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?
Comments
https://youtu.be/9mZKpJPTbf8
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
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!
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
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.
Rolo Tomassi - Time Will Die And Love Will Bury It
Cult of Luna - Mariner
are both astoundingly good records
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?
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_O-NZfzvj0
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.
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