Thread really delivering on all levels tonight
― ultros ultros-ghali, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 20:47 (seven years ago) link
13 Hail Spirit Noir - Mayhem in Blue 473 Points, 12 Votes, One #1http://i.imgur.com/Gm9HHEg.jpghttps://open.spotify.com/album/5JZVNF8J3vHB8ELeXKhZrespotify:album:5JZVNF8J3vHB8ELeXKhZre
https://hailspiritnoir.bandcamp.com/album/mayhem-in-blue
"Mayhem In Blue", the new album from Psychedelic Prog Black Metallers Hail Spirit Noir, is set for release on Dark Essence Records on the 28th October. The album will be the third full-lenght release for the Greek trio, whose debut album "Pneuma" appeared in 2012, followed by 2014´s "Oi Magoi".
5/5Review Summary: A very dark musical and lyrical trip that progresses the band’s vision without losing any of their originality.
On their sophomore album, Oi Magoi, Hail Spirit Noir created a truly original album, blending black metal and psychedelic progressive rock. It was a true work of art, which reminded us that by tastefully mixing genres, great albums are born. Where do you go from there, though?
Mayhem in Blue, while not discarding the avant-gardish dark style of music that made Hail Spirit Noir so extravagantly unique, stands completely in its own right pushing the theatrical element to the extreme. The new album relies heavier in effects while in the same time the structure of the songs became more straightforward: Spoken parts in Greek, a variety of horrifying sounds and bizarre instruments like didgeridoo, humdrum or barrel organ set up a majestic yet dark ambience in almost every song. Again, labeling their music in any way is something Hail Spirit Noir refuses to do.
There is a subtle and addictive paradox in Hail Spirit Noir’s latest work. One would expect that extending the theatrical elements on Mayhem in Blue would take its heavy toll on heaviness, which is clearly not the case. It seems that the band decided to take every aspect of their music a bit further. Yes, there are more mellow acoustic parts and clean operatic singing than in the past, but when the band decides to lay out the riffs, they are heavier than ever before. While the instrumentation is remarkably varied, the songs never lose their focus or drag out aimlessly. Everything is there for a reason.
The opening sequence and sharp riffing of I mean you harm picks up from where the last album concluded, creating a certain groove that screams to be reproduced live, while it’s fast playful rhythm carefully paves the way for the blunt spoken and effective chorus. Clearly the band means us harm. A sudden change in pace in the eponymous track is meant to catch off guard the unsuspecting listener and it works brilliantly. Like a poisonous snake that hypnotizes its victim, Mayhem in Blue is a spaced out, acoustic opus that showcases its great charm using a structured interplay of clean singing and brutal devilish growls.
The undercurrent of impending threat in Riders to Utopia, unveils in the form of a menacing guitar lead and a monotonous yet dynamic drum beat. Although the shortest song of the album, the band is pulling no punches and unleashes its most addictive chorus. By the time Lost in Satan’s charm begins, you find yourself lost inside the album’s peak and longest cut. The carnivalesque, freaky intro gives way to blackened riffing that drives the song in the most absurd way, mixing slow guitar parts with sudden rhythm changes and militaristic beat with energetic drumming. Running around 11 minutes, this carves a niche for larger epics for Hail Spirit Noir and the album’s highlight. The Cannibal tribes come from the Sea paints a gloomy atmosphere showcasing a cleverly used reverb effect that midway transforms into a hellish stream of layered guitar leads. Towards the end of the song, a well crafted short solo erupts into a violent blast beat, seconds before the closing number How to fly in Blackness tightens its mournful grip for one last time on the listener.
This is a very dark musical and lyrical trip, affecting listeners' mind and soul as every great album should. It progresses the band’s vision without losing any of their originality and most probably, Mayhem in Blue will be like nothing you have heard this year. Above all, there is something special in watching a band evolve. Hail Spirit Noir has come a long way the last 5 years, getting a better grip of their art, song by song, album by album. Mayhem in Blue is their audacious step to become one of the best metal bands out there. Just listen.
