ALBUM REVIEW: Pestilence, "Levels of Perception"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length (Re-Recordings)

Date Released:26/04/2024
Label: Agonia Records

“Levels of Perception” track listing:

1. Horror Detox (re-recording)
2. Mvlti Dimensional (re-recording)
3. Mobvs Propagationem (re-recording)
4. Sinister (re-recording)
5. Dehydrated (re-recording)
6. Dominatvi Svbmissa (re-recording)
7. Land Of Tears (re-recording)
8. Necromorph (re-recording)
9. Deificvs (re-recording)
10. Twisted Truth (re-recording)
11. Sempiternvs (re-recording)
12. Ovt of the Body (re-recording)

The Review: 

Pestilence are one of the greatest death metal bands ever. The greatest death metal band from mainland Europe, certainly. They were progressive before others. They embraced the melding of genres when others wouldn’t or couldn’t. In Patrick Mameli, there exists a contradictory and bullish figure. A man capable of extreme music and music of extreme complexity and beauty. The martial arts enthusiast looks and lives like his music sounds; uncompromising, full on and intense. Make no mistake, Mameli is Pestilence in the same way that Lemmy was Motorhead or Dave Mustaine is Megadeth.

Re-recordings by bands of older materials are usually done for one or a couple of several reasons. It can be that the band was screwed by their label(s) and need to reclaim their own material. It can be to improve on the sonic quality- or lack thereof- of the original. It can be to re-work/re-imagine the songs and give a fresh reading to the fans.

Or it can be, simply, unclear. Much like the production and mix deployed across this set of 12 excellent pieces of music. While the Cavalera brothers can easily point to the lo-fi production values for their reasons to re-record “Morbid Visions” (fair enough) and Testament can put out “First Strike Still Deadly” as a kind of updated-smorgasboard of their earlier work, the fact is that Pestilence albums have always sounded, for the most part, excellent (criticisms for “Doctrine”s tuning and use of eight string guitars aside). “Consuming Impulse” still sounds raging to me. “Testimony of the Ancients” sounded great. “Hadeon”, decades later, is just crystal clear and beastly.

Mameli has served this up as a kind of re-recorded best of and as a compilation, I can’t fault the song choice.

Their latter-day work is expertly produced and written. Patrick Mameli is a musical visionary, no doubt. He is an innovator in the death metal genre and can be seen as a musical genius without living peer in the tech/prog/fusion-metal world. It’s only with the benefit of hindsight that “Spheres” has been understood as a brilliant melding of death metal and jazz. Similarly, albums like “Hadeon” and “Exitivm” are just incredible; vicious, dissonant, atonal, strangely memorable and featuring inhuman dexterity from the musicians involved.

Let’s look to the music first: a version of “Dehydrated” from “Consuming Impulse” is here! Versions of “Land of Tears” and “Twisted Truth” from “Testimony…” are here. “Necromorph” from “Obsideo” is here… the track listing is eclectic and career spanning. A strong start.

“Horror Detox” from “Resurrection Macabre” kicks things off and is a vicious burst of death metal. “Sinister” from “Doctrine” is a real rager, as well. “Multi Dimensional” from “Hadeon” and “Mobvs Propogationem” from “Exitivm” are both really strong tracks. In fact, the song selection is great- I mean, all Pestilence albums are at the least good. Some are simply incredible.

I can confidently state this: the songs are excellent. The musicianship is jaw dropping at times. Some of the passages in tracks like “Land of Tears” blow my mind, thirty years plus after I first heard them. However, and this is a big however; the sound of this record does not compare- in any way- to the sound on any album I have mentioned so far.

When I first listened to the version of “Horror Detox” here, I thought it was a demo. It’s weirdly muffled and boxy. Through headphones, it sounds like everything is competing with everything else in the centre of your head. It almost has a mono like quality to the sound. This is at its most glaring when listening to it next to any competently produced/mixed/mastered album of the metal genre. I’d been listening back through the back catalogue prior to listening to this and when I finished “Hadeon”, I pressed play on this and… wow. It’s a huge step down and a real lo-fi shock to the system. It sounds like it hasn’t been mastered at all, such is the lack of brightness and lack of listenable sheen. It’s also quiet. Really quiet.

It really is the strangest thing, you get world class musicianship and material paired with the production values of an incompetent death metal band in the mid 90s- and I should know; I was in one.

