Prophecy Productions

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    Lifelover – Sjukdom (2011)

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    After their brilliant “Konkurs”, it seems like the band ended their life and sent over some cheap copycats with “Sjukdom”. As you all might know, Lifelover is one of the most interesting bands when it comes to playing depressing experimental Metal. But with “Sjukdom” the band succumbs to mediocrity by playing the same things as on “Konkurs” and using cliché elements for shock value.

    The brilliant guitar driven atmosphere is missing for most of the album, and on songs like “Expandera”, it sounds like a carbon copy of what they did on “Konkurs”. The band’s consistency is also put to question with uninspired filler songs like “Homicidal Tendencies”, where the band leads off with basic guitar riffs and the cliché samples of little kids in the middle of the song.

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    Nucleus Torn – Andromeda Awaiting (2011)

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    As the last part of a trilogy, “Andromeda Awaiting” closes of the band’s previous two albums “Nihil” and “Knell” with a very melodramatic sound of beautifully constructed neo-classical/neo-folk pieces. Produced and written by Fredy Schnyder, this album has the same cinematic feeling that the band’s previous releases have presented us and provides a peaceful closure to a 4 year writing period.

    The beautiful vocals of Maria D'Alessandro adorn this release since the opening track and provide a very solemn performance that at some points (like on “II”) will give you the chills. On the other side we have some male vocals on here and there that give that extra touch to this release to make it a very personal and emotive.

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    Nucleus Torn – Travellers (2011)

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    Released as a compilation album “Travellers” features most of the band’s earlier works and two unreleased songs. All of the earlier songs have been re-worked and sound better than ever. If you are into Neo-folk and Avant-garde music, this is a brilliant opportunity to catch up with the band’s discography.

    “Travellers” starts off with the 4 songs of the “Krähenkönigin”. All of these songs are mainly neo-folk pieces and feature no vocals. Fredy Schnyder the band’s mastermind, multi-instrumentalist, producer, mixer, and jack of all trades has done a great job in making these four songs sound even better than the first time.

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    Helrunar – Sól (2011)

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    Today we have in our review queue Helrunar’s latest and most ambitious offering “Sól” a double-album that features 90 minutes of Black Metal with Folk elements and a great production in the hands of Markus Stock (Empyrium, The Vision Bleak). While the band has never been quite up there with the greats of the genre, this album has enough ambition to get them more attention.

    After a clam introduction, the CD1 quickly explodes into the anthemic “Kollapsar”. This song sets a very furious pace that unluckily the band is only able to keep up for some moments in the next tracks. Featuring very long songs (half of the band’s songs are over 8 minutes long) there are some moments of brilliance here and there, but they are drowned with mind numbing filler and traditional BM/Folk clichés.

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    Dornenreich – Flammentriebe (2011)

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    After gaining widespread popularity with their “Bitter ist's dem Tod zu dienen” album, one of the first ones to introduce Folkish elements with Black Metal back in 1999, the band has been constantly experimenting and releasing more and more interesting album every time. While plenty of people never understand the path of a band like this, we have loved almost every single album this band has put out.

    On “Flammentriebe”, the band returns to some of their most brutal roots and delivers one hell of an album.  Featuring 8 tracks of atmospheric neo-folk/classical metal with Black Metal attacks, Dornenreich makes it very hard for us to find a band that has done it before as graciously as them in this release. Each track is beautifully adorned with the amazing violin skills of Thomas Riesner and with Moritz Neuner back on drums, the sonic aggression never stops.

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    Antimatter – Alternative Matter (2011)

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    Releasing yet another compilation album, today we have Antimatter and their latest offering “Alternative Matter”. While we like these types of compilation releases that have unreleased tracks and alternative versions, we are kind of getting tired of Antimatter taking their fans to the cleaners with 2 non-new albums after their great “Leaving Eden” back in 2007.

    That being said, “Alternative Matter” comes in two different versions: the standard double-CD digipack (reviewed here) and a premium art-book edition with 3 CD’s, one DVD, and a 104 page book. Out of the 22 tracks presented in our promo version, we are mostly interested in Duncan Patterson’s remixes and some enhanced versions.

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    Various Artists – Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings (2010)

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    Prophecy Productions has always been a label associated with top acts in the Neo-Folk / Neo-Classical genres, and with “Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings”, the label puts together a very comprehensive package of top bands of the genre in the shape of a two CD/LP compilation of exclusive and rare tracks. While some people might call it a money-grabbing attempt from the label, we have to recognize that every single track in this release is of the outmost quality and creates a very cohesive atmosphere around it.

    Featuring exclusive songs from bands like Empyrium, Nest, Nebelung, Tenhi, October Falls, Les Discrets, and Dornenreich among others will surely make fans of the bands and the genres immediately acquire this release as a essential addition to their collection. Other might be enticed by ‘rare’ tracks such as “Synen” from Ulver, and “Apres l'Ombre” by Les Discrets. But the most important thing here is the chance of getting a wide variety of bands together in a double release that will serve as a perfect starting point for people looking into the genres.

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    Lifelover – Konkurs (2010)

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    The ever so interesting Prophecy Productions are re-releasing this 2010 one of the most interesting and deranged albums in the last couple of years: Lifelover’s “Konkurs”. Featuring a wide palette of influences ranging from Depressive Black Metal, Ambient, Gothic Metal, Post-Rock, Shoegaze, and everything in between, the band created one of the masterpieces of Experimental music and now we get to have it re-issued and hopefully can reach a bigger audience.

    With the fourteen tracks presented in “Konkurs”, the band has managed to create a hauntingly majestic release that transcends the barriers of musical genres and human emotions. The overall bleak and depressive atmosphere around “Konkurs” is top notch and only bands like Lantlôs and Svarti Loghin can ever come close to it. Be it the combination of genres, or the emotional vocals, it’s left to the listener to discover how Lifelover will affect their psyche with this release.

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    Lantlôs - .neon (2010)

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    Hailing from Germany (well, the original ‘half’ of the band is from Germany), we get today Lantlôs with their second “.neon”, the band’s second full-length release. And right of the bat, we will tell you that “.neon” is one of the best depressive Post-Black Metal releases we have ever heard. The bleak atmosphere created by this release is unparalleled.

    Featuring Neige from Alcest on vocals, Lantlôs has crafted around 40 minutes of pure depressive music that will make Amélie Poulain get sad and depressed. The enchanting melodies crafted on “.neon” are greatly adorned by Neige’s sorrowful vocals, sounding sometimes similar to Alcest, but with a higher dose of jazzy elements that create an intoxicating atmosphere.

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    Nàttsòl – Stemning (2010)

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    With a true Norwegian Black Metal sound, Nàttsòl has unleashed upon the world their majestic debut release: “Stemming”. The band has the true and cold atmosphere that Black Metal should have, but what makes them standout is their use of folk elements through the album, making them sound like Ulver in their “Bergtatt” and “Kveldssanger”.

    Working in secrecy since 2006 Erlend Antonsen, the mastermind behind Nàttsòl, had been writing songs and required the services of top notch musicians from the Norwegian scene in order to bring his creations to life. With “Stemming” we get a very mature Black Metal album in nature, but with a brilliant shroud of mysticism and folk elements thrown into the mix.

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