Metal Music Reviews from Prog Geo

AGALLOCH Marrow of the Spirit

Album · 2010 · Black Metal

3.98 | 25 ratings

A good returning!I was waiting for a new album from Agalloch because it's my 2nd favorite band.When I learned that they will release new album I was very happy.Of course,I had the belief that it will be very good.Well,finally I am satisfied with the album but not so much.The production is good but low.But I appreciate that they wanted to have a real and physical sound in their production and not the “perfect”modern metal production with the triggers as they say.For sure this album is more different than the previous.It's more varied(there are elements of doom metal,black metal,post rock,krautrock and folk).It has a strange aura and atmosphere.It's more haunting.The melancholic introduction of the album with the composition of Jackie Perez Gratz of Grayceon is splendid.Fantastic cello playing!

This cover is one of the bleakest covers that I have ever seen.Fantastic winter landscape!

The key songs of the album are The watcher's monolith(pessimism and nostalgia),Black lake Nidstang(7:22-8:42 superb dirge) and Ghosts of the midwinter fires(00:01-02:51 a more positive introduction but the end of the song is desperate).

An album that a music appreciator will listen to it.

My grade:7,8/10

1 year ago
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Report #238847

SENSUAL NOISE Chasing Swans

Album · 2010 · Sludge/Post-metal

4.00 | 2 ratings

Prog Geo

Another great obscure european post metal album and band!This time I say it for the belgian post metal band Sensual noise.I had a good feeling before I listened to this album.And I was right!They have written good compositions.An album with good riffs,rhythms,ambiences and vocals.Mostly I like the screams.I don't like so much the clean vocals here because are very typical and they're not so clean.Generally this album is a little bit typical of the genre again.There's a little focus on drum rhythms and I like that.I mean that the production has focused on the drum sound(but it's a superb production in general).

I like the beach with the cloudy weather on the artwork.The melancholic and the filled with misery compositions describe it well.

The key songs of the album are Step into motion(00:01-00:55(great moment)),Red pelican black cat(nice title and 00:01-00:58(fantastic moment too)and Battle of the ants(the drum introduction is good and then when the nostalgic riff's turn comes(this riff can make you cry).

A must-album for the post metallers!These belgians prove that european post metal lives.

My grade:8/10

1 year ago
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Report #238838

IMMORTAL Sons of Northern Darkness

Album · 2002 · Black Metal

4.41 | 17 ratings

Prog Geo

I have spent many hours listening to this album.It was I think the first Immortal album that I bought and listened to.I love it!I consider it a classic!A very frozen album.It has the northern pride(like all the albums of Immortal).It's fast,angry,atmospheric in some moments and iced.Abbath has done the best vocals here in my opinion.Iscariah plays well.Horgh proves for another time that is a great drummer.This album has some fantastic riffs that they will stuck in your head.

My favorite tracks are:One by one(dynamic beginning with blastbeats),Sons of northern darkness(a great black/thrash track),Demonium(maybe my favorite track from the album,mindblowing and really dark and when Abbath says "The demonium"is just splendid)and In my kingdom cold(power and pride)

A must-have for the black metallers.A must-listen for metallers.A black metal diamond!

My grade:8/10

1 year ago
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Report #232605

DYSTOPIA Dystopia

Album · 2008 · Sludge/Post-metal

4.00 | 2 ratings

Prog Geo

A sludge metal gem!When I listened to the debut album of Dystopia for first time I said "This is an album that I must find and buy it".I'm very happy that I managed to learn this band.I enjoyed this album.I wait to release their second album.This album has the rage of punk,very heavy guitars and noise(a little bit,that's why is a sludge album).But also has some blastbeats and death metal vocals.It's an anti-american album.Other lyrical themes are misanthropy and drugs.Dino Sommese's screams are amazing(reminds me a little bit the screams of Stephen O' Malley(but less extreme))!It's a typical sludge metal album but I believe that this one is unique.

