Melodeath Juggernauts Hiraes Announce New Album

November 17, 2023 / metalvalkyrie2014 / Leave a comment

HIRAES (feat. Former Members of Dawn of Disease & Critical Mess) Strike Back with Sophomore Melodic Death Metal Assault

New Album, Dormant, out January 26, 2024 via Napalm Records
Pre-Order HERE

Watch the Music Video for First Single, “Through The Storm”, HERE

German-based melodic death metal formation HIRAES – featuring former members of Dawn of Disease and Critical Mess – will furiously kick off the new year with the release of their sophomore studio album, entitled Dormant, due out January 26, 2024 via Napalm Records!

Wasting no time, HIRAES have just unveiled the first single from Dormant – thunderous album opener “Through The Storm”. The track offers a glimpse into the variety of elements on the album, including powerful and varied drumming, poignant and melancholic melodies, infectious choruses, and breathtaking soundscapes – all complimented by Britta’s versatile vocals.
The band comments about the track and video:
“In a way, the video is a continuation of our first single, ‘Under Fire’, from the last album. It’s dedicated to a storm and its indomitable energy. Experience this debut single and join us as we navigate ‘Through The Storm’ together!“

The band adds:
“We are far beyond proud to present our second album Dormant to you! The album will grab you with its intensity from the first second on and won’t let you go. We invested a lot of energy, dedication and passion to create this monumental and melancholic piece of melodic death metal. Having played countless shows over the last two years, Dormant captures the energy of HIRAES’ live performances and places the songs right between heart and gut.

Once again, none other than the talented staff of Fascination Street Studios under the direction of Jens Bogren are responsible for the refinement of our sound. We are so much looking forward to unleashing Dormant upon all those metalheads out there!“

Watch the official video for “Through The Storm” HERE:

Compared to their lauded 2021 debut, Solitary, it’s immediately evident that HIRAES did not only grow within their sound due to countless live appearances, but have invested more time and energy into developing their sophisticated songwriting and production, leaning further into their own unique sound profile. Due to the use of varying keys and sonic elements, Dormant is undoubtedly fresh without sacrificing the nuances that caused their first album to connect so successfully with fans. With their very first offering, HIRAES already created an exciting new melodic death metal emergence, built upon a brutalized vocal attack, intense melodies and aggressive guitars. On Dormant, HIRAES flexes their own trademarks in an intensified way, ranging from versatile drumming, catchy riffs and hymn-like melodies to enthralling soundscapes and the impressive vocal onslaught of singer Britta Görtz. Dormant is a stirring, intense and dynamic death metal affair that is both heavily brutal and dark, yet full of melodic melancholy.

Pre-Order Dormant HERE!

Dormant track listing:
1. Through The Storm
2. We Owe No One
3. Undercurrent
4. Chance To Fail
5. About Lies
6. Come Alive
7. Ocean Child
8. Nightflight
9. Red Soil
10. Dormant

Set to be released on January 26, 2024, Dormant will be available in the following formats:

– 1 CD Digisleeve (6page)
– 1 LP Gatefold solid royal blue
– Digital Album

HIRAES are:
Britta Görtz – vocals
Lukas Kerk – guitars
Oliver Kirchner – guitars
Christian Wösten – bass
Mathias Blässe – drums

HIRAES online:
Website
Facebook
TikTok
Instagram
Napalm Records

Canadian Melodic Metallers Lutharo Announce New Album and Release New Single

November 17, 2023 / metalvalkyrie2014 / Leave a comment

LUTHARO Announces New Album Chasing Euphoria, Releases New Single

Watch “Time To Rise” HERE

Melodic metal outfit LUTHARO returns with a cacophony of all that is metal! The Canadian metallers bring forth their signature mixture of traditional heavy metal, melodic death metal, thrash metal and more on their latest effort, Chasing Euphoria, the follow-up to their critically lauded debut full-length Hiraeth. Due out March 15th 2024 via Atomic Fire Records, Chasing Euphoria is as destructive and violent as it is soaring and captivating. Pre-orders are available HERE.

Today the band has also shared a new single and video for “Time To Rise.” The video is an intimate look inside behind the scenes at the band’s practice and rehearsal.

