Entry 1637 - Cradle of Filth - Dusk and Her Embrace: The Original Sin

Style: black metal with gothic influences 

Thoughts: What a wild ride. An album that I've been listening to nearly my entire life is not the initial version of that album, but a re-recording. 

Apparently Cradle wanted to get off their current label and so they abandoned the recording of their second album before it was released. This same album was then re-recorded for Music For Nations and was released shortly thereafter. This became the classic (and my personal favorite) Cradle album: Dusk and Her Embrace.  

It's so ironic then that I have the original version of this album in my collection and I don't have the Music for Nations one (re-release that one, seriously MfN). Needless to say, this is still Dusk, but in a different form. The same songs are present here for the most part (Malice Through the Looking Glass is missing), and there are multiple songs and interludes that were not present on the MfN version. 

So the same songs are present, but how similar are they? Well... pretty close for the most part. They are a bit rougher production wise and the synths aren't as clear as they are on the re-recording, but overall it's pretty similar. Is it better or worse tho? I think that's a matter of personal taste. For me it's a different take on the best album the band released.

So the biggest difference here is Dani's voice. He has a much scratchier vocal delivery here and only uses his trademark howls from time to time. They fit the music very well, but sound much more standard black metalish than what you would normally hear from the band. 

The production I actually find to be more enjoyable on this release than I do on the re-recording.  The muddier production fits the music a bit better than the squeaky clean production on the re-recording. It gives the music a bit of a grittier edge and as a result amps the intensity of these excellent riffs up just a tad bit more.

I also like the synths being a little less defined. You can still hear them clearly but they are not as well produced or as clear in what instrument they are mimicking on this release. That ambiguity is awesome and adds to the more obscure atmosphere that this album provides over the alternative.Listen to the end of the title track. It's way more intense than the re-recording and the production amplifies this up to another level that the re-recording simply does not have.  

There are parts to the counter point though as well. A Gothic Romance lacks the powerful lead guitars that the re-recording has. I can't tell if they are there or obscured, or if they just weren't in this version of the song. 

So there are some parts that are powerful, and other parts that are lacking. Regardless this is still an amazing black metal album. Possibly the last time you could truly call them black metal without going more into the gothic metal realm. 

These riffs are as intense now as they ever were and this is the first full album where Cradle showed what they could truly do. It doesn't matter what version, this or the re-recording - these songs kick all sorts of ass. Essential listening. 

Entry 1636 - Utred - Citadel ◊ Forest ◊ Sovereign

Style: dungeon synth

Thoughts: Dungeon synth continues to impress me with how varied the genre is. Utred is another artist that expands my horizons even more with their medieval oriented sound. 

This record contains three short albums: Citadel, Forest, And Sovereign. Each one of these is firmly entrenched in medieval song writing and execution, however they each have their own take on the genre. 

Citadel for instance plays in the style of a court. I can picture jesters dancing, people feasting, lords declaring etc. It also has this glorious sound to it, almost as if it is triumphant. This is the kind of music that would call a lord home after a successful hunt or war campaign. 

Forest on the other hand has a more tranquil sound to it. This feels more like wandering through a forest at night or a gatherer searching for berries to feed their family. It's a calmer sound that shares the same DNA as Citadel, however none of the triumphant trumpet calls are present. In their place we have nebulous instrumentation that calls us to a grove filled with flowers and berries, ripe for the picking and frolicking.

Sovereign offers yet another take into the medieval life, this time that of a royal court. There is a majesty about this music that was absent from the other two albums. A sense that it is more (self) important, and it is ready to impose that upon the rest of the kingdom. 

Each album brings it's own flavor, yet all still feel like they belong in the same catalog. Utred has a distinct style that few have replicated. The medieval bent to dungeon synth has been done before, but it's often focused on the "renfair" aspect of the music. Utred offers a bit more of a complete look at the concept with different aspects of life back then being taken as influences for each album. 

There are moments on this release that are silly, they make me smile with how immature the song writing/instrument selection is. However, this is part of the appeal of the genre for me. I love all of it, the immaturity, the well written sections, the lack of care for what anyone else thinks. It's all wonderful, whimsical, and an utter joy to listen to. 

Entry 1635 - Deaf Center - Pale Ravine

Style: ambient, modern classical 

Thoughts: I really need to find out the name of this genre. The genre that Deaf Center play. It's a mix of ambient with classical music, and it's become an obsession of mine. 

Pale Ravine is essentially a series of soundscapes that osculate through different melodies over the course of an hour and change. These soundscapes are created by classical instrumentation - such as violins and pianos - and then manipulated through the wonders of modern technology. This creates an inherit dissonance to the music, not as in the music is hard to listen to but rather it's very existence is a paradox. 

Classical music is often seen as the hallowed entity, the highest form of western music. It involves intricacies that other genres simply cannot attain. It has an elegance to it that other genres can get a glimpse of, but only ever a glimpse. To pervert that with electronica is anathema... or is it?

Deaf Center certainly does not seem to think that these two genres are mutually exclusive. In fact they take the idea of classical music and weave it into the very DNA of their electronica. The songs are obviously created with analog instrumentation and then they are transformed using synths, midi controllers, and sometimes even a drum machine. Purists be damned. 

