Arcturus - Arcturian

Another group that is not exactly unknown, but this being a solid release and their first in 10 years...

Arcturus is a group from Norway that dropped its first LP in 1995...roughly 19 years before I even got around to listening to a single one. While this is sad on my part, it is worth noting that they have not released anything since 2005's Sideshow Symphonies. Despite not being a long time fan, Arcturian fills me with a sense of nostalgia. I get the same feeling from this album that I did listening to my first Dark Tranquillity CD's in high school. This may be in part due to the contributions from ICS Vortex, a musician I have respected since my formative metal years listening to Dimmu Borgir. While musicianship is a good indicator of an album's quality, it is often these elusive, qualitative aspects that will stand the test of time.

Even so, this is certainly not to say that Arcturus is lacking in the songwriting department. To the contrary, the many elements at play are quite remarkable. The plentiful string arrangements throughout deserve particular attention. Tracks like “Angst” and “Pale” showcase a level of pomp that is dark and foreboding without a hint of cliche. Similarly, the subtle synth and electronic elements take songs to new heights of atmosphere and appeal as with “The Arcturian Sign,” “The Journey,” and “Warp.”

While the guitars and drums often do little more than help fill out the sound and create a heavier aesthetic, they too have the occasional spotlight moment. “Game Over” features a fittingly classy solo while “Crashland” and the opening track have their share of thunderous double bass, tom fills, and snare rolls. But the real accolades here go to Mr. Vortex. I have often said that this man is possibly the most talented vocalist in metal today, and his work here with Arcturus is no less impressive than classic contributions to Death Cult Armageddon or Borknagar's The Archaic Course. His voice is operatic in its sheer power and command of melody without ever becoming gimmicky. And while there are not many harsh vocals to be found in Arcturian, Vortex's presence is no less imposing.

Alas, similar to Sigh's Graveward, the only major problem I have with Arcturian as an album is that the production feels rather flat in comparison to its lively compositions. The more “classical” moments (i.e. the first half of “Bane”) really pop, but it seems like things go wrong whenever the guitars gain prominence. Crunchy distortion seems to bulldoze peaks and valleys into a uniform plain that lacks grandiosity. The drums feel particularly lackluster in these times, but I think that the most egregious crime is that the stunning vocal performance is not given the depth it deserves. With all of the posh ambiance, I crave a sound that feels more nuanced and vital.

Fortunately, the clear passion and professionalism exuding from the very pores of this LP are more than enough to forgive issues in the studio. Advertised as “The new magnum opus from Arcturus,” Arcturian is the rare comeback album that delivers on its promise. Between the tasteful classical elements and perhaps best vocal performance so far of 2015, one would be foolish to pass on at least a few spins of this accomplished piece of art. Coming May 8^th, don't be one of those fools.

Enjoyability=8.7

Musicianship=8.9

Innovation=9.3

Overall=9.1

Sigh - Graveward

Let's cut to the chase: this is some weird, wild stuff. Heavy metal, brass-heavy symphonics, black metal, occasionally 80's thrash-sounding hooks, neo-classical solos, JPop, saxophone solos...This has a little bit of everything, and you never really know when or where it is going to happen. "The Tombfiller" is a great example of just how well Sigh manages to tie all of these elements together into a deliciously enjoyable chaos. I am truly in awe of these compositions.

Given its tendency to change drastically on a whim, trying to give an in-depth description of Graveward's sound is no easy feat. One might best compare it to a piece of modern art: No matter how off-the-wall the end result might be, every painting needs a canvas and every sculpture a structurally-sound foundation. Sigh's is crunchy, squealy riff-driven guitar work, black metal vocals, and some pretty basic drumming.

That in place, Sigh proceeds to fling paint and slap clay like Jackson Pollock. But not unlike the artist, no action is haphazard. Take the first single, “Out of the Grave” for instance. On the surface the middle-eastern instrumentation, baroque horn flourishes, back-up vocals, and sax seem to be a nihilistic romp through the avant garde. But repeat listens reveal a detailed order to the various movements and changes. In fact, the carnival-like facades often conceal a traditional (and catchy) rock structure.

