Saor "Amidst The Ruins" (2025)

With foundations of extreme and cultural aesthetic resolute and intact, Saor embarks on this latest venture through the shackles of familiarity. Thus initial listens spun a lukewarm drone of routine blast beats exchanging duties with its symphonic layer. Comprised of strings, Violin, Cello and effeminate voicings, this heathen tapestry enriches Saor's music with the spirit of Scottish highlands and its cultural heritage.

The metallic counterpart, comprised of pummeling drums and angular distortion guitars, stands somewhat in contrast as expectant extremities offers little to the embellish narratives and server as obvious amplifications of intensity, swelling energy but rarely feeling warranted in contrast to the rich underlaying musical themes.

Thus we have a record in peculiar imbalance. At a frequent pace, the collapses of roaring aggression give way to stunning arrangements of beloved highland melody. Beautiful in flow and holding grace with mother nature, a reoccurring sense of longing persists in these spirited melodies. They are the highlight in which to endure.

Sadly the majority of these earthly musical motifs rest in tandem between the two, layering in this gorgeous vision with familiar aesthetics that offer little new. Tired of bellowing screams and blazing blast beats, I found myself chiming with the serine acoustic guitar tones and cultured instruments, an aspect stunning on its lonesome.

The records most passionate passages emanate on their acoustic reverberations, often to be enveloped by that roaring beast. My tolerance of its metallic components rested on the whims of personal appetite. Sometimes energizing, at others a drain. Saor has matured strongly on a cultural  front to deeper meaning but foundations strip this expression of greatness in my opinion. However, its still a very enjoyable record.

Rating: 6/10

In The Woods... "Diversum" (2022)

 

Reveling in glum and stormy scenery, drizzly guitars moan and slumberous singing swoons to be routinely assailed by gleams of heathen melody. Diversum is another glorious gallop through the rainy seasons of Scandinavian inspiration. Now three albums deep into Anders Kobro's unlikely resurrection of a historic yet niche Black Metal outfit, five years pass for In The Woods to return with a familiar tone and theme.

Exploring the relationship between shrill guitar distortions and dreary acoustic melodies, burly melodic singing and howling screams, careful grooves and flurries of blast beats, its craft is a familiar one. Ancient story telling and natural scenery, elicited through dynamics as plunges of aggression and abrasion sway in torment of its tuneful appeal, always sullen and bordering on the bleak. It allows for many a gratifying moment as relief from key persuasions that arise from gloomy tensions.

Occasionally they delve into the metallic fray, focusing on a grizzly groove or mean scream. Otherwise its best comes from the melancholic wallow as its uplift feels locked in a wet naturalist hardship. Overall Diversum has the lighter composition, yet an aching moody temperament. Kobro's tamed voice soaring is a beacon shining through fog yet in his stride, a uncanny Mastodon resemblance often emerges.

Despite a welcoming duration and competent execution, this one somehow shies from greatness as the dreariness drowns out the catchy music wedged between its dynamics. It doesn't fire on all cylinders. For all the welcome familiarity for a band I'm fond of, the spins started strong but waned as familiar footing fumbled to dig in deep. An enjoyable experience in bursts, but one that lacked legs to go the full distance.

Rating: 6/10

Bathory "Blood On Ice" (1996)

 

Relinquishing the failed detours of Requiem and Octagon, this ninth installment, supposedly compromised of mostly unreleased material from the era post Blood Fire Death, it marks a return to the much adored Viking Metal sound Quorthon pioneered. Although similar in overall length, its eleven tracks feel clunky, alternating in temperament that breaks up its flow. This falls inline with a statement that forty percent of material was was reworked for this release. The swan songs Man Of Iron and The Ravens, One Eyed Old Mans Motorhead energy, the galloping pace of Gods Of Thunder And Of Rain and the Progressive riffing of The Stallion stick out with a keen shift away from the established sound of heathen cultural inspiration.

The rest of the record however carries over much of what was heard on Twilight Of The Gods with far more gusto in its meaty distortion guitars and epic drums lavished in reverb, with exception to the tom drums which are claustrophobic on some tracks, as if recorded in a cupboard. Choirs of human voices with a rural burden return and Quorthon mostly delivers his cleaner style blemished in authenticity as he tangles with notes just beyond his grasp. Its mostly charming, at least I've heard him do worse with this unfiltered approach.

