Favourite Albums of 2014

As far as music goes for 2014, I got my hands onto lots of awesome albums. Compiling an end of year list was a bit difficult given I came across so many great ones. Probably the first time in many years it has been like this. Even in the last week or two I have come across some albums that had they come out earlier, they would be right up there (Anguish, Stargazer, Taake, Fen). Others I probably didn't listen to them enough or got them too late (Vallenfyre, Twilight, Thou, Primordial, Artificial Brain, The Atlas Moth and more). Just too much good stuff.

Anyhow, honorable mentions..

- At The Gates - At War With Reality
- Autopsy - Tourniquets, Hacksaws and Graves (their best since their return)
- Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta III: Saturnian Poetry
- Horrendous - Ecdysis
- Nachtmystium - The World We Left Behind
- Opeth - Pale Communion
- Pallbearer - Foundations Of Burden
- Riot V - Unleash The Fire
- Soulburn - The Suffocating Darkness
- Thanatos - Global Purification
- Yob - Clearing The Path To Ascend

The ones that stood out!





Ambush - Firestorm

With just about every Swede and their dog now playing in either a retro metal or rock band and thus beginning to make the genres become generic and boring, one of these newer bands actually released an album that puts them totally up there with the likes of Enforcer, Portrait, In Solitude and more. Ambush released THE best heavy metal album of the year. Incredibly catchy riffs, great sounding vocals and therefore every song stood out right to its final anthem feeling song ('Natural Born Killers') on the album. This band sounds like they came right out of that classic 80s era.




Behemoth - The Satanist

Behemoth was a band I was certainly losing interest in since 'Demigod'. I felt they were becoming over technical and thus losing those moments of creating a memorable riff and losing that powerful feeling back from albums like 'Satanica' and 'Thelema 6'. 'The Satanist' brought it all right back but in a much darker and evil form. The technical work was stripped right down to music that had more substance, more feeling, emotion and more direction. They have returned to a style that made them one of my favourite bands years before, only Nergal has become more mystical and occult in his delivery. Perfect!




Occultation - Silence In The Ancestral House

Some of the most catchy, eerie and dark melodic riffs were found here in 2014. With a voice that kept to one low level that came across as haunting, galloping passages that would slowly fly out across the red dusk sky. Captivating, at times mesmerizing, Occultation released one of the big surprises of 2014 for me.




Triptykon - Melana Chasmata

A guy noticed my Celtic Frost hoodie at work one day during last year and said 'Celtic Frost.. I remember when they were the fastest band in the world'. Fast forward present day and Tom G has created probably the heaviest band in the world. Subtle hints of that Celtic Frost pace but taking those dark drone sounding riffs and crushing the ground is what makes Triptykon stand out for sure. This picked up from where 'Eparistera Daimones' left off. Continued to crush even the strongest of souls.




Mastodon - Once More 'Round The Sun

The evolution of this band is like no other. Ever since 'Remission', Mastodon has continued to push the boundaries and even if this band has taken a step towards a more 'mainstream' sound, they still do enough to challenge the listener. Some sheer heaviness in the way of 'High Road' or 'Diamond In The Witch House' to the prog space outs like 'Halloween' or just catchy rock outs with great emotion ('The Motherload', 'Ember City'). Overall, the band has taken their sound even further but if you listen closely, some areas of this album prove that the band hasn't forgotten their roots.




Morbus Chron - Sweven

Dead heat! Morbus Chron has become one of the few bands of the current Swedish Death metal scene to take their sound further. Like Tribulation, Irkallian Oracle and Necrovation to name a few, Morbus Chron is one of the few that keep me interested in the genre. Evil lead work, gloomy melodic passages, a harsh voice that emerges from a thick mist and overall keeping it all in raw energy, like Tribulation in 2013, at the start of 2014, I would never have thought that Morbus Chron would release my favourite album of 2014 alongside Mastodon. Amazing stuff.


Until next time...

Ikil

Opeth - Pale Communion

When it comes to Opeth, I look at their path similar to that of say, Iron Maiden's..

Both of their first two albums were excellent though a little rough around the edges (finding their niche, if you will). Then came along a couple of pivotal line-up changes which would result in their 'classic' era of releasing a fair few amazing albums before reaching their 'peak' ('Seventh Son..' and 'Ghost Reveries') and perhaps letting off eerie signs that a 'slip up' was in the works.

And so to be when key members leave the band and both their next albums, sounding like they are trying to revisit some of that magic from earlier classics ('No Prayer For The Dying' and 'Watershed'), and whilst are both good albums, fall way flat and short of their classic period. After that, the disaster strikes ('Fear Of The Dark' and 'Heritage').. and then I guess every new album since has to be met with caution.