The band elaborates on the album: “We are beyond excited to finally announce our second full length album “Chasing Euphoria” will be released on March 15th 2024! This album is very near and dear to our hearts as it has brought out the most emotion in us to date! We laughed, we cried and we put everything we have into this album. So when you listen to these songs, know you are taking a piece of us with you.”

And of the single, they share: “We are incredibly eager to finally introduce to the world our newest single “Time to Rise”. This one is a doozy. This song is not only one of the most emotional we’ve written but has pushed us FAR out of our comfort zone in so many ways. This song has endless layers to it but its most dominant subject matter is inner child trauma and how it affects us in adult life especially when it isn’t resolved or acknowledged. We hope that through this song our listeners can begin a learning journey just as we have through this writing process. To anybody reading this remember to give yourself some grace, you and the younger version of you deserve it.”

Chasing Euphoria features dynamic production from Lasse Lammert of LSD Studios (ALESTORM, GLORYHAMMER, WIND ROSE, SVARTSOT & more!) and striking cover art from Niklas Sundin (ARCH ENEMY, DARK TRANQUILLITY, DELAIN, & more!), with orchestral arrangements from Elliot Vernon (ALESTORM).

ABOUT LUTHARO: Formed in 2014, LUTHARO strive to sculpt an epic sound that sees aspects of power and death colliding, combining artfully crafted melodies, harmonies and precision with hard-hitting power and force. Members Krista Shipperbottom (vocals), Victor Bucur (guitar), John Raposo (guitar), Chris Pacey (Bass) and Cory Hofing (drums) may have found their groove on this new record, but don’t expect them to fall into a rut. LUTHARO opens the throttle all the way and barrels forward into new territories.

After releasing two EPs, LUTHARO pulled out all the stops on Hiraeth, the debut full-length album that was released on October 15th, 2021. Following their 2018 debut EP UNLEASH THE BEAST, and 2020 EP WINGS OF AGONY, Hiraeth saw the quintet push their compositional and performance skills further than ever before. What Hiraeth brought forth, Chasing Euphoria now amplifies. Expertly balancing hauntingly beautiful atmospheres with raw power and aggression. A fantastically epic journey that needs to be experienced to be believed.

Recorded by drummer Cory Hofing at Coho Studio, with additional recording by Thomas Ireland and mixing and mastering by Lasse Lammert of LSD Studio, Chasing Euphoria is out March 15th, 2024, via Atomic Fire Records. The band partnered with Niklas Sundin for the stunning artwork featured on the cover.

Prepare your necks for a maelstrom of windmills as Chasing Euphoria is certain to provoke headbanging, boisterous pits and chanting singalongs. An aggressive touring schedule will give you plenty of opportunity to join them for an electrifying evening as the riffs and raucous beats pummel you.

Shipperbottom’s earth-shaking vocal performance is impossible to ignore, from her thorny growls to soaring falsettos. – Metal Injection

…The Canadians’ self-released debut album is a primarily traditional metal record with bags of melody, shitloads of muscular power and large amounts of virtuoso musicianship….Bridging the gap between ancient and modern with admirable skill, LUTHARO have dropped one of this year’s most vital debuts. – Blabbermouth

Gatling gun riffage glues the listener to the wall, practically challenging you not to get out of your seat and bang that head, while huge melodies soar and dive in and out of that furious wall of noise. – Metal Observer

Chasing Euphoria Tracklist:

Gates of Enchantment
Reaper’s Call
Ruthless Bloodline
Time to Rise
Born to Ride
Bonded to the Blade
Chasing Euphoria
Creating a King
Strong Enough to Fall
Paradise or Parasite
Freedom of the Night

Lutharo Is:
Krista Shipperbottom – Vocals
Victor Bucur – Guitars, backing vocals
Chris Pacey – Bass
Cory Hofing – Drums
Jeff Wilson – Guitar (Live)

Connect with Lutharo HERE or at one of the links below:
Bandcamp: https://lutharoband.bandcamp.com/album/hiraeth
Website: https://www.lutharo.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LutharoOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lutharo_official/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lutharoband
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/38RQwSDbSq8ztizimX2vYp
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LutharoOfficial
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lutharo_official

#NewMusicFriday 11/10/13!

November 10, 2023 / metalvalkyrie2014 / Leave a comment

Back with new music Friday on the blog! Here are my top ten picks of the day/week you might’ve missed. It’s short and sweet, which is rare for me as I can be quite the windbag on here.

