ELUVEITIE - Helvetios

There's a certain Folk wave in the Metal scene, it has been here for quite a while, but it continues to inspire artists, and often enough we come across jewels like this one. The band exists since 2002, started as a studio project, and this is their latest studio release so far. Right from the first minute it's hard not to understand skills of the band, and their ability to blend Swedish Death Metal with Folk music, without compromising either style, or sound boring and uninspired. This blending manages to enhance all the strong points of each style, creating songs that remain catchy and surprise you even if you have heard them for a while. The music here has it all, the brutality and growling of Swedish Death, the groovy parts, and the catchy feeling that will make your head bang along with the rhythm. But when the music shifts into more Folk forms, the up-tempo feeling is still there, only enriched with the female vocals, the hurdy-gurdy melodies, and the other instruments used, such as fiddles, whistles and mandola. The production is also good, clear enough, preserving all the small details of the music, without making the album sound fake or too polished. It might be an album that will stick into your mind from the first listening, but it certainly needs more than just a couple of spins to reveal all it's secrets. Another thing that I enjoyed most is that the band has managed to create a certain atmosphere, which is mostly obvious in their slower or narrating parts, where the Folk parts are on the foreground. It travels you to places, and that is a characteristic of a good album. Well written, with no weak parts, with enough variety, this album most probably will make the fans of the band rubbing their hands a grin on their faces.

9/10

77 - High Decibels

If there was a contest for an AC/DC replacement band, these guys would have all that it takes to be a winner. Although it's not really fair for them to compare their music with the giants mentioned above, it's rather obvious that their bigger inspiration is indeed AC/DC and their way of performing music. The band comes from Spain, and this is their second album if I am not mistaken. So, what you would really find here is an album full of such good stuff, that you won't believe your ears. What you won't find here is originality, since the obvious resemblance with their inspiration is destroying all efforts on that, except one 8 minute song, something more complex, but also with the well known riffs that are spread around the album. What you will find, in huge quantity, is good music full of heart and balls, something that all fans of Hard Rock will love and enjoy. The singer sounds very close to Bon Scott, but after a few seconds of staying speechless, and wondering what you are listening to, the rhythm takes over and makes you bang along with the music. There is no second song here, everything is high class, well performed, with kick ass melodies, memorable refrains, and exceptional musicianship. The songs are fun from the first to the last minute, and makes you wonder how fun this album would be if performing live, while drinking beers with a good company. The rhythm section, the backing vocals, the structure of most of the songs, the production, everything, even the cover artwork, reminds of AC/DC, but if you like that, the chances are you might also like this album. It's almost like a tribute band, that has put originality aside, and performed the music they all loved to play. Enjoyable, at high decibels.

8/10      

BLACK MESSIAH - The Final Journey

This is the latest studio album of the German band, which was formed in the early 90's, playing Black Metal. This release finds the band following the same music style of "First War Of The World", a mixture of Viking and Pagan Metal, which also contains elements from their early Black Metal days. Their songs are Epic, with nice melodies, and the addition of violin gives an extra dimension to the music, which the band knows how to take advantage of. The majority of their arrangements are good, with all the typical elements of Viking inspired Metal being audible, speed, Blackish vocals, and a certain heroic atmosphere that is spread throughout the whole album. Tempo changes are enough, melodies follow faster rhythms and Folk parts transform to Black pagan Metal, and this is done with such an ease, that will please all fans, even those not exactly into Black Metal stuff. Another strong point of the album is the clear Operatic vocals, either male or female, that add a Symphonic touch to the music, and blend nicely with the keyboard and guitar melodies. The vocals are very good, sometimes more Black, others more clear, but always adding to the Epic atmosphere. In every aspect this is a well worked release, the melodies are plenty and great, the vocals are very good, the rhythm section is solid and able to deliver both fast and slower parts with ease, and the addition of the violin in the songs gives this extra touch that makes their songs memorable. There's also a cover version of Candlemass's "Into The Unfathomed Tower" from their classic Tales Of Creation. The production is very good, as clear as it should be, without polishing the sound too much, but also making the details of the music available. A release that finds the band in a very creative period. If you liked their previous work, you can be sure that this one will fascinate you.

10/10      

Van Halen - Tattoo

Music video by Van Halen performing Tattoo from their new album "A Different Kind of Truth" (February 07, 2012)

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