A beguiling atmosphere. A deliberate sense of urgency. A cacophony of turmoil and finality: blackened Grindcore-meets-crust purveyors Yersin needed only a hair under twenty-five minutes to effectively and enthusiastically encapsulate all of the above mentioned techniques, and then some.
The Scythe Is Remorseless (Trepanation Recordings) sounds as if the Sunderland-based trio recorded seven tracks in the midst of an apocalyptic phenomenon known only to them. The sound bites and pierces; the vocals pummel and decimate. Together, it’s enthralling.Continue reading →
Sometimes an album cover can give a very descriptive sense of the music contained within. Traverse the Bealach (Avantgarde Records), the second album by multi-instrumentalist Tony Dunn (under the name Sgàile) portrays a solitary figure, gazing out over a stormy landscape.
Is danger on the horizon? Is there a treacherous journey ahead? Continue reading →
For quite some time now, but arguably in the last few years especially, Transcending Obscurity Records has been one of the most consistently excellent champions for new, exciting and often innovative extreme metal acts, both in quality and in the sheer volume of their releases. Continue reading →
The Dying Planet Weeps (Everlasting Spew Records) – Engulf‘s first full-length – is the solo project of Hal Microutsicos (Blasphemous.) The opening track benefits from a dissonant throb, rather than following the course most death metal takes in pummeling you with a head-first assault.
Labeled as a Melodic Death Metal band, Cariosus instead is better defined as a melting pot of exquisite musical elements. Though that descriptor may not sound as flashy or attention grabbing, bear with me (it’s worth it). Will, Until Beauty (Self-Released), the duo’s first full-length, meshes deathcore, metalcore, tech-death and even some progressive techniques while boasting eight thunderous – thunderous – tracks.Continue reading →
What Domination Campaign, a duo comprised of Psycroptic bandmates Jason Peppiatt (vocals, guitar, bass) and Joe Haley (drums), have tried to do with A Storm Of Steel (Prosthetic Records) is craft a Death Metal record that reveals the perils and horrors of war (World War II, in particular) in a way that is less sensationalist, and more raw and real.Continue reading →
Atlanta-based Alluvial hit the scene running in 2017 with their independently released full-length debut The Deep Longing For Annihilation, a wholly instrumental Death Metal record which caught the ears of the mighty Nuclear Blast Records, who subsequently snapped them up for their follow up Sarcoma in 2021. Continue reading →
Signed under Emanzipation Productions, the Aarhus-based Danish extreme metal warlords Panzerchrist –who have been around for about thirty years– are back on releasing a new four-track EP, All Witches Shall Burn, which was recorded in the same session of their 2023 album Last of a Kind. The recording process was done in Antfarm Studios with a production process involving Tue Madsen who has previously worked with many big names in the extreme metal scene such as Behemoth, At The Gates, and Aborted. Continue reading →
Symphonic Metal master Christofer Johnsson assembles and commands the latest Therion line-up for Leviathan III (Napalm Records), another epic, bombastic concept album that will have fans of this kind of thing rocking in the aisles, or whatever it is opera fans tend to do in similar circumstances (frocking in the aisles?!).
Non-aficionados will admire the abundant technical excellence but might find themselves worn down by the too sweet, lightweight method and approach, the continuous faux-classical bombardment and the sometimes awkward melding of scatter-gun references and influences (not least in the lyrics).
The strategic mix of the metal and the classic, throughout history, can often be problematic, even jarring. But the long-running Therion, following up directly here on Leviathan I and II (2021 and 2022, respectively), succeed in a more-or-less comfortable marriage of the bright fairytale lights and the darker doom, the beauty and the beast.
Much of the musical glue that holds it all together comes from Johnsson’s keyboards, but it’s the guitars (Christian Vidal) and the main man’s ambition in composition that really shine through.
Vocals range from Viking-style war chants to soaring female operatics (Lori Lewis), with geetar sounds veering from acoustic filigrees (“Ruler Of Tamag”) to electric chugalongs, melodic lead breaks and energetic riff riots (see “An Unsung Lament” and “Ayahuasca”, for example).
There’s also pop among the pomp, singalong and chantalong bits with strong hooks as Swede Johnsson sprinkles in echoes of the spectacularly successful, smooth and satisfying Abba-metal of countrymen Ghost as well as more straight-ahead power metal and melodic prog.
But despite moments of genuine doom and some death growling, Leviathan III can, at times, be too mild and mellow, saccharine and schmaltzy, tunes fit for backing Disney animation rather than proper Wagnerian guts, glory and apocalyptic passion (the images in my head of Elmer Fudd squalling “Kill the wabbit!” in Chuck Jones’ Warner cartoon classic What’s Opera Doc? are surely not what Johnsson had in mind).
The accompanying lyrics are something of a classical, mythological and religious ragbag, referring to generic chaos, the abyss, Babylon, “children of both wrath and all revenge of the deep”, not to mention brother killing brother, Latin warblings, Bacchus, Freja, Thor and Odin, spiritual revelations and a “nightingale in the shadow of your mind”. Profound or what?
The vocals (Thomas Vikström is the lead male singer) that open “Maleficium” recall System Of A Down – echoes of the superior voice of Serj Tankian are cast up several times throughout the album – before mellowing out like most of the rest of the material. “Maleficium”, though, is still one of the album’s signature highlights, along with the aforementioned “Ayahuasca” (the longest track at almost eight minutes).
“What Was Lost Shall Be Lost No More” achieves a certain intensity that several of the other songs lack, while “Duende” opens acoustically and atmospherically, the flamenco-style intro a welcome diversion. Then the operatic, neo-classical assault takes over once again.
Climactic Norse-fest “Twilight Of The Gods” opens with a Tony Iommi-esque droning riff, promising much, but then delivers more of the same formula and a martial, marching beat leads the way to the drum-driven finale (Sami Karppinen on the skins).
Performed live, with full orchestra and choir, Leviathan III might be a different and more impressive beast, but that remains to be seen, and heard.
The old Symphonic Metal lark obviously takes some courage, such are the potential pitfalls, not to mention logistical demands, and Johnsson is to be congratulated again for significantly adding to Therion’s already 35-year legacy. If his reach exceeds his grasp, on this evidence, it’s certainly not for want of trying.