What are you listening to today?

Favorite album and singles post of the year coming soon! Stay tuned and don’t forget to sign up for updates below this post.

Plini, atmospheric Metal guitarist, and legendary Animals as Leaders’ Tosin Abasi shred it out

German Symphonic Melodic heavyweights Beyond the Black release new live video

Italian Power Metal legends Secret Sphere are back with brand new speedy single.

German 90’s band HELMET return with new album and single

Ex-Three Days Grace singer Adam Gontier and Skillet’s John Cooper groove on this catchy modern rock guitar heavy track.

A new discovery for me in the realm of Progressive Metalcore. Kinda like ERRA, Volumes, and Periphery. Great lyrics and drums as well as super technical guitars.

Portland Metalcore band Dying Wish drops heavy new ballad single. BIG surprise to me how good this is. This is the kind of music I wanted fifteen years ago.

Legendary German Power Metallers are back after 11 years with edgy Neoclassicism, and you guessed it, DRAGONS

Italian Melodic Metal powerhouses return with gorgeous power ballad that will undoubtedly make a big impact on listeners

Canadian Juno Award winning band debuts new intense speed single with a horror theme

Modern Metal Band Infected Rain Announce New Album

November 7, 2023 / metalvalkyrie2014 / Leave a comment

INFECTED RAIN are:
Lena Scissorhands – Vocals
Vidick – Guitar
Alice Lane – Bass
Eugeniu Voluta – Drums

Industrial Modern Metal Act Infected Rain are coming back with a new album in February 2024 with “TIME”. Insight to TIME offers a bombastic trip-hop Metal blended journey into the ever flowing sands of time. It’s going to be heavy, moody, and trippy. The Moldovian band want to bring new flavors in their follow-up to ECDYSIS (2022) and continue to evolve their sound with a new member, Alice Lane on Bass. The band’s most successful album yet will be undoubtedly difficult to follow up on, but Infected Rain has not let us down yet and I don’t suspect they ever will. They’re one of the most intensely heavy bands I have ever heard in my life. New single NEVER TO RETURN is a shoe-in for their usual ball busting material, but it has a new cerebral sound that is truly mesmerizing with Eastern instruments flirting with a low end rhythmic feel. It’s identifiable as Infected Rain, but certainly matured and evolved.

INFECTED RAIN says about TIME:
“TIME is not just an album, it’s a journey, a testament to our evolution as INFECTED RAIN.
Time isn’t just a measure; it’s an ever-flowing river, a constant reminder of our fleeting moments and enduring legacies.
This subject resonates deeply throughout the record, offering to you a chance to reflect on the past, embrace the present, and dream of the future.
With TIME, we invite you to experience the phenomena of time with us, in all its haunting beauty and raw power.”

INFECTED RAIN says about “NEVER TO RETURN”:

“‘NEVER TO RETURN’ is our deep dive into the unstoppable flow of time, reminiscent of the shifting sands in an ancient desert.
Like smoke that slips through fingers, moments pass us by, leaving behind traces of memories.
In this song, amidst the backdrop of the vast, timeless desert, we transform into ethereal creatures, exploring the mysteries of time. It’s a reflection on life’s journey, with all its fleeting moments, and a reminder that every second counts.”

TIME is out February 9th, 2024 via Napalm Records

Listen to NEVER TO RETURN now!

INFECTED RAIN are on tour in the USA right now, supporting the duke of spook himself, WEDNESDAY 13! See below for all remaining tour dates:
WEDNESDAY 13 w/ INFECTED RAIN, Gemini Syndrome and Black Satellite:
11/07/23: Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
11/09/23: Minneapolis, MN @ Skyway Theater
11/10/23: Madison, WI @ The Annex
11/11/23: Joliet, IL @ The Forge
11/12/23: Bloomington, IL @ Castle Theater
11/14/23: Belvedere, IL @ Apollo Theatre
11/15/23: Flint, MI @ Machine Shop
11/16/23: Cleveland, OH @ The Foundry
11/17/23: Pittsburgh, PA @ Crafthouse
11/18/23: Lititz, PA @ Mickey’s Black Box
11/19/23: Clifton, NJ @ Dingbatz
11/22/23: Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero
11/24/23: Winston-Salem, NC @ Millenium Center
11/25/23: Richmond, VA @ Canal Club
11/26/23: Leesburg, VA @ Tally Ho
11/28/23: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
11/30/23: Knoxville, TN @ The Concourse
12/01/23: Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall
12/02/23: Columbus, OH @ The King Of Clubs
12/03/23: Indianapolis, IN @ Hi Fi Annex
12/05/23: Des Moines, IA @ Lefty’s Live Music
12/06/23: Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theater
12/08/23: Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater
12/09/23: Colorado Springs, CO @ Black Sheep

