I think it would be remiss of me not to compile a "top 10 albums" list to celebrate this, admittedly pointless, little milestone. No, I'm not doing it now - this is merely one of those segue posts - but it will be up in a day or so.

I also have 16 'draft' updates which are either taking a bit of time to finish or have been forgotten about / abandoned, but I am making it a personal goal to finish them as soon as I can and get them out there onto t'internet.

Thanks again for all of your support as without it, well I wouldn't have bothered.

Stu

Weekly Round-Up: March 9th 2014

Due to circumstances that were out of my control, I have fallen behind with my music listening by 3 weeks, so here I present a sort of 'bumper' edition featuring a whopping 6 (instead of the usual 5) songs from the best albums I've heard since I last posted. 'Normal 'service' will resume next weekend.

Savage Messiah

I championed this rather excellent modern thrash act a couple of years ago, but I will continue to do so as they really are worth your time. Taking their cues not only from the classic 80's Thrash era, but also from Power Metal acts such as Helloween and of course from the mighty Iron Maiden. Although, granted, this is fast and furious stuff, to refer to this as 'mere' Thrash is to do the band a great mis-service. This is great Heavy Metal. If you still haven't fallen for their charm, here's your chance.

Benighted

If you like Scottish heavyweights, Cerebral Bore and their ilk, this nasty French troupe should be right up your alley. Brutal, vicious Modern Death Metal with vocals ranging from death grunts and guttural roars to almost porcine squealing. Lovely stuff.

Laibach

Slovenian Industrial / Avante Garde / Performance Art legends, Laibach return with their first new album in over a decade...and they haven't missed a beat. Musically at least, as it seems that Milan's vocals have lost a little of their abrasive edge, giving the album a slightly dejected, sorrowful feel rather than one of triumph and power (sorry Grand Magus). Overall though, this is still a great Laibach album. It just might not be what long-time fans are expecting to hear from them, as evidenced by opener The Whistleblowers with it's martial rhythms and, er whistling.

Slough Feg

California's Heavy Metal oddballs Slough Feg return with their 8th full-length and yet again, as might be expected, they play to the beat of their own drum (quite literally) and are, subsequently, in a little sub-genre all of their own. Slough Feg's already demented and unique take on Trad Metal is bolstered, as ever, by the strangely bombastic vocals of Mike Scalzi and should enchant newcomers to the band and please long-time fans.

Fate Control

Although this could be described as a Modern Metal / Melodic Death Metal album, there is more to this, the debut release for these Swiss newcomers than merely aping what has come before. Despite influences ranging from Soilwork to Spineshank, Dark Age to Five Finger Death Punch and a whole lot more, this is actually a fresh listening experience as no two tracks are the same. Now, don't mistake that for the behaviour of a band that has still to find its sound. Rather it is more a case of a band spoiled for choice in today's Metal scene. Why limit yourself when there is there is so much out there? I actually prefer it this way - varying styles throughout an album - rather than a band that tries to cram all of their influences into one song and just creating a disjointed mess. This is a fresh, exciting listening experience - something that should be respected in this age of throwaway 'cookie cutter' acts. The musical genre they play in might not be particularly cutting edge, but Fate Control have given it a twist. Highly recommended.

Download some tracks from the bands official homepage.

Here: http://www.fatecontrol.com/media/index_en.html

Magenta Harvest

Don't be tempted, as I was, to draw comparisons with Norwegians, Red Harvest, as despite a name that is a little too close for my liking, the similarities pretty much end there. For a start off, Magenta Harvest have among their ranks, two members of one of my all-time favourite bands, the influential, Avante-garde Finns, ...And Oceans, so you know this is going to be something a bit special. The key with this album (another great debut) is perseverance and time as although it may initially sound like it treads a well-worn Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal path - Dark Tranquillity, Hypocrisy, etc - if you delve deeper you will find yourself being  rewarded with a dearth of hidden depth - some beautiful pop melodies, luscious riffs and some very interesting chord progressions. An good, if not all-conquering, debut but one which makes this band one to watch.

Grrrl Power

As today is International Women's Day, I figured that I would take the opportunity to present to you a small selection of my favourite female-fronted songs. Of course, there are many more and we could discuss omissions all night, but this isn't meant to be exhaustive, rather it is a little mark of respect to the representatives of the "fairer sex" in our wonderful and diverse musical genre / community. It may be a horrible cliché, but this lot are every bit as good as, and in some cases better, than their male peers. Enjoy.

Arch Enemy

Let's face it. No list of this type, one featuring women in a traditionally (and still) male-dominated world, would be complete without Ms. Gossow and her bunch of Swedish hellraisers. Although not the mist brutal of female vocalists, she was certainly one of the first to hit the (relative) mainstream and definitely opened the doors (and minds) for others to follow.

Landmine Marathon

Appearances can be deceiving, and this is certainly the case with Krysta Martinez. Yes, she looks like she might be a bit of a rocker, but she doesn't look like she would become a wild-eyed, flailing lunatic.

Cerebral Bore

Although, these sick Scottish freaks have since sadly parted ways with Dutch vocalist Simone Pluijmers, it is worth noting that this is THE single most brutal example of a female voice that I can think of. She bellows, roars and shrieks like a woman possessed and frankly, it's almost a thing of disgusting beauty.

 Benedictum

Here is a woman with a superb "Metal" voice. Veronica Freeman has the range, the power and the aggressive edge (when necessary) to her voice, but more importantly, she delivers it with passion and conviction. I can think of a good handful of male Metal vocalists who could learn a thing or two from this powerhouse of a woman.

Cripper

Terrible name. Great vocalist. Singer Britta Görtz has all of the ferocity one would expect from the front person of a Death-tinged Thrash Metal act. Would you know it was a woman on the mic of I hadn't told you (I say, arrogantly assuming you aren't already familiar with the band)? I'd suggest not.

