Kev Rowland The Meads of Asphodel was a project conceived by singer Metatron in 1998, and over the years they have been through some different line-ups but they he is currently joined by J.D Tait (guitars, vocals, keyboards, bass) and André Kjelbergvik Thung (drums). They also include multiple guest musicians of whom the most well-known is Hawkwind’s Alan Davey who plays bass on four numbers. Musically it is all over the place, mostly in a good way, mixing genres in a way I don’t think I’ve ever heard before. The result is an album which I honestly can’t imagine anyone saying they really enjoy every song, I know I don’t. I have real issues with “I Stood Tiptoe, Reaching Up For Heaven”. They obviously thought it was a great idea to play news clips of discussions on ISIS, terrorism, people being killed, Jimmy Saville, all with a laugh track over the top. From there they move into a dance track which just doesn’t interest me whatsoever.

The band are one of the very few I have seen who have a mission statement on their website, which reads “Experimental extreme metal band The Meads of Asphodel believe in all peoples right to live in peace, free from the shackles of inflicted dogma & servitude”. One has to agree with that statement, and there are undoubtedly some interesting songs on this album for fans of Hawkwind, Robert Calvert and the idiosyncrasies of GWAR, but the humour and approach is not something I can come to terms with.

UMUR "Sonderkommando" is the 5th full-length studio album by UK progressive extreme metal act The Meads of Asphodel. The album was released through Candlelight Records in April 2013.

The Meads of Asphodel are one of those rare acts that you can´t really put a label on because of their eclectic and adventurous nature. The music on "Sonderkommando" is somewhat rooted in black metal but throughout the 70:26 minutes long album, the band take the music into all sorts of different directions and as a listener you never really know what comes next. The only act I can think of who do something similar are Sigh and their progressive way of playing black metal. The Meads of Asphodel take it a bit further though and at times the humour on the album is really silly in an almost Monty Python fashion. I believe idiosyncratic is the word I´m looking for to describe the atmosphere surrounding "Sonderkommando". Songtitles like "Send My Love to Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz" and "The Mussulmans Wander Through the Infernal Whirling Fires Amongst Silent Shadows to be Fed Into the Thirsting Jaws of a Godless Death Machine to Cough Up Their Souls to the Nazi Moloch Who Sits Within a Ring of Smoking Infant Skulls" should also give you a good indication that this isn´t your everyday "evil" black metal release.

That´s of course no surprise if you are already familiar with earlier releases by The Meads of Asphodel. I know I cracked a smile more than once while listening to "The Murder of Jesus The Jew (2010)", when I reviewed it a few years back. Compared to that album "Sonderkommando" is slightly better produced, which makes it a more satisfying sonic experience than it´s predecessor was. The odd nature of the band´s music is intact though. As an example just take the 12:21 minutes long opening title track, which starts with a sample of Hitler's speech on January 30th 1939 at Krolloper, then goes into a laid back and mellow Pink Floyd type section with clean singing and about midway through erupts in black metal rawness. And that´s just the half of it. "Sonderkommando" is a really adventurous album all the way through.

Especially their raw sections are sometimes a bit too simple and not that inspired, and the rather distinct sounding raw vocals are bound to be an aquired taste, but whenever they venture into progressive territories and apply their odd humour to the output I´m pretty much sold to their original sound. I guess "The Murder of Jesus The Jew (2010)" caught me completely off guard and therefore my rating of that album was partially affected in a postitive direction by the surprise element. Overall "Sonderkommando" might actually be a stronger album than "The Murder of Jesus The Jew (2010)", but for me the surprise element isn´t there and that´s despite the band´s many adventurous ideas, and my rating is as a consequence slightly lower for "Sonderkommando" than it was for "The Murder of Jesus The Jew (2010)". A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "The Murder of Jesus The Jew" is the 4th full-length studio album by UK experimental extreme metal act The Meads of Asphodel. The album was released in November 2010 by Candlelight Records.

Let me start by saying that this is a very unconventional extreme metal album and I don´t think I´ve yet heard anything quite like it. The music is rooted in black metal but aside from a few raw black metal parts here and there, I wouldn´t call the music black metal at all. I´m stressing this because the band is often labelled avant garde black metal, and I think that might give a wrong impression of how this album sounds. The avant garde part is true to some extent though. In addition to the few black metal and avant garde elements on the album you´ll also be exposed to experimental progressive metal, symphonic sections, folky sections, even a punk section too in "Man From Kerioth" and a crazy concept story about, Oh well you guessed it: "The Murder of Jesus The Jew". There´s a strong comedy element on the album not unlike the weird humour of Monty Python ( when they start talking about "Genital Warts" I´m choking with laughter) and there are several similarities between the concept on this album and "The Life of Brian". Actually also musically. Take a listen to the middle part of "Addicted to God" to see what I mean. So put aside all expectations of an "evil" sounding extreme metal album. This one is sure to leave you with a high spirit and a smile on your face.

It´s not a flawless album though and I have to admit it´s taken me a while to fully appreciate the album and also to get through the 63:42 minutes of playing time. First of all the production is a bit thin and not always professional sounding. Some of the ideas in the songs aren´t always presented in the most tasteful manner either but there´s an irresistible charm to the proceedings that makes up for some of the shortcomings. Take a listen to the varied vocal delivery as an example of something that really works well on the album. While most vocals on the album are delivered in a raw semi-growling style ( easily decipherable) there are both raspy black metal type vocals and some really skillfully executed clean vocal parts too. Actually the latter style vocal delivery impress me a lot. The above mentioned middle part of "Addicted to God" with it´s call and response and multi harmony vocals really made me listen a bit more closely to the album.

So all in all a very intriguing album that I can safely say greatly surprised me. I was a bit reluctant towards the album to start with but it´s grown on me and still does. If you want to listen to something that´s definitely not in the book, I can recommend a purchase of "The Murder of Jesus The Jew". A 3.5 - 4 star rating is deserved. I´m gonna go with a full 4 star rating though as I think bold experimentation and innovation deserves recognision.