Tau Cross- Tau Cross
Debut album from a supergroup last
year. Found on a number of year-end top
lists, but perhaps still a bit more under the radar than it deserves. Their sound finds a lot of common ground with
Primordial, featuring that same epic, sweeping, black-tinged metal. The track below is my favorite because it
showcases The Baron’s powerful clean vocals, but the majority of the album
features his raggedy growls atop some heavy riffage.
Hail of Bullets- …Of Frost and War
Another supergroup! Vocals are from
Martin Van Durunen, whom most death metal fans will instantly recognize. That strained howl of his can be an acquired
taste, but here it matches the music and subject matter well. The album revolves around the Eastern front
during World War II, and van Durunen’s frantic vocals conjure the wild,
unhinged nature of combat.
The song below features guest
vocals from no less than Dan Swano, and the track is an all-timer. This was one of the first death metal albums
I really liked (which might just speak to my youth, but regardless), and you
may find it to be a good starting place if most of the current well-regarded
death metal bands like Sulphur Aeon are too dense to get into.
Atlantean Kodex- The White Goddess
Well-blended heavy metal from
Germany, drawing influence from both power metal and traditional doom. Combining the best of both genres, the album
hits considerably harder than most power metal, but keeps the pace up and
courses with an energy not often found in trad doom.
This seems to be a concept album,
but if there is a distinct narrative, I can’t make it out. Although not necessarily cohesive, the lyrics
are stirring, covering well-worn themes of the rise and fall of empires, and
the clash of ideologies and religions, but with a deft touch and a dog-eared
thesaurus at hand.
With pure heavy metal feeling
pretty stale over the past few years, there’s no reason this album should be so
underappreciated.
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