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    The Prophecy – Salvation (2013)

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    Four years have passed since the band delivered their opus “Into the Light”, and now we finally have them back with an even more melancholic and depressive release with “Salvation”. As the band has matured, their sound has greatly progressed and in this release the band focuses more on very emotive vocal melodies and killer atmospheric components that make this album a very bleak and emotional ride.

    Matt Lawson’s vocals are one of our favorite elements of this release since they are right at the line between Epic Doom bands like Candlemass and While Heaven Wept and a very natural sound that is full of emotions and feelings, fitting the overall atmosphere of the music very well. Of course there are some growls here and there, but they are saved usually for the climax parts of the songs. The band’s move into more Progressive territories is another thing to note in the five songs presented in the album, making them sound a bit like Opeth during their transitional periods.

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    Unspoken – Requiem Aeternam Deo (2013)

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    With a very dark and foul sound (we mean it in a good way), today we have Norway’s Unspoken and their upcoming full-length “Requiem Aeternam Deo”, soon to be released in 2013. Mixing elements of Death, old-school Black, and some Thrash Metal, this band delivers 10 tracks of neck-snapping Metal that any fan of old-school music that demands modern production values would love.

    Opening with the bone-chilling “Baptized At The Altar of Rats”, the band’s fuzzy guitars are immediately present bringing havoc and destruction. The demonic vocals are very typical of old-school bands, and Unspoken really makes the shine with well-crafted music and an excellent production. Keeping the momentum going, the chugging riffs of “Redemption Scars” make this song quite catchy and perfect for some headbanging.

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    When Icarus Falls – Aegean (2012)

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    In a truly epic and devastating manner, today we have Swiss Post-Hardcore moshers When Icarus Falls and their sophomore full-length release “Aegean”. In this seven-track release the band delivers punishing anthems that remind us of a mixture of The Ocean with Neurosis and Amenra with a few hints of the Post-Metal elements of Cult of Luna. With the recording in charge of Julien Felhman, the band taps into their inner demons and unleashes one hell of a release.

    The riffing onslaught beings with the soul crushing “A Step Further”, a track that delivers crystal clear guitars and super harsh vocals. With a similar production sound to Neurosis and The Ocean, the band’s powerful guitar/vocal attacks are perfectly delivered. As the tracks bleeds into the album title track, subtle drums are very well used to bridge the two songs. “Aegean” delivers 9-minutes of intensity that constantly keeps growing over time. The vocals again take center stage as they are very powerful and greatly contrast the Post-Metal / Sludgy music laid out.

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    Aenaon / Stielas Storhett – Split (2012)

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    Being huge fans of Aenaon, we got very excited when we received this two-song split release between the Greeks and the Russian one-man band Stielas Storhett. Clocking in around 12 minutes, this split really showcases both bands ability to take Black Metal to completely new heights and make it seem easy.

    Opening the release we have Aenaon’s “Er”, a 6-minute track that continues their Progressive Black Metal brilliance after last year’s epic “Cendres Et Sang”. The band’s unique style is immediately present with funky melodic sections and killer vocals. The progressive elements of this track are excellent, but the sax on it really reminded us of Ihsahn and his own brand of music but with a jazzier edge, just like on the band’s previous release.

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    Wither – Necropolis (2012)

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    Delivering a highly melancholic debut full-length release, today we have “Necropolis” from the Australia two-man band Wither. Featuring a very diverse and depressing sound, this band will surely put you on suicide watch after listening to 50 minutes of brilliant Funeral Doom with some Black Metal and Gothic Rock elements. With elements from bands like Katatonia and the Russian Gothic/Doom band Autumn, this Aussie band has a very well defined sound that is extremely emotional.

    Opening with the heavy riffing of “Sonar Sphere”, the band’s sound immediately starts aggressive but as the melancholic melody sets in, this moves to the background. The raspy vocals are quite desolate and greatly add to the very moody atmosphere of the track. As the song progresses, the mood changes to a slower and even more desolate atmosphere, very similar to what Autumn used to do in their releases. Being the first track, we are completely hooked on how this release creates very bleak landscapes with their music.

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    Star Insight – My Time is Out (2012)

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    As an interesting hybrid of Eternal Tears of Sorrow, Before The Dawn, and Amorphis, today we have Finland’s Star Insight and their two-song single “My Time is Out”. With a heavy emphasis on atmospheric elements, Star Insight gives us a very promising look into their upcoming debut full-length release.

