A taste of DIR EN GREY's "DIFFERENT SENSE"! [PV]

Should've posted this a week ago. If only I didn't get hooked on watching Bleach. Anyway, "DIFFERENT SENSE" review coming soon!

ENJOY!

εpsilon - Blood Stain Child full-length

Yeah baby, that's smexy... but that's just half of it....

TRACKLIST:
01. SIRIUS VI
02. FOREVER FREE
03. STARGAZER
04. S.O.P.H.I.A
05. Unlimited Alchemist
06. ELECTRICITY
07. ETERNAL
08. MOON LIGHT WAVE
09. Dedicated to VIOLATOR
10. Merry-Go-Round
11. La+
12. SAI-KA-NO
13. VOID dmn-str. remix


[DOWNLOAD LINKS BELOW THE POST]


(WRITER’S NOTE: I have done this review days beforehand. Even before I got hooked on watching Bleach.)


I remembered checking a YouTube video before, featuring recommended melodeath (that’s “melodic death” for you fools out there) bands… and I saw Blood Stain Child (which will be referred to as “BSC” for the following times I’m going to say it), with their song “Truth” (from “Idolator”, their third album), if I’m not mistaken. From that day on, the band has earned them a fan in me. What’s with them, you say? Obsolete people like you might not know this but as far as I know, they’re the only melodeath metal band that incorporated elements of techno. Yes, “melodeath trance metal”. You should hear it for yourself (and you don’t need to like it, but I do like it, at least).

...And here's the album art... All of it.

From “Silence of Northern Hell”, when they sounded a la Bodom; to “Mystic Your Heart”, which sounded much like Western melodeath copycat dashed with trance; to “Idolator” and “Mozaiq”, both of which sounded as if they have an entirely different identity, I listened to (and I liked those albums). Even though “Mozaiq” is an inferior knock-off compared to “Idolator”. Now with their new album, “εpsilon” (NOTE: never spelt with a regular ‘E’, remember that!), I would call this new shift in sound as:


“extreme trance metal”


Yes, I know there’s no such thing/word/term, so I made up my own. Got a problem with that?


“You’re nothing but a poseur now, La:morT. Can’t you see that they have sold out, and in a very bad way? Just the thought of ‘extreme trance metal’ makes me puke my guts… bleagh!!!” Heard me say that I only listen to metal and nothing else? No, so screw yourself. Oh, and by the way, BSC did a good job in making this (although not that exceptional).


Let’s see what’s with their new album now… hmm…


Clear production? Check.
BSC melodeath riffs? Check, albeit in reduced amounts (not to mention that some of them are “recycled”).
Ryo’s screams? They’re back, since Sadew’s in the band no more. Besides, I liked Ryo’s more.
Techno-ness? BIG CHECK. Actually, most of the songs here are keyboard-driven, like “SIRIUS VI” and “STARGAZER” although songs like “Unlimited Alchemy” and “MOON LIGHT WAVE” still have more melodeath that BSC used to play a lot of.

Really gives off techno feel. NICE...

What’s really new is something very obvious. ‘Cause if it ain’t, it’s either you haven’t heard of their old stuff, or you’re just totally deaf, and in that case you shouldn’t be reading my review anymore. Muttering words aside, the new thing that I was talking about a while ago is Sophia’s singing. What else could be obviously new here?! Her alto singing complements BSC’s new direction. It’s just wonderful, in a very sweet way or something.


“How about the songs, La:morT!? Get on to them already!” Sheesh, as if I don’t know that. Just stop hurrying me and you better read instead of babbling gibberish around.


Hmm, songs in the album, eh? Let’s start with the songs I don’t like much, three of them, if that’s alright, which I’m sure will be alright with you people since you’re the ones reading (and I’m the one writing). It’s not that I really dislike these songs. It’s just that they sound totally out of place. First off is “Dedicated to VIOLATOR”, which has a happy pop-techno-rock feel slathered all over it featuring Sophia’s vocals all over (if you won’t count the backing vocals done by Ryo). We have “Merry-Go-Round” as the next song. A less cheerful version of the previous song infected with a bit of the usual BSC elements (melodeath elements), which is the very reason why I don’t know what I really feel about this song.

“I thought there’s a third song?” Of course there is, you’re just hurrying me up. Again.

Blood Stain Child - SIRIUS VI (NEW SONG!)