So Pale Ravine is anathema. It is the combination of two things that should not be put together, a homunculus if you will.  One would be wise to be cautious about a musical amalgamation such as this, but that caution soon fades away as the music begins to reveal itself. 

Take for instance the third track, White Lake. The song starts out with a simple piano tone, short and effective. It lingers, it is allowed to decay completely, silence lingers. Soon thereafter ambient soundscapes begin to creep in and blanket the piano with an additional layer of depth, silencing the silence so to speak. This interplay continues until finally some strings come in and begin a percussive pizzicato beat to round out the song. 

Slowly but surely the full extent of the beauty contained within is revealed, but it is only for those who would stay and partake. Those who lack patience need not linger. 

White Lake is but one example of many to be found on Pale Ravine. This duo of Norwegians have created something quite impressive with their art. A mysterious yet entirely rewarding modern take on a genre that has been stuck in the past for a very long time. The fact that this album even exists is enough to turn some people away, but for those who are curious, Pale Ravine delivers a delightful escape from reality.

Entry 1634 - Evilfeast - Funeral Sorcery

Style: black metal

Thoughts: Evilfeast is a curious band for me. When they are good they are nearly unstoppable. I love their combination of ambient and black metal. They do it in a such a way that only some of the best in the genre do when they are at their best.

When they are not though the band is a bit of a struggle to get through. Funeral Sorcery is a bit of a mixed bag for me. When they incorporate keyboards and the aforementioned ambient moments the music is at its absolute best on this album. When they do not though, the simplistic black metal riffs that go on for ages are a bit hard for me to truly enjoy. 

It's not that the riffs are bad, or that they are poorly written... it's just that they overstay their welcome. These songs are long, the shortest being 7 minutes long... and they are not a riff fest either. There are maybe two to three main themes per song. That means that they go on for quite some time before the song progresses to something new. 

Now when a band does this repetitive riff structure there is a right way to do it. It has to draw me in and completely entrance me with the melody and/or rhythm. When this is done right (see Mgla) I'm completely enamored. It's some of the best stuff in the genre. When it is not done right though I'm often bored and want to move on to another release. 

Funeral Sorcery walks that line like a tight rope. Some of the album is incredible to listen to, it draws me in and I want the riff to go on for fifteen minutes. Other times it is too simplistic or doesn't grab me. I just want to the song to progress further. Unfortunately these two concepts are given equal time, and it ends up being a mixed experience for me.

I wish I could get into all of this album like I can with some of their later albums, but it's just not for me. The negative aspects make up nearly half the album and there is simply too much black metal out there for me to spend that amount of time on an hour long album that I only enjoy thirty minutes of.

Entry 1633 - Cradle of Filth - Vempire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein

Style: black metal with gothic influences

Thoughts: What a difference a few months makes. The debut album from Cradle was full of death metal influence and had all sorts of experimentation that the band did not have in any other release. Vempire on the other hand... this is where the definitive Cradle sound can be heard first. The true birthplace of the band.

There are so many good riffs here, the Iron Maiden influence is in full force. The keyboards have now taken front and center. Female vocals are now featured on most songs, and of course Dani has come into his own. Everything has come together for the band. 

Not only does Vempire define their sound, it is perhaps one of the best examples of what makes Cradle great in their early works. The intensity and passion are so much stronger here than they are on the modern releases. Everything sounds like they are truly having fun playing this music rather than it being a job. I love it.

Even though there are only six tracks on this EP, the quality of them is incredibly high. This is right up there with Dusk and Cruelty for the band's best work. Going back on so many bands early works these days has been a real joy, it reminds me of the birth of extreme metal and how there were truly no rules. Cradle is one shining example of that on Vempire and the releases that came immediately after. It was a beautiful time to be a metal fan.

Entry 1632 - slowerpace 音楽 - Pyromaniacs

 

Style: vaporwave, barber beats, video game music...?

Thoughts: The more I look into vaporwave, the more I explore it the more I find that I enjoy. There is still a large portion of the genre that comes across as lazy and uninspired to me, but there is a growing portion that is exactly the opposite. Among those that are in this group of artists is Slowerpace.

Slowerpace does what a lot of other artists do not do: they innovate. They explore. They are original. There is no greater example of this than Pyromaniacs.

Pyromaniacs is a vaporwave adaptation of Shadowrun... specifically the retro Shadowrun games that were put out in the 90's. The cover used here is the exact same one that was used for the tabletop game of the same era. Nice little tribute there.

So what does Shadowrun vaporwave sound like? Well, it's a lot more chill than I expected. The base of the record has much more in common with IDM, EBM,  and beat driven ambient than vaporwave. The melodies are formed from electronic instrumentation that gives the album a near industrial feel. The main difference is the harshness of the music. Rather than the abrasive and experimental tones of IDM and EBM the vaporwave takes over. The music is smooth and relaxing despite the electronic elements. 

I think if video game music met with lounge music and got put into a blender with some 90's electronic music we would get something close to what Pyromaniacs ended up being. It's a very easy album to listen to, yet it's still shows the genres that influenced it on its sleeve. 

Slowerpace has created a lot of albums over the course of time, some of them good some of them less so. Pyromaniacs will go into the list of albums near the top of quality. I have been listening to this album nearly non stop since it hit my turntable a few days ago. Out of all of the vaporwave that I have heard, this is one of the most pivotal ones in terms of me embracing the genre. This shows me truly how well the genre has matured over time. Goes to show that even in something that was initially hated there are things buried deep within that may eventually get me to come around eventually.

