Lonely Kamel - Dust Devil

It's way past time to give Lonely Kamel some Ripple love.  I was mesmerized by their last album, Blues for the Dead on Transubstans Records.  Mesmerized to the point of never actually writing up a review.  But damn, if they didn't nail the retro-70's vibe that I love so much.  Big guitars, massive Hendrixian flourishes, heavy bass.  Simply put, it was a killer album.

Late last year, the boys came rushing back with their follow-up, Dust Devil.  Now signed to Napalm Records, I didn't know what to think at first.  Napalm is a great label, but not one I'd originally associated with a retro-fuzzy, stoner-minded band like Lonely Kamel.  How was it going to sound?   Were the boys gonna have to change their sound to fit in with the more metal-minded offerings of the Napalm catalog?  Was I about to lose one of my favorite bands?

Hell, no!  Dust Devil, if anything, drops deeper into the retro-70's canyon, mining away into the deep crevices of hard-rocking blues a la early-Zep, Free, Taste, and Blodwyn Pig.  Mix that genetic blueprient with the fired up stoner-blitz of Kyuss, a dash of Fu Manchu, and a sacrifice on the alter of Clutch, and we got what may have been one of my missed Top Ten albums of 2011.

"Grim Reaper" is pure blues.  Hard core, bottom-heavy, riff mad blues.  Cut fresh from the marble of a 70's blues rock band.  Vocals rough but clean.  Riffs precise and heavy as crap when they wanna be.  That vibe doesn't last too long though, as "Evil Man" races right into the dust-swept deserts and canyons of Kyuss.  Killer stoner rock here, revved up and hype, not doomy.  A sandstorm of riffs and bashing drums.

"Blues for the Dead" appropriately enough mixes the first two songs to create a blues-minded, doom-toned, stoner-fried freaked out, fuzzed assault.  "Rotten Seed" picks up the fuzz, lays down a manic beat, and races to places unknown.  Great guitar riffs here, chopping the song up, varying the tempo, and dropping into a KISS-esque choral break.  Dig the killer bass breakdown leading into the space guitar solo jam middle section.  Damn, is it good as it blends right into the plodding, doom-laden, downtempo blues intro of "Seventh Son." 

Lonely Kamel are a band I don't hear bandied about as much as names like Lo-Pan, or even our own Mos Generator, but damn if they aren't right there in the upper eschelon of stoner rock bands.  Someday, I still gotta review Blues for the Dead, because that album really deserves a Ripple write up, but in the mean time, I offer you, oh waverider, Dust Devil.  May the beloved fuzz rock the cobwebs from your brain.


--Racer

Moonspell - Alpha Noir

I’m really surprised more people aren’t talking about this album. I don’t meaning raving and claiming it to be the second coming of Master of Puppets or whatever . . . just surprised that I’m not hearing Moonspell pop up in musical conversations more often. Okay then, allow me to turn the topic over to these doom-y, gloom-y, goth-y, super heavy (heavy with a cape) Portuguese rockers.

I have a couple of Moonspell records in my ever morphing collection of music, and though I like the bands past records, they never jump out as the albums that I feel compelled to propel me through the doldrums of every day. They’re good, they have their moments, they just don’t live up to what I guess I want them to be. That’s completely on me. I’m good with that. Those albums aren’t going anywhere, so in time, I may find the hidden brilliance in them as well. As I said, I like them, I just don’t currently love them.

Now, Alpha Noir finally hits every mark for what I ever perceived of this band (which means that the old school Moonspell-heads probably think it sucks . . . but they’re wrong). This album, released through Napalm Records, is all things heavy, and intricate, and nihilistic, and oppressive, and moody, and all the dark things that make me think that Moonspell is all about. Alpha Noir is a demonic groover that emits the faintest odor of brimstone as it spins on the player. A positively dark record that has me banging my head at my desk, behind the wheel, or pushing a shopping cart through the grocery store. Simply beastly.

Take your pick of songs . . . the lead track, “Axis Mundi”, for instance . . . it has a great and intense building intro that is a true harbinger of devastation to come. Huge tribal rhythms amidst a wash of feedback and thundering sound effects, and then a laser-like guitar riff that cuts through ¼ inch sheet metal like it was a sheet of velum. That’s the kind of stuff the fires me up! Follow this up a few seconds later with a one of the more powerful riffs on the album, all accompanied by a drummer who more than knows his way around a kit, and I’m in pure heaven. The tightness of that riff and the steadfast and straight forward drumming make the opening couple minutes of this song an exercise in power. Moonspell do a great job of mixing in a little ambient texture in the song, as well, by dropping in some subtle keyboard flourishes . . . and then there’s the middle/end break where the band completely drops out and we’re left listening to the creepy crooning voice of frontman and band mainstay, Fernando Ribeiro sing over a plaintively plinking piano passage. Fucking epic song that never gets old!

