metalhead gallery

Norway's premier progressive metal act peaked in 2005 with the stunning Enigmatic: Calling, a spotless album that would serve to help modernize and define its genre in a new era of possibilities. Sure, it was as sugary and shining as the glossiest of candies. But what an amazing confection, well balanced between lightning riffing, gorgeous melodies and the precision pitch of Nils K. Rue, one of the best in the business, a clear choice to occupy the throne left barren by the likes of Geoff Tate, James Labrie and Ray Alder. I have not stopped spinning that album to date, so when it's followup God's Equation turned out t be a bit of a disappointment, it was not unexpected. How does one trump perfection? You put up an equivalent statement of quality or you shut up.

Well, six years later, Pagan's Mind have returned for their 5th album, and though it's perhaps not on the same wavelength, it's thoroughly enjoyable, and one of the best of its type I've heard in some time. The Norsemen retain their affinity for cosmic, wide reaching subjects of beauty in and out of the human sphere, abstractions upon religion and so forth, but this once again creates the perfect sort of gleaming, memorable fare that prog/heavy metal nerds sporting erections throughout the 80s and 90s would have killed for. Not a song goes by without some ear catching phrase or riff, and even at its worst (the rather vapid hard rock grooving incorporated "Into the Aftermath"), the band can craft a chorus that will send shivers through your nerves and a smile upon your face. There might not be any particular tracks that could compete with the elation of "Enigmatic Mission" or "Celestial Calling", but most of them come pretty damn close, and that is saying something...

Heavenly Ecstasy opens with a real burner, "Eyes of Fire", with a few thick exotic grooves to whet your anticipation for Rue's pristine presence, before the chorus and its tangible emotional levity. Cut to the great shredding and busywork of Jørn Viggo Lofstad in the bridge, and you're once more taken on an adventure. A few of the simpler, groove riffs are admittedly pedestrian, but encased in such enormous, clean production it's difficult not to feel some power. But this is far from the best track here: "Intermission" is a glorious, uplifting charge with a lot of screaming and a casual balance of aggressive chugging and moody synthesizer in the verses, while "Revelation to the End" sees the band experiment with Halford-like power metal screams and a chugging vortex of momentum with another voracious chorus. "Follow Your Way" and "The Master's Voice" are the sort of dreamy fare I would love to hear Dream Theater crafting these days, but then, Pagan's Mind are a far more straightforward act who jam and fuck around less. "Never Walk Alone" is yet another shocker that belongs on a highlight reel of their discography.

Really, the only song I completely discarded was the ballad "When Angels Unite", but really, all of these bands force something like this upon you. For what it's worth, it's not poorly written, just all too generic feeling and drippy. I also mentioned the grooves in "Into the Aftermath", but that still has a chorus you'll want to check out. In all, Heavenly Ecstasy is precisely what I want to hear out of this band: practiced, professional, polished execution and masterful musicianship that caters to both the virtues of restraint and the yearning of the ear, especially when the band fuses the dreamy 80s synthesizer prog with the charging guitars and Rue's siren-like prose. If you've appreciate anything Pagan's Mind has released in the past, or you'd be interested in hearing Stratovarius or Sonata Arctica done better, with far less wank, then these Norwegians once again have your back.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

http://www.pagansmind.com/front/

If Demonaz Doom Occulta's first solo effort sounds like some pseudo sequel to I's 2006 debut Between Two Worlds, that's because it is aesthetically quite similar. Bridging the epic Viking black tradition of latter day Immortal and the traditional, hard hitting heavy metal of 80s enthusiasts like Manowar, Heavy Load, Brocas Helm and Manilla Road, he's crafted yet another successful experience of elegant, powerful fare with the rare ability to soothe one's heart while crushing his spirit across the winter wastes. If you enjoyed Between Two Worlds, or Immortal's latest albums All Shall Fall and Sons of Northern Darkness, then you'll be quite comfy with such accessible hooks and strong, simple songwriting.