Entry 1631 - Vetus Supulcrum - Death's Oldest Songs

Style: classic dungeon synth, modern classical 

Thoughts: My deep dive into dungeon synth continues. This trek has been one of the most fulfilling and enriching that I have had in my musical discoveries over the years. It's not only the amount of artist that I am finding, but the consistent quality amongst these lesser known acts that continuously impresses me.

When I think of classic dungeon synth, Death's Oldest Songs fits nearly every expectation I have. The songs are slow, methodical and epic in scope. They have a dark and foreboding tone, and they sound like they could be the soundtrack to an epic movie from years before. This is exactly the feel that I get from the Vetus Supulcrum album.

These ten songs contain miniature epics that extol death, glorify battle, and revel in the ancient ritual that is warfare. I can't overstate how much is packed into these three to four minute songs. Every bit of filler is cut out, and they deliver some of the strongest music in the classical influenced dungeon synth realm that I've heard. 

These songs don't bother with long intros, they get straight to the point. The horns carry most of the weight, creating a dense and ominous atmosphere throughout the entire album. Sometimes percussion and violins will be added in for extra tension, but it really is the brass - especially the lower brass like tubas and bassoons - that carry the album. They give the album it's militaristic feel without resorting to every song being a march. 

This album came out of no where for me. It was super cheap and I threw it in based only on the genre descriptors for the album. I truly wish to explore this project more, I feel like I've stumbled into a part of the dungeon synth genre that is less explored than I would like. This miniature epic composition style is incredible and I feel like my collection is better for having this album in it.

Entry 1630 - Nahtrunar - Wolfsstunde

Style: black metal

Thoughts: This almost never happens. An album that has an amazing cover where the music matches it perfectly. This just doesn't happen.

Nahtraunar has surpassed so many expectations with Wolfsstunde. I think I would have been happy with a mediocre atmospheric black metal album that matched the emotional weight that the cover gives off. A bleak, washed out, struggle for life in the harshness of winter type mood. What I got was so much more.

Of course Wolfsstunde is all of those things. The riffs have a sorrow to them, they have bled, they have suffered. The atmosphere weeps the tears of those that have passed before their time. The notes cling to what little remains of life in this place. The vocals whisper of lost promises of a better life and bemoan the fate of those who remain.  This is a p o w e r f u l album.

What makes the difference though? Why is Nahtrunar so much better than nearly every other modern atmospheric black metal band? That is not as easy of a question to answer as it may sound.

From what I can tell there are a few things that contribute to the emotional depth of this release. The first and foremost is the production. Every moment of these songs is steeped in a deep rich production that has stripped away just enough of the "gloss" to give the music a raw yet complete feel. This is not the typical raw style of black metal, this is an emotional rawness that does not need the obscurity of poor production to help lend an air of mystery.

On the contrary, Wolfsstunde is quite audible. Most of the instruments are well defined, however they never once come across as overproduced or "clean." Rather they are allowed to express what they want without the listener straining to make out the details... and there are a lot of details.  

These songs are long, close to ten minutes or greater for the main four compositions on the album. These songs... no these journeys... are a complex mix of ambience, folk music, and black metal. The riffs are slow and brooding and carry a huge emotional weight to them. The riffs are also fast and blistering, tearing away all hope and leaving nothing but death and destruction in their wake. The music is what it needs to be at the exact moment that it is produced. Nothing more, nothing less.

Within these riffs though there are extended periods of soft ambience. These moments act as a time of reflection, of mourning for those that have been lost.  It's in these moments that we will get the slightest hint of a folk instrument. A violins notes are lost on the wind. A flute plays a few notes before fading into the depths of the snow covered landscape. These moments are my favorite on the album. They convey the depths of sorrow in a way that the black metal simply cannot, and the music is better as a whole for it.

Wolfsstunde surprised me on so many levels. I was drawn in by the cover art, but I never knew just how deeply I would find myself entrenched in with this album. It's truly rare for me to come across an album in any genre that moves me as much as this one has. I desperately need to find more from this project, this is easily some of the best black metal I've heard in years. 

Entry 1629 - Tristania - Beyond the Veil

Style: gothic metal, beauty and the beast

Thoughts: There are some albums I never thought would get repressed. A few years ago Widow's Weeds was added to my collection, and now the follow up Beyond the Veil is now also in my collection. Who would have ever thought this would happen? 

Tristania plays what is affectionately known as the beauty and the beast genre of metal. That being a soprano vocalist paired with a growling vocalist. Typically this is played over gothic metal, and that is certainly the case here. 

Beyond the Veil is not only one of the finest albums in this micro genre, it's also one of the albums that should be used as a template for hot it is done. It combines varied riffs with female choirs, powerful male vocals (both clean and growled), with a violin sprinkled throughout. 

Each song is written to sound more like a voyage than a typical song. They all have distinct parts and rarely follow the standard verse/chorus formula. Rather we have a collection of riffs that are put together in such a way that the songs keep progressing from idea to idea before finally reaching the conclusion. 

Linear song writing is nothing new in the world of metal, but here it feels completely natural. These songs are composed like classical pieces; they flow from one idea to the next seamlessly yet every "movement" is still feels as if it belongs within the greater opus.  

