dark metal

(7/10) It was the 90’s peak of gothic metal and the evolving female-fronted symphonic metal some years later that acted as a source of inspiration for South Tyrolean drummer Mirko Montresor to start a band that he named Alight. This happened in 2005 and since then the release of the band’s debut and some line-up changes took place. The latter has been the hinder for using the debut and several tours as a springboard for reaching a wider crowd of fans.

It looks like the stormy days are over here and now. The band from Bozen, Italy signed a contract with El Puerto Records and it’s the sophomore album “Spiral of Silence” that will be available in the record stores almost nine years after the debut hit the shelves.

The band’s second album features ten new songs, representing the earlier mentioned roots and inspiration. Tracks like the opener “Spiral of Silence” are good melodic metal tunes. Alight never gets too soft and sugar sweet. There is enough firepower for metalheads embedded in each of the songs without getting too heavy either. Guitars are present as well as keyboards create a melodic foundation for songs like “Psiche”.

The album doesn’t need a lot of loops to reveal some beauty. Tracks like the catchy “Lost in the Past” bloom immediately since one thing is for certain – the band has a great sense for harmonies and hooks. Last but not least the entire album sounds quite modern and I was reminded more than once of Swedish Drain STH in their “Simon Says”-days as well as I had to think of Lacuna Coil.

All in all I can conclude that “Spiral of Silence” is gloomy rocking record with songs that will not win an innovation award, but catches you with hooks and melodies, both hard to resist.

(7/10)

Tracklist:

1. Spiral of Silence
2. The Portal
3. Psiche
4. Lost In The Past
5. Walk To the Line
6. Roses in the Dusk
7. The Shame
8. Look Closer
9. Absence of Essence
10. Let Me Touch the Horizon

Label: El Puerto Records

Genre: Gothic Metal

Release Date EU: April 27^th, 2018

(6/10) It's not easy to write a review for this album. Normally I don't want to be influenced by anything more than by listening to an album a few times in a row, which shapes a picture about the release and the included songs. What makes it less easy this time is a Facebook post from a few days ago in which the band addresses with dramatic words the sales situation of CD's and vinyls compared to streams and downloads, linked to the financial effect. Furthermore the pre-sales for the upcoming shows doesn't seem to by very satisfactory and it was mainly statements like: "That will only happen, have you fans get off your lazy asses and start buying tickets for the announced shows." that created irritation with fans of the band and fans of metal in general. I think it's never a good thing to insult your own fan base, how tricky things are.

However, let the music do the talking since great music will always finds friends. "Expectation" is an intro that leads to "Salvation", the opener of Crematory's 14th studio record. It's a melodic song, kept gloomy in the verse and catchy in the chorus. The tune is easy approachable and belongs to the positive moments on the album. "Ghost of the Past" is a song that combines gothic, riff and beat in a good way and also the heavier "Cemetery Stillness" has moments of dark joy.

Where's light there's normally darkness too. The extremely boring "Stay With Me" might benefit from mainstream catchiness, but doesn't include any specific feature that wasn't heard earlier in time and in a much better fashion, something that also goes for the title track. "Oblivion" feels like nomen et omen since the tune could fall into oblivion by its standard expression and trivial melody.

To sum up: If you should buy the album, stream the album or ignore it is something each of you need to decide for yourself. I can only tell you that "Oblivion" has some better moments of dark gothic rock, which are mainly the ones with guitars in the forefront. However, also the good attempts aren't mind-blowing and there's nothing new or surprising to expect with "Oblivion". I assume fans will like "Oblivion", but it's a tough thing to gain new fans with this longplayer. Let's see what the future will bring.

(7/10) Leipzig in Saxony, Germany is the home base of a psychedelic rock outfit called Black Salvation. The band released the debut in 2014, framed by some EP’s that saw the light of day before and after “In Deep Circles” hit the shelves.

Black Salvation is a trio comprising of Paul Schlesier being founder and frontman (v/g), Uno Bruniusson on drums and Birger, who joined in 2011, on bass. These three guys worked on the sophomore album “Uncertainty is Bliss” which will be available after Easter this year.

The band’s second delivery includes eight songs that gave me a hard time in the beginning. I have to admit that the first time I listened to “Uncertainty is Bliss” didn’t lead to full excitement. I can’t even tell you exactely why this was the case. Maybe I expected something else, not knowing the band’s debut. What was clear though was the fact that involved musicians did a good job and also songwriting shows good ideas that were realized on the album.