My favorite tracks are:Now and forever(great beginning),Control-alt-delete,Illusion of love(Carcinogen)(my most favorite,a fantastic sludge-death metal track)and Number one hypocrite(rage)

I recommend it to all metallers.A must-listen album!

My grade:7,8/10

1 year ago
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Report #232604

OCTOBER TIDE Rain Without End

Album · 1997 · Doom Metal

4.05 | 3 ratings

Prog Geo

Outstanding album!The band-continuation of old Katatonia.All the tracks are splendid.The guitars are mourning perfectly.You'll find big amount of inspiration here.There are only two members.Jonas Renkse - Vocals(amazing performance)and Drums and Fredrik Norrman - Guitars and Bass.The lyrical themes are isolation,misery,depression and despair.The whole album has growls except Losing tomorrow(gothic vocals in Robert Smith's(The cure)vein).In the remastered version(Dan Swano has remastered it)there are keyboard and various effects by Morion and violin by Christer Aberg.

The artwork(remastered version)is perfect.A great description of the title of the album.It shows an old man outside of his wooden house(near the sea and it's on the grass)with a stone base and the clouds are very grey(and close to the ground)and it's raining.

My favorite tracks are:12 days of rain(wonderful beginning),Ephemeral(it expresses right this feeling,my favorite track),All painted cold,Losing tomorrow(gothic/doom track) and Infinite submission(just awesome,my 2nd favorite track)

An appropriate album for melancholic metallers(not only).A doom/death metal gem!

My grade:8/10

1 year ago
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Report #232220

AYREON 01011001

Album · 2008 · Progressive Metal

4.31 | 40 ratings

Prog Geo

Great album!Here Arjen Lucassen continued the space/futuristic concept.This album is about the end of the world.What can I say for this album?Fantastic compositions/ideas,vocalists,lyrics and instrumentalists.There's a big variety in music.Metal,classical,folk,electronic and opera.The music is calm,angry,positive,negative,heavy,operatic e.t.c.There are two sides(2 cds).The Y side and the Earth side.

The artwork is fantastic!Very sci-fi influenced and describes very well the concept.

My favorite tracks are:The Y side:Age of shadows(great beginning,wonderful vocals by Jonas renkse and Anneke Giersbergen in We are forever,2nd favorite track),Comatose,Liquid eternity,Beneath the waves(sad and strange feeling) and Ride the comet.The Earth side:The fifth extinction(Great heavy metal scream by Jorn Lande),Waking dreams(great vocal performance by Jonas renkse and again),Unnatural selection(positive spirit) and The sixth extinction(great growls by Jonas Renkse and a terrific ending).

My favorite vocalists are:Jonas Renkse(my most favorite),Daniel Gildenlow,Jorn Lande and Anneke Giersbergen.

For all music lovers.A musical gem!You must hear this album!

My grade:8,8/10

1 year ago
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Report #232212

EDGE OF SANITY Crimson

Album · 1996 · Death Metal

4.53 | 57 ratings

Prog Geo

Fantastic album!One of my favorite albums.Extreme prog metal at its best!This album contains only one song(40 minutes).The members are:Dan Swano:Guitars,keyboards,clean and death metal vocals,Andreas Axelsson:Guitar,Sami Nerberg:Guitar,Anders Lindberg:Bass guitar,Benny Larsson:Drums and Inspiration and the guests are:Anders Mareby:Electric Cello(great solo) and Mikael Akerfeldt:Lead guitar(fantastic solo)and screams(perfect performance).There are great ideas which are repeated because the story changes its chapters.Here we have prog rock,gothic metal,death/black metal,folk elements and some electronic elements.

The artwork is like a comic's cover.It shows the Queen(the main character of the story)closed in a crimson cage.Also there are some faces on the cage(and the place that there's the cage and the other cages with another queens(I think)is made of stone(it's like a cave's room)) which look like totem faces.

My most favorite parts except from all the album and Dan Swano's performance are:the vocals and the guitar solo of Mikael Akerfeldt,the cello solo of Anders Mareby,the dynamic beginning and the folk-style singing(which reminds me a little the greek traditional songs)which there is almost two minutes before the end of the song.

