April was a very consistent, but not great month. No new releases garnered 4.5 stars or higher, but a bunch received 4 stars, making it a difficult task to determine this month's top 5. I have a feeling some of these will age pretty well, and by the end of the year may even grow on us enough to crack the best of 2011 list. After a lot of debate, arm-wrestling and coin-flipping, Primordial gets the top spot for April, barely edging out the return of Pentagram. Here are April's top 5 metal releases.
1. Primordial - 'Redemption At The Puritan's Hand' (Metal Blade)
Metal Blade Records
Irish blackened/pagan/Celtic folksters Primordial have slowly but surely emerged from the underground as one of the most respected bands in their genre. That higher profile caused some issues within the band, but they've regrouped in time for their seventh full-length Redemption At The Puritan's Hand.
The opener “No Grave Deep Enough” is a slow build, eventually kicking in with blast beats and ominous guitars. Vocalist A.A. Nemtheanga alternates spoken word, singing and growls. The syncopated rhythms of “Lain With The Wolf” increase the catchiness factor exponentially, making the 8 plus minutes go by quickly. Like their previous albums, Redemption At The Puritan's Hand has long songs, with the shortest track still over 6 minutes. The length is irrelevant as long as Primordial can keep the listener engaged, and for the most part they do.
2. Pentagram - 'Last Rites' (Metal Blade)
Metal Blade Records
Last Rites is the final piece in Pentagram's unlikely comeback story. It’s hard not to root for Liebling despite his bad behavior. When he’s straight he seems likeable and genuinely grateful to be given a tenth chance. The difference between Liebling and other comeback artists like Anvil, in addition to addiction, is talent. If you listen to the collection First Daze Here and Pentagram’s masterpiece Relentless, it’s apparent Liebling sabotaged a wildly promising career with excess. He now has a final chance to set the ship right.
None of the songs on Last Rites are new – all were written years ago and two were re-recorded – but they sound fresh and relevant. There’s plenty of doom available now and Pentagram still outclasses most of it. Opener “Treat Me Right” is a straight-ahead rocker like Pentagram staples “20 Buck Spin” and “Into The Ground.” Liebling's voice sounds potent and retains its hypnotic drawl.
3. Blut Aus Nord - '777: Sect(s)' (Code 666)
Debemur Morti Productions
We'll be hearing a lot of Blut Aus Nord in 2011, as 777: Sect(s) is the first in a trilogy of albums to be released this year. The French band has never been afraid to experiment, and over the years their albums have explored a lot of different avenues within the realm of black metal. They continue that diversity here, but the flow is smoother. The song titles aren't very creative (“Epitome I” through “Epitome VI”), but that's the only thing on the album that's not.
“Epitome I” begins with an all-out assault, then backs off to a less intense, lengthy instrumental section before Vindsval's raspy vocals resume along with the intensity before suddenly dropping off a cliff into an ambient, eerie conclusion. “Epitome II is an atmospheric piece, with grandiose guitars and bombastic drums, with periodic vocals barely audible deep in the background, acting as another instrument.
4. Cruachan - 'Blood On The Black Robe' (Candlelight)
Candlelight Records
With the departure of long-standing female vocalist Karen Gilligan paving the way for founding member Keith Fay to take sole charge of vocals, there is much anticipation that Blood On The Black Robe will see a return to the heavier, black metal-influenced sound of earlier albums and that, while the band might not exactly be drinking in the last chance saloon, now is the time for them to step up a gear and release a record that finally establishes them on a world stage.
The good news is they may just have done it. Blood On The Black Robe is not an instant record, but it is an insistent one. For a listener prepared to invest a little bit of time, these eleven tracks show themselves to be wildly creative and incredibly rewarding, suggesting that after too many years below the radar, Cruachan is at the peak of its powers and possesses a newfound deadly intent.
5. Vintersorg - 'Jordpuls' (Napalm)
Napalm Records
Jordpuls is a diverse album, as Vintersorg transitions seamlessly between various styles and genres. It's sometimes technical, other times more free-form and experimental. “Till Dånet Av Forsar Och Fall” incorporates both cold black metal riffs and warm flute sections along with some nice guitar work. The lyrics are not in English, as you can probably tell from the song titles, but the theme of man versus nature is very evident in the music.
While Vintersorg's music has a lot of depth and intricacies, Jordpuls is more immediately accessible than most of the band's previous work. Tracks like “Palissader” are instantly catchy, as are several other tracks. There are others that take more listens to fully absorb, and even the most accessible songs reveal more layers on subsequent listens.