The last one is (obviously) “SAI-KA-NO”, a soft and slow outro to the album. Again, no songs (except “Merry-Go-Round”, which I have mixed feelings about) are necessarily bad, just out of place, for most part.


“How about the songs you like, La:morT?” Yes, yes… as if I don’t know that…


What I really like in this album are the first three songs. “SIRIUS VI” shows the band’s new direction, probably the way they want it, resulting to “extreme trance metal”, and the same I could also say to “FOREVER FREE”. Although it sounds more melancholic and more guitar-driven, I think that both songs are great songs of their own right. “STARGAZER” meanwhile, is not only the first song devoid of any “metallisms” (or whatever you would call “metal elements” in just one word), but it is also the first solo performance by Sophia on the lead vocals. Hearing it for the first time, I thought that it was epic, although I think it’s just cool now. Not as epic, but still awesome.


Other awesome songs include “Unlimited Alchemist” and “ETERNAL”. With a vibe akin to their former albums (especially “Idolator”), it again highlights “extreme trance metal”, with (more or less) both the guitars and keyboards driving the song together. Another one is “ELECTRICITY”, which is also devoid of any “metallisms” (almost), though one can’t deny it has rock elements dashed over it, and although less epic than “STARGAZER”, it still is undeniably cool. Last one probably is “La+”, which, again, has a vibe close to their former albums (although this one has a sound closer to “Mozaiq”). Moreover, it displays BSC’s new sound (prolly no need to mention it repeatedly), just like “Unlimited Alchemist” and “ETERNAL”, with more guitar play this time.


This album really gave me a hard time. It’s been very hard to review and decide upon their new material. Anyway, it’s been fun listening to “εpsilon” (again, never spelt with a regular ‘E’), minus a few recycled riffs and poppy-ness. I don’t want to say who should listen to their new album or what, just give the album a try if… my description of it appeals you. Otherwise, you’re a hopeless prick. Get outta here, then.

7 Death skulls out of 10

Norther - Circle Regenerated full-length

Nice skull on the cover... if they ever get hydrocephalus, that is. 

TRACKLIST:
01. Through It All
02. The Hate I Bear
03. Truth
04. Some Day
05. Break Myself Away
06. Believe
07. Falling
08. We Do Not Care
09. The Last Time
10. Closing In


[DOWNLOAD LINKS BELOW THE POST]


Today, we’ll be reviewing one of the releases I have been anticipating for months, which is Norther’s “Circle Regenerated”


“La:morT, why review it only now?! Why not earlier?! ‘Cause it’s been two months since it was released!”


I know, I know… wherever that shitty complaint is coming from, like the album being released last April 2011 and the review, only now (June 2011, to be more specific). If you’re thinking why have I done the review only now (hoping that such isn’t the case), you better start realizing that their new album sucked, real bad.


Try giving me only three words to describe the album and it would be like this:


“sonic iron maiden”
No, not the band, I meant the torture device, dammit!

Six heads still ain't better than one.

Why is such, you fools might ask? To start it all off, I can’t even bear to finish the album from start to finish in just one sitting (which made me listen to the album in two parts just to have my sanity intact). Most of us (‘cause there are still idiots thinking otherwise) know that “Till Death Unites Us” and “N” are lackluster albums, but this one’s just… bleagh!


“Oh really, La:morT? Then you’re being so narrow-minded because you said this album sucks.” You’re just being yourself: someone very stupid. Since you have an IQ of an imbecile, let me tell you why this piece of plastic is worth no more than a dog’s substitute for a Frisbee.

You might say that the production’s crystal clear, but the songwriting is nothing short of an abomination. Sure, the instrument’s execution might be solid, and the tracks might have its moments (in songs like “We Do Not Care” and “Falling”). Unfortunately, these are nothing more than moments. And unfortunately (again), it’s as repetitive as your fucking daily routine of smoking cigarettes (seriously, get a life!). Even though The intros of both songs “Falling” and “Break Myself Away” sound miles away from each other, but basically their songs sound all the same. With that said, I like some of the guitar solos. ONLY SOME OF IT.

Norther - Break Myself Away

But what made this album worse are Aleksi’s vocals. No, not the growls, even though:
1) his performance on Imperanon was way better than this one, and
2) a lot more aspiring Norther vocalists did a better job in covering the song “Frozen Angel” than him.


