May, June, and July Music Roundup
There's been a lot happening in my life this summer that has delayed me writing up my music exploration. I will write separately about some of those things at a later date, but I thought I'd compile my past few months' spins now, whilst I'm doing nothing.
Ghosts of Darkness by Rahvira (2025)
I ended up here because it turns out they've released a new album this year (which I haven't heard yet) but when I checked them out it turns out they'd released this just the year before, so I thought I'd stare there. Initially reminded me of a heavier version of pre-1999 Anathema, before they progressed into their clean era. Beneath the visceral screams lie stunningly beautiful journeys and brutal textures. There is so much here and it's clear that these are all seriously accomplished musicians and songwriters. It's sung in Armenian so I have no idea what they're telling me, but I'm enraptured by it nonetheless. Very good black metal album.
The Nocturnes of Iswylm by Stormkeep
So I hear this is called "dungeon metal" or "dungeon synth" and it sounds like it would be an amazing soundtrack to a Dungeons and Dragons adventure. I have only ever played that once, and whilst I vaguely remember it as being fun, it isn't something I ever did again, so it didn't become a big part of my life. This is good metal, seemingly about mythical battles in another universe, coupled with what sound like beer-y, sea-shanty-esque refrains to no doubt celebrate the ongoing defeats of the forces of darkness, and then odd bursts into maybe power metal or war metal.
It's has a place - it's not bad, and it's kinda fun. But to be honest if this wasn't the boys from Wayfarer in one of their many forms then I don't think I'd be paying it too much attention. But it is the boys from Wayfarer, and so I come back to it occasionally.
Beyond the Will of Mortals by Volcandra
I have to be in the mood for this one. On the one-hand it has the "melodic" descriptor which usually denotes "these guys are serious business" and that's definitely true here as well. And it's a comprehensive blackened death party throughout, with some lovely gentler interludes to boot. But on the other hand, I think this is somehow dungeon metal-adjacent and I feel like it's, once again, Dungeons and Dragons music. That might just me trying to act all cool though. As I write this, listening to the record again, I realise I'm probably being a judgey prick. Bring on the orcs!
No Place of Warmth by Frozen Soul
Another attempt to dive into death metal proper, and I realise that it's simply not for me. This is a well-reviewed album, but it just doesn't work for me. They're evidentally pretty big in this scene too given some of the supporting musicians lending themselves to certain tracks, but alas, it's a genre that I still struggle with.
This one is incredible. In regular rotation for me since hearing it. It's warm, comfortable black metal. What's mindblowing is that this is the work of one guy. This is "life goals" level of amazing music. Literally the only thing between me and this is my abject lack of talent and vision! So close. Wonderful album.
Stack Overflow In Corpse Pile Interface by A Forest of Stars
What on earth is going on here? And why can't I get enough of it? This is beautiful, soaring music mixed with black metal...mixed with the exquisitely delivered, often hilarious, rantings of a mad man! It goes on to include more traditional vocals too and this eclectic mix just somehow works. Having read back my description, I'm even less able to understand why I love this album so much, but it's one that I can put on and find myself grinning from ear to ear - without it becoming comedy music or parody. This is just...amazing. It's a shame they couldn't make the logistics work to get to Damnation this year, that would have been special. "Damned if you do, my dearest vermin / And of course, just so damned if you don't!"
Heart Like a Grave by Insomnium
I've had a spot for Insomnium since their incredible Shadow's of a Dying Sun (2014). Despite my earlier protestations about "death metal", it seems that adding the "melodic" tag to the front changes the equation sufficiently for me to find peace. These guys are good at this. It's incredibly skillfully crafted music. It soars, it's majestic, it holds back and then it returns with brutality. On top of that, the vocals just work for me - switching seemlessly from clean to roared, whilst both sound accomplished. At times it feels like they veer close to anthemic rock, but they pull it back just in time to save us all.
Circadian Promise by Fires In The Distance
2023's Air Not Meant For Us was magnificent and I've been looking forward to this one, especially to see what the updated line up does to the sound. I think Fires in the Distance were probably the first band to really drive home to me just what the "melodic" label meant - these guys are trully masters. The changes have brought a blended vocal style - introduced part way through the first track, and it's credible. It works. It adds more to the record and overall sound than I'd thought it would, and it fits nicely into the mix with the heavier screams too. Another album where I find myself reaching for words like "majestic" - this is an album that I can close my eyes to and almost ride the waves of their gorgeous soundscapes. Another one for the vinyl collection too. Could we maybe ditch the British intellectual voiceover for the next record though, eh?
This is awesome. Claustrophobic and painful. Listening feels like being wrapped in dakness. It's an energetic vocal performance that absolutely nails it throughout and as for the music...what is this? Their description on bandcamp feels like they're hedging their bets a bit - covering as many bases as possible - melodic death metal, gloom, gothic doom/death, and black metal. "What?", we scream. But then we listen more and I put it to you: which bit, exactly, do you disagree with? This 3-and-a-bit track EP over it's 18 minutes demonstrates a voracious appetite for consuming any and all dark styles in related genres. I wonder whether there is direct intent to joint so many dots here, or whether when these guys write they just embrace go big or go home as their core philosophy. Marvellous stuff.
Listening to this I was struggling to figure out exactly what it was. It's clearly black metal but I was feeling a bit of a post-metal ambience to it at times in the elaborate and labyrinthine riffs and solos. And then I was wondering whether this could even be progressive black metal, which is something I think I've heard a few hints of in other records this year. What this most definitely is, is real. This is authentic, powerful stuff. I can hear the heartache in the vocal delivery and they're all pretty masterful at varying the musical background around it which feels like it keeps changing perspective endlessly, leaving you guessing, and wanting more. I like this record a lot. On it's surface it's dense and I initially found it a bit obtuse, but it's a rewarding listen to stick with - once it starts to make it's way into your brain you realise it's actually been a great ride on the way.