The genesis of this album has been a troubled one- the controversy over the original AI art (I thought it was a cool cover, to be honest, but I appreciate the arguments for and against) and then the collective head-scratching as to why this exists. On a more positive note, once you are a few tracks in and have adjusted to the sound/mix/production, this is a very strong collection of songs.

Honestly, I can’t find fault. It’s not possible for me to pick a kind of ‘best of’ Pestilence comp, but I can’t really argue with the choices here. It’s 12 lessons in death metal mastery in just under 45minutes. No issues there. For a death metaller who has never heard Pestilence? I mean, they could start here- but they probably shouldn’t. Just stick on… any studio album. You’ll get quality all the way.

Here, you get great music, great playing and awful production- which is a gripe I feel almost churlish for making. Take “…AJFA” by Metallica as the most obvious example of this issue- a flawed experiment, a classic album, a terrible mix. BUT, that was an album that stood alone and had no peer. The material on “Levels of Perception” does have a peer- every song has been recorded, released and heard before and they are all excellent in their original form.

Maybe there is an over-arching concept here that I’m missing. Maybe Patrick is planning something, I just don’t know. As always though, don’t take my word for it. Have a listen for yourself.

If you do start here, I urge you to listen to the music and take the compositions on their own merits- forget the production and enjoy a masterclass in progressive death metal from a unique band. No other band sounds like Pestilence, they are a unique proposition. Let’s hope the forthcoming studio album of original material (“Portals”) gets everything right- not just the songs and playing. In conclusion, I recommend all Pestilence albums and advise anyone who has never heard the band to listen to them all. If you are a long-term fan, by all means pick this one up as well- but expect differences that you may not appreciate.

Band info: facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Origin, ”Abiogenesis – A Coming Into Existence”

By: Eeli Helin

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 03/05/19

Label: Agonia Records

”Abiogenesis – A Coming Into Existence” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Insanity

2. Mauled

3. Autopsied Alive

4. Spastic Regurgitation

5. Bleed As Me

6. Mind Asulym

7. Infestation

8. Murder

9. Lethal Manipulation (The Bonecrusher Chronicles)

10. Sociocide

11. Manimal Instincts

12. Inner Reflections (The Pain From Within)

The Review: 

I was excited to the point of being overwhelmed when the extreme tech-metal gods Origin announced "Abiogenesis - A Coming Into Existence", a retrospective anniversary release that includes eight previously unreleased, re-worked tracks and their first EP, getting a worldwide release for the first time. While the inclusion of the extended play is a nice touch, I'm pretty certain that the most fascinating part of this release are the pre-Origin era tracks. The tracks initially composed under the monikers of Necrotomy and Thee Abomination in 1990-1993, were recorded and performed solely by the founding member and mastermind Paul Ryan during 2013-2018.

The two leading single cuts "Mind Asylum" and "Infestation " promised much. It shouldn't be a surprise that both songs sound like they could've been on the first few Origin albums, but with a production that's way clearer and perhaps up to par with the sound they have today. At times, it's also hard to believe that the performances on these tracks were indeed executed by only one person, since the listener can so easily imagine the songs being a product of a full band and more than a single composer. Speaking of performance and compositions, the tracks are definitely more straightforward than their later doings, yet that doesn't lessen the sheer impact of throat cutting precision and punishing rage that's constantly present. These tracks certainly amped up the anticipation for the rest of the release.

However, apart from these two tracks, "Abiogenesis" fell short on few fields; Firstly, some of the tracks feel a bit unfinished (granted, they're recreated thirty years old demo songs after all) and secondly, the band stepped into a major pothole by releasing the best two tracks beforehand. The latter point of view can be discussed and debated endlessly, but personally I prefer the pre-released tracks to be the agitators and the full release to be the hangman. Anyway, it took a few listens to get a better grasp of the album as a whole, and to find more depth in it. Disappointment might be too strong word to use here, but I noticed I had too big expectations considering the nature of the release. It should also be pointed out more strongly that while "Abiogenesis" is released under the Origin name, it's not an Origin album per se, but a special, anniversary release that's mainly meant to expand their discography to previously unheard material, which in itself honestly is interesting enough to justify the whole release.

