There is no need to introduce the most awaited metal comeback release of the year, because everything has already been said. So let’s head straight to the music written and performed by Ozzy Obsourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and session drummer Brad Wilk (of Audioslave and Rage Against The Machine fame).

After only a few seconds, it’s as if you were back in 1980 and the band had never parted ways with Ozzy Osbourne. All early Black Sabbath trademarks are still there. Ozzy Osbourne’s vocals sound imperfectly perfect, and haven’t changed a bit during all these years, despite all the alcohol and drug abuse. Tony Iommi’s slow-motion signature riffs are depressive and heavy as always, and the bass guitar play by Geezer Butler is solid but somewhat overly conspicuous. In a few tracks, the bass guitar is too dominant. But that’s the only flaw of the production signed off on by Rick Rubin. In fact, the production sounds grounded and timeless, not too modern and loud as on Metallica’s Death Magnetic for example. Traditional Black Sabbath fans should feel relieved by now. The drum play by Brad Wilk is well-integrated into the band’s sound, but also sounds a little bit shy and slowed at some moments. A more dynamic and unique touch would have been an interesting addition, but the way it has turned out, his drumming performance is rather close to the skills of Bill Ward.

I feel that the album tries too venture too far back to the early days of the band. The riffs in the dragging and poorly-chosen opener “End Of The Beginning” immediately remind me of the legendary “Black Sabbath” song, and the closing moments of the last track “Dear Father”, with sounds of bells, rain, and thunder is also copied from the same track. Many of the new songs are too closely inspired by several classics of the band’s first ten years. There are a few too many déjà-vu (or better said, déjà-entendu) moments on this release.

Nevertheless, the overall impression of this record remains very positive. The shorter tracks are especially captivating and energizing. I would cite the fun ride that is “Loner” for example, and also the dynamic mid-tempo anthem “Live Forever”. A few bonus tracks like the strong “Methademic” hit the same vein. In my opinion, the band should have used the four bonus tracks for another regular record, along with four other new songs, rather than backloading this album.

The longer tracks definitely require a lot of patience. In the beginning I found “God Is Dead?” rather unspectacular, but eventually I found that the simplistic doom metal riffs, the haunting vocals, and the gripping signature lyrics work very well together, and this first single really grew on me. The bluesy touch in “Damaged Soul” where Ozzy Osbourne plays the harmonica is also a well-written grower.

The most outstanding song on the release is, without a doubt, “Zeitgeist”. It’s a psychedelic, slow, and wafting rock song with laid back acoustic guitars, smooth percussion work, and strange vocal effects. It sounds a little bit like a possible sequel to “Planet Caravan” to me, and is a welcome break amidst all the depressing riffs and lyrics. It lightens up this otherwise dark record.

What we have here in the end is a very solid record that goes back to the early days of the band – but it’s not a masterpiece. What I’m missing is a truly catchy track like the diversified “Bible Black” from Heaven And Hell, or a shorter potential hit single like “Let Me Hear You Scream” from the last Ozzy Osbourne solo release. This record doesn’t care about conformity, evolution, or modernity, and Black Sabbath simply plays what it does best. That’s probably why the final result doesn’t only sound familiar, but also quite sympathetic. 13 sounds coherent and relevant, despite its nostalgic touch. It’s a little miracle that this doom metal dinosaur is still alive and still celebrating a genre that has long since gone out of vogue. They deserve all of our respect. As long as these guys are still able to do so, I’m hoping for other records in the near future. Any fan of doom or heavy metal should of course call the limited edition with four bonus tracks his or her own.

Originally written for Black Wind Metal

Chthonic is without a doubt one of the most famous metal bands from Asia after Japanese outfits like Loudness or X Japan. The band from Taipei in Taiwan was formed back in 1995 and has since released six critically acclaimed full length records. The four men and beautiful female bassist Doris Yeh have just released their seventh record entitled Bú-Tik in Asia, and an English language version will follow for North America this month.

The band’s seventh record is a conceptual effort based upon the early years of what would later become Taiwan. Many songs talk about the exploration of the island, the hard life of the first settlers, and a group of pirates who would plan to overthrow the Ming Empire and the Tokugawa Shogunate. The album title is related to a massacre that occurred around the Bú-Tik palace in the year 228. The intriguing album cover depicts the main theme of the record, and represents the idea of an armed body and mind. The image is in fact made of the features of a child, an elder, and a female model.

