'Penumbra Diffuse' - Canvas Solaris (7/10)

'Penumbra Diffuse' comes hot on the heels of one of my favourite tech metal albums ever; 'Sublimation'. Throughout their career, Canvas Solaris have been incredibly consistent since their debut, each time pursuing a very cerebral brand of instrumental music, complex and rife with atmosphere. When compared to the album that came before it, 'Penumbra Diffuse' is a marked step towards favouring the atmospheric side of their work. Although not quite reaching the mind-boggling intensity of 'Sublimation', the greater variety of styles and dynamic is an effective development.

Having become quite familiar with the Canvas Solaris records 'Cortical Tectonics' and 'Sublimation', the technical prowess of the band is virtually taken for granted this time around. Of course, and as their labelled style might imply, the complexity of the music is its greatest selling point. Not only is the trio of Sapp, Simpkins and Ginn performing at the level of masters, but the compositions themselves enjoy a thick sense of composition and arrangement. Nathan Sapp's multi-disciplinary style of guitarwork is quick to alternate between rhythm and lead playing, and though the music feels chaotic at times, there is never a moment when the band is not performing in a meticulously pre-calculated unison. Although 'Penumbra Diffuse' will still come as a system shock to the uninitiated listener, the complexity itself has been toned down from 'Sublimation'. Instead of the endlessly perplexing mathematical sequences they went through there, Canvas Solaris have taken a more moderated approach with the use of 'atmosphere'. A fairly broad term yes, but one that seeks to encompass most of the fresh things the band are doing here. From acoustic guitar sections to harmonic explorations and keyboard textures, this exchange has brought them a more balanced sound, although I think I prefer the return to madness that the next album 'Cortical Tectonics'' sought to achieve.

It would be unfair to rate anything by Canvas Solaris less than an impressive score. Although the intensity of their compositions may vary slightly depending on the album, there's no denial that each musician is at the top of their class with their respective instruments. The only weakness- if you can call it one- that Canvas Solaris' music suffers from is its pure attention to the complex and mechanical, often coming off as cold on the emotional spectrum. As such, the awe and admiration I have for their music is tempered when part of me feels less than it should. Of course, taking into consideration the 'mission' of the band to create inhumanly complex music, it is clear that Canvas Solaris have chosen to take a path that most musicians would buckle and cower underneath. In the case of 'Penumbra Diffuse', the emphasis on atmosphere may not be quite as effective as the unrelenting metal attack of the album prior, but it does give a greater feeling that may have been missing from the band's earlier work.

'Visions Fugitives' - Mekong Delta (9/10)

Prior to the release of 'Visions Fugitives', MEKONG DELTA had been no stranger to classical music. Their style of thrashy progressive metal exuded the influence of many a composer, particularly those with a darker sound to their orchestral observations. When it came to actually performing classical music however, the band up to this point had more or less limited themselves to using neoclassical tricks within their metal context, even doing a cover or two. With that in mind, 'Visions Fugitives' and its centerpiece 'Suite For Group And Orchestra' was quite a long time in the making. Although some may go to criticize the band for never going as far as to use a real-life orchestra in its recording, few albums within the 'thrash metal' umbrella have engaged me so much. Throw in a few pieces of cerebral prog metal to flesh things out, and you have a piece of work that would make the old giants of progressive rock proud.

Although 'Suite For Group And Orchestra' is planted right in the middle of the album, there is still a clear division here between the ornate classical 'epic', and the more traditional songs. Like RUSH's '2112', or FATES WARNING's 'No Exit', MEKONG DELTA follow prog metal canon by giving listeners a clear cut of both gears, although every track on 'Visions Fugitives' falls firmly within progressive metal territory. As they have in the past, MEKONG DELTA shares the neighborhood with VOIVOD and WATCHTOWER, in that their brand of thrash favours the cerebral over the speedy riffage of many of their contemporaries. Besides band founder Ralph Hubert, MEKONG DELTA has been a revolving door of musicians since their inception, and 'Visions Fugitives' is no exception. Mark Kaye brings a guitar performance to the band that fits their mission statement like a glove, fusing technicality with the sort of frantic atmosphere MEKONG DELTA had been capitalizing on with prior records. As far as MEKONG DELTA's metal edge is concerned, Douglas Lee's vocals may be the most controversial aspect of the sound. Although the complex vocalizations at the end of 'Them' declare that he is definitely has the ear for singing, his vocals have a tone to them that would fit much more comfortably in prog rock rather than thrash. Fortunately, MEKONG DELTA's metal side is never far ahead of the 'prog', and his performance here works just as well for the context as Wolfgang Borgmann's did on their debut.

