I must say that over the past few weeks I have been incredibly unadventurous in my musical musings and haven't really put much thought into what I have been listening to. I came across the list of songs that I had been putting together for the next load of notable mentions and it was full of the same old stuff - a ton of Norwegian stuff, something I haven't heard in ages, something new or something that has caught my attention. This however got me thinking that actually we forget how great some of these pieces are. We put them on when we get up, in the car on the way to work, when we are at work or when we are casually browsing the internet but we forget what made us like them in the first place. So whilst today's list of songs may not be a wild leap into the unknown here are some great tracks that I have embraced into my day to day listenings.
Hymne Til Havet - In Vain
I bloody love this song. Well in fact the whole album Ænigma, In Vain have created a brilliant soundscape with this album. Hymne Til Havet is for me one of the standouts on the album, sung totally in Norwegian and layered vocal harmonies you get the vibe that vikings could have been belting out this chorus as they left their Scandinavian shores into the vast ocean. The guitar work and song crafting on this piece is sublime. Ænigma is a masterpiece and something all metal fans should check out even if you're not into all this viking awesomeness.
Tyrants - Immortal
I haven't really listened to much of the Norwegian Black Metal titans, Immortal, but I stumbled across this track and was blown away by the sheer power of it! Some times black metal needs to take the pace down just a notch for its true power to be heard and that is just what Immortal have done here. Simple but effective Norwegian Black Metal.
Physical Education - Animals As Leaders
And now for something completely different. I'm not a massive fan of the band but this song really caught my attention. That catchy little melody that runs through the song is incredibly infectious that mixed with Tosin Abasi's signature jazzy bass thumping technique give this song a fantastic groove. It's not much of a shred fest but more for the musical connoisseur taking a trippy journey to the djent side.
The Unbinding Truth - Dååth
Tech/melo-death band Dååth had completely slipped off my radar for a long time. I loved this band a while ago but for some reason I haven't listened to them in ages. This track from their astonishing album The Concealers highlights everything great about this band. The guitar work that Levi and Werstler come up with is mind blowing, that compounded with the crushing vocals of Sean Zatorsky you are left with this little beauty.
Mass Darkness - Ihsahn
Finally! It is here! The lead single from Ihsahn's upcoming album Arktis has arrived. As he has said in various interviews this album is going to take a more structured approach to song writing compared to that of Das Seelenbrechen and this song certainly follows that sentiment. As straight up as a Black Metal song could possibly be, Mass Darkness, is a nice intro to what I'm sure will be contender for album of the year. The song also features a not too annoying Matt Heafy on vocals for the chorus "Give in!"'s - It's an Ihsahn song after all, he could redeem pretty much anything.
Top Notch
Ok so I am introducing a new category which I am sure will only feature when something is extremely good. I went to see Steven Wilson this past week again in which he played the whole of his most recent album Hand. Cannot. Erase. meaning that his song Routine was played once again. Knowing how much it impacted me the last time I saw him perform it I said to myself I would not be moved to tears again. Well it was extremely hard. The way Steven and the band deliver this song is a pure work of art. The story, the music and the visuals are all impeccable to get you to just watch the music video would not do it justice but I will get you to do that anyway. It was absolutely stunning and someone who you must see live.