Now, Demonaz himself did not perform on Between Two Worlds, but he did write the lyrics, and his partners here, guitarist Ice Dale and drummer Armagedda were both culled from that other project's lineup. A natural fit, as the extended Immortal family seems to have a long legacy of lasting friendships that seems so rare in the seething hate-scape of the black metal scene, and it continues to work well through the March of the Norse. Climactic elevations of melodic power and weighted rhythms dominate cuts like the pumping title track and the soaring "Where Gods Once Rode", with all the blunt folk mysticism of Bathory's post-Hammerheart continuum (thrash misfires aside). Demonaz himself has a slightly grimier form of address than Abbath uses in I or Immortal, but its nonetheless emotionally enduring and effective.

There's really not a bad song in this bunch, but my preference lies towards the dramatic "Over the Mountains" with the solemn guitar hooks in the verses, and the instrumental bonus track "Dying Sun" which flows like runoff from a Summer heated glacier; melancholic blues rock well suited to any sorrow choked circumstance. If it's glory you seek, though, you'll be hard pressed to take "Legends of Fire and Ice", "All Blackened Sky", or those mentioned in the second 'graph for granted. The riffs are rarely subtle or intricate, but the splice of open, ringing chords and strings casts the same icy glamour as Between Two Worlds or All Shall Fall, so even when the most predictable pattern is being practiced, it still seems to function within the trio's capable handiwork.

I felt that the material was more immediately accessible than I, which took me some time to develop a fondness towards, and ultimately not quite that strong, but I can't think of any reason a fan of that would avoid March of the Norse. The lyrical themes might seem as if they've run their course by now (Demonaz has been scribing Immortal lyrics for well over a decade), but driven by such wanderlust as the atmosphere of this album provides, there is a timeless appeal unlikely to interfere with the audience's appreciation. The production is superb, the songs have a lot of replay value. Inspiring. Driving. Viking as fuck. Memorable, gleaming metal set against a night black background. Fit for every soul that has ever stared across a snowy expanse, tracing the sun's course upon the frost, and wondered.

Verdict: Win [8.5/10] (against the world we rise)

http://www.myspace.com/demonaz

So, what could surpass a disc of unexpected new material from one of your favorite bands in the world? A disc of FREE new material from one of your favorite bands in the world. Surely, Enslaved fits that bill for me, a ceaseless evolutionary blade of brilliance that has grown nothing but sharper, the deeper into their years. Their progression and mutation might not suit everyone equally, but there are few acts whose new output I so anticipate in the 21st century. The Sleeping Gods is a half hour, impressive download which continues to stride in similar dynamic streams to their latest masterpiece, Axioma Ethica Odini, if even wider in scope. Interestingly, it's been released online in partnership with Scion A/V, a creative media sub-division of the car company...

Yes, yes, I can hear it now, an Enslaved background track for some sleek, fanciful automobile commercial, and the cries of outrage and 'selling out' by the cavern dwellers who have likely already hated the band since they released Frost. Don't waste your time with such. The Sleeping Gods is every bit as wonderful and worthy of enormous replay value as the band's past two full-lengths, and the onus that it costs nothing should not dissuade you from checking it out. The five tracks show a vast array of variation that might damn well attract listeners from the band's various 'phases' of progression. "Heimvegen" is a tranquil, melodic romp endowed with a blissful synthetic, orchestral backdrop and Grutle's cleaner tone; placid until the wonderful eruption of percussion in the bridge above which the hoarse snarling ensues in the desperate, trailing guitar melody.

