Formed by the immensely talented multi-instrumentalist and singer Duncan Patterson as a back-to-rock extension of his days in British legends Anathema, Alternative 4 fulfills expectations and defies them by releasing a record which practically bleeds emotion from every sonic pore.
The Brink doesn’t follow any predetermined path, however, nor does it cater to the will of longtime fans-although the temptation surely loomed high to do so-but instead blazes a unique trail of its own along the way, taking the lessons learned by Patterson throughout his years in Anathema, as well as his own, brilliant Antimatter project. Sparse arrangements are the name of the game here, and Patterson is in no hurry to ‘get to the point’ with any of these songs, instead letting each track breathe and grow to its fullest potential.
Gentle piano and painted, fragile vocals lift these songs up to the heavens, while grandiose guitar accompaniment hit with just the right sonic impact to sound totally thunderous and smashing, when taken in proper context. Elsewhere, ethereal female vocal work offers beautiful counterpoint, as drummer Mauro Firson and guitarist/vocalist Mark Kelson-on loan from Aussie doom rockers The Eternal-back up these songs with their own impressive skill.
To say that Alternative 4 and The Brink are essential to classic Anathema or Antimatter fans is a given at this point: this one is right up your alley, and is destined for some severe stereo rotation. Pure, despondent brilliance.
Europe really gets it all… especially when it comes to metal! Even the fests that few in the states hear about have absolutely incredible lineups. Like, take the Vagos Open Air Fest that happened this past weekend in Portugal. I’m positive that most of us have not heard of this festival and it featured OPETH, MORBID ANGEL, DEVIN TOWNSEND, ANATHEMA, TIAMAT, IHSAHN and KALMAH amongst others!
This is a lineup that I would travel any distance and pay any price to see in the States but we just don’t get this kind of awesomeness for some reason. However, what’s even more impressive is that those in attendance got to see something truly special — IHSAHN performing “Juular” alongside DEVIN TOWNSEND. Press and fans alike have been salivating over this track since we learned of its existence and now the two enigmatic icons have performed it together live.
All I can say is wow… I’m am, for the first time EVER, incredibly jealous of Portugal….
Ghost Brigade-Until Fear No Longer Defines Us (Seasons of Mist)
Over the course of three full lengths, Finland’s Ghost Brigade have successfully managed to remain refreshingly independent and stylistically nebulous when it comes to niche categorization, which makes the title of this latest LP, Until Fear No Longer Defines Us, even more self-prophetic.
Indeed, Ghost Brigade have smartly distanced themselves from the bulk of their musical countrymen, foregoing extravagantly effeminate goth/sleaze rock and romantic love metal in favor of dour, yet bittersweet melodic metal of the darkest persuasion. Echoes of the great Amorphis permeate the heavy ‘n doomy guitar motifs of Tommi Kiviniemi and Wille Naukkarinen, yet the stylistic core of Ghost Brigade is something thoroughly of their own creation, particularly here on Fear.
It’s on this third effort where the band’s songwriting expands a bit beyond the post-Katatonia realm, and searches mellower, cleaner-toned territory, coming up roses all the while. Lead singer Manne Ikonen has come a long way in particular, making the Anathema-esque balladry of “Chamber” and “In the Woods” his own, while servicing just fine his bandmates’ heavier flirtations on “Clawmaster” with equal aplomb and skill.
There is a wealth of gold to be dug from the diamond-plated arrangements and gold-level songwriting present here on Until Fear No Longer Defines Us; a certain career highlight for Ghost Brigade which is bound to turn some heads. Really, really strong stuff.
Funeral-To Mourn Is A Virtue (Solitude Productions)
Very few acts have had to suffer as many tragedies as this long-standing Norwegian doom outfit.
Sadly fitting both their name and debut EP titles, Funeral’s Tristesse and Tragedies efforts set an early course for heavy ‘n hollow doom/death in the staunch and stoic 90s tradition. Yet time has seen the band embrace a more melodic mindset over subsequently released full lengths, even as band members Christian Loos (guitars) and Einar Fredriksen (bass/vocals) tragically departed this mortal coil.
Whereas 2006′s From These Wounds showcased a particularly strong and energetic (so to speak) version of Funeral, the freshly released To Mourn Is a Virtue consists of unreleased material from the band’s early days, sounding practically morose in comparison. The album envelops the listener within this all-encompassing, emotionally crushing depression. While the super-doomy guitars of old have been tempered with the more subtle, My Dying Bride-esque harmony approach, the end results are no less powerful in scope, with To Mourn…capturing a suitably downcast atmosphere.
