IMAGE-LESS ROYAL CARNAGE FORUM VERSION FOR THE GEOSHITTIES IMPAIRED
Moonsorrow - Verisakeet
This was my top album of 2005 up until I heard the new Solstafir, and now I can't decide. This album is a serious slab of epic, HEAVY METAL. I would say that it rivals some of my old time favorites, such as Hvis Lyset Tar Oss by Burzum. Powerful album.
Solstafir - Masterpiece of Bitterness
Being released near the end of 2005, this is a last minute addition, however it easily rivals anything else released this year, including Moonsorrow, Primordial, Nokturnal Mortum and Mournful Congregation.
Primordial - The Gathering Wilderness
I don't think that this album, or this band requires any introduction.
Helrunar - Frostnacht
Finland, Iceland, Ireland, and now Deutschland. A relatively unknown band, Helrunar was a tip from Erik over at Royal Carnage and as more often than not, Erik was right. An excellent work of black influenced metal comparable to Negura Bunget, this is definately the sleeper hit of 2005.
Nokturnal Mortum - Weltanschauung/Mirovozzrenie
Moving on, we come to Ukraine. Nokturnal Mortum have been a longstanding folkish/NSBM band, and if you missed their "The Taste Of Victory" EP back in 2003, you're in for quite a surprise. This material is quite different from their previous output, placing a higher emphasis on orchestration of actual folk instruments (like on NeChrist, but greatly expanded) and the tracks are much more epic than in the past, cleaner production, and greater usage of folk materials. Oh, and as always with Nokturnal Mortum, the faint of heart and politically correct need not apply.
Mournful Congregation - The Monad Of Creation
Mournful Congregation have been around since the early ninties. In that time they've released quite a few demos and a couple of 7" EPs, and a 2CD compilation thereof, but this is their first "debut" album. If you're one to say "what took them so long?" just listen to the album, and you'll hear why it did. Perfection comes only with time. Four long tracks of epic doom filled with rich and beautiful, yet sombre melodies and harmonies. Funeral Doom album of the year.
Drudkh - The Swan Road
Of Drudkh's three albums, this one is difficult to place. It takes a different approach compared to the last two, which were more based around nature mysticism, whereas The Swan Road is more based around nationalism. This however isn't very surprising considering the currents in Ukrainian Black Metal lately. Pros: The use of guitar solos are far more dramatic than on the previous records. Cons: Cons to me, at least. The music is a lot more agressive than the previous Drudkh records, which were more passive. Again, this reflects back to the content of the record. It's different from their previous output, but the difference allows them to cover new territory which is cool I guess. Taken on its own, it's still excellent and stands out from its predecessors.
Triarii - Ars Militaria
A originally a recommendation to me from Spaffe. Triarii is military-pop from Berlin. I'm not quite familiar with that style, but I know what I like, and I like this. I would describe the music as a mixture of orchestra, precussion, military march and sampling.
Negura Bunget - Inarborat Kosmos
From Transilvanian forests comes Negura Bunget. Their forthcoming album "Om" was delayed until next year, but we got this nice little four track EP to hold us over in the meantime. The content is very promising. I'm really looking forward to "Om".
Der Blutharsch - Live At The Monastery
While Der Blutharsch's studio albums are a lot more electronic and programmed, this album is a purely accoustic rendering of the studio material. Very interesting, and also quite good. Excellent for lovers of neo-folk.
Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio & Spiritual Front - Satyriasis
This is a late addition to the list. In fact, an addition in the last week. ORE and SF are "neofolk" bands from Sweden and Italy, respectively, and this split is a wonderful work of collaboration. It's catchy! It's perverted! It's an orgy of sound! (no, really!)
Red Sparowes - At The Soundless Dawn
Another late addition to the list, I didn't hear this one until I got it for my birthday in December. Red Sparowes calls to mind instrumental music such as Pelican, but in my opinion the Red Sparowes work is more mature and better composed than the works of Pelican, and this already is saying much.
Wigrid - ...die Asche eines Lebens
More German Black Metal. Wigrid has been largely written off as a Burzum clone, but I think that Wigrid has a tinge uniqueness, although his music isn't a 100% original style. But then again, what is completely original music these days? As far as I'm concerned this is a quality release.
Pagan Hellfire - In Desolation, In Ruins
Pagan Hellfire is a relatively unknown band from the east coast of Canada. Some of you might recognize this name from the "Visions: A Tribute To Burzum" Compilation in which Pagan Hellfire covered a piece of music from Hli�skj�lf. This album however has nothing to do with ambient works (although there were some ambient works on their last release "A Voice From Centuries Away...), but rather is 100% straightforward black metal with driving rhythms that I could describe as, I daresay, thrashtastic? Released on a Pro-CDR. Available from their website for $10 CDN. I recommend.