"Alu Misyrki' might be the biggest surprise, a storming old school black punk injection slathered in raunchy vocals, pretty close to what Darkthrone were writing for The Cult is Alive or Dark Thrones and Black Flags, only cleaner and swerving into tidier, progressive pastures (I LOVE the backing guitar melody around 1:10). Then, the Norwegians make a complete 180-degree arc into ambient territory with "Synthesis". Gentle guitar strings fluctuate across deeper keyboards and whispered, sparse vocals, eventually escalating into a near-industrial electro throb. The aim of instrumental "Nordlys" is perhaps a more creepy alternative to the viral Vertebrae material, a flood of raging immersion as massive chords crash into a subtext of barely perceptive melody, then a straight on wind-wash of melancholic, melodic indie rock with a psychedelic underpinning. Lastly, there is another surprise in "The Sleeping Gods", a rousing Viking folk piece dowsed in resonant percussion, acoustic musings, serious vocals; something Godspeed! You Black Emperor might write if they desired to pay tribute to the Norse mythos and somehow developed ice in their testicles and veins.

Really, it's just another superbly tuned experience for those willing to join Enslaved as their expanding signals create circular ripples into the bloodstream of a broader aesthetic spectrum. Simultaneously, it does not abandon the band's black metal roots, and wisely confines some of the more experimental material that might have wound up on a future full-length. This is a band who, first and foremost, are concerned in writing music. Enduring, compelling music. I have not found myself disappointed with anything they've released since they started to appreciably expand their borders (Mardraum in 2000), and this EP is far from an exception. "Heimvegen" takes a minute or so to truly develop; "Synthesis" might have lost me for a few seconds; but otherwise there's just nothing here I'd ever want to change.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

http://www.myspace.com/enslaved

While I admit a certain predisposition for almost any recording the great Nocturno Culto alights his frost-tinged vocals upon, Sarke has a particular charm which exceeds even the flustering fanboy within. Part black metal, part thrash, all dowsed in calm and cautious songwriting and the atmospheric swill of backing synthesizers, there is just not a lot out there like it. Vorunah was a promising debut in 2009, managing to stand out against a superb and nigh incessant onslaught of black releases that year, and Oldarhian seems its logical followup, a spiritual successor to classic Celtic Frost for the new century. Steady, polished and strong of riff.

Similar to Vorunah, this album works best when the psychedelic miasma of its primitive contents yields a collaborative, creepy immersion. Sarke's rhythm guitars always hinge upon the familiar, yet he's got a rare talent for re-invention, stripping each pattern of notes to its core and then enforcing them with percussion, bells, chimes and epic (if cheesy) keyboard pads to the maximum effect. A drummer by nature, his beats are clean and bare, if dynamic. Nocturno does occasionally grow monotonous, as he never quite varies his grimy tonsils, but the intelligent and observant lyrics are delivered with authentic, gravel-like emotion that functions fluidly across the concourse of thrashing ballast in "Pilgrim of the Occult", "Paradigm Lost", "Flay the Wolf" and "Condemned". A few of the tracks delve into a more progressive, 70s doom style like "Novel Dawn" and "Burning of the Monoliths", or a fascinating fusion of multiple concepts like the titular "Passage to Oldarhian" with its coiled grooves and immense atmosphere.

All told, there are no slackers whatsoever on this album. It's slightly more consistent than the debut, though there were a handful of songs there that stood out more than these ("Cult Ritual" and "The Drunken Priest" come to mind). There is much to like here, especially the rich mix of the guitar and the vocals, and I was very satisfied that it was not some one off collaboration. The minimal artwork is hit or miss, the lyrics well written, but most importantly, Oldarhian steals the listener away to some cryptic otherspace, some veiled realm of antiquity accessed only by the drawl of its rambling. Sarke offers a subtle hypnosis while simultaneously rocking your face off across numerous tracts of variation, and I sincerely hope this sophomore will bring further recognition to what the pair are gestating, because I can certainly sense a primal potential here that might one day even rival (or complement) Culto's main squeeze Darkthrone. With a highly qualified live lineup now in place, there is just no limit to what might ensue.

