Night Terrain (US) - The American Dream

Self-Released Released 24th July

Night Terrain is a post-metal band based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, featuring a sound

that is equal parts space rock, doom metal and stoner rock. The riffs go from slow, sludgy and

droning to uplifting, manic and even face melting. Night Terrain's mission statement is to make

music that expresses our understanding and experience of the human condition. Our music

should appeal to just about anyone with a shred of humanity while sticking true to its rock and

metal roots.

This album blew me totally away when I got it with it's genious compositions and arrangements this must be one of the most beautiful instrumental albums I've heard in ages.
Night Terrain can be categorized as experimental metal and they certainly know how to do the job flawless.

It's a totally unique album with a very warm athmosphere and delightful guitars served here it's easy to fly into another world while listening to this one,the music is mostly slow guitar based with nice & heavy melodies wrapped with spoken samples and FX to make an outstanding athmosphere and a psychedelic feel to it.

This is a what I would call an easy listening album,it suits for almost every occasion.
I find it hard to believe that this band is not more known than it is for it's brilliant stuff they make!

These guys are not comparable to any other band I've heard,they totally have to own way of making splendid arrangements! The only band that comes to mind when listening to this is Pink Floyd probably cause "The American Dream" have the same big compositions and a warm athmosphere as mentioned above with delightful guitars and a soundscape of their own you slowly drift away while listening to this record as they manage to make an ambient feeling throughout the whole album.

Witch i think should be listened as a concept album.
I'm quite happy and delighted at the same time since it's finally one of thos albums I can easily hear again..and again without getting tired or bored and not have to force myself to listen to it.

Even though there's no vocals on this relese I find no deadlights here, and I'm already eager to hear more from this band!
   If I had to roll the dice here it would land on a strong 6 out of 6 without doubts!
10 tracks of quality music! Nothing more to say really.
So go grab a copy of this or buy it online and support true quality!!

 Copies of American Dream, along with a stream of the title track, are available at www.nightterrain.com. 

Digital copies of the release are up for grabs at nightterrain.bandcamp.com

Stream the entire album here : http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=82885

Wanderer - Bypassing The Abyss

The Wanderer project was created in the summer of 2003 by two participants known as Mysteriom and Dragonheart. Even though this was released in 2005 I've never heard of it before. This is intense raw & extreme black metal in the truest sense of the word. What I like about this release is the pretty unique sound very cold & industrial sounding with very obvious links to old brutal bands like Blasphemy & so on... Alongside with some pretty cool riffs they use some majestic synth arrangements in the background that manages to create a descent sound. The tracks here are pretty long lasting actually up to 10 minutes so there is some deadlights here and there. And the production ,especially the vocals & guitars can be a bit "too much" at times for my taste,it becomes to noisy and chaotic overall. But there is some pretty good tracks on the album,but the production ruins the overall impression at times. It's not a bad album,but it's not something that will end up in my favorite list in the long run,but it's worth a listen if you're into raw industrial sounding black metal.  




This fall, Germany's Dunkelheit Produktionen will unearth the relic that is WANDERER's Bypassing the Abyss. Originally released on Magik Art in 2005, this rare recording of dark and atmospheric black metal, which was noticeably flawed due when original master was damaged before pressing, has been carefully repaired and re-mastered so every misanthropic second rings through in the way it was intended. The new edition of Bypassing the Abyss comes as a digipak with 12-page booklet including Mysterion's [vocals/lyrics/artwork] original pictures and art editing of the known Russian designer Al.Ex [Mayhem Project]. Dunkelheit Produktionen has plans for a fall release with vinyl treatment coming in 2013.

Krakow (Nor) - Diin

Release date: 14 September 2012 Dark Essence Records

I have to admit that "Monolith" didn't really get my attention,not that it was bad.
More like I never got "into it" probably cause I didn't really listen that much to it except for some songs I found good. I found them to be better live at the time.
It was first when I listened to the single "Drifter" if found this band more interesting with the distorted guitars & synths kinda like 70's stoner rock.
While listening to "Diin" I notice that the sound overall is way more massive than the debut, the vocalist now sings and varies the vocals from clean to growly witch nicely fits better.

This is an album that needs a couple of listens before you get the whole picture.
And when you get into the album it just grows more each time.
It's very unpredictable & intense with lots of surprises within.
They have grown a lot as a studio band on "Diin" and really shows that they are capable of producing great long lasting tunes,that surely  will amuse old & new fans,cause the overall quality of this album music wise is much better than the debut.

