The Rock Blogger

Death in June - “Little Black Angel” Live in New York 2002.

Classic and unsettling neofolk.
It’s remarkable how simple acoustic chords can sound as menacing as any shrill metal riff.

Global Metal (trailer)

I just watched this incredible metal documentary exploring how the genre has crept up in the least likely corners of the world. Sam Dunn, the director of “Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey” travels to Brazil, Japan, China, Indonesia, India, Israel and the United Arab Emirates to uncover how metal has become an unlikely force in societies grappling with rapid and irreversible social change.
The chapters in South Asia and The Middle East are particularly interesting as they show how underground cultures can quietly flourish in spite of oppressive governments and strict religious orthodoxy. It just goes to show you how much we take for granted in the West.
You can watch the entire thing on this YouTube page.

Sólstafir. Köld. 2009. 5 stars.

A remarkable tour de force of an album, surely a watermark for which 2009’s albums will be judged. This Icelandic band has pushed black metal beyond its conventions, with progressive song structures, fast, uptempo rhythms, post-rock ambiance and emotional, punk-inspired vocals. The result sounds like a cross between At the Drive In and Sigur Ros, yes a bizarre equation, but an exciting one nonetheless.

Köld is a roller coaster that weaves between caustic metal assaults and moody ambient passages, with each lengthy track cracking with urgency. The effect is absorbing, as the raging vocals ride across climatic, driving musicianship. Whether they are playing instrumental psychedelia (”78 Days in the Desert”) or dramatic metal crescendos (”She Destroys Again”, “Pale Rider”), Sólstafir are thrillingly intense and virtuosic. Everything from the vocals to the grinding riffs are outstanding.

An album with such an impressive variety of sounds and influences, while still maintaining a consistently dark and organic atmosphere, demands immediate attention. Sólstafir’s unique vocals, passionate performances, and raw aggression make them a force to be reckoned with. The first essential album of 2009.

Anarchy in the U.K.

Amenra - “Ritual” Directed by Dwid Hellion

A reader recommended this band to me a few days ago.
I happen to think this song is pretty solid.
Good sludge metal in the same vein as Cult of Luna.
The video is interesting as well, subdued but hypnotic.
Enjoy.

Fen. The Malediction Fields. 2009. 4 stars.

The first 2009 album to be reviewed here is an atmospheric black metal debut from the UK’s Fen. It’s an emotional work that further develops the post-rock/shoegaze elements that have been creeping into metal over the years and juxtaposes these progressions with organic riffs and cathartic release. The effect is stunning, as rage and sorrow play against each other on a gray, misty moor.

Like its aesthetic cousins Agalloch and The Morningside, the incorporation of clean vocals and subtle symphonic touches give this album an expansive and epic feel. However, the clean vocals, in comparison to the raw metal growls, sound understated and weak amid the hypnotic musicianship. Still, the contrast between this softening element and the bleak ambiance shows the development of a unique and mesmerizing sound, one that stands unique and compelling in a crowded genre. Fen show signs of a great creative stride.

Again, this is an emotional work, and I commend the band for taking the risk at incorporating their more sensitive and melodic persuasions into the black metal fray. Its refreshing to hear an act that focuses on building an enveloping atmosphere rather than simply laying down standard riffs and chilling shrieks. The Malediction Fields is a rich work, full of interesting textures, harmonies and woodland imagery and makes for a stunning ode to contemplative isolation. As the Western world rests in a deep freeze, Fen’s work makes for a compelling listen. Ice, snow, dirt and fallen branches, reflected in the brooding sounds of Fen’s debut.

Fen - A Witness To The Passing Of Aeons

Law school is hard.
I’m trying to get a fictional heroin addict off a possession charge
Maybe if I imagine that my client is Chris Cornell or something, I can get it done
Or maybe I should try heroin?
No, I think I’ll just listen to Chris Cornell.

Cynic. Focus. 1993. 4.5 stars.

While there were plenty of accolades going out to last year’s Traced in Air, I find Focus to be a better and more fascinating summation of Cynic’s innovative style. Combining progressive rock, death metal, jazz fusion and psychedelic rock, Cynic made a huge impression on the metal scene of the early 90s and sent a collective shiver down the spines of aspiring artists looking to expand the genre.

It’s difficult to put Cynic’s eclectic compositions down in words because each track is so packed with intensive poly-rhythms, winding riffs and warped vocals that you get lost in its colorful, psychoactive current. Everything on this disc is virtuosic and testamentary to the mind-melting power of progressive metal. Of course, the sheer technicality of this record is not too daunting, as the band arranges their sound with great attention to atmosphere and pacing, leaving the listener with many peaks and valleys to get carried through. Its actually quite amazing how they manage to balance heavy and angular guitar assaults with tranquil and melodic passages.

While there are certainly some strange elements to Focus, namely the spacey, futuristic vocal effects and science fiction atmosphere, they help contribute to its adventurous character. Even though some of these factors may initially seem campy, they eventually melt in with the intense musicianship. A classic release that redefined progressive metal.

Cynic - Celestial Voyage

Death. Individual Thought Patterns. 1993. 5 stars.

Where would the death metal genre be without the band that shares its namesake? Over their decade-plus career, Death revolutionized extreme metal, introducing progressive elements to their brutal, technically stunning sound. Psychotic riffs, solos and fluid bass lines make up Death’s dexterous attack while the late Chuck Schuldiner provides an intelligent and aggressive vocal performance. After 1991’s renowned Human, Death began a string of hard-hitting and virtuosic releases that brought death metal to a higher plane with winding compositions and thoughtful lyrics. Individual Thought Patterns, the first post-Human album continued the band’s impressive momentum.

The song structures are complex and compelling. The drilling percussion backs the fretless lines while the ripping guitar solos rage on. Everything flows together beautifully as the musianship remains tight and relentless. You would be hard-pressed to find a death metal album that blends seering technical precision with creative songwriting as seamlessly as Individual Thought Patterns. In short, this album is a metal masterpiece, that stands alongside Death’s latter works (Symbolic, Sound of Perseverance). This, or anything by Death, is simply essential.

Death - “Overactive Imagination”