Gojira - From Mars To Sirius (2005)

While the first two Gojira records created buzz, it was not until the third record "From Mars To Sirius" in which the band hit their stride and became real famous within the metal community, taking their craft to a whole new planetary level. It is with this album where Gojira finds that perfect balance of groove, atmosphere, and brutality, fusing together to make a true juggernaut of metal music. Let us do like Pinocchio and get inside the whale to find out what makes this album the pinnacle of Gojira.

So this is a concept record, depicting a race who tries to resurrect a dead ocean planet so it can be habitable again. This obviously has a lot of connections to what we are doing to our world today, an environmental message of what our future might be like if we do not change our way of living. It is kind of a tough subject, because while it is important, it is really easy to be too on the nose, being obnoxiously preachy about it. Fortunately, the French group does weave in their message really neatly into their story, while still being crystal clear over what they are trying to tell us.

To go together with this environmental theme, Gojira serves us with their patented style of complex progressive death metal, but this time it acts like an onion, where you find layer after layer after layer of awesome music. Every instrument helps in the building process of each song, adding some incredible depth that we did not hear in the first two record. It also helps that the production is the best one yet, highlighting each member just as much as they need to really make each track stand out. It is true, clean music poetry.

The biggest improvement from the last record is that "From Mars To Sirius" is just so god damn diverse in its delivery, not only nailing those dark, ultra heavy moments, but also manages to shine in the more ethereal moments like in "Where Dragons Dwell", "Unicorn", and "Flying Whales". It is still the heavier moments that do steal the show. "Backbone" crushes your eardrums before the following track "From The Sky" does a blood chilling scream of the title. Then we have the appropriately named "The Heaviest Matter of The Universe" that technically might not be the heaviest track of the record, but everything here comes together so insanely good that it leaves the heaviest impact on you. Let us also not forget the closer "Global Warming", where Christian Andreu and Joe Duplantier flex all of their finger muscles with this technical guitar lick that is played through most of the songs, which is just under 8 minutes long. Closes off the record in a horrific, yet cool, way.

Really, there is very little to complain about here. Some moments might be dragging on a little too much, and the 1+ hour run time is a bit on the long side, but there is no question that "From Mars To Sirius" is still a masterful record of progressive excellence, taking the listener through a journey of a life time. Gojira finally find their winning formula that they still use to this day. Yes, this album is amazing, and it does not even matter if it does sound like Korn at times even (looking at you "World To Come").

Songs worthy of recognition: From The Sky, Ocean Planet, The Heaviest Mater of The Universe, Flying Whales

Rating: 9/10 Backbones

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Equity - Financial Metal. (2019)

Metal never ceases to amaze me, showing that you can take some of the most mundane and sterile things in existence, and still make it relatively cool through some riffs, beats, and growls. Enter Equity, a thrash death band/solo project that is all about one thing, and one thing only, finance. The entire gimmick of Equity is taking everything that is about economy, accounting, stock markets, or anything close to that, and turn it into metal. This is just complete insanity, and I am not really sure if this is just a gimmick, if it is a joke, or if this 100% serious, because I literally know nothing else about the band. Seriously, this album just popped up out of nowhere, there are no members tied to it, and there is no link to the band what so ever. No YouTube, no Facebook, no Bandcamp, no Twitter, nothing at all, and this is only confirmed by the Metal-archives (if there is no info there, then there just is no info available). Only reason I found this is thanks to the podcast Heavy Metal Hangover, who featured it (and made silly jokes about the band throughout the episode).

Okay, enough about Equity out ghosting Ghost, let us talk about the music. As previously stated, this is a death metal record with some thrash thrown into the mix, and it is... fine. Yeah, this is far from mind blowing stuff, most of the music in here has been done before, and there is no real surprise to be had at all. With that said, the band does stick to its sound pretty well and delivers some solid metal all around. Riffs are chunky, drums hits hard, bass is deep, and the growls are textbook stuff. Do have to give some extra credit to the guitars, who at times do manage to cram out some nice solos.

The thing that do make Equity shine is obviously the lyrical content. We hear Equity speak about Brexit, the Panama papers, debt, taxes, stocks, disposable income, liability and more. This group talk like true suit wearers from Wall Street, talking in terms that I kind of understand, but do not really understand, and it is just hilarious that it is all growled. Makes you imagine how it would sound like if you hear your economic advisor speak to you like that when you meet him at the bank.

Other than that, there is unfortunately not much more positive I can say about "Financial Metal.". Well, that is half a lie, I do think it is funny that the instrumental track "Brexodus" is the longest track of the record, sort of stating that Brexit is taking forever, but it backfires because the song itself is not interesting enough to warrant the 9 minute run time. Besides from that instrument wanking, there just is not much from this record that truly stands out music wise. "Blue Chip Liability" and "Buy Low Sell Die" has some great solos, and "Figure It Out" has this cool start stop strategy that works, but everything else is pretty much similar to one another. I really wished that they had included the bonus track "Disposable Income" in the real setlist, because it would have brought some much needed speed into this record.

So revisiting my calculations, Equity is a fun, but limited, listen. The whole gimmick certainly gets you hooked, and it is worth a listen or two, but "Financial Metal." as a whole has a short life span, not lasting all too long in the minds of those who seek innovative metal. The question now is what will happen to Equity. Was this a one off thing? Will we ever get to know who created this band? Are the members actual accountants playing metal for a hobby? No matter if these questions gets answered or not, Equity is an experience, and just more proof that anything is possible with metal. It may not be worthy of a full time investment, but I suggest you keep a look out for this group in the future, just to see if their stock starts to rise.

Songs worthy of recognition: Blue Chip Liability, Buy Low Sell Die, Figure It Out

Rating: 6,5/10 Panama Papers

www.metal-archives.com/bands/Equity/3540455337

Gojira - The Link (2003)

If "Terra Incognita" was Gojira's equivalent to crawling, then the sophomore effort entitled "The Link" is displaying a band who is taking their first, unbalanced steps to become a full grown entity. It is a record that takes every lesson the band learned through its predecessor, both good and bad, and improved upon (so no more double trips to Belgium). Still, with such complex patterns and rhythms at hand, the evolution was still slow, so let us see how far the band has come with the release of this album.

The biggest difference is obviously the production, which is much slicker this time around, allowing more freedom for all the beats and riffs to roam and show themselves how strong they are. This does mean that the band do not get the opportunity to create another dark and eerie record like the last one, but they do take full advantage of what they have, giving "The Link" a life of its own. It is still a little stiff in its performance, but it does its job well enough.

The (sorta) improved production also helps in making each track stand out more, and we got ourselves a hand full of impressive treats. "Remembrance" makes quite an entrance with its fast paced groovy rhythm that has a nice mix of crazy double bass and tribe like riffs that puts you in a headbanging voodoo trance. That middle part especially is the first taste of true Gojira magic, but not the last, because "Indians" shifts tempo with impressive precision, "Wisdom Comes" crushes with no mercy, and "Embrace The World" does a little of everything right.