To be fair.. 'Heritage' wasn't THAT bad. It was just all over the place which is very different to a band that is pretty well structured. I don't really care that the extreme metal element was abandoned, even if I don't agree. 'Heritage' suffered from poor production, two of the worst songs in their catalog ('Slither' and 'The Lines In My Hand') and the rest of the songs, which were good but couldn't match the brilliance of their past.

'Pale Communion' has come along and, well, this is 100 times better than 'Heritage'. The structure is back for starters. It is a little heavier, more melodic and there is not one bad song on the album. The album even overtakes 'Damnation' if you want to compare Opeth's 'soft' albums. Because of the diversity on 'Pale Communion', it practically makes 'Damnation' now sound one dimensional.

In all fairness, some of that classic Opeth atmospheric lead work returns here, even the solos. That dueling lead work in the middle of 'River' is fucking ridiculous and brings to mind some of those classic lead moments on 'Deliverance'. Even some of the riffs have that groove to them reminding me of Blackwater Park, only layers of heaviness removed. The song 'Elysian Woes' sounds like it would meander along with the rest of the songs on 'Damnation' and 'Faith In Others' is probably the saddest song Opeth has written in a long time. It comes off like a more softer sibling to 'A Fair Judgement'.

If anything, this prog direction has made them a little more disjointed with their instruments. 'Goblin' is the perfect representation of that as well as the opening to 'Eternal Rains Will Come'. On top of that, even the synth work is playing a more prominent role and making them more psychedelic. It even helped add an eerie backbone to songs like 'Moon Above, Sun Below' and 'Faith In Others'.

My favourite song on the album, 'Moon Above, Sun Below' is probably the best song they have written since 'Harlequin Forest'. At times it gives off a feeling of the 'Orchid' and 'Morningrise' albums. A song that was too soft back then to make the final cut though. But the way things transform in that song from the groovy opening to the clean melodic middle before the soaring finale. It is wonderful work.

Of course, Mikael Akerfeldt's vocals continue to shine. He just has a way of making his singing 'work', no matter what the style. When he gives his voice a bit more edge on songs like 'Cusp Of Eternity' or 'Moon Above, Sun Below' or goes a little too high like at the beginning of 'River', it might sound a little strange at first. But it does grow on me at least. As his singing gets better with each album, it makes sense why you would leave the death metal vocals behind..

But for all the praise I will give the album, he buck has to stop somewhere. The abandonment of the extreme metal roots has just made Opeth lose their innovation. Opeth got to where they were because of the innovative approach they took by being an extreme metal band with progressive rock elements. They were able to go with at least seven incredible albums by doing this (yes, that doesn't sound like they kept it innovative but they at least kept it interesting).

If only Akerfeldt sprinkled some extreme on this album, I would go as far as putting this up there with the rest of their classic work. He didn't need to do anything more than that. Imagine, if heavy riffs were done like the classic Opeth extreme way.. Imagine the end of 'Moon Above, Sun Below' finishing off like that and the lyrics 'Only circle on the water' were actually Mikael's trademark growl. What if the chorus of 'Voice Of Treason' was the same? What if the ending of 'River' was cranked up and Mikael growled those final lyrics? I hate hearing those heavy riffs and it sounds like Mikael was too stubborn to make them fucking heavy! 'Oh no, if I make those riffs HEAVY, these songs wont sound prog enough'. 'Heritage' suffered from this problem also.

Here is an idea.. After being an extreme metal band with progressive rock elements, why not flip it around now? Become a progressive rock band with extreme metal elements. Now that would be innovative and I know Opeth would pull it off. On top of that, I bet even fans from the beginning would get on board with that.

In the end, 'Pale Communion' can be seen as a 'return to form' but the album will always suffer more for what it could have been. On a cheeky note, now that Martin Lopez played drums on 'Goblin' and 'Voice Of Treason', does this mean he will be back full time? Maybe Peter Lindgren will come back too and Opeth will become a three guitarist band and make a 'comeback' like Iron Maiden did? :-P

Ikil

Morbus Chron - Sweven

The first album I write about for 2014 (I know, it has been many months) is already looking close to being my album of the year. After being surprised and blown away by Tribulation last year with their 'The Formulas Of Death' album, their fellow countrymen, Morbus Chron have gone and done the same thing this year with their new album, 'Sweven'. More Swedish death metal bands pushing the boundaries...

After a more straight forward death metal album in 2011 ('Sleepers In The Rift'), this time around, Morbus Chron throws in a heap of cleaner dark melodies, drenched in a gloomy effect and merge with it an array of speedy riffs that are filled with a raw and grazing haze. Vocals that are menacingly harsh and drum patterns that spit out like puffs of the bleakest mist.

