lunes, 31 de octubre de 2016

Marduk "Infernal Eternal" Blooddawn Productions (2000)


MARDUK, when one says this name, every real black metal fan shivers. Authors of the of the most powerful back metal songs thoughout legendary albums like Nightwing and Panzer Division Marduk, the Beast celebrates its 10th birthday, a magnificent present for the fans, a double live album! The set list is awsome, it perferctly resumes this black metal monument which is Marduk, with their greatest songs, it lasts quite long (1 hour 20)... actually it lasts really long, i don't know if my ears would have survived had I been there! The sound is great, the guitar riffs harass your ears with incredible velocity, very effective.

The drumming stays in rythm (which means nice and fast), it just never stops. And Legion's singing is actually screeching like hell, he just throws up his words into your face.
Globally this is a very powerful live which demonstrates Marduk's career 'beautifully' (if i may say so), good sound, maybe too good, it almosts looks studio recorded. Anyway, Marduk stays Marduk, which means awesome.
Get this release double disc.



Disc 1
1. Panzer Division Marduk
2. Burn My Coffin
3. Baptism by Fire
4. The Sun Turns Black as Night
5. Of Hell's Fire
6. 502
7. Materialized in Stone
8. Beast of Prey
9. Those of the Unlight
10. Sulphur Souls
11. Dreams of Blood and Iron
12. Fistfucking God's Planet

Disc 2
1. On Darkened Wings
2. Into the Crypts of Rays (Celtic Frost cover)
3. Still Fucking Dead
4. Slay the Nazarene
5. Departure from the Mortals
6. Legion



Marduk alive plays fast. That's the constant here. But they have some great ideas and variations that they should be doing in greater numbers. Doing so could bring some less speed-oriented playing and add blastbeats give another dimension to the music.

One of the aspects that brought my attention was the guitars. There are no "scary" melodies (aka minor or minor/harmonic scales). And since I have heard countless bands using this melodic stuff, listening to Marduk was almost refreshing. Most of the guitar/bass parts are solid. The band sounds 'infernal'.


A few examples about Marduk sound alive.






Hail MARDUK

sábado, 29 de octubre de 2016

Morbid "The Year Of The Goat" (compilation) Century Media (2011)



At the risk of sounding out of my mind or simply uninformed, I must say I enjoy Per Ohlin (a.k.a. Dead) in his Morbid days as opposed to Mayhem. Granted, he only appeared officially with Mayhem on the Live in Leipzig LP and the compiled Projections of a Stained Mind collective, but I much prefer this very typical Swedish death metal sound he achieved with Morbid. Aside from a couple of demos and a few live gigs, Morbid is usually only revered because of Ohlin’s notorious life (and subsequent death), which is sad indeed. While not even close to Entombed, Grave, or even Bathory caliber, Morbid’s December Moon demo ranks as one of the better demos in the late 80s underground in my ever humble opinion. After years of unofficial releases, we finally see a band-sanctioned release of the demo, some cool rehearsal tracks, and some live shows for the insane fan like me that loves this nearly-forgotten band.

Aside from Ohlin, the band at this time consisted of guitarist Uffe Cederlund, John Kennart on additional guitars and vocals, bassist Jens Nasstrom and drummer L-G Petrov. Cederlund, many metal fans know, went onto join Entombed after exiting from Morbid, but the rest of the band has remained pretty silent aside from the occasional foray into another band here and there.


"The Year of the Goat" double CD, triple LP set consists of the complete 'December Moon 'demo from 1987 that caught the ear of the guitarist of Mayhem after Ohlin sent the band the tape, forging an ill-fated partnership that ended in utter disaster. But this article isn’t about that era of Ohlin’s short life or that insipid photograph adorning a million bootlegs and metal sites; it’s a testament to a mediocre band that put out a damn good demo that would have been all but lost to the annals of time if not for Ohlin’s association with the Norwegian black metal underground of the late 80’s and early 90’s. It’s sloppy, under-produced and even rudimentary all over, but it has a delightful (!) charm that just catches your ear if you like the Swedish death sound. Don’t expect Into the Grave or Left Hand Path because, in short, that just ain’t here. What is here is a simple little demo that has four solid tracks that are fun and enjoyable for their primitive worth. “My Dark Subconscious” is Ohlin’s finest moment and what initially turned me on to the band back in ’92 when a copied copy made its way into my hands. It’s a breathy snarl as opposed to the growling yells he employed on the Leipzig album. I much prefer this style of vocal and its sickly feel and malevolent tone that rides waves above embellishment and well under singer supreme. Ohlin was a death metal vocalist, plain and simple, and his legacy is one of legend, though I suspect it has more to do with his death than his accomplishments above ground; again, a sad shame. “Deathexecution” is a fast-paced assault on the ears that, again, is sloppily achieved and caustic in its plasticity, but it is leaps above other lost-to-time demos that simmered in the sweltering scene of this period. These four tracks are fine for what they are, but expecting too much can give you the wrong impression of just how solid a band Morbid could have become with a little more honing. “Disgusting Semla” provides a speedy deathly jaunt through volatility as well, ending with a very humorous, yet dark Ohlin leading a chorus of insane chanting in a childlike voice. It’s eerie, but nothing too serious.