Every member of the band also goes in the right direction. Mario's drumming is tighter, Joe and Christian's guitars show off more techniques, Jean-Michel's bass is more vibrant, and Joe expands his vocal range further. It is a complete team effort that makes "The Link" a natural progression for the band, and while it has its blemishes with a trio of instrumentals (with the best one being the closer "Dawn", which got some cool parts, but is far too long and repetitive), several sluggish parts, and a stagnant production, it still manages to entertain enough to get the listener to the very end. The highlights are high, and the lows are not on an embarrassing level, so "The Link" is definitely not the weakest of its kind.

Songs worthy of recognition: Remembrance, Indians, Embrace The World

Rating: 7/10 Inward Movements

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Gojira - Terra Incognita (2001)

With the famous movie monster Godzilla being all of the rage again, with a new movie out right now, it feels more than fitting to start cover a band who is named after the King of Monsters, the French death metal group Gojira. The band may have become their own type of monster in the metal world, but at the beginning of their career, they were small, broke, and had no clue on how to release a record. No, seriously, to create their debut record "Terra Incognita", they went to Belgium twice (one trip for recording, one for mixing), then just sent all printed copies to their own home, from where they would be distributed to magazines, radio stations, and other parties who could spread the word. Oh yeah, they also did this without a record deal at hand. Love the commitment, but that was not smart in any way.

What did we get from this hassle though? Well, "Terra Incognita" (latin for unknown land) is certainly a curious death metal record that the people in 2001 probably never saw coming. It is a strange and dark journey into the psyche of a mentally disturbed human, one where we encounter countless riffs, blasts, screams, and beats that can easily scramble your brain into a mush. From today's perspective, this album is definitely Gojira to the core, it has that special technique to it that only this band can produce. You got these chugging riffs from Christian Andreu and Joe Duplantier that seem very alien like, on the verge of not being from this very Earth, and it is fascinating to behold. Add the intricate drum patterns by Joe's brother Mario, and the pounding bass of Jean-Michel Labadie, and you got some unique metal at your disposal.

There is something primal about this record that makes it quite intriguing. A lot of dark, ambient noises help in setting the mood, creating an unsettling atmosphere that crawls underneath your skin. It does muddle up the sound though quite a bit, and at points it is at an disadvantage, but still works most of the way. Songs like "Rise", "Space Time", and "Lizard Skin" are just wonderfully disturbing. The brutality is there as well, especially in the opener "Clone" where the drums are going buck wild, and the guitars are majestic in their heavy approach, both in the faster and slower parts. Other nice bone crushing songs include "Fire Is Everything", "Deliverance", and "Blow Me Away You - Niverse".

While there is a lot of good stuff in "Terra Incognita", there is also a lot of unnecessary padding. This album goes over the hour mark, and it angers me because it only does so thanks to all the fillers in here. One perfect example of this padding is the closer "In The Forest", a perfectly good track that ends around the 5 minute mark, only to transition into a strange instrumental that adds squat (and if you had the original version of the album, you had to wait 3 and a half minutes to hear this "hidden track"). I understand that these interludes are there to enhance the atmosphere, but to me they are just in the way for the real music, no matter if they were written for a relative or not ("04" was a birthday present to the Duplantier brother's mother, what an odd gift to say the least).

It feels wrong to say that I enjoyed my experience with "Terra Incognita", because its purpose is to make you uneasy, to bring out your inner demons, and I think it succeeds fairly well. It is a dark, strange record that still showed everyone what a force Gojira could become, with a unique sound and style that no one has heard before. This album has some issues for sure, but it has enough juicy nuggets to get you hooked into the band. Definitely worth a double trip to Belgium.

Songs worthy of recognition: Clone, Space Time, Fire Is Everything


Rating: 7/10 Lizard Skins

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Fallujah - Undying Light (2019)

The progressive death metal scene has expanded a lot in the last years, with new bands coming and going quicker than you can say "Wacky wavy inflatable arm flailing tube men", so to stay relevant in this ever evolving genre, you have to be on your toes. The Bay Area boys of Fallujah quickly became a favourite for many with their atmospheric take on the genre, standing out as a unique force of beautiful brutality that reached its peak with the 2016 release "Dreamless". Everything seemed to go in the right way for the group, but here we are three years later, with their fourth record entitled "Undying Light", and with a tide that has seemingly turned on them.

So the biggest change with the band during these three years is in the line up. Co-founder and vocalist Alex Hofmann left the band in 2017, and has since been replaced by Antonio Palermo, thereby changing the sound drastically. Let me be clear from the get go, Antonio is a capable singer, but he is a completely different singer than Alex was, having more of a screaming type that fits more into any of the -core genres. His style of vocals just does not fit in to what the band is trying to do, his high pitch screams ruins the mood that the backing instruments are trying to set, ultimately becoming a distraction. It becomes sort of the same situation that happened to Mötley Crüe when John Corabi replaced Vince Neil for a short period of time, a good vocalist in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Antonio can breath easy that he is not the only problem with "Undying Light", because I dislike the production even more. It might seem like the production is sort of the same as in "Dreamless", but everything in this record is just louder, trying way to hard to get some attention. "Dreamless" was loud too, but only in moments, hitting hard when it needed to. This record goes hard on everything, which makes it lose a ton of that dynamic songwriting that is buried somewhere. It is an incredibly monotone record that secretly has a lot of creativity in it, but it never shows unless you pay an unhealthy amount of concentration towards it.

The most disappointing part about "Undying Light" is probably the fact that there is so much great music not getting the spotlight it deserves. There are several juicy bits in here that makes you remember what this band is capable of, parts like the flowing chugging in "Dopamine", the vibrant melodies of "Sanctuary", the mad blast beats of "Eyes Like The Sun" and "Departure", and the hypnotizing rhythm of "Ultraviolet". This is a record filled with goodies with a bitter after taste, which makes it more frustrating than it have any right to be. It also does not help that the ambient aspect of the band's sound is all but gone now, which is another blow to lovers of the previous records.

So yeah, "Undying Light" is an early front runner in the not so flattering category "Disappointment of the year", mostly because it has small threads of what makes Fallujah so awesome, but do not do anything creative with those bits, while incorporating things that just does not work. I have faith in Fallujah that they will bounce back in the next record, they are talented enough to understand what they can do better and how to utilize their new additions to make more astonishing music. Until then, just go back to "Dreamless" or "The Flesh Prevails" and relish in the great music the band has produced thus far, because "Undying Light" is not a good representation of what Fallujah can be.

