Hello all, I’ve been inactive on here for several months now, pursuing other ventures. One of them is my Youtube content, which I have been working on diligently. So to try something different this year, I made my Favorite album of the year list into an interactive video. It’s sort of reminiscent (or at least a homage to) of the old “Pop up videos” on VH1 that I loved to watch as a kid and even into my teens. I am desperately trying to get away from being a critic, and being more personal and educational about Metal. I just don’t want to be another opinion on the internet. I want to connect with people. I want to break barriers and stereotypes within the metal community. I want to abolish elitism in Metal. The true goal of my content is to share with people my music discoveries, not to critique albums. I really dislike reviewing and reading reviews. This “ErinMetal” channel allows me to be myself and share the amazing new Renaissance of Music that we’ve entered in the past decade.
There’s so much yet to be discovered outside of the mainstream music, and I will continue to share what I find. Please check out my “Favorite Rock and Metal Albums of 2024” countdown video below. And, I want to know your favorite albums of the year as well! Thank you so much for reading, watching, and interacting with my content. I want to grow this into an inclusive community, and you can be a part of that.
Black Absinthe, the acclaimed heavy metal band known for their raw energy and immersive storytelling, announces the release of their gripping new single, “Jean Lanfray”. This latest offering comes ahead of their highly anticipated album, “On Earth Or In Hell”, set to be released on March 27th. I am looking forward to this album immensely. It sounds fresh, but has an excellent throwback sound that I am digging lately.
“Jean Lanfray” delves into the dark and turbulent history of Absinthe, the infamous spirit. The band was inspired by the chilling story of Jean Lanfray, a man who, in 1905, committed a heinous crime under the influence of alcohol, including Absinthe. This event sparked a moral panic that contributed significantly to the temperance movement and the eventual banning of Absinthe in many European countries.
Black Absinthe uses this narrative to explore themes of denial and the devastating effects of alcohol addiction. “When exploring concepts and stories relating to Absinthe, we came across the story of Jean Lanfray; who, after a day of excessive drinking, murdered his wife and children. Despite consuming a variety of liquors, it was his consumption of Absinthe that scandalized the public. The murders and subsequent trial kicked off a temperance movement that would see the sale and production of Absinthe banned in most European countries,” the band reflects. “The band uses the story to depict the denial ever present in an alcoholic mind. ‘Jean Lanfray’ works to depict a narrator pathetically denying the reality he has caused and showing the depraved actions a man can take when gripped with alcohol addiction.”
About BLACK ABSINTHE: Formed in the underground dungeons and dives of Toronto’s metal scene, BLACK ABSINTHE is a Canadian contemporary heavy metal band. Since 2011, BLACK ABSINTHE has performed, recorded, and reached new fans all over Canada. Presenting a mix of thrashing mosh pits and riff heavy anthems, their growing presence in the diverse heavy music scene, unifies classic metal grandeur, speed-demon rhythm sections, soaring solos, with modern technicality. Over the course of three EP’s and one LP, Early Signs of Denial (2016), BLACK ABSINTHE has continued to grow and experiment on its NWOBHM influences while maintaining the intensity of the contemporary heavy metal genre. The band draw influences from the likes of GOJIRA, MASTODON, SLAYER, and MOTÖRHEAD, to name a few.
In 2019, founders Jack Cerre and Kyle Scarlett proudly welcomed Fernando Villalobos (Ex-SLUDGEHAMMER) into the fold. BLACK ABSINTHE continues to carve their own path with performances across Canada and have brought new material to fans in Montreal, Newfoundland, and Toronto. Most recently opening for TOWER, FIREBREATHER, and WITCHROT.
In 2020, the band began laying the groundwork for their latest album On Earth or In Hell. In 2021 the band began pre-production demos with JC Sandoval (THE CROOKED, WE THE CROOKED). As producer, he oversaw the entire project, also engineering vocals and bass. In February 2022, the band engaged Juno-nominated producer Tyler Williams of Monolithic Productions (LINDSAY SCHOOLCRAFT, LUTHARO, SLUDGEHAMMER) to co-produce, engineer drums and guitar, and mix the album. The album is slated for release on March 27th, 2024.
BLACK ABSINTHE is: Jack Cerre (Vocals/Guitar) Kyle Scarlett (Bass) Fernando Villalobos (Drums)
Single Credits: Performed/Written by: BLACK ABSINTHE Lyrics by: Austin Henderson Produced by: J.C. Sandoval Co-Produced by: Tyler Williams Mixed by: Tyler Williams (Monolithic Productions) Mastered by: Lasse Lammert (LSD Studios) Photography: Michael Jari Davidson Album Art by: Darrin Crosgrove
Track List: 1. Dead Queen 2. Nobody Knows 3. Jean Lanfray 4. Call of the Void 5. On Earth or In Hell 6. The Hard Way 7. Essentially Fucked 8. Twisted Past
Chicago Melodic Death Metal two man band, Cariosus, are a new edition to the modern Metal scene. They bring a deep cerebral take on the world of Melodeath with as complex lyrics as the music can get. They shine a mirror on the soul and the modern human psyche and rip it open with beautiful brutality. I am no stranger to Melodeath, having seen a dozen shows of pure Gothenburg Metal and reviewing the scene for a decade, so I was interested to see a new one coming from America.