The Fear of Fear Spiritbox Review

November 3, 2023November 3, 2023 / metalvalkyrie2014 / Leave a comment

Spiritbox are one of the most talked about bands of the 2020s with breakout hit “Holy Roller” dominating the charts and looping on the radio into a dizzily huge successful album “Eternal Blue”. Love them or hate them, this band is a force of nature in Progressive Metalcore. Guitarist/Composer/Produce Mike Stringer stands out in a crowd of copy/paste guitarists of the genre. To say he is brilliant would be a vast understatement. His counterpart and huge ranged powerhouse, Courtney LaPlante has also been a unique diamond in the rough of radio saturated Metalcore. She is one of my most favorite vocalists, and also the most surprising dichotomous voices. Her ability to switch voicings is rare, because you’re hard pressed to find anyone smoother and more emotive. Spiritbox is a brutal barreling train derailment of sound with a massive wall of sound, Mike occasionally maxing out the stored memory in Pro Tools. If you came to Spiritbox with Eternal Blue, you know the complexity and ginormous layers they can produce. But, don’t expect The Fear of Fear to be a follow-up to Eternal Blue… This band is set on busting expectations, genres, and complacency.

The Fear of Fear is a lyrical journey through battles with mental health, isolation, and dissociation. It is not like Eternal Blue as it doesn’t flow or necessarily fit together. There is no two tracks that sound alike, but it is reminiscent of very early Spiritbox demos and Singles. There are melodic tones that seem so familiar and imperative to the identity of Spiritbox, but very new and fresh. If you’re not familiar with pre-Eternal Blue singles, this may be a complete surprise to you. “Cellar Door” may be their heaviest track yet, an absolute sonic assault on the senses that hits you wave after wave. Courtney’s range on this is unbelievably low and sure to impress the most brutal of Death Metal fans. “Jaded” is a rhythmic complex track with catchy vocal and bass lines with a very Metalcore feel to it. It is so nice to hear bass in Progressive Metalcore again. “Too Close/ Too Late” is extremely atmospheric and haunting with basic structure and even pacing, a breath of fresh air after two pummeling tracks. “Angel Eyes” is such an interesting track that reminds me of the intensity of “The Beauty of Suffering” from the self titled. “Ultraviolet” is a electronic undertones, groovy drum back beats, and high pitched sweet vocals, and it is unlike anything the band has done before. “The Void” is one of my favorite tracks of the year with an extremely catchy chorus and difficult long held notes. They really used the whole band’s collective range on these six tracks and I feel like they challenged themselves as well as the fans’ ideas of the band.

The Fear of Fear is as if they went back to the beginning of the band, took what they liked from the Singles and Self Titled and remixed them fit their current mental state and then threw in new out-of-the-box ideas to reinvent themselves. It’s a pretty large contrast from Eternal Blue, which I like that they didn’t just recycle those feelings and sounds. I like the throwback to the original haunting sounds we got in the Self-Titled. People who didn’t like Eternal Blue but like Spiritbox are going to love this record. I love most of the tracks and it’ll definitely take more listens to take it all in. I think a couple tracks might be a little weak on their own and also don’t fit together, but there are standouts that you could repeat for days on end. The band certainly didn’t lose the addictive quality to their sound and have really rooted themselves in the aspects you expect; Atmosphere, layers, and airy vocals on top of brutality. Overall, it’s a great release and I think a very smart progression for them to draw in so many kinds of fans. I wish it was as long as Eternal Blue, so I had something to really sink in to. It feels like another Singles Collection rather than an album, but it definitely won’t get stale after many listens due to the variety of styles and familiar sounds. Spiritbox continue to surprise, amaze, and captivate me with every release, and this might be their most advantageous release yet.