After many spins Blood On Ice still plays like a fractured record with a shared vision. The Lake takes merit as a stand out track, its dragging discordant guitar chords provide an epic drone for gloomy voice to be counteracted by frays of glossy acoustic chords plucked slowly. Its an epic with a guitar solo to match, which bring me to another point, his lead guitar work on this one isn't as sharp. The record was shelved unfinished in 1989 and its resurrection doesn't make it feel anymore complete.

Rating: 6/10

Macabre Omen "Anamneses" (2020)

Macabre Omen's mighty Greek mythology inspired take on Black Metal had carved a memorable niche. With word of a new record I snapped up the new release, embracing its epic fourteen minute opener, ready for a ravishing ride. Then hit by a big tonal shift in quality and style I realized something was up, as the next six songs went to a nostalgic realm. Doing my research, something I thought I would have done with Gods Of War, I've learned this band have been active since the post church burning years of 94 onward when the scene exploded with bands getting in on the act.

Anamneses is actually a compilation, one new mighty song accompanied by all their demo songs from 1995 to 2000, remastered. The quality is interesting, one can hear the scratchy, murky guitars were far from saving. Shrill howling screams still raw and blunt, the drums to a rickety racket of pummeling droning. The bass guitar somehow has a fair bit of color an pronunciation preserved. The synths sounding practically rebuilt from the ground up, possibly with renewed tones and aesthetics too.

I haven't listened to the tapes for comparison but one can hear all the hallmarks of these classic self produced demos distributed on cassette tapes. Its quite the fun experience as the musical compositions do stand apart from what was common at the time. Some anthemic ideas still heard in their music decades later are present but the overall tone is dark, gritty and damned ugly! Especially the first couple of demos. A harsh experience, not exactly entry material into the world of Black Metal.

These old songs offer quite the variety! Interesting arrangements of synths and acoustic guitar conjuring a keen and individual sense of atmosphere not heard so distinctly among others in the genre. More so in the later years, the band clearly progress over these demos. The new song too embellishes this flavor with its mythic sweeping acoustic guitars, smothered in roomy reverberations, championed by choral cries to lead into a lofty song of complexity, subtly integrating the acoustics over and over. Great listen but a novel one that is hard to parade as an album experience.

Rating: 4/10

Bathory "Hammerheart" (1990)

Ones body will be scared by age but so shall the mind! It seems almost criminal that the brilliance of Hammerheart has faded in reputation. Diving back into the Bathory records of youthful years I had somehow lost memory of this masterpiece. Thinking I was on the cusp of unearthing a new glory to enjoy, every track rang echos of a decade past by. Songs unearthed with their etchings still eternal under the dust.

This was the moment Quorthon embraced his heritage and forged a new, remarkable path. Somehow, I remembered this record as a drop off point but in fact these are all spirited songs keenly remembered, including the mighty One Rode To Asa Bay, the only Bathory song to ever be made into a music video if I recall correctly.

Leaving the ferocity of Blood Death Fire behind, slower tempos, brooding atmospheres and heathen choirs accompany a tamer Quorthon who channels his energy into roaring battle cries and off key singing. He conjures the viking spirit with this hard pressed voice that should turn the nose up in theory, yet the genuine passion in his voice pushes the Nordic spirit of the music into a vision coming to life.

Its the final piece solidifying this inspired music of mythic heritage fit to conjure candle lit halls and mighty landscapes of rural natural beauty. Although now a common thing to experience in Viking Metal, this must of been something special at the time of its release. The album opens up with two lengthy epics, Valhalla crashing with lightning strikes into a mountainous passage of drawn out power chords and thunderous drum pounding that sounds practically lifted from Call Of The Cthulhu.

Its a recurring section that elevates the music but also feeds into claims of plagiarism against the band. Something I had yet to touch on but much of the early material is akin to Venom yet Quorthon often claims to have not been influenced by them. It is however a moment of power from the percussive battery and throughout the album tumbling strikes of tom drums help propel these epic and heathen calls to the gods.

Moving into Fire And Ice and Father To Son, sections of dense distortion guitar singularly erupt with a keen parallel to Groove Metal, a genre yet to unfold at this point in time. Its not often the riffs are thrusted forth to the light as they mostly meld with synths to conjure the distinct atmospheres. That measure of fretwork is often subtle but a keen feature throughout. The surprise is these eruptions of meaty groove.