The classical aspect of 'Visions Fugitives' is without a doubt the most important part of the album. Though the four progressive metal songs are too worthy of being deemed masterful in their composition, 'Suite For Group And Orchestra' takes up a damned half of the record, and a listener's appreciation of the record will brink largely on their openness to heavy metal being crossbred with classical music so openly. Although classical music has been going steady with metal since the days of YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and even long before, it rarely gets to the point where the two sounds are mixed to the extent where neither is the dominant force. This is the case with 'Suite For Group And Orchestra', an elaborately composed twenty minute piece worthy of the highest commendation. Here, MEKONG DELTA mimic the atmosphere of Romantic-era classical music rather than the erudite complexity of composers before, the result being a piece with plenty of epic melody and variety, not to mention a fair deal of room for the band to incorporate their rock instruments into the fray. The soothing acoustic 'Introduction' leads into an eerie 'Preludium', complete with low horns and eerie bells to make it sound like something out of the haunted mansion in Super Mario Brothers. 'Dance' and 'Fugue' bring the piece into less frightening and more proggy, technical realms, often letting the band play powerfully without getting in the way of the orchestration. As far as the composition itself goes, it's remarkable to hear how many places both emotionally and sonically MEKONG DELTA can take a listener within a twenty minute period.

In terms of flaws, the use of a computerized, or 'fake' orchestra may not hurt the compositions or music, but there is always the feeling throughout listening to 'Visions Fugitives' that things could be even more impressive, had the band had the resources to make a full orchestral rendition of their music a reality. A less-than-excellent production quality carries over to the prog metal songs as well, with the vocals sounding somewhat muffled and less mixed than they rightfully should have been. None of these studio issues are ever enough to take away from the excellence of the band's 'vision' however; it might even be said that the muffled sound and artificial instruments even add to the atmosphere. MEKONG DELTA have long been one of the most engaging acts to come out of German thrash metal, and 'Visions Fugitives' sees them finally realize their dream of bringing classical music to the thrash realm. Even still, it feels as if this project left open room for improvement, but if MEKONG DELTA never tops the majesty they have created here, I won't be one to complain.

'The Jilemnice Occultist' - Master's Hammer (10/10)

The black metal 'golden age' of the early 1990's seems to almost exclusively inspire fans to think of Norway, with particular regards to the whole 'murder, church-burning, suicide' game of musical chairs that made the genre a seasonal favourite for media sensationalists, and a mark of concert for conservative Christian mothers worldwide. Of course, the appeal and mystique of black metal was by no means limited to Northern Europe, and as some might argue, it wasn't even the place where the best music was being made. Cut to what is now known as the Czech Republic; a band called MASTER'S HAMMER recorded their debut 'Ritual' in 1991, creating some well-deserved praise for a band that was doing some fairly sophisticated things with the then-youthful genre. By the next year however, much attention in black metal had scopes on Norway. Although 'The Jilemnice Occultist' (or 'Jilemnicky Okultista' in the original Czech) did not receive the degree of recognition and awe that it deserved, MASTER'S HAMMER took the style of black metal into progressive depths then yet unexplored by any others. 'The Jilemnice Occultist' is arguably the most accomplished black metal of its period, and even today holds the title for one of the most effective uses of keyboards in the style.