As the gloomy melodies invite you to cautiously wander through the blinding mist, the sudden hit of upbeat speedy riffs unveils that this mist is filled with poison and you are forced to scatter around trying to escape the clutches of it but then you are mesmerized by the moments where the riffs slow down and pierce the sky with its eerie lead work and you slowly fall into an eternal sleep. Only then will the return of more gloomy melodies lift your soul from your now lifeless body, and help you enter the kingdoms in the dark skies.

When comparing to Tribulation, where 'The Formulas Of Death' went wrong was it was a little too long and a little too clean in sound. Morbus Chron gets it pretty much perfect here. But this is just to emphasize further how 'perfect' this album is.

With a fair amount of Swedish death metal bands sticking to the old formula, Morbus Chron has now joined the likes of Necrovation, Tribulation and Irkallian Oracle and taken Swedish death metal to new heights. This keeps the genre interesting and for that, I am more interested in what these bands are doing given how different they have become. By years end, 'Sweven' will be my album of the year or very close to it. Regardless..  a modern day classic in the genre.

Ikil

Favourites of 2013

2013 was a year of many albums that I really enjoyed. Again, I will talk about the five albums that I dug the most this year. All in all, there are so many good albums I came across this year so it was really hard even putting a top 20 together. Honorable mentions must go to Gris, Kadavar, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Aosoth, Watain, Ghost, Noctum as well as a few others... anyhow.. my top five!





Orchid - The Mouths Of Madness

In the same year as a new Black Sabbath album, this completely out-Sabbath'd it. Dark atmosphere, catchy groovy tunes, thick bass and great energy in the vocals. Not a bad song on the album. I don't like to keep coming back to Black Sabbath as this is truly its own, but if ever a contender for best Black Sabbath album that Black Sabbath never made, this is it.





Kvelertak - Meir

This was no where near as good as the debut. But that is because the debut album was the most amazing thing ever! So point is, this was still an excellent album. Sticking to more of a rock/black metal/hardcore hybrid this time around and a little 'less daring', 'Meir' still had an abundance of memorable moments and mixes and even at times, could do enough to have an arena filled audience on their feet.





In Solitude - Sister

Easily the bands most mature album to date. Almost heading in a more rock direction than keeping it metal, but the best album they have made so far. Dark, serious, deep and with plenty of emotion and feel in the brooding melodies and vocals. Production may be a bit too muddy at times, but it only adds to bleak atmosphere the album portrays. A lot of Swedish bands surprised me with their direction in 2013, and this was one of the best.





Deafheaven - Sunbather

Only two bands have written the perfect post black metal album, Miserere Luminis, and these guys. A passion on here that merges chaos with beauty. Destructive drumming and riffs that then bleed out into dripping post rock tremolos and melodies. Black metal for the hipster brigade or not, it still is sheer quality. Even the majority of black metal bands from early on who have modernized their sound today have not even come close to as good as this.





Tribulation - The Formulas Of Death

I never would have thought that Tribulation would release an album that would be my favourite of the year. An almost pitch black atmosphere, gloomy melodies that evolve into dirty heavy plods or black metal tinged tremolo break outs. Epic nods that are laced with sorrow but also met with a touch of evil in the blackened harsh voice of Johannes. I keep being reminded of Dissection when I hear this, not because they sound alike, because they sound nothing alike, but more because Dissection was unique in their own right in terms of sound and atmosphere. Tribulation has now carved their own sound and atmosphere and I cannot wait to watch this band evolve further.


Welcome 2014

Ikil

Short Thoughts: Suffocation, Autopsy, Immolation

I thought I would do something a little different this time around and write a few thoughts on a few death metal albums from this year, namely from some big American names in death metal. As I don't get to write these as often anymore, maybe I will continue doing it this way. We'll see. Anyway...




Suffocation - Pinnacle Of  Bedlam

If ever there was an album modern day death metal and deathcore bands should take note of, it is this. The keyword to this album? 'Balance'. A combination of the deep stomping riffs, the technical bursts, the quickfire blasts, yet still taking enough breaths for you to absorb it all in. Not too brutal, not too technical. The key is Suffocation doesn't over do it with any elements here. It slightly hints at the modern day sound, but rather than adapting to the aforementioned styles, they simply show all modern day death metal and deathcore bands how it should be done.





Autopsy - The Headless Ritual

Autopsy's return has been REALLY good! After so long, they have still maintained that production that is a little murky. The rusty riffs and leads continue to tear through, the doom plodding continues to feel like the one taking a step back and glancing in admiration at the gore like scene they just envisioned on a black canvas. It gallops and it paces as Reifert's echoing harsh yells take chilling command. The best thing after all these years is that they still sound like they did in their prime.





Immolation - Kingdom Of Conspiracy

No doubt Immolation these days seem to have taken their brutality to some futuristic realm. Controlled heavy bursts and blistering speeds with moments of just shifting it back with pounding riffs. It feels mechanical and everything timed to perfection as if they each have the same mind chip planted in their brains. My only issue is that the drumming is mixed a bit too high and can really take away from the riffs at times. Otherwise, this is bellowing stuff.


