Summing up the 2013...

Here's my very subjective list containing my favourite albums of the last year. Those albums are really great in my opinion - I'm sure I will be enjoying them for many, many years!
By the way - I'm sure that there are propably still some great albums that I haven't listen to, but as for this moment my favs are:

Caladan Brood

'Echeos of Battle'

A very cool debut. Caladan Brood is hailing from States and playing epic/atmospheric black metal. Fans of old Summoning and epicness in music in general - this music is made particulary for You!

Read a review here (by the way - it is my first review ever done. Please be understanding).

You can also read an interview with a band here.

Carpe Noctem 

'In Terra Profugus'

Another great debut album. Carpe Noctem, an icelandic black metal band, had recorded an insane music. Pure insanity in a form of sonic landscape... Fans of extremity should appreciate much this release.

Read a review here and the interview with a band here.

 

Darkthrone

'The Underground Resistance'

Well, this band doesn't need any introduction, does it? In my opinion 'The Underground Resistance' is another good move in Darkthrone's 'career'. A very good example how the passion can e forged into a great songs.

There is no review yet - it's a bit embarrasing, but I started to listen to this album very late. Yet you can expect some of my thoughts about it soon!

Falkenbach

'Asa'

Many people were complaining that Vatyas has again recorded the same music. But since I am a great fan of Falkenbach, I must say that I feel perfectly OK with that. 'Asa' is a great album that I will be surely torturing for a very long time!

Read a review here.

Rotting Christ

'Κατά τον δαίμονα εαυτού'

Generally speaking there are two types of Rotting Christ fans - those who are spitting on the new albums and keep being kvlt and trve, and those who enjoy new stuff anyway. I defenitely belong to the latter category. In my opinion Greeks recorded great album, much better than a bit boring 'Aealo'.

Read my review here.

Summoning

'Old Mornings Dawn'

Yeah, I know that many fans are complaining about new Summoning releases. 'Too modern they are' - say ones. 'Too sweet it is' - say others. Personally I don't care. Beside a terrible intro I worship this album - and I return to it veeery often. One of the most important albums of 2013 for me.

Read my review here and the interview with whole band here.

The Flight of Sleipnir

'Saga'

Those Americans know how to create an awesome mix of doom/stoner/viking metal with some acoustic motifs. A very original piece of music, sadly I have a feeling that it's at the same time very underrated.

My review is here.

You can also read what the band have to say about their work - here. 

Daemonia Nymphe

'Psychostasia'

And now some of neofolk albums that I was enjoying in last year. 'Psychostasia' is a first of them. It's onirique, ethereal atmosphere and the lyrics based on old, greek hymns hailing ancient gods creates a fantastic music. Everyone who had never heard it - it's time to correct this mistake!

Read a review here.

Wardruna

'Runaljod - Yggdrassil'

And last but not least - Wardruna. Everybody who had heard this album knows how fantastic it is. A norse folklore, runes and shamanistic rituals - that are the key-words. 'Yggdrasil' is a great, spiritual journey through the meaning of norse runes deep into your soul (how poetic I am by the way).

Read my review here.

Maras - "Mienje Na Svetcite" (2012)

Maras

"Mienje Na Svetcite"

[Self-released]

2012

OK, this review will be short, because "Mienje Na Svetcite" is just a single with only one track. It was recorded by macedonian band Maras - you must admit that it sounds kinda exotic, huh?

The music bases here on slow, guts crushing doom riffs with black metal feeling and very condensed, stifling production. One of the better elements here is surely a vocalist - the guy is spitting out deep, stertorous growls like some possessed demon (yeah, I know, veeeery original comparison). The music sounds quite powerful, and later it turns into a bit cacophonous-tribal areas. That's because of traditional balcan instrument - zurla - which creates very strange, disturbing atmosphere. If you can't imagine it you should know that it sounds similar to what you could hear on Rotting Christ's last albums (I mean this kind of trombone). The whole composition creates quite an interesting atmosphere. It works very well in a small dose of single, yet I am a bit affraid that in the long run of LP it could be tiring.

And that's it. You can check for yourself if this track is worth your attention or not. Personally I liked "Mienje..." well enough to wait for the upcoming full-lenght album (coming soon at the beginning of 2014).

Rate: 7/10

Vladyka

Click here to download the official single for free from Bandcamp.

Official single on Youtube:  

Rotting Christ - Κατά τον δαίμονα εαυτού (2013)

Rotting Christ 

Κατά τον δαίμονα εαυτού 

Season of Mist

2013

The previous album of this greek kommando was a big disappointment for me. It had many great riffs, but arranged in such a... Modern way that I really felt that they were extremely fucked up. It simply lost it's power thanks to that. Happily the new opus Κατά τον δαίμονα εαυτού is much better.
First of all the band came to their senses and once again recorded riffs with no strange arrangment. Thanks to that this release is more similar to "Theogonia" and some previous works. Just listen to the opening track "Xibalba" and you will understand how powerfull is the new material! Extremely fast tempos with massive sound goes into calmer, more ritualistic atmosphere. I don't like most of the "modern" metal productions, but in some way it fits pretty good for this band. Even a sound of drums is not as plastic and irritating as on "Theogonia", so no objections here. The riffing is very characteristic for this band - melodic, yet without no doubt still very extreme. And I must say that the vocals of Sakis are as wine - the older the better hehe.
The occult atmosphere is present in every song - it is created mainly by choirs and sometimes some weird style of singing ("Iwa Voodoo"). It sounds unique, really, 'cuz I don't know many bands that use traditional greek music in their music. So this is in plus. The peculiar track is "Grandis Spiritus Diavolos" with lyrics written in latin and choir singing for almost all the song. It even doesn't sounds dark or obscure just... Peculiar indeed. Also on the album we can find one song which is completely from the outside of metal world - a cover of traditional romanian song Cine Iubeste Si Lasa. This song is very dark itself, but arranged with the usage of piano and electric guitar sounds even more haunted... I could write here more about every song, but I think you already got the proper impression that I worship those tunes? Yeah, this album really seems to haven't even a single weak song. Sure, some of them are more listenable than the others, but taking it all together the album is a pure musical masterpiece. It kicks ass when it is suppossed to do it, and it hypnotize you from time to time with outstanding, unique climate...
So generally speaking the diversity of this album is something that I really enjoy, because I can listen to it replay after replay without being bored. But I can't stand only one thing. Each song tells a story (or is inspired) by many pagan cultures, from many places of the world and scattered widely in time. Sorry to say, but for me it doesn't make any sense. I understand to use the symbols of max two different cultures, but we've got here slavic demon Rusalka, Voodoo religion, Mayan underworlds, persian Ahura Mazda etc. I was wondering if I should reduce the rating, because it's really annoying when you can't identigy yourself with the lyrics. But I decided not to do it - after all the music is very smartly arranged and it is quite homogenous. So I leave for everyone if it's good or not. Beside the lyrics the album is really outstanding and defenitely worth you attention.

Rate: 9/10
Vladyka

A videoclip for "666":

Tracklist:

1. In Yumen - Xibalba

2. P'unchaw kachun - Tuta kachun

3. Grandis Spiritus Diavolos

4. Κατά τον δαίμονα του εαυτού 

5. Cine iubeşte şi lasă 

6. Iwa voodoo

7. Gilgameš 

8. Русалка 

9. Ahura Mazdā-Aŋra Mainiuu 

10. 666