Burzum-Belus

I have written a review about the new Burzum record! For all the people who are interested in it just fallow this LINK

Thanks for your attention!

–innerwille

Burzum news!

After 11 years Burzum is finally coming back with a new record called Belus in March 2010. After Varg Vikernes: “The album has been made according to my heart and spirit, and not to fit into any particular genre or category, or to live up to anyone’s obvious expectations”. Furthermore Varg says on his official homepage: “My ambition with “Belus” is to create something I – and hopefully others too – can listen to for years and years to come without ever growing tired of it, and at the same time to share with my audience the experience of getting to know Belus, as he might have been perceived by the ancient Europeans”.

Well let´s hope and wait until the 8th March 2010 when Belus is going to be released. Everybody who can´t wait ´til this date CLICK HERE to pre-listen to segments of the new songs and !HERE! you get the tracklist and the lyrics from Belus in Norwegian, German and French.
For me, so far, the music sounds like a mixture of Darkthrone an Emperor an I am really looking forward to Morgenroede and Belus’ Tilbakekomst (Konklusjon) which I hope are going to be more like Post Black Metal.

When the record is released MFG is surely going to do a review about it, so be prepared for the comeback of the year!

Brothers In Arms DM Night pt.II @ Vastavirta (Tampere)

While most of the other exchange students stayed in the common room drinking and got ready for a big party night in a club here in Tampere I decided to go to a “little” concert.

Concert startet at 22:00, I started at aroud 9:45 and I had no clue where the venue was. So after 3 km of walking through the darkness of Tampere with my map in my hand I finally found the bar. I was a bit too late that´s why I only saw Blood Stained playing their last song. I really can´t say anything about the band only that their looks reminded me of Nergal from Behemoth dressed up like a captain.

After the break of 10 mintues it was Deviant Tactics´ time! They immediately gave 100%. The musicingredients were basically modern Math Death and Melodic Thrash Metal mixed with a nice fingertip of Grindcore. They acted real professional and I was really impressed by their clean sound (believe me I have been to a lot of modern Metal gigs and the sound sucked over 3/4 of the time!).

The vocalist was a bit overacting for my share but this doesn´t mean that it didn´t fit to the music. Jyri has a real diversified voice and was acting like a real mad, made real weird faces and hammered the mic against his bold head! As I said, for me personally it was too much but it fitted to the music! The rest of the band was playing really tight and precise and they sounded 100 times more brutal on stage (without a key and more grind vocals!) than on myspace/record which I think is always speaking for a band!

After this gig it was backstage time and it was the guys from Deviant Tactics´fault to let me in. We buttered the walls with butter (hehe) spoke about music, penises, sperm sauce on tortillas and I was missing the last band: The Jassar Arafats.

After the gig than we took a taxi to the centre of Tampere where we had another few more beers, fiiiishis (or something like that) and pizza!

I don´t know at what time I exactly went home but it was late. Thx for one of my best evening in Tampere so far! Keep on going with your music, hope to see you again guys!

Blood Stained
Deviant Tactics
The jasser Arafats

-innerwille-

(V.E.G.A) – Alienforest-A Sick Mind’s Hologram

Der Metal an sich, wenn wir ihn uns als Lebewesen vorstellen, ist ständig auf der Flucht vor sich selbst. Die ständige Angst vor zu viel Routine, Kommerzialisierung  und Teenie-Fans treibt ihn an und lässt immer bizarrere und extremere Formen und Mutationen entstehen. Der Black Metal ist längst von den oben genannten Alterungserscheinungen eingeholt worden, und so verwundert es kaum dass sich in dem einstigen König der Extreme einige Bands tummeln, die krampfhaft versuchen ihrem großen Bruder zu zeigen was Extrem wirklich ist!

Eine dieser Bands ist das italienische Trio (V.E.G.A) welche sich Experimentellen Industrial Black Metal auf die Fahne geschrieben haben. Würde ich jetzt an ihrer Stelle diesen Bericht lesen, hätte ich bereits unlängst weitergeklickt denn Experimentell steht für mich meistens für desorganisierten Lärm ohne Kopf und Schwanz daher eher zur Vergewaltigung der 50 Euro Desktop-Boxen dient. Doch hier ein großes Lob an “Alienforest”, man hat mir gezeigt dass Experimentell durchaus zu Gefallen weiß! Versteht mich jetzt allerdings nicht falsch: ihr werdet “Alienforest” nicht beim ersten Anspielen mögen, dafür ist die CD zu facettenreich und anspruchsvoll. Wer gar glaubt er könne mal so zwischendurch rein hören, wird kaum auf einen grünen Zweig kommen.

