Surprises 2008: Carach Angren - Lammendam

Carach Angren is a symphonic black metal band coming from Netherlands. They are playing a kind of symphonic black metal, very influenced by bands like the old Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir. Somehow I thought they were from France, maybe because they also sound similar to that band called Anorexia Nervosa in the blastbeats with orchestral arrangements, which are thoroughly and amazingly executed. The mixing and producing is really amazing for a first album.
Melodies have that evil-theatrical taste, which can recall sometimes to Arcturus, and that I personally adore, and vocals are really effective though sometimes the similarity with Shagrath is quite palpable. If you like orchestral black metal, Lammendam is a must listen.

1.	Het Spook van de Leiffartshof (Intro)	01:28
2.	A Strange Presence Near the Woods	04:13
3.	Haunting Echoes From the Seventeenth Century	05:05
4.	Hexed Melting Flesh (Bridge)	06:54
5.	Phobic Shadows and Moonlit Meadows	02:06
6.	The Carriage Wheel Murder	03:40
7.	Corpse in a Nebulous Creek	05:24
8.	Invisible Physic Entity (Bridge)	01:21
9.	Heretic Poltergeist Phenomena	04:08
10.	Malediction de la Madame Blanche	07:07

Carach Angren - Lammendam

Former guitarist of Sentenced, Miika Tenkula found dead

Miika Tenkula, former lead guitarist and main songwriter of the acclaimed Finnish band SENTENCED, was found dead at his home earlier today (Thursday, February 19). He was 35 years old.

Nalle Österman (GANDALF, LULLACRY, CHAOSBREED) tells BLABBERMOUTH.NET, "It's true, confirmed personally by [former SENTENCED] drummer Vesa Ranta.

"The fact remains that Miika had a serious drinking problem for many years which escalated after SENTENCED was buried. They don't call it King Alcohol for nothing...

"The metal scene in Finland mourns now for one of the most talented metal guitarists to ever emerge from [the country]."

The official cause of Miika's death has not yet been released.

Source

Surprises 2008: Tiarra - Post Scriptum

Tiarra is a young romenian band of gothic doom metal. Influenced by the classical slow and romantic doom metal of those bands in the middle and late 90's but strongly as well by the swedish Draconian or germans Haggard, bands that came to my mind often, Tiarra uses one cello and one violinist in the line-up, giving a very sensitive and melancholic feeling to their music. Post Scriptum is a great debut album, slow, very melodic and with the beautiful voice of Anda leading, present in most of the vocal parts and making the growls totally secondary.
Really difficult to choose one better song than others, it is a very solid release and if you like gothic doom metal, it will be hard to quit listening after the first "Prologue", amazing song with the best following possible, "Ielele".

1.	Prologue	03:38
2.	Ielele	05:46
3.	In The Arms Of An Angel	08:31
4.	Tiarra	05:33
5.	Everything For Her	07:02
6.	Requiem (Pentru Un Erou)	08:00
7.	Post Scriptum	05:51
8.	Broken Echoes	10:03
9.	Epilogue	03:12
10.	Door Of Innocence (Bonus Track)	04:36

Tiarra - Post Scriptum

Toxic Taste

TT Poison.... ok you dont know who's that guy...
Rock´n´Rolf Kasparek.... now maybe? :D yes I know .. the name is familiar but still not sure...?
if you are thinking about the main head of the german heavy speedic band called Running Wild... Yes! You're right!
So both names belong to the same person but in different projects... very different projects... so different that I could bet he did it on purpose to not to be related with Running Wild.
Toxic Taste is the new band where Rock'n rolf can release all the creativity he cannot fit properly in Running Wild.
The reason... find the differences:

http://www.myspace.com/neoncityrock

I dont know, but .. what was that??? XDDD
I guess what kind of movies' fan Rock'n Rolf is and from where he takes influences XD
After listening Starlight Serenades it was much clearer :P

Or maybe going a step further...

What do you think? :D

Surprises 2008: Consecration - Aux

Consecration , formed in Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro in 2000, (formerly known as The Lack Of Motivation), plays prog/post-rock influenced doom metal. Bands like Anathema, Opeth, Katatonia are coming easily to mind when I was listening to Aux, even in some parts, the most experimental Phlebotomized or the prog70's King Crimson.
There were few albums of that doomish post-rock that I liked, lots of those bands try to copy other "great ones" like Kyuss or Tool (bands that I dont like too much), or make a metalized version of Radiohead, but somehow, I enjoyed with the first album of Consecration everytime I played it more and more, mostly those melancholic passages like Cliffhangers or Shelter Me.
They call themselves the "Def Leppard of Doom Metal".

1.	Aimless	05:56
2.	Rinasek	06:39
3.	Passage (aux)	06:43
4.	Cliffhangers	07:33
5.	Absinthe	03:35
6.	Shelter Me	06:07
7.	Mercury Room	13:39

Consecration - Aux

Surprises 2008: Synesthesia - From Amnesia To Apocalypse

Synesthesia is a greek band (appearing lots of good bands from that country!) that makes a kind of progressive very melodic death metal. But, the style is wider than that, they play with many influences, growls and a personal clean voice that sometimes could recall a mix of some gothic male singer and Ville ex-Sentenced, some electronic keyboards, clean guitars, atmospheric moments, and in general very varied songs that makes us to enjoy and listen quite easily their debut album.
Many influences and delicate taste in melodies and composing make this From Amnesia To Apocalypse one of the worthest albums of 2008.
Just like anecdote, some of their members are also part of other interesting projects that came lastly from Greece like Transcending Bizarre?, Dol Theeta or Dol Ammad.

1.	Temptation	05:09
2.	In Silence Digress	06:56
3.	Field Of Sorrow	05:06
4.	Threshold	04:27
5.	The Distance Within	05:38
6.	Frozen Rose	06:19
7.	Through The Eyes Of Ambivalence	08:00
8.	Departure	05:05
9.	Frozen Rose (radio edit)	05:04

Synesthesia - Threshold


Synesthesia - From Amnesia To Apocalypse Part I
Synesthesia - From Amnesia To Apocalypse Part II

Surprises 2008: Heathendom - Neoscience

Though formed 10 years ago, the greeks Heathendom released this last year their first album Neoscience. I could recall some the epic doom heavy metal influence of Manilla Road or some slow-time Candlemass with strong Kingdiamondesque feeling and atmospheres. Guitars and melodies are perfectly composed with that thorough mix of those dark riffs and terror-theatrical environment. Similar to my recent discovering, the italians Thunderstorm, I'm gladly expectant about the work of this great band.

1.	Oranges & Lemons (Intro)	00:43
2.	Nescience	04:41
3.	Burn	05:18
4.	The Doll House	06:03
5.	Mirror Of Memories	06:04
6.	Scenes Of Old	04:57
7.	I Bleed	06:15
8.	A Sick Man's Dreams - Blissful Hell	04:51
9.	Hell Within	08:33
10.	War & Pain (bonus track)	05:05

Heathendom -Neoscience