Transcendent; ethereal; holy; sanctified; eternal; timeless: these are only several words that can barely begin to describe one of the career-defining albums of Norway’s Ulver. Beginning as a black metal band in the early 1990s, the passage of time has begotten Ulver’s evolution into something that transcends definition, which is very much the case with their seventh studio album, Shadows of the Sun.
Vulture Industries – The Dystopia Journals
The Dystopia Journals was the first album I sunk my teeth into by Avant-Garde metallers Vulture Industries. Being quite the interesting listen, this album is a classic in my book and should not be missed by any means. Vulture Industries plays an interesting sideshow-esque style of metal. The music is something you would hear at a satanic carnival. The Dystopia Journals is their first full length released in 2007 and a damn strong one at that. (more…)
Manes – Be All End All
It seems that the members of Manes have forgotten to take their medication and have released their first album of new material since 2007’s How the World Came to an End. In fact, Be All End All was in production in 2008, but the band instead went into hiatus. Finally, in 2013, the band got back together and decided to finish up this album. Be All End All continues to see Manes explore their psychotic brand of experimental music that features trip-hop, electronics, glimmers of metal, along with various other genres. (more…)
PoiL – Brossaklitt
At no moment while listening to PoiL’s Brossaklitt album did I have any idea what the hell was going on. From the opening track to the end, Brossaklitt’s random chaos and quirkiness was relentless. PoiL is an avant-garde band from France that I recently discovered while exploring on Bandcamp.com. (more…)
Peccatum – The Moribund People (EP)
Peccatum (latin for “sin”) is a group consisting of Ihsahn and his wife Ihreil, AKA starofash. The Moribund People is the final release by them under this moniker, as they had decided to disband the Peccatum project following this. It is a shame really, as The Moribund People is one of the best releases by the group. This EP consists of 3 tracks of exquisite music, clocking in at around 18 minutes. As you may know, I really like Ihsahn’s vocal style, as well as his wife’s. They are vastly different, yet co-mingle extremely well (more…)
Manes – How the World Came to an End
Manes began as a black metal band in the 1990s, but, as like several Scandinavian black metal bands, they have taken a more avant-garde direction. Manes’ previous album, Vilosophe, shocked and divided the fanbase; How the World Came to an End continues in that direction. The songs on this album cover quite a bit of ground. Electronics, jazz, trip hop, and hints of metal are among what can be expected throughout much of these songs, at the same time enveloped in a very dark atmosphere. Listening to this album (more…)
Avar – A csend éve
Wow, this album is amazing. Hungarian black metal drummer Khrul does it once again, with another of his side projects called Avar. A csend éve is, from what information I have on this project (which is very little and hard to come by), the 4th full length album Khrul has put out under Avar, and it’s title roughly translates to “The Year of Silence”. (more…)