The Best Debut Album
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So often, the label "supergroup" is an unfortunate irony, but Alkaloid don't need the distinction at all. Every song offers a new sensation, some new piece of uncharted land waiting to be explored by the intrepid cadre of virtuosos behind this project. The merry band of players is so absurdly accomplished that no avenue is closed to them; describing The Malkuth Grimoire is nearly impossible due to the number of alleys and byways and country roads it takes on its magnificent journey. There's never a dull moment, and that's no mean feat at 73 minutes long.
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Their A Hunger Rarely Sated demo, released in 2014, made quite the buzz around these parts. Now they unleashed upon us The Ache Of Want, and it's even more brilliant. Sad, violent, utterly beautiful, this is forty minutes of a cello-infused, post-hardcore / crust punk monstrous hybrid. A must-listen if there ever was one!
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Transient is without a doubt one of the most daring debuts made in recent times. Refusing to limit themselves to only the doomy side of death metal, Chaos Echœs also borrow elements of black, drone, noise and jazz in their psychedelic jams. To make these improvisations work, a vast knowledge of songwriting and understanding of metal genres is vital. Luckily for all of us, these Frenchies are experts. Go for the unknown and see how the molds of metal break before you.
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Monolithic. Gigantic. Colossal. Those are some of the adjectives that come to mind when detailing this 4 song, 70+ minute epic venture. Oozing with established post metal aura, atmosphere and aesthetics, Sistere is as satisfying as it is relentlessly breathtaking. Let's hope you are in the best shape of your life and have the utmost patience and stamina to fully enjoy this Dutch band's debut opus.
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On this phenomenal debut album, Khemmis blend together multiple flavors of doom to stir up a potent cocktail of sludgy riffs, smoky feedback, and enlivening guitar work. The vocals - sometimes pale and spectral, other times raw and projective - add their own range of stylistic nudges that complement the varying natures of groove. Whether enticing the listener into a complex atmosphere or violently battering them out of it, Khemmis have an exciting sound that they have mastered and made into an expert retelling of the doom genre.
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There must be something in the water in Iceland, because the quality of black metal coming from there has always been at a high level. Misþyrming, formed in 2013, is no exception to this rule. Their music is dark with epic dissonant riffs, the drumming is fast yet very creative, and the vocals are perfectly settled in the mix. Also, don't forget about the beautiful cover art which looks even better on vinyl format.
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It seems impossible that such a new band should already be so comfortable waltzing through a myriad of styles as if they've been progging for years - but that's Native Construct for you. Whether swinging through Queen, noodling through King Crimson, or blasting through explosive bursts of metal, Quiet World never fails to be beautiful. It really is an entire world in itself, and one that offers up a variety of expert performances and calming atmospheres.
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Harnessing a great sense of songwriting & atmospherics reminiscent to bands such as Deathspell Omega, Poland's Outre have unleashed a fantastic black metal album of the highest quality. In a genre that was already so full with quality releases in 2015, Ghost Chants more than holds it own as the quality on display throughout its 37 minutes of groove-laden, dark, foreboding black metal belies the fact that this is only Outre's debut. This isn't just a young band with great potential for the future, Outre is a band for the here & now.
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Old school, underground legends Sorcerer finally arrive on the scene with a debut that's nearly three decades late - but well worth the wait. They obviously won some kind of satanic lottery, because Anders Egberg sounds exactly the same as he did in the '80s, and the passage of time has only strengthened the graceful epic doom sound they first broached so long ago. In The Shadow Of The Inverted Cross builds on their legendary demos, showing the world a band that can tackle new and exciting material with a veteran mentality and years of experience to throw weight behind every note.
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Self, sees more of the ugly chaotic mess of the prior works of Terzij De Horde, only now, for the first time, assaulting the listener in full-length format. Abrasive at times, atmospheric at others, this one also comes with a bibliography.
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