I thought I’d throw together a post about the good and not so good that I heard in 2009. Despite attempting to listen to more albums from 2009, I really found only a handful of albums from the past year that I thought were really amazing. And as usual, my want list from 2009 is much longer than my actual ‘best of’ list; I still haven’t gotten around to listening to the new ones from Mistur, Nokturnal Mortum, Arckanum, Nazxul, and Askival among others.

Top 5 Albums from 2009:

Solstafir - Kold
Drudkh - Microcosmos
The Beast of the Apocalypse - A Voice from the Four Horns of the Golden Altar
Katatonia - Night is the New Day
Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With The Stars

Honorable Mention:

Altar of Plagues - White Tomb
Ulcerate - Everything Is Fire
Sun of the Blind - Skullreader
Semen Datura - Einsamkeit
Urfaust - Einsiedler

Most Disappointing:

The Axis of Perdition - Urfe
Brutal Truth - Evolution Through Revolution

Belgian black/viking metallers Theudho are celebrating the winter solstice with a new EP showcasing the band’s new line-up. The Silence is being released as a free digital download as a gift to friends and supporters. The EP consists of re-recorded versions of four songs from Theudho’s back catalogue: ‘Silence reigned over the Bog’, ‘Fafnirs Blut,’ ‘Foreboding Dreams’ and ‘Gudrun’s Revenge.’

The free versions of the songs are 128kbps, so not great quality, but certainly listenable. You can also download 320kbps versions at the ConSouling Sounds digital store.

Theudho has also recently made all their albums available for streaming from Last.fm for free, so you really have no excuse for not checking these guys out.

» Theuhdo - The Silence free download

» Theudho’s page on Last.fm

I ran across Veil, an excellent atmospheric black metal band from Minnesota, recently. They have an interesting post about downloading their album on their MySpace page:

Ultimately I support physical formats (CD, Vinyl, Tape) but I realize that music downloading is here, and it’s not going anywhere soon, so it’s best to acknowledge it.

The band goes on to state that while they obviously prefer people buying their music, they recognize that their latest album Sombre is rather difficult to obtain. Apparently a bunch of places like iTunes are offering digital downloads of Sombre without Veil’s permission, so the band would rather fans just download it for free instead of giving these places money. I have my own opinions about downloading music and the associated laws and regulations, but it’s interesting to hear the perspective of an underground metal band on the issue.

Although they don’t have any copies yet at the time I’m writing this, apparently The End Records will have some physical copies soon:
» Buy Sombre from The End

Or for the impatient, download it in 320kbps here:
» Download Sombre for free

Slavogorje is a Croatian black metal band with a strong folk influence. Their music reminds me a lot of Kroda, although Slavogorje’s takes the folk / pagan element even further. Slavogorje’s albums are filled with sections of songs and even full tracks that use various different acoustic instruments, clean vocals and other unusual sounds. If you need any more evidence just check out the band member’s credits on the album - one member is responsible for “vocals, piano, keyboards, whistle, sopilka, troblja, jaw harp, pan flute, rattles, wood sticks, and bells”.

Slavogorje’s entire discography is available for free download from the Slavogorje Last.fm page. They have been fairly prolific recently, having released Priroda Opstanka in 2008, and both the full-length Zimsko Krzno and a split EP titled Post-Folk in 2009. Priroda Opstanka is probably their best and most polished release, although their other albums are worth checking out as well. Their tracks from the Post-Folk split are also interesting, because the band mostly ditches the metal and explores the folk elements of their sound.

A compilation album titled “Transmissions From Sinai” was released earlier this year in a limited edition of 1000 copies. The album was curated by Om frontman Al Cisneros, and artists contributing to the compilation include Grails, Neurosis’s Scott Kelly, Current 93, Grouper, Lichens, and Six Organs of Admittance.

The album was released by Arthur Magazine, and the intent of the collected songs is to capture the vague idea of “life metal,” contemplative music that contrasts with the usual negativity of black and death metal.

» Buy “Transmissions From Sinai” from the Arthur Magazine Store

Here’s a glance at what we at Musical Warfare have been listening to in recent weeks:

Armagedda - Ond Spiritism
Agonia Records, 2004
The first thing I’ve heard from Sweden’s Armagedda. “Ond Spiritism” is a mid-paced black metal album that manages to achieve a very dark, ugly and hateful atmosphere throughout. Not quite as good as I was hoping it would be, but not bad either.

Ars Diavoli - Pro Nihilo Esse
Debemur Morti, 2008
This might be one of those situations where I built up my expectations too high. “Pro Nihilo Esse,” isn’t as amazing as I’d hoped, but it’s certainly a nice slab of atmospheric black metal. What attracted me to Ars Diavoli originally is how they manage to play slow, depressive black metal that conveys a lot of malevolence and aggression, unlike a lot of other bands in that genre. Their sound reminds me of Stielas Storhett in certain places.

