Ben Frost - Sólaris

Genre: Ambient (well, kinda...)

Name: Ben Frost and Daniel Bjarnason

Album: Sólaris, 2011

Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated

Looking back, I realise that the tag I used on my last review, a quote from the EP in question, has perhaps taken on a slightly different tone from that which I intended. Between dealing with fascist regimes, and my training with NASA, I have been a little snowed under of late. Understandably, the (very) few regular viewers I have may have been a little miffed at my absence; in order to appease them, therefore, I'm going to give you three distinctly non-metal reviews in quick succession, because you hardcore doom and black metal fans will, of course, fall head over heels for ambient and shoegaze and the like.

Jesting aside, one of the aspects of this blog of which I am most proud is its diversity; aside from the central metal basis - the prog, the doom, the symphonic screaming spectres - there's been synthpop and soundtracks and alternative rock: basically, anything which I think offers direction for metalheads to broaden their horizons. Some may look upon that as a flaw, an attempt to spread itself too widely, but I am not aiming to be a Starbucks among music blogs, serving the same bland produce in vast quantities; there are plenty of people who are able to devote more time to the task than I, and have greater resources for it. Instead, I want to lead even a few of the leaden-headed multitude of which I, and the vast majority of you, are members, both onward to new, unknown lands, as well as unappreciated aspects of our own back yard.

To this end, I offer you all Ben Frost's latest output, Sólaris, "scored" with Daniel Bjarnason (upon whom I am, unfortunately, not able to comment). Although I have described it as ambient, that is, perhaps, a misnomer; do not for a moment think that I have simply found a long series of slow, barely-changing chords. Sólaris, while not fast-paced, does not truly fall into that category. Made up entirely of processed strings and piano, it is more minimalist than melancholy, but strangely entrancing for it. I suppose, if a comparison must be made, it is somewhere between the works of Philip Glass and My Dying Bride's Evinta.

As a result, it is hard to describe; there are no individual moments of musical ecstasy or beautiful lyrics (I finally understand that writing about music is like dancing about architecture). The best characterisation I can offer is that it is an entanglement of fluid harmonies, emotions strung together and blending seamlessly with each other, flowing in and out of a soundscape that is both beautiful and jarring.

For those of you turning up your nose (either at my Livy-like prose, or what it describes), I urge you to give this album a chance. Whilst it is hard to see on this album, Frost's other work (particularly By The Throat) has a distinct black metal influence. Unlike his other releases, there are no drums, no distorted guitars to shriek of; however, it is certainly there, a sort of unnerving undercurrent pulling at your skin. This is not music that leaves you sprightly and singing: it is introspective and steadily anxious. However, it is masterfully done. Frost is at the top of his game, and it is definitely worth your while.

Summary: Minimalist, unsettling, mysterious.

Rating: 7/10

Track listing:
1. We Don't Need Other Worlds, We Need Mirrors
2. Simulacra I
3. Simulacra II
4. Snow
5. Reyja
6. Cruel Miracles
7. Hydrogen Sulphide
8. Unbreakable Silence
9. You Mean More To Me Than Any Scientific Truth
10. Saccades
11. Venia

Download

My Dying Bride - The Barghest O'Whitby

Genre: Doom Metal
Name: My Dying Bride
Album: The Barghest O' Whitby
"I doubt I shall ever come back..."

It's true; I have been neglecting this blog. The last post was almost three months ago, and that was hardly standard fare for DkP. I can only offer my apologies; unfortunately, personal issues have had me waylaid from my usual musical fare. However, the skies are beginning to clear, and once again, I can return to the wonderful world of web-logging.

On that note, let me turn your attention to the subject at hand. My Dying Bride, lords of all things doom, have granted us all with another release. This EP, titled The Barghest O'Whitby, is a sharp contrast to their last output; Evinta, a 3-disc, 14-track, orchestral work could not be more different to a this 27-minute, traditional, magnificently metal work.

Musically, this work is excellent. Taylor-Steels' drumming is second-to-none; Abé's bass complements it magnificently. The guitar work is masterly yet melancholy, the harmonies as heartbreaking as they are heavy; showcasing Craigan and Glencross at their best. They combines with Macgowan's virtuoso-standard violin to create howling, haunting melodies, befitting the cold, blusterous north-English moors, upon which this tale is set. That tale is expressed in as dolorous a style as might be expected by Stainthorpe. His vocal work is exquisitely agonised, and lyrically, it is exceptionally well-written. All in all, it is a brilliant release, exactly what has come to be expected from My Dying Bride.