Check out the title track and its opening salvo of galloping guitar riffs, and then feel how you’re blown back a step or two when the band kicks in. What a wonderful treatment of mid tempo, palm muted riffing! Feel the song kick into overdrive as the double bass drums suddenly thunder their way onto the scene. And the textural washes of the keyboards and contrasting melodic guitar lines that weave throughout the chaotic flurries of sound. Just a well composed track that has enough changes and shifts to keep things constantly interesting and compelling. Searing guitar leads and Ribeiro’s trademark gothic croon sprinkle the last bits of seasoning that this song needs to make it a must listen!

“Opera Carne” is a blistering tune that features one of those melodic choruses that’s accompanied me in my early waking moments for the past week. It’s not one of those over the top melodies with a huge operatic choir or a big sing-along moment, but there’s something about the way Ribeiro growls the words “How our flesh burns . . . in mysterious ways” that it sticks in my head and I easily hum this ghastly tune. Musically speaking though, this one is brutally heavy! Great effects on the guitars opening the track and the production on the drums it superb . . . the drums sound like they’re set up in my office right next to me. Sharp, crisp, powerful!

Then onto my personal favorite on the album, “Love Is Blasphemy”. I can’t play this monster loud enough! It’s almost ridiculous how killer this song is . . . the opening musical intro with its rhythmic tom work and melodic guitar lines, creating a few moments of dark tension. Then Moonspell drop the fucking hammer. A guitar riff crafted by the hands of goblins in the darkest reaches of Mordor, cymbal crashes that invoke memories of Metallica at the moment when they were poised to rule the world, a guttural vocal utterance that spits venom in the faces of church leaders world-wide, and one of the most tastefully aggressive heavy metal songs one will hear for the rest of the year. Beautifully crafted, not up its own ass with too much progression, not too stripped down to be redundant . . . Moonspell get to the meat of the matter right off the bat and beat the listener senseless for just over four and half minutes.

The musicianship throughout Alpha Noir is top notch, but it’s not too show-y. Moonspell have chops, but thankfully, they don’t see the need to pummel us with technical glitz and just keep the music simple. This is, by far, the heaviest record I’ve heard all year and also the biggest surprise I’ve experienced. As I mentioned, I know some stuff about Moonspell, and I’ve just never been a monstrous fan. One of my first experiences with them was when I caught them live opening for Opeth a few years back, and they blew me away! The showmanship, the stage presence, the seemingly 7’ tall Fernando Ribeiro extending his arms and looking like some nightmarish vulture . . . it was enough to sear an impression in my mind’s eye for a lifetime and with Alpha Noir, the sound I always associated this live imagery with has been captured. Massively heavy music propelled by monstrous grooves full of heavily distorted guitars and insane drumming. Great record that I simply can’t listen to enough!

Pope

http://www.facebook.com/moonspellband

Shadowgarden – Ashen

I usually find gothic rock a mixed bag of goodies. On the negative, the music can be sappy and overly glorifying in its depression. On the positive, it can be sappy and overly glorifying in its depression. Basically, what I’ve found is that when gothic rock is done good, it can be a thrilling ride into tragic romance and deep brooding desire for love, and that’s what I’m getting with Shadowgarden’s Napalm Records release, Ashen. For the most part, the music is upbeat, driving, and can flat out rock. There are some of the quieter, more moody moments mixed into the album, and they work to perfection as well. Let’s put it this way, when I listen to Ashen, I don’t feel the need to light candles, kill the lights, drink wine and stare out a picture window at the falling rain. I want to take said glass of wine, throw it fiercely at the wall, and destroy my furnishings!

Ashen is layered with great dynamics and haunting melodies, and the vocals of Johan Ericson are powerful, yet you can hear a certain amount of vulnerability to them. The guitars have a nice crunching tone to them, but they’re not overbearing and oppressive. There’s an almost accessible quality to the production of this album and the songs could very easily find their way on your more alt oriented rock stations. I hear a lot of Paradise Lost in this, but not the discordant elements of P.L., more like the heavy melodic moments . . . basically everything that I’ve ever loved about Paradise Lost. There’s another sound weaving its way through this music, but I can’t put my finger on it . . . but when I do, whoa-boy! Don’t think for a second that I won’t tell you who it is!

Ashen opens subtly with “Shadowplay” and a beautifully strummed acoustic guitar, and then the up tempo, dense wall of distorted guitars explode in a shimmering display of melodic excitement. The song ebbs and flows between soft, ambient passages to huge choruses filled with the kind of melodies that would have an arena full of happy-we’re-sad fans singing their asses off. I particularly like the dynamics that these guys show n the song writing and production of this song. They’ve created an excellent mood with the music and they keep the song moving forward, rocking heavy when they need to and creating elements of serenity to break up the bombast. The more I listen to this, the more I marvel at the intricate elements mixed into the various sounds. Shadowgarden do an excellent job at song-craft and I’m compelled to give this song yet another spin due to the interesting bits of ear candy mixed throughout.