Tristania started out with two of the finest albums ever recorded in this genre. They would eventually lean further into the gothic metal realm and leave most of their harsh roots behind, but here they have the perfect mix of everything: female vocals, harsh male vocals, clean male vocals, riffs, and of course that elegant violin.  

Entry 1628 - Murgrind - Journey Through the Mountain

Style: classic dungeon synth

Thoughts: I have missed a lot of dungeon synth. I knew of the genre at it's birth but outside of Mortiis I never looked into it further... that was until a few years ago. Now there is an ocean of artists in this genre and it has become my sacred duty to explore and delve deeper into the depths of the dungeon. This is how I came across Murgrind.

From my understanding Murgrind is one of the first artists to come out of this "second wave" of dungeon synth. The first artists to delve into this genre after it had finally been bestowed a name. They created Journey Through the Mountain as their first foray into this genre and I dare say that it lives up to the expectations set upon me with this sort of history.

Murgrind's debut album is slow, methodical, deep, and carries an ominous tone. The instruments chosen here carry weight. Choirs, brass, timpani, flutes... all of this and more come together to create the epic that is Journey Through the Mountain. 

Perhaps the best example of this is the third track, Into the Magic Abyss. It's here where we are introduced to a mighty swell of brass instruments laying a deep and foreboding atmosphere at the start of the track. As the song continues to develop choirs are added in, echoing throughout the composition. Finally a singular flute starts playing a slow dirge. 

This is the essence of what Journey Through the Mountain is, a slow journey through rock and stone. It is deliberate in its delivery, and welcomes anyone that would take the journey with our minstrels known only as Murgrind. 

I find myself wanting to come back to this album more. I am fascinated by the dungeon synth genre as a whole and Murgrind is an integral part of that history. I long for the day where I can find more of their discography on wax, and eagerly await to add it to my collection.  

Entry 1627 - Hecate Enthroned - The Slaughter of Innocence, A Requiem for the Mighty

Style: symphonic black metal

Thoughts: When I think of black metal in the 90's I typically will automatically think Scandinavia, with Norway being the default country. Of course there are other countries that contributed greatly, but Great Britain is not one of the ones that comes to mind right away. That's a shame because the early Hecate Enthroned albums are incredible. 

Coming right off their debut EP (which was just a re-recording of their demo), Hecate Enthroned comes out with the verbosely titled Slaughter of Innocence, A Requiem for the Mighty. Without going too deep into the obvious comparisons, the brand of black metal on display here is very similar to early Cradle of Filth - specifically Vempire and Dusk. That said, this is very much it's own album.

The guitars have this murky production on them that obscures the individual notes just enough that a sense of mystery is draped over the album. It's not so obscured though that the overall intent of the riff is buried in the mix, nay - rather the melodies and individual instruments are clearly made out, but it's like listening to the music through a slightly warped mirror. The image is there but distorted.

Where there is no murkiness is in the keyboards, and they are possibly the lead instrument in all of the release. Sure there are parts where the guitars are crushing the listener over their head, but it's the keyboards that add the extra layer. That small indistinguishable element that not much music has, but those that do elevate themselves above their peers. 

Slaughter of Innocence is a diverse album that fully embraces dynamic song writing and structures. There are many moments where the metal is completely stripped away and the keyboards are allowed to weave their tale. There are other moments where the guitars and keyboards dance together in a macabre dance (The Spell of the Winter Forest is a great example of this). There are multiple instrumental interludes that lean into the gothic nature of the music and lay the foundation for what would eventually become dungeon synth.

Hecate Enthroned is a band that I fear is overlooked by many, and that's a damn shame. While I can understand passing on Kings of Chaos, these early albums are truly excellent in both their delivery and composition. I don't think this band gets the credit they deserve, nor do I know if they ever will at this point. This is much more than a rip off band, this is a fully realized sextet that delivers some truly exceptional music. 

Entry 1626 - Journey to Silius / Hebereke Ufouria

Style: video game music

Thoughts: Two for the price of one!

The NES had some truly great music. Sunsoft in particular had some exceptional music towards the end of the NES' lifecycle. There are stories about how one of their software engineers figured out ways to utilize two bass channels instead of just the single one that had been used throughout the 80's.  

Journey to Silius is a high energy soundtrack that gets the absolute most out of the NES sound chip. This one is up there with the best of them: Mega Man 2, Castlevania, etc. These melodies are amazing and get stuck in my head for extended periods of time. It's also short which is a double edged sword. On one hand it has no chance of overstaying, but I always want more. 

Hebereke Ufouria is... odd. I have never heard of this game before listening to this soundtrack. That said, this sounds like some of the better soundtracks that came out in the platformer genre: Chip and Dale, Duck Tales, Mario 3, etc. It has that same marching energy to press forward to the next goal. Again it's short so it doesn't overstay and while I don't like it as much as journey to Silius, this is a very welcome addition to this vinyl set.

Two soundtracks on one record is something you don't see every day, let alone two of this caliber. I loved Sunsoft's old games and the incredibly difficult pains they put me through. These soundtracks are a great reminder of what I used to do on rainy days when I was a kid. Even though I haven't finished either game their soundtracks trigger core memories of similar games back in simpler times.

