Opeth - Still Life

For whatever reason I've never actually properly set down and listened to Opeth's fourth album. I'm not sure why I've never given it the time of the day, in fact for some reason I had instilled in myself the now completely-utterly-disgustingly wrong belief that the album wasn't actually that good: too winding/directionless, lacking the grand set-pieces and jaw-dropping moments of magic. I was more than pleasantly surprised when I sat down to listen to it on the long and warm journey from the south to the north, across 2 countries. The album is the perfect mix between the heavily atmospheric journeys of Morningrise and My Arms, Your Hearse and the epic standalone songs of Blackwater Park. I undestand the album is loosely a concept album, and I haven't focused on the lyrics at all yet, but the romantic undertones juxtaposed against Akerfeel's multi-dimensional growls is stunning. 

Anyway, I leave you with a song from the album - 'Serenity Painted Death' - that never fails to excite, particularly the heavier sections that, through the power of squealing and spiralling string bends and groovy riffage aplenty, are impossible to not headbang too. 

BASSSS! Russian Circles - Geneva

This song is a pure force of post-rock/metal beauty. Russian Circles are the ultimate song builders. They manage to build layer after layer of stifling atmosphere like mastercraftsmen. The song somehow manages to move into godly territory with the deep and luscious cranking pulse of the bass at 2:22, it's really something special. 

How Good is that Cult of Luna/Julie Christmas Album?

So fucking good. Woah.

Barishi

I found these guys on a list somewhere (not the sex-offenders register) and listened briefly to a few tracks. They are a crazy mix of The Mars Volta, Kraut, Fusion, Hail Spirit Noir and who knows what. Their album artwork is an apt representation of their sound. This is intriguing stuff. The song 'Exhibiche' opens like The Chili Peppers if their music actually sounded like an acid trip rather than a wet fart. I quite like some of the Chlli Pepper's stuff however, they just need to act their age, They're like those two kids from Bojack Horseman - Vincent Adultman. Shave that stupid moustache Anthony Kiedis. Flea put a t-shirt on. Anchorman on drums. etc. Anyway, this is nice, nice stuff. 

I'm (sort-of) writing for AngryMetalGuy

If I actually do have any resident readers here who cling to my every word like leeches on crack then you'll probably be wondering where I've disappeared to over the past few months. I've been nowhere, I was here all along. Basically, the AngryMetalGuy site were advertising positions for sort-of new writers. I'm on trial for my life, like a gormless idiot I'm scampering away under the weight of AngryMetalGuy's bureaucratic force trying to prove myself to the world. I feel like a Kafka protagonist, never knowing what powers control me. This is all a bit melodramatic, the experience of writing for a real (professional?) journalistic source is exciting. Just learning the basics - formatting, meeting deadlines/wordcounts, learning the vague housestyle - is striking, but there is still a lot of freedom involved. I've had one review published (Helleborus - The Carnal Sabbath - check this shit out) and I've just finished writing another, but I don't know when that will be published. Alongside all this internet tomfoolery I've finished university and am now a full-time member of this desperate and sad world. Metal is my crutch and weapon, so watch out Brexiteers, I'm coming for you.

Akerblogger is Back: Inter Arma - Paradise Gallows

In an effort to revive this blogging I'm going to start randomly posting about things that I am quite literally listening to at this very moment. I'm mid way through the mega-goliath new album by Inter Arma and it is a truly incredible listening experience. This thing has everything: slams, sludge, cavernous death-doom vocals, Floydian (Pink, not Rick) psychedelic flourishings, soaring and completley overindulgent yet satisfying solos, prog-rock meets southern-twang noodling, expressive and clever drumwork, and satisfying pacing and strong structures. Each song has it's own dynamic footprint, each song works within the context of the album. There's a transition between 'Primordial Wound' and 'The Summer Drones', for example, that made me feel like I was soaring upwards into the cosmos, clouds billowing past me and blinding light glaring through the gaps in the sky. Very dramatic. But this is really, really impressive stuff - immersive and jaw-dropping. I feel rejuvenated on the metal side of things. Today I've found a lot of interesting new stuff; there really is just so much out there, it's overwhelming but its better than desperately picking stuff out of a barren selection of nothingness.