KEVINP’S ALBUMS OF THE MONTH — APRIL 2015

 

(We’re nearing the end of the month, and that means it’s time for KevinP to name the releases this month that most impressed him.) 

We’re a quarter of the way through 2015 already.  This month was stacked to the gills with quality releases, the best yet.  Even though they didn’t make my Top 5, I feel obliged to mention Infernal War, Macabre Omen, Tribulation, Haar, and Kommandant, which are all worthy of your time.  But now, on to the creme de la creme.

5.  Abjvration – The Unquenchable Pyre

This was a last-minute entry and pushed one of the bands mentioned above off this list.  Think Portal, if they transformed into a Finnish doomy death metal band.  Sure, that makes no sense.  But does this band being absolutely terrifying and hailing from France make sense?  They are so kvlt, they’re not even listed on Metal Archives and have only a few hundred Facebook likes.

http://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-unquenchable-pyre
https://www.facebook.com/abjvration

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  Throes – Disassociation

Continuing my trend of reviewing at least one of my Top Albums over at Metal Bandcamp and pimping that link, click here—> http://metalbandcamp.com/2015/04/throes-disassoctation.html

BLIMEY!

https://naturmachtproductions.bandcamp.com/album/disassoctation-rwe010
https://www.facebook.com/throesUK

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Akhlys – The Dreaming I

Unless you’ve been under a rock this year, you’ve heard all the buzz/hype/glowing reviews of Naas Alcameth’s (Nightbringer) side project.  While I enjoyed last year’s Nightbringer album, Akhlys trumps it on all counts.  Quality black metal of the highest order.  Completely unrelenting but oozing with ambience at the same time.  Not an easy feat to pull off.

https://dmp666.bandcamp.com/album/the-dreaming-i?hc_location=ufi
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Akhlys/1512419082356682

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.  Sulphur Aeon – Gateway to the Antisphere

If their 2013 debut Swallowed by the Ocean’s Tide was akin to be suffocated by Cthulhu, the follow-up is like fleeing for your life in an open field and being stomped to pieces by a Titan.  Basically what you loved about them before, while continually refining their sound.  This is better or at least just as good as the debut.  With two back-to-back albums of this kind of quality, don’t be surprised if some of the big boys in the industry come knocking at their door.

https://sulphuraeon-vanrecords.bandcamp.com/album/gateway-to-the-antisphere
https://www.facebook.com/SulphurAeon

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.  Outre –   Ghost Chants

After releasing an EP and split in 2013, Poland’s Outre finally grace us with their debut album, and what a piece of work it is.  Featuring everything you’d want from a modern day black metal album:  intensity, variety, harsh and clean vocals, dissonant chords (but not too much that you’d lump them in with the BAN’s and DSO’s of the world).  On my first couple of listens the only flaw I could find was the production on the drums, but even that was a minor quibble and something I no longer even recognize.   Even though this is black metal, you can hear the bass plucking away, which helps to maintain the thickness of their sound.  And let’s not forget the vocals.  Talk about tortured, damn.  I’ll let you experience that one for yourself as anything I say won’t do it justice.  This just might be the best album released in 2015 so far.

http://outremetal.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/outremetal