Entry 1625 - Cradle of Filth - The Principle of Evil Made Flesh

Style: blackened death metal with gothic influences

Thoughts: Before the hundreds of thousands of records sold. Before the gimmicks. Before the fame. Before all the bullshit... before everything came The Principle of Evil made Flesh.

Every band has their origin, even mega bands such as Cradle of Filth start somewhere. In the case of this British powerhouse their debut album is quite different than nearly every album that came after it. Sure the DNA that makes the band what it is can be found here, but overall this is a fundamentally different beats. 

First and foremost: Dani. The vocals are so different than any of the follow up releases it's hard to believe this is actually Dani Filth on vocals. Instead of the shriek, this is more of a rasp, like a dying gasp for air over and over again. Hardly the banshee vocals that would eventually become the staple of the band.

Secondly the riffing. Instead of the extreme black metal infused gothic riff fest that the later albums would be the is a huge death metal aspect to these songs. Many of these riffs are outright heavy, one may even say they are brutal from time to time  The riffs are still intricate and have hints of the Iron Maiden harmonies that would come later, but this is very much a blackened death metal album. 

They keyboards are also much less prevalent than they would be in later albums. Most of the songs are prominently guitar driven with the keys providing a melodic accent here and there rather than being a main force.  

The production is also much less clean than any of the later releases. There is a muddiness to this that makes the record have a more honest... less polished feel to it. This very much feels like a less refined version of what the band would become. 

Despite all this difference, The Principle of Evil Made flesh is still an extremely enjoyable album. It's nice to hear the band just play music they want to at this point rather than trying to cater to a specific audience like they would with some later albums. This, like many other albums at the time, is just the band putting all their ideas out there and seeing what sticks. 

I love albums like this. There are no rules, no per-conceived notions on what the band "should" be. It's just the band and their music - take it or leave it.

Entry 1624 - Final Fantasy XII

Style: video game music

Thoughts: Final Fantasy XII is my second favorite in the series right after VI. VI is there for nostalgia reasons. Replaying it lately... it doesn't hold up so well. Twelve on the other hand does.

The game takes place in Ivalice, the same place as Final Fantasy Tactics. The plot is just as political as you would expect, and the music made a distinct point to try and return to the compositions of the earlier games. At least in terms of melody and structure, a full orchestra is still utilized for most of the soundtrack. 

What really sets this one apart though is the small cast of characters. The way that the player is intentionally mislead throughout the story is a great work of story telling. The music as well leans into this subterfuge and keeps the listener second guessing where the music is heading.

Unfortunately this soundtrack is not made by Uematsu, however it does live up to his legacy. The music has the intrinsic Final Fantasy feel, and I'm glad to finally have some of it on vinyl. There isn't much more to say about this one though. The soundtrack is way too long to do a detailed breakdown on, and while this selection is excellent it cannot replicate the majesty of the full thing. Still as they say, bird in hand vs. two in the bush... I'm happy for what I have.

Entry 1623 - Carach Angren - Dance and Laugh Amongst the Rotten

Style: symphonic black metal

Thoughts: Carach Angren. Master story tellers. Weavers of dark fantasy. Those who would wield horror to an astonishing effect. 

There are many things that Carach Angren are, but subtle is not one of them. They excel at over the top bombastic black metal. The kind that tells a story and sucks me in with every song. They tend to have a massive amount of riffs in their songs and hardly ever use a a verse/chorus writing style. Everything is written for the sake of the story, and with that comes a linear song strucutre.

When these guys are good, they are one of the best in the business. Songs like Charlie and Songs for the Dead show the band at their best: mysterious, ghostly, bombastic, aggressive, and above all the weave a narrative with the music and lyrics. There is so much going on in these songs that it mirrors a symphony with it's twists and turns. 

Unfortunately, the band doesn't always hit with their songs on this album. Many of them, especially on the second half show a lack of focus that is unusual for these guys. In the earlier albums they know exactly what they want to do at every single moment... here though they just seem lost from time to time. It's very confusing. 

The other issue I have with the album is a physical one... why on earth was this split into 2LP's? The album is 40 minutes long and does not require two LP's. If this was done for maximum fidelity or something similar that's fine, but honestly this is not the kind of music I listen to for an audiophile experience - nor does the pressing quality reflect that. 

Dance and Laugh Amongst the Rotten is an odd album for me. There are moments of pure brilliance, and there are moments where it seems like the band is coming loose at the seams. Their stories are still great, but the music doesn't always keep pace on here. Damn shame.

Entry 1622 - Secret of Maya - マヤの秘密

Style: dungeon synth, fantasy synth

Thoughts: This is a first for me. I don't know the musical artist for this record, but I do know the cover artist. They've been a friend for many years and it's amazing to see them work with one of my favorite labels. I may or may not have had something with getting the two of them in touch, but you know that's a story for another day.

In terms of the music Secret of Maya is classic dungeon synth with a fantasy bent. It's not modern fantasy synth by any means but it has that fantasy feel that so many great dungeon synth albums have. Rather than the more atmospheric approach Secret of Maya tries to emulate the old computer role playing game soundtracks of yesteryear. Games that would utilize PC speaker, or you would have to install a sound blaster card into the motherboard of your old x386 to get working correctly. Those kind of soundtracks.

