Just looking at the lineup for this year's Ragnard Rock festival, and they've really upped the ante here - this has to be pretty much the best event ever organised if you're into the whole viking/folk/black metal thing. It has Moonsorrow, Nokturnal Mortum, Kroda, Nargaroth, Belphegor, Skyforger, Månegarm, Khors, Graveland (who I think have never even done liveshows before?), Rotting Christ, Heidevolk, Aeternus, Cruachan, Tengger Cavalry (yes the Mongolian band!). That's got to be worth putting up with a bunch of LARPing French dudes pretending to be vikings.
Anyway, on the new Nokturnal Mortum - only two new tracks is a bit frustrating after a five year wait but it's very good, especially B Кайданах Часу - I just love how the band effortlessly locks into this nice head-nodding groove for minutes on end and patiently cycles through a sequence of verses and meandering guitar lines and keyboard melodies. It's a bit like oldschool Katatonia played by better musicians. Can't think of any other band that does this kind of stuff right now - comparable bands like Moonsorrow and Finsterforst all work so hard to be 110% awesome epic all the time.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyn_3Mt2dzg
― Siegbran, Tuesday, 3 May 2016 09:52 (eight years ago) link
It looks like Graveland actually are a band now and just played their first ever live show at the beginning of April. Also I note that their Metal Archives page doesn't mention NS anymore, wonder if he's trying to do a Nokturnal Mortum and turn towards acceptability?
― Arch Godliness of Purplefull Magic (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 3 May 2016 10:21 (eight years ago) link
Ah it looks like he's been backing off of that stuff for quite a while, I guess I stopped paying attention!
― Arch Godliness of Purplefull Magic (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 3 May 2016 10:25 (eight years ago) link
Graveland never really had explicit nazi stuff on the records, unless you consider songs about medieval battles of brave Slavs against Ottoman armies as coded dog-whistle anti-Muslim propaganda.
To be honest I've lost interest in Graveland, there has been zero developments in his sound or approach in almost twenty years. In theory the new members could help him get out of his rut but these two new tracks on the split are really fucking boring and don't point to any real change. They're also (pointlessly) reissuing old material with re-recorded drums and keyboards by the new members, which again in theory is a nice way to integrate them into the bands discography, but I have almost zero interest in hearing possibly slightly less limp versions of those boring ass Dawn Of The Iron Blades songs.
― Siegbran, Tuesday, 3 May 2016 11:25 (eight years ago) link
it's kind of delicious that these Nazi bands, in middle age, realize that they could be making actual money if they'll just renounce their Nazi ways
― tremendous crime wave and killing wave (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Tuesday, 3 May 2016 12:30 (eight years ago) link
If only the real nazis had done that.
― Siegbran, Tuesday, 3 May 2016 14:19 (eight years ago) link
Blind Guardian/Grave Digger tour dates:
09/09/2016 The Orpheum – Tampa, FL09/10/2016 Revolution – Fort Lauderdale, FL09/12/2016 Ziggy's By The Sea – Wilmington, NC09/13/2016 Cats Cradle – Chapel Hill, NC09/15/2016 Webster Hall – New York, NY09/16/2016 The Palladium – Worcester, MA09/19/2016 London Music Hall – London, ON CANADA 09/20/2016 The Crofoot – Pontiac, MI09/22/2016 Sokol Auditorium – Omaha, NE09/23/2016 The Rave II – Milwaukee, WI09/24/2016 Pierre’s Entertainment Center – Fort Wayne, IN09/26/2016 Warehouse Live – Houston, TX09/27/2016 Gas Monkey Live – Dallas, TX09/29/2016 The Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO09/30/2016 The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT10/01/2016 House Of Blues – Las Vegas, NV10/02/2016 Observatory North Park – San Diego, CA10/04/2016 The Fonda Theatre – Los Angeles10/05/2016 The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA
― Don Van Gorp, midwest regional VP, marketing (誤訳侮辱), Wednesday, 4 May 2016 15:01 (eight years ago) link
Vektor are insane. I'm going to be playing "Recharging the Void" non-stop.
― jmm, Thursday, 5 May 2016 19:02 (eight years ago) link
New Gorguts (1 track, 33 minutes): http://decibelmagazine.com/blog/2016/4/29/gorguts-premiere-pleaides-dust
I've listened a couple of times today. There's a lot there.
― Hi! I'm twice-coloured! (Sund4r), Friday, 6 May 2016 00:40 (eight years ago) link
i gots it pre-ordered.....think I'll just wait. but excited nonetheless.
― Neanderthal, Friday, 6 May 2016 03:13 (eight years ago) link
Grave Miasma is sweet
― Neanderthal, Friday, 6 May 2016 04:41 (eight years ago) link
Dunno about the Gorguts - after the new Slice The Cake had me bowling over with laughter I don't know if I can take more "progressive" death metal.