What else am I speaking about but his singing, of course! His singing is, obviously trying hard compared to Kride’s touching, baritone voice. Let’s try not to compare, shall we? Then let’s hear some of their new songs. First, we have here “Through It All”, which first sounded like a casual Norther song, of course. Drums pummeling, guitars riffing, bass plucking, vocals growling (or maybe screaming, I dunno anymore) and then… he sings! Sounds cheesy, huh? How about “Break Myself Away”? CHEESIER. Again, his voice is not entirely to be blamed here; it’s the song composition. It always sucked in this album, and probably on the next one, and the next one, and the next one…


Oh crap, I’m getting as boring and as bland as this album I’m reviewing. You better not buy this CD unless it’s cheaper than a Frisbee (or any other Frisbee substitute), then! And if you want to listen to the album, remember downloading. We don’t live in caves anymore, my dear readers. And… could I stop speaking about this filth now?

3 Death Skulls out of 10

The Black Dahlia Murder - Ritual full-length

I have nothing to say but... just listen!!!

TRACKLIST:

01. A Shrine To Madness
02. Moonlight Equilibrium
03. On Stirring Seas Of Salted Blood
04. Conspiring With The Damned
05. The Window
06. Carbonized In Cruciform
07. Den Of The Picquerist
08. Malenchanments Of The Necrosphere
09. The Grave Robber's Work
10. The Raven
11. Great Burning Nullifier
12. Blood In The Ink


[DOWNLOAD LINKS BELOW THE POST]


Oh, The Black Dahlia Murder… one of my favorite bands to bang my head to a hard cement wall on (and watch my forehead bleed like a river). Their official preview song “Moonlight Equilibrium” excited me (more like eargasm); it featured new elements (for them, at least) on the song and of course, it had a different overall vibe. Most of all, they sounded more like death metal and less of what a douchebag metalhead had told you: “No way man, The Black Dahlia Murder is deathcore! Like uh… chicken shit!”


If their earlier albums “Nocturnal” and “Deflorate” showed us that they’re not deathcore chicken shit, “Ritual” probably shows us (or me, at least!) their worthiness in the death metal realm. Oh, I think I’m hearing things from you like:


“Oh no La:morT… is this album another “Nocturnal”? ‘Cause “Deflorate” is!” I know, and we all know perhaps, that “Deflorate” sounds like “Nocturnal”, but “Ritual”? OH, PLEASE… get a life, boy.

And I’ll tell you why “Ritual” is on a different league compared to their previous albums, and of course to your “deathcore chicken shit”!

The Black Dahlia Murder "Moonlight Equilibrium"

Just like what I said a while ago, the album has a brand new, different vibe, even though they still play their instruments like they played it before. The production crystal clear, the drums still beat like a maniac, the guitars… still have a lot of “triples” in it, and of course Trevor’s vocals. Some say it sucks balls (especially his highs) but I think otherwise. I think they’re awesome, and perhaps an iconic and a very memorable element of their songs. Besides that, he has used his lows more frequently, balancing each other’s use. Now that’s so not “Nocturnal” (wherein his highs are the main feature), right?


Remember that I said that this album sounds different than “Nocturnal” and “Deflorate”? Of course you do, though I can’t promise you that much has changed, which is actually good. If you expect them to have a radical change, are you then expecting them to play some opera? Get outta here.

About as macabre as it gets. Ouija board a bonus for those who'll get the limited edition.

”Oh no, did I hear something like, “change in The Black Dahlia Murder’s music”!? I smell the scent to sell-out road again!” You’re speaking things again. Get real.

Anyway, to start all this “different vibe’ thing, I should probably mention that “A Shrine to Madness” kicks ass. It just sounds so macabre for a TBDM song, come on! And a forty second symphonic (though faint) intro? Now that’s new from them, and to finish the album off, they also have “Blood in the Ink”, also featuring some symphonic/atmospheric elements, and fortunately, not in the intro. Come on, you listen somewhere from the middle of the song to the outro and you better hear some of that running along the music.


Of course, you can’t expect symphony and/or atmosphere again, or else we’ll have an inferior Septicflesh rip-off… only on speed. So they have other new elements in store for us listeners and especially for their fans, like…


A mid-paced death metal song!