As for the rehearsal and live tracks, they are even more under-produced, but the rehearsals are a nice look at Morbid’s even more ‘unpolished’ design that is still wildly entertaining and overly decent in sound value. I’m not sure even Andy Sneap could have done much with these guys back then, but the intrinsic value is not to be denied. It’s as ugly as a hairless dog caught in a monsoon in Guadalajara, but it does keep your blood going throughout. It’s also very cool to hear rough(er) versions of the December Moon tracks. The live shows, three from various locales in Sweden, are quite the added bonus; they are to be enjoyed more for their existence and testament to the live performer that Ohlin and Morbid was and could have been. You can honestly get the feel of being at one of these assumedly small gigs and just enjoying the hell out of this band just going for it on all cylinders without mind for production or perfection. They were, by all accounts, death metal at its most bare and simplistic. The Ultrahuset, November of ’87 show was just a violent barrage caught on tape. The music is really out of control that night, and the crowd seemed to really be into the band from beginning to end. These little shows are more for those that wish to have complete audio records of certain bands, but hell, the entire Morbid catalog is for the ardent fan that has to have all things Swedish death. Sure, the occasional Mayhem fan seeps into the fray because they want to examine Ohlin’s output pre-Mayhem, but they are almost always unsatisfied because it doesn’t compare, in their view, to Leipzig or the two studio tracks of “Carnage” and “Freezing Moon” on Projections of a Stained Mind back in ‘91. I personally find it surpassing, but each his own opine. This is a nice set for the true fan of underground death metal that doesn’t expect anything even close to perfection in either style or sound. 



The packaging is very nice. We’re treated to a ton of photos and liner notes about the band, including musings from band members and drawings of Ohlin’s that were supposed to be album covers but, sadly, never saw fruition. The CD version comes in a sweet digibook design that is a bit oversized, but very attractive and sturdy. It also comes in a triple fold-out vinyl that is done quite nicely. There are limited pressings of varying colors for the fan that has deep pockets, but the real winner is the music. I, however, did not stall in ordering my purple vinyl set in a limited edition of 200 because, well, I was up late one night and saw the preorder. And I like purple. I also ordered the CD…as you should as well. 

To close void of bravado or superfluous anecdotal referencing, allow me to sum up Morbid’s essence in a few words: Morbid was four Swedish fellows who loved metal music. They occasionally played to small crowds of drunken Swedish metalheads and had a damn good time doing so in many low-fi particulars. They were nothing fancy or even memorable, but they deserved to be known as more than the first band of ‘Dead’ from Mayhem.


All tracks re-mastered by Ulf Horbelt at DMS, Marl, Germany.

Vinyl 1:
Tracks 1 to 4 taken from the "December Moon" demo (1986).
Tracks 5 to 11 are rehearsal tracks.

Vinyl 2:
Tracks 1 to 9 recorded Live 23.10.1987 at Birkagården in Stockholm, Sweden

Vinyl 3
Tracks 10 to 13 recorded Live 26.04.1987 at Ultrahuset in Stockholm Sweden
Tracks 14 to 17 recorded Live 23.11.1987 at Ultrahuset in Stockholm Sweden


Classic song and hymn for swedish band Morbid. 


Full demo from 1987 


Compilation 

martes, 25 de octubre de 2016

Darkthrone "A Blaze In The Northern Sky" Peaceville (1992)



One of the seminal releases of the infamous second wave of black metal, "A Blaze in the Northern Sky" serves as a stepping stone for Darkthrone to their own particular niche in black metal as well as a guide for the less inspired as to how to create phenomenal black metal. This second album is a funny because Darkthrone obviously wears their influences on their sleeves and the album obviously owes much to CF/Hellhammer, yet at the same time this disc contains its own unique voice and there simply has never been an album like it.

Track list form this album: 

Sice A:
"Kathaarian Life Code" – 10:39
"In the Shadow of the Horns" – 7:02
"Paragon Belial" – 5:25

Side B:
"Where Cold Winds Blow" – 7:26
"A Blaze in the Northern Sky" – 4:58
"The Pagan Winter" – 6:35

Setting themselves apart from their contemporaries, Darkthrone strived to achieve a catchy and 'metal' album. Not forgetting the importance of riffs from the forebears of black metal, and the thrashy/groove elements championed by Morbid Tales Celtic Frost, Darkthrone implements guitar solos (something many second wave, as well as modern black metal bands, tend to overlook), mid-section groove stomps and countless rhythm changes. When comparing this album to contemporaries of the time it is interesting to see how Darkthrone retained a death metal/trash sense of composure and time. "Immortal's Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism" is a good, but wholly inspired by Bathory effort which offered little variance amongst its tracks and seemed much more restrained. also abstains from the absurdly fast-all-the-time style of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas or the dreary slow dirge of Burzum. Really comes out as its own and as a unique vessel in the second wave. Like a good thrash album, This album offers a sense of fun and invigoration, something like feels more foreboding and moody.