You don't get this kind of music through complexity. Rather you have some two to three instruments at any given time playing simple melodies on synths that don't even try to sound like the real instruments. It's glorious. 

There are a lot of different moods on here: triumph, mystery, tragedy, defeat, victory. They all have their moment in this thirty minute epic, though none for too long. Most of the songs are only a few minutes long and repeat themes only once or twice before moving on. It's a microcosm of an entire world held within a spinning disc. 

Secret of Maya has been a wonderful surprise to delve into. It pays tribute to a bygone era while still maintaining listenability to modern audiences. The idea of composing music in a long abandoned way but using modern production methods and not dealing with compressed synths is indeed a great boon. Yet another entry into the dungeon synth lexicon that solidifies my enjoyment of this amazing genre.

Entry 1621 - Sunken - Departure

Style: atmospheric black metal

Thoughts: About fifteen years ago there was a movement that started in black metal. It combined the tenets of black metal and mixed them with post rock. The two styles meshed together better than I would have possibly imagined, and a new sub-genre of black metal was born. About ten years later Sunken releases Departure, a black metal album that is steeped in the essence of post rock. 

Black metal such as this is at it's very best when it fully embraces two things: the dynamics of post rock, and fully committing to blast beats when needed. Sunken certainly has committed to the dynamic nature of post rock. There are multiple points in this album where the music fades away to near nothing and we hear something akin to waves lapping upon the shoreline. These moments of quiet are some of my favorite in the entire album. They contrast the harsh metal elegantly and gives moments of still in a flurry of riffs. 

The second facet however the band excels a bit less at. The band is not shy about using blast beats, but they have trouble committing to them. There are moments on here that I swear would be better suited for a flurry of drums but the drummer for whatever reason simply cannot commit to blasting with all their might. 

Sunken is not the only band that this has happened with. Multiple other bands have fallen into this same trope where they will slow the music down for no good reason, and it drives me nuts. I am still looking for the album where the band can harness this immense atmosphere that comes from the fusion of these two genres, but fully commits to the blast throughout the album. Sure variety is needed, but dammit I want a band that fully embraces the speed aspect of black metal for once. 

Complaints aside, Departure is a great album. Sure it drives me nuts that they can't commit to a blast beat from time to time, but even when they don't the album is well written. The atmosphere remains in tact, and with the slower sections we get to see the band lean into melody a bit more. So not all is lost. 

Sunken's debut album is a great entry into the atmospheric black metal field. When they do pop off it's something to behold (the first few minutes of the track Sunken is incredible). I do wish that they would cast of their self imposed chains sometimes but the restraint also allows the band to feel more profound when they do finally go unrestrained. So who knows, maybe I'll come around to this style eventually... right now though I'll just be content to try and enjoy this album for what it is. Warts and all.

Entry 1620 - Bloody Valkyria - In Our Home, Across the Fog

Style: melodic black metal

Thoughts: Music based on video games is nothing new. There's tons of tributes and remake albums out there that put video game music into all sorts of genre, metal being one of the more popular ones to recreate music into. 

What is not as common though is an entirely original work based on the lore of a specific game - specifically Elden Ring. However, those who have played the game will know instantly where Bloody Valkyria takes their inspiration from. The title of the album echoes the first words when starting up the game as well. 

I was skeptical of the album at first. The cover is an obvious tribute to the Erd Tree and all the people who live in the Lands Between, but how good could the music be? After one listen I knew that I was going to have to find a way to procure the album. 

Not only is the music well composed, both melodically and structurally, it has an epic scope that is missing from so many of the projects on Northern Silence Productions. For those who know the label, Bloody Valkyria is very similar in the basic function of the music: lots of keyboards, symphonic elements, and melodic black metal. 

This however is not the typical Northern Silence Productions release. The atmosphere is thicker. The melodies are stronger. The black metal fiercer. The songs are true epics, befitting of the subject matter. You can tell that Bloody Valkyria loves this game and it's lore. The lyrics are steeped in the sorrow that comes from the Lands Between. The melodies weep with the sorrow of the Shaman Village, the birthplace of Queen Marika. 

All of In Our Home, Across the Fog is worth listening to, even if you have never played the game. For those of us that have, this is the pinnacle of tribute. Some truly excellent melodic black metal intermixed with the passion that the project has for the subject matter makes this one of the years strongest releases. 

Entry 1619 - Micromecha - Time Flows Constantly

Style: Barber beats, vaporwave

Thoughts: I find myself in a predicament. Every time I listen to this album I get different feelings. Yesterday I was listening to Micromecha's Time Flows Constantly and I swear I did not like a lot of the songs on it. Today I put it on to finally do my write up on it and I swear those same songs sound a ton better, if not great. What on earth is going on here?

Maybe this album is entirely dependent on my mood? Maybe the music is a chameleon that reveals different parts of itself depending on what time of day I listen to it? Who knows, but I'm certainly fascinated by it.

Time Flows Constantly is a barber beats album, that much is undeniable. What is a bit different though is how it comes across. Rather than something you would hear in a lounge or a dingy bar, this music comes across almost like a classic James Bond movie soundtrack. It's got a sway to it that gives the music an inherently sexy feel. 

The way the music progresses as well is a bit more cinematic. The same moments are repeated throughout the songs but there is a real progression to them, the melodies evolve, there's modulation, and even though the music is repetitious it never truly gets boring. 