This is a pivotal album for Bathory, being at the forefront of one movement and in one stride to the next, forging and mastering an entirely new sound for the Metal umbrella of sub-genres. Where his last two albums showed flashes of this genius and reveled in a little diversity, Hammerheart is a very unified sound from stand to end that is near impossible to deny as a classic. I am so glad to have found my way back to it!

Rating: 9/10

Old Corpse Road "On Ghastly Shores Lays The Wreckage Of Our Lore" (2020)

The allure of romanticized gothic tales and cryptic ethereal extremity was too much to resist. Always mystified by the early Cradle Of Filth sound, I wanted another slice of darkly dramatics from Old Corpse Road who live out that early 90s British Black and Gothic Extreme Metal sound so well. The group are at it again, birthing violent surges of esoteric wonder as barrages of dense sinister synths malign sombre guitar leads. The band craft a great sense of scale and weighty meaning as the music sails through its epic ocean bound tales with a yielding pace and stormy might. Wild shrieks and shrill howls often peak the plunges into the bleak as thunderous slabs of metallic force make a mark on the otherwise rather melodic expressions of these moody tales.

In comparison with what I remember of previous records, the band expand their sound into folksy territory with tones of pagan acoustics and choral signing. Where the album blooms it reminds me fondly of In The Woods, Macabre Omen and the almighty Emperor in one instant, to name a few. It shapes up the album well with more shades of Black Metal than I expected. It sways with a good sense of flow as its lengthy songs pass through plenty of phases, embellishing extremities and finding plenty of musical relief as openings of calm arrive, often eerie and unsettled in nature.

On Ghastly Shores Lays The Wreckage Of Our Lore has a quality I completely overlooked until the routine of writing promoted thoughts of production. This recording is sloppy in consistency, dense and harsh at times with a muddy sense of clarity. This actually plays right into its hands. In the age of octane clarity and precision performance it derives character from its looseness, capturing a sound more identifiable with the era of this styles inception. Its made me appreciate its rough edges so much more as it brings one closer to the tale they are telling. That and the delightful sixteen minute track have made this one a fantastic listen these last few weeks.

Favorite Tracks: Harbingers Of Death, The Ghosts Of The Ruinous Dunstanburgh Castle
Rating: 7/10

Borknagar "True North" (2019)

Borknagar, I remember! The glum shed on a fog swept field, a typically unreadable and yellow band logo atop the image. Their first album came out right in the mid 90s boom of post-global exposure Black Metal. Knowing they had ICS Vortex in the lineup, once of Dimmu Borgir and Arcturus, I felt quite keen to find out what one of my favorite voices was up to. To little surprise, the band have matured a lot from what I remember of that atypical, dingy, carbon copy debut record, the sort that just fell off into the flood of new bands joining in on the act.

To my pleasure they now take on moody atmospheres of northern folk charm. With sprinklings, often climatic, of screams, blast beats and power chord shredding, the band evenly resonate a calmer side brewing luscious settings of serenity interwoven with metallic upheavals of momentum. Its a progressive fusion of styles, rather adjacent to In The Woods. Dark and earthly songs forged through thoughtful musical arrangements sap magic from its instruments with visions of natural beauty.

Vortex's singing is an absolute pleasure, still a master of the gleaming, manly "clean vocal", he glides over these scenic soundtracks effortlessly. Its organic music with soft synths and colorful lead guitars. The three tend to interchange on leading the music forth and its held together with superb drumming that's a little on the mechanical side with its industrious hammering of stiff drum rolls. Quite often does the rhythmic syncopation of Metal guitars drive the music too and with that True North offers up variety and balance between the extreme and melodic ends of this style. Inspiring!

Favorite Tracks: Up North, Voices

Rating: 7/10

Saor "Forgotten Paths" (2019)

My introduction to Saor was a breath of fresh air beginning with their sophomore record Aura. Out from the now decades old genre of Black Metal that so routinely falls into its own established tropes, Saor introduced a soaring gleam of bright, triumphant, heathen melody to counteract its dark underbelly of blast beats, tremolo guitars and burly, gaunt screams. It may not have been an original twist on the sound but its execution was sublime and deeply inspired by Marshall's Scottish heritage and countryside. The following Guardians record was more of the same and had less of an impact on me. It may be the absence, or more likely the music but this new release has been a very fond listen for me these past two weeks.