Despite the aberrations mentioned earlier, if you like Origin, you'll most likely enjoy this too. Perhaps not right away, but you will. Besides the aforementioned singles, tracks like "Mauled" and "Murderer" are guaranteed to give you shivers, stupid grins and scratch the itch of getting new material. While these songs were initially composed almost three decades ago, they do have that certain feel and vigour in them that later on shaped Origin to be the band we all know today. "Abiogenesis" works as a whole but requires your full attention, blink and you’ll miss it.

The latter part of the release is the remastered version of their first EP "A Coming Into Existence". If you've ever listened to the band, you've more than likely listened to this EP as well. There's really nothing particularly fresh or new to say about it, so I won't be blabbering about it longer than necessary. "A Coming Into Existence" was the grand launch of this pioneering band and deserves to finally get a worldwide physical release. The physical pressing is also a sight to behold, and will not leave any collector cold.

Take all of this as you may. My feelings about "Abiogenesis - A Coming Into Existence" are more than twofold. The juvenile brilliance and the insipid turns here and there create a bit of an oxymoronic feel to the release, but that doesn't mean you couldn't enjoy the trip back to where it all begun. I can't stress enough that this indeed is a free meal, so to speak, and you know what they say about free food and complaining.

”Abiogenesis – A Coming Into Existence” is available HERE

Band info: facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Varathron, "Patriarchs of Evil"

By: Conor O’Dea

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 27/04/2018

Label: Agonia Records

This is an album that gets better on every listen - there are depths here to appreciate, and it is a joyous triumph of an opus. 

“Patriarchs of Evil” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Tenebrous
2. Into the Absurd
3. Luciferian Mystical Awakening
4. Saturnian Sect
5. Remnants of the Dark Testament
6. Hellwitch (Witches Gathering)
7. Orgasmic Nightmares of the Arch Desecrator
8. Ouroboros Dweller (The Dweller of Barathrum)

The Review:

There Charon stands, who rules the dreary coast –
A sordid god: down from his hairy chin
A length of beard descends, uncombed, unclean;
His eyes, like hollow furnaces on fire;
A girdle, foul with grease, binds his obscene attire 

In the pantheon of Greek metal gods, Stefan Necroabyssious must be one of the most obvious avatars of the infamous ferryman of the dead, son of Erebos and Nyx. He has, since founding Varathron in 1988, carried many souls across Hadean waters and into the depths of the Underworld itself. “His Majesty at the Swamp” (1993), a paean to the Acheronian mire, is unanimously (and rightfully) hailed as a classic of Hellenic black metal. From this point, Varathron continued a nearly unabated trajectory of epic black metal excellence, with “Stygian Forces of Scorn” being, perhaps, the zenith of the first part of that journey. “Untrodden Corridors of Hades”, an album which opens with an umbral and intense musical adaptation of Eliphas Levi's Kabalistic Invocation of Solomon, marked, for me, a subtle but important transition of their sound; it is actually darker and more ominous in many ways than earlier albums - murky, threatening, malevolent and agonistic. The other side of those untrodden corridors brings us to the triumphant, utterly majestic new album, “Patriarchs of Evil”. 

I am not sure how Varathron have managed to do it, but the Homeric, definingly Hellenic sound of the earlier albums has been successfully darkened by whatever mephitic wanderings were undertaken in “Untrodden Corridors..”. The tense, shadowy and unnerving sound which I see as transitional is brought back into seamless alignment with the epic tone and timbre of His Majesty, Walpurgisnacht and Stygian Forces. Opening track “Tenebrous” scores this passage unerringly - the introduction that feels like a celebration of apotheosis, a sublimation from apostle and acolyte of evil into the position of patriarch.

One of the most affecting and beguiling aspects of this album is how it feels like an

amazing rock album, in the most superlative sense. From the aggressiveness of “Into the Absurd” to the much more classic black metal sound of “Luciferian Mystical Awakening” and “Orgasmic Nightmare of the Arch Desecrator”, from the blazing “Saturnian Sect” to the haunting “Remnants of the Dark Testament” and the soaring “Hellwitch”, there is a cosmogonic sweep to “Patriarchs of Evil” which clearly demonstrates masters of their craft at the height of their powers. 

So place an obolos in the mouth of the dead. Take the journey again with this most proficient and dreaded of ferrymen. It will become rapidly clear why Varathron are indisputably Patriarchs of Evil. This is an album that gets better on every listen - there are depths here to appreciate, and it is a joyous triumph of an opus. 

