Carach Angren - Where The Corpses Sink Forever (Season Of Mist, 2012)

Track Listing:

1. An Ominous Recording (1.58)

2. Lingering In An Imprint Haunting (5.04)

3. Bitte Totet Mich (5.03)

4. The Funerary Dirge Of A Violinist (8.04)

5. Sir John (4.27)

6. Spectral Infantry Battalions (2.04)

7. General Nightmare (4.19)

8. Little Hector, What Have You Done? (4.55)

9. These Fields Are Lurking (Seven Pairs Of Demon Eyes) (7.15)

Synopsis: There is something very theatrical about "Where The Corpses Sink Forever" and I must admit that I am somewhat unsure what I think of it even after quite a few listens. Carach Angren tell tales through black metal and embellish it with orchestration almost to the point where the metal is an after thought. This isn't to say the songs themselves are mundane, it is clear a great deal of thought has gone into the composition, but at times I found myself craving more aggression such as "Bitte Totet Mich" where they show how good it can be. Carach Angren provide a metallic soundtrack to an unfolding nightmare of their own design, one that is definitely worth consideration.

http://www.carach-angren.nl/

Fetus Stench - Stillbirth (Abyss Records, 2012)

Track Listing:

1. Meat Grinder Flesh Obliteration (4.29)
2. Stillborn Son (3.35)
3. Brennkommando (3.54)
4. The Outer Island (4.26)
5. Severe Suffering (3.30)
6. Necrosis (2.23)
7. Bashed, Defaced And Disfigured (4.52)
8. Descending Into The Realm Of The Dead (5.32)
9. By Butchery Divorced (4.57)

Synopsis: Fetus Stench are in no way ambiguous and their debut album "Stillbirth" certainly makes its purpose quite clear from the outset, this is death metal pure and simple. Despite being Swedish they have, thankfully, not taken the "old school" route that is so popular these days choosing instead to have a more contemporary sound that is simple in intent and effective in execution. Sure, Fetus Stench aren't pushing any boundaries but that really isn't the point. "Stillbirth" looks good, is well written and is damn heavy, what more could you ask for?

www.facebook.com/fetusstench

Ahab - The Giant (Napalm, 2012)

Track Listing:

1. Further South (8.55)
2. Aeons Elapse (12.44)
3. Deliverance (Shouting At The Dead) (7.52)
4. Antarctica (The Polymorphess) (11.45)
5. Fathoms Deep Below (9.07)
6. The Giant (10.36)
7. Time's Like Molten Lead (11.02)

Synopsis: Admittedly, despite my love of doom, I haven't managed to invest in the two previous releases by Ahab so their latest, "The Giant", is my first encounter with their music and it is certainly a positive one. They have taken a different direction with the artwork on this one, gone are the classic nautical paintings that adorned their previous works, which is a big change for sure. Ahab manage to create doom that can, like the ocean that serves as their subject matter, be quiet one minute and angry the next wrapped an organic production that suits it perfectly. With such intelligent song writing "The Giant" is a doom album with a difference and tangible depth. 

http://www.ahab-doom.de/

Gorod - A Perfect Absolution (Listenable, 2012)

Track Listing:

1. The Call To Redemption (1.10)

2. Birds Of Sulphur (3.58)

3. Sailing Into The Earth (4.55)

4. Elements And Spirit (5.07)

5. The Axe Of God (3.46)

6. 5000 At The Funeral (5.53)

7. Carved In The Wind (6.19)

8. Varangian Paradise (4.32)

9. Tribute Of Blood (4.02)

Synopsis: Gorod are back with their highly complex and challenging interpretation of death metal on "A Perfect Absolution", an album that isn't easily digested but rewards with multiple listens. There are a lot of twists and turns throughout and it is fair to say that they cram a great deal into the duration including the odd surprise that can catch you off guard when it happens. This certainly isn't an album that can be listened to for a straight forward bludgeoning, though it is capable of that if need be, but technical death metal doesn't get much better than this either.

www.facebook.com/GorodOfficial

Skon - ...At The End Of A Journey... (Hexencave, 2010)

Track Listing:

1. Forever Lost (9.06)

2. Hopeless Words (7.10)

3. Cold Ways (5.12)

4. At The End Of A Journey (7.19)

Synopsis: This one man project from Slovakia is built around a staunch devotion to classic Katatonia and "...At The End Of A Journey..." does, to it's credit, sound like a decent replication of that sound albeit with a bit of doom and black metal thrown into the mix. If anything the cover of "Cold Ways" is the most disappointing song on the CD largely due to the mediocre guest vocalist however, putting that aside, the music here does have that downcast feeling and melodic air that gives the three (un)original compositions some degree of merit.

Rote Mare - Serpents Of The Church (Altsphere, 2011)

Track Listing:

1. Serpents Of The Church (11.15)
2. Crossroads (10.36)
3. Slow Decay (Sonic Mantra) (7.55)
4. Funeral Song (14.35)
5. The Martyr (12.35)
6. In Dooms Name (The Chosen Ones) (7.33)
7. Children Of The Sabbath (11.50)

Synopsis: Rote Mare worship at the altar of traditional doom metal and, as certain song titles would indicate, they do this with clear conviction. Whilst the song lengths might scare off the uninitiated Rote Mare do mix things up from the slow, heavy riffing that one would expect to groovier passages and some downright aggressive moments and it is this variation, always within the scope of their chosen style, that makes "Serpents Of The Church" such a fine doom metal album. The band states that "Doom metal is true metal" and a couple of listens to this album might just convince you they are right.

http://www.rotemaredoom.com/

Ketzer - Endzeit Metropolis (Necroshrine, 2012)

Track Listing:
1. Endzeit Metropolis (3.54)
2. A Requiem For Beauty (5.47)
3. The Fever's Tide (4.14)
4. Aesthetics And Ecstasy (4.48)
5. Farewell, Fade Away (1.57)
6. Collector Of Worlds (4.08)
7. Redeemed By Truth (4.07)
8. He, Who Stands Behind The Rows (9.03)

Synopsis: This is an excellent thrash album that manages to sound reminiscent of the classic German bands, you can no doubt guess who, but also adds a contemporary, darker edge to the music. Admittedly I haven't heard their debut but, for only their second album, Ketzer show themselves to be a band with a firm grasp on their sound and they play to their strengths at all times. "Endzeit Necropolis" is one of the better albums I have heard in this style, and is sure to spark nostalgia in some, and it will certainly appeal to those who love blackened thrash such as Desaster or Aura Noir.

http://www.ketzer-official.de/