I recommend it to all open-minded music fans because it's not for everyone.A metal gem and not only!

My grade:8,5/10

1 year ago
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Report #232195

INVERACITY Extermination of Millions

Album · 2007 · Death Metal

4.00 | 1 rating

Prog Geo

Killer album!I'm glad that this band is from my country.Because this band is one of the best bands in death metal.Unique band!Also this album is considered almost a death metal classic.Fantastic heavy riffs by Antonis,perfect deep growling by George(without the help of a machine),Fantastic drumming by Vangelis and nice bass playin by John.The lyrical themes are termination,violence,hate,total destruction and brutality.Some of their influences are Cannibal corpse,Deicide and Malevolent creation.They managed to create a great american death metal album.

My favorite tracks are:Exposing the semihumans(very dynamic beginning),Visions of coming apocalypse(great single),Extermination of millions(nice title track),Behind the walls of derangement(nice death metal breakdowns),Era of submission(the main riff is awesome,reminds me a song by Decapitated),Raped(nice re-recording) and Before the uncreation(great slowly rotting track)

A must-have for every metalhead.A death metal gem!Take it a listen!It worths.

My grade:8/10

1 year ago
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Report #232185

KATATONIA Night Is the New Day

Album · 2009 · Doom Metal

4.08 | 17 ratings

Prog Geo

One of the best albums of 2009!Also one of my favorite albums.This is the most progressive album of Katatonia.Mikael Akerfeldt enjoyed it very much.Finally his comments weren't excessive.The album has post rock influences(and not only),fantastic compositions,wonderful vocals by Jonas Renkse and nice lyrics.The lyrical themes are misery,sadness,despair and realisation for the end of the world.Also from the title you can see that Katatonia see the blackier future to come.

The artwork is fantastic!The female angel statue and the grey-black background describes perfectly the atmosphere of the album.

My favorite tracks are:The longest year(the good single),Onward into battle,Liberation,Nephilim(death),New night,Inheritance(wonderful classical introduction),Day and then the shade(Opeth time) and the bonus track Ashen(fantastic track,I believe that should be in the tracklist)

An album for all metallers and all music lovers.A must-have album.I'm sure that you'll enjoy it if you heard it.

My grade:9/10

1 year ago
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Report #232184

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM Diadem of 12 Stars

Album · 2006 · Black Metal

3.21 | 11 ratings

Prog Geo

Good album!I'm a fan of the band but I try to be fair.The sound isn't so good.But it doesn't have a demo's sound.It has a medium sound.There are interesting ideas.Some moments the album is monotonous but in the black metal way.So,it didn't bother me so much.The music is sad,depressive and ethereal.The vocals of Dino Sommese and Jamie Myers(wonderful soft vocals)are great.

The artwork is great.These trees on the rocks is great image.And very nature-friendly.

My favorite track is (A shimmering radiance)Diadem of 12 stars because it contains and it has all the elements of the album together.

This album isn't for everyone.Mostly,it's good for fans of this genre.But it's an interesting album.I believe that there's a small amount of hope inside here.

My grade:7/10

1 year ago
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Report #232180

OPETH Watershed

Album · 2008 · Progressive Metal

3.81 | 71 ratings

Prog Geo

I think that most people will consider this album the most progressive from Opeth.It doesn't look me strange.Because there are classical instruments and not only the metal instrumentation.There is a jazzy/funky moment(the lotus eater)too.The variety exists.My favorite tracks are:Coil(a wonderful acoustic/folk song with nathalie lorichs),Heir apparent(heavy track with a great melodic ending.maybe the 2nd best track),The lotus eater(very progressive for the reason I said at the beginning),Burden(a very nice ballad in the vein of scorpions or nazareth) and Hessian peel(the best track).There are less death metal vocals but the reason is that sometimes don't fit with the lyrics.But generally in this album Akerfeldt has achieved a high level to his vocals.

The artwork is mysterious but very good.The man at the image looks to be a poet.Or a man that he writes on his diary.

