Purchases and acquisitions

[Blood Music]

Rachel's - haven't heard the name in decades! Used to listen to them in the 90s. Need to go check them out again.

[Dementsprechend]

Rachel's - haven't heard the name in decades!  Used to listen to them in the 90s.  Need to go check them out again.

Yeah, definitely do that!
The Systems/Layers (which is/was their best in my opinion) got released on vinyl for the first time--(mine) sounds pretty good although the printed innersleeves could be thicker, but that's just nagging around while used to take BM quality as standard!;P

The Pale Ravine (e.g. White Lake) and Bandits Of Stature (e.g. Chant for Jane Maru, Veil Of Orpheus) perfectly fit in a Rachel's listening session--and if you maybe haven't listened to The BHR - Har Nevo I'd highly recommend that one too!

[Emplate]

Just in:

Zeal And Ardor - Devil is fine (clear green, 2017 UK press)
Soen - Lykaia (they no longer sound like tool )

How's that Zeal And Ardor? I've heard a couple of songs, and I think the title track, as it had no black metal vocals, had a great atmosphere in it, but the other one felt completely utter nonsense. Like two different songs switching back and forth, the "black metal" parts felt totally out of place, even forced. It's like they've invented one gimmick and they just feel the to need run with it, no matter if it works or not. The title track really had me hoping they would focus more on that slave blues style, it's really a damn good song.

[Aldhissla]

Just in:

Zeal And Ardor - Devil is fine (clear green, 2017 UK press)
Soen - Lykaia (they no longer sound like tool )

How's that Zeal And Ardor? I've heard a couple of songs, and I think the title track, as it had no black metal vocals, had a great atmosphere in it, but the other one felt completely utter nonsense. Like two different songs switching back and forth, the "black metal" parts felt totally out of place, even forced. It's like they've invented one gimmick and they just feel the to need run with it, no matter if it works or not. The title track really had me hoping they would focus more on that slave blues style, it's really a damn good song.

I have owned that record for quite some time now (stumbled upon it when the first pressing was up fpr pre-order) and love it. I can see how you feel about it, but personally I think that this is a record that one has to allow himself to get into. Like with Igorrr's records. Event though it wants to be taken serious, actually taking it TO serious might hurt more than doing good. Not sure if you see what I'm aiming at, tho . ;-) Personally, I recommend that you give it another chance. They had the whole album up as an exclusive stream a couple of days ago, but unfortunately it's already down again. Anyway, here's "Come on down", which I think is awesome - and hope that's not the "other one" you were talking about ;-) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggE3OwlPIYc

[Blood Music]

I think Zeal and Ardor was discussed earlier here - everyone has discussed it it seems everywhere. But yeah I don't personally get it. Would give another album a chance, but I don't have any feeling over that record. Not sure why it caught so much fire.

[Karkassi]

I honestly too don't get the hype Zeal and Ardor are causing. Even more i don't like the fact that people are tagging it as black metal. It sure got my attention to it (as intended) but to me his view of black metal is something more towards melodeath and such (honestly i think the metal parts in those songs are closer to what bands like Children of Bodom are doing). While i usually don't like to blame anyone for falsely branding their music into certain category to create hype, to me Zeal and Ardor seems to be doing just that.

[Emplate]

I have owned that record for quite some time now (stumbled upon it when the first pressing was up fpr pre-order) and love it. I can see how you feel about it, but personally I think that this is a record that one has to allow himself to get into. Like with Igorrr's records. Event though it wants to be taken serious, actually taking it TO serious might hurt more than doing good. Not sure if you see what I'm aiming at, tho . ;-) Personally, I recommend that you give it another chance. They had the whole album up as an exclusive stream a couple of days ago, but unfortunately it's already down again. Anyway, here's "Come on down", which I think is awesome - and hope that's not the "other one" you were talking about ;-) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggE3OwlPIYc

Yes, I actually believe it was just that one :D Don't really see any point in that whole song, it's just two parts which don't fit together at all. I'm repeating myself, but the title track really had an engaging atmosphere and a great video, too! I'd found this much more interesting, if it would be atmospheric slave music with a satanist vibe. And those post-rock guitars actually work well as a spice in that song, I think.

I honestly too don't get the hype Zeal and Ardor are causing. Even more i don't like the fact that people are tagging it as black metal. It sure got my attention to it (as intended) but to me his view of black metal is something more towards melodeath and such (honestly i think the metal parts in those songs are closer to what bands like Children of Bodom are doing). While i usually don't like to blame anyone for falsely branding their music into certain category to create hype, to me Zeal and Ardor seems to be doing just that.

Agreed. I have a hard time finding anything black metal about it, that's why I put it in quotations in the previous post.

[Aldhissla]

Agreed. I have a hard time finding anything black metal about it, that's why I put it in quotations in the previous post.

Maybe it's because the band leader is actually black? :-D Joke, of course! I would not classify it as black metal either, tho. The interesting thing about the record is that everyone I played it to so far liked it, no matter what kind of music they usually prefer. The hype is probably due to the unusual mixture of styles and/or thanks to clever promoters.

Well, I guess you won't like Children's Summon either :-). --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csgtV0Cs4ao

Oh, and on topic: Ancst - Furnace EP

[Karkassi]

Maybe it's because the band leader is actually black?

https://tinyurl.com/p62jnrk

I think the music is easy to approach for everyone because it is based on the catchy blues and the metal is layered around that. Guess i could like the songs if the metal wasn't just so corny to me. I listened to that kind of metal once way back but for now it really has just worn off and sounds really boring to me.

[Aldhissla]

https://tinyurl.com/p62jnrk

:-D