Summary: A doleful, doom-filled, heavy-as-hell EP for all metal fans out there.
Lyrical Themes: A Barghest
Rating: 8/10

Download

Lights - Siberia

Genre: Synthpop
Name: Lights
Album: Siberia, 2011
Stretch the horizon...

Let me begin with a brief administrative note: the instrumentals for Dream Theater's A Dramatic Turn Of Events will be up shortly after this post.

Moving on, I admit that a synthpop sophomore album from a Canadian solo outfit doesn't exactly fit in on what is primarily a metal blog, jostling in amongst My Dying Bride's latest orchestral output or Lamb of God's work; however, I've decided that I'm going to offer this to you anyway: allow you to broaden your horizons, and whatnot.

As far as synthpop goes, it's a fairly good album. However, it is a major development from Lights' older stuff. The synths now take a back seat compared to the much heavier and often more simplistic drums (note the dominance of the drums, albeit complex ones, in "And Counting...", compared to the basic background synths); this, combined with more crunchy synths and snares gives the album overall a "dirtier" feel. This is also the result of the influences from dubstep, and, to some degree, drum-and-bass, which can be found throughout the album, which, again, show a vast change from her earlier work.

Vocally, it's not as" intimate" as The Listening, Lights' first album. Partially, this is due to the lack of "closeness" produced by the music, compared to the dominance of single-line vocals in her last album; however, this is also due to the tone of lyrics (the introduction of the rapper makes this all the more notable). Compare:

"It appears that we fear our own tears
More than tear gas
My team's struggling in years past
Looking to draft beers
To bring cheers back
But when the drinking game's finished
No Guinness- just a clear glass...
It's no game
It's why we overdose on cocaine
Get our brains comatose, there's no blame"

(Everybody Breaks a Glass, Siberia)

with:

"Once in a while
I act like a child
To feel like a kid again
It gets like a prison in the body I'm living in
'Cause everyone's watching
And quick to start talking
I'm losing my innocence
Wish I were a little girl without the weight of the world"

(Pretend, The Listening)

Clearly, the subject and style of the lyrics has vastly changed, resulting in a far less "clean" world depicted in Siberia. This is not to say that there is none of Lights' traditional lyrics - the title track is evidence enough of this. It is merely worth noting the change in tone, style and content of the words.

Also, you can't talk about this album without mentioning "Day One". It's a very bizarre track. I can't source this, but I do remember reading that it's the result of some live improvisation that Lights thought could make the cut. Whether or not that's true, it's the perfect example of the harsher and dirtier sound of the album. Slower, deeper and with far more "switch" effects, this is the only instrumental song Lights has ever released, and it's odd as hell. However, as far as the album is concerned, it seems to fit, as a slightly unusual closer, which tells you more about the album than anything else.

In conclusion, therefore, I would say that Siberia is a new and interesting step for Lights. Whilst, at first, I was thrown by it, and didn't even particularly like it, it has grown on me with repeated listens, and I look forward to more. However, to go any further down this path would probably be too far; the road must be taken with slow and careful steps to avoid falling by the wayside as so many other bands have.

Hopefully, you'll enjoy this; but for those of you who don't find this to your taste, you'll be happy to know that there is more metal on the way. The clever amongst you will have already been wondering what's holding this one up, double checking your calenders and assuming that some life-threatening illness keeps me from my music; however, rest assured - it's on its way.

Bonus review: Ix Puppy xI's review run's as follows:

"Overall I would say it's a classic case of sophomore album identity crisis. There are some songs which are in her old style which are awesome and some new ones which are just as good but there are a few songs which just don't work with Lights' strengths. I hope she goes back to her old style for her next album, but for all my criticism it is still a good solid album with some really great songs.

