The Spirit: Sounds From The Vortex (Nuclear Blast)
Based in Saarbrucken in Germany, The Spirit are a four piece made up of people who only have initials (MT - Vocals / Guitar, AK - Guitar, AT - Bass, MS - Drums). They’ve been active since 2015, and Sounds From The Vortex is their first album. There is a massive elephant in the room with this album, so lets get it out of the way strait away. Sounds From The Vortex is very, very similar to Dissection/Watain. The album is 100% in the style of melodic black metal that Dissection originated, and Watain perfected. There are Dissection / Watainisms all over this album. The intro to the album (Sounds From The Vortex), is very similar to the intro to Dissections album Storm Of Lights Bane (At The Fathomless Depths). The verse of the song Cosmic Fear is very similar to the verse of Watain’s Malfietor. But, after three or four listens this becomes less of a problem.
Based in Saarbrucken in Germany, The Spirit are a four piece made up of people who only have initials (MT - Vocals / Guitar, AK - Guitar, AT - Bass, MS - Drums). They’ve been active since 2015, and Sounds From The Vortex is their first album. There is a massive elephant in the room with this album, so lets get it out of the way strait away. Sounds From The Vortex is very, very similar to Dissection/Watain. The album is 100% in the style of melodic black metal that Dissection originated, and Watain perfected. There are Dissection / Watainisms all over this album. The intro to the album (Sounds From The Vortex), is very similar to the intro to Dissections album Storm Of Lights Bane (At The Fathomless Depths). The verse of the song Cosmic Fear is very similar to the verse of Watain’s Malfietor. But, after three or four listens this becomes less of a problem.
The familiarity of the parts that sound like Dissection/Watain, jump out at when you first listen to the album, once you’ve listened to it a few times, the other parts become more important. You realise that the album does have a significant amount of depth to it, and contains a lot of originality. The real strength of this album is the songwriting. The six songs on offer here are very well written, and after a few listens, will get into your head. The riffs are very memorable, you’ll be humming them for days. Cross The Bridge To Eternity is a great song, with real drive to it, I doubt any metal fan can listen to it without banging their head. Illuminate The Night Sky has a chorus the size of, well, the sky. The Spirit are a band that understand dynamics as well, the way the songs build to huge choruses, is something that a lot of black metal bands could learn from.
Sounds From The Vortex is a great album. Once you get past the similarity of style to Dissection/Watain, you’ll discover a fantastic album, of depth, great songwriting, and an innate musical sensibility, I imagine people will be listening to the album for years to come. And, let's face it, ‘True’ orthodox black metal has many, many bands who sound the same. Maybe the skill required to produce this style of black metal has lessened the number of bands who will attempt it, so when a band like The Spirit come along, they are immediately compared to the two best known exponents. Probably best to judge the album on it’s own merits. Highly recommended for fans of melodic black metal. Fantastic piece of work. 8/10
Black Tusk: TCBT (Season Of Mist)
TCBT can’t have been an easy album to make. This is the first album to be recorded since the death of long term bassist Jonathon Athon, who died in a motorcycle accident shortly after recording his bass parts of Black Tusk’s last album Pillars Of Ash. The band decided to keep going after the death of their bandmate, and recruited Corey Barhorst (ex - Kylesa). The albums title is an acronym for Taking Care Of Black Tusk, a clear indication of situation the band is in. Black Tusk refer to their sound as Swamp Metal. To my ear, their sound is loose, punky hardcore, that has grown out of a more sludgy template. This mixing of sounds, not quite hardcore, not quite sludge has always made Black Tusk an interesting, original beast. There is a similarity with Eyehategod’s more hardcore tracks, but with a looser feel to it. The band has also used, what sounds to me like a hammond organ on a lot of tracks, which really gives the material an original feel, that you won’t find on any other sludge, hardcore or punk album.