The luscious and melodic side of the music feels expanded upon, a beautiful piano interlude middle of the opening title track and a entire song, Exile, dedicated to nostalgic folk sounds half a step away from Fief in the best of ways. This obvious expansion resonates in the lead guitars that gleam and glow, leading every song forward like a light carving the path through the pale on its epic journeys. Soaring with reverb and inflecting glorious melodies it rises high above the fury of beastly screams and pummeling drums, making its most abrasive sections feel bright and inspiring.

Through the loud and obvious instruments, pagan violins and glossy pianos shape tone and mood with a dose of folk and heritage that never leaves the music. Its a constant delight that makes the sound engulfing. Even in their quiet parts the lead guitar once again soaks you in the dazzle of its glimmering light. With three lengthy ten minute plus songs the music can hold this sense of constant beauty and epic without faultering. Bron is the darkest of the three and even it can find this stunning flicker of light in the black as its cultural elements blossom along the songs epic progression. Things really came together on this album and I can't recommend it enough.

Rating: 8/10

In The Woods... "Cease The Day" (2018)

It was a huge surprise to learn of an In The Woods... reunion two years back. After sixteen years on ice, three of the original band mates reunited to create Pure, a close contender for My Top Albums Of 2016. I was pleased to see them write a follow up so quickly but disappointed to learn the Botteri brothers both quit the band, leaving just the drummer left. How much influence Anders Kobro has over the music may be irrelevant. This in no departure of style and a record I have enjoyed my time with. Cease The Day scales up its progressive scope, builds scenic pagan atmospheres and makes hints to its themes with an Elk stranded among the city lights.

Once again Fogarty's voice serves as the human spirit to soar above with a heathen heritage calling. Its an authentic performance, honest and striving, retaining his imperfections and charming with his strengths. He is central to the musics direction, chiming in with many of its peaks and the general flow. Its more occasional that other instruments become the central focus. Cloud Seeder lays down some narrow groove guitar licks before unleashing a ear worm melody with effects soaked lead guitar that wails in different keys. The songs chord progressions remind me fondly of Baroness.

The eight tracks are mostly lengthy epics that don't outstay their welcome and unfold with steady captivation. I'm astonished as to how often subtle tone shifts are within their expansive pallet, even some that call upon their past. Somehow between Psychedelic overtones and brooding atmospheres can they splice in Black Metal guitar riffs with a chirpy, jolting distortion aesthetic that hails back to their debut record. The same can be said of the synths using similar choral and choir chords which arise in an instant to enrich the scene at hand.

On casual listening one will be sucked in to these vivid soundscapes and journeys. Yet on closer exception you may notice the organic experience is comprised of rather jarring and bold shifts in both tone and style as the eclectic links at work here jostle in variation along with its instruments. Strike Up With Dawn opens on a rotation of power chord rock guitar before flicking a switch and hurtling into a shrill tremolo shredding of darkness as gloomy synths arise. In another flick they drop and we move into an estranged, lone groove guitar lick reinforced by horned instruments.

This is just one example of what occurs frequently throughout, many yearnings of influence and musical approaches mashed into one form that feels very natural and pleasing. For all my enjoyment I never felt any big peaks, crescendos or exceptional moments. Perhaps Transcending Yesterday comes close with its monstrous opening riffs and howling screams but my attention is often diverted to the mix of a live audiences cheers into the song, ending with a chant of the bands name. I'm just not sure what exactly I'm supposed to make of it. Really solid album, hard to pick favorites, its great as one long big song.

 

Rating: 7/10

Myrkur "M" (2015)

Blown away by their fantastic sophomore record Mareridt I tracked back two years for their debut full length. Simply titled M, we hear ideas and darkly sounds closer to inception, rawer, rigidity in place and without the craft they would go on to display. At this point Bruun was writing alone and recording in the studio with session musicians who had little if no input on composition. It may not be the lone reason but we hear the music in a far more brittle form, the darkness, its uplifting light and rooted atmosphere of folk sounds play out in turns with obvious shifts and turns. Its tracks bleed into one experience as they barely delineate from one another on many fronts.

This initially made the record difficult to get into, its eruptions of snarly screams and harrowing demonic voices forcefully turned the pace of the music as blast beats and shrill guitars would descend on the listener, casting sections of heavenly singing and pagan instrumentation to the side. These three phases are often the focus of the music, her angelic voice, singing softly, gracing over the instruments from an illusive distance. The forcefully harsh and abrasive blasts of ugly Black Metal and the calls of ancestor through horns, violins, fiddles and a helping of atmospheric synth.