The band find their sound rooted in a meeting between thick VENOM sounding riffs, theatrical vocal work, and symphonic flourishes that many have tried to emulate, but none have managed to execute as well. The edge of the keyboards never attempts to mimic a full orchestra- something often doomed to fail within the context of a limited budget- instead, the keyboards are either used to provide spooky piano rolls over the guitars, or back up the guitars themselves to flesh out the rhythm. In taking their moderated approach with the keyboards, MASTER'S HAMMER evade the greatest fault I find with much symphonic metal, in that the keyboards will too often weaken the intensity of the guitar. Vlasta Voral's keyboard work is among the most distinctive aspects of the album however, and while it is primarily aimed to support the guitars, it adds a wholly new melodic dimension to the music that actually compliments the spooky occult atmosphere of the album. MASTER'S HAMMER's sound is incredibly vast for a black metal album released in this era, with the recording's only blight being the fairly weak sound of Mirek Valenta's drum kit. The musicianship itself is without weakness across the board, and though the songs themselves may not be as distinguishable as they are on MAYHEM's 'De Mysteriis,,,' record (this period's go-to black metal masterpiece) the songwriting on 'The Jilemnice Occultist' is remarkably consistent, although the second track 'Among The Hills, A Winding Way' may be my favourite cut off the record.

MASTER'S HAMMER hold alot of 'firsts' in black metal with 'The Jilemnice Occultist'. Most notably, this is the first time a black metal record was ever tied together with a storyline. Similar to KING DIAMOND's penchant for horror storytelling, the album has a plot where dark magic takes the centerstage, creating a complex tale that would not look out of place in Gothic horror canon. For better and worse, the lyrics are all rasped in the native Czech tongue, meaning that many English-inclined won't get to experience the storyline firsthand. Although this leaves many listeners to explore the storyline through online summaries and booklets, the phonetics of the Czech language sound absolutely diabolical when sung by Franta Storm. Although he already took his place as one of my favourite and most distinctive black metal vocalists with his powerful rasp on 'Ritual', 'The Jilemnice Occultist' has his vocals go wild, running from his traditionally dramatic and high-energy performance to griefridden sprechsegang that sometimes sounds like it could be Gollum shrieking. His very distinctive style may have some questioning whether they love it or hate it, but I can mention few black metal frontmen with such an eerie sound to their vocals.

The fuzzy classic metal riffs, ingenious symphonic touch and undeniable vocal brilliance of the band's frontman make 'The Jilemnice Occultist' still one of the greatest black metal albums even today. The band's debut had much of this same charm and occult atmosphere to it, but MASTER'S HAMMER's experimental risk here pays off in full. While the folks in Norway may have outshadowed the rest of the world with their antics, MASTER'S HAMMER matured the sound of black metal here to such an extent, that it would take other bands nary half a decade to catch up to them. A virtually flawless record.

'Youniverse' - Dynahead (6/10)

Along with their fellow countrymen in MINDFLOW, DYNAHEAD give me the impression that Brazil's progressive metal scene is one marked by the eclectic approach of its bands. This is not to say that this group contrasts polka-funk-ambient with metal and traditional gamelan instrumentation, but rather that they find influence from a number of different sounds within the progressive metal genre itself. Although one might like to think of 'prog' as something inherently forward-thinking, metal is one place where the sound is really showing its age, and it's almost canon nowadays for a new band to sound either like Dream Theater, Opeth, or- to a lesser frequency- Pain of Salvation. If it's any slight innovation, DYNAHEAD incorporate all three of those bands into their blend, and while this does make for a more interesting listen than another Dream Theater clone, nothing about DYNAHEAD's second album particularly excels.