Some words on the album provided by the band: “Will, Until Beauty is a thesis on mankind facing its shadow. It is the confrontation of one’s darkness that is necessary to find inner light. In this work, CARIOSUS navigates the modern psychic landscape that humanity finds itself in- rife with spiritual deprivation, manufactured morality, and performative righteousness that the weakest among us use to hide from our own inner abyss. For both the individual and society as a whole, it is a call to reconcile one’s soul in both light and darkness- to create a consolidated and objective view of Being that is the foundation of true virtue.”
Will, Until Beauty is as deep and as heavy as it sounds. It’s methodically written and mature for a debut album. It’s rich in Deathcore, Blackened Death, and Neoclassical influence, deviating from your typical Melodeath sound bloomed in the dark North. Opener “Narrow Path” is a gripping rhythmic track with old school Death Metal guitars, thrash drums, and dynamic screams and growls from Alex Pfister. Alex is impressively ranged, stacking up to any Deathcore vocalist. Kevin Kryszak (Guitar) is fret board fluent, using every octave on that neck on the opening track alone. “Saturn Returns” is more modern and has some Carnifex sounding aspects to it, which vastly impressed me. There’s so much sound coming from two people, it’s hard to believe that this is their debut album. Apollo’s Lament is a slower more melodic track at first, then it hits you like an oncoming out of control train. This track is insane, changing from one measure to the next, switching sounds and influences faster than you can count. It’s complex, even for Melodeath. This song would be a great single from the album as it screams Enslaved and even chorus-effect Type O Negative melodic lines. The solo is also very Classical and intense. All Too Human breaks up the blistering heaviness showing that melodic side with acoustic percussion and Tool-esque bass lines. I absolutely love this track from beginning to end; the way it builds and moves is just so incredible and well-done.
The album continues to flow together very nicely without becoming repetitive or contrived at any point and keeps that depth going through each track. I wish I had access to the lyrics to get a real feel for the message, because it is so deep in meaning and Alex is a highly distorted vocalist so it’s hard to pick out the words. This vocalist highly impressed me, however. His range for a debut is utterly staggering. This album has a depth I rarely see in Death Metal. Cariosus is adding their own spin and I think Metal fans from every area are going to dig this album.
Swiss modern metal upstarts ILLUMISHADE unveil their magical sophomore record and Napalm Records debut, Another Side of You, out February 16 2024! Fronted by vocalist Fabienne Erni and guitarist Jonas Wolf (both of Eluveitie) and completed with orchestration and synths by film composer Mirjam Skal, bass by Yannick Urbanczik, and drums by Marc Friedrich, ILLUMISHADE skillfully balances all things both dark and light on Another Side of You.
On their new single cut from the new album, “Here We Are”, Erni’s radiant charisma shines brighter than ever with her crystal-clear vocal delivery. Wolf’s guitar work is as blazing and emotional as ever, while a fresh dose of modern prog brings a cutting edge to the band’s elaborate songwriting. The song impresses with a stomping chorus and an exciting variety in its middle passage, and arrives alongside a stunning music video.
ILLUMISHADE on “Here We Are”: “‘Here We Are’ is an anthem to the essence of being in the here and now. It tells about accepting the legacy of history, acknowledging our current standing as a foundation from which we can move forward.”
Another Side of You is the successor to ILLUMISHADE’s acclaimed debut album, ECLYPTIC: Wake Of Shadows. The second coup showcases a more modern approach both lyrically and musically, while still transporting the listener into an immersive world rich with mesmerizing soundscapes (even enhanced by the Budapest Art Orchestra at certain points) and massive and dreamlike vocal lines, marking the perfect start of a brand new chapter for this promising outfit.
ILLUMISHADE add: “Marking the beginning of a new era, our album Another Side Of You bridges the tangible and the ethereal. It’s an odyssey to the many facets of human emotion but also the challenges we all face in this ever-changing world. Another Side of You is about grounding in reality, yet also letting the music carry you to places unknown.”
Another Side of You Tracklisting: 1 Enter the Void 2 ELEGY 3 ENEMY 4 In the Darkness 5 Cloudreader 6 Here We Are 7 CYCLONE 8 Fairytale 9 The Horizon Awaits 10 HYMN 11 TWILY 12 Riptide 13 Hummingbird 14 Verliebt (feat. Coen Janssen)
ILLUMISHADE are: Fabienne Erni – Voice, Piano Jonas Wolf – Guitars Mirjam Skal – Orchestration / Synths Yannick Urbanczik – Bass Marc Friedrich – Drums
Metal Valkyrie 