There are many moments where these three pillars overlap but often the transitions are rigid, obvious and in sequence. It feels very inspired by the blunt and bold Black Metal of the 90s yet shows the need for the craft, care and inspiration they go on to show in the next record. Initially I focused on this to much and didn't enjoy the record much but with repetition its familiarity let the vibe and mood of the record sink in, which despite some short comings it does has a similar tone to its predecessor... In places... Tracks like Mordet feel cut from the cloth of yesterdays sound of northern darkness but the record charm of swaying from the arms of darkness to the roots of heritage eventually takes over.

All in all M is a decent record that would have been better enjoyed first. The potential it shows feels weaker in retrospect but its ability to cast a spell and create a lasting atmosphere is strong. The sways from black to light and then to heathenish culture are fun and enjoyable. The crafts of subtly and persuasion are not yet with them but blunt the plunges into hell are fun and its gothic edge is charming. Although this may seem like the start their is a short EP beforehand too. I will check that out next.

Rating: 6/10

Myrkur "Mareridt" (2017)

There's always music to be discovered and this year at Download Festival I decided to wander over to the forth stage while grabbing some food and to my delight caught an unexpected amazing show by the Danish group Myrkur. A combination of furious Black Metal and angelic singing played right to my tune, I knew I would have to pick up a record and my first is their second.

Mareridt, Danish for nightmare, reveals so much more about their sound from the live experience, although it is probably a dimension to their sound your just not going to hear first time around at a show. The record however shows depth and emotion in abundance as the contrast between singer Amalie Bruun and her band goes beyond a simple concept and aesthetic, tapping deep into the folk sound of pagan cultural roots.

The record achieves a meditative, indulgent state just at its surface level alone. Steady, naturalistic songs let the light draw to Bruun's singing as she delves into soft angelic singing with accents of Scandinavian heritage, on De Tre Piker she goes all the way in with what could pass as on old hymn handed down through generations, stunning singing reminiscent of Lisa Gerrard. Behind her the music finds different temperaments with the Black Metal aspect of the music finding many intensities to approach from, occasional bursts of ugly, snarly spats of grimness fuel some darkness but more often than not, it rides on the uplifting gleam of awe inspired lead melodies, similar to the epic grandiose scale of an act like Saor. It mostly serves as an aesthetic for the theme.

As the distortion guitars and drumming compete for their moments they sway up again the persuasion of heathen sounds. Violins, harps, modern synths, organs and pianos grip firmly on the naturalistic experience that will have one smelling the outdoors air, feeling the breeze as it rustles through the leaves of tress. One can really feel the spiritual connection to the forgotten past when man was closer to mother nature. The swaying and competition between two sounds gives the album a healthy flow that finds an interesting middle moment on Funeral as Chelsea Wolfe lends her voice to an abyssal, slow, crushing instrumental that could of easily been on her own record. It highlights some similarities but more so adds to the diverse pallet these songs have with one another.

On first listen I felt the Black Metal aspect to be rather rigid and stiff in its volatile phases. I could hear a lot of 90s abrasiveness at work but with each listen as the overall theme became clearer its chemistry in relation to Bruun's voice and the other cultural sounds gave it a far more organic and Post feel. Perceptions change and I am finding myself loving this record more and more with each listen. Its moods, feelings and vision run deep, the music comes to life with vivid visuals of dark and ancient times filled with pagan mysticism.

There is a very personal and mischievous period in the outro track Bornehjem, a childish Golem alike voice talks to its demons, leaving me to believe there is most likely a much more personal theme running through the lyrics, of which I haven't read, perhaps that is something I should make the effort to do. This band will undoubtedly be one of my favorite new discoveries this year and luckily there is their debut record to get into next.

Favorite Tracks: The Serpent, Elleskudt, De Tre Piker, Funeral, Ulvinde

Rating: 8/10

Saor "Guardians" (2016)

Ive been awaiting this record for some time, Saor, a one man band, really impressed me with his last release "Aura", a fine record that took traditional Black Metal values to a serine, warm and heart felt setting inspired by the Scottish highlands. It was a mature, seasoned piece of music that took all the mockeries away from the extreme music and imbued it with the sombre beauty of the natural world. It ended up being one of my favorite records of the year. So Saor returns, still a one man band and unchanged in approach "Guardians" stagnates somewhat, repeating the same successes of its predecessor.