You can’t have good goth-rock without the inclusion of a female voice and Shadowgarden do just that on “With Love and a Bullet.” Though it may seem cliché to have the female voice worked into music of this particular genre, it also seems naked without it, and in truth, “With Love and a Bullet” is enhanced by this element. Lisa Johansson voice is amazing! So elegant and sensual, so sorrowful and hurt, so vibrant and filled with emotion, Johansson works her voice to perfection as the music shifts from explosively distorted bursts of guitar, drum, and bass to synth-driven, quieter passages. And once the song hits the chorus, feel the heart strings get pulled as she separates her voice from the harmonies and essentially carries the song to the stratosphere and beyond. Again, this track is exquisitely crafted . . . listen to all of the fascinating pieces of aural sweetener dancing around the mix on this one . . . little vocal add-on’s, textural guitar pieces hidden behind the distorted bass rumblings, volume swells of keyboards making the song sound even bigger than it is. You can’t listen to this one just once, there’s just way too much going on that requires your attention!

“Murky Waters” is another haunting gem, incorporating big key strikes on the synths over the droning walls of guitars. The chaotic elements of sound suddenly dissolve to reveal Ericson’s beautiful and sultry voice crooning about personal isolation and inner torment. Accented with those huge bursts of sound that we’ve come to expect, the vocal performance on this song is no less than magnificent. Whether he’s singing over barren soundscapes powered by keyboards and rhythm or over heavy and imposing guitar riffs, the voice retains a level of elegance and composure. Kind of like the musical equivalent of falling in a pile of shit and coming out smelling like a rose, Ericson’s voice has a shine to it no matter how dark its surroundings.

“Slowmotion Apocalypse” shows Shadowgarden wrinkling the fabric of the sonic tapestry. With the last track on the album, the band suddenly throws the mid-tempo or upbeat romantic drama to the side of the road and slow the tempo way down, akin to being so worn and tired by the weight of their guilty burdens, the music crawls through the gloom, never out of it. This song shows a heavier side to the band, even when the song breaks down to its ambient core and acoustic arpeggios, the song is a slug . . . and I mean that in the most positive way. They even utilize a little death growl in the vocal performance that, for me, enhances the dreadful mood and texture of the song. Searing guitar leads blaze from the din, acting a brief glimmer of hope in the darkened mire of depression. Brilliant song . . . fucking brilliant song!

Alright . . . never heard of these guys before and it turns out that this is their debut album, though Ericson is no stranger to the genre. Apparently this guy fronts or is an important cog to a band called Draconian, who share the mindset of bands like Sentenced (Racer just got a boner). For me, that matters not. What matters to me is that Ashen is a top to bottom emotional mover and ear pleaser.  Think what liked the most about it was just as I was beginning to think I knew where they were going they changed things up by tossing in a curveball at the very end to make me question everything that I’d previously heard and made me want to go back to try and rediscover something that I must have missed. Also, the songwriting and production aspects are out of this world, making me want to continue spinning this one because it feels so fucking good! Hat’s off, gents . . . can’t wait to see where you go with the next one!  -  Pope

buy here: Ashen
mp3: Ashen

www.myspace.com/shadowgardenmusic

www.napalmrecords.com

 

Necronomicon - The Return of the Witch

I’m not quite sure what it is that the guys at Napalm Records are feeding their artists, but don’t start rationing now! Canadian black metallers, Necronomicon have just released their latest album entitled The Return of the Witch and, much like the majority of the stuff I’ve been hearing from Napalm Records, this album made me take pause, stare long and hard at the music player, and immediately lose myself in the sonic splendor of the music. Not for the faint of heart, not for the weak, not for the people who like to start their mornings with a tip-toe through the tulips, Necronomicon is a blastbeat away from cardiac arrest. The music is sheer metallic chaos, darkened and brackish, venom pumping through the veins rather than blood, and it’s performed with an intensity and uniqueness that has made me replay this album three times in a row. The music is nasty, has a dangerous edge to it, but here’s the kicker . . . there’s some melody and musical proficiency thrown in to separate these guys from the bottom feeders of the genre. In fact, I’d start thinking of Necronomicon in the same frame of mind as other black metal genre benders Enslaved, Behemoth, 1349, and even Arcturus, to some degree.

Now, I don’t claim to be some black metal aficionado. Truth is, a lot of BM is too noisy and discordant to keep my attention for longer than it takes them to yell “Blaaarrrghhh!” But I do like the black metal acts that create mood or a sound that is exotic and in contrast to the chaotic blastbeat furies . . . y’know, when a band experiments with tones and ambience and time signatures. Black metal purists will probably hate Necronomicon because this band incorporates some truly excellent thrash moments, as well as slowed down piano passages, and vocal choirs . . . all the elements that I’ve always found fascinating about the genre! On top of all that, the production on The Return of the Witch is one part pristine, which makes the music sound huge . . . the other part very D.I.Y. and raw, as if they were trying to give this recording a live and organic feel. Some might think this combination wouldn’t work, but much like the contrast in sounds and tones from the performances, the contrast in production styles makes this album a stunning piece of ear candy.