With having this in mind the album was spinning a few more times and grew over time. “Uncertainty is Bliss” needs some loops to unveil its dark beauty. The mixture metal, post-punk and krautrock demands some time and space to bloom since band and song don’t follow the conventional patterns.

To sum up: “Uncertainty is Bliss” is a well-crafted psychedelic rock album that has some depth and follows a path that’s far away from mainstream. Still it’s approachable though when giving it the time needed to unveil the details and bloom. It might not deliver a totally new experience for listeners, but it contains enough exciting moment to check it out.

(7/10)

Tracklist:

1. In A Casket’s Ride
2. Floating Torpid
3. Breathing Hands
4. The Eye That Breathes
5. Leair
6. A Direction is Futile
7. Grey River
8. Getting Slowly Lost
9. The Chapel (Bonus Track)
10. Follow Me Down (Bonus Track)

Label: Relapse Records

Genre: Psychedelic Rock

Release Date EU: April 6^th, 2018

Cradle Of Filth and Moonspell played the Patronaat in Haarlem, The Netherlands early February and here are some photos of this excellent show.

(8/10) Tribulation is hailing from Arvia, close to Stockholm. The quartet was founded 14 years ago as a death metal outfit before the Swedes evolved their music. Over time Tribulation added more and more gloomy gothic elements to their sound, something that made them more unique and opened the band for new fans. The third album, "The Children of the Night", was the first one for Century Media, which gave the guys a new platform and was a milestone when it comes to the band's offer.

Now, in 2018, the quartet releases the highly anticipated new longplayer, entitled "Down Below" and Tribulation invested time into songwriting and production of the new longplayer. Three years after "The Children of the Night" escaped from darkness it's the new longplayer that shows a continuation of evolvement. Fans from the very beginning might have a problem with this development since the Transylvanian goth approach is still a crucial gloomy element of Tribulation's sound.

"Down Below" comprises of nine new songs and starts acoustic. A calm moment introduces “The Lament” before the song evolves to a dark goth metal tune that sounds like a raw version of Fields Of The Nephilim. “Nightbound” has a similar approach, followed by “Lady Death”, which is a spot-on three minutes long anthem that showcases Tribulation’s sound being boiled down to its essence.

In order to break the pattern Tribulation adds an acoustic interlude entitled “Purgatorio” to the tracklist. The atmospheric instrumental is a welcomed moment of repose before “Cries from the World” kicks in with a dark vibe and excellent guitar work.

“Lacrimosa” means a shift in speed. The tune belongs to the uptempo ones on the album and creates a great counterpart to the gloomy “The World”, which is next in line.

With “Here Be Dragons” the end of this fantastic longplayer is near. Riffs and piano parts stand for a well-done start before the tune builds up to a sinister death rocker with some filigree solo sections. The song summarizes all you have listened to earlier on this album in a perfect way, acting as the Grand Finale of this terrific longplayer.

This longplayer is a completely rounded piece of work. Music, sound, done at Soundtrade Studios and Studio Cobra, and artwork fit together more than well. "Down Below" is the soundtrack for a Carpathian horror show, a record you definitely have to check out.

(8/10)

Tracklist:

1. The Lament
2. Nightbound
3. Lady Death
4. Subterranea
5. Purgatorio
6. Cries from the Underworld
7. Lacrimosa
8. The World
9. Here Be Dragons

Label: Century Media

Genre: Dark/Goth Metal

Release Date FY: January 26^th, 2018

(9/10) The new year starts gloomy. Portuguese doom master Sinistro release their newest strike „Sangue Cassia“, an album I was very much looking forward to after having seen the band on stage, being the opening act on the latest Paradise Lost tour. It was sweeping to see their show and I guess the guys could score far more than just some new fans on that tour.

Like with the predecessor also the new record is mainly kept in slo-mo. „Cosmos Controle“ kicks it off. Hefty riffs are the solid foundation of a song that comes with more than just a sinister approach.  This tune is a somber cornerstone of the album. To also break things up, the five piece from Lisbon added a calmer middle section with Patricia Andrade‘s vocals in the forefront. It‘s this mixture of loud and calm that adds a lot to this song - and the longplayer in its entirety. 