But sail upon the wind of lamentation, my friends, and about your head row with your hands' rapid stroke in conveyance of the dead, that stroke which always causes the sacred slack-sailed, black-clothed ship of Kharon to pass over Akheron to the unseen land here Apollon does not walk, the sunless land that receives all men. 

“Patriarchs of Evil” is available here

Band info: facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Decrepit Birth - "Axis Mundi"

By Theron Moore

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 21/07/2017

Label:  Agonia Records |

Nuclear Blast Records

“Axis Mundi” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1.Vortex of Infinity…Axis Mundi
2.Spirit Guide
3.The Sacred Geometry
4.Hieroglyphic
5.Transcendental Paradox
6.Mirror of Humanity
7.Ascendant
8.Epigenetic Triplicity
9.Embryogenesis
10.Orion
11.Desprate Cry
12. Infecting the Crypts

The Review:

Decrepit Birth has become a force to be reckoned with in 2017 amidst a myriad of killer death metal releases so far.  And “Axis Mundi” might just be my favorite record of the band’s career to date.  At the same time it retains every aspect of what you’d expect from a death metal release, especially one from the mighty Decrepit Birth, the production standards, the tightness of the music and the precision of how the songs are played / executed – just outstanding.  I think what we’re seeing with Decrepit and “Axis Mundi,” is the future of what this genre will look like a decade from now. 

As much as I enjoy the freestyle, almost jazz like elements of the death metal and grindcore genre, there’s a lot to be said for technical precision as well.  And this record is a fitting example of this, and dare I say, a high level of expectation for other bands to strive for.  It’s a shame that a band such as Cannibal Corpse grabs the majority of the spotlight when clearly groups such as Decrepit Birth, Haemorrhage, and Pathology are poised and ready to accept the torch and carry on.  “Axis Mundi” is that torch to light the pathway into the future. 

The songs are brutal yet accessible and catchy as hell.  Blast beats for the sake of blast beats?  No sir, not on this record.  You’ll find a lot of aggression and a ton of brutality because the songs on “Axis Mundi” demand blood, and lots of it and Decrepit Birth are more than happy to provide that service.     

About the songs, though.  You’re not going to find the standard death metal fare regarding corpses and coffins and zombies.  Instead, the Decrepit boys smack you in the head with what I’d refer to as, part existential, and part sci-fi / fantasy conceptual songs, if that makes sense.  Here’s a quick snippet of “Sacred Geometry:”

The journey of my heart guides me..

From the dream-time eclipse of the light

Finding my way..

I follow the path of light

Into this world unknown

Within my mind

Into the universal pattern

Beyond the expanse of imagination

The pattern takes my soul

To an unknown destination

Bodiless I drift through times

Ancient sea of memories

Deep, right?  That seems to be a running theme through this record, even the more fantastical songs, if you will, have a deeper sense of being as well as meaning giving this record a certain depth that just adds to its inherent heaviness.  As you can tell, there’s a lot going on musically with this release. 

As fans we’re lucky to get this record because the band has found it’s zone, they’re firing on all cylinders and then some.  “Axis Mundi” is a well thought out record, well played, and genuine to the tee. I urge you to get this record and play it.  If you’re a fan it’ll grow on you and find a home in whatever playlist you have at the moment.  If you’re not familiar with Decrepit Birth, this is the record you need to get to know the band.  “Axis Mundi.” Another killer death metal release for 2017.

“Axis Mundi” is available here

Band info: facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Usurpress - "The Regal Tribe"

By: Conor O’Dea

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 23/09/2016
Label: Agonia Records

This album is an album, in a profound, coherent and meaningful way. It is heavy, dripping with dynamic and interesting, organic changes. The sound is warm but never suffocating, and it is brutal both when holding back (“The Mortal Tribes”) and unleashing (“Behold the Forsaken”).  I hate to use the word genre-defying, but whatever fusion of death, doom, stoner and black metal Usurpress have evolved into, it is their voice, it is seamless and mature, and displays no sense of affectation. 