Line up 1992
Nocturno Culto Vocals (lead), Guitars (lead)
Zephyrous Guitars (rhythm)
Fenriz Drums, Vocals (spoken lines, intro), Lyrics

The instrumentation, attention to detail, and overall vibe given by A Blaze In The Northern Sky seems to make their contemporaries look childish, Darkthrone were musicians and creators of music first and foremost, while they paid great attention to their appearance, it wasn't until Transilvanian Hunger that they begun to exchange creativity and performance for image and reputation.

The drums are so powerful and authoritarian on this album, I love it. They guide each song with such brute strength and have a great tone. Fenriz's performance is one of my favorites and is very fun and interesting to listen to. The guitar work is top notch and countless riffs are undeniable classics. Every song is a classic, its hard to skip anyone of them, and downright unfair to say anyone of them is unimportant.




Darkthrone have defiantly established themselves as one of the most important names in black metal, and much of that credit is given to Transilvanian Hunger. But it was with this album that Darkthrone modernized the music they had been influenced by and were able to create many of the variables that have characterized the scene since. The album surges and jumps, contains a vibrant and robust production that really emphasizes the power behind every instrument, another element they lost to the muffled and lifeless production of Transilvanian Hunger.

For me, it is a tough debate between De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas or A Blaze in the Northern Sky as the king album of the second wave. They offer radically different approaches to the genre in question, and are amazing in their own right. A Blaze In The Northern Sky always seemed like a good stepping stone from thrash and death metal to black metal, Feels like an album that requires a lot from the listener and isn't as simple as just picking up.This is one of the few albums i actually have fun listening to as an activity in of itself. If this album doesn't catch your fancy the first time around, put it down and come back to it, because it really is a marvel and gem of music as a whole.



Some links about vids alive.


Live 1991


Finland 1991


"Paragon Belial"

jueves, 13 de octubre de 2016

Mysticum "In The Streams Of Inferno" Full Moon Productions (1996)


If someone was interested in industrial black metal and I could only show them one album, In the Streams of Inferno would probably be that one album. It encompasses everything one might look for in industrial metal; it's frantic, ugly, mechanical, grey, and uneasy. After listening to a quiet, one minute introduction with only some percussion in the background, "The Rest" kicks in in full force with very machine-like and militaristic drumming, and distorted riffs to complement the aggressive tempo taking place. Vocals range from higher pitched shrieks to inhibited yells, drowned out by the rest of the music. Synths and samples occasionally fit in to add an extra dose of industrial terror.

The track list are:
1 Industries Of Inferno 1:12
2 The Rest 4:36
3 Let The Kingdom Come 5:06
4 Wintermass 5:55
5 Crypt Of Fear 6:19
6 Where The Raven Flies 4:25
7 In Your Grave 3:43
8 In The Last Of The Ruins We Search For A New Planet 5:41

Line-Up was:
Mean Malmberg - Vocals and Guitars
Prime Evil - Bass and Programming
Cerastes - Guitars


That is the main formula for most of these songs, but the music is a bit more complex than that. Each track has its own set of smaller ideas that help differentiate them from the rest. After listening to this album, you'd be amazed at learning how versatile industrial black metal can really be. A good example is in "Crypt of Fear." The song starts with roughly 100 seconds of uncomfortable synths that paint an atmosphere of bleakness. Then, the heaviness and speeding drums pop in abruptly. This time, as opposed to higher shrieks, the vocals have a more yelling sound similar to what you'd find in some older thrash bands. They're catchy enough so you can "sing" along in your head. All of a sudden, the music slows down unexpectedly and the vocals revert back to the higher shrieks. The music is now bleaker than ever, showing a new shade of grey ugliness that Mysticum capitalizes so well on. It's an absolutely menacing song that will make you see how miserable this world really is!


On the other hand, "Wintermass" has a more moderate tempo, focusing a lot more on synths; however, the synths are hard to hear so you'll need to listen well. The music reminds me of something you'd hear in an old, abandoned factory that still produces...This track is also a great example of how influential the riffs are in making that atmosphere. The notes played are incredibly deep and foggy thanks to the unclear production. Again, there's a sense of misery and tension coming out of these tracks and the members of Mysticum really hit the nail on the head in accomplishing that ambience. 

At the end of the day, there isn't too much more to say about In Streams of Inferno. It has everything that makes an industrial black metal album great and more! Even the cover art is cool - a blackened landscape being drenched by a storm-infested ocean. Nothing bright is to be found! I gaurantee you'll find something interesting about this album. Even if you thought industrial metal was lame in the past, or never really got into it, the guys behind Mysticum might be able to tell you otherwise. In Streams of inferno was(and still is) a one of a kind album that no doubt influenced many newer bands like Blacklodge and it didn't happen for no reason. Buy this album and you'll be please that you did.


1996

Some link about a few album´s songs.