Also, I really like the Mario reference in Timing Is Everything

Summary: Synthpop meets Drum'n'Bass, and they have a cordial conversation over a few drinks.
Rating: 8/10
Track listing:
1. Siberia
2. Where the Fence Is Low
3. Toes
4. Banner
5. Everybody Breaks a Glass
6. Heavy Rope
7. Timing Is Everything
8. Peace Sign
9. Cactus in the Valley
10. Suspension
11. Flux and Flow
12. Fourth Dimension
13. And Counting...
14. Day One
15. Frame and Focus
16. Cactus in the Valley (Acoustic Version)
17. Toes (Nightbox Remix)

Download

Opeth - Heritage

Genre: Progressive/Death Metal
Name: Opeth
Album: Heritage, (Special edition,2011)
Look across this great divide

Now, I'm not exactly the greatest fan of Opeth, and don't know enough about them to do an exceedingly long post on what this album spells for the bands future, and where it stands amongst their other works, &c. so I'll keep this brief.

For a death-metal-based band, this is a rather unusual album. Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree fame) was involved, so obviously there would be some degree of experimentation, but I did not anticipate this much. There is a significant jazz influence, couple with minimalistic approach (see "Häxprocess") which advances upon anything else they've done in that vein.
In addition, it's a fairly progressive album - there are sections of "Famine" and "I Feel The Dark" which feel very much like Jethro Tull. This is in no small part due to the range of instruments (including a jazz flute, and the use of a choral section) present on the album.
Another notable change is the complete lack of death growls, for the first time since Damnation.

However, it still has some traditional "Opethetic" elements - the acoustic guitar sections, the breaks from heavy to very light, the strong riffs with excellent drum work. Nonetheless, this is still a notable change for the band, and has - and will continue to - divide listeners.

Summary: Controversial minimalist jazz-influenced progressive metal
Rating: 7/10
Track listing:
1. Heritage
2. The Devil's Orchard
3. I Feel The Dark
4. Slither
5. Nepenthe
6. Häxprocess
7. Famine
8. The Lines In My Hand
9. Folklore
10. Marrow of the Earth
11. Pyre
12. Face In The Snow

Download

Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events

Genre: Progressive Metal
Name: Dream Theater
Album: A Dramatic Turn Of Events, 2011
Not immortal, just a man...

Well, they're back, and so am I. Before we wander through this musical landscape, let me first inform you a little of the background.

From the very inception of Dream Theater, Mike Portnoy, winner of countless "best drummer" awards, and the second youngest ever inducted into the Hall of Fame, was a constant present. In his own words "Hell, my father even named the band". He was a constant link between the band and the fans, spent hours coming up with carefully individualised setlists for each concert, and was a figurehead who lead the band lyrically and musically.
However, these days were not to last. Portnoy, during his time touring with Avenged Sevenfold, weighed down by is innumerable side projects, approached the other members of the band to ask for a five-year hiatus. They didn't share his opinion - none of them were so over-encumbered as he - and eventually they decided to continue without him. They began searching for a new drummer, and, shortly before Portnoy contacted them to ask if he could come back, they offered the place to Mike Mangini, an excellent drummer who had set five World's Fastes Drummer records. Portnoy was rejected, and thus began a new chapter in the careers of both him and Dream Theater.

As the eagle-eyed and well-read among you will have noted, I am a drummer, and thus you will no doubt have concluded that I may well have collapsed into tears at Portnoy's departure, and vowed never to listen to Dream Theater ever again, in a foolish fit of anger and passion. If that is the case, then I'm sorry to disappoint you. Whilst Portnoy will be missed, this album is a shining example of Dream Theater's musical brilliance, and I could not recommend it more.

The easiest way to analyse this album is to go through and see what changed, and what didn't, with Portnoy's departure. The most obvious place to start, therefore, would be behind the kit.
Despite having chosen Mangini as their new drummer early on, it was not possible for him to be included in the writing process. Instead, he was sent songs with pre-programmed drums, for him to learn, and "add his own stuff". These were, on the whole, written, primarily, by Petrucci. This combination created a notable difference to previous Dream Theater drums. Indeed, at times, they sound less like a drum kit and more like a percussion section - the toms at the start of "Breaking All Illusions" for instance. However, this is certainly not bad - whilst the unique drumming may jar very slightly at first, due to its novel structure, upon repeated listens, it becomes very easy to appreciate them.