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/sarkeofficial

Although their end products might bear a only passing resemblance, I've always likened the progression of Helheim to that of their countrymen Enslaved. Unafraid to evolve themselves into varied configurations, but somehow managing to retain the razor disposition of their early works (Jormundgand and Av Norrøn Ætt), these Norsemen explore sound with absolutely no concern for the whining of a reactive audience. Chances are, if you're still on board with the band after 15 years, you're expecting some mild transformation through each of their full-lengths, and Heiðindómr ok mótgang, their 7th, is no exception to this, evenly distributing its creativity through passages of strained beauty and primordial strength.

The tones manifest here are consistently voracious, with an inherent depth delivered through the searing distortion of the guitars, charismatic and percussive rasp of H'grimnir and hard, steady drumming of Hrymr. Helheim never shies away from eccentricity, and in the very first track here, "Viten og Mot (Sindhiget)" we're treated to some blaring horn synthesis and wild effects over the lead sequence, which transcends the listener beyond the mere atmospheric black metal scriptures. Songs like "Dualitet og Ulver" channel a more measured, overarching melody which creates a beautiful desperation despite its predictability, and "Viten og Mort (Stolthet)" marries brooding clean chant vocals, narrative passages and crashing, wave-like rhythms to a hypnotic success rarely heard outside Enslaved. What's more, Heiðindómr ok mótgangr never really lets up: there are great tracks throughout the entire playlist, including the ghastly mid paced driver "Maðr", the somber escalation of "Element", and thundering tectonics of "Viten og mot (Bevissthet)" with their periods of strange calm.

If you're noticing a trend in several of the song titles, that's because the album follows a loose concept of Odinist captions that inspire the listener to meet their enemies at full strength. A motivational speech from one of Asgard's finest, if you will. An interesting idea, and one delivered without the pomp you'd expect from a shallower artist like Manowar. What I really loved about this album is how strangely loyal it is to the band's roots, despite the years of embellishments in production and variation that the band pursue here. It's not an entirely perfect work, as there are a few moments where the repetition or raw composition trail off in quality, but on the whole I'd feel safe in describing this as one of Helheim's strongest to date, superior even to a number of their cult classics. Recommended to fans of Enslaved, (earlier) Borknagar, and Burzum, but that almost goes without saying.

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

http://www.helheim.com/

Artist: Enslaved
Album: Axioma Ethica Odini
Released: 2010
Country: Norway
Genre: Melodic / Progressive Black Metal
Quality: 320 kbps [FLAC-Rip]
Size: 133 Mb.

Tracklist:
1. Ethica Odini 07:59
2. Raidho 06:01
3. Waruun 06:42
4. The Beacon 05:38
5. Axioma 02:20
6. Giants 06:37
7. Singular 07:43
8. Night Sight 07:36
9. Lightening 07:51

Download @ iFolder
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Enslaved @ Myspace

Genre: Melodic Epic Black Metal
Info: MP3 320 kbps CDRip
Length: 56.57 min
Size: 131 Mb

Keep of Kalessin - Reptilian (2010) HQ
I. Dragon Iconography 07:30
II. The Awakening 08:19
III. Judgement 05:10
IV. The Dragontower 04:43
V. Leaving The Mortal Flesh 04:25
VI. Dark As Moonless Night 05:50
VII. The Divine Land 06:47
VIII. Reptilian Majesty 14:13

Download @ iFolder
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Download Scans @ iFolder

By this time, Vreid have established just as prolific of a portfolio as their prior incarnation, the late Windir. Albums like I Krig have been entertaining affairs, but I have felt for years that the band has yet to truly manifest its magnum opus. Considering all of the hype I've seen thrown at this fifth record, V, I was expecting to be lifted out of my seat and channeled back to ancient times of splendor. To be sure, this is probably the catchiest and most competent piece the band have ever delivered, with a good degree of variation spliced throughout the nine tracks. Alas, it is nowhere near the level of quality that I've been reading, and a number of flaws, like the monotonous and easily forgettable rasped vocals, hold it back from its potential.