Ikil

Watain - The Wild Hunt

I will admit that for a while there, I found the hype for Watain a little over the top. That wasn't to say I didn't like the music though. They definitely back up their 'black metal theatre' with their music. I was anticipating 'The Wild Hunt' as I could just sense they were ready to try new things. They have and for me, have succeeded in doing it well.

Boasting the usual catchy riffs, echoing tremolo bursts and blasting beats, there are plenty of technical swivels, disjointedness and dark and soaring leads to give the album much more flare. With that comes plenty of epic touches. 'Black Flames March' sounds glorious. The tremolo lead in 'The Child Must Die' sounds piercingly huge! Then comes along the unusual deep and dark ballad 'They Rode On', with its build up, clean vocals and twin leads and heck, Watain just took their 'black metal theatre' to new heights. I for one, welcome it. This moment along with moments in the brooding title track remind me of a more darker Bathory viking era. Which brings me to another point. I really like is E's vocals this time around. Different tones in his harsh moments and the times he sings, it suits this style perfectly. Dark and eerie, nothing over the top.

What Watain has done here is made an album with enough different elements to make this interesting and appealing but also still remain true to their sound. Quite frankly, another album of stripped down stuff would be boring and forgettable and given Watain's appeal, they are obviously about achieving more than that. This is why I am open and appreciative of the new elements brought into their sound. To an extent, I compare this to Tribulation's amazing offering this year, only 'The Wild Hunt' is a little more controlled with the dares.

For me, the top three black metal bands in Sweden right now are Marduk, Shining and Watain, all of which are pushing their music with image too and I don't have an issue with that if the music is still good. Watain may have just become the kings now. A modern day black metal classic? Too early to call. It is destined to grow on these ears more however.

Ikil 

Satyricon - Satyricon

I have come to a point with my music tastes where I learn to appreciate ones change in direction. Some bands (eg: In Flames), I will never learn to appreciate their change in sound because I simply don't like the style (even if it has made them more popular). Satyricon is one of those bands I didn't quite adapt to for a while when they changed but over time, I have found myself appreciating their rock direction a lot more. Having read that they were going to 'change' again, I thought they might be going for a sound I would not like. With their self titled new album, I am very pleased with the end result.

I always like to compare Satyricon's change to Darkthrone's change. Darkthrone rocked their sound a bit more but their sound would appeal more to your thrashing, torn clothed, frizzy haired metal head. Satyricon also rocked their sound up, but their sound would appeal more to your slick back haired, designer label clothing obsessed trendy wearing 'rocker'. Nothing bad about either style, Darkthrone kept it dirty and gritty, Satyricon made clean, modern and too structured. I still prefer Darkthrone, but I will take nothing away from Satyricon in being able to make a cool catchy blackened rock riff either.

Now, onto the album itself. The first thing I take not on is the overall feel of the album. It doesn't sound as clean as 'Age Of Nero' and 'Now, Diabolical', it isn't too structured either and it doesn't feel modern too. Think of this more as going back to the ancient ruins of where 'Nemesis Divina' was set, except all the winds, coldness, violence and fire is gone. It is now desolate, lifeless and still, but the ghost of 'Nemesis Divina' still lurks around.

You will not find a return of tremolo and blazing chord riffs. Things are very much still in the rock presence, only not structured around verse and chorus, but more focused on each song having a main piece or two and surrounded but almost post like breaks which etch a sombre like edge (eg 'Nocturnal Flare'). The melodies may be simple but they are catchy and memorable. I will even go as far as to say that they have more feel behind them than anything on 'The Age Of Nero' and 'Now, Diabolical'. Even a song like 'Our World, It Rumbles Tonight' is perhaps the darkest song they have done since anything on 'Nemesis...' . The work on this album is not as stripped down this time around. With hints of folk and post floating through this journey with the subtle synth, the album has an interesting flow and the more fast, twists like 'Walker Upon The Wind' get lost at times because of how interesting the other songs are.

Satyr's vocals are probably the harshest they have been since their glory days. Frost's drumming still manages to burst out from time to time and still give their sound a little brazen edge. Even the guest appearance of Sivert Høyem on 'Phoenix' is an interesting side but one that I like given its dark and old anthem like approach. Sure, even I would long for a return to the first three albums, but that wont happen, so this will do just fine.

The reality here is that Satyricon appear to have found their balance now between being influenced by the old to evolve their sound from the new. Remember it took even the likes of Enslaved and Darkthrone an attempt or two before finally finding their place on the different sound. They will not return to the past, time to let that be, but I still feel that this album is a big step in the right direction.

Ikil