Songs worthy of recognition: Ultraviolet, Eyes Like The Sun, Departure

Rating: 5,5/10 Glass Houses

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Opeth - Watershed (2008)

If traveling back ten years to the past, one can only wonder how many Opeth fans would have believed you if you said that the then brand new record "Watershed" would be the last Opeth record with death metal elements to it. Just imagining their reactions, everything from laughter to pure despair, is just fun as hell. To be perfectly honest though, I am not sure even Mr. Åkerfeldt himself knew this would be the last "old school" Opeth record, even if he had mixed in a lot of more calmer rock elements to his band. Is this truly a final hurrah to the heavier side of the band, or just another high quality piece of art?

It certainly starts very calmly with "Coil", where Mikael not only get some help from the new members, guitarist Fredrik Åkesson and drummer Martin Axenrot, but also from the latter's current girlfriend Nathalie Lorichs, who gives a helping voice. It is an atmospheric start to the album that is certainly welcoming, but that all changes when "Heir Apperent" attacks. This is the exact opposite, a heavy and dark track that oozes of early Opeth, crushing you with some of the heaviest parts you have ever heard from the band. It is an instant classic that definitely sets the bar for the rest of the tracks.

Those two opening tracks do represent what I think is the strength of "Watershed", the contrasts. Most of the album is fairly calm and collected, but when you least expect it, Opeth smacks you in the face with a blast beat or a monster riff. This album is playing with you, leading you somewhere, just to suddenly swing you around and go in another direction. It never stays still, evolving into different shapes that are stranger and stranger. You might be sitting there, enjoying some quality metal, when suddenly it transforms into something more rock oriented. This makes "Watershed" one of the most versatile Opeth albums to this date, but it is not always a good thing, because it does feel a little disjointed at times, not following that red line.

Fortunately, there is a lot of quality music that you can enjoy to distract you from the fact that "Watershed" might have a pretty schizophrenic personality. All of the seven songs in here has something to offer, whether it be the the pure brutality of "Heir Apparent", the harmonies of "Porcelain Heart", the oriental vibes of "Hex Omega", or the beauty of "Coil". All songs (except for "Coil") are quite lengthy too, so there is a lot to discover in this album even if it only contains seven tracks, which is just great for your replay experience.

Also, may I recommend that you all pick up the special version of this album, because it does have some good stuff to offer too. The bonus track "Derelict Herds" has a strange guitar tone to it that makes it so intriguing, and also some really nice rhythms too. The two covers (Robin Trower's "Bridge of Sighs" and Marie Fredriksson's "Den Ständiga Resan") are also really neat, showing even more sides of the band.

While this album might be a little to uncohesive for some people, I just find that the quality of the craft outweighs its differences. "Watershed" impresses on so many level that it can make your head spin if you try to get it all in, but it certainly makes every listen exciting, because you might find a new favourite time and time again. It has killer track, great production, and impeccable performances, what more could you really ask for? Okay, maybe one or two of the songs in here could be more refined to stand out more, but that is basically it, "Watershed" is a brilliant record, which makes it even sadder that this was the final stand of Opeth's origin, before being left in the shadows for (probably) all eternity.

Songs worthy of recognition: Heir Apparent, The Lotus Eater, Porcelain Heart, Hex Omega

Rating: 8,5/10 Coils

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Opeth - Ghost Reveries (2005)

In the Opeth discography, "Blackwater Park" is generally seen as the band's highlight, their grand masterpiece that they can never recreate, no matter how many times they try. Well, I am not one of those who think that, because to me, that effervescent masterpiece is "Ghost Reveries". The 2005 release has always had a special place in my metal heart, combining everything that makes Opeth so good into an atmospheric experience that few bands can match. When it comes to brilliant Opeth music, no other album can reach this level of quality.

It all starts with the opening track "Ghost of Perdition", probably my favourite Opeth song of all time, and I am not saying that only because it was extremely fun to play on Rock Band (that drum chart is simply marvelous). This 10 and a half minute track has an impeccable flow to it, sweeping through the heavy and the atmospheric, while also giving every instrument and band member enough room to shine, displaying every strength that this fantastic band possesses. And that ending, THAT ENDING, just damn.

So obviously, the album goes downhill from there, but not as much as you would think. Sure, there is no song after that has the same, gut wrenching punch to it, but the rest of the tracks on "Ghost Reveries" helps a lot in establishing the spooky character of the record. The album was first meant to be a concept record about the occult and evil in general, but that idea was scrapped when Mikael wrote some songs that did not really fit in lyrically, but he simply could not leave out of the record. This album still have a lot of these dark themes in it that does make the album cohesive, they just do not have a red line that goes through them all.

The biggest strength of the album is without a doubt the smooth flow that courses through your ears with the easiest ease that has ever eased. While the length of the record might seem kind of daunting (1 hour and 6 minutes), it certainly does not feel like it is that long. It is very easy to just lose yourself into the record, drowning in its never ending ocean of sweeping melodies, mixed vocal work, and sudden hits of crushing riffs. You almost reach some sort of metal nirvana, just enjoying the hell out of every second that has been put into this disc.

Song wise, Opeth certainly has had a stronger line up, but because they all fit together so god damn well, it really does not matter all that much how they are individually. Of course we have the juggernaut "Ghost of Perdition" as the front runner, but a good second can be found in "The Grand Conjuration", a song that is just playing with you, throwing some odd, simplistic riffs here and there, mixing in some strange and evil whispers to make you uncomfortable, but interested. The other two giants of the record ("The Baying of The Hounds" and "Reverie/Harlequin Forest") are also really cool songs, really showing that Opeth has truly mastered the art of making 10+ minute songs close to perfection, and while those tracks that are under 10 minutes are not bad in any way shape or form, they do take more of a side role in the album, still contributing good things though.

Yep, there is no question here as far as I see it, "Ghost Reveries" is Opeth's magnum opus (magnum Opeth?), an album that just feels complete in every sense of the word, while actually not being it. Sure, it would have been fun if they would have fulfilled the concept, and the individual quality is not the best, but the complete picture of this album is simply awe inspiring. It is 1+ hour of Opeth candy that will leave your ears with new holes, but it is totally worth it. So while I do understand why most people see "Blackwater Park" as the best by the band, I say to them that they have not listened to "Ghost Reveries" enough, the true Opeth masterpiece.

Songs worthy of recognition: Ghost of Perdition, The Baying of The Hounds, Reverie/Harlequin Forest, The Grand Conjuration

Rating: 10/10 Hours of Wealth

www.opeth.com/
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Opeth - Deliverance (2002)

With the success that "Blackwater Park" produced, Opeth was obviously on a roll, and the band made sure to keep up with the momentum. To do so, the Swedes opted to quickly enter Studio Fredman once again, this time to make a double album release, something that their current record company, peaceville records, was not willing to do. So it became a compromise, the double album was split into two separate records that were released 5 months apart, both being recorded at the same time.