Yeah, you heard that right, a mid-paced death metal song, which came in the form of “On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood”


“Did I just hear SALTED BLOOD?!” Yes, you got that right. I know it’s utterly nothing but weirdness in six words, and also a new take on the band’s sound. They’ve done it right actually, with the growls taking on the spotlight. What a brilliant idea making straight-up death metal… TBDM style!

Even thogh the album's awesome, please... ditch the glasses,.

Probably two songs worth mentioning are “The Window” and “Carbonized in Cruciform”, since the two songs demonstrate what else but, more new elements! The first song featuring an intro a la “typical screamo song”, which maybe is a bummer to you, but don’t worry! It’s much of a song fairly reminiscent of their former stuff (like “A Grave Robber’s Work” and “Den of the Piquerist”), only more sinister (in sound, of course). And the other song, “Carbonized in Cruciform”, is the only song in this album to feature acoustic guitars (albeit little).


“Acoustic guitars in a TBDM song? SELL-OUT!” You better start listening to the song now. And hey, it also has black metal influence, at least as far as I can hear.


This album can’t be perfect, right? Uh-huh, that’s right, unfortunately, though there are only two things that destroyed my desire for more “Ritual”.


First is the part when “Conspiring with the Damned” and “Malenchanments of the Necrosphere” slowed down, in the middle of the song. It sounds nothing short of being out of place, nothing more. Second is that it has 12 tracks. You might say that at least I, as a fan, got more of The Black Dahlia Murder. Unfortunately, it’s more of an overdose to me, or even an overkill, and it just kills me. They should’ve kept the album to ten tracks, if you ask me.


In all fairness, this is much like an excellent change in the band’s sound, and the best part is, the change is not that much. I could say, since I’m trying to end the review and all, that they’ve matured as a band but that’s too much a cliché (and most likely used by 9 out of 10 douchebag album reviewers). And besides, I might add to the notion they’ve *gasp* sold out already, where in fact, they haven’t, even a bit! So if you like their previous albums, you’re gonna like this one too. If you like this kind of music that TBDM plays (read the whole review to find out), you better listen to this. Right. Now.

8 Death skulls out of 10

A taste of ChthoniC's "Takao"! (MV)

Should've posted this a WEEK ago. SHIT. oh yeah, very orient sound. Nice...

ENJOY!

Another taste of DIR EN GREY's "DIFFERENT SENSE"! (15 secs teaser)

Now that I think about it, "DIFFERENT SENSE" might turn out to be a good song after all! And a good PV to match! Yeah baby, Diru FTW!

ENJOY!

deafheaven - Roads to Judah

Saw someone's blog saying the cover's like FFVI's Terra.

TRACKLIST:
01. Violet
02. Language Games
03. Unrequited
04. Tunnel of Trees


[DOWNLOAD LINKS BELOW THE POST]


Let me mention some black metal bands from different countries before I start my review. Just to name some of them, we have Gorgoroth, Mayhem, Beherit, Marduk and Watain. See what they have in common? Besides playing black metal, that is.


Corpsepaint? Check.
Spikes? Check again.
Super black clothing? Another check.
Stage names? Yet another check, even though it’s not really a necessity nowadays.


Now look at this band from America, deafheaven (yep, that’s spelled with a small “d” as far as I know), and tell me what kind of a band they are.

NOW LET YOUR EYES BE THE JUDGE. 

I remembered asking my friend about this, and judging their looks, they seem to play something close to classical or alternative rock, or maybe even punk rock. As for me, they seem to play pop punk music a la Boys Like Girls. Geez, and Metal Archives even said that they play black metal. Is this what a black metal musician supposed to look like!? Just look at them, they look no more than hipsters jumping their brains out!


“Can’t you just get to the point, La:mort!? You keep on bashing them solely based on their looks and do nothing else!” Sheesh, such impatience I smell! I know what I’m supposed to do since I’ve done this way before!


Now to the review, then. The music, as expected, isn’t anything new. Although they play something closer to post-black metal than traditional black metal, typical black metal elements are still here.


Raspy screams? Check.
Blast beats and tremolo picking? Check.
Minimalist music? Check again.
Unclean production? Check yet again.


Oh, did I say “unclean production”?! Oh, yes I did, though not in a ”kvlt” sense. What do you think the production is, as crisp as a bag of Lays!? No, this is black metal, baby, BLACK METAL. With that said, you are supposed to expect a drum-centric production, and hear blast beats. Unfortunately, after putting high-priority on the drums while on the mix, the bass became invisible, and the guitars buried with the vocals… and this became the sound of the overall music: VERY THIN.

