Tuesday 19 December 2017

I honestly thought I would struggle to find a top ten releases for this year but then you look back and the problem turns out to be what to leave out.....

And so here in the usual alphabetical order is my top ten for 2017

Cult of Luna - Marching to the Heartbeats/Dim (EP)
Fen - Winter
Rose McDowall - Our Twisted Love (EP)
Mork - Erimittens Dal
Myrkur -Mareidt
Matthew North - Still Thinking? Still Dreaming
Brian Pern - Heaven Calling (EP)
Public Service Broadcasting - Every Valley
Tusks - Dissolve
Ulver - The Assassination of Julius Caesar

Special mentions for singles of year go to Bryde for Desire and A Perfect Circle for The Doomed

Monday 11 December 2017

The problem with bands that have lengthy careers are that members change, the music evolves and grows. This means if you want to know what a genre sounded like you need to revisit classic albums or check out new bands....

In this case Mork have perfected the sound and spirit of classic Norwegian black metal on their new album Erimittens Dal.

It lulls you in with the opener which chugs along but from the second song, Holdere Av Fortet, it is absolutely brutal. In the best traditions this is the brainchild of one man apart from some guest vocals from Dimmu Borgir.

The energy drops a bit on the last couple of tracks but it's still a blast of pure black metal

This is a spot on homage even down to the artwork inspired from the early Burzum albums.

Definitely an early wintery present


Monday 4 December 2017

Christmas is here and suddenly everyone wants to give you an early presents.....

First up is Attrition with their take on Silent Night. It's starts out with a cut crystal female rendition of the chorus before descending into a disturbing noisescape which sound unsettlingly like someone banging on a steel cell door. Utterly bizarre but not very cheerful

Next up Blueneck release a remix album of their last offering, The Outpost. It only really confirms that remix albums are unnecessary if the original was already brilliant and listening to the first track, From Beyond, it's clear someone in the band has a huge Bladerunner fetish

Moving on and Peter Yates (guitarist with Fields of Nephilim) and Evi Vine (vocalist for The Eden House) give us Just Like Christmas - The Stockholm mix. It's a gauzy, icy track with no real tune but at least has some festive feel in a glacial fashion

Finally, and best, is a bonus EP from Ulver of left over tracks from the Assassination of Julius Caesar album. The opening track Echo Chamber (Track of Tears) appears to be about the July 2005 tube bombings which isn't jolly but its a great track. The drums and synths are straight out of the late 80's and the biggest compliment is that this would not have sounded out of place on Songs From the Big Chair.
The other big surprise is a cover of The Power of Love by Frankie goes to Hollywood. A more stately and less vocally camp version but very true musically to the original. And when they say they will keep the vampires from your door its definitely more believable......