I was sold on The Return of the Witch after listening to the open track. There is so much going on in this song that it’s ridiculous. “Into the Fire” is a five minute explosion of blastbeat tirades, thrashing breakdowns, double bass beat downs, demonic vocal narrations, and angelic vocal choirs. The musicianship in this song is phenomenal, I’m loving how they break the riffs down, do these great chord progressions, don’t rush the song to be complete and just expand on the ideas that they start putting down. You can almost hear how this song came together. It’s as if the three musicians came together to write this tune, found a cool riff in the bag of tricks, then decided to speed it up . . . and then slow it down, and then throw in a cool break . . . and then thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to throw in some heavenly vocals to break up the darkness?’ and then did so.

“The Time Is Now” is the first single and you should be able to view the video below. As you’ll note, the song starts off in a very typical black metal fashion . . . aggressive, heavily distorted, guttural vocals that sound like a dog hacking up a bone, a flurry of drum beats zipping this way and that, but check out the tempo shift right around the 1:13 mark. Notice how the double bass drums lay down this rumbling layer of sound and completely changes the complexion of the riff. Now, to make things even more interesting, listen for the subtle stop in the middle of the riff. WHAM! It’s so jarring and so sudden, yet feels so rhythmically natural. That half second of silence says more than most bands playing a million notes in a ten minute epic. Fucking astounding!

The seven minute epic “The Order of the Moon” is a blistering sonic tonic that goes from immediate and devastating to ambient and liltingly ethereal. The riffs in this song are all over the place and accent well with great drum work. Of particular note, as the song breaks from its initial double bass driven riff and suddenly grooves into the thrashing riff, check out the subtle cymbal accents at the end of the measures. This groove has that the headbanging power to it; heavy, crunching, and laced with a soulful rhythm and swagger. The piano break and haunting sound effects the hover in the background gives this song a massive dynamic quality, the kind of sound and mood swing that lets the imagination wander to fog enshrouded fens and swampland, deep dark places that haunt the soul, haunt the mind. As Necronomicon work their way back into the heaviness, the sounds become oppressive and overwhelming, as if we’re lugging around the weight of our worldly sins, searching in vain to relieve our selves of the remorse.

“The Return of the Witch” and album closer, “Seven” are black metal classic’s with a touch of thrash-y sludge mixed to dirty things up. These tracks may be less dynamic than much of the rest of the album, but they’re no less intense or technically magnificent. Searing guitar leads that seamlessly shift to rhythmic groove and harmonic trickery make up the greater portions of these songs. Throughout these tracks, I can’t help but feel the need to sit in a rune encircled pentagram. They’re just brimming with a dark and evil energy, and I’m certain a small part of my soul is blackening the more and more I listen to this. But, it’s just like porn, you just can’t seem to ever get enough!

The Return of the Witch is black metal just the way I like it . . . playing just outside of the rules that have been previously established. It’s menacing music, but it’s dynamic and filled with intriguing moments of technical brilliance, and Necronomicon injects just enough melody to make things memorable. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about melodies that will have you humming all the live long day, but dancing through the din of darkness and oppressive tones, the band work in melodies that act as a guiding light of hope. Experimental to some degree, but not to the point that they’re shoving their heads up their collective asses. Necronomicon push the envelope on their expressive nature and they forge some new ground that I’ve found beyond interesting, hell . . . I find it addictive!  -  Pope JTE

Buy here:  Return of the Witch

www.myspace.com/necronomiconmetal

www.napalmrecords.com

Lacrimas Profundere - The Grandiose Nowhere

There was some time back that I was vastly opposed to anything that wasn’t traditional metal, wasn’t full on heavy for the sake of pummeling the listener into submission, music that wasn’t packed so tightly into a box of walls that I created to the point that the music couldn’t breathe or grow. How totally tragic is it to keep something from growing? Spend a season planting seeds and nurturing them into tiny green sprouts emerging from the damp soil, reaching for the warming rays of the sun. Thankfully, those days of inhibiting the natural order of things are well behind me and I can now accept, appreciate, and most importantly, love all forms of music. With all of that being said, the mid-80’s Pope would have been less than pleased with a band like Lacrimas Profundere and the sounds that they’ve delivered on The Grandiose Nowhere. The music would have been too ambient, too melodic, too goth-y, too artsy. In truth, it would have been too good for me to like. Eh, we all get older and hopefully a little wiser.

