Metal: what’s good right now?

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MagicPigDetectiveMagicPigDetective Frets: 2992
edited January 2020 in Music
Shouty, gothy black metal is not normally my thing. However I’ve stumbled upon a superb new album that is best described as medieval black metal. I was drawn in by the cover, a picture of Dolbadarn Castle in Llanberis. Five tracks are just beautiful harp medieval tunes. The rest, well the guitars are constantly in dual harmonies, which are medieval/folk influenced melodies and riffs. The dual guitars are reminiscent of Maiden or Paradise Lost. The medieval ambience is added with choral/monk chants. The screaming vocals are not prominent and seem to suit the songs. But the guitar playing is superb, a guy called Tanner Anderson. A very clear, soaring and beefy tone with reverb. Not many solos, which are more melodic than shred. 

On paper this is not the type of band I’d be into,  but I just love the dreamy, escapist medieval atmosphere coupled with metal power of this album.

The album is The Psalms of Sorrowed Kings by Obsequiae. What d’yall make of it? 




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Comments

  • MagicPigDetectiveMagicPigDetective Frets: 2992
    edited January 2020
    I’ve changed the title to open this up. I’m currently having a metal phase and looking for good albums out now or in recent months. There are so many bands, so many sub genres, it’s hard to know where to start! I usually look at the new releases on apple music. 

    Today gave Blood Incantation’s album, Hidden History of the Human Race, a listen, which takes death metal into crazy prog and psychadelia, it’s mental but excellent 
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  • BloodEagleBloodEagle Frets: 5320
    edited January 2020
    Off the top of my head - Gatecreeper's new album is good, as is Devil Master's new one. Fuming Mouth, Creeping Death, Fluids and Malignant Altar are also worth a listen
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  • I'm not sure it fit your brief, but I really like Turisas: Battle Metal. 
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  • ReverendReverend Frets: 4974
    edited January 2020
    Spectral Voice is pretty much the same people as Blood Incantation but slower smd heavier
    Phrenelith 

    Departure Chandelier is pretty good. Canadian bm but with hints of Greek and french 90s. 
    Crom Dubh from london have hints of Drukh and killed it at live evil yesterday. 
    Mgla new album hasn't disappointed 
    Orodruins come back is incredible - proper doom meets 70s prog. 
    There's a huge buzz about Idle Hands - sort 80s metal meets goth rock.

    Melting Hand - not  metal but has Mike from Bong and 11 Paranoias and guy from Terminal Cheesecake doing great pysch
    Devil Master 
    Sumerlands
    Eternal Champion


    If you like obsequaie then try Summoning, and maybe some of the cascadian bm: weakling, wolves in the throne room, panopticon, etc.
    Star gazer, portal, the ruins of beverast, urfaust, abyssion, oranssi pazazu, forgjord and the aforementioned Drudkh
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  • BezzerBezzer Frets: 581
    If may be a little too heavy, don’t know ... but nowhere near enough people listen to Swallow The Sun and, IMHO, Songs From The North I, II & III is a masterpiece.
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  • Excellent work all, I shall work my way through your suggestions.

    Gave Devil Master a listen....a bit too full on for me. I like to listen to whole albums at a time and lean towards bands that mix things up, the brutal with the serene or atmospheric, rather than being at full throttle all the time. Not sure I'm ready for full on black metal. So far I'm liking Swallow the Sun, Urfaust and Spectral Voice especially.

    Another recent fave are Nailed by Obscurity, last year's Black Frost is a great mix of heavy and quieter melodic/proggy moments.

    And the latest (their 1st was superb) Black Sites album is excellent, which is a kind of modernised classic metal sound, really like the production, every instrument is clear. Check out the dual guitar solo at 2:08; total Maiden!

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  • ReverendReverend Frets: 4974
    edited January 2020
    Tanith - Russ Tippins from Satan with a some yanks. Kinda 70s Priest and Lizzy with some Wishbone Ash thrown in was one off my faves of last year.

    What about some metal bands from the last few years you may have missed?

    Warning - Watching From A Distance
    In Solitude - Sister
    Drudkh - Autumn Aurora

    What about some of Neige's work? Alcest? Amesours? Lantlos?

    Also try Fen, Boss-de-Nage, Paysage D'Hiver, Velvet Caccoon and Skagos

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  • Reverend said:
    Tanith - Russ Tippins from Satan with a some yanks. Kinda 70s Priest and Lizzy with some Wishbone Ash thrown in was one off my faves of last year.

    What about some metal bands from the last few years you may have missed?

    Warning - Watching From A Distance
    In Solitude - Sister
    Drudkh - Autumn Aurora

    What about some of Neige's work? Alcest? Amesours? Lantlos?

    Also try Fen, Boss-de-Nage, Paysage D'Hiver, Velvet Caccoon and Skagos


    Reverend pretty much singled handedly has been keeping my head full of \M/ over the last few years, much appreciated Almighty Wizard of Metal.

    Quite a few off his list I've not heard, but I've been listening to the Mgla - Age of Excuses far too much, and the new one by Alcest is exceptional.

    Autumn Aurora is superb.

    An album from a few years ago but Weakling - Dead as Dreams is genuinely one of the all time greatest metal albums IMO. A guy from the Fucking Champs, if that means anything to you.