Walknut - Graveforests and their Shadows
Stellar Winter Records, 2007
This is another album I’ve been eagerly awaiting ever since I heard these guys, and it did not disappoint. A lot of people compare Walknut’s style to Drudkh, but I think I actually like Walknut more. Very atmospheric, driving and epic songs - lots of repetition but enough fills and changes to make it interesting. Their guitar sound is also unique and very effective.

Black Lotus - Harvest of Seasons
Bleak Art Records, 2008
My first reaction to this album was “Holy crap, they sound a lot like Agalloch!” A lot of it stems from the fact that their vocalist sounds really similar to Agalloch’s in certain places, and because both bands play very melancholic folk-influenced metal with acoustic interludes. Black Lotus uses some clean vocals which I don’t really care for, but for the most part “Harvest of Seasons” is a pretty enjoyable listen.

Förgjord - Ajasta Ikuisuuteen
Hammer of Hate, 2008
Förgjord’s newest album epitomizes the raw and ugly side of black metal. Normally I’m not really into the rawer, low-fi BM bands, but Förgjord throws some additional elements in their music which help elevate “Ajasta Ikuisuuteen” above the slew of other bands that sound like this.

Strandhogg - Ritualistic Plague (Evangelical Death Apotheosis)
Pagan Records, 2009
“Ritualistic Plague” from Poland’s Strandhogg (it means “beach raid” in case you’re wondering) is a scathing, militaristic black metal assault from start to finish. I found myself getting bored of it after awhile because of the lack of variation, but if you’re looking for the type of black metal that scares the shit out of normal people this one’s for you.

The reissues of Swedish black metal band Lifelover’s first two albums, “Pulver” and “Erotik” are now available, although unfortunately they remain fairly hard to find in the US.

Lifelover’s twisted and depressive sound is on full display on both albums. They sound similar to the band’s latest album “Konkurs,” which was released earlier this year, but they are possibly even more bizarre and unpredictable. It’s sort of like Shining or older Katatonia with depraved vocals and some clean singing/speaking, and with a more rock-oriented approach. Lifelover also throw all sorts of weird crap into their songs like riffs played backwards, children singing, odd samples and even an accordion solo!

You can currently find “Erotik” at Moribund Cult.

You can also buy both reissues from overseas at Blackscaped or Osmose Productions.

2009 is already looking like another great year for metal, with several impressive albums already released and many more on the way. Here are some of the most noteworthy albums so far as well as a few to look forward to in the coming weeks:

Sólstafir - Köld
A former black metal band creates genre-bending masterpiece that takes a lot of people by surprise. Sound familiar? Last year it was Alcest, this year it could be Sólstafir’s captivating blend of progressive metal, shoegaze and sludge.

Den Saakaldte - All Hail Pessimism
Den Saakaldte’s first full-length is already being hailed as one of the best black metal releases of 2009.

Austere - To Lay Like Old Ashes
Excellent depressive black metal from the Australian duo Austere.

Obscura - Cosmogenesis
Balancing impressive technicality and creativity with straight-forward brutality, “Cosmogenesis” is a masterpiece of modern death metal.

Fen - The Malediction Fields
The new album from this UK-based atmospheric black metal band has received much praise, as well as comparisons to Drudkh and older Agalloch.

The Axis of Perdition - Urfe
After 4 years, this enigmatic UK black metal / ambient act returns with “Urfe,” a bizarre 2-disc assault of creepy atmospherics.

Blut Aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II - Dialogue With The Stars
France’s Blus Aus Nord continues to push the boundaries of black metal while staying true to their roots with their new one, a follow up to “Memoria Vetusta I: Fathers of the Icy Age” from back in 1996.

Svarte Greiner - Kappe
More ghostly acoustic passages and field recordings abound on Svarte Greiner’s follow-up to 2006’s highly disturbing “Knive.”

I Shalt Become - The Pendle Witch Trials
The new one from one-man depressive metal act I Shalt Become has just been released by No Colours. It’s a bit hard to get in the US right now, unfortunately.

Kylesa - Static Tensions
Brooklyn’s Kylesa gives us one of the more interesting sludge metal releases of the year thus far.

Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs
The first full length from Amesoeurs is clearly one of 2009’s most anticipated albums, and should further cement frontman Neige’s reputation as one of extreme metal’s most creative and talented musicians.

Trist - Willenskraft
Germany’s Trist serve up more haunting black-ambient soundscapes on “Willenskraft,” their third full-length.

Longing For Dawn - Between Elation and Despair
“Between Elation and Despair” is the third full-length album of oppressive funeral doom from Canada’s Longing for Dawn.

Nagelfar - Hünengrab Im Herbst
The reissue of Nagelfar’s amazing debut album is finally here, courtesy of Ván Records. The reissue of “Strontgorrth” will follow soon after.

Brutal Truth - Evolution Through Revolution
The eagerly-anticipated return of grindcore legends Brutal Truth. If the new songs on the band’s MySpace page are any indication, these guys have not lost a bit of intensity over the years.