All of this gives it that classic "spy movie" feel. A sense of mystery, a sense of espionage. What's going to happen next? No one knows, but make sure you stay tuned! I think that this is kind of where I find myself wondering what I think about this album. It's not that it's different, it's that some of the music doesn't meet my expectations for the genre... and honestly that's a me problem. 

I'm intrigued now, I'm going to stick this one out and see where we end up. Well done Micromecha on creating something that has me truly interested in the barber beats genre again.

Entry 1618 - In Flames - Whoracle

Style: melodic death metal

Thoughts: What a time to be alive. I never thought I would have this album in my collection... ever. The nearest pressing was over a decade ago and cost well above what I was comfortable paying for a single record. Luckily St. Anders decreed that the entire backlog would be repressed, and Whoracle was among the second batch of that decree. 

There are important albums in my history as a metal fan. There are some albums that dictated my taste for forever more. Then there are albums that formed the bedrock of my musical taste. Whoracle is one of those bedrock albums. It's not the singular most important metal album in my history, but it certainly is in the top ten. 

Melody is a concept that few death metal bands had. Brutality is a concept that few melodic bands ever explored. Melodic death metal was the perfect combination of those two forces, and by the time Whoracle released the band had refined their sound down to an instantly recognizable monolith. 

Out of all the bands out there I can't think of a singular one that has a more recognizable riffing style than early In Flames (and by extension Iron Maiden). The dual harmonies mixed with the near death metal riffs... it's enough to make a grown man cry. The melodies bore their way into my head and simply will. not. leave. 

Every moment of this album is flushed with melody. Every riff has melodic accents. Even melodies have melodic accents. The instrumental portions are especially great, working in layer up on layer of melodies for minutes on end. It's one thing if the band had a good song here or there, but man this whole album is chalked to the brim with amazing riff after amazing riff.

Anders is also in top form. Before he lost his ability to growl in any significant way we got several albums where he sounds absolutely fantastic. He matches the ferocity of the music in a way that few could. His deep and powerful voice drives the music forward in a commanding manner. The chaotic moments of his early days are now gone and we have a refined growl that shows a controlled rage that few can match. 

I feel like I could write about this album for forever. How Jotun starts the album off with an instantly recognizable riff. How Jester Script Transfigured works in some of the trademark acoustic work of the early albums. How Episode 666 and Everything Counts create some of the most powerful moments of the album towards the end. About how the instrumental tracks enrich the album to no end. I could go on and on for nearly forever about how much I love Whoracle, but I wont. Instead I'll simply say that this album does not get enough praise, and I know how much praise its gotten in the past. It's simply not enough.

Entry 1617 - Witherfall - Nocturnes and Requiems

Style: power/progressive metal

Thoughts: I only found about this band recently. Their album A Prelude to Sorrow blew me away, so I had to get another one. Nocturnes and Requiems is their debut album and it kicks all sorts of ass.

While not as strong as their second opus, Nocturnes and Requiems still showcases the same prowess for creating excellent music. The riffs, the song structures, the vocals, the tasteful drumming, everything contributes to the album as a whole. 

One of the things that initially drew me to this band is how well they create songs that sound like stories - not just lyrically but also musically. That is exactly what is on display throughout the entirety of Nocturnes and Requiems. The riffs weave throughout each other to create this musical tapestry that tells a narrative.

The song structure is the key contributor to this effect. The riffs individually are excellent, but the way that they are chained together and how they ebb and flow is what differentiates this band from so many others. They know how to write h e a v y yet complex riffs. These same riffs will some the same technical prowess as many prog bands, but they will actually be enjoyable to listen to. Do you know how hard it is to create a musical hook in a progressive metal song? Judging by how few bands do it, I think that it's safe to say that it's pretty difficult. 

The narrative spoken by both the vocals and the music on Nocturnes and Requiems is dynamic. It oscillates between lengthy acoustic sections, neo-classical riffing, and of course the ultra heavy riffs that were described earlier. Each song is a miniature epic that sweeps me up in it's narrative. 

Witherfall has been a glorious find in my metal collection. I want to try and get some more of their discography in my collection. The two albums I have are absolutely outstanding and warrant multiple listens on every trip tot he turntable. Possibly one of the better new (to me) bands I've come across in a long while.

Entry 1616 - Astrophysics - Hope Left Me

Style: video game music, breakbeat, drum n bass

Thoughts: Maybe I misunderstood what Astrophysics was. I though they were a breakbeat/drum n bass project that had an anime aesthetic. Instead the stuff that I've heard is a combination of goth rock with some light drum n bass elements. It's taken me a while to wrap my head around this.

Hope Left Me is supposedly a soundtrack to a game. How this is accomplished I don't know. This sounds like a fully fledged album to me. Songs that are designed to be played on their own. Well defined tracks that blend into each other. I'm actually pretty curious to see how this is pulled off in the game because this does not show any of the tell tale signs of being a game soundtrack.

In terms of what Hope Left Me offers is exactly as described above: goth rock with some minor drum n bass elements. The basis sounds like something Fields of the Nephilim or Sisters of Mercy would write in the 80's. Clean guitars with simple one note riffs played over and over. The vocals are vocoded and every now and then we get a glimpse into the more electronic side with synth leads and drum n bass patterns. Sometimes everything mixes together, sometimes it doesn't That is Hope Left Me in a nutshell.

