Enfold Darkness – Our Cursed Rapture (2009) Review 8.8/10

Enfold Darkness released their first studio album last year. Take somewhat technical death metal, add some great melodies, thrashy chord progressions, amazing guitar lines, and just a touch of black metal and you get Our Cursed Rapture. This music is a hell of a ride.

I am almost shocked to hear this kind of music come out of Tennessee. I know some hillbillies like to rock (I’m from Kentucky), but Tennessee is where most country and Christian contemporary music comes from. This is about as far as you can get from that rubbish.

When compared to similar bands, this album has clocked more playtime in foobar than the latest Arsis or The Faceless album. That is not to say that it is better, just more solid from start to finish. That is really my favorite thing about it. I can put this on and leave it. The only time I have to run back to the computer is during the track, “Exaltations (Part II: The Epitome of Grief)”. I always need to crank it up for that one. I should buy a damn remote.

Some of the guitar lines and intense energy sometimes remind me of Mors Principium Est (just not as epic or melodic). These guys shred. Fans of modern sounding technical death, thrash, or melodic death metal should pick this one up.

8.8/10

1. The Rise of the Greatest Fornicator 00:58
2. In the Galleries of the Utmost Evil 03:01
3. The Benefits of Your Demise 03:45
4. Our Cursed Rapture 05:48
5. Dead in the Brine 05:41
6. Exaltations (Part I: The Entrance of Hecate) 03:57
7. Exaltations (Part II: The Epitome of Grief) 03:16
8. Altars of Perdition (Instrumental Interlude) 01:59
9. The Sanctuaries 08:30
Total playing time 36:55

February has Been an Epic Month

Eluveitie, Rotting Christ, Borknagar, Finntroll, Dark Tranquillity, Martriden, Burzum, Kawir, Whispered, Embryo, Shaolin Death Squad, De Profundis, Scythia, Daysend, Throes of Dawn, Jack Slater, Ov Hell, Nydvind, and Immolation have all released CD’s.

I’ll try to give you a one or two sentense preview of each one: Read more

2010 – Best of the New Year (So Far)

2010 is getting off to one hell of a start. January was pure insanity. Here are the ones to look for (IMO):

Ihsahn – After

Mother of God. This album is amazing. Vegard Sverre Tveitan keeps getting better. Now he is on an eight string guitar and the music is just madness.

Ihsahn is Read more

Arsis – Starve for the Devil (2010) Review 8.7/10

In the name of Satan, we are forced to rock! – That pretty much sums it up. This album rocks. Every track rocks. The guitars rock. The vocals rock. The drums are insane. Arsis rocks and this is their most rocking music to date. You can headbang through the entire album.

Arsis plays technical death metal driven by their insane riffing (some of the best in the business). Here and there, the riffs sound like something Slash would do on a G’n'R album. It’s like the guitar has a voice of it’s own. This is, obviously, a lot heaver and way better than anything G’n'R has ever done. Slash would die if he tried to play something this insane.

Starve for the Devil might be the most rocking Arsis album but it’s not their best in my opinion. It’s really hard to pick a favorite Arsis Album. This is the one I will put on when I just want to headbang for a while. If I need melody I migt go with A Diamond for Disease or their last album, We are the Nightmare.

All in all, this is a must have for fans of death metal, technical death metal, thrash, melodic death metal, and anyone who wants an album that will rock the paint off of their walls. Get it now.

8.7/10