Its a noticeable step up in fidelity, richer clarity in the guitar distortion and organized space gives room for the stunning string sections and earthly bagpipes to gleam through the walls of blast beats and guitar shredding. The songs take on grandiose themes and progressions with each clocking in over ten minutes and going through many passageways, soaring high, tumbling lows and climatic peaks in their wake. A little more groove and rhythm feels present in the guitar styling than before but mostly its power chord whirling as the flutes and fiddles inflict human melodies and cultural folk roots into the heathen music.

There are times where deep guttural shouts accompany guitar focused sections and it can drift into a sleepwalk between its grandiose moments. Although aesthetically polished and stronger the music competes with its own style as some parts feel like a repeating formula. "Tears Of A Nation" tips the scales with a break at the six minute mark for a truly memorable moment as the album concludes with a timeless melody, heightened by the continual shifts in intensity that comes from the Metal instruments. Its a solid record but more of the same, which is not a bad thing given the brilliance of this project, however it doesn't surpass the benchmark of "Aura" for me.

Rating: 6/10

In The Woods... "Pure" (2016)

Surprises seem to be common this year and there is certainly a contest for most "unexpected". The news of a new record almost passed me by, surely "Pure" is just some compilation record I thought... "In The Woods..." are an obscure Black Metal band who released the remarkable "HEart Of The Ages" in 1995. It was and still is an obscure release, an absolute gem to me in my youth, a distinctly different record for the time that homed in on inspired pagan and nature themes within the stark context of extreme music. It still strikes a nerve with me to this day, unfortunately I didn't get along with the two following records, which moved in an Avant-Garde direction, the band then split in 2003 and here we are thirteen years later. As I look up the history of their lineup I learn that the only change is singer Fogerty, the other three have been in the band since day one, I find this interesting because this record gave me some serious "one man band" vibes, a curiosity in the cover that had me painting the records voice, Fogerty, as a lone musical force. This should be a compliment to how "together" this record feels and how much the identity of their roots is intact.

"Pure" is lengthy, a sixty seven minute epic that has no measure in pace. Its a Post-Black Metal record in the truest sense where traditional values have been further removed as its extremities give way to the vision that Fogerty illuminates with his raw and charismatic, heathen voice which calls out from across the mountains. In its mercy of natural wonder a burgeoning of emotion spills through the music in many moments of this record, there awakening built through lengthy passageways of dense progressive music. With a lot of clarity and volume these instruments carry forth an honesty in the raw, chunky guitar distortions, loose drum environment, nostalgic archaic synths and ethereal acoustics that harbor the authentic, natural qualities of low fidelity without compromise in its audibility.

The band immerses us in rich atmospheres as there songs, one by one, move through the motions, varying metallic intensities, dropping back for acoustic moments and soaring with earthly vocals. Its all a familiar affair as many composition techniques are the same as on that classic debut. "Towards The Black Surreal" has a deja-vu moment where the song suddenly shifts to a seemingly identical piece of music, bar one or two notes, from "Yearning The Seeds Of A New Dimension". There is no moment quite the same, but in seems two parts of guitars and vocals overlap perfectly, capturing the beauty of their early music.

As much as ill rave about this record, it has a flaw. I felt in the right mood it would captivate and transcend yet It wasn't one to make that happen through the music alone. "Pure" has a stunning tone and solid aesthetic to match but mostly it draws through temperate passages that only light up if in the mood, however it is littered with plenty of attention grabbing moments too. Whats most remarkable is how alike to their debut this record is. Overall its got a meatier sound and no breakaway tracks like "Morning The Death Of Aase" and "Pigeon" but they are just differences. I hope this return is not a one off, the band still have a lot to offer.

Favorite Tracks: Cult Of Shining Stars, Towards The Black Surreal, Transmission Krs

Rating: 7/10

Moonsorrow "Jumalten Aika" (2016)

Who are Moonsorrow? A Finnish band from the counties capital Helsinki who define themselves as "Heathen Metal" in an attempt to distinguish their inspirations from the Viking and Pagan forms of Metal they sound alike to. Ive seen the groups logo on shirts, jean jackets and festival bills but the name never drew me in to find out who they were. Its a shame I didn't listen sooner because they are my absolute cup of tea in an area of music I never get tired of. The band tread the lines with Black Metal through shrill vocals, sharp aggressive guitar riffs and its Heathen counterpart with Symphonic walls of melodic density and its core theme.

