Gris - À l'âme enflammée, l'äme constellée...

Canada (specifically Quebec) is where a lot of my favourite black metal is coming from these days. From the raw sound, to the cold and dark atmosphere, the 'distance' the members from these bands appear to take from being 'out in the open'. Like parts of the old Norwegian and French scenes live in this scene. Of all these bands, Gris is my favourite. Their new double album 'À l'âme enflammée, l'äme constellée...' is their finest work yet.

This album really shows how much this band has evolved. When I think back to their first album as Niflheim ('Neurasthénie'), that was a lot rawer and rather rugged. In a way, a blueprint for something amazing later on. With that, 'Il Était une Forêt...' was to follow with incredible results. Cold, dark, atmospheric. In parts like Burzum's 'Filosofem' but kept in a freezing forest and more despairing.

'A l'ame...' is more like a combination of their Miserere Luminis collaboration they did with Sombres Forets and the 'Il Etait...' album. A lot of  heavy post rock/metal like moments combined with eerie violin and cello movements that weave with acoustic melodies that are dark and twisted. Add in deep and meandering bass lines, shrilling and cold raw riffs and the ever so painful shrieks of Icare and you have a rather unique mix that hints at beauty even though 90% of this is layered with pain and sorrow.

Production wise, it is much cleaner but that is understandable given the role the violin and cellos play on this album. It feels organic, classical in some ways and listening to the way it all comes together is really interesting to hear. Listen to the way things build up in 'Dim'  or 'Seizième prière' for example. Such a great formation of everything coming together and working. I really like bands that evolve like this. Taking your original sound and making it more interesting and complex.

Miserere Luminis made the perfect post black metal that I had always wanted to hear. Gris has taken it even further. The perfect score for despair. The finest example why Canada has some of the best black metal bands going right now..

Ikil

Burzum - Sôl Austan, Mâni Vestan

So Varg has apparently decided to stop playing metal. Didn't he say that over 10 years ago? Yet he returned with four (including the re-recorded stuff) metal albums. Okay, well this time he decided to make a 'true' Burzum ambient album in 'Sol Austan, Mani Vestan'. I say true because, well, the other two ambient albums were 'restricted'. So I was pretty keen to hear what he would do here because I have always liked his ambient songs.

This time Varg is not confined to a single keyboard or a hard drive full of midi files. He can create the landscape exactly how he wants. At times he is able to re-create the cold mystic haze that reminds me of 'Rundtgåing av den transcendentale egenhetens støtte' (one of my favourite Burzum songs). Other times it is ringing melodies drenched in echoing atmosphere and drifting behind one another.

The best parts are when he combines the hazing synths and the sprinkling melodies and this is where it rivals his best ambient work. Again, there is a lot of repetition in the songs, but as I always find with Burzum, Varg finds a way to keep it interesting. In this sense, it can come off mesmerizing. The album isn't dark, it reminds me a lot of that dusk like feel of 'Umskiptar'. This is the calming presence of spring after a long hard winter. But the eeriness in the tones of the melodies on here somewhat serve as a constant reminder that the hardships faced are not quite over.

The only gripe may be that this album is a little too long, but then there really isn't a bad song on here. Overall, the big take out is that this is Varg once again using his own music to inspire himself to make more music and like the true artist he is, he does what he wants and it is up to the listener to decide if they like it or not and he wont care either way.

'Sôl Austan, Mâni Vestan' is by far Burzum's best ambient album. How the songs on here compare to the ambient work on the likes of 'Filosofem' and 'Hvis Lyset Tar Oss', hmm, some are as good, but I still prefer the cold and darker side of the former. For me, another fine post-prison Burzum album hehe.

Ikil

Csejthe - Reminiscence

Anyone who has been reading my thoughts on the music I have been listening to long enough will know about my big interest in black metal scene out of Quebec, Canada. If you are ever wanting to hear more recent black metal that reminds you of True Norwegian Black Metal and the French black metal scene. This is seriously as close as it gets. Cold, atmospheric, mysterious, dark, raw, noisy and passionate. I can't think of too many black metal bands that embrace all those elements like the early days like the bands from Quebec do. For the moment, lets look at Csejthe new album 'Reminiscence'.