However, Portnoy was not just a drummer. He was also a major lyricist. contributing half the lyrics on Black Clouds and Silver Linings. His abscence led to Petrucci writing on eight of the nine tracks, and, whilst Petrucci is often a good lyricist, he is rarely a great one. Portnoy, on the other hand, regularly wrote excellent lyrics - "Home", "Honor Thy Father", "Never Enough, and, of course, the Twelve-Step Suite. As a result, whilst the lyrics on this album are not bad, they are very rarely amazing.
There is, however, one beneficial side-effect of Portnoy's departure to be found here. He insisted that all lyrics were presented with some form of musical layout as well - that is, taking the step from poetry to song, and thus the framework of a track was already required. As a result, the already infrequent lyrics of Myung were forced to vanish - he had not written since Scenes From A Memory. However, here, he makes a brief, and much heralded reappearance in Breaking All Illusions. I personally enjoy his lyrics, and thus am very grateful for his return.

Musically, as well, Portnoy had a great influence. In this album, you can clearly hear the keys becoming far more free. This is in part due to Rudess taking a greater degree of control (although Petrucci still remains a leader), but also due to Portnoy's absence - he was far more in favour of guitar work than the piano melodies we find here.
The result of this is a wide-ranging musical style. We have the traditional, heavy, metallic sections,as found in "Build Me Up, Break Me Down", and far more mellow songs, like the album's final track "Beneath The Surface". Beyond this, you will find a blues solo ("Outcry"), some mellow jazz ("Breaking All Illusions"), choral arrangements and even a deep-Amazonian lesser-spotted throat warbler ("Bridges in the Sky"). The range in style is only mirrored by the range of instruments - there's even a harp in there - and is just one of the things that makes this such a good album.

In conclusion therefore, I would - and do - commend this album to everyone. It's a fantastically progressive album, magnificent in conception and execution, and definitely worth a listen. It promises great things for the future - the return of Myung, the contributions of Mangini, and more of Rudess' excellent keyboard work. The only downside to this brilliant work is that it took the departure of an excellent and highly esteemed musician, lyricist, producer and friend to the fans to achieve this. Mike will be missed.

Summary: An exquisite opus from the true kings of Progressive Metal, and a beacon of things to come
Lyrical Themes: varied: relationships, the Arab Spring, Lifestyles, Shaman's dreams, et al.
Rating: 9/10, recommended
Track listing:
1. On The Backs Of Angels
2. Build Me Up, Break Me Down
3. Lost Not Forgotten
4. This Is The Life
5. Bridges In The Sky
6. Outcry
7. Far From Heaven
8. Breaking All Illusions
9. Beneath The Surface

Download
Download instrumentals

Tool - Lateralus

Genre: Progressive Metal
Name: Tool
Album: Lateralus
...Mention this to me

Simply put, Tool are one of the most progressive bands of all time.

Just take a look at the time signatures they use. "Schism" is written, according to the band, in 13 over 16 (or 6.5/8, depending on the band member), and then later goes into 11/8. "Lateralus" was written in a complex set of shifting signatures: 9/8, followed by 8/8, then 7/8, then back to the start.

However just using weird time signatures would not be progressive enough. The subject matter must be, in and of itself, completely bizarre. "Lateralus" is the perfect example of this. It has been assigned various interpretations; ranging from LSD to alchemy, but the most common one is the human quest for knowledge. This is mirrored by references to the Fibonacci sequence, the golden ration, a famous mathematical sequence, incarnate in the letter "Φ". The observant among you will have already noticed one: 987, hidden in the repeated time signatures, is the 17th number in the sequence. On top of this, Maynard, the singer, has carefully controlled his vocal work. Consider these lyrics:

Black
And
White are
All I see
In my infancy
Red and yellow then came to be
Reaching out to me
Lets me see.
There is
So
Much
More that
Beckons me
To look through to these
Infinite possibilities
As above so below and beyond I imagine
Drawn beyond the lines of reason
Push the envelope
Watch it bend*

The syllables for each line fit the sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 5, 3, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 8, 5, 3. But as if that were not enough, the timing itself is perfect. Maynard begins singing 97 seconds in. Put that in minutes, and you'll find that it can be written as 1.618 (give or take): the golden ratio.

I could just leave it at that. But there's so much more to say, like how the drummer thinks he can only drum well with a carefully forged gong inscribed with obscure symbols hanging behind him, and bases his patterns on the universal hexagram, or a bassist who has synaesthesia and thus paints songs, rather than writes them. I could go on for hours, pages, entire essays on the subject. However, instead, I shall simply finish by comparing Tool to liquorice. An acquired taste, but an unforgettable one, of which everyone who loves can never get enough.

