I think neither Enthrone Darkness Triumphant or At the Heart of Winter is very "all right".

Yeah, Plague Angel and Rev. 5.18 or what it's called. Some nice riffs but I'd go with Panzer Division Marduk any day before that. Earlier albums are always the best

Entombed is a great live act, I'll give them that - probably one of the hardest working metal band around. But on records... nah. Never been a fan of Swedish (Stockholm/Gothenburg that is) death metal in general. Earliest At The Gates maybe. I mean, the best bands are those that try to be progressive, or the US sound ones.

I have seen Entombed once, which was 2 or 3 years ago. All I remember is the vocalist blowing his nose all over himself and getting it in his hair. I was not impressed.

np: Beyond Dawn - Tales From An Extisguished World

I have never really checked out Beyond Dawn so I am going to start from the very beginning.

Haha! No that's not very impressive. Saw them at the Malmö festival this summer, and compared to the other metal band they had, GHOST, Entombed was a study of down-to-earth humility & unpretentious charm...

Watching diverse music clips on youtube. Magma, Guapo, Univers Zero, Legend, old occult psych-rock. Have to say that compared to Magma, UZ feel a bit... bourgeois and brittle. There isn't much that compares to the power of 1970's MAGMA, at all. Maybe Van Der Graaf Generator or Amon Düül II, but in very different ways.

Beyond Dawn - Longing For Scarlet Days

That first demo is not interesting in any way but they sure got better fast. I really like how the trombone is used on this EP, especially on the last song. It is a shame the vocals are subpar, though.

The only 70s rock I have appreciated so far is Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here but then again, I have only heard Pink Floyd and King Crimson.

Going through Beyond Dawn's discography chronologically is a good idea, it's quite a ride. I guess the Bygones comp sums up their pre-album career pretty well - didn't take them long to find their own niche (esp considering we're talking Oslo, early nineties). I've always appreciated BD, but never been able to listen to them too much - there's something in them that makes me tired pretty swiftly. But they have written some amazing songs; "When Beauty Dies" from Pity Love or "Cigarettes" from Electric Sulking Machine (which should be rereleased! asap!) among others... and the Autopsy cover on Frysh of course.


Listening to EBONYLAKE - In Swathes Of Brooding Light right now. It keeps growing this peculiar beast of an album - if anyone wants a truly experimental metal album & enjoy maddened Gothic orchestral stuff (seriously twisted, deranged arrangements), you should listen to this. Very beautiful too. Review coming up this week, I think. It's definitely climbing up the ladder of my top 2011 list...

Is Ebonylake's new album similar to the debut? I did not like that one at all.

np: Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness

It's similar, but more atmospheric, more chaotic, more intense, less metal, less theatrical drama. Less Cacophonous Records. If that makes sense. No singing girls. It's better.

Wold - Freermasonry

Why this album comes with a Profound Lore stamp of approval is completely lost on me. I was expecting a combination of black metal and noise but at this point (track 3), only the latter is present. According to reviews this is nothing but noise which gives me a good reason not to listen to the rest of it. There is no atmosphere or melodies here, just pure annoying noise.

New AUTOPSY. It doesn't stick.

New ISVIND. It does stick. Nothing original at all, but a very nice & cold album.

Isvind? So, have they been alive all these years or is it just me who only knows about Dark Waters Stir? Ha! I was listening to that one the other day.

They reactivated a couple of yeas ago actually, in 2003, they did a split 7" with Orcustus and some demo, but I guess other stuff got in the way until now. The new one is good, some songs reach the levels of Dark Waters Stir, but it's not a classic, definitely not like DWS which is probably one of the best post 1993 albums of that region.


Otherwise: discovered CULT OF YOUTH, their self-titled album seems to be pretty hyped up in the neofolk/post-punk/alternative scenes. Brooklyn-based band, like a mix of folk rock (a bit Irish perhaps), neofolk (mainly Death in June+Sol Invictus) and postpunk. Furious and sad and proud. Listened to it three times yet and I think I'm a bit in love with it.

I also listened to Cult of Youth earlier today, due to it being recommended by Hexvessel. I do not think it deserves the hype, though.

Agoraphobic Nosebleed - "A Joyful Noise"
Yup, ANb have done a Christmas album (a very short EP), originally available on colored vinyl, it is now a free download at:

http://grindcorekaraoke.com/album/a-joyful-noise

Pretty funny stuff, not to mention insane and tight musicianship.

DimX: THANK YOU. Best X-mas Gift Ever.

NP: sticky and horrendous renditions of all our least favourite chirstmas songs. the sacral ones win by a long shot over the commercial, Americanized crap (I'm dreaming of a white... sabbath!). SILENT NIGHT UNHOLY NIGHT, O Come All Ye Unfaithful, etc etc.