While Lacrimas Profundere has all of those wonderfully melodic textures dancing around their sound, they utilize the heavy elements to add strength and body to the music. The ambient portions feel more menacing, the melodies more dramatic, the gothic tones darker, and the artistic air more vibrant and lush. In listening to this album, I can’t help but hear flavors of so many past artists, but not one in particular. I hear a bit of the darkened tones of a band like Paradise Lost, especially with the heavily distorted guitars, but then I hear someone like Peter Murphy making spastic love to the mic. I hear elements of bands like the Cure . . . or Type O-Negative . . . or Moonspell . . . or Lacuna Coil . . . ach! Trying to pinpoint this band’s sound is like catching a dream upon a sudden and violent awakening. Suffice it to say, these guys sound good and, with their addictive melodies, have that sound that makes me want to listen over and over again despite those fleeting moments of melodrama.

Where the album opener, “Be Mine In Tears,” initially got my attention with its heavy tones and upbeat drive, it was the second track that drew me deeper into the thralls of this albums power. “The Letter” is a brilliantly composed tune filled with an emotive vocal performance and the excellent execution of heavy metal power and melodic sentimentality. I love the way these guys have the various layers of keyboards and synths dancing around each other, kind of like some manic and chaotic waltz. Then, they fade away and are replaced for a brief time by a dense wall of distorted guitars and those sexy smoldering vocals. The contrast between the verses and choruses are dramatic, with the chorus melody as opiate addictive as they get. Go ahead . . . succumb to the addictive, narcotic qualities of the Lacrimas Profundere melodies. Sure, you’ll be humming them through the course of your day, but look at the positives . . . no liver disease, no lung disease, no kidney disease, in fact, this stuff will put a pep in your step and probably make you a healthier individual!

The underlying theme throughout The Grandiose Nowhere is the dark sexiness the percolates from the sultry sounds of the music. I’ve never heard the word ‘kiss’ used so frequently and still sound so sexy, so romantic, so dark and shocking. Check out the songs “Lips” and “Her Occasion of Sin,” and fall in love all over again. Not the kind of puppy dog and bright flowers love, but the love that’s laced with pain, longing for a lovers touch, the indescribable torture of being apart from the one you want more than any other. The words probably wouldn’t mean as much or be as powerful if it weren’t for the conveyance of emotion from the vocalist. That darkened, whiskey soaked drawl adds so much nuance to the subject matter, so much emotion that we, as listeners, buy into the tales of tormented souls.

“Not For Love” follows the darkened pattern of the songs before it. Heavy verses sung from an understated position, yet still filled with nuance, and then as the song opens at the chorus and explodes with melody, we become hooked. This particular song has that something special . . . maybe it’s the bounce of the chorus, maybe it’s the dense riffage of the guitars, maybe it’s the haunting melodies, maybe it’s all of these things wrapped up into one composition. “The Fear of Being Alone” immediately follows with a new wrinkle added to the mix of instruments. Piano keys chillingly plink away at the opening melody and what sounds like a female voice joins the dominant male lead to harmonize to near perfection . . . maybe not in pitch or whatever, but purely in emotion. The combination of pianos and female vocals give the song the much needed element to separate it from the rest of the songs on the album. Beautiful and haunting, this is the song that I’ve found myself looking forward to as I spin The Grandiose Nowhere.

Finally, “No Matter Where You Shoot Me Down” wraps up the album and, in a lot of ways, shows the band writing and performing at their very finest. The guitars have an odd distortion to them, sounding a bit little some bastardized country western piece, all played over a throbbing rhythm. Again, the vocals steal the spotlight, painting a sepia toned picture of personal torment with the conveyance of the lyrics. They build and build with tension, and then just as one might expect the song to burst into a frenzied barrage of musical notes and complex tones, the song just seems to slip away . . . maybe it’s a little anti-climactic, but in actuality, it’s a pretty damned accurate reflection of life. When we up and die, odds are, it won’t be in a ball of flame as we rush head long into conflict. Most of us will probably die alone, in our sleep, of a broken heart . . . very few of us will actually die as the heroes that we see in movies or in our heads.

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I put this album on, but I certainly wasn’t expecting that I would immediately set finger to keyboard to begin composing my thoughts on this twelve songs collection of darkened rock tunes. Lacrimas Profundere will interest most of those music folk who have a serious dislike for the sun, but should also be a compelling listen for the more mainstream music fan. These guys work the melodies to perfection . . . they make them memorable, but retain a bit of a dangerous edge to them. There’s a lot of looking out over rain swept plains from the confines of a candlelit room in this music, but oddly enough, it’s not terribly depressing. On the contrary, the music is more upbeat and danceable than one might think based on the lyrical content. The Grandiose Nowhere has some of those crossover qualities in that it’s accessibly melodic while remaining dark and metallic, something that we’re starting to see more and more of as time goes on. And, for me, that’s a good thing. I like it when I can listen to a piece of music that will satisfy my listening needs no matter what kind of mood I’m in.  -  Pope JTE

www.myspace.com/lacrimasprofundere

www.lacrimas.com

Napalm Records Report: Featuring Van Canto, Mortemia, and Varg

Napalm Records is back this month with another set of hard edged and metallic music. As I immersed myself in the sounds of the labels latest offerings, I found myself a little surprised yet absolutely wide eyed and thrilled by what I was hearing. Last month, I wrote about The Kandidate and Troll, two bands that gravitated toward the more violent and aggressive side of the metal spectrum. Hence my surprise when I gave Van Canto, Mortemia, and Varg their respective spins. While this latest group of artists is still metal in every way shape and form, all three have more elegant and delicate elements to their sounds. In other words, they’ll still shred the skin from your face, but they’ll do it with a loving smile instead of a grotesque scowl. Each band has something interesting to offer the genre of metal, and though I’m no master of all the various sub-genres, I’m willing to bet that they offer a new wrinkle to many of those as well.

