Reviews
First contact with Misty Valley, an Athens - based outfit. Their musical directions focus in the early to middle 70’s with a more up to date production. In these four tracks, the boys unfold their blues influences, using blues forms with the guitar and bass in a leading role. Speaking of blues – rock, the lyrical themes couldn’t stray far from the opposite sex. Their compositions aren’t complex which makes the demo easy listening.
\r\nFor those who may not be aware of the band Elvira Madigan, it is one-man band and behind the whole thing is Marcus Hammarström. He manages everything on his own, from guitars, bass, vocals and drums, to layout and production. Essentially he presents us his personal vision through his music which is based on black metal paths, filtered with abundant haunting keyboard parts and samples that give theatricality and lyricism to such degree that they actually differentiate from the boundaries of one and unique musical scene.
\r\nOh my Goodness!!! Ι Cant stand such an amount of pain today… So here we have a group from Spain, Embellish and the CD I got in my hands is the re release of their debut album “Black Tears And Deep Songs For The Lost Lovers” plus some two re recordings and a videoclip.
I have to admit that I’m not the biggest fan of Lacrimas Profundere, but I consider their first three efforts “...And the Wings Embraced Us” , “La Naissance D’un Rêve”, and “Memorandum” as very good albums. But after the hearing of “Burning: A Wish” the band left me completely untouched.
\r\nI thought that since it’s summertime this album this would be a good chance to “slow down” a bit and relax while listening to something based on Rock paths. Well, it did take much effort before realizing that my estimation regarding the Rock term regarding this album was wrong. This kind of Rock, the Pop-rock with an essence of Hard Rock gets on my nerves. Some bands are trying to sound “fresh” and modern, while differentiating their style from what was established years ago as Rock, which at the end results in making you want to turn the Cd Player off.
There are not enough words to describe the British masters of Funeral Doom (Death / Doom). The only thing I can say after the hearing of “The Maniacal Vale” is that Esoteric have returned, so progressive, chaotic, misanthropic and twisted as never before. If “Epistemological Despondency” has been considered as their top moment by their fans, during the hearing of “The Maniacal Vale” they may change their minds.
Why God, Why? … Another female fronted Finnish band… Yup, you are right, operatic vocals and a la malmsteen arrangements with useless almsot boring keyboards on the background. The same old stuff and to be more accurate the same boring old stuff.
Allright… here we got a Demo Cd from Italy. I d rather not discuss anything about Italian Doom Metal because I could talk about it for days and days, so just cut into the chase.
It took three years for the continuing of “Wolf’s Return” by the Swedish Grand Magus. Grand Magus is a heavy metal outfit with heavy mind blowing riffing and mid tempo compositions. With their latest effort “Iron Will” the band owns also some “more epic” feeling, which in specific parts reminds the feeling of Doomsword.
I m starting to lose the counting of Ritchie’s works with Blackmore’s Night. I can’t remember the amount of the album they have released so far, the only thing I remember is that the first two albums were really something very descent, but now they seem to repeat themselves in a pop / rock ethnic subculture. “Mediocre” is the word that can really describe their releases and some of them lacks of dignity. The reason is simple, Ritchie does not compose anymore, and just re arranges classic Rainbow and Purple songs ready to be butchered by Mrs Candice.