Eerie and intricate tremolo riffs, pacing drum patterns like a noisy freezing wind laced with the monotonous harsh and sometimes clean vocals that feel like a distant call coming from the other side of the dark woods. When not pacing through the woods, they sit back and just let their music wander majestically. Like slowing down and slowly walking through the paths, but still maintaining that cold and distorted heavy sound.

This is just blanketed in cold and dark atmosphere. Like a thick, bleak mist settling through and over the snow covered trees. What adds to this is just how old this feels. This sounds more like 1991-93, not 2013. Even through the sound, you can detect that mysteriousness and that sense of pride in their playing. This isn't all direct in your face with all the corpse paint and spikes going with it. They let the music do the talking. That appears to be the case with most of bands in the Quebec black metal scene. The music is at the forefront, the mystery to who they are themselves is perhaps the image. I like that.

'Reminiscence' is a better album than 'La Mort du Prince Noir'. They still don't have that same appeal to me as say the likes of Gris and Sombres Forets, but this is certainly a big step up. The Quebec scene is constantly growing but at the same time, a lot of them have been breaking up (Utlagr, Sui Caedere, Veneficium). It is only a matter of time until Csejthe is up there with the best of them.

With the release of the new Gris and Sombres Forets albums in the next few weeks, 'Reminiscence' will keep me well occupied till then. A good album from a scene that is currently producing some of the most underrated black metal bands.

Ikil

Black Sabbath - 13

As I did a fair bit of talking about Black Sabbath's '13' in my last blog, it is time I post my true thoughts on the album itself. Like any classic band, new albums are going to be met with the highest of expectations. I come from a town where we expect nothing but the best. If you slip up in the slightest, you will know about it and no one will accept what you do. So in this case, no doubt I have seen enough criticism of this album. Even I have.. But please! Is it THAT bad?

Firstly, this is no 'St Anger'. Leave that to Metallica to make the worst metal album you will ever hear. For my mind, there are a few issues as to why this album is 'below' expectations. To get the first point out. Ozzy's vocals. Who in their right mind thought that his vocal performance was going to be great on this album? You got high hopes, I will give you that. Thanks to auto tuning (I can't believe I said that), his vocals are not as bad as they could have been. That still doesn't mean they are magically amazing. He is still off key at times and it just sounds weird. 'God Is Dead?' That says enough.

All the songs are okay or good. The worst song is 'Zeitgeist' which just comes off like a poor mans 'Planet Caravan'. Then songs like 'End Of The Beginning' and 'God Is Dead?' just drag on way too long. Two slow numbers that do have plenty of cool riffs, but don't need to be eight minutes long if you are just going to repeat them over and over. 'Loner' is when the album really takes off for me. Good song! Rockin' riffs and not over done. Even songs like 'Age Of Reason' and say 'Dear Father', don't drag on given their length because there is more variation in the pace and riffs to keep them interesting.

The only real issue I have with the riffs is they lack that spark from those classic Ozzy era Sabbath albums. Sure, I would prefer hearing those licks, or those deep drone tinged melodies, or that dark buzz in the heavy riffs. Then again, 43 years is a long time between 'Paranoid' and '13', things change. In the end, musically, this sheds more of that 80's or 90's Sabbath era skin, only darker in atmosphere, only one would be expecting Tony Martin to be singing over the top of them instead of Ozzy. But hey, those riffs in 'End Of The Beginning' and 'God Is Dead?' are heavy!

Perhaps the big thing I take out of this, is just how modern this album sounds. When I think of the likes of say, Witchcraft, Orchid, Electric Wizard even, and many others who have used the Sabbath influence in not only their music, but even their production and atmosphere and have emulated it perfectly, it makes sense why many of us would have expected the same with '13'. Ah, a modern sound is the more logical way to go. They have a mainstream appeal, if you just set out to please metal heads, then that probably wont get you too far with everyone else..

Overall, '13' is a solid album. Yes, I have heard plenty of better doom and stoner albums this year if we have to compare because for some reason, we all expected this album to be the pinnacle of all doom albums we have heard and are going to hear for the next 10 to 15 years. Oh well, at least we have others...

Ikil

Orchid - The Mouths of Madness

I read an article a couple of nights ago about five albums that out-Sabbath the new Black Sabbath album. No surprise that Orchid's 'The Mouths of Madness' was one of those albums. If any album is going to remind you of classic Ozzy era Sabbath, this is it.

