Dark Fortress: Spectres From The Old World (Century Media Records) [Paul Hutchings]
Late last year we got to relive Stab Wounds, the seminal 2004 release from the German black metal legends. That was merely to whet the appetite of what was to come. Spectres From The Old World has loomed into sight, its imminent release blocking out the sun. Six years since Veneral Dawn cast its considerable shadow, V. Santura and brothers have returned with the eighth album in the Dark Fortress story, and it is epic in every aspect.
It’s only when you look for reasons that you realise why it has taken so long for this opus to emerge. “Drummer Seraph works as drum tech and he is fantastic at his job, so he is on the road a lot,” says guitarist V. Santura. “Morean is a renowned contemporary classical composer and almost constantly busy and our new keyboardist Phenex is also involved as sessionist in several bands like The Ruins Of Beverast and Satyricon and works as light technician. I run a studio in Germany called Woodshed Studio and work with other bands and music in general almost every day. And, of course, I’m also playing guitar in Triptykon and even started a new band with friends from Finland called Rootbrain that I’m pretty excited about.”
With such busy schedules, it’s a cause for celebration that this album has arrived. And yet it is organic, flowing and cohesive. Intro Nascence and Coalescence blend neatly, the latter aggressive and explosive, a release of pent up energy that should generate nods of approval everywhere. Icy, dark, brutal and full of flowing riffs, Coalescence leads naturally into the massive The Spider in the Web, one of many majestic tracks contained in this hour-long release. Brooding, it hurtles through time and it roars with savage malevolence. The juxtaposition with the intricate and peaceful mid-section fulfils the intention, a calm, serene moment before the slicing guitars and essential hook kick back in. Spectres From The Old World sees the Bavarian Quintet reborn, the time absorbing other projects channelled into a riveting release. The expansive title track pulls hard, tremolo riffing and pulverising drumming meld with keys and luscious melody.
Further tracks like the massive Pali Aike and the lengthy Isa ensnare and captivate. The former containing crushing riffs whilst the latter’s slow burning feel disguises an elaborate, epic piece of work. This is an album that demands attention, time and total absorption. There is the promise of detailed packaging, with the album’s gatefold inner artwork a picture taken by Morean whilst the vocalist holidayed in Chile and beyond. Engineered, mixed and produced by Santura, Dark Fortress have returned with an album that is sure to feature highly come year end. 9/10
Polaris: The Death Of Me (Sharptone Records) [Alex Swift]
Polaris occupy a space between metalcore and modern progressive metal. At its most supremely executed, the combination results in immersive albums that combine the accessibility and openness of alternative genres and the methodical mastery of technical metal. On their second full-length release, The Death Of Me, the Sydney originating five-piece combine the volatility of Jamie Hails vocal contrasts with the equally changeable presence of fierce guitar textures, courtesy of Rick Schneider and Jake Steinhauser. Meanwhile, the rhythm section lays down thick and menacing grooves to complement the huge production and composition. All this results in a piece that is an authoritative addition to the acts discography, while not cutting out any new influence in the genre.
Pray For Rain proves an insanely commanding way to begin a record. A few echoing notes sound before Hail’s tortured vocals break the ambiance. This is an especially spine chilling moment and scarily complements the artwork of a burning man stood alone on a desolate beach. The ambient synths that overlook the entire track, never prove overpowering, simply lurking in the background creating a seductive soundtrack to the battling guitar resonances, which alter between melodic and crushing. The vigor continues on to Hypermania – two minutes of sheer and unbridled anger, laden with distortion and chaos, keeping the listener in a state of excitement. By contrast, Masochist is exquisitely harmonious. Still bringing a ton of power and command to the table, it does so in a way that progresses the album forward, through huge choruses, sweeping instrumental descants and a sense of fiery emotion, which matches the scale and determination of the song. Only on Landmine does it begin to feel as if the record might be treading water. Don’t mistake me here, there’s still enough skill in both the playing and writing here to drive the forcefulness and motivation of the album forward in a way that feels convincing. Again, in executing its aims, The Death Of Me is laudable, yet anyone looking for vast musical exploration here may be disappointed.