Let’s start to talk about the music. The band plays well thought-out extreme metal with fitting and none-too-overwhelming symphonic elements, as well as more and more Asian folk influences, as one can hear in the opening and closing instrumentals “Arising Armament” and “Undying Rearmament”. As you can see, these two tracks underline the conceptual approach of the release, as well as a certain kind of cinematographic approach. The band also put a lot of attention, passion, and time into the lyrical concept. The two video clips that have been made for the record underline the ambitious approach and impressed me a lot.

In comparison to several previous efforts, the eight main tracks on this album sound a lot smoother. The record doesn’t come across as overloaded or as hectic as has often been the case before. Most of the songs have a mid-tempo foundation with extreme metal riffs. Faster section, as well as short symphonic or acoustic breaks keep the attention high, and this record never gets boring or too predictable. These parts are well integrated and sound harmonious enough to ensure a pleasant listening experience over forty minutes. While several previous releases included loads of death and black metal riffs, this new release only includes a few truly extreme metal tracks like the passionate “Sail Into The Sunset’s Fire”, which is a true firework of diversity, and should appeal to old fans of the band, as well as anybody who has a heart for intellectual extreme metal.

This means that the sound of this record is much more melodic and technical than what the band has accomplished previously, and could possibly draw in those who don’t care much for extreme metal. The anthemic “Next Republic”, with its melodic guitar solos, is such a track that breaks down the genre frontiers (and could have been written by a band like In Flames or Soilwork). The melodic closing moments of “Between Silence And Death”, where melodic guitar leads, symphonic melodies, and fascinating Asian tonality meet passionate extreme metal vocals is surely one of the greatest parts of the new release. The driving “Rage Of My Sword” and the highly diversified “Defenders Of Bu-Tik Palace” are not a far cry from the latest Ensiferum or Wintersun releases, while the excellent harsher parts of those songs call to mind the legendary Dimmu Borgir. “Defenders Of Bu-Tik Palace” and “Set Fire To The Island” even include a few female vocals by Doris Yeh that add an epic touch to the intriguing concept and well-developed songwriting. The band somehow manages to keep and even expand the trademarks that have made Chthonic one of the milestones of the Asian metal scene.

Chthonic has released a very strong record. Their trademark sound has been pushed to a new level of open-minded musical diversity and technical perfection. The transitions work better than ever, and the conceptual story behind the release harmonizes with the coherent music. While the record includes no obvious highlight or a truly catchy track, each song has its reason to be there, and the record keeps getting better and better with every new spin. Even the songs I liked less in the beginning, like the challenging opener “Supreme Pain For The Tyrant” or the initially too hectic “Resurrection Pyre”, have continued to grow on me. The band members have definitely improved their songwriting talents over the years, and this seventh record is easily among the best of the band’s releases. Old and new fans of the band should adore this record alike.

In my humble opinion, this release isn’t the record of the year, but up to this point, it is one of the finest extreme metal releases, along with Voivod’s “Target Earth” and Dagoba’s “Post Mortem Nihil Est”.

On a closing note, I might also suggest you try out the similar Chinese bands Screaming Savior/惊叫基督, Terminal Lost/天幕落, and Voodoo Kungfu/零壹 if you happen to like Chthonic/閃靈.

Originally written for Black Wind Metal

Church Of Misery is one of the most famous contemporary doom metal bands from Japan. This is probably due to the fact that the quartet from Shinjuku in Tokyo has been on tour in all places both possible and seemingly impossible to spread their music over the years. Additionally, all of the band’s releases (with one exception) are dedicated to famous serial killers from all around the world. The concept may not be original, but who isn’t intrigued by insane minds and their curious crimes?

Last but not least, the band manages, in a very balanced way, to deliver precisely what we expect from them, and yet to be completely unpredictable. Heavy doom metal riffs, an almost constantly pumping bass guitar, heavy but varied drumbeats, a passionate use of the wah pedal, and excessive jam session-like instrumental parts meet original samples of news reports or taped confessions that add an atmospheric touch to the sinister songs. The music and the topics are kept together by an emotionally roaring, singing, and yelling vocalist who really sings with his heart and his soul without caring about aesthetic perfection. He is completely unpredictable, but absolutely unique within his niche. What he does always seems to fit even if it sounds completely disharmonic at some points. The vocals might sound odd at first, but they are doubtlessly an important trademark of the band.

