Friday, October 29, 2004

Kamelot - "Epica"

"Epica" came out in 2002 on Noise Records.
Epica is loosely based on Faust by J. W. Von Goethe and Ariel's inner journey, you can read more about that at Kamelot's homepage.

Here Kamelot plays a melodic power metal with some progressive influences. The songs are well "built" up, and Roy Khan shows what a great vocalist he is. It kicks off with a prologue, that glids elegantly into "Center Of The Universe" who drags you in from the start. It goes on with strong contribiutions as "Wander", "Descent Of The Archangel" and "The Morning After (Carry On)".
All in all a very strong album from Kamelot
.
Points: 5,5/6.

Line-up: Roy Khan - Vocals Thomas Youngblood - Guitars, B. Vocals Glenn Barry - Bass Casey Grillo - Drums

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Dimmu Borgir - Enthrone Darkness Triumphant

 "Enthrone Darkness Triumphant" are together with "Stormblåst", Dimmu Borgirs best CD, with Stormblåst as the best. Here Dimmu Borgir perform a monumental symphonic and atmospheric black metal, and the sound have more body than their earlier releases. It starts of with "Mourning Palace", the best song on the album. Also "Spellbound (By The Devil)" and "Tormentor Of Christian Souls" are great contributions.
What I really like about this CD is the atmosphere it creates, an atmosphere of hatred combined with great music. All in all another masterpiece from Dimmu Borgir, and certainly a CD you should have in your collection. It came out in 1997 and where released on Nuclear Blast.

Points: 5,5/6.

Line-up:
Shagrath - Guitar & Vocals
Erkekjetter Silenoz - Guitar
Tjodalv - Drums
Nagash - Bass
Stian Aarstad - Synthesizers & Piano

Ozzy Osbourne - No Rest for the Wicked

"No Rest For The Wicked" where released in 1988 on Epic Records and are in my opinion a classic heavy metal album. This release are influenced also by hard rock, but I prefer to call it heavy metal.

This album just crawls with great stuff, like "Miracle Man", "Tattooed Dancer" and "Breaking All The Rules".

But my two favourites are "Demon Alcohol", which tells us about Ozzy's relationship with alcohol, and "Bloodbath In Paradise", a nice little song about blood on your walls and the family of a certain Charlie, in other words about Charlie Manson and his little family of crazy hippies.

There aren't any songs on this album I don't like, but "Fire In The Sky" and "Devil's Daughter" are little weaker than the rest. No Rest For The Wicked are my favourite Ozzy-album.
Points: 5,5/6.

Dimmu Borgir - Stormblåst

"Stormblåst" This is the Cd Dimmu Borgir had major breaktrough with. After their first album; “For All Tid”, there was a time for changes in musical exploration. The Music here are more symphonic and melodic, something you hear already on the first track: “Alt Lys Har Svunnet hen” [All Light has Faded]. This is their best known song ever. If there is one song i would like to put up as my second favourite on the album, that must be the instrumental track “Sorgens Kammer”. Stormblåst is rather melancolic, and i would say a little folk-inspired. All lyrics in Norwegian.
Points: 5.5

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Windir - Arntor

"Arntor"


Nationalromantic Dark Metal with black vocal/screams. That’s what this album is about.

Valfar created Windir as a "one-man-band", and on “Arntor” he did most of the work himself, altough he hired in session musicians.

Unlikely the previous album “Soknardalr” this album is fully based upon historical and cultural-subjects. This was more a “concept-album” which spun around the farmer Arntor, who raised anger against the Norwegian King - Sverre in 1184.

Musically it can be described as “dark” and “raw” folk metal.




Points: 5.8/6

Friday, October 22, 2004

Manowar - Warriors of the Wold

"Warriors Of The World" came in 2002 on Nuclear Blast. This is Manowar as we know them. Real heavy metal with lyrics ibnfluenced by battle, death and glory. Unfortunately they are also influenced by 9/11, and that makes this album vary from awesome to stupidity.
Manowar are best when they stick to what they do best, and songs such as "Call To Arms", "Swords In The Wind", "Warriors Of The World United", "Hand Of Doom", "House Of Death" and "Fight Until We Die" are all great, but "Hand Of Doom" are my personal favourite. "Valhalla" are OK as a intro to "Swords In The Wind", "Nessum Dorma" is a funny little piece. "An American Trilogy" is boring and "The Fight For Freedom" just makes me sick with it's too obvious references to 9/11.

As I said, Manowar are at it's best when they stick to what they can and stay away from the too obvious references to 9/11. All in all an album that vary from greatness ("Hand Of Doom") to garbage ("The Fight For Freedom"), but luckily there are more good songs than poor ones, so 4 points seems about right.
Points: 4/6.

Line-up: Eric Adams - vocals
Joey DeMaio - bass guitar
Karl Logan - guitar
Scott Columbus - drums