Black Tusk: TCBT (Season Of Mist)
TCBT can’t have been an easy album to make. This is the first album to be recorded since the death of long term bassist Jonathon Athon, who died in a motorcycle accident shortly after recording his bass parts of Black Tusk’s last album Pillars Of Ash. The band decided to keep going after the death of their bandmate, and recruited Corey Barhorst (ex - Kylesa). The albums title is an acronym for Taking Care Of Black Tusk, a clear indication of situation the band is in. Black Tusk refer to their sound as Swamp Metal. To my ear, their sound is loose, punky hardcore, that has grown out of a more sludgy template. This mixing of sounds, not quite hardcore, not quite sludge has always made Black Tusk an interesting, original beast. There is a similarity with Eyehategod’s more hardcore tracks, but with a looser feel to it. The band has also used, what sounds to me like a hammond organ on a lot of tracks, which really gives the material an original feel, that you won’t find on any other sludge, hardcore or punk album.
In fact the use of keys on this album has made me wonder why other punk/hardcore bands don’t use them. The track Scalped sounds huge due to this. Ghosts Roam has a really spooky atmosphere brought about by the use of keyboards as well. It gives the songs it’s used on a huge amount of depth, it really makes the riffs sound colossal. The songs on the album are really good, well written, and this album has some great choruses on them. You will find yourself singing them after a few listens. The album also has a great line in tuneful riffs, very aggressive but beautifully tuneful as well. All three members of the band sing on the album, giving an interesting mix of different voices. The album if brought to an end by the storming Burn The Stars, probably the fastest track on the album, and it’s a great way to end this cracking album. Black Tusk might be Taking Care Of Black Tusk with this album, but they have also taken care of their fans with this excellent piece of Swamp Metal. Highly Recommended. 8/10
Unanimated: Annihilation (Century Media)
Unanimated are a five piece from Stockholm, Sweden. The band formed in 1988, were active until 1996 when they went on hiatus until 2007. The band has produced 3 albums in that time 2 before the hiatus, and 1 since reforming. Annihilation is the first release since the last album, 2009’s In The Light Of Darkness. This EP features 4 tracks of tuneful melodic orthodox black metal. Opening track Adversarial Fire is a ferocious beginning to the EP, blasting into a riff every bit as feral as anything Tsjuder or Marduk have produced, before bringing slower, more thoughtful parts into the song. Unanimated have a decent degree of depth and maturity to their sound, they aren’t afraid to slow things down, or introduce some melody. The whole EP has a feel of a band who know what they are doing, and are comfortable with their sound. The third track on the EP, Fire Of Obliteration is mainly acoustic and brooding, and in many ways is an intro to the title, and best track on the EP Annihilation, a six minute blast that brings Necrophobic, MGLA or Watain to mind, and is a great finale to the EP. Annihilation is a great little EP. I’ve really enjoyed listening to it, and will now have a listen to the bands older work. Well worth checking out! 7/10
Unanimated: Annihilation (Century Media)
Unanimated are a five piece from Stockholm, Sweden. The band formed in 1988, were active until 1996 when they went on hiatus until 2007. The band has produced 3 albums in that time 2 before the hiatus, and 1 since reforming. Annihilation is the first release since the last album, 2009’s In The Light Of Darkness. This EP features 4 tracks of tuneful melodic orthodox black metal. Opening track Adversarial Fire is a ferocious beginning to the EP, blasting into a riff every bit as feral as anything Tsjuder or Marduk have produced, before bringing slower, more thoughtful parts into the song. Unanimated have a decent degree of depth and maturity to their sound, they aren’t afraid to slow things down, or introduce some melody. The whole EP has a feel of a band who know what they are doing, and are comfortable with their sound. The third track on the EP, Fire Of Obliteration is mainly acoustic and brooding, and in many ways is an intro to the title, and best track on the EP Annihilation, a six minute blast that brings Necrophobic, MGLA or Watain to mind, and is a great finale to the EP. Annihilation is a great little EP. I’ve really enjoyed listening to it, and will now have a listen to the bands older work. Well worth checking out! 7/10
Throat: Bareback (Svart Records)
Finnish four piece Throat have been going since 2009. In that time they have made one album, 2013’s Manhole, Three EP’s and seven splits. So, what have Throat served up for us on their second full length? Well, we get 8 tracks of original, quite experimental alternative rock. You can hear a lot of different influences on Bareback. Helmet, Tad, The Pixies, maybe a little bit of grunge, and early nineties alternative rock like Jane's Addiction. The band aren’t averse to a little noise as well. The last couple of minutes of opening track Safe Unsound descend into an industrial soundscape that could have been recorded in a foundry.