We will eventually get into the twin brother "Damnation", but first up was "Deliverance", a pretty sensible follow up to "Blackwater Park" that saw the band continuing with their unique style of progressive metal. This album focused on the long version of the band, containing only six songs, and all of them (except for a small instrumental titled "For Absent Friends") were over the ten minute mark, making "Deliverance" pretty meaty with a solid run time of just over an hour.

This album is also one of the band's heavier efforts, almost completely ignoring their rock influences that has become such a vital part for them. It is kind of a risky move that surely makes this and "Damnation" a nice double dipper in a long listening session, but on its own, it becomes a little stale. Not to say that this album is a complete waste, the quality is surely there, and it definitely sounds like Opeth from start to finish, but it just does not have that gut wrenching punch that normally turns a good Opeth record into a magnificent one.

As said though, there is still a lot to like about "Deliverance", especially the title track that is just pure Opeth candy. The second half is almost purely instrumental, with a really catchy rhythm as the main star, digging deeper and deeper into your brain for every cycle it repeats. That song is worth the price of admission alone, but there is a lot of great instrumentation in this album, you just need the patience to find it, because they are mostly buried in the middle or end of the songs. Some of the best bits can be found in both "Wreath" and "A Fair Judgement", making the first half of the album really excellent. Of course, Mikael does another stellar vocal effort too, but this is his most anonymous performance to date.

But even if the album is only six songs long, I still find two that are more or less unnecessary. The short instrumental "For Absent Friends" has no real meaning to it besides giving a comfortable break, and while "Master's Apprentices" is a fairly nice track, it take an obscene amount of time to get somewhere. I am all about opening long songs slowly, but this is just flat out ridiculous. Then we have the ending song "By The Pain I See In Others", which has the opposite problem, the final four minutes is more or lest silence, which is not a good way to end an album. Still really like the song though.

Ultimately though, "Deliverance" is a neat little album that has some good Opeth magic to it, but I do not think it is enough of it for it to be able to match the band's previous works. The rift between the first and second half is quite big, and only getting 5 and a half songs is not really worth it in the end. Still, there is enough meat on the bone to really appreciate what Opeth did here. After all, it is the first half of a double header, with the second one promising some more proggy goodness from the Swedes. A nice appetizer for what is hopefully the main course.

Songs worthy of recognition: Deliverance, Wreath, A Fair Judgement

Rating: 7/10 Absent Friends

www.opeth.com/
twitter.com/officialopeth

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Opeth - Blackwater Park (2001)

So we have finally reached "Blackwater Park" in our discography review series of Opeth, the album that is considered to be the band's magnum opus. To most, this is a modern progressive classic, a must have in every metalhead's collection. It is also the album that elevated the band to the next level, from being an underground group that was getting some positive feedback, to being one of the biggest metal acts around. This record is monumental for the evolution of Opeth, and it has a place in many people's hearts, but is it really as good as the early material, or was it just lucky coincidence that this gave the band its big breakthrough?

Let us start with the basics, what separates "Blackwater Park" from its four predecessors? It definitely has a lot of the same elements that previous outings have, like the poetic lyrics and the guttural death metal moments, but what I think makes "Blackwater Park" a different album is that it is just much smoother around the edges. The production (made by legendary Porcupine Tree singer Steven Wilson) is cleaner, but it still has enough darkness in it to not hurt the album, helping to enhance all of those sweet melodies.

Another reason to why this album blew up might be because it is more accessible than its brethren. Yes, it is still a true progressive metal album, with a song span that could be everything from 6 minutes to 12, but the structures of the songs are more straight, giving off to some really catchy moments in this album, mostly thanks to the amazing instrumentation. It still has that Opeth vibe to it though, so the band is not selling out or anything, they are still the imaginative group that we got to know on all previous records.

Besides, let us be honest, the previous albums felt a little all over the place, having tons of influences from several different genres that did mash up well, but it is with "Blackwater Park" where Opeth perfected their sound, making it more fluid and cohesive. The band is truly hitting their stride with all of these fantastic, sweeping melodies that really helps in telling a story.

Yeah, there is not much else to say about "Blackwater Park" other than that it completely deserves all the praise that it has gotten over the years. It is a transcending album that just flows naturally through your ears, and it also have a cohesive sound throughout the album that set the band up for success. However, I do not think this is an all around perfect album. It could have benefited from being a little grittier in its production, and some of the lyrics here are not as good as in previous outings. Despite those minor issues, "Blackwater Park" is still an amazing record, a must listen for every prog metal lover. Is it the best Opeth record though? We will see eventually...

Songs worthy of recognition: The Funeral Portrait, The Leper Affinity, Bleak, The Drapery Falls, 

Rating: 9,5/10 Harvests

www.opeth.com/
twitter.com/officialopeth

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Ne Obliviscaris - Urn (2017)

I do not mind when band keeps it minimalistic when it comes to naming new releases, but Ne Obliviscaris please, this is close to ridiculous. Three letters, that's all? I swear to god, when I first read about this album, all I saw was that it was named "Um". Then I saw that itty bitty tiny space between the r and the n, and it all made sense... but it still felt strange with such a small title. That is Ne Obliviscaris in a nutshell, simplistic in titles, complex in sound.

So this is the Australian band's third release, and at this point in their career, you kind of know what you are going to get from them. It is just what you would expect, it is six tightly packed songs that are filled to the brim with extreme technicality, a healthy mix of soaring clean vocals and brutal harsh vocals, and let us also not forget the generous use of violins, a registered trademark for the band. It is a style that does not suit everyone, but I have been down for the ride ever since their debut "Portal of I".

So we got a collection of 6 songs at our disposal... well, technically there are only 4 songs, but two of them are split into two parts each. Still, they are certainly meaty songs that fill up some time (45 minutes to be exact). During that time, the band flex their muscles and show off all of their abilities, from the intense drumming of Daniel "Mortuary" Presland, to the beautiful strokes of Tim Charles' violin. They once again show that they are among the elite when it comes to pure playing ability, creating such fantastic melodies with both the simple and difficult techniques.

But there is a big problem with "Urn". No matter how much I rave about the technicality of the record, and how much work and effort has been put into it, I just do not get the same angelic feelings that I received from "Citadel". Why? Because "Urn" is not showing that the band has evolved, they are still in the same spot as they were last time we heard from them. You can easily hear the same patterns as in their predecessors, which makes "Urn" very predictable. You know when they are going soft, or when they are turning up the tempo, it is so god damn predictable, and it annoys the hell out of me.

With that said though, it is hard not to get enchanted by the music, because it is still made with some really good precision. When the album reaches the most epic bits, you can just feel your skin crawl from how good it sounds. And while I do not really think there are any songs here that matches the level of the best Ne Obliviscaris songs has to offer, I still get a lot of enjoyment from such epic pieces as "Eyrie" and both parts of the title track.

