Seth - La Morsure Du Christ (Season Of Mist)
Seth can be viewed as the elder statesmen of French black metal, their early records have become seminal pieces in the history of black metal as the band pioneered using their native tongue rather than English. To this day hearing black metal sung in French just adds a mystique to anti-religious lyricism of Seth. La Morsure Du Christ (the bite of Christ), is their second album since their return from hiatus in 2011, but what's more influential here is that it is the first record since Seth celebrated the 20th anniversary of their debut record touring it around Europe, an all-new line up set forth on recording La Morsure Du Christ full of the same bile for religion that they had on their debut back in 1998. They have tried to recapture the fierce nature of their debut, the Gothic keyboards set against the rapid tumultuous black metal riffage, grinding bass and frantic double kicks. Sacrifice de Sang ups the Gothic stake, Hyme Au Vampire (Act III) is dramatic, filled with choirs and lilting acoustic in it's theatrical climax.
I've made a few statements about Seth's staunch anti-religious rhetoric and it's never more obvious than on the blistering Ex-Cathédrale which deals with the burning of Notre-Dame in Paris, depicted on the cover of the album, seeing it as a shift from the reign of Christianity into a much more Godless world. There's a quite a wide soundscape on this record, the use of keys/piano is quite pronounced, much like it was on their debut Les Blessures de L'Ame to which this is a stylistic sequel. It is a record that clearly follows the debut as much as possible, keeping that rage burning but the music here has been refined by a long career and a more recent desire to prove that Seth are still at the very apex of French black metal. La Morsure Du Christ is the comeback record the fans have been clamouring for since Seth decided to return from their hiatus. Through mastery of the occult and rejection of the established dogma Seth capture the lot on their sixth studio album. Well worth indulging in for fans of mature black metal. 8/10
Lucid Sins - Cursed! (The Sleeping Shaman/Totem Cat Records)
Glasgow's Lucid Sins are a two-piece made up of Ruaraidh Sanachan (multi) and Andreas Johnsson (vocals/guitar), their freewheeling psychedelia, has been carrying the spirit of Woodstock all across Glasgow's bustling live scene for a fair few years now, their first album
Occulation was released in 2015, so seven years later they have followed up with a second record that features an expanded line up but the same darkly occult style of psych rock born in the shadow of band acid trips and Altamont violence. If I were to make a comparison I'd say Witchcraft/Ghost jamming The Doors and Wishbone Ash covers, choking on dense bong smoke as they do. When Ruaraidh spoke about the record he mentioned his love for Steely Dan and that how their band set up inspired him to bring in various musicians to contribute to the record adding four additional collaborators on guitar, bass, keys and violin.
At 8 tracks there just enough musical discovery to beckon you into the trippy, folksy retro-fuelled musical journey of Cursed! It's an album that unashamedly draws from the late 60's/early 70's with some folky layered acoustics of bands like Steeleye Span, usually a bass for the explorative clean electric leads or swirling 'lead' organs that shift into both The Doors and Jon Lord mastery. The collaborations bring a the jam feel of bands like The Grateful Dead but vocally Andreas is a dead ringer for on Tobias Forge. From the proto-metal of Joker's Moon, through the The Devil's Sign which has lots of violin ala Fairport Convention or Kansas before proggy/gothic The Forest closes this chapter. Cursed! is a fine psych rock record, for anyone who loves their music retro and packed full of musical flourishes. 8/10
Fragment Soul - Axiom Of Choice (Sleazy Rider Records)
Founded by Spiros Georgiou (bass) and Dimitris Louvros (guitar), Fragment Soul are a progressive metal band from Greece. Originally formed by the two men in 2016, they have been joined by Sedate Illusion keyboardist Vangelis Kakarougas, Nick Argyriou on vocals and Kostas Milonas on drums. They began to record Axiom Of Choice which is the bands' debut record. Like with so many progressive metal bands Axiom of Choice is also a concept record, dealing with darkness, despair and deliverance focussed around two main characters. For the full realisation of this dark love story at the heart of the record, the band have been joined by Draconian frontwoman Heike Langhans who lends her voice and her experience in writing etc to the project.
This record has been a part of Spiros and Dimitris' lives since they were teenagers so it will clearly hold a lot of emotions for them, however how does it resonate with the listener? At 42 minutes and just four tracks, you can expect density if nothing else, three of the songs are over 10 minutes with the final one Oedipus Complex a snippet at just 5. Now progressive metal is a broad term and you may jump straight onto bands such as Dream Theater, but Fragment Soul are a more emotional, brooding listen, there's lots more elements of bands like Porcupine Tree, Riverside, Katatonia and even Opeth (minus death vocals). There's a sense of innate sadness abound on all four of these songs tying in to the concept of the album very well
The songs featuring down-beat, lushly orchestrated songs with understated keys, ringing, echoed guitars, a throbbing rhythm section and despairing vocals from both voices, Nick having that strong baritone while Heike provides a beautiful haunting counterpoint especially on the desolate A Choice Between Two Evils which is brilliant slow burner. In fact the majority of this record can be called a slow burner, shifting it into the doomier sound of Heike's band Draconian the stirring strings of Every Heart Sings A Song distinctly moving into the romantic misery the Scandinavians do very well.
There's certainly a lot of thought/time and effort gone into Axiom Of Choice and it's an album that begs for repeated listens. There will be many that don't class this as a metal album at all but I've always been a lover of the more introspective bands I referred to earlier in the review. Fragment Soul took a risk with this dense concept piece as a debut but it's a great record from a promising band. 7/10
Acid's Trip - Strings Of Soul (Heavy Psych Sounds)
Coming from former Honeymoon Disease guitarist Acid, Strings of Soul is what I guess you could call a solo record from her. There hasn't been any sort of epiphany during the down time between bands as Acid's Trip retains a sheer love of boogie rock n roll with Acid and co-guitarist Mike locking in with some twin axe action from the Robertson/Gorham or Rossi/Parfitt playbooks. In the backroom Rockhard (drums) and Lucas (bass) have a gutsiness of Taylor/Kilminster with the fuzz of Smith/Thompson. Strings Of The Soul is biker rock with Acid's vocal sneer leading the attitude filled tracks like No More Fucks and Get It Right as they bring a touches of punk, stoner and some Gothenburg groove to the record you can certainly understand why this band are touted as live act to witness in their native Sweden. If bands such as Honeymoon Disease, The Hellacopters and Dead Lord are in your leather clad listening pile then you'll be remiss not to add Strings Of Soul. 7/10