If you want to listen to a typical song with all these trademarks on Thy Kingdom Scum, go for the epic closer “Düsseldorf Monster”, which is of course dedicated to the German serial killer Peter Kürten. This song might sound overlong at first contact, but it’s a passionate and hypnotizing piece of music that gets more and more fascinating with each spin. The other songs on the record are shorter and more consistent, but I really dig this drug-infused psychedelic old school jam session that lasts for almost thirteen minutes.

Apart from five regular tracks, the band also includes a great instrumental opener entitled “B.T.K.” in dubious honor of Dennis Rader. The song comes along with sound samples of a taped confession of the murders, strange atmospheric sounds, and a truly sinister atmosphere. There is probably no better way to open a conceptual record about serial killers than with a track like this.

As always, the band also includes a shorter cover song on the record. This time, the Japanese quartet chose the track “One Blind Mice” of the rather unknown old British progressive rock band Quatermass. The original song was recorded in the famous Abbey Road Studios in London back in 1970. Usually I happen to find Church Of Misery’s cover songs weaker than the originals, as well as weaker than the band’s own work. This choice is quite good, however, as it keeps the catchy parts of the original, adds some heaviness and pacing, and generally makes the whole thing sound extremely cool and simple. There is even some old school rock ‘n’ roll feel to this track. Obviously, this cover song is a little bit different from the other songs on the record, as the song is much shorter and catchier as well. If the band cared about getting some attention from the mainstream, this would be the obvious single candidate, but they definitely don’t care about such things.

In the end, Church Of Misery is probably the most interesting modern doom metal act in my eyes, save for the eternal and much more accessible Black Sabbath. Fans of psychedelic rock and the stoner scene should find this band quite accessible, and their most recent release to be one of their very best. If you are interested, I might suggest you many other quite diversified doom metal bands from Japan.

Originally written for Black Wind Metal

Power metal fans should know about Concerto Moon, who have been around since 1996, as the three remaining band members from Kagawa, Japan form one of the genre’s most active bands in terms of releases. We can also count four live records, two EPs and two compilations among their vast and continuously growing discography. "Savior Never Cry" is a representative example of the band's powerful sound and is actually more professional and serious from an instrumental and lyrical point of view than the band name and album title might suggest.

The opener and title track makes quite clear what this band is about. They take no prisoners and offer a melodic, up-tempo track that should immediately appeal to fans of early Edguy or HammerFall, though Concerto Moon may have a few more edges. While the band includes a neoclassical shredding solo Timo Tolkki would be proud of and mixes an epic feeling with a massive dose of energy, the most outstanding thing about this band is probably the new vocalist. After Ozaki Takao (who sung on the band’s first three albums) and Inoue Takashi (who was present on albums four to eight), the volatile band line-up changed again, and new powerhouse singer Kuze Atsushi joined the band. He has a very powerful voice that compares favorably to the harder singers of the power metal genre like Tim “Ripper” Owens, Jorn Lande, or Jon Oliva. Sometimes he screams more than he sings, but this unrestrained energy fits well to the music, and it makes him sound rather unique. That’s what I call power metal with power! But these vocals are definitely a make-it or break-it element. You either really like the voice, or you may have some serious problems to really dig this band. Choose your camp.

The band also has its softer side, of course. While the first two songs sound like a perfect mixture of American and European power metal, the third track “The Shining Light Of The Moon” shows the band’s true origins. This song is a lot more theatrical, and offers a diversified and emotional vocal performance. The verses remain more aggressive, and the powerhouse drumming is even present in the chorus, but the opening and the chorus itself are much more melodic and…kitschy. These elements are something I have often heard in Japanese music, and this mixture works very well from a commercial point of view over there. Aggressive sections meet almost childish melodies, and the vocals driven by emotions and are quite dramatic and often overdone. This song could be the title song of a new anime series, but it could also be played in a Japanese metal pub. If you like bands such as X Japan, you will adore this song, almost without a doubt.