Links:

The Fear of Fear Merch

https://spiritbox.com/

Spiritbox are a Progressive Metalcore band from Victoria, BC, Canada formed in 2016

The band is:

Courtney LaPlante: Vocals

Mike Stringer: Producer, Guitarist, Programmer, Backing Vocals, Writer

Zev Rose: Drums

Josh Gilbert: Bass, Backing vocals

Crypta Shades of Sorrow 2023 Review

October 16, 2023October 16, 2023 / metalvalkyrie2014 / Leave a comment

Brazillian Death Metal band Crypta has been a hot topic of 2023 with their unbelievably good festival sets and playthroughs for the new album “Shades of Sorrow”. Crypta is a happy accident, formed by two ex members of famed Nervosa, Fernanda Lira (bass, vocals) and bombastic drummer Luana Dametto. The two parted from Nervosa due to creative differences, and I think it was ultimately for the best. Fernanda really deserved more creative license, and she has proved it in their new album tenfold. As you may know, I am not a Death Metal or Thrash Metal fan, so I normally steer clear of anything that combines the two. However, Crypta goes beyond the ideologies of elitism and have forged their own deeper, darker, more interesting sound that really converted me to be a fan. I am late to the party on reviewing it, because at first, I had no idea where to start. This is way out of my wheelhouse music-wise and I didn’t think there would be a point to me reviewing it, but the lack of coverage of this album has absolutely stunned me. I have not seen this album get half the recognition it deserves, Whether it is Elitism, Sexism, our just bad promotion, this album has fallen in the background in Metal press.

“Shades of Sorrow” is my pick for most surprising album of the year. This album is absolutely fantastic, maybe one of the greatest of the Death Thrash genre in years. Crypta have insane technicality and unique progression in their flavor of this genre. The depth of talent knows no bounds in each member, and they come together and blend different influences to create something truly like nothing else on the planet. The depth of their music and darkness throws me back to Death’s Chuck Shuldiner, which is one of the highest compliments you can receive in Death Metal. The sinking darkness, the despair, the overall ambience to this record just envelopes you entirely. When you listen to it, you can’t think about anything else, and that is a great thing. “Shades of Sorrow” is catharsis at the ultimate heaviest and aggressive level. It is laden with aggression and reflection, completely anger personified. This album will get you up and arm you with mauls of thorns. There’s nothing hooky, cheesy, or over produced about this album. It is a true Death Metal record with riffs and vocals that will sink into you for months. It is chest-pounding and addictive song after song.

“The Other Side of Anger” is just absolutely fantastic and searing. Luana is at the top of her game with blast beats, groove, and ride rhythms for days that highlight every single note on the guitar. Her aggression and rhythmic savvy remind me of a young Gene Hoglan. This is clinical Death Metal drumming with just the best snare sound on “Trial of Traitors”. Luana kills it on this album and might be my drummer of the year. Fernanda is a powerhouse of ranged growls and screams with diction and clarity. It’s somehow catchy, without too much repetitiveness. It’s Progressive, but Thrashy. It encompasses so many influences and new sounds I have never heard before, even almost a tribal rhythm on some tracks. It is truly hard to explain the depth of this record. But, to get a scope of it, the track “Stronghold” is sure to blow you away. This track is one of the best to come this year, in my opinion. It is just a bull through a crowd of people that pummels and wrecks everything in its wake. You have to listen to this song, even if this music isn’t your thing.

Another aspect of the album I massively appreciate is the guitar solos. For a while now, guitar solos are few and far between in Modern Metal, but good god these guitarists have brought solos back to Thrash. They are blistering tapping melodic solos that sound so sinister. The guitars capture the mood so well and blend with the vocals expertly. They’re clean but not processed. This is just raw blistering talent that I rarely ever hear in this genre. Taina and Jessica play so well off of each other, intertwining solos and melodic lines of dual guitars that hit you right in the gut. They play fast, but you can hear every single note in the chord. It’s as if everyone in the band has been playing together for twenty years. No amount of production can create that level of audible chemistry.