Große Worte, doch wie kann man sich (V.E.G.A) nun in etwa vorstellen. Ich greife zu Veranschaulichung zu einigermaßen bekannten Vergleichen: Akira Yamaoka, verantwortlich für den Soundtrack der Silent Hill Reihe, trifft auf 1349, und beide koksen sich die Rübe weg!  “Alienforest” besteht zu etwa einem Drittel aus Noise, Darkwave und verstörenden Selbstgesprächen, der Rest ist depressiv angehauchter Black Metal. Könnt ihr mit etwas von beidem nichts anfange, dann ist jetzt der Zeitpunkt wegzuklicken, denn nur die Mischung macht’s. Atmosphäre ist hier alles denn (V.E.G.A) versteht es euch in ihrer verstörten Welt gefangen zu nehmen und erst nach fast 2 Stunden wieder freizulassen, verwirrt aber durchaus befriedigt!

Auf einzelne Songs einzugehen bringt an dieser Stelle nicht viel, “Alienforest” ist ein Gesamt-Kunstwerk!  Das Intro “Willkommen” gehört allerdings in meinen Augen(/Ohren) zu den furchteinflößendsten Audiodateien dies es je auf eine Platte geschafft haben!  Eine definitive Note kann und will ich an dieser Stelle noch nicht abgeben!

Tendenz: 8-9/10

Myspace

Metal-Archives

Last-FM (All tracks in Full-Length for streaming)

Bloodbath – The Fathomless Mastery (2008)

The all-star Death Metal band Bloodbath has finally released their newest record: “The Fathomless Mastery”. The 2008 line-up is as follows: Mikael Åkerfeldt (Vocals), Anders ‘Blakkheim’ Nyström (Guitar), Jonas Renkse (Bass), Per ‘Sodomizer’ Eriksson (Guitar), Martin ‘Axe’ Axenrot (Drums). (Dan Swanö left the band in 2006 due to internal differences)

Concerning the sound, the band introduces (more or less) subtle changes. They still stick to their roots of swedish Death Metal but present it in a fresh and modern way. You have to give the record some spins in the CD player to grasp the entire morbid beauty of this sinister piece of art. Speaking of “morbid”: Morbid Angel fans will definitely recognize a lot of tribute parts to the veteran masters of the Death Metal genre (e.g. the track “Mock The Cross”).

I cannot spot a single weak song on this record, they are all rock solid compositions with some exceptionally awesome tracks sticking out! For example: “At The Behest Of Their Death”, “Iesous” and “Hades Rising” (These are the ones popping to my mind right away but that does not mean that the rest is less annihilating!). Songwriting alternates between Blakkheim, Sodomizer and Renkse with Åkerfeldt’s vocals perfectly embodying the baleful message of the lyrical theme (Which has not changed and is still a huge middle finger directed towards christian beliefs :> ). Åkerfeldt once again assures me that he is the perfect match for the band and will forever be one of my all-time favorite Death Metal vocalists. The flawless guitar, bass and drum play in its entirety is combined with a top-notch production, which further supports the bleak atmosphere, sheer brutality, stomping groove and pulverizing changes in tempo!

The record “grows” during every listening session! It’s angry, it’s sinister, it’s crushing, it’s beautiful! My personal No.1 album this year!

9/10

Bördi

Amon Amarth – Twilight Of The Thunder God (2008)

Sharpen your axe and grab your shield! Amon Amarth are once again setting sail for distant shores and will remain victorious even against overwhelming odds!

As expected, the 10 songs on the new record are epic! Although the band does not leave their musical path, they sound fresh and powerful. Combined with a bombastic production you get a hell of a ride throughout the whole disc!

I’ll keep this review short and clear: It’s a must buy for fans and highly recommended for everybody else who ever wanted to hear Amon Amarth in top form!

Ragnarök awaits!

