| | Kampfar Kvass CD Kampfar Discography of CDs
After a nearly seven-year break, Norwegian black metal stalwarts Kampfar return with the epic Kvass, an album that mixes the basic tropes of contemporary Scandinavian death metal with an approach that in this context sounds almost classicist by metal standards. Echoes of '70s-vintage metal and the harder side of progressive rock abound on Kvass, from the Black Sabbath lumber of the rhythm section (consistently playing at about half the tempo the average black metal act would attempt) to touches like the semi-classical piano interludes on "Ravenheart" and the uniformly lengthy song structures giving plenty of room for expressive multiple-guitar riff showcases of the style that Hawkwind and the Groundhogs perfected. Those whose aesthetic sense of Norwegian death metal leads them to judge a band's quality solely on the thrash of their drummer and how much the singer sounds like the Cookie Monster might discount Kvass, but overall, this is both a welcome return to form and a rare example of how Scandinavian metal bands can successfully reacquaint themselves with their roots. ~ Stewart Mason
Kampfar: Dolk (vocals); Thomas (guitar, piano); Jon (bass guitar).
Recording information: Silvertone Studio, Gamile Fredrikstad (11/2005-01/2006).
Kvass Review
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Purchase Kvass CD To buy, Click on price to add to cart | Enslaved Ruun CD (2006)
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Considering how vehemently punk and progressive rock audiences detested each other back in the late '70s, it is truly ironic that the prog rock element has become so strong in melodic death metal and symphonic black metal. The death metal/black metal field, after all, wouldn't have existed were it not for punk; black metal came out of death metal, which came out of thrash (the first true fusion of metal and punk). But then, dogma and sectarianism are things that intelligent musicians ultimately reject, which is why a symphonic black metal jewel like Ruun can be influenced by Pink Floyd (among many others) even though black metal's overall debt to punk remains undeniable (for that matter, very little post-'80s metal doesn't have some type of punk influence). There are some black metal purists who would argue that Enslaved's Ruun, like their ...
| | Neaera Let The Tempest Come CD (2006)
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In the early 2000s, Metal Blade put out quite a few CDs that had some type of hardcore influence. Some were regular metalcore, some were in the mathcore/math metal vein, some were relevant to screamo/post-hardcore -- and all of those styles have been hardcore-influenced even though they aren't hardcore in the old-school sense. The fact that Metal Blade was so receptive to hardcore-influenced bands may explain why some reviewers have described Neaera's second album, Let the Tempest Come, as straight-up metalcore (that, and the fact that they look and dress like a hardcore band). But those reviews were misleading because Neaera -- a German unit with a strong Scandinavian influence -- do not sound like Hatebreed, Throwdown, or Brick Bath (three examples of bands that have provided ...
| | Agalloch Ashes Against The Grain CD (2006)
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Thanks to a pair of brilliantly executed albums in 1999's Pale Folklore and 2002's ...
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| | Dokken Lightning Strikes Again CD (2007)
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| | Bouquet Of Country CD (1999)
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| | Carla Helmbrecht Be Cool Be Kind CD (2001)
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Carla Helmbrecht graduated summa cum laude from that school of vocalists who believe that in order to be effective, they don't have to indulge in vocal tricks, become overemotional, or even overdo dynamics by singing loud and then even louder. Rather, her approach is cool, languid, laid-back (as distinguished from laid out), and gently fervent. On her second release for Heart Music, Be Cool Be Kind has a program that allows Helmbrecht to forego up-tempo rhythms, living comfortably with the slow and medium pace. The most excitable she gets is on "Easy Love," which she wrote with her piano player, Peter Horvath. This track also reveals that she has a cute ingenue side about her. Helmbrecht's style results in pleasant but credible off-the-beaten-track interpretations. "The Party's Over," normally done with much emoting, comes off matter of fact here, as in "It's over and done with so get used to it." (Contrast this with the version by Anita O'Day.) The San Francisco-based singer has convinced outstanding jazz musicians to join her for this session. In addition to the basic trio headed by Horvath's piano, invited guests make important contributions. On "Even Still," Ernie Watts' spacious sax offers worthy counterpoint to Helmbrecht's relaxed warbling. Larry Koonse's guitar and Clay Jenkins' muted and open trumpet are delectably conspicuous on "The Party's Over." Horvath's piano introduction is the picture frame for a lovely "The Touch of Your Lips," as Joe LaBarbera's swishing brushes provide a soft angel-hair-like rhythmic underpinning. This is an outstanding track among a very good set of tracks. The lyrics are in the liner notes. But some are printed in red on a gray background and are virtually impossible to read. This irritant aside, this album is recommended without reservation. ~ Dave Nathan
"she exudes warmth in spades...An unusually gifted vocalist, impeccable phrasing...steeped in a swinging jazz sensiblity that reminds me of Mel Torme.... Ernie Watts' eloquent saxophone lines. Keep an eye and ear on Carla Helmbrecht; hers is a voice that we're destined to hear in the future." - Carol Archer, R & R Magazine""A thoroughly delightful album that features a voice of ...
| | Sonata Arctica Ecliptica CD (2003)
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Sonata Arctica continue the tradition of their Finnish contemporaries, like Stratovarius and so on. Too bad that they just re-sample way too much of the others in their genre. What Sonata Arctica have to offer is just a bunch of interesting solos and melodies, but as a whole Ecliptica fails completely. The songs lack diversity, and it is almost impossible to listen to the album all the way through. That's too bad, ...
| | Ozark Mountain Daredevils It's Alive CD (1978)
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The Ozark Mountain Daredevils left A&M Records in 1978, and in lieu of the obligatory best-of compilation, which would follow a little later, the label put out the double-LP live album It's Alive. By this time the lineup was an eight-piece, with lots of guitars and a full-time keyboardist (Russell Chappell) and mandolin player (Jerry Mills). The original vinyl release left something to be desired in terms of immediacy, but the 2004 CD reissue solves that problem -- there's still less audience interaction than would be ideal on most live albums, but the band's sound is now fully in-your-face, running the gamut from soft rock to bluegrass to country blues, all of the instruments and the singing in sharp relief, and they never sacrifice energy for polish -- indeed, as the album progresses, the sound ...
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| | Marduk Rom 5:12 CD (2007) (Import) Sweden
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Marduk, who have turned out to be one of black metal's most long-running bands (albeit with quite a few lineup changes along the way), marked their 17th anniversary in 2007. Stylistically, Marduk haven't changed much since their early recordings; play 2007's Rom 5:12 alongside 1992's Dark Endless (their first full-length album), and one won't hear a huge stylistic difference between the two even though they're 15 years apart. The things that have changed for Marduk since the early '90s include stronger production, generally improved songwriting, more craftsmanship, ...
| | Muzhar Sujat Towards A More Refined Soul CD (2009)
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'Real Destiny' and 'The Womb', were conceived during the most difficult periods of our lives, when one after another, those nearest and dearest to us departed from our presence to return to God. We were deeply touched to 'Seek Knowledge' and to reflect on the purpose and meaning of life in this world. The more we introspect, the more we become aware of our own faults and weaknesses. It is through the challenges ...
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