Sinistro isn‘t a band that keeps it short and spot-on. The opener is an eleven minutes tune that‘s followed by „Lotus“, getting close to eight minutes of essential melancholy. A dramatic beginning slowly evolves to a low-paced metal monster with an immense level of intensity. 

Compared to these two epic masterpieces it is „Petalas“ that comes as a short and atmospheric number. „Vento Sul“ finishes the first half of the album and if you still wait for some light-hearted tunes from sunny Portugal you have to stop reading here and now. „Abismo“ continues in darkness, being a next heavy tune with a lot of riff-power included. Again it’s the interaction of harsh guitars and almost fragile vocals that creates the magic with this album. Sinistro kept another epic smasher till the end. „Cravo Carne“ takes you on a 10 minutes trip through wistfulness and melancholia, leaving the listener with a strong need for light and life.

“Sangue Cassia“ is the first highlight of a new year in rock. These guys know how to add emotions and intensity to their expressive music. The album fits perfect into the winter grayness and is for sure not done for sun worshipers.

(9/10)

Tracklist:

1. Cosmos Controle
2. Lotus
3. Petalas
4. Vento Sul
5. Abismo
6. November
7. Gardenia
8. Cravo Carne

Label: Season Of Mist

Genre: Dark Metal

Release Date EU: January 5th, 2018

(7/10) Portuguese dark metal powerhouse Moonspell released a few weeks ago their twelfth longplayer. „1755“ is the title of this album that shows Moonspell from another angle. The newest output from Portugal’s finest is a concept album with the devastating earthquake from 1755 being the thematically center piece. „1755“ aims for reflecting the entire impact of such a force of nature in ten new songs.

 A glimpse on the tracklist shows the first difference to other Moonspell releases. The entire album is kept in Portuguese which fits very well to the topic, but also makes it difficult to follow this dramatic story line. Therefor let‘s focus on the music that has to do the job.

„Em Nomen Do Medo“ is the starting point. Being dark and oppressive, the tune is an intro to this musical interpretation of a natural disaster. Bombast and drama are already a substantial element of the opener, leading you to the title track „1755“, which is a heavy song with a cinematic expression, mainly due to the choir that‘s included in this number.

Moonspell uses orchestral elements and the mentioned choir to increase the intensity of the newest longplayer and they succeed. „1755“ comes with an impressive density which is also an achievement of the production, done by no less than the well-known Tue Madsen.

All the mentioned describes a longplayer that gets out of the speakers very well, but I also have to say that the five piece band had already stronger releases in the past. Moonspell had always great songs that have been part of the earlier releases (like „Await” and „Opium“) but also the last album „Extinct“ comprised more than one true highlight being part of the tracklist.

„1755“ is in this context different. The album can be seen as a Gesamtkunstwerk but misses real highlights with a few songs that stick out a bit. It almost feels like Moonspell got lost in bombast, frills and details. Less would have been more. Even though there are with „Ruínas“ and „Abanão“ two tracks that get closer to the highlights of the predecessors, these numbers are in general more the exception than the rule.

Moonspell doesn‘t listen to the echoes of the past and decided to go for a partly new approach with „1755“. The ten songs include the typical Moonspell trademarks and showcase a successful endeavour that still has some room for improvement. „1755“ is a good album, but Moonspell has better ones in their impressive discography.

(7/10)

Tracklist:

1. Em Nome Do Medo
2. 1755
3. In Tremor Dei
4. Desastre
5. Abanão
6. Eveto
7. 1 De Novembro
8. Ruínas
9. Todos Os Santos
10. Lanterna Dos Afogados

Label: Napalm Records

Genre: Dark Metal

Release Date EU: November 3^rd, 2017

Dool is still a fairly new band with band members reflecting the best Dutch dark rock/metal has in the offer. Each of the five guys has a proven track record in rock and combining forces leads to this powerful dark rock outfit. Some intensive live shows and an excellent debut where the pillars to date for a fast growing fan base. 

I had the chance to witness one of the first Dool shows in March this year, which was a great experience. Based on that, the level of curiosity was rising the moment the band announced some NL shows in late autumn. One of these concerts took place at Paard Van Troje in Den Haag. The show was announced at the smaller of the two rooms with Dutch Wolvennest being the ones who got the support slot.