Seriously, they just feel too loud and incongruous against the riffing, some of which are brilliant, others pandering to a pretty mediocre melodic death aesthetic. "Arche" is a strong opener, with a psychedelic subtext woven against the bombastic drumming and the superb melodies evoked. In particular I love how the leads here are interspersed through the composition, creating a fluid contrast of majesty and solemnity. In general, the band continue to grab for dense, thrashing black metal riffs that hit you straight in the gut, a characteristic of their early albums, but these are not always cast in the most inspiring sequences. Cuts like "The Blood Eagle" and "Wolverine Bastards" are packed with good intentions and solid ideas, especially the groovy lead bridge in the latter, but they don't leave an enormous impression. "The Sound on the River" is a more subtle, folksy departure until the bursts of aggression, and "Fire on the Mountain" presents a dutiful pagan thrashing, but it wasn't until the more psychedelic, Pink Floyd-stylings of "Slave" which the cleaner vocals that really found myself getting involved, and even here I though the black snarling was just too loud and distant from the instruments in the mix.

V is certainly not a negative fixture within the band's history, and I would say it shows the most thought and preparation of anything they've released to date. The production is a little too clean, but it works well enough for the guitars and drums. If you've found yourself in rapture of the band's prior albums, then you will likely find this catchier and I dare say more accessible. Vreid are not above hurling in some folk, rock or death metal elements, and the power of the guitar tone is enough to crush your gall bladder like a titan squeezing a boulder in its palm. Despite the tragic fate of their alma mater, there is ample evidence that the musicians are still endowed with creative force, but there are still paths to be traveled, trails to be cleared before they will be numbered among the Norwegian elite.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10] (their nature is to seek)

http://www.vreid.no/

Whoever would have guessed that Kampfar were interested in women's studies? Such is the concept behind Mare, their 5th and most accessible full-length effort, but before you go gathering your pitchforks and torches in a panic, know that this is not some crass transformation into an Oprah Winfrey of pagan black metal. The Norsemen are still delving into the same mythology and folklore that has inspired their previous works, only honing in on a general, gender driven theme (witches, etc). It's a curious idea, one not wholly expected from a band of Vikings, and thankfully, due to the band's significant and welcome compositional skill, it works rather well. Perhaps not so well as their more vicious, early albums, but it will suffice.

As was the case with their previous album Heimgang, the band utilizes a thick guitar tone that creates an instant surge of power, not unlike later Immortal or their spin-off I. The riffs are steady, simply, and very often dwelling around the mid pace, while the drums thunder off and the melodies drift off into the tangible cold nightscape. The vocals cut straight down the middle, perfectly aligned with the meter and melodies, and thus a swelling of contrasts is created that reeks of majesty. That said, the band does seem to rely here on some often generic, or flat out dull patterns of notation (the bridge to "Mare", or the ponderous "Volvevers"), and thus certain tracks can become rather a slog to survive through. Others are simply too glorious to pass upon, like the hammering grace of "Blitzwitch" or the horn swilling "Bergtatt". There are also a few pensive piano or symphonic elements used to create atmospheric intros to the brooding "Huldreland", the melancholic "Trolldomspakt", or the crushing if predictable "Altergang".

I felt like there was just enough quality on Mare to enjoy it, but I won't claim that it's the equal of any of the previous outings. Certainly more subdued and tranquil, but never negligent of the 'wall of sound' effect the band have utilized in the past. I could do without a few of the tracks, especially the bonus "Bergtatt (in D Major)", a more uplifting, anthem alternative which painted an unintentional sonic portrait of drunken highlanders lumbering over the hills wearing lingerie, which I've yet to burn from my mind. I also felt the same comprehensive emptiness that drove me away from the latest Moonsorrow album. The songwriting structures are solid, but never all that inspiring, and it's almost as if the concept of the album itself outpaces the actual music. Ultimately, though, Mare is another good Kampfar album...just not up to the same standards of the back catalog.

Verdict: Win [7/10] (let the devil whore burn)

http://www.kampfar.com/