And they have taken a step further into the unknown exploring new sounds and they've done a good job,cause I can't come up with any other bands sounding similar to Krakow.
I love the way they combine the heavy/intense parts with the more atmospheric and instrumental parts.

If you listen to "Mark Of Cain" witch is a gem in itself with the beautiful twisted synth starting the track & slowly builds up with drums and an extremely tasty guitar riff or "Into The Distant Sky" a great example of this and how well they are able to making quality of experimenting.
as they manage to capture the listener with their atmospheric and groovy tunes.

All in all I don't find any weak parts on this solid album,and when you hear it,you'll notice that there probably lies countless ours of working & experimenting just to get everything right.
That beeing said it's still Krakow only a more mature band if you like.

If my senses are right this album will be looked upon as a classic in a few years.
I could go on forever about "Diin" cause it reveals new secrets each time I listen.

While you listen to this I suggest you sit back relax and just enjoy the sounds while drifting slowly away into a world only Krakow can create!

Tantara (Nor) - Based On Evil

The relatively young band Tantara formed in 2009 has now released their first full-length through Indie Recordings and I guess the expectations has been high after releasing the pretty good EP "Human Mutation"  in 2010
At the first listen it's easy to hear that they are heavily influenced by 80's thrash acts like Dark Angel,Testament,Slayer,Destruction & similar acts.

With the epic opening track "Based On Evil" they force the listener to want more.
What they have done here is to take all the best elements from the golden era of thrash metal and continued into the future with their aggressive but still very melodic album, listen to "Mass Murder" and you'll know what I mean.
The riffs is outstanding ,I have to credit the guitarist for the outstanding guitar work & riffs on this release 'cause it's not everyday you hear something that actually is quality and made true devotion for the music.

I cannot find one negative aspect with this album really.
The production is solid and all the band members deliver with excellence.
This album will be worshipped by people into thrash and hopefully others cause this is a great piece of art we have here,I strongly suggest you take a listen to this 'cause the guitars impress very much ,with the classical playing alongside with the technical riffs.
At times "Based On Evil" reminds me of "And Justice For All…" But don't get me wrong,it's so much more than just a Metallica clone,but they surge as hell manage to deliver a solid album that I think will set the future for this band.
With a potential like this they are doomed to a great future & will probably be a big name in some years.
A hard hitting thrash attack,with aggresitivity & tension to cut the power combined with epic instrumental parts
 either you're a thrashead or not this will blow your mind out and take you on a sentimental journey from the past diving into the future leaving your brain with only two words left "HELL YES!
Totally worth every single penny!

Bernt Sunde - Bricks And Muds

Bernt Sunde was a part of Penitent an act that you might remember if you were into the Norwegian scene in the 90's and released on album "Songs Of Despair"
He was also a part of Forlorn as synth player and release the album "Hybernation" ,but now he stands on his own feet & we are eager to hear!

To my surprise I actually got a package in the mail with a cd and printed notes about the release on paper,that's nice,especially when it comes the genre this guy makes.
Listening to this it's important to have good sound quality.
It's his works from 1999-2003
It's also nicely packaged with a neat cover with pictures & lyrics to describe his art.
Cause it's not metal we're talking about here,it's electronically music.
I don't know what happened when I put the cd on,I heard some great music,then fell into another world so I have to give it one more listen so I can get the right words to describe how beautiful this release is!
 
 First of all I think you should look upon this as a symphony instead of just listening to one track ,start at the beginning & let the record while you dive into the sounds witch built nicely up throughout the whole album.
It starts out with a somewhat dark intro that makes you wonder what the fuck comes next,and that is actually some medieval sounding track with a very victorious feeling to it,note that this guy handle all the instruments himself and use only hardware witch is a plus in itself these days.
As I listen it continues into an empty realm,but while passing the track "Boots Of Justice" It's sounds like metal made with electronic instruments & pretty intense stuff.
It's built up like "Calm before the storm" music,you never know what to expect next. It's so nicely & chaotic done it1s hard to find words to describe it,the music is not chaotic though, just an expression.
The vocals are extremely cool & suits the music very well.
 
