These are some of the albums we’ve been listening to in the past month!
Here’s the playlist with our favorite songs:
Rutger has been listening to Mephorash’s Shem Ha Mephorash:
The album’s cover art was actually what got my attention. I waited a while before putting it on, but when I finally did, I was immediately hooked. One hour and fifteen minutes of bombastic blackened death metal that gave me a similar feeling of ecstasy as The Satanist, by Behemoth. Their older stuff is awesome as well, and they’re also writing new material, so there’s enough to discover. If you like choirs, agonized grunts, and an impressive atmosphere, you should definitely check this one out.
Nathan has been listening to Blut Aus Nord’s The Work Which Transforms God:
The complete and utter refusal to include anything ever remotely melodic until the very last track is fascinating. The ambient interludes serve more as a breath of fresh air than as their own tracks, hearing what’s going on matters less than having a break from the dissonant and dark journey the rest of the record takes you on. Over eighteen years after its original release, The Work Which Transoforms God still stands out both as a masterpiece and as an exploration of metal’s boundaries.
Hannes has been listening to Fates Warning’s Theories of Flight:
Despite being pioneers of the prog metal genre, Fates Warning are often overlooked and stand in the shadow of more famous bands such as Dream Theater and Queensryche. However, it feels like anybody who knows their music holds them in very high regard. Deservedly so, if you ask me. I haven’t listened to their entire catalogue yet, but I’ve listend to Theories of Flight on repeat for the past months. The album is complex, yet memorable. It combines intricate arrangements with impeccable songwriting. I can’t think of any prog metal record I enjoyed as much as this one.
Spenser has been listening to Means End’s The Didact:
Breaking me out of my current obsession with the new Dream Theater record is this one. Brilliant compositions and outstanding musical performances, I’m amazed this record has flown under my radar for so long. Having been a music, hearing their rendition of an Eric Whitacre piece was a cherry on top. While I’m sad we won’t see any more musical offerings from this band, I’m glad for what we have
Matthew has been listening to Impelliterri’s Stand in Line:
Chris Impelliterri is a virtuoso guitarist that has released 11 albums, 3 EPs, a live record, and a compilaition. He’s been compared to Malmsteem and has worked with several renowned vocalists over his career, including Graham Bonnet and Rob Rock. I’m more familiar with the past few releases, although recently I’ve been working on picking up the band’s back catalogue. Stand in Line (1988) is their first full-length album and Impelliterri shreds with awesome solos but there are also sweeping melodies and memorable choruses from singer Graham Bonnet. The record boasts a refreshing mix of heavy metal with a sprinkling of neoclassical influences. There’s even an instrumental version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” (The Wizard of Oz). If you’ve never heard of Impelliterri before, they’re worth checking out.
Leon has been listening to Sodom’s Outbreak of Evil:
Sodom is still going strong 40 years into their career, still capable of releasing bangers as evidenced by their last year’s “Genesis XIX”. But lest we forget their roots, Sodom were pioneers of absolute filth and one of the grandfathers of what would become black metal. After some unlistenable demos, Sodom released this piece of metal history. A perfect storm of garage production, sloppy playing and far more edginess than musicianship. Yet to this day the determination to play the most evil sounding metal shines through. Perhaps it is nostalgia for simpler times, but I can’t not share in the pleasure these then young lads must’ve had while breaking through musical barriers.
“The demo was better.”