ATHEIST „Unquestionable Presence”
Second effort of these pioneers of progressive death metal, this album marks a clear evolution of the band obtaining a more unique sound. Away almost completely from the classical thrash riffs and rhythms, this album shows more complex arrangements and mastership of all musicians involved, remarking the work of the drums, with a jazzier style that was a surprising innovation at the time (even today).
CATHEDRAL „The Garden of Unearthly”
First of all, this album has something very special for me: This is a very rare case in which a classic band (like Cathedral) has a new superb album considering their long career. This album is for me, and is really difficult to state, the best album I ever heard of Cathedral, it freaking rules! I have been a Cathedral follower since their Ethereal Mirror / Carnival Bizarre era and appreciate their older works and newer (Endtyme), but this album is a hit! This album is like merging their more groovy classic songs like Ride, Midnight Mountain, Soul Sacrifice, Hopkins, Utopian Blaster and their (obviously) 60s/70s rock and folk influences into a blender and the result was this Garden This without a doubt is the most groovy and faster album of all their releases.
ART OF NOISE FESTIVAL – NILE, KREATOR, VADER, AMON AMARTH, GOATWHORE
October 04, 2003, Club 101, El Paso, TX, USA
SUPER JOINT RITUAL, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, FULL BLOWN CHAOS
August 27, 2003, Xcape, El Paso, USA
SUI GENERIS UMBRA „Coma”
Strange and experimental this effort of Sui Generis Umbra. A weird mix of industrial madness, dark gothic sounds and ambient, or as they describe themselves, black ritual ambient.
ELENYUM „Martyria”
A black metal band with beautiful melodies is the easier way to label this guys. Very good effort of this band's 5 songs demo, who mixes elements of black, goth and classical passages.
EZAYAH „Awakening of an angel”
Interesting music created by this turkish guy called Emrah Karadag, who plays all instruments here. In this 6 song demo you can listen black metal riffs in a slow paced motion combined with keyboards using “crystal” sounds that really add a cool ambiance to music.
PROJECT APOCALYPSE „Epitaph of Creation”
This guys at first impression sound like a new common band of black metal, but after a few listenings of their 3 songs demo (and with help of a very good production) this band seem to have potential.
.
IMPERIAL CRYSTALLINE ENTOMBMENT (I.C.E.) „Imperial Crystalline Entombment”
This guys at first impression sound like a new common band of black metal, but after a few listenings of their 3 songs demo (and with help of a very good production) this band seem to have potential.
.
VALINOR „It is Night”
When i read the name of this band, Valinor, i almost swear that was another power metal band in Middle Earth. But it is not.
VANISHING POINT „Tangled in Dream”
I received this album some weeks ago, from a friend of mine that is involved in the progressive-power metal world. I don't consider myself a big follower of this style (I prefer Progressive rock bands), considering that many 'magna carta' (and similar labels) bands try to emulate Dream theater and classical progressive bands without a single trace of originality.
SUMMONING „Stronghold”
Summoning is a band from Austria that combine ambient, dark wave, keyboards and synths, black metal, ethnics and epic themes. The vocals are often black metal alike.
TIAMAT „Clouds”
A true journey through mystic realms it's what Johan Edlund and co. make in this album.
RED HARVEST „Sick Transit Gloria Mundi”
It is kind of weird to see a video so amazing like AEP and then, listen the whole album and what you have listened before is not in the similar vein at all. That's what i felt when I listen the whole album.
OXIPLEGATZ „Worlds and Worlds”
Oxiplegatz is a band dont well known for many metal fans. Well, this band (or i mean, solo project) was (or it is?) formed by Alf Svensson, ex at the gates.
NIGHTFALL „Athenian Echoes”
I have this album since 1996 and nowadays I still think it's a gem in the extreme metal scene. In broad strokes, they blend death, black, gothic and melodic rock in this outfit and a lot of keyboards and effects all over the songs.