BLACK METAL

[Scat-O-Logy]

Peste Noire live!!!

[Scat-O-Logy]

Another sample track from the new CdG album: https://youtu.be/VrPbMnQn70A

Didn't like that one either which is crazy because I think their discography has been flawless so far and Marek is one of my favorite black metal vocalists.

Whining aside, speaking of flawless discographies, luckily this new DsO EP (yes EP, not album ffs!) didn't disappoint:
https://deathspellomega.bandcamp.com/album/the-synarchy-of-molten-bones

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Whining aside, speaking of flawless discographies, luckily this new DsO EP (yes EP, not album ffs!) didn't disappoint:

According to Noevdia, it is new album. I would assume label who put it out, knows what it is?


I'd be glad to see more metal bands return to c. 30 minute albums, than 2xLP / 3xLP sets. Gorgoroth all, Immortal battles in the north, Impaled Nazarene Tol Cormpt..., Suomi Finland Perkele, Beherit Oath of black blood, Trelldom Til Evighet, etx .... A lot of good albums are +-30 minutes. If you got more than LP worth of stuff, it better be good. Vast majority of modern bm double LP's could be trimmed to classic album length to make them better. Same for most types of metal. When CD started to dominate market, still many albums followed classic album length. Not sure when did the change happen, but nowadays you got so much of stuff what seems to be merely space filler. If metal band offers double LP, I can pretty much conclude it's going to be half filler. Be it big names like Autopsy or Iron Maiden, or some raw BM. Almost as if band is unable to decide what it is they want to release, so end up putting everything. It's too bad very few would be ready to make "Battles In The North" type of 27 minute album. They'd rather throw in few shitty songs or gloomy intros filling it to.. color vinyl double LP with poster, sticker and t-shirt bundle? Massive new opus.

I heard some stuff of Cultes Des Ghoules almost year ago when visiting Poland. It sounded good back then, but triple LP still makes me highly dubious whether it's album that will be listened a lot.

Been revisiting a lot of BEHEXEN stuff lately. Especially early albums, most notably By The Blessings Of Satan. When it came out, I was not instantly big fan. It took some time to get into it. In beginning thought vocals were little too high pitched and sound was too clean, but then got into it. Now, when you compare it to with vast majority of stuff, it is superior in pretty much any category. Killer riffs, tasty variation of melody and brutality. Sound that is neither overtly clean, nor rubbish. Playing what is full of energy and naturally bordering chaos. Especially drumming. Cover artwork is simple and to the point. It has zero qualities that flirt towards the hipster & arty. No boutique label offering of something scathing and blistering. Nothing what seems like pulled out from roadburns festival exclusive merch desk. Just total hammer of true black metal.

[Andrew McIntosh]

Technically, an album is just a collection of things. So any length can be said to be acceptable. Still, I can understand why some would regard the new DO release as an ep, timewise. EDIT - I read on metal-archives.com that Katharsis's "Fourth Reich" release, also on Norma Evangelium Diaboli and longer than the new Deathspell Omega, is cited as an ep. And that website, too, cites "The Synarchy of Molten Bones" as an ep. There doesn't seem to be any consensus.

Behexen fucking rule. I've unkultishly got an mp3 download of "From The Devil's Chalice", which is the first I heard of them, and it just burned itself in my mind from the first note. Fantastic shit. Musically they take the best of early BM, some kind of balance between both dark melody and pure hate-filled filth, and refine it into something that sounds immediate and effortless.

[Scat-O-Logy]

Technically, an album is just a collection of things. So any length can be said to be acceptable. Still, I can understand why some would regard the new DO release as an ep, timewise. EDIT - I read on metal-archives.com that Katharsis's "Fourth Reich" release, also on Norma Evangelium Diaboli and longer than the new Deathspell Omega, is cited as an ep. And that website, too, cites "The Synarchy of Molten Bones" as an ep. There doesn't seem to be any consensus.

And there's also "Kénôse" which is a 36min EP (according to band as well?) so that's why I referred to the new "album" as EP. I agree with Mikko's point however, a lot of filler on most of the longer albums. For me, the perfect album length is 40-45mins and I simply can't regard 30 min of material as album. But I do respect the band's wish so I was merely just being a dick with my comment and I must say the release is quite perfect as it is. Paracletus as 42min album is still my favorite, not just length-wise but also the material is fantastic.

[bitewerksMTB]

This here band called Caveman Cult strikes me as mildly interesting but I can't decide to order the LP or not:

https://cavemancult.bandcamp.com/track/ceremonial-disembowelment

[Major Carew]

This here band called Caveman Cult strikes me as mildly interesting but I can't decide to order the LP or not:

https://cavemancult.bandcamp.com/track/ceremonial-disembowelment

You MUST order it! All their material is great.