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/72131/Hail-Spirit-Noir-Mayhem-In-Blue/
― Cosmic Slop, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 20:50 (seven years ago) link
Thread continues to deliver :)
― illbient microtonal poetry Surbiton (imago), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 20:52 (seven years ago) link
bravo tangent you got this one right on the money
amazing album
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 20:53 (seven years ago) link
I wonder if HSN used a real calliope. Pretty fun, but also silly. At times this is bordering on surf rock.
― Frobisher, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 20:58 (seven years ago) link
Yes! I like both this album and doing well at the competition.
― dance band (tangenttangent), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 20:58 (seven years ago) link
Only listened to this once (just before voting), and it's my #9. Psychedelic grandeur.
― illbient microtonal poetry Surbiton (imago), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 20:59 (seven years ago) link
HSN manage to to take exactly the right amounts of kitsch and self-awareness and make something brilliant
― ultros ultros-ghali, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:01 (seven years ago) link
Love HSN, hope they're around forever. Would've been my #1 had Furia not come along and decimated everything.
― Devilock, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:03 (seven years ago) link
I love its whole Svankmajer-at-the-beach cover art vibe
― dance band (tangenttangent), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:06 (seven years ago) link
really hope the furia places
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:07 (seven years ago) link
um
― illbient microtonal poetry Surbiton (imago), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:08 (seven years ago) link
12 Alcest - Kodama 482 Points, 14 Voteshttp://i.imgur.com/FkkoFQl.jpghttps://open.spotify.com/album/1nWcB3qwsbx0nimMZH6sCwspotify:album:1nWcB3qwsbx0nimMZH6sCw
https://alcest.bandcamp.com/album/kodama
"Kodama" the fifth album from Blackgaze pioneers, Alcest, marks the French duo's ferocious return to the stylistic maximalism of its early albums while continuing the band's relentless pursuit for new sounds and fresh ideas."Kodama" is the Japanese word for 'tree spirit' and 'echo' and from the album's structure and dynamics to its cinematic sound, "Kodama" indeed 'echoes' Alcest's 2010 classic, "Écailles De Lune". But this is no simple back-to-the-roots album: the band has more punch, rhythm and organic feel than ever before. While clearly influenced by bands like The Smashing Pumpkins, Tool, Dinosaur Jr, Grimes and The Cure, "Kodama" ultimately reveals itself as Alcest's 'Japanese album', drawing substantial inspiration from Japanese art and culture.
Originally triggered by Hayao Miyazaki's anime film "Princess Mononoke", "Kodama" picks up on the fate of its protagonist and, at its core, deals with the sensation of not belonging; of living in between worlds, be it city and nature or the physical and spiritual one. Duality is also crucial for the visual approach of the album, realized by French graphic designer duo Førtifem. Paying tribute to Japanese illustrators like Takato Yamamoto, the visuals portray contrasting elements like nature/urbanity, youth/death, femininity/animality and combine poetic elements with darker ones that were not present in Alcest's earlier works.
By giving the album a cultural, stylistic and compositional narrative, Neige and Winterhalter keep "Kodama" from just being the latest improvement on the Alcest sound and instead make the album a most rare and exciting thing: a vital, relevant record from a pioneer that not only upholds the band's trailblazing legacy but actually makes you want to see where they go next.
Buy in our shop here:
en.prophecy.de/artists/alcestcreditsreleased September 30, 2016
― Cosmic Slop, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:10 (seven years ago) link
ha, false
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:10 (seven years ago) link
jeez man. WTF is going to be in the top 10? probably only 1 thing I voted for.
― Frobisher, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:12 (seven years ago) link
contrasting elements like...femininity/animality
Lol
― dance band (tangenttangent), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:13 (seven years ago) link
I can think of a couple things
― illbient microtonal poetry Surbiton (imago), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:14 (seven years ago) link
Also yeah lol neige
lol no one guessed alcest
I guess I should listen to this
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:15 (seven years ago) link
I like this album fine but it's the sound of a band treading water
― ultros ultros-ghali, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:19 (seven years ago) link
Yeah that was kind of an oversight... I don't like it as much as some previous efforts, but it's still very lovely. Eclosion favourite track.