‘The Regal Tribe’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Beneath the Starless Skies
2). The One They Call the Usurpress
3). Across the Dying Plains
4). The Mortal Tribes
5). The Halls of Extinction
6). Throwing the Gift Away
7). Behold the Forsaken
8). On a Bed of Straw
9). The Sin That Is Mine
10). In the Shadow of the New Gods

The Review:

I admittedly approached this album with some trepidation. For starters, Agonia is a label whose roster I can have lukewarm feelings towards: I generally love or can't abide the music they release. Secondly, having followed this album pretty closely because of my unrelenting metal OCD, the tracks the label decided to premiere, at least when I gave them my somewhat divided attention, failed to really impress me. So when The Sludgelord himself demanded what was next on my review duty roster, it was admittedly a slightly perverse choice to have chosen Usurpress'  “The Regal Tribe”. Here was an album towards which I'd already formed a tepid opinion, and now I'd decided to dedicate some serious time analyzing an album I was pretty sure wasn't going to be worthy of much note. TL;DR: it's good to be wrong, and this album is much better than good.

The sheer breadth of this album's tonal landscape is a little intimidating at times, and I suspect is one of the things that during my early, wandering listens put me off.   This album is an album, in a profound, coherent and meaningful way. It is heavy, dripping with dynamic and interesting, organic changes. The sound is warm but never suffocating, and it is brutal both when holding back (“The Mortal Tribes”) and unleashing (“Behold the Forsaken”). Pettersson's vocals are both varied and savage, and are the perfect compliment to Sundström's excellent guitar work in particular.

The recording here is excellent; I am listening through studio monitors, and it is a really pleasant (if pummeling) listening experience. I would hazard a guess that the DR (Dynamic Range) is 8/9, and what comes across is rich and intense.

I hate to use the word genre-defying, but whatever fusion of death, doom, stoner and black metal Usurpress have evolved into, it is their voice, it is seamless and mature, and displays no sense of affectation. This is the sound of a superb group of musicians sounding like themselves. Usurpress' maturation even since 2014's “Ordained” is dramatic. Are influences apparent? Sure, but “The Regal Tribe” is very much its own thing, and that thing is very good indeed. Listen to it, buy it. This is great metal.

‘The Regal Tribe’ is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

October Tide - "Winged Waltz" (Album Review)

By: Daniel Jackson

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 22/4/2016
Label: Agonia Records

The music is more rhythmically and tonally diverse than an album of this style would have been all those years ago, but the band’s ability to craft compelling songs that alternate between being sorrowful, bleak and, beautiful as the song requires it, remains completely unchanged.  October Tide do a great job of sounding like they’re of the here and now while keeping true to what people loved about them in the first place. The warmth of nostalgia and the desire to keep up with the times can both be harsh mistresses, but October Tide serve them both well, and the result is an abundantly satisfying album.

‘Winged Waltz’ CD//LP//DD track listing:

1. Swarm

2. Sleepless Sun

3. Reckless Abandon

4. A Question Ignite

5. Nursed by the Cold

6. Lost in Rapture

7. Perilous

8. Coffins of November

October Tide is:

Alexander Högbom | Vocals

Fredrik Norrman | Guitars

Mattias Norrman – Bass

Emil Alstermark | Guitars

Jocke Wallgren – Drums

The Review:

Nearly twenty years since the release of their debut album, ‘Rain Without End’, October Tide’s story continues in the form of their new album ‘Winged Waltz’. I say story, because in my mind October Tide offers something of an alternate timeline for Katatonia. The Katatonia we all know and love underwent some pretty big changes between 1996’s ‘Brave Murder Day’ and 1998’s ‘Discouraged Ones’. Jonas Renkse’s harsh vocals were abandoned completely, and the doom aspects of their sound were largely brought up to a steady mid tempo range, though they continued to sound every bit as depressed as before.

It was clear that Katatonia was becoming the world's saddest rock band (in a good sense), and that doom metal was in their rear-view mirror. Amid Katatonia’s changes in sound, band members Fredrik Norrman and Renkse formed October Tide and recorded ‘Rain Without End’ in 1995, though it went unreleased until 1997. In a sense that album created a fork in the road, with October Tide representing a scenario in which Katatonia stayed on the path they were on through ‘Brave Murder Day’, whilst Katatonia themselves evolved into the band as we know them now.