Technically proficient musicianship is virtually a pre-requisite to be labelled a 'prog metal' band at this point, and that is something that DYNAHEAD do not fail to deliver. Thankfully, their music never devolves into an indulgent exploration of scales as at least one of their influences are infamous for, but DYNAHEAD demonstrate their talent within the confines of fairly concise songwriting. Although the band touches upon virtually every popular style of progressive metal, their compositions are built around a thick rhythm guitar. Reviews I have read of 'Youniverse' describe it as a thrashy guitar sound, but it's given a fair bit more restraint than that genre-tag might imply. Keeping in line with the band's metal sub-genre surfing, Caio Duarte's vocals tread the border as well, simultaneously melodic and gruff. During the closer 'Onset'- DYNAHEAD's grab at Opethian death metal- he even growls, and it actually tends to fit the band's dark style more than his conventional heavy metal vocals do.

Although DYNAHEAD emulate the OPETH sound best of all, that approach is fairly fleeting on 'Youniverse'. Djent, or 'the MESHUGGAH sound' is also dabbled with on songs like the particularly heavy 'My Replicator', and demonstrates a real promise for DYNAHEAD. However, in constantly comparing this band to others, it may also be implied that they are lacking an identity of their own, and this is where 'Youniverse' is truly held back. Although the band is graced with a tight performance and fair production standards, it's difficult to get an impression on what this band is about, even after several listens. The ground is fertile for something cool, but unless DYNAHEAD plants something firm, their potential will remain untapped.

'Where Distant Spirits Remain' - Falloch (7/10)

Much like Alcest, the pair of Scotsmen in Falloch are making a gateway to black metal. Much like marijuana and energy drinks can open up youngsters to drug addiction, and holding hands can lead to sex, the music that Falloch makes could very well lead some to the dark side. Although there are the blastbeats and tremolo picking that fans of the black metal genre might instantly cite as being indicative of their chosen genre, Falloch bring a much easier sound to bear. Although 'Where Distant Spirits Remain' might lack the pleasant challenge that much post-black metal aims to offer, Falloch have crafted a tasteful journey that provides a perfect opportunity for people who don't like the 'growls' in extreme metal to enjoy some of its beauty.

Back to the concept of being a 'gateway band', I remember a few years ago hearing an album called 'Blackwater Park' from a pack of obscure Swedes, and it changed my life. Before then, I had not been able to appreciate growls or 'screaming' as an enjoyable source of expression. However, it only took one experience and hearing the growls mixed with such coherent beauty to change my mind. I feel that this is much the same opportunity that Falloch offers on 'Where Distant Spirits Remain', although they are seeking to give people a step inside the world of black metal. Andy Marshall's vocals are almost entirely clean, with a real focus on melody that one rarely sees in this style. Besides that, Falloch falls firmly within the sort of post-black metal we have been seeing lots of in recent years. Alcest, Agalloch, or Primordial would all make for decent comparisons; although the clean vocals do earn them a small step apart from most black metal, the work as a whole does not feel all that different from what's been done before.

When I first heard 'Where Distant Spirits Remain' last year upon its release, I remember raising an eyebrow at the name and general aesthetic of the band, thinking them a shameless bandwaggoner on the success that Agalloch has recently achieved. On top of that, Marshall's vocals felt brittle and lacked the sort of power that would have sold me on the cleans- an issue I still have with the album. Although it may have taken me a year to get off the high horse and revisit it favourably, many of my gripes still exist to some extent. The music is a crisp take on atmospheric post-black metal, with the occasional Celtic instrument thrown in there to mixed results. Falloch's instrumentation treads the worn path, but the quality of the performance, and- above all- the melodies brings it to life. The epic climax to 'Where We Believe' captivates me each time with its cinematic flow and grandeur. The closer 'Solace' feels like a bit of an afterthought, but it makes for a beautiful piano piece, set to some fitting rain samples.

Although this last criticism is coming from a fairly seasoned black metal listener, Falloch's music is perhaps less interesting than it should be, if only because it implores nothing of the listener. There is no challenge in this string of pleasant-sounding ideas. From start to finish, Falloch create a convincing mesh of post rock and melodic black metal that's downright beautiful when the mood is right. It's not among the top tier of recent black metal output, but for someone who has always wanted to experience the vast atmosphere and emotional power of black metal without caring too much for the vocals, this album is a dream come true.