As they have in the past, November’s Doom works in some violins and try to walk the line between death and doom although there’s more of Kuhr’s clean singing and spoken word segments than on recent releases. I’ve always been a big admirer of his death growls and there are plenty of them here. His singing has also improved over time and he uses it effectively throughout Aphotic. The guitars are also impressive and pack a lot of punch whether going for heavy, crunchy doom riffs or more frenzied thrash. In essence, this is every bit the type of material one has come to expect from these guys and the quality level is high as always. This is one of those bands you can depend on to give you quality material every time and no one else sounds quite like them. Although we didn’t review it, it’s another winner and you should hunt this down ASAP. Its so November’s doomy!

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1. Angrily Unreviewed: Decaying – Devastate
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When I got this disc last year via Jester Records I missed it. I don’t know why it got shuffled off to the side, or what happened exactly, but for some reason it just didn’t get done in time. In any case, I just recently got wind that they’re readying for the US release so I figured I’d break out the Internet-pen and have at a review of this super group’s (Line-up: bass and guitars: Teloch [1349, Gorgoroth, Ov Hell, Orcustus, Umoral, Konsortium]; bass and guitars (again): Blargh [Gravferd, Dødheimsgard]; vocals: Cpt. Estrella Grasa [Kort Prosess]; and drums: Hellhammer [Immortal, Shining, Thorns, Umoral, Mayhem, Winds, Arcturus]) stab at reclaiming Norwegian black metal glory.

Nidingr, for those who don’t know, have had one previous record which came out in 2005. It flew right under my radar, to be honest, and it seems to have flown under a lot of radars. I think, however, that Wolf Father may change some of that. A concept record which seems to encompass the whole span of Norse mythology in just six songs, this record has a pace and a feel to it that I haven’t heard from any band containing original members of old Norwegian bands since… well… at least the early 2000s. In fact, as part of their promotional text they point out that this is the only Garm-approved black metal to come out in an age. Take that as you will.

Wolf Father is undeniably cool, however. The riffs are traditional black metal riffs—you know, lots o’ trem picking—with the occasional mid-paced groovy riff thrown in for good measure. The drums are Hellhammer, so you know how they sound with triggered blasts and pretty fake drum sound, but I guess that goes with the territory. Honestly, the most uncommon aspect of this record is vocalist Estrella Grasa who doesn’t sound like a traditional black metal guy at all. His vocals are, first, quite understandable even though they’re screams, but I’d almost stick them into the hardcore vocalist territory if it wasn’t for the fact that he sounded so tortured at times.

Thematically there’s some interesting things going on here. From what I can make out from the lyrics the record starts with basically a ‘why am I here?’ (in “Fafnismol”) and ends with Fenriz devouring everything and Ragnarök (“Lokasenna”). It kinda leads to an interesting question about what the lyricist is getting at with these lyrics. What I think is interesting is the focus on Baldr, actually. It might just be that his vocals are most understanding in those sections, but the focus on the death of Baldr (“Baldrs Draumar”) struck me as odd because I thought it was fairly well-known that Baldr’s position among the pantheon seemed to have changed at some point. It’s believed by some scholars that I’ve read that Baldr took on the position of Jesus in an almost allegorical sense (dies and goes to Hel, comes back—The Shining God). Now granted, the death of Baldr is an important point in the sort of overarching mythology but there is sort of an irony of focus on that particular section on a black metal record.

In any case, the songwriting deserves its accolades because this is well-constructed black metal. It’s also well-played. There are some really fantastic riffs on here and some cool technical things that one rarely hears in black metal (though, the 1349/Gorgoroth connection is definitely obvious at times). Still Wolf Father is an ultimately very enjoyable record and a good modern addition to the Norwegian black metal legacy which could maybe use a bit of polishing.

A final note: the Garm cameo in the aforementioned “Baldrs Draumar” was quite cool to hear. Of course, his black metal vocals would actually be more appreciated by this Angry Metal Guy—but I guess one can’t ask for too much.

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Let me start with the a territory that isn’t very comfortable for many in heavy metal: orchestrations. Heavy metal has seen many variations on the classical orchestration in many different subgenres. Neo-classical metal, like the wanky stuff with Yngwe or Symphony X, has long bragged about the influence of baroque and classical music. Bands like Rhapsody of Fire and Epica do things that sound like they should be straight out of a movie score and black metal even has a symphonic sub-genre, most notably filled by Dimmu Borgir, whose symphonics have gone over the top in the last few years with the addition of Mustis (though we’ll see what happens now that he’s gone). Never before in my tenure of heavy metal listening have I heard orchestrations used in a black metal record to such effect as they have been used on Sigh‘s new record Scenes from Hell.

There are not very many bands that have the kind of respect for progressiveness, yet extremity, that Japan’s very own Sigh has in the underground. Not only has Sigh managed to reinvent themselves pretty consistently, they still consistently produce records that are both extreme and yet somehow oddly catchy and palatable. There are not many bands that can say that they can do both of those things with any consistency. While Scenes from Hell doesn’t technically take on new territory, it does so with an approach that I think is highly novel and very interesting: not only do they use a real orchestra, but instead of using the orchestrations as a background to standard black metal they are instead used, often times, as the leading piece in the track. Where good riffs exist, there is very little orchestration or not at all. In these sections, the rawness and riffyness of this record stands out on its own. But, when the blazing riffs or death marches are added together with orchestrations that is where this record shines.

Scenes from Hell is a triumph of excellent orchestration, musicianship and performance. Simultaneously raw and beautiful, Sigh walks the line between beautiful classical music and raw black metal and never falters or falls too far into one or the other. I am reminded, actually, of Fleshgod Apocalypse‘s 2009 release Oracles by comparison, which is the only album that I feel comes close to the same kind superior approach to classical music—however, they did that completely without orchestrations, carrying the melodies on the guitars instead. However, it is the same qualities, the heavy melody and smart arrangements, and thereby unique approach to metal, that make these two albums similar in my book. If you’re looking to sample this record, something you shouldn’t do (seriously, just go buy it), you should check out the tracks “L’art de Mourir,” a perfect example of the contrasts this album offers between rawness and trumpet orchestrations, and “The Summer Funeral” a funeral dirge that will be stuck in your head for hours after you listen to it.

Honestly, the only complaint that I can even come up with at all is that the production could be better. However, I’m actually torn on this as well, as I think the production actually helps keep this raw. Some of the modern orchestrated black metal stuff, in my opinion, has lost a lot of its rawness and atmosphere. While the production on this record is totally claustrophobic, it gives the orchestra the room it needs and it keeps the metal nice and raw. In some ways, the production, which some have complained about, is probably the best way they could have produced this record. Not too clean, but not too muddy as to lose the good contrasts.

In any case, I think that this is the best follow-up to Hangman’s Hymn that’s even possible. I think a lot of people will claim, unfortunately, that these two records are far too similar to each other and that Hangman’s Hymn is superior. I think neither of these claims are true. The writing on Scenes from Hell is not thematic and because of the production, and where the orchestrations sit, it also draws itself away from the pack when it comes to symphonic black metal. Scenes from Hell will go down as a masterwork of black metal, in my book, and shows that black metal can still be creative and interesting. Buy it.

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