Chicago Powerfest and Paganfest

[DemonJay]

Sooooo.... I downloaded a few Svartsot tracks last night. Very awesome stuff! I must say though, I downloaded four of their highest most rated tracks and all four them sound almost the same. Maybe I should keep downloading their stuff to get tracks with more varity.

I also expanded my Eluveitie collection and I'm even more impressed with these guys!

Other stuff I got (to name just a few) if you guys have heard of them:

Agalloch
Asmegin
Cruachan
Elvenking
Falkenbach
Fjoergyn
Heidevolk
Otyg
Tyr
Vintersorg

 

[DoomsdayZach]

I like all those bands except Cruachan and Fjoergyn. The only cruachan i've heard is the newest one (Morrigan's Call) and i hated the female vocals so much that i couldn't listen to the album. I don't remember Fjoergyn, but i downloaded their second album once and I don't remember why, but I absolutely hated it.

On a positive note, Falkenbach, Heidevolk, Tyr, and Asmegin are incredible. Agalloch is hit or miss for me, but I love Ashes and Mantle. Elvenking's Heathenreel was awesome, not too fond of anything else they did. Otyg is fun, but not great. Vintersorg's older stuff is golden, his newer mathematics based crap is exactly that. Thoguh the newest album was pretty good if i remember correctly. Actually... come to think of it, Cosmic Genesis and Visions were amazing. It was Focusing Blur that sucked ballsack.

Oh, and huge departure, but if you like Vintersorg's voice, check out Empiricism and Epic by Borknagar (that band also has Vortex, clean vocals for Dimmu on Quintessence and The Archaic Course and Garm from Ulver on Borknagar and The Olden Domain... and The Olden Domain is one of the best black/viking metal albums ever). Also, it's more atmospheric and synth based, but Havayoth is incredible and also features Vintersorg on vocals.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Just grabbed the new Moonsorrow EP and am listening to it for the first time. The first track is another half hour long epic and is awesome... not sure where it fits into my preference, but great stuff still.

Now on track two. They cover For Whom The Bell Tolls. It's almost over and I have to say that it's honestly one of the best and most interesting covers i've heard. They really made the song their own, and I can see how people wouldn't think too much of it. Those people are retarded thuogh

 

[MaxWolf9]

Man, hearing you guys talk about all these groups just reminds me of Einherjer's sound. I still can't believe those guys split up. They were an incredible band.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Man, hearing you guys talk about all these groups just reminds me of Einherjer's sound. I still can't believe those guys split up. They were an incredible band.

I actually heard them for the first time on the trip down to Portland and am just LOVING them. I want to buy some of their stuff but it's sold out everywhere... and now i don't have money

 

[MaxWolf9]

Their albums can be hard to dig up. I have "Dragons of the North" and "Odin Owns Ye All," but am still trying to get hold of others like "Norwegian Native Art" and "Blot."

 

[DoomsdayZach]

I'm d/ling the Einherjer discography at the moment.

Jeff, have you listened to the new Arkona yet? I'm on my first time through right now and there's some really awesome songs on here.

 

[Helspyre]

Yes, I have it. It is awesome and really well produced but I think it is less straight forward than their previous albums and I thus have suggested to others that are unfamiliar with them to start with Vo Slavu Velikim. They really went out of their way to use obscure traditional instruments on this one and I really dig that aspect. I really like the distinctly "Russian" elements.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

That's kind of the impression I've got. I also d/l'ed their other albums but haven't listened yet. I plan on buying all of them when i get some extra scratch, but i wanted to check them out.

The one track that especially stood out for me so far is track 4 (Oy, Pechal-Toska). Much slower, but really well done and sounds awesome. Lovin' the hell out of this stuff.