Firstly, this sounds, this feels like it is 40 years or so, old. Nothing over the top in production anywhere (*cough cough*). Like traveling back in time and visiting a pub and these guys on stage, black walls for the noise to bounce off, fiery torch lights. Not so heavy, but dark, groovy and catchy in every way.

This has the groove, the licks, the pace and the bounce, and with an array of different tempos that make every song unique and memorable. A seven minute song like 'Silent One' or a six minute one like 'Nomad' never gets boring because of these changes, catchy choruses, memorable lyrics and pure energy from Theo's voice which is fantastic throughout the whole album. Now go and listen to '13' and tell me which album you are over listening to after 20 minutes?

In a year when a new Black Sabbath album is out, you would expect them to lead by example or at least come close. Not saying '13' is a dud, but it is certainly worlds below other stoner/doom albums that have been released this year. 'The Mouths of Madness' is at the top of them all. In actual fact, I hate comparing, but you can't help but think about it. So since we are sticking to that theme right now, I am declaring 'The Mouths of Madness' the 'Black Sabbath album of the year'...

Ikil

Portal - Vexovoid

As the construction work going on next door sounds more and more like they are trying to open a gateway to the deep dark depths of hell, let me take this time to introduce them to something that might help them open up the gates a lot faster and easier.. that being Portal's latest album 'Vexovoid'.

I can't think of many bands who can be so down tuned, yet carve out an absolute whirlwind of dark chaos. This is scathing, just drenched in deep and droning distortion and blistering. How low can you go? Seriously. The key here though is the way the songs weave and suddenly twist. Take the windy melodies and out of no where, churn out ridiculous blast beating. The way the riffs tremolo and drone out or the way the drums just lay out their thunderous thuds just sends a sick feeling to the pit of your stomach.

It is almost like you hear and feel a deep ringing noise beneath you, drilling.. burrowing its way so deep to touch the earths core. But with real strain and still enough strength to claw its way to it. Even the strained calls of The Curator just adds to the deep and dark devastation. Enough force to blanket the city in a thunderous storm so destructive that it will have the people mistakenly think that a black hole has arrived to compress the world into a tiny particle.

So, perhaps instead of spending your weeks, months or whatever trying to unearth the world next door. Put this album on and I am pretty certain you will have the job done in 35 minutes. Hmm, I think these noises at either end have compressed my brain because my head hurts now. Time for a break..

Ikil

Aosoth - IV: An Arrow in Heart

A discussion with a friend a few years ago about black metal bands from France made the point of how the french do take it to the extreme. Over the top if you will. Not in a bad way, but just more the point that what ever mood they want to fill their art with, they will make sure it is not only there, but saturate it! Aosoth's new album 'IV: An Arrow in Heart' is one of those moments. Do they saturate this album in darkness and blistering heaviness or what?

I think back to 2004 when Deathspell Omega's album 'Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice' came out and all the metal zines were raving about it being a black metal classic. At least to these ears, Aosoth has done one better here. It is just as heavy, just as dark, just as organic and fucking evil. The big difference is they change the patterns a bit to set their moments apart. Take the blistering speeds of songs like the title song or 'One With The Prince...' but become overwhelmed by the technical twists or dissonant riffs and slowed down moments. Almost mesmerizing, really capturing you in their darkness. Even at around five minutes on 'One With The Prince...', that moment where the boulder like drums take full control and that riff lifts the floor from under you. Just awesome.

Perhaps angels do exist, but like humanity, there are evil ones too, that lurk in the underground. The raw and deep tones in these crushingly heavy riffs have caused the holy structures to crumble and the path ways to crack open and cave in, which can allow these evil ones to ascend and strangle their way to reclaiming the kingdom in the skies above. Led by the harsh calls of MkM, they will march throughout the Earth and build black Temples to worship their dark one.

After all the chaos that you have heard. Take a moment to reflect with 'Broken Dialogue', with its drones and dark melodic steps. It will not be long though before 'Ritual Marks of Penitence' bellows in for the final piece to slowly grind away at ripping a giant hole into the Earths heart. And thus the end to a very fine black metal album.

When that part of you feels that Deathspell Omega has become a little too 'spaz-tech' or Blut Aus Nord has become a little too 'mechanical', Aosoth is the perfect option to turn to. Black, crushing and still carrying an organic sound. Great work!

Ikil