― dance band (tangenttangent), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:20 (seven years ago) link
Would anyone have flipped and voted for Astronoid instead of Alcest if they heard it in time?
― Fastnbulbous, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:28 (seven years ago) link
If given an ultimatum, definitely
― dance band (tangenttangent), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:32 (seven years ago) link
11 BÖLZER - Hero 511 Points, 13 Voteshttp://i.imgur.com/hXe0kda.jpg
https://open.spotify.com/album/20aO400BOYxMXy7X07PXJyspotify:album:20aO400BOYxMXy7X07PXJy
https://bolzer.bandcamp.com/album/hero
IRON BONEHEAD PRODUCTIONS is proud to present BÖLZER's massively anticipated debut album, Hero. Hailing from Switzerland, BÖLZER are one of the most unique entities the metal underground has birthed in years. For one, BÖLZER are proudly and resolutely a duo, using the barest essentials of voice, guitar, and drums and yet creating one of the densest, most world-eating sounds around. For another, the duo have wisely and patiently parceled out their recordings, with a lone nine songs to date across three records - 2012's Roman Acupuncture demo, 2013's IRON BONEHEAD-released Aura EP, and 2014's Soma EP - judiciously chronicling the band's evolution into one of the most critically acclaimed metal bands in recent memory. And yet, "critical acclaim" has never been a part of BÖLZER's agenda: their commitment is to their art alone, but it just so happens that word-of-mouth built organically (and feverishly), especially on the strength of their devastating, soul-draining live performances, where they can recreate every aspect of their records in the flesh.
And at long last, flesh is given to a full-length album, and it bears the characteristically idiosyncratic title Hero. Here, in many ways, BÖLZER break from their past. Rich 'n' resonant clean vocals often take center stage, lending an alternately mournful/majestic quality to the duo's earth-juddering bulldoze. Likewise, the production across Hero is categorically cleaner than their grime-coated EPs, which dynamically enhances the spiraling melodicism that explodes into being here. Suitably, the songwriting itself takes on dazzling new contours, wending 'n' winding with even more fluidity - and certainly more daring - than the band's epic-yet-effortless EPs. And yet, for however seemingly radical these developments are - ultimately, they shouldn't be that "radical" in the hands of capable and sincere artisans - it all sounds like BÖLZER, both what they were, what they can be, and most especially, what they currently are. Every aesthetic suggestion, every subtle nuance, every thing left unsaid in the past: here on Hero, it's all harnessed into a molten maelstrom that's ever more unique (and alien) because it's unshackled itself from expectation. It is, in a word, heroic. But what is the meaning of Hero? Discover for yourself, plunge into that maelstrom, and let BÖLZER be your guide.
LP/CD/Tape available through shop.ironbonehead.decreditsreleased November 25, 2016
- All sensory awakening by BÖLZER- Initiated by M. Zech and V. Santura at Woodshed Studios, Landshut, Bavariatagstags: black metal death metal metal doom metal Zürich
― Cosmic Slop, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:33 (seven years ago) link
ok that I did not expect
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:39 (seven years ago) link
it all sounds like BÖLZER, both what they were, what they can be, and most especially, what they currently are
No kidding. Who writes this stuff?
― jmm, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:40 (seven years ago) link
Hahaha exactly what I was thinking
― dance band (tangenttangent), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:41 (seven years ago) link
it bears the characteristically idiosyncratic title Hero
― dance band (tangenttangent), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:42 (seven years ago) link
"idiosyncratic" oh ya
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:43 (seven years ago) link
(like w/ the band brad was ragging on these guys are v bad at downplaying the nazi angle iirc)
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:44 (seven years ago) link
xpost Joining this late - didnt vote this year as I heard fa metal this year. wouldve voted for Horse Lords and Jute Gyte tho. im liking the Gorguts and Alcest so far. This Bolzer thing is pretty cool too altho yeah thats a bullshitty write-up.