I'm not sure what I think of the album to be completely honest. It feels like there is some cool ideas here, I just am not sure I like the execution. That said I am curious enough to come back and re-listen. In experience that is typically a great sign for me liking an album in the long term. We'll just have to wait and see with Hope Left Me.  

Entry 1615 - BVdub - Heartless

Style: hazy ambient

Thoughts: Every now and then when I write for this blog there's an album that stands out one way or another. An album that I have fond memories of. An album that I've been on the hunt for a long time. An album that creates a sort of epiphany - either in my life or musically. In one way or another Heartless is all of these things and more.

I have been searching for this album at a reasonable price for nearly seven years. I have so many stories trying to find it. I found it on a record stores website only for it to be out of stock. I got messaged by a close friend that it was available nearby, by the time I was able to respond the record was gone. Another friend informed me that a decently priced copy was on Discogs. Again, gone by the time I saw it. I felt like I was cursed. 

Finally though, FINALLY - I have one of the finest records that BVdub has ever created. I have Heartless.

BVdub creates ambient music that is nearly instantly recognizable as his own. Within a few moments of one of his works I can tell. It's the atmosphere, it's the production, it's the way the music presents itself, it's the feeling of desolate solitude that permeates every moment. It's all of this and so many things that I can't even perpetuate into words.

Heartless itself is an album of shorter compositions (for BVdub). Consisting of eight tracks, each song still is a formidable length, however not the twenty minute epics that the artist is capable of. The shorter length allows BVdub to explore more themes than one would typically hear on one of his albums. While all similar in scope the execution is quite varied. 

The opener, Sleepless for instance, features a dense atmosphere that builds and builds until it seemingly reaches a climax. At that very moment though all of the music drops out except a singular piano note. A small string of notes follow to weave together the simplest of melodies. It subverted my expectations as I was expecting a huge bombastic climax, what we got instead was the exact opposite. Small, fragile, delicate. In many ways this is more profound than anything Brock could have done by having an explosion of sound. Rather we now have an explosion of emotion.

This constant build and contract is found throughout the album but in different forms. Heartless loves to play with my emotions as I listen to it. It's overwhelming at one moment, only to be entirely transparent the next. It's an album that never stops subverting my expectations, and continues to only cater to itself. 

In many ways Heartless is one of the finer albums that I've listened to in a long while. Sure there are plenty of good ambient albums, plenty of good albums that bring out emotions in me... but not the way that Heartless does. It digs deep and messes with me. It finds my base emotions and toys with them, molds them to what it wants me to feel, not what I want to feel. An album that I can now finally say that I have and will never let go of.  

Entry 1614 - Arthuros - Ithildin

Style: dungeon synth

Thoughts: Sometimes I feel like I'm in a time capsule. Listening to some mid 2010's dungeon synth is wild sometimes. The genre was just coming back to prominence after nearly a decade of being lost to time. Some of these early works have some truly fascinating and incoherent moments in them. Others have moments of brilliance. 

Ithildin has a bit of both... there are moments of pure wonder on this album. There are also moments where I just have to scratch my head asking what on earth was going on during the recording of this part. At its best Ithildin is a journey through celestial realms, traveling alongside frozen comets as they float through the night sky. At its worst the album is an assortment of random notes played in quick succession.

Arthuros' debut is obviously an experiment. The album is minimalistic, almost to a fault. There are only one or two things going on at any given moment. It's enough to create music, but rarely enough to create a dense atmosphere or anything of the sort. This does not mean that it is bad however, it seems like it's an intentional limitation instead.

I love this limitation personally. It feels like there are just a few ideas present and that allows Arthuros to play around with them just a bit more than if there were more instruments. There are points where the melodies dance around like sprites on a spring. Sometimes they succeed, other times they fall flat, but they still are fascinating to listen to. 

This is one of those albums where I don't necessarily enjoy all of it, but I find it absolutely a joy to listen to. Its so innocent and so full of hope and ideas that may or may not come to fruition that I just have to give it the proper due. This is absolutely the kind of hidden gem that I love finding when doing deep dives into genres. It only drives me thirst for new (to me) and interesting music more.

Entry 1613 - Aphex Twin - Ambient Works Volume 1

Style: Beat driven ambient, IDM

Thoughts: Aphex Twin. One of the most influential projects in all of electronic music. One of the most beloved, debated, and controversial artists in the past thirty years. I know so many people that love this project, specifically this album above nearly everything else in their collection. I am not one of those people.

While I see a lot of the influence that this release has, I don't particularly care for the way that this release sounds in general. Sure there are some standouts where the drums are minimized, but most of the album comes across to me as pointless noodling with different loops and effects. Calling this ambient is a bit of a stretch and even then the ambient that is here is short lived. 

What really bugs me the most about the record is how one idea will be pushed to its logical limit and then pushed some more. These ideas way overstay their welcome and they aren't as much abrasive as they are annoying. I suppose given this projects reputation that this is entirely the point, but I would rather not listen to music that I find annoying... but rather music that I enjoy spending time with.

I have spent tons of time with this album and cannot derive enjoyment out of it as a whole. There are some ideas that are great, but most simply make my eyebrow twitch. Oh well, you can't enjoy everything out there.