8.5/10

Bördi

Metallica – Death Magnetic (2008)

It’s hard, it’s very hard to review „Death Magnetic“. My heart says: “Wow I like that record, the riffs are cool and there are some really nice guitar solos”, but my head says”Man this is Metallica, why is it such a surprise when they are playing solos and cool riffs? You only like it because St.Anger was so bad…” So I needed to take a decision and, I decided to listen to my heart (how sweet^^). Kill me now but: I LIKE DEATH MAGNETIC. In my opinion, Metallica is back. Not back in the 80’s but back in an entertaining and listenable form. “Not very hard after St.Anger”, you will say. Yes, St.Anger was bullshit, but Death Magnetic isn’t only a simple amend, it’s more.

I don’t want to discuss again about the fact that Metallica is dead since the “Black Album”…that discussion is so old and everything is said. “Death Magnetic” isn’t a second “Master of Puppets”, “Death Magnetic” is “Death Magnetic”. Yes it has some references to some older songs (The Day that never comes -> One…) but how I already said, you don’t need to make any comparisons to the past, “Death Magnetic” works on its own.

Well yes, no doubt, “Death Magnetic” is far away from being perfect: the drums are weak and even some times really boring and annoying, James Hetfield still isn’t a great singer and the songwriting isn’t as surprising and complex as a “Four Horsemen” but if that’s what you are searching for, it’s quite funny that you read the review till here.

So why do I like “Death Magnetic”? I’ll make it quick and simple: I like the sound of the guitars, the songwriting is the best since “Black Album” (I have to stop making comparisons) and, hell yeah, I like the guitar solos. Just listen the beginning of the “Unforgiven”-Solo…wow.

Conclusion: It will be loved and it will be hated. “Death Magnetic” is a modern (Thrash)-Rock-Metal release, by four metal-grand-pas who are doing what they want. I hated “St.Anger”, I like “Death Magnetic” and YOU will need to listen to a few tracks to make your own choice!

Best Tracks: The Day that never comes, All Nightmare long, Cyanide
Disappointment: The Unforgiven III, My Apocalypse

 

7/10

SvArt

Wacken Open Air – Review Part 2

Here’s our second part of the Wacken Open Air 2008 Review, featuring live-reviews of Primordial, Cynic and Ensiferum

Primordial: Well, 11:30 is a very unthankful time when you are playing on a festival. Those who aren’t still sleeping are tired, in a bed temper or fighting against their huge headache (probably with more alcohol). But someone needs to start the second day of the festival, and that’s a job for the Irish Folk Black Metal Band Primordial.
In 2007, Primordial released “To the Nameless Dead”, an atmospheric monster album which became very fast one of my favorite CD’s in my collection. The show started on time in front of the small stage (Party Stage…or Wet Stage, I don’t know anymore), and, hell yeah, Nemtheanga (singer), surely knows how to motivate the crowd in front of him. This guy definitely has a lot of charisma and his way to interact with the crowd was the main reason why the crowd woke up so fast that day.
Starting with the great “Empire Falls”, Primordial played a lot of songs from the latest release (“As Rome burns”, Heathen Tribes”). Nemtheanga’s remarkable voice, a good assortment of songs and an interested crowd made this gig an emotional and unforgettable event for me. Definitely one of the best metal acts I’ve ever seen!

Cynic: I’ll make it quick: this gig was not that great. Responsible for my disappointment wasn’t the band but the typically Open-Air-Sound. Cynic, with 2 “Death” members, was one of the most innovative Technical Death Metal bands in the early 90’s, and I really enjoyed “Focus”, but unfortunately their typical sound didn’t work at Wacken. The guitar sound was awful, not differantiated enough and too much in the background (the same for the “clean” electro vocals), the drums too loud and it all sounded a little bit like a robot orgy (exaggeration). I prefer to listen to Cynic on my IPod…or in a concert hall. Good Band, bad gig. Oh yeah by the way some good news: Cynic are recording (after 15 years) a new album).

Ensiferum: To be honest, I was in a very bad mood while that gig. You know, that typical festival-hangover…but I’ll try to be objective: in fact, the sound was, surprise surprise, quite mediocre, espacially if you were standing like me, very far from the stage (too crowded). But Ensiferum did a good job, they played a lot of songs from the new record, unfortunately not that much from Iron (in my eyes their best album). Great are those moments where the crowd sings along with the singer those low notes (you know, those “Whuooooohohoooohooo” parts). Bad mood, good band, nice atmosphere = felicitous gig. I’m looking forward to see them again live!