― An Alan Bennett Joint (Michael B), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:44 (seven years ago) link
LOL at the album description. classic Artist Statement nonsense.
― Frobisher, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:44 (seven years ago) link
Is that a three foot long hookah coming out of his golden thong or...?
― Fastnbulbous, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:46 (seven years ago) link
Recap
101 Khthoniik Cerviiks - SeroLogiikal Scars (Vertex of Dementiia) 108 4 198 Abbath - Abbath 109 3 098 Blood Ceremony - Lord Of Misrule 109 3 098 Lord Vicar - Gates of Flesh 109 3 097 Dawnwalker - In Rooms 109 4 095 Madder Mortem - Red In Tooth and Claw 110 4 095 Wardruna - Runaljod - Ragnarok 110 4 094 Sunwatchers - Sunwatchers 112 3 093 Truckfighters - V 116 4 092 Atomikylä - Keräily 118 3 091 Wo Fat - Midnight Cometh 121 4 090 Grand Magus - Sword Songs 122 3 0
89 Rotting Christ - Rituals 123 4 088 Wrong - Wrong 124 3 087 Melvins - Basses Loaded 126 4 086 Batushka - Litourgiya 127 3 085 Bloodiest - Bloodiest 128 3 084 Wretch - Wretch 128 4 083 Urfaust - Empty Space Meditation 128 4 182 Mare Cognitum - Luminiferous Aether 128 6 081 ColdWorld - Autumn 129 3 080 Void Meditation Cult - Utter the Tongue of the Dead 131 4 0
79 Car Bomb - Meta 134 3 078 Anciients - Voice of the Void 137 4 077 Wormrot - Voices 138 4 076 Saor - Guardians 138 6 075 Asphyx - Incoming Death 139 3 074 The Body, Full of Hell - One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache 139 5 073 High Spirits - Motivator 140 4 072 Inverloch - Distance | Collapsed 141 4 070 Occult Burial - Hideous Obscure 142 4 070 Testament - Brotherhood Of The Snake 142 4 0
69 Horse Latitudes - Primal Gnosis 143 4 068 Howls of Ebb - Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Vows 148 5 067 Sumerlands - s/t 154 6 066 Eight Bells - Landless 156 5 065 Anicon - Exegeses 160 4 063 Cadaveric Fumes - Dimensions Obscure EP 164 5 063 Nails - You Will Never Be One of Us 164 5 062 The Body - No One Deserves Happiness 165 6 061 Woman is the Earth - Torch of Our Final Night 166 4 160 Anaal Nathrakh - The Whole Of The Law 166 5 0
59 Amon Amarth - Jomsviking 174 5 058 Chthe'ilist - Le dernier crépuscule 177 6 057 Mesarthim - Pillars [EP] 180 5 056 Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas - Mariner 185 5 055 Lotus Thief - Gramarye 186 6 054 Ulcerate - Shrines Of Paralysis 187 5 053 Sabaton - The Last Stand 190 5 052 Skáphe - Skáphe² 195 6 051 The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation 196 6 050 Inquisition - Bloodshed Across the Empyrean Altar Beyond the Celestial Zenith 198 7 0
49 Blues Pills - Lady In Gold 200 4 148 Megadeth - Dystopia 200 5 147 Russian Circles - Guidance 200 6 046 Astronoid - Air 201 6 045 Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard - Y Proffwyd Dwell 209 6 044 Deftones - Gore 215 5 143 Blood Incantation - Starspawn 216 7 042 Moon Tooth - Chromaparagon 219 5 141 Ophidian Forest - Susurrus 222 6 040 Mesarthim - .- -... ... . -. -.-. . 228 7 0
39 Ulver - ATGCLVLSSCAP 228 9 038 Wormed - Krighsu 231 6 037 Comet Control - Center of the Maze 235 6 035 Krallice - Hyperion 246 8 035 Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason 246 8 034 Darkthrone - Arctic Thunder 259 8 033 Oathbreaker - Rheia 262 7 132 Cultes des Ghoules - Coven, or Evil Ways Instead of Love 263 7 031 Opeth - Sorceress 265 7 030 Mesarthim - Isolate 266 7 0