Van Canto – Tribe of Force

Van Canto’s Tribe of Force is far and above the most eye brow raising disc I’ve heard since I stumbled on one of the many Apocalyptica albums. Now, I don’t expect every metal fan out there to succumb to this album the same way that I did, but I do expect a few Waveriders in particular to investigate Tribe of Force further and ultimately fall madly in love with it. The deal with this album is that it’s A Cappella metal. Yep. That’s right . . . all of the electric instruments (for the most part) are replaced with vocal performances. I know what you’re thinking. I thought the same exact thing. But I now stand before you and proclaim that the concept works and it works well. Instead of a rumbling bass line, we get to hear a baritone voice holding down the groove, a second voice coming in and adding a little texture and melody, female voices adding airy harmonies, and a lead vocal that is equal parts gruff and sweet. It’s all accompanied by a drummer and every so often, electric guitars sweep in to provide dynamic solos.

Though damn near every song on here is remarkable in some way shape or form, I found “One to Ten” to be one of the strongest, mainly because of the dynamics that the band show in the composition. Leading off with a female lead over the double bass drum and tongue twisting baritone bass rhythms, the song just picks up the listener and carries them on a figurative journey from one village tavern to another. The chorus is an uplifting passage and I’m constantly amazed by this group’s ability to work their voices together so tightly and give the music the necessary muscle to fit within the genre. The guitar solos are freaking awesome and I love how the band breaks down the piece to just the baritone rhythms before exploding into a flurry of sound again.

The greatest moment that Van Canto gives us is their interpretation of Metallica’s "Master of Puppets." No . . . really. It is an impressive, nay . . . phenomenal rendition of a classic metal song, and it’s all done with a choir of voices. It’s a testament to the heaviness of that song, as well as to Van Canto for working the voices to the point of perfection. If the voices had come in any different way, the song wouldn’t have any luster whatsoever, but to the bands credit, they tackled a beast of a song and gave it their own personal touch. Pay close attention to the break where traditionally Hetfield and Hammett would do their nifty guitar harmony thing, and listen to how these parts are nailed by the female vocals. As the song explodes into the “Master” chant, the baritone vocals return and I can’t help but be amazed at how these guys don’t lose their breath. This is an album for those who like massively orchestrated music and an appreciation for fresh takes on the art of metal performance. Other songs of note are “My Voice” and “I Am Human.” www.myspace.com/vancanto  

Mortemia – Misere Mortum

Mortemia came up categorized as Gothic Metal, and though I hear some elements of the Gothic stylings in their sound, I hear something so much more involved. There’s a complexity to the various guitar tones and the way they mix with the keyboards and harmonized vocals. These guys remind me of the heaviness of Dark Tranquility, mixed with the symphonic sounds of Therion, mixed again with the darkened progressive sounds of Ihsahn, mixed with the technical guitar heroics of Iron Maiden. Seriously . . . these guys seem to do it all, and as I’m sure you can guess, there are dynamics to the compositions that will consistently have you wondering what’s coming up next. I’m not certain, but I think a lot of the lyrics are sung in Latin, but seeing as the only exposure I get to the language is from looking at an encyclopedia or reading the covers of a bunch of metal albums, I could be totally off base.

“The Pain Infernal and the Fall Eternal” is spectacular in every way, shape, and form. Opening with a muted and muddy guitar riff, then suddenly exploding with clarity, the song takes another turn by having an operatic set of voices accompany the chord progression. Normally, that would be enough for me to nod my head in approval, but then as the vocals come in and sing the first verse, a group of harmonized vocals deliver the message, further accompanied by female vocals at the chorus. The song takes a darker turn as a demonic, screechy voice spits venom in the listener’s ear, and by this time, I’ve got my right hand hoisted in the air, horns waving in support. This song goes from awesome to breathtaking and just puts a damn big smile on my face. Note the guitar work at the solo and the subsequent musical break down. This song is a fucking epic!