    I'd recommend checking out Wynterfelleth as well, another black metal band with a lot of medieval/Lord of the Rings feel.  Really works, superb band.

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  • Reverend said:
    Tanith - Russ Tippins from Satan with a some yanks. Kinda 70s Priest and Lizzy with some Wishbone Ash thrown in was one off my faves of last year.

    What about some metal bands from the last few years you may have missed?

    Warning - Watching From A Distance
    In Solitude - Sister
    Drudkh - Autumn Aurora

    What about some of Neige's work? Alcest? Amesours? Lantlos?

    Also try Fen, Boss-de-Nage, Paysage D'Hiver, Velvet Caccoon and Skagos


    Reverend pretty much singled handedly has been keeping my head full of \M/ over the last few years, much appreciated Almighty Wizard of Metal.

    Quite a few off his list I've not heard, but I've been listening to the Mgla - Age of Excuses far too much, and the new one by Alcest is exceptional.

    Autumn Aurora is superb.

    An album from a few years ago but Weakling - Dead as Dreams is genuinely one of the all time greatest metal albums IMO. A guy from the Fucking Champs, if that means anything to you.

    I'd recommend checking out Wynterfelleth as well, another black metal band with a lot of medieval/Lord of the Rings feel.  Really works, superb band.


    Thanks @earwighoney . Yes indeed, the @Reverend is the Fretboard's High Lord of Metal. I'll check out all of the above recommendations.

    Found another good 'un. Grin's new album, Translucent Blades, which is dark, sludgy, doomy and psychedelic.


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  • I'm not one for distinguishing beyond "heavy" and "not heavy" so these may not fit your definition of metal but

    Rolo Tomassi - Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It
    Cult of Luna - Mariner 

    are both astoundingly good records 
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  • Cult of Luna - Mariner 

    Mariner is not on apple music listening to their most recent album, A Dawn to Fear, it's  excellent.

    So much good metal comes from Scandinavia, why is that? The long dark nights and all that?

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  • ReverendReverend Frets: 4974

    Cult of Luna - Mariner 

    Mariner is not on apple music listening to their most recent album, A Dawn to Fear, it's  excellent.

    So much good metal comes from Scandinavia, why is that? The long dark nights and all that?

    They get dole money to cover rehearsals. 


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  • DopesickDopesick Frets: 1507
    edited January 2020
    Lots of good stuff came out last year but the latest Inter Arma album may have been top spot for me. Like a sludgy post-metal band covering Domination-era Morbid Angel.

    Also the latest Wilderun album is a work of genius if you enjoy epic, grandiose and somewhat quirky metal in the veins of BWP-era Opeth, Cardiacs and Devin Townsend.
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  •  
    I'd recommend checking out Wynterfelleth as well, another black metal band with a lot of medieval/Lord of the Rings feel.  Really works, superb band.

    Not what I was expecting but a nice surprise, their latest album is beautiful acoustic folk record which evokes times gone by wonderfully.  
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  • Dopesick said:
    Lots of good stuff came out last year but the latest Inter Arma album may have been top spot for me. Like a sludgy post-metal band covering Domination-era Morbid Angel.

    Also the latest Wilderun album is a work of genius if you enjoy epic, grandiose and somewhat quirky metal in the veins of BWP-era Opeth, Cardiacs and Devin Townsend.

    That's quite a coincidence, I've been listening to Wilderun just now after seeing it was Angry Metal Guy's album of 2019. A bit too much to take in at first listen..... sounds crazily epic but not sure if it's my kind of thing.

    It's hard to describe how some metal bands seem to hit the spot over others, despite being fairly similar.

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  • DopesickDopesick Frets: 1507
    @MagicPigDetective ; Yeah the Wilderun album is a mighty slab to digest. The first track though is almost flawless.
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  • Cult of Luna - Mariner 

    Mariner is not on apple music listening to their most recent album, A Dawn to Fear, it's  excellent.


    Mariner is all on youtube, but to be honest its worth just buying. Its incredible. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_O-NZfzvj0
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  • MagicPigDetectiveMagicPigDetective Frets: 2992
    edited January 2020
    I’ve tuned my guitar down to C# and set it up properly with heavier strings for the first time, loving it \||/

    I really like Kirk Windstein of Crowbar’s new solo album, a mix of sludgy riffs and reflective, atmospheric with clean guitars. Very good album. 
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  • ReverendReverend Frets: 4974
     
    I'd recommend checking out Wynterfelleth as well, another black metal band with a lot of medieval/Lord of the Rings feel.  Really works, superb band.

    Not what I was expecting but a nice surprise, their latest album is beautiful acoustic folk record which evokes times gone by wonderfully.  
    Chris is massively influenced by Drudkh who alsondid a folk album, although it is very melancholic 
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  • Reverend said:
     
    I'd recommend checking out Wynterfelleth as well, another black metal band with a lot of medieval/Lord of the Rings feel.  Really works, superb band.

    Not what I was expecting but a nice surprise, their latest album is beautiful acoustic folk record which evokes times gone by wonderfully.  
    Chris is massively influenced by Drudkh who alsondid a folk album, although it is very melancholic 

    Yeah really liking Drudhk with the shoegaze/post rock influences. I've concluded there is plenty of black metal out there of the more atmospheric variety that I'm into, but not really the full on stuff. And I'm trying to avoid music made by nazis or murderers! Thanks for the tips @Reverend
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