[F_c_O]

dunno if its only me but to me the new cdg album tracks on youtube sound flatter and more one dimensional than the amazing henbane lp. that fucker had some real grit to it but this one just, it doesnt sound right for this kind of material. The instrumetns sound flat and the vocals float on top of everything and its just, kind of, what the fuck why. Plus the artwork is fucking attrocious.

I guess the maxim of sloth still holds true: 'Most of the bands I like either broke up or now suck'

[Fluid Fetish]

dunno if its only me but to me the new cdg album tracks on youtube sound flatter and more one dimensional than the amazing henbane lp. that fucker had some real grit to it but this one just, it doesnt sound right for this kind of material. The instrumetns sound flat and the vocals float on top of everything and its just, kind of, what the fuck why. Plus the artwork is fucking attrocious.

I guess the maxim of sloth still holds true: 'Most of the bands I like either broke up or now suck'

It's not just you, the preview tracks I've listened to are pretty boring, especially compared to the atmosphere of Haxan or their two master works Spectres Over Transylvania and Henbane. The sound being flat nails it....some of the riffs and the bass playing are good but everything else just sounds like them going through the motions....everyone is already worshiping this stuff and I couldn't help but wonder, what am I missing? I'm going to wait to listen to the entire thing to decide but I'm not getting anything out of the music or the cover art, which looks like the cover of a child story book.

Agreed on the praise for old Behexen, By the Blessing is definitely them at their peak. I also loved Nightside Emanations though whereas a lot of others did not, I loved some of the riffs on there and it at times reminded me of By the Blessing, just more epic rather then frantic and chaotic like Blessing. Tracks on From the Devil's Chalice and the Horna split are their other most played material for me.

[BlackHole]

I agree with almost everything Mikko said. I prefer black metal to be around 35 - 45 minutes long albums. No filler and unnecessary intro/outros. I know from knowing personally people in bands that release these double LP "opuses" that they spend about as much time writing these intros as they are long. They have no meaning or purpose on the album other than to simply be there. In the case of DsO however, their intros and interludes are always purposeful and add depth and dimension to the album as as whole. Especially on "Paracletus" and "Si Monumentum". This new album/EP what ever you wish to call it fantastic, but I do agree is a LITTLE bit short to be a full length.

I am also skeptical about this new Cultes Des Ghoules album. I absolutely loved "Haxan" and "Henbane" both but I anticipate this album to be a lot of monotonous, boring, "doom" riffs. However I think appreciating it in it's proper context will be mandatory to appreciate it fully. The concept of the album is obviously one of the focal points. So reading along with the lyrics and soaking in the imagery is probably how the band intended it to be experienced.

[Ernpe]

I'm also on the single lp wagon. But what irritates me most are not double albums that are made that length but rather albums that are done for cd and released on 3-4 sided 12" with zero idea how the songs work on each side of vinyl. It is an album, not collection of randomly selected songs - though I believe there are lots of classics that are put together more or less hastly, without lots of attention paid into order of songs etc.

70 minutes album may be good double vinyl. Probably not, but if the material works, the record works. 55 minutes album on 3-4 sides of vinyl is most often simply irritating, despite everything basicly being fine otherwise.

[ritualabuser]

I think the new CdG is pretty uninteresting. Sounds like "Henbane", which I wasn't big on either. "Häxän" still stands as their best work to me. Not to mention the ridiculous hype surrounding this album, touting it as a masterpiece when there's nothing but a couple of tracks on jewtube and the limp-dick cover art.

Regarding Behexen, I think their best material is "From the Devil's Chalice" and the Horna split. Really mournful yet sinister riffing there, especially songs like "Void".

[Scat-O-Logy]

We got the old CdG back! https://youtu.be/_eL_roSSe_Q

Skip the part between 3:10-9:10 to avoid mundane "rock" riffing. The good stuff starts after that. When the synths kick in at 13:20, it's as epic as the best parts on "Henbane". Sadly at 18:10 it goes back to shit.

Now this: https://youtu.be/ubUbkz7If4Y

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Regarding Behexen, I think their best material is "From the Devil's Chalice" and the Horna split. Really mournful yet sinister riffing there, especially songs like "Void".

Horna split is really good. Also split with Satanic Warmaster includes absolutely essential Behexen track "Mouth of Leviathan". I managed to grab pile of original misprint of the CD version for sale. In very first pressing, all music is there, but trackorder was incorrect (just 4 tracks). Now when long sold out limited cd pressing is being asked from 30 euro upwards, I'd guess this CD would interest people despite one track being in wrong place. Most of the pressing was pulled back and replaced, but bands had copies of misprint which they were allowed to sell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxZvmc5-tTo

[Everswallower Recordings]

https://sacramence.bandcamp.com/album/sacramence-earth-mesmerism-split

Sacramence is an example of a BM act that utilizes both electronic and acoustic drumming. This split has strange artwork, but both sides are great.