Krallice - Diotima (2011)

Artist: Krallice
Album: Diotima
Year: 2011
Style(s): Atmospheric, Progressive
Rating: 4.0/5
Comments: Taking the progressive black metal scene that seems to be taking shape in New York City to ever greater heights, supergroup Krallice ascends to the top of the pack on their full third length. The album is relentless and tiring, reaching 70 minutes in length and featuring four songs over 12 minutes long. Nevertheless, the band's sound never grows stale or boring, and the musicians are adept at keeping the compositions interesting with very subtle yet deliberate shifts in melodies or structure. The highlight of the album is "Litany of Regrets," which features a pulsating, chaotic sounding rhythm. Diotima is an album that is bursting at the seams with creativity, and is a must-listen.

Track list:

1. -   [2:06]
2. Inhume   [6:53]
3. The Clearing   [12:05]
4. Diotima   [12:27]
5. Litany of Regrets   [13:39]
6. Telluric Rings   [12:08]
7. Dust and Light   [9:35]

Total length: 1:08:58

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Echtra - Paragate (2011)

Artist: Echtra
Album: Paragate
Year: 2011
Style(s): Atmospheric, Folk
Rating: 3.0/5
Comments: This two track album by Echtra is essentially one, long-form composition. The album is very minimal, bordering on drone in several sections, and features a very prominent folk influence. Sparse acoustic guitars are strummed a long to extended passages of feedback, and the "traditional" sounding black metal segments are far and few between. It's an interesting release, and certainly an unusual one, but the album fails to succeed in creating an immersive atmosphere. Instead of reaching out and grabbing the listener's attention, the music tends to fall into the background. Nevertheless, the originality of the release should impress some listeners.

Track list:

1. Paragate I   [23:00]
2. Paragate II   [22:59]

Total length: 45:59

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Abstrusa Unde - Introspection (2011)

Artist: Abstrusa Unde
Album: Introspection
Year: 2011
Style(s): Progressive, Symphonic
Rating: 3.0/5
Comments: There is a moment in the penultimate track, "Lost for Life", where an interesting and exhilarating black metal passage is abruptly cut short in favor of carnival-like symphonic flourishes. This moment unfortunately sums up the problems of this album as a whole; the progressive and symphonic leanings of the band frequently overshadow the legitimately interesting black metal segments. Abstrusa Unde sounds like a blackened Diablo Swing Orchestra without an equivalent level of compositional talent. Fans of indulgent symphonic black metal will likely enjoy this band's take on the genre, but those looking for extreme sounds or compositional fluidity should look elsewhere.

Track list:

1. Introspection   [1:45]
2. Hamsa Lonri   [5:06]
3. Al Aklorodan   [4:27]
4. Carrousel   [9:57]
5. The Gutter   [2:30]
6. Hastra Nä   [6:56]
7. Lost for Life   [4:59]
8. Suune Kvalta   [15:19]

Total Length: 50:40

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Liturgy - Aesthethica (2011)

Artist: Liturgy
Album: Aesthethica
Year: 2011
Style(s): Atmospheric, Progressive
Rating: 3.5/5
Comments: Liturgy is a Brooklyn based black metal group that specializes in composing melodic yet atmospheric pieces that build up to tremendous walls of noise. It's a technique the band has become quite adept at, and highlights such as "High Gold" are quite entrancing. Taken on a track by track basis this album is quite amazing, however as a cohesive whole it suffers somewhat. At almost 70 minutes in length, the band's style does become a bit tiring by the end of the ride, and the interlude tracks ("Helix Skull" and "Glass Earth") sound out of place, killing some of the album's momentum. If this album had been slimmed down to a 40-45 minute release it would have been one of the best of the year, but as it stands, it requires a bit of patience to get through. Nevertheless, the high points of this album are incredible, and more than worthy of a download.

Track list:

1. High Gold   [5:16]
2. True Will   [5:27]
3. Returner   [3:35]
4. Generation   [7:07]
5. Tragic Laurel   [4:05]
6. Sun of Light   [6:55]
7. Helix Skull   [2:32]
8. Glory Bronze   [6:45]
9. Veins of God   [7:55]
10. Red Crown   [7:23]
11. Glass Earth   [3:28]
12. Harmonia   [7:59]

Total length: 1:08:27

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Rev 16:8 - Ashlands (2011)

Artist: Rev 16:8
Album: Ashlands
Year: 2011
Style(s): Traditional
Rating: 3.5/5
Comments: The lastest album from this Swedish band is a brutal slab of well written, traditional sounding black metal. The group takes obvious cues from bands such as Dark Funeral and Marduk. The songs are fast and unrelenting, and with the furiously paced drumming set high in the mix, the album gives off an appropriate air of claustrophobia. Rev 16:8 won't be winning rewards for originality anytime soon, but Ashlands is a solid album that is easily recommendable.

Track list:

1. Agenda   [4:21]
2. Ashlands   [5:06]
3. Blackline Sundown   [3:02]
4. A Study in Patterns and Habits   [2:15]
5. The Chase   [5:00]
6. Serenade   [4:25]
7. Rust Retinal Vein   [6:24]
8. Coal Mirror   [5:04]
9. When Your Words Are Obsolete   [3:31]
10. Leave Me   [2:19]

Total length: 41:27

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Kampfar - Mare (2011)

Artist: Kampfar
Album: Mare
Year: 2011
Style(s): Melodic, Viking
Rating: 3.0/5
Comments: Triumphant melodies are abundant on this album, giving the songs a fun feeling to them. However, the tracks are also very similar, causing the album to grow a bit tiring and repetitive by the end. More variety with the compositions would be much to this band's advantage. Nevertheless, there is worthwhile material on here if one is willing to dig through filler to find it.

Track list:

1. Mare   [6:24]
2. Ildstemmer   [5:05]
3. Huldreland   [5:19]
4. Bergtatt   [5:28]
5. Trolldomspakt   [5:41]
6. Volvevers   [3:28]
7. Blitzwitch   [6:16]
8. Nattgang   [5:11]
9. Altergang   [2:28]
10. Bergtatt (In D Major)   [5:28]

Total Length: 50:48

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