So even if "Urn" is same same, but different, it is still another proof that Ne Obliviscaris is a true elite band. There are no other band out there like them, with a sound that really stands out in the metal sphere. These guys are too talented to be stuck in one place, and I hope that they can see that. I do not want to see this band becoming the technical extreme progressive symphonic death metal answer to Motörhead. So yeah, "Urn" is no revolution for the band, but it is still a damn good record that fans of the band will absolutely love.

Songs worthy of recognition: Eyrie, Urn (part 1 and 2)

Rating: 7,5/10 Saturnine Spheres

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Citadel

Opeth - Still Life (1999)

It has been a while since we checked on the Opeth discography, and there are reasons for why that is so. First off, Manic Movie Month happened. Second off, Super Mario Odyssey happened. And third off, a bunch of new music happened. In short, my busy side took over a little too much of my life, but the time has come to go back to the progressive Swedes and take a look at their fourth studio release, entitled "Still Life".

Just like the last release, "Still Life" is a concept record, about a man that has been shunned from his village for not following along with their religious beliefs. He returns years after to get back together with his loved one, which leads to several problems along the way, both for our main character and the "council". It is an album that Michael himself has called "anti-christian", not satanic in anyway, and I think it is a very interesting way to give critique to religion as a whole, doing it in the poetic way that only Opeth can do.

The sound of the album is a lot like "My Arms, Your Hearse", a blend of the soft prog rock and the more guttural and dark death metal vibes. But with better funding from their new record company, Peaceville records, the band had an opportunity to take their music to the next level, which of course starts with the production that is a lot more clear cut than its predecessors. It can be seen as a positive or a negative thing, depending on who you ask, but to me, it gives the music a chance to stand out more, to reach out further to the listener. There is no question to me that the production helps elevate "Still Life".

This is the start of the Opeth 's golden age, the era where they find themselves as one of the great genre defying bands that changes metal as we know. While "My Arms, Your Hearse" did sort of show it, "Still Life" perfected the Opeth sound that we all know and love, the sweeping, haunting melodies that blends so well with the brutal aggressiveness of the drums and Michael's harsh vocals. They also put in some real slow moments too, like the acoustic "Benighted" that is just so beautiful and soothing.

But this album is not about the songs in my opinion, it is about the whole picture, how all of the songs match up to create a smooth flowing album that translates to an amazing experience. It also has a very long lasting effect too, for I have listened to "Still Life" about 15 times now, and I am still not tired enough to stop myself from another listen. It knows when to go soft, when to go heavy, and when it is time to shift momentum. It is a well oiled machine that runs smoothly without any hitches, and the band all helps out to keep it running perfectly.

"Still Life" has a lot of life to it, and it is a spiritual album that just feels right in every way. From the concept, to the performance, this album is fantastic for many, many reasons. The only real grief I have with it is that some songs do pad some of the run time (especially the ending song "White Cluster"), but it is not by much, it is something you can easily look past. All in all, go listen to it already, it is the start of the prime era of Opeth, and what a start it is.

Songs worthy of recognition: Godhead's Lament, Benighted, Moonlapse Vertigo, Serenity Painted Death

Rating: 9/10 White Clusters

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Opeth - My Arms, Your Hearse (1998)

After two very promising, but not fully developed records, Opeth comes through big time with "My Arms, Your Hearse", the first concept record of the band. It is here where they seem to find the balance between all of their influences to create a cohesive sound that feels fully original. Gone are most of the jazz and fusion elements, and left is a very dark, but still beautiful, melodic sound that weaves its wave very smoothly through the speaker and ear canals. And let us not forget the black and death metal elements too, they are still there.

As said, this is a concept record, but it is one that is up for interpretation. All of the lyrics are written in a very poetic way, almost like Mr. Åkerfeldt was sitting out in his garden, enjoying his side hobby of poetry writing, reflected upon what he wrote, and said "yes, this is what we are gonna base our third album on". It is definitely interesting, and it encourages the listener to go deeper into the lyrics, making them think for once, and while we do lose some catchiness in the process, it really does not hurt the music all that much.

Besides from the lyrics, what really makes "My Arms, Your Hearse" stand out is just how well balanced the record is. While "Orchid" was very dark and murky, and "Morningrise" was very calm and collected, this album utilizes both strategies to not only give it more variety, but also just stabilizing the sound, and it all comes together nicely. Each and every song comes naturally, flowing without any problem at all, which just makes it easier for the listener.

And it is this mixing between the heavy and the calm, the harsh and clean vocals, the tough and soft riffs that just makes this record so fascinating. With so many little details here and there, it is close to impossible to take it all in at first listen, so you need to listen to the album again and again and again, but you still find a new little beat every time you spin it around. The replay ability is through the roof, and I will gladly play this sucker again and again, because it is just so pleasant.

But while this album is mostly soft around the edges, it still has a hard enough core to draw most metal lovers in. The band still knows how to hit it hard with those deep black metal vocals, and there are also a bunch of crunchy riffs here and there. As said before, this is a very well balanced record, so there is truly something for everyone here. I could wish for another song in the mix though, since we only get 6 real songs (and none of them are over 10 minutes), but the album is still 52 minutes long, so it still has some decent length to it.

Nonetheless, this is an astonishing record that just delivers a lot of different things. It is heavy, but soft. Dark, but light. Tough, yet fragile. It is an album with many faces, but it still has a very cohesive feel to it all, making it a very strong effort from the Swedes. It is their spring board towards stardom, and they are certainly touching the sky, with a progressive effort that delivers on every front. Maybe the concept could have been a little clearer, but it might just be me, I am not the best at interpreting high art, I am just here for the metal, and the metal is certainly good.

Songs worthy of recognition: Demon of The Fall, The Amen Corner, Credence, Karma

Rating: 9/10 April Ethereals

www.opeth.com/
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Opeth - Morningrise (1996)

During the beginning of their career, it was obvious that Opeth did not want to get forgotten all too easily, because before normal mortal beings had the chance to comprehend the dense debut effort "Orchid", the band was already done recording their sophomore album. Sure, it is an album that is only contains 5 songs, but man, if you thought "Orchid" was a tough blob to get through in one sitting, then you are obviously not ready for "Morningrise".

Each and every song in this record definitely have the progressive seal of approval, continuing what the band did in the debut with blending black metal, progressive rock, and jazz influences. Not a single song on this record goes below the 10 minute mark, with one song, "Black Rose Immortal", lasting for a whopping 20 minutes and 15 seconds, which is Opeth's longest song still to this day, over 20 years later. This ultimately makes the album just over an hour long, so it is not something you just whip out and listen too in a hurry.