29 Metallica - Hardwired...To Self Destruct 270 9 028 40 Watt Sun - Wider Than The Sky 284 7 027 Entropia - Ufonaut 298 9 026 Völur - Disir 302 8 025 Khemmis - Hunted 307 8 124 Kvelertak - Nattesferd 316 8 023 Inter Arma - Paradise Gallows 319 10 022 Gojira - Magma 337 9 121 Dysrhythmia - The Veil Of Control 341 10 020 Virus - Memento Collider 371 12 0
19 Horse Lords - Interventions 384 11 018 Hammers of Misfortune - Dead Revolutions 408 12 017 Forgotten Spell - Epiphaneia Phosphorus (Angel, God or Insanity) 413 9 316 Thy Catafalque - Meta 424 10 115 Neurosis - Fires Within Fires 444 11 014 Gorguts - Pleiades' Dust 464 13 013 Hail Spirit Noir - Mayhem in Blue 473 12 112 Alcest - Kodama 482 14 011 Bolzer - Hero 511 13 0
― Cosmic Slop, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:47 (seven years ago) link
Spotify playlist to subscribe to
― Cosmic Slop, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:49 (seven years ago) link
Bold prediction: Babymetal at #1.
― Frobisher, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:52 (seven years ago) link
had to make some hamburgers before I'm too impaired but I guess all I missed was Bolzer (hambolzers)
thanks for the rollout as usual, I have no idea what's gonna be in the top 10
― Devilock, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:53 (seven years ago) link
I liked the Horse Lords record a lot, all year long, but no-way no-how is it a Metal record, and I strongly feel it should not have been eligible in the end of the year Poll. Oh well.
― BlackIronPrison, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:54 (seven years ago) link
xps it's j3ffs birthday today
― Cosmic Slop, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:55 (seven years ago) link
Vektor, Deathspell, Oranssi Pazuzu locks
actually surprised Chilean death/thrash band Ripper didn't make the top 100 -- as retro thrash goes, it was pretty fun
and yeah, pre-emptive thanks for doing this!!
― Dominique, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 21:57 (seven years ago) link
Happy birthday!
― dance band (tangenttangent), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 22:00 (seven years ago) link
hails from afar
― illbient microtonal poetry Surbiton (imago), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 22:01 (seven years ago) link
my guesses:
SubRosaVektorCobaltOranssi PazuzuAluk TolodoMesarthim againJute GuteFuria
and I can't think of two more.
― Frobisher, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 22:02 (seven years ago) link
Hapy B-Day J3ff hope you're lurking to see this!
Mesarthim Mesarthim Mesarthim Mesarthim Mesarthim Mesarthim BabymetalMesarthimMesarthim Mesarthim
― Devilock, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 22:06 (seven years ago) link
huh there was no Devin Townsend
― Devilock, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 22:08 (seven years ago) link
so far I've only guessed 2 of the top 20 so I probably shouldn't be making predictions lol
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 22:11 (seven years ago) link
and of course thanks to sendelai and cs for making the magic happen.
― Frobisher, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 22:12 (seven years ago) link
― Devilock, Tuesday, December 20, 2016 3:08 PM (six minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
wasn't even nominated
― who is extremely unqualified to review this pop album (BradNelson), Tuesday, 20 December 2016 22:15 (seven years ago) link
In an alternate timeline he is one of the most influential and important figures in metal, and Strapping Young Lad are a multi-platinum arena act. Sadly, not in this timeline though.
― Frobisher, Tuesday, 20 December 2016 22:19 (seven years ago) link