Over 40 years of metal’s biological urge (and a hefty lack of restraint) has resulted in some incomprehensibly large catalogs. No one should have to listen to anywhere from 13 to 15 [Luca Turilli’s] Rhapsody [of Fire] albums just to get caught up for a new release. So each week (as required and/or able), we’re offering a selection of prime(r)(er) cuts to get you up to speed. Without further ado, welcome to…
“Novembers Doom is Chicago’s answer to the doom death wave that crashed on these shores in the early 90s courtesy of My Dying Bride, Anathema, and Paradise Lost. Formed and piloted by vocalist Paul Kuhr, they’ve been churning out material since 1995, and over their nearly 30 year existence they’ve shifted styles from doom death to traditional doom, burly death metal, and back to doom death again, borrowing progressive influences from Opeth along the way. Throughout their evolution and devolution they’ve remained adroit at penning uber-emotional compositions that have a way at really getting at the heartstrings in profound ways. For example, I can’t listen to “What Could Have Been” all the way through because as beautiful as the song is, I just find it too intensely depressing to make it to the bitter end. Over the last few albums I’ve noticed their style intersecting with the latter era-Woods of Ypres material in some ways, and that’s always a good thing. I know I’m looking forward to what comes next for these grizzled glumsters, and you should be too.”
– Steel Druhm
- Amid Its Hallowed Mirth, 1995
– “Amour of the Harp” - Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers, 1999
– “Suffer the Red Dream” - The Knowing, 2000
– “In Faith”
– “Searching the Betrayal”
– “Aura Blue” - To Welcome the Fade, 2002
– “Not the Strong”
– “Broken”
– “Within My Flesh” - The Pale Haunt Departure, 2005
– “The Pale Haunt Departure”
-“Swallowed by the Moon”
– “Dark World Burden” - The Novella Reservoir, 2007
– “Rain”
– “Drown the Inland Mere”
– “Twilight Innocence” - Aphotic, 2011
– “What Could Have Been”
– “Six Sides” - Bled White, 2014
– “The Memory Room”
– “Clear” - Hamartia, 2017
– “Plague Bird”
– “Ghost”
– “Ever After”
Novembers Doom’s eleventh album Nephilim Grove will be released on November 1st worldwide via Prophecy Productions.
You thought you were done with Steel, but Steel wasn’t done with you!
“Voyager is a strange cat of a different color. A prog-metal act to be sure, and a rather chameleon-like one to boot. As they’ve matured over the last 16 years they’ve successfully played with traditional and power metal, metalcore, djent and a raft of other styles including pop, managing to make oddly captivating and addicting music in the process. I came on board with their I Am the Revolution album and didn’t think of them as a prog-metal act at the time, but by the time 2011’s The Meaning of I arrived, there was no doubting that they were explorers at the crossroads of numerous genres. What makes them such a joy to experience is just how well they synthesize these numerous influences into something fun and memorable. One minute they sound stuck in the 90s or the early aughts, and the next they’re light years ahead of what anyone else is doing, but the hook-factor is consistently insane. It’s always a wild ride with Voyager, and I’m sure their new album will be no different. Strap yourself in and keep your ears open.”
– Steel Druhm
- Element V, 2003
– “Monument” - uniVers, 2007
– “Higher Existence”
– “Sober” - I Am the ReVolution, 2009
– “Lost”
– “The Devil in Me”
– “Total Existence Failure”
– “I Am the Revolution” - The Meaning of I, 2011
– “Stare Into the Night”
– “Seize the Day”
– “Iron Dream (In Memoriam: Peter Steele)”
– “Fire of the Times” - V, 2014
– “Hyperventilating”
– “Breaking Down” - Ghost Mile, 2017
– “Ascension”
– “Misery Is Only Company”
– “Ghost Mile”
– “What a Wonderful Day”
Voyager’s seventh album Colours in the Sun will be released on November 1st worldwide via Season of Mist.
We’re all about equality at AMG Inc. Our legal department says we have to be, and it keeps the bowels of this place running smoothly. One person gets a playlist, then everyone wants a one, and soon there’s blood in the water cooler. So have it your way, animals. Everyone gets a playlist. An oh so brief playlist. Trust me, it’s for the best.
- Dr. Wvrm
– Clipse – “Virginia”
– Ephixa – “Wisdom (Zelda’s Lullaby Link to the Future” - Grymm
– Morrow – “Crown in Red”
– Zeal & Ardor – “Come On Down (Live)” - Kronos
– Kardshev – “Sopor”
– Lychgate – “Unity of Opposites” - Mark Z.
– A Wilhelm Scream – “Die While We’re Young”
– Assaulter – “Between Gods and Men” - Diabolus in Muzaka
– The Slave Eye – “Sore Upon Sore”
– Skald In Veum – “Do What Thou Wilt” - L. Saunders
– Cerekloth – “Halo of Syringes”
– Warcrab – “Blood for the Blood God” - Ferrous Beuller
– Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – “Drowning on Dry Land/Fish Soup”
– Alice Cooper – “Blue Turk” - GardensTale
– Disillusion – “Time to Let Go”
– Wilderun – “Far from Where Dreams Unfurl” - Master of Muppets
– Hanging Garden – “Into That Good Night” - TheKenWord
– Billy Woods – “Bigfakelaugh”
– Blind the Huntsmen – “Chapter 6: The Lost Wanderer” - Carcharodon
– The Ocean – “Abyssopelagic I: Boundless Vasts”
– Narrows – “Sea Witch”
