Tag Archives: symphonic black metal

Reviews

(review) Keep of Kalessin – ‘Katharsis’

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Keep of Kalessin are back with their new full length opus. This is band’s first full length since 2015 and seventh opus in all. This one contains nine songs. Keep of Kalessin don’t play melodic black metal as they did in their early days, band being formed in 1995. Nowadays, they play bombastic mixture of symphonic black metal and so much more, thrash metal solos being influences in ‘Hellride’, but also symphonic and orchestral melodies in the title song being one of my personal favorites. They retained their black metal roots and blast beats but made it more progressive, more aggressive and melodic at the same time. Keyboard parts fit perfectly in songs and vocals are story for themselves. Obsidian Claw, the only remaining founding member delivers vocals in unbelievable range, from classic black metal screams, fantastic clean passages and atmospheric melodies to thrash metal shouting and death metal grunts making this record one of the best black metal opuses released in 2023 and making my jaws open and dropped in amazement. Although there are some longer songs, like epic ‘The Omni’ or ‘The Obsidian’s Expanse’, not a second of this album gets boring or stale. At times they remind me of best Emperor’s works, but to be sure, not being a clone, only an inspiration. This is black metal record par excellence.

10/10 axes

Reviews

(review) Cradle Of Filth – ‘Trouble and Their Double Livcs’ (Napalm Records)

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Cradle Of Filth have been one of my favorite bands since I listened to their ‘Dusk And Her Embrace’ and ‘Cruelty And The Beast’ many moons ago. They grew old like fine wine, delivering albums filled with their melodic vision of dark gothic black metal with lots of symphonic and dramatic pathos to the songs and recognizable voice by charismatic frontman and only original member Dani Filth.

This time, Cradle released live album, first one after twenty years combining all the classics with fan favorites and blinding good setlist but also containing two new studio songs, being ‘Demon Prince Regent’ being fast and dramatic yet also melodic song, like we are used to from Cradle on last two albums. ‘She is a Fire’, second new song, was chosen as single announcing the album and has such contagious melody that made me listen to over and over again with all the gothic darkened vampiric drama that only this band can provide. Definitely, my favorite of the two. New keyboardist/backing female singer fit into band perfectly and I think that this current line-up is possibly one of the strongest line-ups of this band ever, especially drummer Marthus who is one of the best drummers in extreme metal in my humble opinion. Considering live songs, hits like ‘Born In A Burial Gown’, ‘Nymphetamine’ older ‘Haunted Shores’ and part of ‘Cruelty And The Beast’ set is sure to win you over if you are a fan. Sound is perfect and this one captures the eternal greatness of this legendary band.

8,5/10

News

(new single) Finnish symphonic and melodic black metal act Wooden Shadow released a new single Chaosreign from the upcoming debut album!

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Promo pic by Wooden Shadow.

Finnish symphonic and melodic black metal act Wooden Shadow is set to release the debut album ‘Eternal Land Of Wrath And Mourn’ on June 16th via Inverse Records. A new single Chaosreign is release today.

LISTEN to Chaosreign single: https://push.fm/fl/wooden-shadow-chaosreign 

Chaosreign single from Wooden Shadow’s debut album ‘Eternal Land Of Wrath And Mourn’ is a mixture of hostility and darkness brought by chaos, offering music with an abundance of melodies and varied section changes. Wooden Shadow’s front man, multi-instrumentalist Jeremia Ponto offers more versatility with his vocals, both black metal’s characteristic high screaming and clean vocals, which can also be found in other songs on the album!

Digital PRE-ORDER available on Bandcamp

BIOGRAPHY:
Wooden Shadow is a melodic/symphonic black metal solo project/band founded by Jeremia Ponto, who turns 23 this year. Strong influences can be found in Finnish folk music and church music. The lyrics deal with human inner darkness, sadness and life/death thoughts.

Since 2020, Jeremia Ponto is a multi-tasker of Wooden Shadow, which he founded, and is responsible for the compositions, lyrics, recordings and all instruments in his own home studio in Ylöjärvi, where he originally comes from.

Wooden Shadow has self-published 3 singles and one EP, and during the last months, Wooden Shadow’s debut album ‘Eternal Land Of Wrath And Mourn’ has been in the works, which is finally finished and it is set to be released via Inverse Records on June 16th 2023.