― Siegbran, Friday, 6 May 2016 06:25 (eight years ago) link
this gorguts is great and a breath of fresh air in what has been a boring year for metal so far imo but then i hate metal as you're all aware
― And the cry rang out all o'er the town / Good Heavens! Tay is down (imago), Friday, 6 May 2016 11:08 (eight years ago) link
I've avoided listening to any of the excerpts from the Gorguts EP, I think I might wait til I actually get it though I'm really tempted by the stream. I've also read some good things about a band called Scammasch but I think I need to be in the right mood to tackle a 100 minute black metal album.
― ultros ultros-ghali, Friday, 6 May 2016 13:27 (eight years ago) link
Actually you know I'm going to be grossly self-indulgent and list the "interesting" metal releases that I've dug this year
Ecferus - PangaeaEhnahre - DouveGeryon - The Wound and the BowHowls of Ebb - Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic VowsKrallice - HyperionOranssi Pazuzu - VärähtelijäPalace of Worms - The LadderTemisto - TemistoWormed - KrighsuZealotry - The Last Witness
Also I admit the latest The Body album is worth a bash if you want something truly different, the only problem is I haaaated it.
― ultros ultros-ghali, Friday, 6 May 2016 13:33 (eight years ago) link
Vektor will be hard to beat this year. It's an incredible album, especially this final track. They're going to need huge pyrotechnics for the climax when they take it on stage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C71_QwZt69A
― jmm, Friday, 6 May 2016 14:45 (eight years ago) link
Yeah, that was great.
― Hi! I'm twice-coloured! (Sund4r), Friday, 6 May 2016 15:00 (eight years ago) link
Bought the new Vektor and Novembre today - both are different metal-epic fun listens and will get lots of spins this weekend. I expected Vektor to be great and that last track is indeed the stand-out. I hadn't ever heard Novembre - this has such a great prog atmosphere - really glad I tried this out.
― BlackIronPrison, Friday, 6 May 2016 16:54 (eight years ago) link
I've also read some good things about a band called Scammasch but I think I need to be in the right mood to tackle a 100 minute black metal album.
It's really good and, handily/annoyingly, broken into 3 discs. Doing 2 at a time seems to work best. I feel like their last one (a double disc) was a bit ponderous and wanted to be Triptykon a bit too much, Triangle is excellent proggy/atmospheric/avant black metal. 100 minutes is too much, though.
― Arch Godliness of Purplefull Magic (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Friday, 6 May 2016 23:37 (eight years ago) link
All hail Vektor! I still prefer Outer Isolation so far - this is an exhausting listen - but damn it is a mighty fine thing to have them back.
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Saturday, 7 May 2016 00:04 (eight years ago) link
SO MANYRIFFS
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Saturday, 7 May 2016 00:08 (eight years ago) link
Yeah, wow, this Vektor album is fantastic. The Schammasch thing is really interesting, too.
Lots of interesting things on this metal list in particular:
https://open.spotify.com/user/particledetector/playlist/4gWxVKO4msK8uMaJ6jj1z8
― glenn mcdonald, Saturday, 7 May 2016 01:14 (eight years ago) link
didn't know there was a new Zealotry, those guys are good I should check that out
― The bald Phil Collins impersonator cash grab (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Saturday, 7 May 2016 01:41 (eight years ago) link
gah they're throwing Horrendous on at 3:00 - 3:30 on the Friday at MDF. now meaning I gotta try to check in early, or dump my shit at the hotel and check in later to avoid missing them
― Neanderthal, Saturday, 7 May 2016 03:12 (eight years ago) link
Man, only 30 minutes? Thought those dudes were kind of cresting a wave right now.
― Arch Godliness of Purplefull Magic (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Saturday, 7 May 2016 04:19 (eight years ago) link
yeah I'm bummed about the length too :(
― Neanderthal, Saturday, 7 May 2016 04:24 (eight years ago) link
I enjoy Anareta more every listen
― Neanderthal, Saturday, 7 May 2016 04:25 (eight years ago) link
god "Cygnus Terminal" off of the new Vektor is fucking gorgeous
― Neanderthal, Saturday, 7 May 2016 04:32 (eight years ago) link
Alright, Alastair Rintoul from Begrime Exemious is my Metal Dude Of The Week.
http://i63.tinypic.com/2qsrxts.jpg
― Arch Godliness of Purplefull Magic (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Sunday, 8 May 2016 12:41 (eight years ago) link
"Collapse" is turning into one of my favourites from the Vektor album. I didn't initially like the overdubbed singing-screaming section, but I dunno, it's a weird idea that somehow completely works.
― jmm, Sunday, 8 May 2016 14:08 (eight years ago) link
If anything I think the album could have used a couple more "breather" sections like that.