It’s not something easily digested at one sitting, or on a random, sunny day. Rather, To Mourn…is an album better experienced in the darkest of nights or in the twilight hours of the morning; Funeral speak with their hearts here, letting each note, riff and sigh ring out with uncontrollable misery and morose majesty. The band’s sound is not for everyone, mind, yet for old school doom fans, Funeral should press all the right (wrong) buttons.
Real Talk: I was entranced with this record from the very beginning.
Within the span of a few simple notes, the Appalachian outfit known as Forest of the Soul manages to capture a wealth of worthy depth, beauty and emotion within their carefully crafted, acoustic yarns.
It becomes difficult to truly express how well these songs are composed here on Restless In Flight, or to properly define the inspirations which surely lay behind this project of Nechochwen members Aaron Carey and Andrew Della Cagna. It all seems so ethereal and untouchable; as if Forest of the Soul were never really there in the first place, but rather some sort of possessive spirit, deigning to grace the good ol’ U.S. of A. with an atmospheric power usually reserved for our European cousins.
For some starting reference points: think the gloomy British-ness of Anathema and Antimatter meshed with Green Carnation’s Acoustic Verses, and then stripped down to a core of quintessential Americana. While not particularly sounding like any of these artists, the spectres of Dylan, Cave and Waits lurk here, as well, yet Forest of the Soul really sound like none of the above.
No, this isn’t your average singer/songwriter act, nor is it some sort of forced melancholia. Rather, Restless in Flight transcends cliches and genre restrictions to fly right alongside the eagles of independent, underground, emotionally available artists who came before, while offering honest-to-goodness hope for the future.
Quite simply a record you NEED to hear in 2011: Forest of the Soul is brilliant.
While never really gaining much in terms of popularity or influence, California’s Mindrot nevertheless held an capable grip upon some truly dreary doom/death, before sadly imploding in the late 90s.
With a history beginning in the late 80s, this Orange County outfit began life as a crustier, deathier outfit, combining dirty, heavy riffage with grim-as-fuck, harrowing atmosphere to create a unique brand of noise on the band’s early demos and splits.
Mindrot truly began to come into their own in 1995, however, with the release of their Relapse debut EP, Forlorn. This three song teaser would lead Mindrot into what would become their defining, full length release of the same year, Dawning. Although still very much a death/doom group as its core, Dawning presented a textured, more emotionally open Mindrot; a band who felt just as comfortable letting loose with haunting soundscapes as it did thick, tortured heaviness.
Another aspect of the Mindrot sound was the band’s unerring dedication to ‘The Build-Up’, put to great use on the album’s title track, and a technique widely employed by the band on their 1998 follow up, Soul, as well. Drummer Evan Kilbourne utilized every piece of his kit, making sure that the listener heard every crashing cymbal and pounding tom, while guitarists John Flood and Dan Kaufman ripped out unorthodox riffs and repetitive phrasing to their best use on similarly killer songs like ‘Anguish.’
Mindrot worked on multiple levels of doom, gloom and tempo, and with Soul seemed to find an even more delicate balance between beauty and the beast. Alas, it was not to be, however, and Mindrot played their final show in 1998. Oddly enough, Kilbourne would concentrate his musical duties with the ska-punk band Save Ferris, while Kaufman and bassist/vocalist Matt Fisher-who could weave effortlessly between hideous growls and mournful moans-would later resurface in the equally intriguing Eyes of Fire, who would release the excellent Ashes to Embers on Century Media in 2004.
With Eyes on Fire also put on hold, however-after following up Ashes with the disappointing Prisons in 2006-it’s uncertain as to where the ex-members of Mindrot might ply their musical wares next. It would be a shame for such talented dudes to go to waste, so here’s hoping we hear more from Fisher and Kaufman in the near future. When it comes to epitaphs, though, one could do far worse than Mindrot’s destructive double-shot of Dawning and Soul.
It what is a truly stunning and expansive achievement, the English death/doom overlords in My Dying Bride have seen it fit to try and encapsulate an entire career-focused, as always, upon irrefutably beautiful misery and melancholy-within a new medium: that of a fluid, sublime symphony.