Summary: Difficult, confusing and complex progressive metal, but excellent, and definitely worth the work.

Lyrical Themes: Obscure, and occasionally NSFW (not here). Includes drugs and human pursuit of knowledge

Rating: 9/10 - recommended

Track listing:

1. The Grudge
2. Eon Blue Apocalypse
3. The Patient
4. Mantra
5. Schism
6. Parabol
7. Parabola
8. Ticks and Leeches
9. Lateralus
10. Disposition
11. Reflection
12. Triad
13. Faaip De Oaid


Download


*Lyrics never officially published; just another example of Tool being ridiculous. Apparently, they have too much impact on the meaning of the song.

Also worth noting - comparisons that I had for Tool while writing this review were Marmite, Liquorice (made the cut), Onions and Parfait. I'm incredibly hungry.

Dual Review: The Ocean - Heliocentric and Anthropocentric

Genre: Sludge Metal, Post-Metal
Name: The Ocean
Album: Heliocentric & Anthropocentric, 2010
Look what's evolved from the primordial Sludge...

UPDATE: now includes instrumental versions

I remember the day rather clearly. I was striding through the now-closed record store, tall, educated, aloof, and weighed down by my younger brother was far more interested in Beiber and Akon than Slayer or Ahab. He was tired, bored, and irritated, so I had to choose my CDs more hurriedly than usual. In a fit of annoyance, he handed me one and said "Get this one. The cover spins." That was all I needed - both I, and, shortly enough, the CD were sold. That CD was Heliocentric, and it was my first encounter with The Ocean Collective, and I have never looked back.

Heliocentric is the first of 2 albums designed to "critique" Christianity, and is focused primarily on the history of the Catholic church and its sins, cataloguing the deaths of "heretics", amongst other things; however, they clearly didn't think people would realise this, and had to put in a disclaimer:

"FIRMAMENT contains words adapted from the King James Bible, Genesis 1:6-20. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT OF THE LUMINARIES contains words adapted from I Enoch 72:2-5. No, this does not mean that we are believers, trying to convert you to join the Church of the Hangman..."

Musically, it is quite diverse, ranging from the coarse and heavy tracks such as "Metaphysics of the Hangman" to elegant, jazzy piano pieces like "Epiphany", combined with a full string quartet, saxaphones, trumpets and trombones and even a vibraphone. Vocally, too, it is excellent, with screams offset by elegant and quiet singing, with well-written, albeit misleading lyrics.

Anthropocentric was, therefore, always going to have a tough act to follow. Focused more on theological problems, it emerged a far heavier, and less diverse album, with the brass instruments removed, and the strings now reduced to the three musketeers, rather than the four seasons. However, although it was an album based almost entirely on raging aural infernos, when it finally decided to allow us a breath of air, "Wille Zum Untergang" was a reflection of perfection: a slow build, steadily increasing as the guitars danced elegantly around each other, and the snare work became slowly more complex - it was magnificent, the epitome of post-metal, the perfect yin to the yang of "She Was The Universe" and other crushing tracks.

The vocals tended more towards screaming in this album, but had a great lyrical range, drawing from sources such as Lord Byron, Friedrich Nietzche (how could they not, given the subject matter?) and Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. However, if you will excuse a brief theological aside, they hardly stand up to close scrutiny. Take, for example, the song "Heaven TV", which claims that heaven will be an empty white sphere, and then uses that idea to attack Christianity. There is no basis for that at all: indeed, the bible describes heaven as not a sphere but a city, and a square one at that. Elsewhere, Staps relies on tricks of the tongue to score cheap points. Whilst none of this detracts from the music, it does leave a somewhat bitter aftertaste, knowing that the lyrics are flawed.

However, one does not buy CDs to be educated on the meaning of life - except, perhaps, for self-help audiobooks. Musically, these CDs are amazing, far greater than I had expected or even dreamed when I picked the first one up that day. The perfect balance of heavy sludge and light, introspective guitar, this is what post-metal should be, and I recommend it most highly.

Summary: Excellent, anti-Catholic post-metal, with great range.