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Sunday, 8 May 2016 14:34 (eight years ago) link
don't think anyone has posted this yet:
http://cdn.theobelisk.net/obelisk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/psycho-las-vegas.jpg
― alpine static, Monday, 9 May 2016 07:10 (eight years ago) link
holy sheep shit
― da vinci beaver testicles (contenderizer), Monday, 9 May 2016 11:45 (eight years ago) link
Made a playlist for that.
https://open.spotify.com/user/glennpmcdonald/playlist/1l3ELOu54bjK0xPYyjNEQx
― glenn mcdonald, Monday, 9 May 2016 15:59 (eight years ago) link
think i'm going. stooooked.
― alpine static, Monday, 9 May 2016 16:52 (eight years ago) link
I am going. :D
― One bad call from barely losing to (Alex in SF), Monday, 9 May 2016 22:53 (eight years ago) link
I'm gonna make another attempt to like Morbid Angel.
― Don Van Gorp, midwest regional VP, marketing (誤訳侮辱), Tuesday, 10 May 2016 13:22 (eight years ago) link
Two things: Pleiades' Dust is brilliant and I'm enjoying the Vektor album a lot more than I thought I would (I'm just not that big on thrash)
― ultros ultros-ghali, Tuesday, 10 May 2016 16:49 (eight years ago) link
I have tried so much to appreciate Morbid Angel, but to this day I cannot remember how any of their songs go. Can't tell them apart. Except for the ones on that hilarious album a few years ago.
― A. Begrand, Tuesday, 10 May 2016 17:16 (eight years ago) link
So this is happening in my backyard...
http://dinv6bnu2wkbe.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Rock-Allegiance-5.6-website.jpg
A mixture of things I like with things I abhor.My 13-year old son wants to go!
― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Tuesday, 10 May 2016 17:44 (eight years ago) link
I still regret missing the Psycho Cali in May 2015 so yeah, I'm going to Vegas baby. Finally get to see Colour Haze!
― Fastnbulbous, Tuesday, 10 May 2016 17:50 (eight years ago) link
"gourmet man food"
― jmm, Tuesday, 10 May 2016 17:51 (eight years ago) link
Buried deep in that Psycho Vegas lineup is UK psych prog band Family. That could be interesting!
― Fastnbulbous, Tuesday, 10 May 2016 17:51 (eight years ago) link
Wonder how his voice holds up now
― Odysseus, Tuesday, 10 May 2016 17:53 (eight years ago) link
― Don Van Gorp, midwest regional VP, marketing (誤訳侮辱), Tuesday, May 10, 2016 6:22 AM (5 hours ago)
i do not like morbid angel. of course i'd never admit it. i do like the new vektor. and that weird buzzy orange pazuzu thing and chtheilist not that i can spell it plus howls of ebb. i've also been lurking due to slacking on music basically but hugs & hails to mtl ppl.
http://erinhunter.katecary.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/kitten-hugs.jpg
― da vinci beaver testicles (contenderizer), Tuesday, 10 May 2016 19:10 (eight years ago) link
OK this Sxuperion album is pretty cool, violent black metal with a vaguely cosmic feel and death metalish vocals:
http://bloodymountainrecords.bandcamp.com/album/cosmic-void
I want to compare it to Zemial but that isn't really accurate. Super monotonous/trance-inducing guitars, almost-almost qualifies for the Branca-metal thread.
― You say tomato, Isao Tomita (RIP) (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Wednesday, 11 May 2016 09:48 (eight years ago) link
also vampire (swe) had an EP out late last year that i failed to notice. it's good! more of the same, but good-same.
― da vinci beaver testicles (contenderizer), Wednesday, 11 May 2016 13:06 (eight years ago) link
i do like the new vektor. and that weird buzzy orange pazuzu thing and chtheilist not that i can spell it plus howls of ebb.
^ I wholeheartedly concur with all of this, and also (especially) the kittens.
I came here to say that I can't not hear Vektor's 'Pillars of Sand' as Christina Milian's AM to PM, which slightly enhances it for me, if anything.
― It certainly is punk of the Church of England to think that way (tangenttangent), Wednesday, 11 May 2016 15:01 (eight years ago) link
And there was much rejoicing.
https://www.facebook.com/AnataDeathMetal/posts/1343725292310971
Obviously this isn't much, or anything, to go on, but I'm just gonna let my hopefulness consume me.
― Devilock, Thursday, 12 May 2016 23:02 (eight years ago) link
1) devilock, holy shit!!
2) not really metal, but on a metal label being serviced to metal pubs presumably because the drummer is from Alcest - Sylvaine, which is kinda Explosions in the Sky but ethereal-gothier...my resistance to midtempo shoegazey "post metal' is pretty strong but the groove here is nice, not breaking down any doors but pretty pleasant stuff
― The bald Phil Collins impersonator cash grab (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Friday, 13 May 2016 12:56 (eight years ago) link