“The Malice of Life’s Cruel Ways” opens brutally heavy with big fat chunky riffs and double bass. The vocals have that deep guttural and spooky quality to them, but I understand enough of the words to know that they’re being sung in English at this point. The groove is awesome . . . throbbing, pulsating its way into the soul, forcing the body to bob up and down. Once the song reaches the chorus, the operatic qualities return with a huge choir of voices singing in harmony. The breakdown after the second chorus is pretty damn slick, filled with string orchestration that creates a wall of tension before exploding in a volley of heaviness once again. “The Wheel of Fire” picks up where the previous song left off, heavy and filled with dynamic musical changes, and it’s at this point that I realize that Mortemia are flat out awesome! Aggressive enough for me to be immediately drawn to them, but delicate and musical enough for me to return time and time again . . . always keeping the music interesting, but never being too far over my head. Misere Mortum is an early runner up for my year end top ten list. www.myspace.com/mortemiano

Varg – Blutaar

I think I read somewhere that Varg was Norwegian and Swedish for wolf, so that should give you some idea of the music that you’re about to hear with these guys. It’s heavy and dark, but filled with folk-y melodies that weave in and out of the double bass flurries, forearm straining guitar riffs, and scorched earth vocals. Varg are referred to as Pagan Metal, which simply means to me that these guys are very earthy, in tuned with nature and the natural spirits, whether they be light or dark. With that being said, the music encapsulates that imagery almost perfectly. Though I’m not doing back flips over the folk-y melodies, I do appreciate where they’re coming from and the musical dynamics that they’ve infused within the more brutal passages, especially when they break things down even further and work in the acoustic guitars. The stripped down approach really works well and allows for an even heavier feel when the distorted guitars return to the mix.

“Invictus” is just my speed with the bullet train tempo and blast beat frenzy that evaporates into a more mid-tempo groove through the verses. The vocals, in all of their demonic splendor, work fantastically throughout this track, conveying emotions filled with torment and struggle. The music has a natural vibe to it, capturing a feel as if we were hiking through a frost covered forest. But not a nature hike, but a migratory hike for survival. One steeped with danger and fright with every crunching footstep in snow and mud. The breaks that Varg throw into this song are well timed to capture the best senses of tension and the musicianship is masterful. My forearms are on fire just imagining these guys powering through the closing riff of this song.

“Sieg oder Niedergang” is a galloping episode of extreme metal fused with the best elements of power metal. If one imagines that they are already on some life and death trek across frozen wastelands, then this song captures the imagery of warriors on horseback in high pursuit after out little peaceful caravan. And if you so choose to imagine the song in such a capacity, the music becomes a little more frightening and, in truth, I feel my heartbeat elevating a few beats per minute. Definitely one of the more heavy songs on the album due to its slower tempo, “Sieg oder Niedergang” reminds me a bit of Iron Maiden or some of the NWOBHM bands, just updated and more immediate for today’s critical metal ear. Oh, and I looked up what “Sieg oder Niedergang” means and it roughly translates to “Victory or Decline.” Further songs of note are the title track and the haunting acoustic instrumental, “Nebelleben.” www.myspace.com/varghorde

- Pope JTE

Napalm Records Report: Troll and The Kandidate

Ah yes . . . the beloved smell of napalm in the morning. Curiously, Kilgore never mentioned anything about the sound of napalm in the morning, which in its own way sounds like victory. Napalm Records, a label that has apparently been around since the early 90’s, and for some reason or another, I never recognized the name or noticed the imprint on the albums that have passed in and out of the Ripple office. But today, well . . . today is the day that I took note, and in keeping with the theme from Monday’s Metal Report, I thought it would be apropos to shift the spotlight on over to these cats and a couple of their more recent releases. Specializing in metal, Napalm Records have an interesting and somewhat curious roster under their banner . . . a lot of gothic, moody, dark and atmospheric, sorta’ symphonic stuff, the label has recently stretched the borders of their sound by signing up Monster Magnet and Karma to Burn. Though these aren’t the bands that garnered my attention, I am intrigued by the sudden variety that this label now has to offer. Today . . . it’s all about the thrashing death outfit, The Kandidate, and blackened pagan masters, Troll. Grab your longboard and surf the waves while under enemy fire, and welcome to the sonically destructive world of Napalm Records. http://www.napalmrecords.com/

The Kandidate – Until We Are Outnumbered

The moment I hit play on this disc, I knew that I was hearing something that appealed directly to my more metallic senses. Until We Are Outnumbered is heavy and utterly aggressive, but there’s an odd sense of melody and dynamics that I’ve yet to fully comprehend. You’re not going to hear sweeping musical interludes with sixty musicians creating massive swells of atmospheric movement, but The Kandidate do an amazing job of sliding in those subtle nuances within the textures of the riffs to completely captivate the ears. It’s little things like string bends in the middle of a groove that you don’t normally expect to hear, or tempo shifts that seem to resemble downshifting a car for more power. For the most part though, this album is sheer brutality set to pulsing rhythms and driving beats, massively detuned and distorted guitars, and vocals that would better fit a riot. The underlying emotions of the music are propelled by a no nonsense attitude less of despair and more in line with open rebellion . . . and I’m not talking about an adolescent rebellion against mommy and daddy not letting one play with their video game console. I’m talking about the type of violent rebellion against a more powerful authority. Governments. Religions. Absolute power.

