SYMPHONIC EXTREMITY: NEW MUSIC FROM DIABOLICAL AND WELICORUSS

While browsing the interhole this morning in an effort to find something that would cheer me up in the wake of learning about the cancellation of the Gojira-LambOfGod-Dethklok tour, I happened upon two new videos that helped considerably. By coincidence, both involve bands whose new music carries an air of dark symphonic grandeur, while inflicting vicious body blows at the same time: Diabolical (Sweden) and Welicoruss (Russia).

DIABOLICAL

Diabolical are a Swedish death metal band with three studio albums and a live recording (2011’s Ars Vitae) to their credit. They’re now in the process of recording a new album entitled Neogenesis. Today, they released a video that includes pre-production excerpts from a few of the new songs, and the music is sounding really fucken good.

The music is a dark kind of melodic death metal, frequently with a black metal sheen. Whether galloping at a furious pace or stomping with imperial might, it’s infernally majestic. The vocals are deep and bestial and the riffing is titanic. But the band also spin sweeping melodies, and they leaven the blasting with soft spaces that include the mournful sound of violins. Through the guitars, subtle keyboard additions, and even choral clean voices, they also create a symphonic aura around this very ominous and apocalyptic metal.

The new video teaser also features a dude who looks like he took in a few too many roentgens somewhere.
 

Diabolical’s Facebook page can be found via this link.

WELICORUSS

We first took notice of this band from Siberian Russia last December, and wrote about their free 2011 EP called Kharnha. They’ve also been working on a new album, and today they uploaded videos of two live performances of new songs that will appear on the album. My favorite of the two is “Bridge of Hope”, which was filmed at the band’s performance at the Dark Metal Festival on June 20, 2012.

The music is hard-charging symphonic black metal, with folk influences in the melodies. It’s impossible not to headbang to this. It thunders, it blasts, it rips, and the voracious, paint-pealing vocals are awesome. The keyboard additions are also quite effective, adding atmosphere and melody without becoming cheesy. I also love the audible bass and the reverberating guitar solo.

I should also mention that there are go-go dancers on elevated platforms flanking the stage. I didn’t see that coming, but I’m thinking this could be a trend worth encouraging.
 

THIS is a link to the band’s second new live video, and you can reach the Welicoruss FB page via this one.