Lyrical Themes: Theology, history of the Catholic church

Rating: 9/10 - Recommended

Track listing:

Heliocentric
1. Shamayim
2. Firmament
3. The First Commandment Of The Luminaries
4. Ptolemy Was Wrong
5. Metaphysics Of The Hangman
6. Catharsis Of A Heretic
7. Swallowed By The Earth
8. Epiphany
9. The Origin Of Species
10. The Origin Of God

Anthropocentric
1. Antropocentric
2. The Grand Inquisitor I: Karamazov Baseness
3. She Was The Universe
4. For He That Wavereth...
5. The Grand Inquisitor II: Roots & Locusts
6. The Grand Inquisitor III: A Tiny Grain Of Faith
7. Sewers Of The Soul
8. Wille Zum Untergang
9. Heaven TV
10. The Almightiness Contradiction

Download Heliocentric
Download Anthropocentric
Download Heliocentral
Download Anthropocentral

Evinta - My Dying Bride

Genre: Doom Metal, Ambient
Name: My Dying Bride
Album: Evinta, 2011

...Could I revive within me
Her symphony and song,
To such a deep delight 'twould win me
That with music loud and long...

Evinta. A project almost 15 years in the making. An idea that has sat smoldering and never really had a reason to burn alive until now. 9 albums worth of darkness recreated anew to mark 20 years of MDB. Music arranged to the soundscapes of sorrows past. Finally the 20th anniversary allows us to release this music in a form it has been desperately, woefully waiting for.

Enjoy the Darkness.

My Dying Bride have long been one of my favourite metal bands, for one very simple reason. It is not because of Stainthorpe's vocal work, although that is excellent, both musically and lyrically. It is not because of the emotions invested in their songs, although they are there in abundance. It is not because of the heaviness of their music - there are far heavier bands out there, more angry and anarchistic. Rather, it is for the simple reason that they are magnificently melodic songwriters. They can use duel guitars and a violin or keys to make exquisite harmonies, where other bands fall by the wayside. The multiple voices come together to create beautiful music, which no other band seems to do anywhere quite as well. It is for this reason that when My Dying Bride elect to do songs without traditional metal instruments, as found in Sear Me and For My Fallen Angel, they don't just get away with it - they excel in it, masters of melody and elegance combined.

Thus, it was not with holy dread and closed eyes that I awaited this unusual opus from the honeydew-fed, milk-of-paradise-supping Doom lords; I waited with anticipation and excitement, gathered together my pittances and sent a rather large check to Peaceville as soon as they were open for business. And I was not disappointed. Evinta is a work of art, a magnificent, magical amalgamation of movements, melodies, music.

Certainly, this is not a typical My Dying Bride release. Glencross and Craighan's guitars are absent, Abé no longer plucks at her bass and Mullins is no longer atop his throne. In their place, we find Alice Pembroke playing a viola, beside Johan Baum's cello, and Jonny Maudling, famed for his work with Bal-Sagoth on piano, keyboards and samples. As you can see, this was not going to be a standard album - but then, it was never intended to be. It was something new and exciting, and, if that is what you were expecting, then it's just shy of perfect. However, do not expect anything heavy, anything metal. Instead, head in with an open mind, and embrace what you find.

Evinta is a mixture of all of My Dying Bride's old songs, riffs and themes, melded together with classical instruments, melted down and reforged into something entirely new. For example, in The Burning Coast of Regnum Italium, you can hear the piano carrying the melody once found in the intro to The Dreadful Hours, possibly the single most beautiful piece of music of all time. In Of Lilies Bent With Tears is found sections of Two Winters Only. I won't give any other "spoilers" - part of the fun of this album is the game of "Name the Tune" that can be played with it - but these are merely some examples of what can be expected in the work. After all, it is the manifestation of all My Dying Bride's work - "evinta" is the feminine perfect participle of "evincere", to evince or show clearly. It is a display of all the band has achieved in the past 20 years, and a beacon for the future, hope for all the music with which they have yet to capture our ears.

This work is, in a nutshell, comparable to Elend - strings are the dominant voice, and speed is most definitely not of the essence (there are certain songs that are minimalist almost to the point of a drone-esque sound). However, there are important differences to that band. Whereas Elend favour screeching, disharmonious violins, My Dying Bride have gone far more in the direction of mellifluous melody and harmonies which hang from each other like icicles on pine branches. I have even managed to convince various people that this is, in fact, genuinely Classical music, age-old and well-beloved.