“Shades of Sorrow” is a 10/10 album for me, and I don’t typically love this kind of music, but I LOVE this record and everything about it. This band is immensely talented and you’re truly not going to believe how good they are live. This album deserves way more credit than it has received and I hope overtime people will find the brilliance of Crypta.

https://www.instagram.com/cryptadeath/

https://www.cryptaofficial.com/

Melodeath Supergroup BERZERKER LEGION Review 2023

October 16, 2023 / metalvalkyrie2014 / Leave a comment

The Swedish Melodeath Supergroup presents to be a new force to be reckoned with in 2023 with new hard hitting record “Chaos Will Reign”. This may be the heaviest album I’ve reviewed so far this year and vastly impressed me. I hadn’t listened to these guys but a couple times so I came in to this review pretty much blind. The lead songwriter sent comments and an introduction to the album that intrigued me.

BERZERKER LEGION was founded in 2016 by guitarists Tomas Elofsson (Hypocrisy) and Alwin Zuur (Asphyx) with a vision to create death metal of the most belligerent quality, they recruited a line-up of solid well-known musicians consisting of James Stewart (Vader) on drums, Jonny Pettersson (Wombbath) on vocals and Fredrik Isaksson (Dark Funeral) on bass to complete the Legion.

Alwin Zuur (guitars/songwriter) comments: “During the recent years Tomas and I met each other at shows and festivals regularly. Much of our conversations were about music and styles. During these meetings we found out that we really had a lot of common musical interests.”

“Music wise our debut album ‘Obliterate the Weak’ displays the perfect balance between brutality, melody and harmony. Being a fan of the early 90’s Swedish Gothenburg style, with bands like At The Gates, Eucharist, A Canorous Quintet, as well as being a die-hard fan of brutal old school death metal style with bands like Bolt Thrower, Obituary, I have always wanted to write songs showing a mix of such different death metal genres.

With our new album “Chaos Will Reign” we have further developed ourselves in our typical musical mix of melody and brutality. “Chaos Will Reign” sounds more professional, complete, massive and powerful thanks to Jonas Kjellgren’s production . It has become the logical successor, a huge step forward compared to our debut album “Obliterate the Weak”.”

“Chaos Will Reign” is a sonic blast of 90’s Death Metal and Extreme elements that settle into a speedy groove. This album is an assault on the senses and delivers pounding tracks time after time with clinical beats and extended range Death Growls. This album vastly foreshadows the last album in production quality and modernity that falls in line with more popular sounds in Death Metal today. It is as if Amon Amarth, At the Gates, and Devildriver had a speedy baby. The riffs are chuggy, fast, and groovy switching it up from track to track to add flair and variation. The aggression and desperation of battle drip through this record. My favorite track “Choirs of Anguish” is 90’s Metal to the T with modern speed and pummeling instrumentation. There is a great at least 8 second vocal fry scream on this that stunned me. Pettersson’s range is staggeringly good and can go toe to toe with the young guns in Extreme vocals. The solo is surprisingly melodic and just tasty. There’s also Fleshgod-like orchestration underneath that I absolutely love. Any music that makes me feel like the Gates of Hell are opening for celestial war is going to stick with me, and this whole album just has that feel. The whole album is just really well composed and flows expertly. These guys know what they are doing with this genre. As a drummer, I find the drums to be absolute perfection to the highest level of technicality and speed without losing the raw sound of Death Metal drums. They just do not stop and are a force of nature on “Chaos Will Reign”. There is something so nostalgic throughout this record. Some of the songs have groovier parts in the guitars while keeping complete aggression that reminds me of Pantera. It’s just a great sound that keeps you coming back for more.

This is one of my favorite Death Metal albums of the year by far, and I can’t wait for everyone to positively experience this album as I have. I am not the biggest Death Metal fan, but this album has inspired me to seek out more bands like Berzerker Legion. I am super impressed by this band and would love to experience this music live. I highly recommend this album for fans of Cattle Decapitation, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Dimmu Borgir, and Melodeath in general.

Rating: 9/10

Comes out October 27., 2023 via Listenable Records

The Surprising New Album By Saturnus

July 5, 2023 / metalvalkyrie2014 / Leave a comment

Danish Death Doom band, Saturnus, has done something incredible this year. They have put out an album that has left me speechless, which is a feat since I never shut up about music. My reviews have been sparse lately, as I think reviews are becoming more and more trivial. This is not a formal review, but a write-up to honor one of the year’s best albums. I don’t listen to a lot of Death-Doom, but Saturnus is one of my exceptions. I decided to write about this band and album as I don’t see many posts about them and I have no clue as to why they don’t have more listeners.