Surprisingly enough though, "Morningrise" is a lot easier to listen to than "Orchid". Not only is the production a lot lighter, but the music is too, using more acoustic guitars and Michael is utilizing more of his clean vocals. If the last album was more classic black metal, then "Morningrise" is more of an atmospheric black metal album, setting more moods and tones. This definitely will be a personal preference whether you think it is a good or bad change, but I embrace it because it lets the music do more of the talking.

All of the tracks in "Morningrise" are great, displaying a good range of moods and technical skills of the band's repertoire, all keeping a fairly low profile that makes the album very solid and strong. The only real problem I have is "Black Rose Immortal", and yes, it is because of the length. It is a nice song and all, but it definitely over stays its welcome, dragging things out longer than it should. Actually, it sorta ends just before the 15 minute mark, but it goes on for another 5 and a half minutes. I can deal with 20 minute songs, but they have to have a reason to be this long, and "Black Rose Immortal" simply does not have a reason that is good enough.

The rest are really nice songs, even if I wished that one or two of them would stand out a little more, by being way heavier or something like that, but as said, it gives a unified impression of the entire album. It is the little things that makes each track stand out from the rest, like the dark vocals in "Advent", the playful opening and general speed in "Nectar", the epic ending in "The Night And The Silent Water", and the overall calm emotions on the ending track "To Bid You Farewell". Yes, all of the songs do contribute something to make "Morningrise" an incredibly enjoyable experience, making that hour go by really quickly.

"Morningrise" is ultimately a very fitting title to this record, because you can just put this on in the morning, take a stroll to your local black and white park with a bridge and pond, and just relax. It does have some heavy moments, but it is the tranquility that dominates the record, which it should. It is most certainly related to "Orchid", but both are completely different records, and they do attract different crowds that hopefully also can enjoy the other one too. It is an early showing that Opeth is one of those bands that can do close to anything without missing a beat, still being their own product and deliver some great progressive music. Wake up, and face the wonderful music that is playing.

Songs worthy of recognition: The Night And The Silent Water, Advent, Nectar

Rating: 8/10 Black Roses

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twitter.com/officialopeth

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Opeth - Orchid (1995)

Putting a flower on your cover and title might not seem like the best move for an up and coming metal band ready to release their debut record, but then again, Opeth is not your every day band, and they were not so back in the days either. The talent was still there though, and even without releasing a single demo prior, Mikael Åkefeldt and the rest of his crew managed to get a buzz going, ending up signing with Candlelight records, and record an album together with the one and only Dan Swanö. Not bad for a band that had tons of line up changes and very little experience in its first four years.

The album has a total of 7 songs, which initially sounds okay, but then you look deeper into it, and realize that two of the songs are short instrumentals, and the remaining five have a minimum length of 9 minutes. It is an incredibly meaty album that is pretty tough to get through, and it does not really help that most of them have a similar tone to them. Opeth do blend several different influences here, from black metal to jazz, but it is pretty obvious that Mikael had not perfected his craft just yet here.

With that said, "Orchid" still has a lot to offer, bringing us some very cool and imaginative progressive metal that the world had not seen before. The band never lose themselves in these mastodon songs, keeping a straight vision towards the goal. It is a skill to create such long songs while still making them entertaining, keeping a cohesion all throughout its runtime, and it is a skill that is pretty hard to master. Opeth shows instantly that they have the knowledge to make these songs interesting, without giving the listener a severe headache or nosebleed.

All of the songs have pretty distinct personalities as well, which certainly makes them stand out. The opener "In The Mist She Was Standing" is very playful in the beginning, with guitars that are borrowed from the folk metal scene, but it turns more serious the further in we go, getting darker and darker. The following song, "Under The Weeping Moon", is probably the most memorable of them all, because it sets a heavy tone instantly and continues on in sort of a satanic way, which ultimately leads to a very moody middle part that transforms into a fast frenetic mayhem, where Peter Lindgren delivers extremely simple, but super effective riffing. Absolutely love that part, my favourite bit of the album.

After the piano instrumental, known as "Silhouette", we get "Forest of October" and "The Twilight Is My Robe", both fine songs too, even if they make up what could be considered as the slowest part of the record. Not that these are slow songs or anything, but the momentum is grounded to a halt here, which is not fun. "The Twilight..." have at least some really nice instrumental work that is easy to admire, but "Forest of October" is very forgettable. The closer "The Apostle In Triumph" is a great ending to the record, with even more great instrumentation, and even some clean vocals thrown in to soften things up a bit, and show the range that Mikael has in his vocals.

Unfortunately, I do not think that any of the songs in here are any super strong outputs. All of them have some brilliance here and there, but those moments are spotty, which just ultimately shows that this band still had some way to go before fulfilling their true potential. Even if "Orchid" has some blind spots here and there, it is still an interesting record that has some creative ideas, all performed by a band that is trying their hardest to get that big breakthrough, and they sure got it after this effort, eventually blooming out to a very professional group of musicians. A nice start, but still lots of room of improvement.

Songs worthy of recognition: Under The Weeping Moon, In The Mist She Was Standing, The Apostle In Triumph

Rating: 7/10 Silhouettes

www.opeth.com/
twitter.com/officialopeth

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Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason (2016)

Ah, Meshuggah, the band from the northern Swedish city of Umeå, the effervescent entity that seems to be 5 steps ahead of the rest every time, the band who do not know what the word "simplicity" means. To say that these guys are unique is an understatement, there is simply no band like these masterminds. Every time I hear these guys, my thinking cap comes on, because it takes every bit of power from my brain cells to even comprehend everything that these guys present. So a real workout awaits every time a new album comes around.

"The Violent Sleep of Reason" is the title of the band's 8th studio effort, and it rides along on the same basic concepts that "Koloss" was based upon. To put it simply, it is violent, extreme, progressive, and colossal metal that hits you straight in the face with tons of force. One major difference though is that this album was recorded like a live show, which means that the band played it together, and not individually. It certainly feels more cohesive and organic, so I would say the change of approach here has been a successful one.

As per usual, it is the bass and the drums that is the driving force of Meshuggah, the engine to the vehicle. Dick Lövgren and Tomas Haake spits out these extremely technical and complicated beats like nothing, it is second nature for them, and it truly is their technicality that makes Meshuggah so mesmerizing and intriguing. At times, it is mind boggling how a regular human being can create these beats and rhythms without dislocating every possible joint in the body. The band chemistry has to be spot on for all of this to come together, and it certainly is.

The album starts off really strong with "Clockworks", a song that works just like its name. It is 7 minutes of heavy, technical goodness that never seems to end, creating some controlled madness that only Meshuggah can create. "Born In Dissonance" keeps the momentum going, with ultra heavy riffs that gets your groove on, and with its short play time of 4and a half minute, it is one of the catchier songs of the album. The great songs keeps on coming, with "Monstrocity" that goes up and down the scale in an amazing style, the title track that certainly uses the odd rhythms to its full advantage, and a "Stifled" that relies more on atmosphere and melodies than pure chugging (something that the band rarely does).

