When it comes to the ever-satisfying subgenre that is Melodic Death Metal, not enough has been – or is being – said about marquee progenitors Omnium Gatherum, sometimes relegated to the last band or two listed when stacking up the scene during reminiscences at local drinking establishments.
Tag Archives: melodeath
CONCERT REVIEW: Insomnium – Conjurer UK: Live at Manchester Academy 3
I think it goes without saying at this point that Finish melodeath collective Insomnium is one of the most respected and consistent names in their genre. While Scandinavia is no stranger to exports of high-quality melodic death metal, many of the genre’s biggest names like In Flames and Children of Bodom have either compromised their distinctive sound in favour of more accessible elements, or in some cases, no longer exist. Insomnium however, has continued to fine-tune the gloomy atmosphere they first presented almost two decades ago in 2002’s In The Halls of Awaiting. Now, boasting a total of eight melancholic yet undeniably gorgeous releases under their belt, the band has done the UK and Ireland the honour of a nationwide tour in support of their latest opus, Heart Like a Grave (Century Media). An album that is less sprawling and proggy than Winter’s Gate (Century Media), but is an equally if not more epic and melodic record, packed with more guitar leads and solos than anything they have released to date. Certainly, it is the kind of material that you would expect to excel in the live environment, and so on a bleak Monday night in winter, I ventured out to Manchester Academy 3 for a necessary dose of metalised depression.Continue reading
Hath – Of Rot and Ruin
Hailing from the unsuspecting state of New Jersey, Hath is a young Metal act that is blossoming. The band stunned the scene in 2015 when they released their EP, Hive with its modern, Blackened Metal excellence. Now, this budding band is getting ready to release their first full-length record, Of Rot and Ruin (Willowtip Records) and is taking their vibrant heaviness to a whole new level.Continue reading
Children Of Bodom – Hexed
After the initial explosive assault of their first few albums, consistency became a problem for Finland’s Children Of Bodom and a sequence of agreeable but patchy records, brightened only by odd moments of genuine quality, has seen them gradually relinquishing their grip on their status as genuine contenders; still, undoubtedly a hugely popular act with a widespread fanbase, the fact remains that COB really should be sitting among the biggest hitters by now.Continue reading
Soilwork – Verkligheten
Swedish Melodeath purveyors Soilwork are a staple of the scene. Despite never having the commercial success of In Flames nor the critical acclaim that At The Gates garnered, the band is a reliable ever-present, delivering solid albums on a regular basis.
With Verkligheten (Nuclear Blast), the band’s eleventh album, Soilwork deliver another exactly what they’re good at; a mix of shredding riffs, machine gun drumming, and a penchant for bombastic clean vocals.Continue reading
GHOST CULT ALBUMS OF THE YEAR 2018 – Senior Editor Steve Tovey
Minimal waffle, maximum music – I’m very aware that there is too much music and not enough time! I’ve had close to 1,000 albums pass through my inbox this year alone (I’ve probably only been able to listen to about a third of them), and what I’m presenting are my favourite albums of 2018, the albums that I’ve connected most with, that matter most to me, one way or another.
Hope you find something new to get into… Continue reading
GHOST CULT ALBUMS OF THE YEAR 2018 Part 2 (25-11)
As the Ghost Cult Albums of the Year 2018 run-down approaches the business end, picking up where Part 1 left off, we invite you to peruse the albums that, democratically voted for by the entire crew, make our Top 25 and didn’t just prick up our ears, but smashed their way into our hearts and minds. Read on…
Wolfheart – Constellation Of The Black Light
Formed in Lahti, Finland in 2012, melodic Death Metal act Wolfheart was originally created as a solo project by producer and multi-instrumentalist Tuomas Saukkonen after the dissolution of his other musical ventures, Before The Dawn, Black Sun Aeon, Dawn of Solace, and RoutaSielu.Continue reading
Revocation – The Outer Ones
In terms of contemporary Death Metal acts, Revocation has been very prominent and a flag-bearer, yet have not always been the most consistent in terms of releases. Always proving very technically and progressively proficient and with a couple of very strong albums, namely 2014’s Deathless (Metal Blade), they can also often felt a bit too clinical and unfeeling on record. Despite this, Revocation is a clearly talented and strong act, and have always threatened to deliver a truly killer album with that sense of urgency; that album being latest effort The Outer Ones (Metal Blade).Continue reading
Reviews Round-Up: ft. Uriah Heep, MaYaN, Once Human, DragonLord, And More
Mid-September officially sees the start of Crazy Season for album releases… But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered here at Ghost Cult with our round-up of some of this weeks and last weeks albums that may just have escaped your attention, for better or for worse…