2014's Day's of the Fallen Sun was one of my most heavily replayed albums back in the day. (Aside: WTF was it with the dun dying in 2014...?) These guys have an amazing unique sound - there's a stunning melodic appreciation to the music and the vocals that brings with it warmth and darkness at once. I was fortunate enough to get to hear the pre-release of this on Bandcamp and have since bought this one on vinyl. It's as good as their 2014 effort - possibly even better. I'm pretty sure that if I put as much time in to this record as I did the other due to commuting all would become clear! The mix of rock, metal elements, alt, and goth combine, once again, to make a whole greater than it's parts. Brilliant record.
Encompassing Nothingness by Tjaktjadálvve
Again, the work of one guy and a reminder that I should give up my dreams of writing music because it's already been done and done better. This is a wave of beautiful anguish, propped up heavily by synths - beyond what you'd normally expect in atmospheric black metal - so much so that it sometimes feels like it's transcended metal altogether. This is the soundtrack to fading away, being carried away, becoming nothing. This is 32 minutes of making everything go away and just accepting life for what it is. It hurts, it's hard, but even in that there is beauty and in that beauty there's strength and hope.
Yet another solo tour de force. This is musically more blackgaze, with maybe some post-metal elements in there. It's got the power of black metal - and it's got the vocals - but this one feels like it's taking its time with the writing such that you can get lost in the cacaphony and the textures. There are a few moments dotted throughout this where I was taken aback a little by the sudden shift into an epic soundtrack feel. I can't really describe what I mean but the intro to Übertritt is a decent example of what I mean. If this were a film, something important would be about to happen here.
I don't know where this one came from, but it's quickly become a favourite for me. I think the heavy vocal style is perfect here. And the mix with the clean works too. It's just so epic and rewarding and I can't get enough of it. I feel transported back to some parts of Wayfarer's Children of the Iron Age at times here. And that's high praise from me - I have that record on vinyl and it's still sealed! Admittedly it disappearing off streaming services is putting that at risk with every passing day, but I digress. Echoes just keeps going and keeps giving. I'm fully onboard with these guys, this is incredible stuff.
The Ringing Bell by Fuming Mouth
More death metal that I'm unsure about how it has come to be in my Recently Added section. Not for me. I'm sure it's a good example of it's genre, but I can't get there.
Another one I've found via an Instagram promotion. And a great one at that! Pristine clean vocals from the front-woman which then burst into astounding, chaotic blackened screams. Music that's so rich in its composition that you can almost physically wrap yourself in it. It's a recurring theme in my listening, and these guys do it so well, but it's the contrasts and contradictions that seem to pull me in. It's at times beautiful in a way that I think most people could recognise, but then differently beautiful in a brutal and bruising in ways that I think most people would pass-over. It's that mix of obscene talent and niche aesthetics that comes together in surprising ways that pulls me in. I love this record.
God's Hate, by God's Hate (2021)
A recommendation of an older album from Phil. I didn't get much from this really. It's what I'd probably dub "tough guy metal" and just feels like a group of guys trying to sound intimidating. Now, I get that most metal has a lof of that baked in, but there's just no melody, or vision in any of this. It's riffs - good riffs, great riffs! - and yelling. And whilst you could probably listen to any one of the records I've ever written about on here and then look disapprovingly at me over the top of your glasses, thinking how rich it is of me to criticise vocals as "yelling" - I challenge you to tell me I'm wrong! If it's only riffs you want then this is for you.
Apology, by Weekend Nachos (2016)
Another one from Phil who recommended this because they're playing Damnation this year. He acknowledged upfront that it's what I've called "ADHD metal" - i.e., 30 seconds per track, then move on, but that this album was a bit more metal than punk/core. And I can give it the first track which plays out to a decent doomy riff, but beyond that this record just keeps falling further into a style and tropes that I just don't care for. It's "tough guy metal" again. And its style is apparenly called "powerviolence". Lol.
Gig: Dimscûa at Academy 2, Manchester
Dimscûa were second support on a post-rock tour with Overhead, The Albatross, and We Lost The Sea. I'm not particularly interested in post-rock, so I didn't stick around to see the other two bands. I watched Dimscûa perform their EP in full and then left. It's still great and it was great to see them playing to a big audience.
Gig: Opeth, Paradise Lost, and Katatonia at The Piece Hall, Halifax
This was an incredible gig. Definitely up there in the Top X Gigs list. I'll get round to writing that one day, I guess.
Up first were Katatonia. I only know a few records of their's (which I adore - Last Fair Deal Gone Down, Sky Void of Stars) but they've got a long back catalogue that I've not explored fully. They're on my "Bands to deep dive" list, incidentally. They had a fair short set at around 40 minutes, but it was well-received and they were on-form. I'm glad I got to see these guys play as I'd missed them last year on their new album tour.
Local lads, Paradise Lost were up next. And did they ever look like they were loving it! This was a kind of big homecoming gig for them - getting to play the incredible Piece Hall outdoor venue, and with such an amazing line-up. They played a mixed set from throughout their catalogue - as they did last time when I saw them in Manchester. It was great to Waltteri drum on a track with them since Opeth had "stolen" him some while before.
Opeth were incredible. This tour seems to be a "we're only playing awesome venues" tour. They've played outdoor venues in Pompeii and Colorado already, and they added The Piece Hall to that list. It was a masterful set list covering enough ground of the more popular and well-known tracks from across their career, but also included some surprising (and very much appreciated!) deeper cuts too. Mikael was on form, as usual. He could probably have a metal talk show of his own. They closed with Deliverance which, with the light show, outside, in the dark, was fucking spiritual.