Be'lakor's Stone's Reach Review

Being a crony of mine, art always haunts me whether it’s a sculpture or imagination and this time Perseus with the head of Medusa caused my cursor to click on Be'lakor's sophomore effort Stone's Reach. It was surely a good reflection of band's taste. At the first instance, the opening briefed me with something really inspired from Opeth followed by the lifting with heavy riff and the low end growls that gave me a similar vibe of Amon Amarth and Orphaned Land. Eventually, as the opening track proceeded further, I myself generated stimuli of having a progressive/melodic death/doom experience coming ahead. Although, it’s really easy to translate the tone with many similar acts like Dark Tranquillity, Opeth, Amon Amarth and last but not the least Insomnium, but I think, this is some sort of an amalgam of vast influences. I witnessed mixed elements of folk as well as atmospheric along with the overshadowed progressive melo-death. 

When there are lot of similar acts experimenting with the same genre, it is really hard to put something idiosyncratic but impressively, Be'lakor didn't let me put this down and proved to be a solid release. The songs have complex structures and time signatures as well as a balanced chord and lead-esque rhythms along with main leads. The tempo is not easily predictable nor the arrangement/sequence of riffs and have variations, From Scythe to Spectre can be taken as an example, Outlive the Hand has a unique starting that eventually changes to a different variation and so on. Those who are merely addicted to melo-death/progressive may have some Deja-vu experience as it sometimes feels that it might have the same kind of riffs or chord progression coming out frequently. The acoustics and keyboard played a pivotal role in creating the mood of the songs. Lyrically, it has surely a huge Pagan & Greek Mythology texture. Some songs have a deep cynicism’s influence that I observed and I think it is some sort of esoteric or abstruse to understand them to their actual intended meaning. The production/mixing of the album is credible, as of my previous experience, with the low-end growls, sometimes it feels like to have other instruments dominating more over the vocals but here, it is not that same case. Overall, this album may have some flaws but is inevitably a thumbs up from my side. 

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See Us Sleep Behind The Glass...Unaware of crime! (Review of The Great Cold Distance (2006) by Katatonia)

When I listen 'In Silence Enshrined' and then 'Unfurl', I emphasize myself to think; time amends. Well the kvlt doomy Katatonia which I still love to listen is no more since 'Discouraged Ones' (1998) which was the first release to offer clean vocals. Despite of changing the genre, the playing style, vocals, lyrical theme; they still underrated while this had alienated a number of people who love the old-school but they opened much wider to approach the fans of alternative/progressive, but indeed it is debatable, I went no backward nor I feel estrange from one of my favourite band.
'The Great Cold Distance' is the seventh full-length which enlighten their departure from doom/death towards unclassifiable genre but why not to assigned? because the new wave of Katatonia has a blend of different style: doom/alternative/progressive/depressive/gothic; but still they are a metal band and that is fair enough.
Well, the consistency brought much improvement from predecessor 'Viva Emptiness', the art-work, the lyrical workout everything is good as compared. Personally, I really enjoyed the album, one thing is that Jonas knows how to nib down the moor of feelings. Each song has its own theme, just by seeing the lyrics may be someone thinks it is as usual but by listening the song and then grasping, one can know what its all about. BTW, I can't imagine that Renske has got some very melodic and melancholy throat as he growls (not any more) but also sings very smooth and serene which complements the music of Katatonia.

(I have the same poster in my room) 

The distorted guitar work is good ranging with some heavy power-chords but still as a fan of acoustic, I am missing it. It could have made a good impact but nonetheless a good one. I think bass solos should have in the album which suits the dark/depressive sense but not a big issue though. Some folks said, the album do have good writing/vocal skills but more or less every song have the same pattern of composition, same heavy pseudo riffs along with the drum strokes. Well, Katatonia is a creative act. I don't feel this but yeah, they have their own style so one can say yus there's Katatonia (a trademark).
Its a must have for everyone not only for the metal-heads. It has a arm wide open. Cheers! \m/

(The Unfurl official tee and the poster that I have)

Review of Opeth's Damnation

Well firstly I want to say, I am a progressive rock follower so this album is like a treat for me. The album is the first radical departure from the band's usual death metal influence and leading them to the old-school 70's psychedelic/progressive way. The album sounds much softer than their previous recordings having clean vocals with prominent sound of acoustic guitar, the use of polyphonic keyboard and no such heavy riffs included. Moreover the song structures are very much similar to the progressive rock acts like Porcupine Tree and like that.

The album is truly a masterclass, I can say that Steven Wilson overshadowed his 'Post-Progressive' ((I love Steven Wilson's stuff so I better use this particular word to describe his music sense) influence on the record which sounds good. Well as far as the experimental kind work concern, despite the change of style and sound (notably extended fast tempo and short-length songs)  this one truly nailed. Electric/Acoustic guitar shows a brilliant impact (Mikael knows where to get the most of it). The song "Windowpane" is just like close the eyes and feel it inside. "Hope Leaves" and "In My Time Of Need" have some finest bass sound that I feel. There is a instrumental "Ending Credits" and without giving credit to this tune the review would be incomplete, a pure blend of Jazz-influenced guitar work.

At the end, the damn thing behind is many would remote it negatively (mostly death metal fans) because it doesn't suit their taste as the usual Opeth sounds but yet you can praise them by giving an applause in the way they oriented a step towards creativity.