Before Ryanne van Dorst and Co. entered the stage for another impressive concert it was up to Wolvennest to get folks into the right mood. The sextet did their best and managed to drag already quite some people into the room. 30 minutes of dark ambient noise rock filled the venue. Three guitars delivered some mighty riff power, introduced and ended by some spoken words of the 'faceless' monk. 

After a quickly done stage remodeling Dool started into the night with a short intro and "The Alpha". The Rotterdam-based powerhouse didn't waste any time. These guys have been present with the first tone played, leading to an almost 90 minutes shows that was even better than the March one. Dool gained experience over time. The density of Dool's sound was already striking in March and the fact that the guys played quite some concerts from then till now even intensified a Dool live set. Folks welcomed and enjoyed every minute of the show, a concert that included with "Love Like Blood" an superb cover version of the Killing Joke classic.

Time was flying and after 1 1/2 hours it was "Oweynagat" that ended one of the best concerts this year. Dool's music is made for smaller venues, kept in dark. Such an ambient supports the gloomy basic mood that is weaved into each of the tracks. Dool is far more than just a shooting star. These guys came to stay and the Den Haag show was another step on an exciting journey into darkness.

Setlist:

1. Intro
2. The Alpha
3. Golden Serpents
4. God Particle
5. In Her Darkest Hour
6. Vantablack
7. Well's Run Dry
8. The Death of Love
9. She Goat
10. Love Like Blood (Killing Joke cover)
11. Oweynagat

Location: Paard Van Troje, Den Haag, The Netherlands

Date: 02.12.2017

More photos on FLICKR

(5/10) Gothminister premiered in 2003 with "Gothic Electronic Anthems", followed by four more longplayers of which "Utopia" made fans sit up with charts entries in a couple of European countries. Gothminister, being the brainchild of Bjørn Alexander Brem, will release a new longplayer this autumn. "The Other Side" comes with ten new songs, bringing 36 minutes of dark industrial metal right to your living room.

I have to admit that I missed the earlier Gothminister albums and I can‘t say that the newest strike increases the appetite for more. „The Other Side“ would have better stayed there since it doesn‘t deliver any new. While listening to the album I had the constant feeling of having heard these songs earlier, mostly better.

The tunes on this album are gothic rock with a portion of Rammstein-influenced metal. To mention the only benefit of this release means talking about the sound that powers from beginning to end. Unfortunately the songs can't live up to the good sound. Why should one listen to this longplayer if you also could re-activate the Rammstein classics and/or the good old Sisters Of Mercy hits.

After having listened to the album a couple of times I still couldn‘t find the spark that should ignite fascination. It‘s predictable goth-rock without a thrill that gets out of the speakers, something for ‘the other side’.

(5/10)

Tracklist:

1. Ich Will Alles
2. The Sun
3. Der fliegende Mann
4. Aegir
5. Red Christ
6. We are the Ones Who Rule the World
7. All This Time
8. Day of Reckoning
9. Taking Over
10. Somewhere in Time

Label: AFM Records

Genre: Industrial Gothic

Release Date EU: October 13th, 2017

Vallenfyre played a powerful show at Gebr. de Nobel in Leiden, NL a couple of weeks ago. Here are some pics from the awesome concert.

(8/10) In case you read some of my earlier reviews you know that sometimes I also talked about the artwork of albums, esp. if they didn’t fit to the music or looked quite ‘interesting’. Also when it comes to Satyricon’s newest strike the packaging is worth to be mentioned, this time because it fits so perfectly to the music you get on the album.

The cover artwork is reduced to a minimum. It’s a puristic drawing, focusing on the essence of the ‘kiss of death’ and so does the music. “Deep Calleth Upon Deep” comes with eight tracks, which are still referring to the band’s black metal roots. However, Satyricon is more than black metal that’s build either on blastbeats or bombastic orchestration. The band created a vicious and diabolic sound that can be immediately recognized as being Satyricon.

Also the new album is no exception. The tunes on “Deep Calleth Upon Deep” are a black and gloomy journey, representing a sinister vibe. In one or another way the songs are a pure distraction since they unveil a certain beauty of evil.

Satyr and Frost created tunes that are fueled with tristesse. Songs like the outstanding “To Your Brethren in the Dark” are slowly waltzing anthems in black, spread out over six minutes.  The same goes for the opener “Midnight Serpent”, which, even though with a higher pace, follows the same pattern.