To make up for that, the music is simply wonderful, making you feel light, like having an out-of-body experience. It isn’t like you’re usual black metal that sounds ghastly and just plain evil, it’s something that makes you feel that you’ve transcended, even though you’re just no more than a sneaky little devil. With that wonderful description said, I don’t know, really, what is the first four minutes of the album for (the ones you hear on “Violet”). It sounds nothing more than a jamming session, but at least it got the atmosphere right for the listener.

Deafheaven - Language Games

At least I’ve seen in this album that hipsters can play decent black metal. Yeah, don’t judge these guys simply because they wear V-neck shirts and all. Though not excellent to the core, this is one heck of a start for them. It’s something more than music; it’s more like a journey itself.

7 Death skulls out of 10

XodiacK - "DaN" single (more like a mini-album)

The music's nice but the cover...? bleh...

TRACKLIST:
01. -Fall down Deprival-
02. Deprival and Naturally
03. Silence Mind
04. Meteoroid


[DOWNLOAD LINKS BELOW THE POST]


Last time, I asked if you have heard about DEATHGAZE (my review HERE). I’m sure, being the VK (it’s Visual Kei for you fools out there) fan you are that you have heard of them. But how about XodiacK? Heard of them? Poor you, if you haven’t! Formed in 2008, XodiacK originally consisted of Eros (vocals), Hizuki, Agito (both on guitars), Yahiro (bass) and Chiri (drums) with their music dubbed (by them, of course) “galaxy metal”. Quite a good description, since listening to them makes you feel like you’re floating aimlessly in space (at least for me it is). But then, the latter 4 “reached the end of their tenure, withdrew from XodiacK and went back to their prior human form” (in short, they returned to their lame old selves), so they were replaced by Masa (guitars), Yamihito (bass) and Kaede (drums).


“That’s enough storytelling now, La:morT! You’re being lame again!” People like these… Puh-lease…

From L to R: Kaede, Masa, Eros, Yamihito

Honestly speaking, “DaN” feels less of a “galaxy metal” release compared to their first full-length. The good thing (at least for me) is that it has more metal, more metal than their first full-length. Take “Meteoroid” as an example (actually the best example in this case). Albeit starting with electronic samples, you’ll hear nothing else but riffs, which are nothing short of being death metal (except for a few chugging riffs); pummeling drums (though repetitive, it suits the song overall); and Eros’ grunts (at least until the song is about to end), which have improved, being lower (in pitch!) and more powerful. Yeah, that’s how I like it. Remember that I said that you’ll hear only Eros’ grunts “at least until the song is about to end”? Yep, that’s right. Eros’ finally sang something (with his sexy singing voice) before the song ends, ending the vocals wail (together of course with the pummeling drums and the crushing riff). The result: EPICNESS.

Now, you may think that since the album’s more metal, it now lacks melody. Sorry, wrong again. Now take "Silence Mind" as an example, which is, again, the best example in this case. With a memorable melody, it features (you guessed it right) Eros' sexy singing voice throughout the song (almost, if you could consider the ones about at the end of the song as "screams", which I do not). With its powerful chorus (which also served as an intro) and its mellow verses, together they paved the way to another awesome song to rock ourselves to courtesy of XodiacK (AKA a modern classic).

XodiacK Deprival and Naturally

Oh I almost forgot, last but certainly not the least, "Deprival and Naturally"! Probably the meaning behind DaN, which is the single's title, if you haven't noticed the title above. The song, if I were to consider it, is more melodic than melodeath, but nevertheless extreme in its own right, since it features more of the band's extreme side, though (like all their other songs) it features (AGAIN) Eros' sexy singing vocals. I don't know what's with the guy's vocals, but all I know is that it sounds extraordinary. Got to hear it yourself to believe it.

"La:morT! You haven't told us about the last track!" It's nothing special of an intro track anyway. Just some heavy-metal-turned-to-electronic music. Well... unless you consider the fact that it paved the way for the next song, then it's nothing out of the ordinary.

Overall, their new single with the new line-up is awesome. Once again they showed that they're capable indeed of making heavy music even though they look like pretty boys (especially Eros). Consider this as a preview to their next full-length. 

8 Death skulls out of 10