Moving into the second half of the album, I was enthused if feeling the strain of fatigue creeping up on me. Vagabond actually really excites me by bridging the difference between viscerality, and soaring theatrics. A stampeding riff features prominently during the verses, while the chorus proves one of the most distinctive and memorable. There’s still little here that hasn’t been done before yet there’s an earnestness and sincerity to the idea. In the same way, Creatures Of Habit excels through exaltation – from start to finish, it feels like everyone here is emptying the contents of their heart on to the track, in a way which proves affecting and poignant. Even as we lurch into Above My Head, there’s still a feeling of spirit present in the enthralling composition and the stabbing cries of ‘some things never change’ which allow you to see past the somewhat predictable alt-rock pastiches. Vitally – and here’s something which began to stand out to me more and more as the album went on – you may need to be of the right mind-set to listen to the album in full, without the whole piece blurring into one. That’s not to say there aren’t some great songs here, as there absolutely are! Look to the constantly progressing Martyr (Waves) which begins on a slow and subdued note before swelling into a heartfelt and profound epic which caresses the listener in a wave of passion, aided by the skilfulness of the percussion, the altering rhythmic textures, and the grandiosity of the guitars and the dynamic range of the vocals.
Finishing on All Of This Is Fleeting and The Descent, both of which are dramatic anthems of exaltation – we are certainly left with the impression that Polaris has poured their entire being on to these ten tracks. Will this be one of my defining moments of 2020 or win over detractors of the genre? Probably not. However, it’s a great effort by a band rapidly earning their place next to the greats of progressive metalcore. 7/10
Tombs: Monarchy Of Shadows EP (Season Of Mist) [Rich Oliver]
Monarchy Of Shadows is the new EP from Brooklyn black metallers Tombs. Their last release was 2017’s The Grand Annihilation album which saw the band experimenting with their sound mixing their black metal stylings with a number of differing influences but Monarchy Of Shadows sees the band harking back to their black metal roots in spectacular style. Founding member Mike Hill is the sole survivor from the line up on the previous release and joining him are Drew Murphy (bass), Justin Spaeth (drums) and Matt Medeiros (guitars) all making their recording debut with the band. This new line up of Tombs definitely makes a statement with Monarchy Of Shadows. The EP kicks off with the title track with its atmospheric keyboard driven intro before dropping into some crushing riffage which builds up nicely to a full on black metal assault of tremolo picked riffs, blast-beats and just full on ferocity before dropping into a mid paced atmospheric section which is no less effective.
Once Falls The Guillotine continues this momentum with its more melodically led but still suitably savage riffing. Necro Alchemy is another ripper but is suitably catchy for a black metal song and memorable for its chunky death metal mid section which is just punishing. Man Behind The Sun follows a similar format to the title track in that it starts off all guns blazing but switches before the end to a slow, creepy and atmospheric section dropping down to almost doom metal lack of speed. The Dark Rift brings back some death metal elements especially in the riffing style and Path Of Totality (Midnight Sun) switches back to black metal ferocity albeit over a variety of different tempos during the songs duration. Monarchy Of Shadows is a fantastic EP. Although I have really enjoyed the more experimental nature of the more recent albums by Tombs, this collection of songs just made me want to bang my head. There is still some influence from other genres than black metal prevalent throughout but this EP very much sits on the more extreme side of the Tombs sound. 8/10
H.E.A.T: H.E.A.T. II (earMusic) [Simon Black]
A new H.E.A.T. album and suddenly it’s 1987 again in my office. I’ve been aware of these guys for a while but for some reason never heard any of their stuff before today, so not being familiar with their back catalogue may be an advantage. If like me, you are new to this, then H.E.A.T. hail from Sweden (who doesn’t in rock circles nowadays, it’s like Stockholm is the new L.A., just with lots of fika, rather than coke binge parties). For a moment I was wondering if I was listening to a remastered compilation of old tracks, and was pleasantly surprised to find that these guys have only been around since 2007 and that this was an album of originals.
As an album, I get the sense they are trying to carry on in the vein of their first album (hence the title). I can’t tell you if they are successful in that aspect, but I can tell you that this album is definitely a cracker in its own right. There isn’t a song on hear that doesn’t show a robust and mature song-writing process, and this is a bunch of musicians who clearly know their craft from the cheesy sounding but punchy opener Rock Your Body to the unashamed fist-punching We Are Gods. This isn’t about blistering musicianship, it’s about fist-punching club to stadium rockers – solid rhythm and structure, a soaring vocal turn from the lungs of Erik Gronwall.
The production values are high too, with lots of layered reverb in there to emphasise their influences and that melodic radio rock sound everyone was striving for 30 years ago, but so few managed. Is there a place for 80’s hook-based melo-rock? Well yes, because I for one found this an uplifting foot-tapper of a record, which would have been huge if they had borrowed a TARDIS and got it out before Bon Jovi’s New Jersey. This is an album that doesn’t fail to deliver and stand out tracks for me are the single Come Clean and the more even-paced One By One, which shows a little more subtlety on the instrumentals and a lively vocal high note, and resists the temptation for the keyboards and vocal melodies to just follow each other. 8/10