“Give Up Hope” is a blistering, up tempo thrasher of a tune that has a Slayer vibe, namely in the vocal approach, but mixed with the sludgey tones of bands like Transport League or early Entombed. This song highlights that earlier mentioned subtle dynamic. High speed tempos pummel the listener throughout the verses, but once it comes to the chorus, the notes are more sustained, the vocals are more sustained, and by opening the space as The Kandidate do, they create moments of sonic intrigue. And then, towards the end of the song, the band sneak in an excellent tempo shift powered by a lone guitar riffing away, accented by the rest of the band with sudden bursts of sound. Still absolutely brutal and unquestioningly aggressive, the band flirts with progressive sounds that make them interesting enough for multiple listens.

“Shut ‘em Up” is a stunner. The string bending madness throughout the main riff is the stuff that perks up my ears, and then throw in the gang vocals, man . . . these guys know how to compose a piece of music that generates some hostile emotions! This song is steeped in the classic era of thrash. Fuck all attitudes mixed with a high level of musicianship, it’s like listening to classically trained musicians getting their drunk on and flipping cars on their roofs. It’s a beautiful cacophony of anarchy. And just when you think it’s all bedlam and hardcore fused chaos, The Kandidate drop the instrumental epic “We Conform To the Unrighteous.” This song is a brilliantly crafted tune that clocks in at just over three minutes that features so much going on that it has that epic feel to it. The bass, all distorted and monstrous sounding, rumbles the groove while the guitars chug along like a machine of destruction through a burnt out post-apocalyptic city. The textures that these guys apply over the structure of the composition are excellent. Until We Are Outnumbered is an amazing collection of music that every metal fan should be keying into, especially those fans of the more extreme genres. www.myspace.com/thekandidate

Troll – Neo-Satanic Supremacy

When I stumbled on this disc, I was immediately taken aback by the title. Ya’ see, it’s the whole Satanic thing. I’m scarred by my religious upbringing to believe that if I’m exposed to dark and evil energies, then I too will become dark and evil. Now, the logical side of my brain knows better than that, and to listen to dark and evil music is no different than reading anything a historian would have penned in the effort of educating or enlightening. So, with this change in perspective, I sat down and listened to Neo-Satanic Supremacy with an open mind. You wanna’ know what I found? Sure you do, or else you wouldn’t have read this far. I found that Troll is pretty frickin’ awesome! When black metal gets too screechy, I get annoyed and quickly become uninterested. Troll immediately grabbed my attention by weaving great ambient textures into their oppressive sound, adding just enough low end to make my sternum hurt, and injecting a touch of dark melody to make it all memorable. Yep . . . there are blastbeats a plenty . . . demonic vocals as well. Troll creates such an amazing atmosphere of despair that I can’t help but be fixated on the imagery. I’m always amazed when musicians can string together these musical thoughts and create such strong moods with sound!

Opening track, “Til Helvete Med Alt,” is rich with sounds, ranging from the typical black metal bombast to beautifully elegant keyboard laden passages. Howls of terror and agony combined with the demonic trill of the vocals add a darkened flavor that simply enhances the already bleak imagery. The blastbeats and high speed guitar riffagery are made that much more imposing once the tempo breaks and the keyboard flourishes are heard humming away in the background. Highly technical music, Troll is comprised of musicians that have that knack for creating compelling music in the midst of total oblivion. “Alt For Satan” follows directly after the lead track and pummels the unsuspecting into a puddle of sludge. Fast, fast, and even faster, but fused with great atmospheric aspects that create points of interest. Also, the guitar work is off the hook! Not only do these guys hammer away at the fret board with inhuman abilities, they bring their instruments to the forefront with great tone. I can’t help but rock my body back and forth as these guys power their blackened groove into my aural cavitiy!

Spoiler alert! “Burn the Witch” is a flat out killer! This song captures every essence of black metal that I love. It’s fast, performed with technical proficiency, oppressively dark, and laced with a musicality that compels me to stop and study the flurry of notes and sudden time changes. It’s damn near progressive metal in the vein of fellow countrymen, Enslaved. To take the extremity of the music for face value would be a terrible injustice. Troll has as enough musical talent and compositional skill to be enthroned at the top of the black metal heap so that they could look down on their peers with contempt. Yes, the music is dark and some may feel that they are slowly turning to the dark side with every second they listen to this stuff, but Troll help keep the genre relevant by incorporating these great moments of melody, as brooding as they may be, to enhance the sonic spectrum by approaching the music with a progressive step. Nothing too heady, nothing too noodling . . . just a fresh approach to a genre that can get stale without the infusion of much needed color. Neo-Satanic Supremacy . . . take a walk on the dark side. www.myspace.com/troll

Pope JTE