But while this album is diverse and extremely impressive in a lot of ways, it still feels kind of meh, especially when compared to earlier Meshuggah releases. To me, there are three things that drags this album down the drain. First off, there is not many parts from this album that is too memorable, probably because the riffs are kind of hollow most of the time. Second, the production is kind of a let down, not being as massive and grand as "Koloss", something this album might have needed for it to generate more power. Finally, the album is hard to get through because of its massive density. The songs are great, but put them together, and they make a massive block that needs determination to drill through. Do not get me wrong, this is a really cool album, it just has some flaws that keeps it from matching up with the band's impressive history.

While "The Violent Sleep of Reason" ends up as kind of a disappointment, it is still Meshuggah. This album is technical as it can be, and the band performs like highly advanced machines, perfect in sync with each other (which makes it even more impressive that this was recorded like a live show). The band stays firmly ahead of the curve, and while not being as innovative as before, they are still maintaining a position that most other bands only can dream of. So while I might enjoy albums like "Koloss", "Destroy Erase Improve", and "ObZen" much more than "The Violent Sleep of Reason", I will still do a Jens Kidman while listening to it. In other words, bring out my lower jaw, roll my eyes back to my skull, and bang my head to the infectious rhythm.

Songs worthy of recognition: Clockworks, Born In Dissonance, Monstrocity, Stifled

Rating: 7,5/10 Ivory Towers

www.meshuggah.net/
twitter.com/meshuggah

Witherscape - The Northern Sanctuary (2016)

The name Dan Swanö has always been a sure stamp of pure quality in metal, a man that takes an album to the next level. During his close to 30 year career, he has been a part of countless bands, such as Edge of Sanity, Nightingale, Infestdead, and many, many more. He has also contributed as a guest musician for bands like, Threshold, Therion, Novembers Doom, Omnium Gatherum, and Katatonia. So yeah, there are few people in metal that works as hard as Mr. Swanö. His latest project is Witherscape, a progressive death metal band he fronts together with guitarist and bassist Ragnar Widerberg. They emerged in 2013 with the release of "The Inheritance", a nice album that still felt a little flat, because I had a feeling that it was just an appetizer for what would come.

Three years have gone, and we are now here with Witherscape's sophomore release "The Northern Sanctuary", and let me tell you all, the duo has taken a big step forward here. Just like the album cover, "The Northern Sanctuary" is a grandiose album that takes the listener to a epic adventure, where Dan blends almost every essential element available. The heavy, melodic, epic, fast, slow, and catchy are all in this album, getting a good piece of the spotlight. It is impressive how Witherscape can take all of these ingredients and create a fantastic meal out of it, without turning it into a big, messy soup.

Every aspect of "The Northern Sanctuary" is so beautiful and uplifting, and the flow of the album is just marvelous, making it easy to get through this album in one sitting. The individual songs are strong by themselves as well, showing off some great creativity with different tools. It could be classic metal, excellent prog, or just an epic mastodon that spans over 13 minutes. Every song on "The Northern Sanctuary" has a purpose, a goal to fulfill, and a story to tell, and they all succeed in a fantastic way.

One of the highlights is most certainly the title track, a 13 minute behemoth that gives the album a more than worthy grand finale. It is as epic as it can be, treating us with what could be best described as a summary of the rest of the record. It has a little of everything in it. My personal favourite though is "The Examiner", a really beautiful song where Dan delivers a passionate performance, pushing his vocals to the limit, and Ragnar helps out with fantastic guitar work (that solo i subtle, but extremely effective). But really, every song on this album is of good quality, so do not miss out on any of them.

It is truly a shame that this album only consists of 8 songs (not counting the under 2 minute outro "Vila I Frid", Swedish for rest in peace) and a total play time of 46 minutes. Just as you are getting the most enjoyment out of the album, it ends. Another 10 minutes would not have hurt, but then again, the consistency that this album has is pretty hard to beat, so squeezing in another song would put that consistency in jeopardy. I don't know, "The Northern Sanctuary" is still an amazing album that further solidifies Swanö's legacy, but I wanted even more from it. It is strange, I feel like this project has yet another gear to put in, and hopefully, they do so with their third installment. Can't wait!

Songs worthy of recognition: The Examiner, In The Eyes of Idols, Marionette, The Northern Sanctuary

Rating: 8,5/10 Rapture Ballets

Fallujah - Dreamless (2016)

No matter how much you try to cover the whole metal spectre, you are always bound to miss out on something huge. I first heard about Fallujah about 2 years ago, when they released "The Flesh Prevails". I thought that they sounded like an interesting group, but I never got around to actually giving them a fair chance. The same thing was about to happen when the band released their 3rd full length album "Dreamless", I most certainly did not listen to it as soon as it was released. This time though, I were more determined to take them into my heart, seeing if they were worthy of all the hype. As it turned out, they were.

"Dreamless" is an impressive piece of music, combining so many elements that should not work, but they do. All of these extreme beats and atmospheric feelings blend together to make a grand picture, a beautiful painting that not even Van Gogh or Michelangelo could ever paint. You feel like you are floating in space, traveling aimlessly past all the planets and suns while listening to "Dreamless", and let me tell you, that is an incredible feeling, something that everyone should experience.

However, it takes time to indulge all of this, you must be patient enough to understand it all. While "Dreamless" does have tons of exciting moments in it, it could not be considered the catchiest album out there. The structures here are fluid, flowing through this effervescent stream that never repeats the same pattern, making you enjoy the moment more than remembering it. Of course, that does not mean that you will not end up with amnesia after the album is over, you will remember bits here and there, but your memory must be something special to remember everything.

This does not matter too much though, since the band performs in such a way that you will just sit back, relax, and take it all in with a huge grin. The guitar work of Scott Carstairs and Brian James is extremely clean, with some impeccable solos and cool slings, while Andrew Baird's drumming are aggressive, with a touch of sensitivity, emphasizing just when it needs too. The vocals, delivered by Alex Hofmann, are the perfect counterweight to the more atmospheric tones, bringing this Yin and Yang formation together. It is a new kind of beauty that I cannot really explain, you have to hear it to believe it.

"Dreamless" is a stunning album that is the ultimate showing to why Fallujah is one of the leading young metal bands out there now. Their unique brand of progressive and atmospheric death metal is something truly special, something you encounter few times during your life time. These guys have done solid works with both "The Harvest Wombs" and "The Flesh Prevails", but "Dreamless" paves the way for the future of this genre, taking it to a whole new level. Simply put, this record is a haunting beauty that surely is one of the highlights of this year, so do not miss out on it.