Actually, ‘try’ probably isn’t the best word to describe Evinta. ‘Absolute success’ is probably more accurate, particularly given the massive scope of this sprawling, two disc set-with a triple, deluxe edition on the way-and the incredible lengths My Dying Bride must have had to undertake in order to have this album see the light of day.
Boy, has it been worth the wait, however, for Evinta works on multiple, shimmering layers of awesomeness. On one level, the album supplies an encyclopedic, essential overview of the band’s best and most memorable, miserable melodies-all overseen by Bal-Sagoth keyboardist Johnny Maudling, and performed alongside brilliant orchestral and operatic accompaniment-textured within a guitar-less, yet no less ‘heavy’ dynamic.
Elsewhere, the album also gives all of these newly-titled and uniquely arranged compositions new life and lustre, with frontman Aaron Stainthorpe having submitted new vocals and lyrics to these fantastic, flowing anthems of sorrow incarnate. While there may be some muttering from the peanut gallery with regards to the ‘metal-ness’ (or lack thereof) of Evinta, but this argument should be immediately silenced upon an even cursory listen to Evinta; the album My Dying Bride was destined to unleash at some point or another.
Indeed, the band’s gothic, death/doom heritage is placed well on display throughout the album’s nine-plus tracks, just presented with a new cloak of tears, sorrow and regret; classic themes painted upon a new palette of grim and darkened grandeur. Thus, it goes without saying that Evinta should prove to be essential listening, not only for My Dying Bride fanatics, but for anyone who desires to hear a truly unique melding of metal and classical music.
Simply one of the most impressive albums released so far this year.
Norway’s To Cast a Shadow play a fairly original game here on their sophomore effort, In Memory Of.
While I can’t say that I’ve been personally familiar with this band’s work up until this point, I’m sort of kicking myself that I haven’t, because In Memory Of displays an incredible amount of promise within its dark, gothic grooves.
For once, the attached press release actually describes the band quite well, offering up classic doom/death templates of 3rd and the Mortal, Theatre of Tragedy and Paradise Lost as comparative aesthetics, combined with the neo-progressive elements of Tool and Porcupine Tree.
If anything, the overall effect possess much in common with their countrymen (and woman) in Madder Mortem. Both acts are currently leading the charge in terms of forward-thinking stylistic risks, while also remaining conceptually vague and difficult to categorize.
In this day and age, this is definitely a good thing, and To Cast a Shadow win via their dogged determination to be different than the leagues of copycats and plagiarists currently ruling the indie metal roost. Instead, the band embraces heritage, quality and hard working songcraft, and the results speak for themselves: In Memory Of is a fantastic effort which blazes its own unique trail in the rough, spun hard by Marcus Garnlien’s inventive riffing and singer Gunnhild Huser’s sweet-yet-strong lead vocal command.
Sounding equal parts Kari Rueslatten and Agnete Kirkevaag, Huser is just one of the band’s excellent elements of defense against an oft-insipid and boring scene; a light in the darkness of complacency. Kudos to you guys for taking chances and coming up with something you can call your own!
Soft, methodical and soothing, this debut from Portland’s Aerial Ruin is essentially the solo endeavor of Erik Moggridge, who has collaborated with many progressive West Coast metal acts over the years, including Old Grandad, Drift of a Curse and Epidemic.
What? You haven’t heard of any of the aforementioned acts? Me neither, but this doesn’t really do much to discourage any enjoyment taken from Valleys of the Earth, a nice little listen which, although stylistically reminiscent of Steve Von Till’s solo work, is honest and engaging enough to overcome its basic, unforgiving-if-you-can’t-do-it-properly framework.
Yes, this is bare-bones, acoustic folk music; something which certainly has been done before, many times. Valleys of the Earth is primordially dark, however, very much taking inspiration from Moggridge’s obvious metallic background within its bleaker moments. There are touches of Duncan Patterson’s Antimatter at times, but Valleys of the Earth is truly more based within rural Americana than anything else; a woeful, lonely paean to life on the Dylan-esque train tracks, to the disaffected and disenfranchised.
Moggridge’s voice is monotone and subterranean, luring the listener in with an almost mantra-like quality, laid atop the album’s simplistic, gentle sway of acoustics. Although the occasional lead burst filers in now and then, the results are subtle, and never tread upon the main songwriting path of emotion and contemplative thought.
Valleys of the Earth is a solid listen which embraces this listener over time, which is what all good album should do, really. Worth investigation, surely.