Finnish four piece Throat have been going since 2009. In that time they have made one album, 2013’s Manhole, Three EP’s and seven splits. So, what have Throat served up for us on their second full length? Well, we get 8 tracks of original, quite experimental alternative rock. You can hear a lot of different influences on Bareback. Helmet, Tad, The Pixies, maybe a little bit of grunge, and early nineties alternative rock like Jane's Addiction. The band aren’t averse to a little noise as well. The last couple of minutes of opening track Safe Unsound descend into an industrial soundscape that could have been recorded in a foundry.
The track Shortage (Version) is a very industrial sounding electronic track, that forms a brooding stopgap in the centre of the album. Although, what this album does mostly is ROCK. Second track No Hard Shoulder has a main riff and chorus that could have come off Monster Magnet’s Powertrip album. The fast, punky track Bone Strike is a fantastic beast of a song with a great chorus, which is something it shares with most of the album, Throat can really write a great chorus, that gets into your head and won’t go away. The album is brought to an end by one of the best songs on the album the uptempo and very tuneful Maritime, which is a beautifully satisfying way to end Bareback. The album is well played and produced throughout. It sounds like an album where the songs have a lot of time spent on them, so they work as songs, and the experimental touches have been brought in organically.
The more interesting, left field elements have come about because that was the best way to develop the songs, not because they have decided to be experimental. Bareback is a great album. Well written and played. I’ve mentioned a lot of other bands in this review as a way to get over what this album sounds like. But, in many ways Throat have managed to produce a very original, inventive album. Yes, you can hear their influences, but by being experimental and inventive, they have produced something that is truly unique. 8/10
Iron Void: Excalibur (Shadow Kingdom Records)
The more interesting, left field elements have come about because that was the best way to develop the songs, not because they have decided to be experimental. Bareback is a great album. Well written and played. I’ve mentioned a lot of other bands in this review as a way to get over what this album sounds like. But, in many ways Throat have managed to produce a very original, inventive album. Yes, you can hear their influences, but by being experimental and inventive, they have produced something that is truly unique. 8/10
Iron Void: Excalibur (Shadow Kingdom Records)
Iron Void formed in Wakefield in 1998, they broke up two years later, but after an eight year hiatus reformed in 2008. Excalibur is their third album since reforming, and the first album since 2015’s Doomsday. On Iron Void’s Facebook page it states that the band (Jonathon ‘Sealy’ Seal - Bass / Vocals, Steve Wilson - Guitar / Vocals, Richard Max - Drums) formed to make traditional doom metal in the vein of Black Sabbath, Pentagram and Saint Vitus. Well, mission accomplished. That statement is a perfect description of the album. If you looked up “traditional doom metal” in a dictionary, you’d find a picture of this album’s cover (if dictionaries had pictures or had definitions of phrases about musical genres). The riffs, choruses, lyrical content, vocals, guitar solo’s all conform to a traditional doom template, even the font the bands name is written in looks like the same font as the one Saint Vitus tends to use.
This album could have come out in 1978. The lyrical content is even more old fashioned than the music, based around Arthurian legends, so lyrically it harks back to the 12th century. So, why should you care about an album that could have been released in 1978? A metal British Leyland? You should care, because this album is Fucking Amazing! Yes, it’s an old style of metal, but when it’s done THIS well, who cares if it’s an old style! The riffs are huge, the choruses are so good, so memorable, the solo’s are beautifully played and fit in well with, and add to the songs. As all the lyrics are about Arthurian legend, the album has a concept album feel to it, which gives it a pleasing ebb and flow. Due to the internet and digital technology, pretty much all music is available to anyone. This has led to bands made up of people in their early twenties, that sound like they have come from the early seventies. The whole concept of in fashion / old fashioned has gone out of the window, which is a great thing. There is simply no need to be current. There is nothing original or groundbreaking about this album; but when it is done this well, who cares. Excalibur is a fantastic piece of traditional doom metal, end of story. With riffs this good, who needs groundbreaking? 8/10.