Consisting of four lengthy tracks and the shorter seven minute single "Jumalten Aika" it is immersive in the fullest sense, deep songs in a wall of sound with pacey progressions that keep you locked into a heathen world inspired by natural beauty. The belly of the beast are the bellowing baselines and drums hammering away in a muddy production that has the distortion guitars and symphonies bleeding over the two, never loosing focus on the musics direction. In the distance shrill screams and crys call out with a less than human touch for what is primarily an ancient human experience of epic pagan wonder. The songs start out steady, ever building towards climatic moments that have the strength and surge to carry on for minutes in the gleam of their triumphant melodies played on the keys. Even in the opening stages of "Ruttolehto" do warlike horns set the stakes high with a style similar to Graveland's classic "Prawo Stali". It shifts at the arrival of archaic group chants and around the six minute mark they re-emerge as choral chants with a stunning harmony before the song gives way to a flute like native instrument with such charm and authenticity, it grows to epic heights as the choral chants grow in magnitude and when the "heavy", the distortion comes back in it has its moment before winding down with a vivid soundscape of acoustics, native folk instruments and chants.

The album and its songs develop in similar ways with all sorts of flutes, horns and strings becoming essential parts of a songs direction while they drop in and out between the Black, their scale unchained by expectation and ripe with inspired melodies to wisk you up into their heathen world. The production plays an important role as it would do in any record. On paper it may seem a little to muddy and dense for charm with the clarity of the drums always under pressure from the oozing walls of synth working their around the grizzly treble heavy guitar tone. Symbols burst out of the background with a clatter and it all works so well for a theme that requires a little grit and authenticity.

The heights of epic this record soars with is remarkable. It reminds me of many of moments, records and songs that are reminiscent of Moonsorrow's take on Black Metal, however the band have homed in on a vision and created a record of true inspiration. Its a reminder of musics progression and although these extreme genres of metal may of passed two decades in age, their is still much maturity and understanding in its craft to be explored and this band are doing just that. Whats best about the record as a whole is a lack of a single crowning moment. Each song has you in its grasp, maybe you know what comes next but by the time it passes and you've reached the end you can't wait to start it over again.

Rating: 9/10

Macabre Omen "Gods Of War - At War" (2015)

Purchasing a couple of records at a gig I went to recently, the seller encouraged me check out his band and I'm very glad I did! "Gods At War" is a swell Pagan Metal album that delves into Greek mythology, the Athens based bands own ancestry. We are used to seeing Viking Metal and the likes from Scandinavia, so its fantastic to find a gem like this where metal isn't as prominent in southern Europe and of course a different source of mythological inspiration.

Macarbe Omen have a loose, liberated flow to their music that doesn't stick to one distinct path to embellish us in ancient settings. Ever twisting and turning through champion riffage, soaring melodies and a barrage of clattering drums an experienced listener can hear tinges of many bands and styles teetering from Black, Death, Pagan and everything in between. The rhythm guitar muddies through hazy distortions and chunky riffs as the leads coarse over with inspired wistful tunes. Charging like a beast into battle the drums constantly bear down with endless blast beats and nimble batterings that can seep into all the creeks with its bellowing echo and reverb. The records voice comes commonly in two forms, shrill, distant howls reminiscent of In The Woods... classic "Heart Of The Ages" and burly lower ranged half growls. There's also a fair few helpings of Greek choir chants to drive home the records heritage. Its inspired and travels through its motions with plenty of spectacular moments that is helped along with an undercurrent of carefully placed symphonics.

Its a record to remember but not without its flaws. Although distinctively Pagan there isn't much beyond a handful of strikingly obvious moments and the song titles to define the Greek mythology theme, maybe in the lyrics but not much can be said of indecipherable howls. "Man Of 300 Voices" however does this with a lengthy acoustic interlude to set the tone. "From Son To Father" is where the record shines brightest. Epic in scale and tone we are lavished with inspired lead guitar melodies and a memorable group chant chorus to conjure the gods.

At just over an hour its a lengthy record, that can be felt as it draws to a close. Eight lengthy tracks of which a handful do take their time to progression through the motions. The production is also a little slack and forgiving of itself. Although the fidelity is key to its atmosphere and ancient feel, the drumming can be overpowering and constantly competing with the guitars. Its a bit nit picky, but where this record aims high it achieves it musically with an inspired touch that fell short on execution.

Favorite Songs: God's Of War, Hellene's Do Not Fight Like Heroes, Heroes Fight Like Hellenes, From Son To Father

Rating: 7/10