Now 20 years down the road, October Tide brings us ‘Winged Waltz’, a modern variant of that old 90s melodic doom death sound, managing to keep up with the best of the current crop of bands within a very specific niche, one they helped create in the first place. The music is more rhythmically and tonally diverse than an album of this style would have been all those years ago, but the band’s ability to craft compelling songs that alternate between being sorrowful, bleak and, beautiful as the song requires it, remains completely unchanged.

On ‘Winged Waltz’, the songs tend to be built around a compositional dynamic of deep, heavy chords on the low end, given added life by bright, shimmering leads at the high end. That’s in contrast with that band’s earlier work, which kept those guitar harmonies closer together, like you’d hear on a classic Iron Maiden album, or to use a contemporary of this band as a reference point, My Dying Bride. Alexander Högbom’s vocal performance echoes the style of that early Katatonia/October Tide sound as well, his voice sharing a similar tone with Renkse, at least in how he uses it here.

Whilst it’s always going to be difficult to match the rosy view of the past all long-time fans have, October Tide do a great job of sounding like they’re of the here and now while keeping true to what people loved about them in the first place. The warmth of nostalgia and the desire to keep up with the times can both be harsh mistresses, but October Tide serve them both well, and the result is an abundantly satisfying album.

Pre-order a digital copy here, a CD copy here /LP copy here.

Band info: Facebook

The Moth Gatherer - "The Earth Is The Sky" (Album Review)

By: Chris Tedor

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 27/11/2015

Label: Agonia Records

The excellent songwriting continues on every track and The Moth Gatherer leaves just the perfect amount of space between the heavy and quieter parts and transitions in places that sound fresh and exciting. The way the last song on the album, “In Awe Before The Rapture,” ends even echoes Cult of Luna's “Vertikal” with an impressive melodic ambiance that few muster correctly but all fans of the genre love.  “The Earth is the Sky” was criminally overlooked on everybody's year end list, it’s never too late to check it out because it’s not just a good album, its fucking great.

“The Earth is the Sky” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Pale Expressions

2). Attacus Atlas

3). Probing the Descent of Man

4). Dyatlov Pass

5). The Black Antlers

6). In Awe Before The Rapture

The Moth Gatherer is:

Victor Wegeborn | Vocals, Guitar, Programming

Alex Stjernfeldt | Vocals. Bass

Svante Karlsson | Drums

The Review:

It's always awesome to get a review for something you already bought and loved. This was on my personal list of best albums for 2015 at number two behind Elder's seminal “Lore” and I'm more than happy to share my thoughts on it. The Moth Gatherer's second full-length “The Earth is the Sky” is a deep record that will immerse you in waves of spiralling consciousness if you let it. To begin, yes it is post-metal, but it is very, very different than almost every post-metal album I've heard. The Moth Gatherer uses some very interesting guitar effects that give the tones a very unique feel. In addition, the electronic programming is very good and very tasteful as can be seen almost immediately upon the album starting. The vocals that kick in shortly after the album start has distorted hardcore singing and some clean singing that sounds eerily like someone from Red Fang. You can tell almost immediately that THIS album is different than anything else you've heard. My favorite part of the album is the last half of the second track “Attacus Atlas” which actually has a part just past the seven minute mark which echoes the Mass Effect 3 soundtrack with some great synth programming. The best overall song of the album is the instrumental third track “Probing the Descent of Man” which has one of the best beginnings of anything I've ever heard in music. The way the electronics swirl in the background and the drums cut in is absolutely perfect. The coldness of the digital sound builds up into a construct that screams emotion, conjuring up images in your mind of ruined cities spanning the horizon.

The excellent songwriting continues on every track and The Moth Gatherer leaves just the perfect amount of space between the heavy and quieter parts and transitions in places that sound fresh and exciting. The way the last song on the album, “In Awe Before The Rapture,” ends even echoes Cult of Luna's “Vertikal” with an impressive melodic ambiance that few muster correctly but all fans of the genre love. The recording and mix on the album is great and features knob twiddling by Karl Daniel Liden known for his work drumming for Dozer and Greenleaf. The guitars sound huge and the layering of different tones, particularly on the quieter melodic sections is fantastic. All the voices can clearly be heard and sound huge. I'd also strongly recommend that you check out their first release “A Bright Celestial Light” which is also fantastic and worth checking out. “The Earth is the Sky” was criminally overlooked on everybody's year end list, it’s never too late to check it out because it’s not just a good album, its fucking great.

“The Earth is the Sky” is available here

Band info: facebook