I have only one major complaint about this album: the production is constantly bugging my ears. It most closely reminds me of Nokturnal Mortum's Nechrist. Various parts seem to slide back and forth in the mix. Vocals will become overly loud while drums and guitar become muddy. Most sinfully, the gorgeous brass and synth work lack depth. Such masterful ordering of chaos deserves an organic space to work in rather than being trapped in the 2 dimensions of the phantom zone.

Final word: one of the most equally innovative and enjoyable albums you will hear in 2015. Furthermore, Graveward is a step up from previous albums in both scope and consistency. While some groups in the avant garde camp are happy to be weird for the sake of weird, Sigh makes the argument that the bizarre need not be inaccessible. Much like Leviathan's Scar Sighted, Graveward has earned Sigh a new fan through mastery of the unconventional.  The album drops just in time for 4/20, but you can hear several tracks and pre-order HERE right now.

Enjoyability=8.5

Musicianship=9

Innovation=9.5

Overall=9.1 

Infinite Fields - Irreversible Mechanism

Excellent tech death rooted firmly in the atmosphere and aesthetic of melodeath and symphonic. Very consistent with absolutely stellar riffing that never sacrifices hooks for showmanship. One of the better takes on tech death I have heard in a while, and one of the few death albums that impressed me so far this year period. I bought this on bandcamp as a name your own price, but please at least give a dollar or two instead of being a mooch.

Enjoyability=9 
Musicianship=9.5 
Innovation=8 
Overall=8.7

Serenity in Murder (Japan)

Serenity in Murder are a Japanese sextet that play a particularly epic brand of symphonic melodic death metal. A simple listen to “Await Me Your Oath” will give you a pretty strong impression of what to expect from this album. Between the lush, often folky keyboards and stellar riffing, I was certainly intrigued enough to add this album to my listening queue. Let me assure you that I was not left disappointed even a little.

The keyboards often supply a melodramatic atmosphere on par with Equilibrium: over the top, but endearing rather than disheartening. Freddy is no one-trick pony. This very talented individual is quite capable of providing many different textures that serve as the centerpiece of orchestrations throughout the album. Certain moments can have a bit of a cyber, videogame soundtrack quality as with “Hurt of Virtue,” only to change to a traditional and morose piano piece.

Alternatively, vocals are decidedly more grave in their delivery. Despite the fairly single-tone nature of these screams, Emi manages to convey quite a bit of emotion from victory to sorrow through subtle changes in cadence and enunciation. Comparisons to acts such as Darkest Hour, Bloodshot Dawn, and Mors Principium Est are warranted. Guitar riffs are worthy of similar comparisons with their fusion of thrashy speed with melodeath progressions and solos. Taken alone, these riffs are nothing new, but when combined with the synth work, melodies truly pop in exciting ways. Stellar drumming is icing on the cake with plenty of well-produced rhythms and beats to keep you bobbing your head for days.

With that in mind, you might as well set your MP3 player to repeat, because this tight piece of metal magic is only roughly 37 minutes long. I was hardly finished with my first playthrough before clicking back to the first track for a second run. All other aspects aside, this album is a blast. Everything comes together so well, and I commend Serenity in Murder for sticking to a runtime that leaves you wanting more rather than overstaying their welcome.

Final word: best melodic death metal I have heard so far from 2015. It may only be March at the time of this writing, but with so few decent releases in the genre since the 90's and early 2000's bubble burst, I am confident that this will at least be a contender by the end of the year. Check this album out today. MPE's The Unborn meets Equilibrium's Sagas.

Enjoyability=10

Musicianship=9

Innovation=7.5

Overall=8.9

 

A Forest of Stars (UK)

Okay, so if you are a real black metal fan, you probably already know who these guys are.  However, I am willing to bet your average metalhead has never heard of them.  This is sure to make some Top 10 lists for 2015.  The vocals are like a demented one-man-show backed by the occasional angelic female melody.  Strings, slide guitar, backtracking, occasionally indie sounding bass.  But I thought you said this was BM?  There's still plenty of tremolos and blastbeats for you, but this album truly transcends in its art and beauty.  Check it out here.  Another solid deal.