Throughout the entire album, the band mixes great melodies and stunning guitar solos with a few harder riffs and fairly straightforward songwriting with truly emotional and unique vocals. Even the bonus track, “Slash The Lights”, takes no prisoners and shows all of the aforementioned elements in one single killer anthem. Other bands would normally be proud to have this kind of song on their regular release, but Concerto Moon’s high quality release allows them to offer this strong piece of music as a bonus song only. If you feel some power metal bands are recently lacking power but you are still a fan of charming melodies, a few epic moments, fast shredding solos, powerful drumming, and all the other traditional trademarks, this band is for you. Keep your seat belt fasten and please enjoy your rollercoaster ride!

Originally written for Black Wind Metal

The six members of Hungary’s Dalriada are back with their patented brand of violin and flute-laden folk metal. On this record, the band also invited a number of gifted guest musicians who play bagpipes, cello, doublebass, kobza, and viola, as well as additional acoustic guitars, flutes, and violins. The band offers up different talented vocalists performing quite different styles, from clean female leads over male throat singing to a few harsh vocals. The female vocals are the most dominating, and to my surprise, the singer doesn’t only look good, but also has a grounded and powerful voice rather than coming across as another overwhelming symphonic metal diva. The vocals are all performed in Hungarian, and I’m positively surprised by how epic, graceful, melodic, and powerful this language sounds.

The approach and style of this band is comparable to acts such as Arkona and Haggard, but I prefer the Hungarian band over its Russian and German colleagues. Fans of folk metal bands such as Ensiferum, Elvenking, or Eluveitie should also give this excellent band a fair try. The joyful folk parts and imaginative compositions even remind me of the great Mike Oldfield. Despite these different influences, all of Dalriada’s records manage to have a clear focus without forgetting a few well-integrated surprises. Their latest effort, Napisten Hava, is undoubtedly one of the band’s strongest outputs. The only shame here is that I haven’t discovered this brilliant band sooner.

After a short, traditional violin introduction that reminds me of bands such as Bodh’aktan, Fiddler’s Green, Les Cowboys Fringants, Les Bâtards Du Nord, Naio Ssaion, or Rondo Veneziano, the band kicks its latest record off with the epic “A Dudas”, which includes a truly catchy chorus led by powerful female vocals and excellent chorals. These moments almost feel like a truly touching Christmas carol. The really great things about this song are the folk elements. The fast violin parts just make me want to dance, and the bagpipes add a lot of powerful volume and majestic atmosphere to the track. The throat singing is well performed and adds another fresh note. Despite all of these influences, the song is led by strong guitar riffs and melodies, and also has a few faster sections with powerful drums.

The band doesn’t stop there. “Tünderkert” includes even better violin melodies, and is probably the best folk metal song with violins that I have ever heard. The lead vocals here are pure magic, and the supporting choirs in the chorus don’t feel overwhelming, and add the right epic touch to another excellent song. “Napom, Fenyes Napom” convinces with harmonious acoustic guitar passages and joyful male and female vocals that give the song a comfortable but exciting campfire atmosphere. “Napisten Hava” presents us strong flute melodies and a guitar solo that would make Dragonforce’s Herman Li blush. The beautiful “Julianus Utja” includes great piano melodies, powerful guitar, and fine keyboard solos. The vocal performance of this song is also one of the record’s strongest, from my point of view. “Hunyadi Es Kapisztran Nandorfehervari Diadalarol (Saltarello)” includes a strong combination of male and female vocals, enchanting flute tones, and a cinematic feeling that could be drawn right out of a fantasy film. “Borivok Eneke” is probably the fastest song on the record, and invites to dance with its vivid violin sounds while female and male vocals collaborate very well together. “A Juhaszlegeny Balladaja” is probably the darkest and most epic song on the record. The record’s most metal orientated track also has a cinematic feeling and offers fewer folk elements than usual. The band keeps these for the acoustic outro that closes the circle, and reminds us of the opening introduction.

In the end, Dalriada offers us one of the strongest folk metal releases ever written, and includes only killer material. After a few spins, this record has already become one of my top ten records of the past three years. The song writing is diversified and inspired, but never too ambitious or progressive. The vocal performances are powerful and grounded, and I could listen to them for hours and hours. The riffs and solos on the record keep it metal, and the folk sections are performed with passion and harmonize very well with the rest. The only reason to not give this album a perfect rating is that I could see Dalriada doing even better in the future. Only time will tell. Fans of all aforementioned bands and the genre itself simply can’t get around this release right now. Discover and enjoy!

Originally written for Black Wind Metal