The third part of our Wacken Review will feature the Opeth gig, and my second personal favorite: Gorgoroth. Furthermore we will arrive to a conclusion if Wacken 2008 was a good festival…or not.

Nailed – Hatred, Failure & The Extinction of Mankind (2008)

Nailed play brutal Death Metal with slightly Melodic elements. Well I guess I have just lost 90% of my readers by now. Anyway, Nailed is the kind of band which brings nothing new to the genre. Really nothing. Less technical than Nile, less extreme than Cannibal Corpse or Deicide, not as groovy as Grave: Nailed is strongly influenced by the pioneers of the genre but never reach their level. So, during half an hour, your ears will be served some ordinary Death.

A die-hard Death Metal fan will surely, after having given a listen to “Hatred, Failure & The Extinction of Mankind” (Original, isn’t it?), like this alvum, yeah, even love it if he is desperately in need for new stuff for his ears. The songs are straightforward, fairly well-produced (I personnaly had a problem with the way the drums were sounding, though. I would have wished them more at the foreground, and with less emphasis at the cymbals), and the instrumentalists are skilled enough to churn out some good Death Metal riffs. The songs are often held in a fast tempo, with some heavy mid-tempo parts. The growler is really unintersting. He’s just there to growl in an unextraordinary way.

Maybe I am too severe with these guys, but I have already heard lots of Death Metal albums and this one doesn’t stand out from the rest. For fans only.

5/10

Black Wizard

Wacken Open Air 2008 – Review Part 1

The Wacken Open Air 2008 festival took place three weeks ago (N.B.: W:O:A 2009 X-Mas tickets are already sold out!) and the village of Wacken has returned to everyday life again. Here on MFG it’s time to write down a review of what we have witnessed during those 3 days of pure northern Heavy Metal.

Today we will start with Iron Maiden, Obituary, Carcass and At the Gates. Part 2 will contain Primordial, Gorgoroth and Ensiferum.  The final part will be about organization, food, camping-grounds and maybe a photo gallery.

Please note that there have been nearly 100 bands playing at Wacken, so we haven’t been able to attend every single one of them. Especially since the MFG crew likes to drink and party hard! 🙂

Iron Maiden… Well, I have bittersweet feelings about this gig. Needless to say, the concert itself was superb! (as all Iron Maiden concerts I suppose) They’re gods on stage. Bruce Dickinson is still in perfect shape, singing, running and jumping around like a young lad in his twenties. Doubting the skill of any band member would be simply out of place. They played mostly hits from their eighties period: “The Number Of The Beast” (of course), “Hallowed Be Thy Name”, “Two Minutes To Midnight”, “The Trooper”, “Aces High”, the 13-minute long “Rime Of The Ancient Mariner” (!) but also“Fear Of The Dark”. These classic tunes still sound fresh, although fans of their recent works may have been slightly disappointed since they didn’t play any songs from their new albums.

The BIG disappointment however, was not Iron Maiden but the HUGE CROWD. We were lucky to find a place not too far away from the stage but a lot of people couldn’t even enter the festival area! The result was that we didn’t have a chance to catch even a glimpse of what was happening on stage and had to content ourselves with the large screens to get an idea of the visual aspect…

Obituary played a consistent but not all too original gig. “Find The Arise”, “Slowly We Rot”, “Threatening Skies” and more of their classic songs could convince the fans, but for someone who listens to them only occasionally (like me), the songs got pretty repetitive after a while. Still, I’m glad to have seen one of the Death Metal pioneers at least once in my life.

Carcass played a legendary concert. I couldn’t identify all the songs of their play list though, since I’m not perfectly familiar with their complete works. But “Incarnated Solvent Abuse” was definitely on that list, with Angela Gossow suddenly showing up and taking over vocal duties during that song. Jeff Walker, Carcass’ frontman, spoke a lot between each song and didn’t hesitate to put some extra layers of fine English humor (“In fact, we still hate Arch Enemy” after Angela had returned backstage)

After Iron Maiden, At The Gates was the band I was most looking forward to. And I was not disappointed. I think they played the whole “Slaughter Of The Soul” album, plus some older classics like “Terminal Spirit Disease” and “Kingdom Come”. An audio-orgasm for anyone who claims to be a melodic death metal fan.

(End of Part 1)

Black Wizard & SvArt