However, one could not have a My Dying Bride release without Stainthorpe's unique vocal work, and here, in Evinta, he comes up trumps, with new lyric genius sewn into the fabric of the album. Incontrovertibly, my favourite track on the album is In Your Dark Pavilion, which finishes with some of the best singing I've ever heard:

"I dream of being
Beside her
As I move
Through this water
Step over here
You Devil
Her earth looks like
My dying skin"

Stainthorpe's tortured voice dances so elegantly with the piano that the angels themselves would weep. And this is far from unique - the singing found in The Music Of Flesh is magnificent, and the lyrics of And All Their Joy Was Drowned are poetic brilliance.

However, Stainthorpe is not alone. The soprano Lucie Roche also takes to the stage, singing in English, French and Latin magnificently. The best example of her melodic voice can be found in Vanité Triomphante, the promo track released by Peaceville in edited form, which can be found here, in exchange for your email address, but is also included below.

In conclusion, therefore, I could not recommend this stellar work more highly. Certainly, it is not for the run-of-the-mill brutal death metal fan, who thinks that speed and skill equate to each other - but then, if you're reading this blog, you're probably not a run-of-the-mill metalhead. It's a elegant, resplendent work, shining in majesty and, I'll admit, just a hint of vanity, but rightly so - no other band could pull this off. Even Dream Theater have tempered their orchestral works with heavier tracks.

Summary: Magnificent orchestral doom, perfect for My Dying Bride fans and musical kalophiles of all kinds.
Lyrical Themes: Still analysing, but typical of My Dying Bride's work - melancholy and dejected, but beautiful
Rating: 10/10
Track listing:

Disc 1
1 - In Your Dark Pavilion
2 - You Are Not The One Who Loves Me
3 - Of Lilies Bent With Tears
4 - The Distance, Busy With Shadows
5 - Of Sorry Eyes In March

Disc 2
1 - Vanité Triomphante
2 - That Dress And Summer Skin
3 - And Then You Go
4 - A Hand Of Awful Rewards

Disc 3 (Collectors' Edition: What I do for you people...)
1 - The Music Of Flesh
2 - Seven Times She Wept
3 - The Burning Coast Of Regnum Italicum
4 - She Heard My Body Dying
5 - And All Their Joy Was Drowned

Download

I'd recommend getting your hands on one of the deluxe copies if you can - they come in great packaging, with excellent production value, and paragraphs on each of My Dying Bride's albums.

Dual Review: John Murphy - 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later OST

Genre: Soundtrack
Name: John Murphy
Album: 28 Days Later OST and 28 Weeks Later OST
"Step 1: Kill the infected. Step 2: Containment. If containment fails, then Step 3: Extermination..."

Soundtracks are often rather dull and unimaginative. However, these two are far from that. Not only is the music exceptionally good, but it also evokes memories of amazingly well written scenes.

Like much of the internet, I am somewhat of a zombie-apocalypse aficionado. I have a plan for escaping from zombies in any place I might be (at the moment, it consists of running down to the compound where the guns are kept, stocking up on small arms, and then securing transport in order to make it to the nearby NATO headquarters, and recieve support and arms and food from there). When the zed finally arrive (and they will arrive), I am fairly confident that I will be ready for them. Most of this preparation is the result of watching far too many zombie movies (all hail Zombieland!), and these films are but two of those.

For those of you who have not seen these two movies, they are as follows. 28 Days Later consists of Cillian Murphy awakening in a deserted hospital, and discovering that, whilst he has been in a coma, a virus has infected the population, turning them into mindless hordes of the undead. Upon accidentally irritating a few of The Infected, he runs to safety, and some new-found friends kindly blow up a petrol station to save him. They then, after a few plot twists, proceed up to Manchester, or thereabouts, by taxicab, seeking "the solution for infection". Needless to say, not all goes well.
28 Weeks Later is the next in the series, but has no returning characters. The American army have come in to the deserted Britain, with the infected all starved to death, and set up a "quarantined green" zone on the Isle of Dogs. However, again, the plan goes awry, and there are several excellent scenes full of pathos, and some cool sniping.
Both films are rather awesome, and I would definately recommend watching them (they're Danny Boyle's work, if that's an incentive). In a more relevant vein, however, the soundtracks are even more impressive than the films. Since both albums are similar in style and result (with, as one would expect, recurring motifs in the pair of soundtracks), I need only to go into detail on one, and have chosen the original.