Songs worthy of recognition: Dreamless, Adrenaline, The Void Alone, Amber Gaze

Rating: 9/10 Lacunas

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Undying Light

Gojira - Magma (2016)

Being one of the most anticipated records of this year, Gojira had a lot to live up to with the release of "Magma", their 6th full length album of their career. The Frenchmen have gained immense fame during the last couple of years, and established itself as one of the premier metal bands out there. Their last album, the 2012 effort "L'Enfant Sauvage", was a stunning record that took everyone, including me, by storm, so it was safe to say that the expectations for "Magma" were quite high.

As soon as the album started, my jaw dropped, but not for the reason you might think. "The Shooting Star" opens up the album, and it is a very different song from what we are used to with Gojira. It is calm, spiritual, and singer Joe Duplantier only uses his clean vocals. It is a start that does set the tone of the album, because "Magma" is possibly the most experimental album of the band's career. They have always had that little Tool inspiration in their music, and that part gets more attention than usual. I think it is a interesting way to go, it certainly changes the dynamics of the band, but I am pretty sure that "Magma" will divide a lot of the fans.

Fortunately, we do have some familiar material in "Magma" that makes this sudden transition a little easier. The common Gojira fan will definitely love "Silvera", a tune that displays everything that the band stands for. It has heavy riffs, polyrhythmic beats that twist your mind, and a aggression that will make The Hulk seem like a Buddhist monk. The lyrics deliver too, expressing that the only way to change the world is to start with yourself. Oh, I almost forgot about the solo, which is both frantic and epic. Dear god, I am truly in love with this song.

Some good aggression can also be found on the first single "Stranded", even if it already got a stamp as a "sellout" track, plus "The Cell" and "Only Pain", two songs that delivers some sweet drum beats by Mario Duplantier. Among the calmer songs, I find the title track to be the only one that I truly enjoy, because the band succeeds in creation a mood that is hauntingly beautiful. Those screeching guitars could potentially hurt your ears if played at a high volume, but they fit so well in this song that I do not mind if I get tinnitus from it. I have to admit though, the songs sounds a lot like something Mastodon would make, especially on the more normal guitar tones.

While the album is a grower, I always ended up feeling a little empty when it all ended. "Magma" had potential, but the band did not maximize the space that they had. I find it highly unnecessary that the end of the album is a three and a half minute long beatnik session. If we take that away (plus the one minute interlude in the middle of the album), we end up with roughly 38 minutes of material, in other words, quite a short album. That's it! That is why I felt empty every time, because I want more Gojira, more crunchy riffs, more polyrhythmic time signatures, and more experimentation. Four long years of wait, and I get this little? That is a pretty big let down.

The best way to describe "Magma" is that it is interesting, but not fully impressive. The band is up to something, but are yet to arrive at their goal. See this as a new chapter to the story of Gojira, because even if this is far from the best album Gojira has made, it is still pretty darn good. However, it is short, and the song material is unpolished, so even if this album has several good sides, it also has some ugly ones that makes it hard to swallow. You should at least try this album, since it is another statement that Gojira is one of the best and most technical bands from the 21st century. It is definitely not as hot as lava, but it has its warm moments.

Songs worthy of recognition: Silvera, The Cell, Magma

Rating: 7/10 Low Lands

Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel (2014)

In 2012 came an album that almost knocked me out of my chair. A album that had an amazing mix of death metal, jazz and classical music. That album was "Portal of I" and is the debut record of the Australian band Ne Obliviscaris. It is an impressive debut that felt unbelievably original and well constructed. However, I felt that the band still had some way to go, especially since there were a lot of space in "Portal of I" that was badly utilized, and the fact that the
violins took up so much room. It was still one of my favourite debut albums from 2012 and it even made my top 20, so you understand that I had a lot of hopes up for their sophomore album.

And here it is, the follow up to "Portal of I", entitled "Citadel". And just like its predecessor, it is a beautiful album that is not for the impatient kind. Because even if it only contains 6 songs, the total playtime of the album is around 48 minutes, where 3 of the songs are 9+ minutes. I find it a little strange that they have 3 short songs and 3 mastodons, but then again, the shorter songs mostly acts like an intro or outro to one of the longer ones. But if we need to be extra petty, "Citadel" is actually only 3 songs long. The song "Painters of The Tempest" is split into three parts, and "Devour Me, Colossus" consists of 2 parts. However, I will look past that since each individual part has a name of its own.

Just like with almost all of the songs in "Portal of I", the longer songs in "Citadel" are very difficult to listen to. It is hard to remember the whole song, which almost forces you to listen again and again, just so you can separate them from each other. This is not surprising since the style of Ne Obliviscaris is so vast and progressive, and it is ultimately rewarding if you hang on and endure the sessions. I definitely think that the band has evolved their song writing skills, and made a lot better use of the allotted space than what they did on "Portal of I". I am relieved that the long, close to silent middle sections are gone and replaced by actual music. I did not expect that the violins still was such a big part of their music, but even those are better utilized here, helping to enhance the music instead of just stealing the show. Also, the production feels much more polished in "Citadel", but that comes as no surprise since the band got picked up by the excellent record company Season of Mist.

Frankly, I enjoy all of the three longer songs in "Citadel" even if they all have a tendency to go longer than what is necessary. All of them have a good sense of taste when it comes to dividing the heavy and the beautiful together so they take equal amount of space. Out of the three, "Pyrrhic" is without a doubt the heaviest track, and the only track that is a stand alone song. It starts of with a furious tempo and eventually mellows out, only to finish off strong with a dark and beautiful cooperation between the violins and the harsh vocals delivered by Marc "Xenoyr" Campbell. While Marc is doing a great job on "Pyrrhic", the clean vocalist Tim Charles shows his best skills on "Triptych Lux", the longest track on "Citadel" with a play time of 16 and a half minutes. Finally, we have "Blackholes", a song that does not stand out, but is still a very fine tune that fits well with the rest of the tracks in "Citadel"

The only critique I have against "Citadel" and Ne Obliviscaris in general is that it takes time for the music to grow on you. It is very easy to hear that the music is beautiful and well crafted, but since the songs are so long and progressive, it is very difficult to keep it in your brain, especially since all of the longer songs have all of the same things in them. Some heavy stuff, some harsh and clean vocals, a sort of break in the middle, violins and long, instrumental parts. So the band is succeeding in making the same thing over and over again despite the usage of ever evolving song structures. But if you do take the time, and listen through the entire album enough times, you will be rewarded sooner or later.

"Citadel" is a step forward for the band and another proof of the immense talent that this band possesses. The music is very original and highly interesting. The band still has some way to go, especially in making the music more memorable, but it is still early in their career, and they are playing a kind of metal that does need experience to fully master. None the less, "Citadel" is a great listening experience and one of the best progressive metal albums this year. Check it out now!

Songs worthy of recognition: Pyrrhic, Triptych Lux, Blackholes

Rating: 8,5/10 Wyrmholes