It’s only natural to expect something this majestic from one of Emperor’s pillars, but the fact that Ihsahn consistently delivers music of this caliber solidifies his deserved reputation as a leader in not just black metal, but the music world at large.

The first pick for Best of 2010!

You know, it is not so often that a band sounds better than their primary influences. It is even rarer that they manage this right from the get-go on their debut album. Xerath somehow does this with one of the most creative, coherent, and astonishingly excellent sounds of today

Insomnium – Across The Dark released September 15, 2009 on Candlelight If you want your melancholy and infinite sadness pumpkin-free, seek out the fourth album from this Finnish quartet. The unchanged core lineup (since 2001) still crafts nuanced melodic death metal, but also reach out to guest musicians to achieve their powerful sound. Aleksi Munter (Swallow The Sun) brings his remarkable keyboard skills, subtly essential to overall affect. He even gently unfurls the opening track, which bleeds beautifully into the next, and are better experienced together. Jules Näveri (Profane Omen, Enemy of the Sun) reveals a striking new dimension [...read more]

Havok – Burn released June 30, 2009 on Candlelight Hailing from the mile-high city, this young band has set up base camp about one thousand miles from the Bay Area and the thrash it spawned. They’re set to impress on their debut album: nice chops, daunting leads, strong bass presence, and varied vocals somewhere between early Chuck Billy and Tom Araya. Following the mellow intro, *2* has got all of those aforementioned positive qualities (with *8* meeting this bar later). By and large, the music progresses both logically and viscerally, and never tries to overextend itself in long jam [...read more]

Obituary – Darkest Day released June 30, 2009 on Candlelight They say there are five types of torture: hot, cold, sharp, blunt, and loud. I could annotate the adjectives ad nauseum, but suffice it to say, the latter two best describe the death metal legends’ assault. John Tardy sounds (as always) like he is receiving said torture, executing his vocals with terrifying conviction. Their delivery is largely midpaced and blanketed in Floridian haze. They speed things up here (1) and there (9), while on the title track (6) they slow to a lurch. 12 & 13 are originally from [...read more]

Anaal Nathrakh – “In The Constellation of The Black Widow” released July 14, 2009 on Candlelight Dredging grim melodies from a cold, dense din is a charge for the brave. The British duo is more than up to the task on their fifth album, their first for Candlelight Records. In certain respects, they remind me of fellow countrymen Mithras, with their use of several vocal styles, harmonized brutality, celestial themes, and two group members. However these guys are much more abrasive, but with just as much attention to detail. All instrument work is infectiously crafted by Mick Kenney, and [...read more]

Susperia – “Attitude” released May 18, 2009 on Candlelight There’s plenty of things that the Norwegian quintet does to frustrate the listener on their fifth full-length. First and foremost, the embarrassingly cliché lyrics drag down the strongest of songs (witness 3 & 6), which cuts deep when one wants to hear some of the best melodic thrash music being created today. The vocals sound alternatingly like David Draiman, Burton C. Bell, and Chuck Billy (who actually guests on 2, as does Shagrath of Dimmu Borgir on 5). Sonically, they pack a punch, but their content leaves much to be [...read more]

Blood Tsunami – “Grand Feast for Vultures” released May 18, 2009 on Candlelight Records One may be tempted to label the Norwegian thrash revivalists as ‘blackened thrash,’ but whoever says that hasn’t listened past the first track. Their most distinguishing feature is the lacerated rasp of Pete Evil in front, backed with deep growls from his two fellow axemen, “Bosse” on bass and “Dor” on lead guitar. Oh, and you may have heard of the man behind the drums: “Faust” (Emperor), who is as inventive as ever. Their spectrum of influence encompasses German pioneers Kreator, the Bay Area thrash [...read more]

1349 – “Revelations of The Black Flame” released June 2, 2009 on Candlelight Records I’ll be the first to admit that 2005’s Hellfire put me off with it’s relentless drive and unwavering lack of variation, but no one was expecting this. They hook up with Tom Warrior of Celtic Frost, and deliver a decidedly different incarnation of the blistering black metal we’ve come to know for the past three albums. Seeking to create more atmosFear, they actually avoid jackhammering into your earholes for most of the album. It’s better produced than the last Darkthrone, but not nearly as polished [...read more]