There's no need to say again that especially this album is a must-have for music lovers.I believe that can appeal many listeners.Because it's progressive enough for the past of the band.In 2011 I feel that will come a bigger wave of progress in Opeth's music.

My grade:8,7/10

1 year ago
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Report #231634

OPETH Still Life

Album · 1999 · Progressive Metal

4.45 | 106 ratings

Prog Geo

Ok,this is my favorite album!It's a masterpiece!The concept is splendid!That's a story about a banned love in middle ages.The music has beautiful and right changes((I mean that they exist in the appropriate moments),(It's melancholic,very aggressive,violent,jazzy e.t.c))!The vocals are perfect(as always)!

I don't have favourite tracks for this album because I like all the album.Of course I separate The moor,godhead's lament,moonlapse vertigo,serenity painted death(the best track of the album and generally my favorite track from Opeth)and white cluster.

The artwork is so fantastic!The mourning woman with the cross behind her and the red fondo fit perfectly!!

I challenge everyone to listen to this album.I believe that is a must-have for every music admirer and appreciator.Because it isn't death metal with splatter.It's progressive death metal with meaning.

My grade:10/10(it can be excessive but I love this album)

1 year ago
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Report #231596

IHSAHN After

Album · 2010 · Progressive Metal

3.97 | 28 ratings

Prog Geo

I would say that angL is my favorite album(because of Unhealer).But this album is the best for me(and my favorite).Because is more progressive and the Akerfeldt's influence on Ihsahn's vocals is here.Ihsahn's vocals are peaceful and soft.His screams is characteristic and unique.There are very good riffs(on 8-string guitar!),nice acoustic parts and wonderful saxophone playing by Jurgen Munkeby.

The artwork is mysterious but very good.I think that symbolises the afterlife.But I'm not sure.

My favorite tracks are:The barren lands(my 3rd favorite track),After,Undercurrent,Austere(my 2nd favorite track),On the shores(my favorite track,it has great sad saxophone leads).

This album is an extreme prog metal gem!Maybe the screams will bother some people.But I recommend it to all music fans.

My grade:10/10

1 year ago
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Report #231576

DEVIN TOWNSEND Ziltoid the Omniscient

Album · 2007 · Progressive Metal

4.48 | 65 ratings

Prog Geo

This is an amazing album!I like the concept.It's humorous and dreamy.Devin Townsend has the acting ability in a good level.There is a variety in music.It's atmospheric,calm,angry,fast e.t.c.My favorite tracks are:Zto(good introduction),By your command(Great beginning of the album.Very dynamic.),Hyperdrive(I like more this version),Planet smasher(funny and destructive),Color your world(maybe the best track),The greys(haunted)and Tall latte(because the listener realizes that all this,it's a dream of a clerk that he works in coffee shop).I like this abrupt return from space to reality.The only disadvantage of the album is that there is a drum machine(of Fredrik Thordendal(not of tomas haake) from Meshuggah).I recommend this album for every music lover.My grade:8/10

1 year ago
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Report #231426

ORIGIN Antithesis

Album · 2008 · Death Metal

3.84 | 4 ratings

Prog Geo

Fantastic album!This album has 3 basic elements:aggression,technicality(I don't like that so much) and chaos(like in all albums of Origin).James Lee's vocals are great!(I think better than the previous albums).Paul Ryan's,Jeremy Turner's and Mike Flores's screams add a more aggressive feeling to the album.The members are extremely virtuosic with their instruments(as I said before,I don't like technicality in music).There are some great riffs and breakdowns.John Longstreth's drumming is awesome(as always).He uses some gravity rolls/blasts(jazz blast beats,he is famous for this fact).

Maybe the artwork is inspired by Aliens.Nice cover!It shows well the meaning of the title.Generally the covers of Origin have sci-fi/space influences.

My favorite tracks are:The aftermath,Consuming misery(for the word "misery"),Wrath of Vishnu(indian anger),Finite(I understand why this is the single of the album)and Antithesis.

If you are a death metal fan you must hear this album.Also for every metalhead this album is appropriate.

My grade:8/10