The 28 Days Later OST was composed by John Murphy, of Sunshine fame, and cover a wide variety of styles. The predominant style - or, at least, the one that is retained most readily by my mind - is the use of distorted guitars, but it is far from the only one employed. There are developments on Fauré's Requiem in D Minor and Bach, for instance, and use of Anglican hymns, in conjunction with the synth-dominated tunes of "A.M. 180". The effect of this range is to provoke a spectrum of emotions, from euphoric bliss to abject despair. However, without a doubt one piece stands out - "In The House - In A Heartbeat". It is brilliantly composed, makes excellent use of dynamics, and is simple, yet so very effective. If you listen to nothing else from this, listen to that one track. It is the epitome of Murphy's work - indeed, he has chosen to reuse that piece in a variety of films, notably Kickass (he did a similar thing with Sunshine's score) - and very much worth a listen.


Summary: Pathos-ridden soundtracks from zombie-killin' movies.
Rating: 9/10
Track listing:

28 Days Later OST:

1. The Beginning
2. Rage
3. The Church
4. Jim's Parents (Abide With Me)
5. Then There Were 2
6. Tower Block
7. Taxi (Bach's Ave Maria
8. The Tunnel
9. A.M. 180
10. An Ending (Ascent)
11. No More Films
12. Jim's Dream
13. In Paradisum (Faure's Requiem in D minor)
14. Frank's Death
15. I Promised Them Women
16. The Search For Jim
17. Red Dresses
18. In The House - In A Heartbeat
19. The End
20. Season Song
21. End Credits

28 Weeks Later OST:
1. 28 Theme
2. Welcome to Britain
3. Helicopter Chase
4. Fire-bombing London
5. Theme 1
6. Walk to Regents Park
7. Kiss of Death
8. Don Abandons Alice
9. London Deserted
10. Go Go Go!
11. Theme 2
12. Knock Knock - Cottage Attack
13. Night Watch
14. Code Red
15. Going Home
16. Tammy Kills Her Dad
17. Crowd Breaks Out
18. Outbreak
19. Leaving England
20. End Credits (Theme 3)

Download 1
Download 2

Oranssi Pazuzu - Muukalainen Puhuu

Genre: Psychadelic Black Metal
Name: Oranssi Pazuzu
Album: Muukalainen Puhuu, 2009
...The Spaceman says "Everybody look down, it's all in your mind"...

Well, I think it's obvious that the first thing about this band that caught my eye was the name which is, to say the least, interesting (translated, it means "Orange Pazuzu", Pazuzu being a babylonian demon king of the winds, with a serpentine ahem phallus). However, I have higher standards for inclusion in this documentation of metallic awesomeness than merely an amusing name, and, fortunately, Oranssi Pazuzu have this in spades.

The album's meaning is "The Alien Speaks", and this, combined with the cover that is eerily reminiscent of Vashta Nerada, gives a great idea as to the sound of this album: it sounds like the musical outpouring of one of Scooby-Doo's space-suit-clad, manically-laughing, helium-addicted enemies. It is filled with high-pitched keys, jumping at odd intervals and tremolo guitar, used very effectively to create a slightly menacing and quite haunting atmosphere. Not being fluent in Finnish, I can not comment on the lyrical content, only the delivery, which is not particularly passionate, but well executed. The one criticism I have of this album is that the drums are not particularly imaginative, however, they are by no means dull. All in all, it is an odd, but interesting album, with a decent amount to be said for it.

Summary: What happens when you give Spooky Space Kook a guitar
Lyrical Themes: "The dark corners of space and the mind"
Rating: 8/10
Track listing:
1. Korppi - Raven
2. Danjon Nolla - Danjo's Zero
3. Kangastus 1968 - Mirage 1968
4. Suuri Pää Taivaasta - The Great Head From Heaven
5. Myöhempien Aikojen Pyhien Teatterin Rukoilijasirkka - The Praying Mantis of the Theatre of Latter-day Saints
6. Dub Kuolleen Porton Muistolle - Dub to the Memory of a Dead Whore (of Babylon)
7. Muukalainen Puhuu - Alien Speaks
8. Kerettiläinen Vuohi - Heretic Goat

Myspace
Download - coming soon! (well, -ish...)