I can hear that he must have used a lot of time making these arrangements so good,if you listen to how nicely he has blended the guitars with the electronic parts alongside with sick beats & twisted breaks you'll hear what I mean as he has managed to get a lot of styles to fit in here without overdoing it. Many people fail when experimenting and making this kind music (I would probably gone mad before the output was ready) ,but this guy really made my day and hopefully yours to.
I do hope this release get the attention it deserves,so we can hear more from this brilliant artist.
I could go on forever & write a track to track review,but I see no reason other than to tell you to shut the fuck up and buy this album!

"The Category is Cognoscenti.
Not This Or That.
You will Enjoy The Album"

Contact :

Bernt Sunde : bsunde@bsunde.net
Bernt Sunde On facebook
You can also buy products directly from him >HERE<

Dauden (Nor) - EP 2012

Dauden - EP

Black Metal .Sarpsborg, Norway

Dauden started up in 2005 & has released a few demos in the underground,I think one of them is still available if you contact the band.
I was so lucky to recieve a copy of their latest EP containing 5 tracks when they delivered one hell of a gig with Cocroach Agenda & Blodhemn in Bergen.
 Before that I had only heard one song "Forbannet Til Evig Jord" witch was pretty good.

Straightforward unholy black metal as they label themselves in the traditional vein is what we get here and Dauden actually manage to deliver a quality release, compared to many others labeling themselves the same term.
 
It's very tight and well played tracks you get here & the production is overall good
It's mostly fast forward all the way but slows down with some meoldic parts in beetween.
My favourites right now is "Sucked Into The Depths Of Hell & "Forbannet Til Evig Jord"
 

Photo by Raymond Storebø

This band has all the right elements combined to make something big in the future.
Don't miss out on this act if you like raw but at the same time melodic black metal.
This is one of the best "new" acts to come out of Norway lately & I hope to see a full-lenght album with this band in the future.

If you have the chance to see this band live, do not miss out!
Live footage will appear here later. 

Contact & Merch : Dauden @ Facebook

 
                 

Skygge - Heksekunst Demo 2012

Skygge "Heksekunst" Demo 2012

Tracks "Nattens Juvel,Heksekunst, Knokkelkraft"

Skygge is a new band hailing from Bergen/Norway breathed to life by Skyggemester (Vithr) handling all the instruments while Daudblodr (Gandreid) do the vocals.
They play what I would call straight forward black metal with some melodical influences. That beeing said they manage to create some top notch black metal with very good melodies without the use of synth!
The production is overall very good and creates a dark but beautiful athmosphere along with the music.

While listening to this it's like I'm going into another world or something , kinda like Throne Of Katharsis also manage to do.
I'm also quite impressed by the guitar work here and especially the slower parts makes more edge to the tracks. If they had kept the the tempo up all the way it could easily become boring,but he surely knows what he's doing so nothing is left to chance here.
Daudblodr has done a good job on this one,sick vocals that fits the music very well.

This band certainly proves that there is still possible find excellent black metal anno 2012.
And even though the main man behind this also plays in Vithr there is no similarities.
I can't predict the future, but it's clearly Skygge has a great future ahead!

RECOMMENDED!


Click the link below to listen :

Skygge Bergen

Skygge will release their debut album entitled 'Knokkelkraft' through Naturmacht Porductions 6.December 2012

Istårn - Downfall Of The Gods Ep 2011

According to the facebook profile they play "True Norwegian Black Metal".
But as I listen to the opening track it's obvious that there are very much thrash influences here.
At least musically speaking,especially the guitar riffs & song structure.

Listening to the second track I'm somewhat surprised as Istårn actually manage to create some good acoustic parts both on guitar and bass before they continue in a quite fast tempo,with a catchy lead guitar throughout the song. The vocal parts on the refrain part on "Fountain Of Frozen Blood" Is something I find quite enjoyable and suits the track very well.

The other part of the EP contains 2 tracks "Istårn" and the title track "Downfall Of The Gods. The first one starts of with a cool fuzzy guitar/bass riff and slowly builds up.

"Downfall Of The Gods" Starts with a real thrash riff and is probably the fastest track on this release,and agin I have to say that I really enjoy the way the make the mid-parts in the track which is extremely catchy with some "clean" vocals & some whispering.

The production is overall quite good and I think these guys can get far in the future.
A full-length is set to be released in early 2012.

Istårn at Reverbnation


Click here for review in Norwegian

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