Four fortissimous frolics for a fantastic Februrary!
Dawnbringer – XX
by Neil Bird
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXF16ECe5_4]
High Priest of Saturn – Son of Earth and Sky
by Ailo Ravna
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CW_izTDUc0]
One puff from High Priest of Saturn’s sophomore album is liable to induce blurry vision, images of vast oceans of sand, deep gulfs of stars, and unknown nebulas. In less-abstract terms, the Norwegian ensemble push their hallucinogenic doomscapes further in a warm mix of OM, Acid King, and 70’s psychedelia. Son of Earth and Sky is a remarkably classy and ethereal effort that’s bound to be remembered for years to come.
Textures – Phenotype
by Joshua Bulleid
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UouFnxwJ998]
Phenotype is an absolute revelation. It’s hard to think of another album in recent times where everything comes together as naturally and perfectly as it does here with as little precedent. Sure, there are many who will vouch for Textures’ prior releases, but the fact is that Phenotype is leaps and bounds beyond anything they or their competition have done before. This album is an instant classic that will go down in as one of the best examples of not only of Textures’ output but progressive metal at large.
Wildernessking – Mystic Future
by Nathan Hare
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z12FzRgVGo]
Fans of atmospheric black metal have been eagerly anticipating Wildernessking’s sophomore album, and it does not disappoint. Mystical Future has everything that good atmospheric black metal does well; being melodic, melancholic, and emotionally gripping. The band’s knack for incorporating diverse influences is fantastic and it’s the kind of album that reveals more upon repeated listens but also immediately memorable, making it a rare achievement.