Nightwish

No, not the horribly pretentious, over the top warblings of Tarja, but the under-rated and always improving skills of her replacement (who has since suffered the same fate), Anette Olzon. Her first album with the band was mostly forgettable. Yes, it had its highlights, but her personality wasn't there. She hadn't yet been allowed to mark her territory. It was on her second album with the band, and (in my opinion) their career best, Imaginaerum that she finally made her mark. Her vocals ebbed and flowed, sometimes silky smooth, others a jazz-style purr, but always top notch and in perfect harmony with the feel of the song. I, for one, will miss this young woman when the Finnish giants return.

Flowing Tears

It would be easy to dismiss this French act as a Lacuna Coil rip-off (and in some ways, they might well be), but vocalist Helen Vogt leaves Cristina Scabbia for dead with her natural affinity for giving a song a life of its own. She uses her voice as it should be used - as another instrument.

Gallhammer

This Japanese act delivers its own wonderfully scuzzy take on the Doom / Crust style and vocalist / bassist / founder Vivian Slaughter has an obvious love for the genre and her barking vocals are nasty, guttural, throat-tearing and ugly. In the best way possible.

Commander in Chief

I would be doing the female contingent in Metal a huge disservice If I didn't include the virtuoso, unique and hugely talented The Commander on this list. She is a true one of a kind. Not only is this amazing woman a great, if special, vocalist, but she can shred with the very best of them.

Arkona

Masha Arkhipova is one of a very small number of women representing the Folk Metal genre, at least as far as genuine vocal talent goes. She has a wonderful clean / harsh mix that really fits the tone of the band's music and that it is delivered in the exotic, slightly guttural lilt of her native Russian makes it that little bit more unique.

Kittie

Although Kittie first surfaced as part of a later wave of Nu-Metal, the latter-day sound of the band owes very little to their debut album, Spit. Developing and honing their craft in the spotlight has given this Canadian act a real mean streak and vocalist Morgan Lander is almost unrecognisable as the teenager from the band's 1999 debut. Approach with caution. This Kittie has claws. Yes. I did just say that.

My Ruin

A mainstay in the metal scene since the mid-'90's as front woman for Manhole, Tura Satana and now My Ruin, Tairrie B is a lifer in every sense of the word. If you've ever seen the way this woman commands a stage and demands your respect, then her appearance here is pretty much obligatory.

Kampfar - Djevelmakt review

Band: Kampfar
Album: Djevelmakt
Label: Indie Recordings
Genre: Pagan Black Metal
Country: Norway
Release Date: 27th Jan 2014

Losing a founder member can derail the best of bands and when said member has also formed part of the core songwriting duo for the best part of two decades, then it can be truly disastrous. A lesser band would have been forgiven for taking the easy route by merely regurgitating and recycling what had come before. Well, clearly then, Norway's Kampfar aren't just any band. Instead of letting this unfortunate development phase them, they refocused their energy, wrote some great songs and have come out of the experience a leaner, more streamlined beast and one that, in hindsight, may have been overly reliant on its core members. On listening to Djevelmakt, it would appear that the band's creativity may have been stifled for too long. That a band almost 20 years into its career - and with members now in their 40's - can release an album with this much passion, energy and pure heart is testament to their tenacity and shows that they genuinely enjoy what they do.

Anyone familiar with Kampfar will have a fairly good idea of what to expect here and for those who haven't heard this superb band yet, I would say the likes of Vreid and Thyrfing could be listed under "similar artists" and whereas all three bands belong firmly in the Pagan Black Metal sub-genre, they also have a special sound that distinguishes them from the crowd.

So what does it actually sound like? Well, the overall sound and feel of this album is almost trance-like and enraptures the listener in a way that is hard to convey in words -  the thundering, hypnotic and almost martial drumming can be a little overpowering on occasion, but they also fit perfectly with the distinctive, harsh rasp of vocalist Dolk and the guitar tone throughout is suitably ice cold. Sharp, ferocious riffs vie for position with the often sublime melodies (just listen to "Kujon") and acoustic guitars and the piano are used sparsely, but to wonderful effect. Not only do these calmer moments counterbalance the heaviness of the more raw Black Metal moments, but they also add the perfect amount of atmosphere to the proceedings, giving the album a more rounded feel and prove that Kampfar have been around long enough to know when to slow it down.

The songs themselves are perfectly crafted, almost to the point of being truly beautiful - a word not often, if ever, associated with the Pagan Black Metal scene - and the production is as good as it needs to be - crisp and clear without being too polished, so the album retains its extreme edge. Despite the underlying and undeniable Black Metal sound, Kampfar have a similar progressive edge to their music as fellow Norwegians Enslaved and although this is without a doubt an extreme metal album, it also manages to be strangely accessible and very easy to listen to (over and over again in my case). Djevelmakt is a genuinely rewarding and remarkable album that keeps improving with each and every listen and stands as a reminder of just how good the Pagan Black Metal sub-genre can be when done properly and a clear indication that there is still a lot of life left in it yet. As their countrymen did before them, back in the infancy of Black Metal, Kampfar are again pushing the boundaries and taking the sub-genre in new and exciting directions.

This is very possibly the finest moments in their long, illustrious career and is absolutely guaranteed a (high) spot on my "best of 2014" list. In fact, this is an early contender for album of the year.

Total Playing Time: 47:17

Overall: 9/10

Tracklist:

Mylder

Kujon

Blod, Eder og Galle

Swarn Norvegicus

Fortapelse

De Dødes Fane

Svarte Sjelers Salme

Our Hounds, Our Legion

Official Webpage: http://www.kampfar.com/frontpage.php