But it’s not only the longer tunes you should focus on. Also the straightforward “The Ghost of Rome” is an excellent smasher with unexpected background vocals.

“Deep Calleth Upon Deep” doesn’t come with filler. Each of the eight tracks is worth to be on this longplayer, an album that features with the dark symphony “Black Wings and Withering Gloom” another apex.

As with the earlier releases, the Oslo-based duo stick to their trademarks, delivering an album that lives up to expectations. It shows the beauty of simplicity and focus. Satyricon fans will love this lomngplayer that is even relevant for non-black metal fans. Good music for the dark season.

(8/10)

Tracklist:

1. Midnight Serpent
2. Blood Cracks Open the Ground
3. To Your Brethren in the Dark
4. Deep Calls Upon Deep
5. The Ghost of Rome
6. Dissonant
7. Black Wings and Withering Gloom
8. Burial Rite

Label: Napalm Records

Genre: Black Metal

Release Date EU: September 22nd, 2017

Concerts on a Sunday night are always a challenge since it’s hard to get people to the venue, having a new work-week in front of them. However, the once that get out to a concert as a weekend-closer are the real and loyal fans who appreciate seeing their favorite band live on stage, listening to music they like. This goes very much for Avatarium’s visit in Zaandam, playing a show at De Flux.

But before the Stockholm-based quintet entered the stage it was The Slayerking from Greece, acting as the opener that night. After having enjoyed a sunny Indian Summer weekend in Holland it was this trio that blew away all the good vibration within 40 minutes. The Slayerking, that’s Efthimis K, Kostas K., both known from Nightfall, and Eki on drums. These three guys ‘celebrated’ a dark mess with songs that are mainly built on doom and gothic. Visual highlight of the show was frontman Efthimis K. with a hat that reminded of one being used for a funeral march. It was a nice gimmick and fortunately things haven’t been reduced only to this extra. The trio could score some positive reactions, with the folks becoming quite enthusiastic. The Slayerking got 40 minutes on stage to warm up the crowd which they did very well. In addition they won some new friends with their powerful, but not very agile show that had the only small little downer of songs being a bit too much of the same thing only different.

Time for the main act, time for Avatarium. It’s amazing to see the development of this band. I had the pleasure to witness the band’s first show outside Sweden a few years ago, when the quintet played a show at the Afterburner of Roadburn. Songs were already great at that time, but you could sense the level of excited tension and stage fright while doing this concert. Already at that time a warm applause ended the well-done show and it was no difference three years later in Zaandam. What was different though was the stage performance. Even though it was a much smaller one than at 013, Avatarium used every square millimeter for an energetic Sunday night metal show with Jennie Ann Smith being not only an excellent singer but also a great performer. No comparison to three years ago in Tilburg. Dressed in black with a red cape, Smith evolved to an entertaining singer, always being in contact with her audience. Next to the singer it is guitarist Marcus Jidell and drummer Lars Sklold being the constant factor is this metal/rock outfit, with Jidell being the crucial musical brain behind Avatarium these days.

The five-piece from Stockholm played a full 90 minutes set that night which had a focus on the latest album “Hurricanes and Halos”. From the first note played that night, Jidell and band mates sparked the audience which reacted with clapping and enthusiastic applause after the last tone faded away in Zaadam's evening sky.

Each of the thirteen songs have been welcomed very much and even the unexpected Led Zeppelin cover sounded very good, being performed in an Avatarium fashion. The real highlight though has been three songs from the earlier days. “Girl with the Raven Mask” ignited a firework that peaked when songs like the awesome “Moonhorse” and “Avatarium” filled the room.

All in all Avatarium performed an excellent show, musically as well as performance-wise. And since De Flex is a smaller venue the show also felt like a ‘living room concert’ in an intimate atmosphere, bringing band and fans closer together with everybody leaving the room with a satisfied smile on their face.

Setlist Avatarium:

1. Into the Fire / Into the Storm
2. Pearls and Coffins
3. The Starless Sleep
4. Run Killer Run
5. In My Time of Dying
6. Medusa Child
7. Girl With the Raven Mask
8. Deep Well
9. The Sky at the Bottom of the Sea
10. Moonhorse
11. When Breath Turns to Air (Encore)
12. Avatarium (Encore)

Location: De Flux, Zaandam, The Netherlands

Date: September 24th, 2017