Saturnus began in Copenhagen as Asesino in 1991 by vocalist Thomas A.G. Jensen and bassist, Brian Hansen as a typical Black Metal band. In 1993, their sound changed and their name became Saturnus to match their switch to Gothic Doom Metal with a Melodeath twist. This sound has been marinating with classic albums like Veronika Decides to Die and Saturn in Ascension. Their records have solidified their sound and made them incredibly underrated in the Death Doom genre which has exploded with hundreds of new bands since Paradise Lost blazed a new trail. Now, we have bands like Saturnus mixing old Death Metal, Doom, and Melodeath like Insomnium creating a whole new sound. They have come a long way since 1991, 32 years ago, believe it or not, and their latest short but epic record, The Storm Within, is a testament to their growth and building legacy.

The Storm Within is a fifty-nine-minute journey through the human condition or psyche. It is a provocative, emotional, and daring feat that is all-consuming. Those fifty-nine minutes will either seem to last mere minutes or a lifetime. It is not just an album, but a Doom movement. I say this because of the reflective breakdowns of spoken word, emotive, piano, and gorgeous melodic guitar lines right before crushing guttural growls. It is poetry in Doom. The title track opens and sets the entire mood, but you never know what to expect next. You can settle into it as a mood, but the music can throw you off and surprise you in an instant. It builds, crashes, and plummets into the depth of despair, and then lifts you into a higher consciousness. It changes but effortlessly flows together. This is the exact sound that any new and upcoming Death Doom band should strive for.

Truth is the final track of the album, marking the end of the journey, but showing more growth than ever. Whoever played the piano on this record is simply genial. It fits Death Doom perfectly while sounding so classical on Truth. There is something very Draconian about this track and the acoustics building into this guttural chest-rattling growl with arpeggios on keys is a shocking moment in music I may never forget. I don’t know much about this band and their influences or history, but this song tells me everything I need to know about how brilliant they are.

If you listen to this record all the way through, you will come out of it a changed person. Genres be damned, this album is perfection. I love everything they did with it. I love the departures and the classic Saturnus sounds. I love the drum sounds, they remind me of Summoning’s folk style with massive reverb. I love the different influences, almost some Bardcore in there which is unexpected. I love the guttural aspects and distortion but the refinement of it. It is a Death Doom record that is a must-hear this year.

For fans of Paradise Lost, Agalloch, Insomnium, and Swallow the Sun.

Home

#NewmusicFriday 3/31/23

March 31, 2023 / metalvalkyrie2014 / Leave a comment

I was on vacation last week and didn’t have time to update the blog. My family and I went to Las Cruces, New Mexico for a week off. It was a much needed break filled with nature and relaxation. Before that, I attended Eluveitie, Omnium Gatherum, and Seven Spires in Denver. I planned to write up a review on it, but honestly words fail to describe how musically perfect, emotional, and spiritual that show was. Eluveitie now stands as the best band I have ever seen live. They were note perfect, despite missing three members (Chrigel, Nicole, and Kay). So for now, here’s new music you must hear this week.

Scar Symmetry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9yi6jDmezc

Ad Infinitum Album Release, Chapter III- Downfall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3onA_XzUu8k

Listen and order to the new album here: https://lnk.to/ChapterIIIDownfall

New bombastic song from Power Metal legends BLOODBOUND

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6kZKuIezAg

Frozen Crown Single from Call of the North

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqNVklVPj4A

Order or listen to the full album here https://bfan.link/call-of-the-north-4NEW Lyrre Album (Solo project from ex Eluveitie member Michalina Malisz)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMoQc5pa6OI Order from the USA: https://ancestore.eu/en_US/c/Merchandise/48/1/full

Thrash Power Band Burning Witches is back!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mA3koz5alQ

Deathcore legends After The Burial bring amazing guitarwork

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9GUUqDFfBM

Death Thrashers Sworn Amongst Return!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNm_rWY-fqk

#NewMusicFriday 3/3/23

March 3, 2023March 3, 2023 / metalvalkyrie2014 / Leave a comment

This year has already brought us so great much music, I can hardly keep up with it all.. Below is most of the awesome releases that dropped for new music Friday! Have a merry metal weekend!

Omnium Gatherum