Temnozor - Folkstorm Of The Azure Nights
This one grew on me. Just like this year's Drudkh, I couldn't help but compare this album with the band's previous outputs, and taking that into consideration, I'd probably have to judge it much more critically than I normally would. First of all, this is not "Horizons..." part two. In one sense it's good that they moved on, but then again, I regard "Horizons..." as one of the greatest folk metal albums of all time, and unfortunately, they haven't been able to duplicate it. Secondly, the songs are inconsistent. Some aren't quite as good as others. However, the good songs on it make the listen completely worth it. Good release regardless. These thoughts will probably be expanded in a review later
YOB - The Unreal Never Lived
After Mournful Congregation, the second best "doom" album of the year is probably YOB's The Unreal Never Lived. At it's basest, it's psychedelic doom metal, but I find that description fairly inadequate. I'd take the psychedelic doom tag and take it an extreme level, and then you'd have YOB. Extremes are good.
Of The Wand & The Moon - Sonnenheim
I really like this one. The only other OTW&TM album I've heard previously was :Emptiness:Emptiness:Emptiness: which, although it was a decent listen, I felt did not really mix too well with the accoustic songs and the long "ambient" tracks. On this release however, it's almost 100% focused on the accoustic folk portion, I'm extremely glad to say. Excellent accoustically driven music, and Andreas Ritter's accordian is a thoughtful touch. The vocals could use some more power, but that's the only negative thing I can think about this album.
Reverend Bizarre - II: Crush The Insects
DOOOOM!!!! OVERRR THE WOORRRRLLLDDDDDDD!!!!!
Others that I haven't bothered to do a writeup on yet:
Coil - The Ape of Naples
Venetian Snares - Rossz Csillag Alatt Született
October Falls - Marras
Taake - Hordaland Doedskvad
Hate Forest - Sorrow
Jesu - Jesu
Death In June - Abandon Tracks!
The Elemental Chrysalis - The Calycobe Collection
Deathspell Omega - Kenose
Albums I'm interested in that were released in 2005, but I've either missed or haven't gotten around to listening to yet:
Der Blutharsch - When Did Wonderland End?
Waldteufel - Rauhnacht
V/A - Looking for Europe
V/A - Crushing The Holy Trinity
Graveland - Fire Chariot Of Destruction
Sunn O))) - Black One
Mourning Beloveth - A Murderous Circus
Falkenbach - Heralding The Fireblade
Ondskapt - Dodens Evangelum
Looking forward to in 2006:
Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain
Current 93 - Black Ships Ate The Sky
Negura Bunget - Om
Other releases worth mentioning
Current 93 - At Sunset Black Ships Ate The Sky
A CD-Single teaser from the C93's upcoming full length "Black Ships Ate The Sky" to be released this next February. Keep your eyes open for that one.
Katatonia - The Black Sessions (2CD +DVD)
This compilation is really good. It features the best cuts of their last four albums on two CDs, plus has a DVD. I really like this comp. because it pretty much takes the choice cuts of the last couple of albums which I thought, while good, were a little inconsistent for the most part. Plus the DVD is excellent.
Demos:
Noltem - Hymn of the Wood
Debut demo from Noltem. Pagan folk metal from New England. Oh, and I'm NOT mentioning this just because I'm personally thanked in the cassette tape liner. Honestly!
Reissues:
Current 93 - Thunder Perfect Mind (2CD Remaster)
Classic album, reissued with a second disc of outtakes from the Thunder Perfect Mind sessions. Absolutely mandatory for anyone who considers themselves fans of the neo-folk genre.
Sigrblot - Blodsband: Blood Religion Manifest +1 (DLP)
Initially released in 2003, the vinyl is finally here in November 2005. Ok, nothing really super special about this other than the vinyl only bonustrack, but the album itself is really good and I thought I should give it a special mention here since I missed it back in 2003.
Fullmoon - United Aryan Evil
Previously only on kult cassettes from Isengard records and a limited vinyl press. Like early Graveland, but more listenable. More Jew haters. Woohoo.
Burzum - Back on Black Vinyl Reissues
Given the unavailablity of Burzum releases in this format without getting hosed on eBay, it's nice to finally have a copy of Hvis Lyset Tar Oss (only the best album ever) in high quality analog.
Agalloch - Pale Folklore Wooden Box DLP & The Mantle DLP
Okay, this is hands down the greatest presentation of any album I've ever seen. Handmade wooden box, white/blue splatter vinyl, heavy vinyl, photographs included, each representing a song on the album... This year The Mantle was also reissued in LP format. Although not as extravagant as the Pale Folklore issue, it is quite nice.