    Opening with “My Time is Out”, the band has a very similar sound to Before the Dawn on their “Soundscape of Silence” era thanks to the type of growls and the riffing used. Throwing some atmospheric elements into the mix, and now we have them sounding a bit like Eternal Tears of Sorrow. Don’t get us wrong, Star Insight has their own sound, but their influences are heavily marked in this song. As a song, “My Time is Out” is actually quite entertaining and diverse, showing their bombastic music and knack for multiple singing styles.

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    Fragments of Unbecoming - The Art of Coming Apart (2012)

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    Like a bag bricks to the face, Fragments of Unbecoming delivers their fourth full-length release “The Art of Coming Apart”. Hailing from Germany, this band packs a mean punch with their high-octane riffing onslaught and killer vocals. Many bands try to pull-off Melodic Death Metal, but only a handful, like F.U.O, bring the pain in every single one of their tracks combining a furious pace and crafty melodic passages.

    The clean opening of “The Art Of Coming Apart” nicely tricks your brain into thinking this will be a mellow track, just before blowing you away with hellish vocals and pummeling drums. The intensity of the band is the first thing that will impress you from them. Also, the ability to carve melodic sections into such brutal tracks is another excellent property of F.U.O, and can be heard in this opening track.

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    KingBathmat – Truth Button (2013)

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    Arriving from the UK, today we have KingBathmat and their excellent release “Truth Button”. Invoking Progressive Rock greats like Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Flower Kings, etc., this band delivers six excellent tracks filled will beautifully carved melodies and surprises in every corner. Not just being a copy of said bands, KingBathmat manages to fuse some Grunge with Experimental Rock elements and a dash of Psychedelic rock, crafting a very trippy and technically proficient sound.

    Opening with “Behind The Wall”, we can instantly listen how the band’s Grungy guitars perfectly blend with space-age keyboards similar to Spock’s Beard and such bands. The heavy guitar sound nicely contrasts the lush vocals and overall mood, creating a very powerful and melancholic sound. Fully warmed up, “Abintra” keeps the mood flowing with very harmonious vocals and a funky bass guitar line. This song also has very playful psychedelic undertones that elevate the atmosphere of this track.

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    Fen – Dustwalker (2013)

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    Arriving early 2013, we have Fen’s eagerly awaited third full-length release “Dustwalker”. This UK band has been pushing forward with their Post-Rock infused Atmospheric Black Metal for several years now, and with this release they manage to go fully over the Post-Rock side of things lined with some killer Black Metal elements. In this excellent release, the band delivers seven brilliant atmospheric tracks that will surely enchant you since the first one.

    Opening with the most brutal track in this release “Consequence”, the band goes on a killer opening with furious Black Metal riffing and crippling harsh vocals. This very intense opener nicely mixes some excellent clean vocals and the overall atmosphere feels very soothing once the song climaxes and closes. The Post-Rock side of things starts with the very ethereal “Hands of Dust”, a melancholic 11-minute song that is quite enjoyable and very easy flowing. Don’t get us wrong, there are intense BM moments here and there, but the overall structure of the track is quite melodic.

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    Lord Agheros – Demiurgo (2012)

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    Today we have one-man band Lord Agheros and its latest atmospheric opus titled “Demiurgo”. Hailing from Italy, this band suffers from the one person doing too many things syndrome, and while delivering excellent bone chilling atmospheric elements, the totally craptastic programmed drums bring down the release quality in a very drastic manner. For over 17 tracks, we are treated to some creepy passages and amazing symphonic elements, making this 60 minute release quite a journey.

    Warming up with “Chapter I: Prologue”, our expectations grew immensely since the atmosphere is very intoxicating. This nicely bleeds into “Eris”, a song where even the drumming is very tolerable in this song (very slow paced sections). What makes this track special is the spare acoustic guitars and string instruments that create a very desolate and eerie atmosphere when combined with the synths. With things speed up on “Styx”, is when Lord Agheros drops the ball and the horrible drumming begins. We understand that is hard to find talented drummers and that not all one-man bands call graciously pull off ALL instruments, but when the drumming sounds this fake, it makes us wonder if the person writing the music is actually listening to it.

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