Véhémence – Assiégé pour l’éternité

Metalcatto

Here we go again. More French Black Metal that sounds like it was recorded in a fridge by people who should have gone to therapy instead. That’s the cliché, at least. But Véhémence is doing something strange with Assiégé pour l’éternité. It’s a remake of its own first album, with new production, new tracks, and new lyrics. It’s almost as if they said, “This is the way we wanted to debut, but back then we didn’t have the budget.” So how good can this be? I’m completely primed by previous Antiq releases, so you could say I’m pretty neutral about it.

Temple ov Ahriman – Heretics of Consensual Reality

Metalcatto

In our not-so-long career, we have reviewed bands with all sorts of quirky names. Temple ov Ahriman isn’t that weird, but who the heck names an album Heretics of Consensual Reality? I’m old school. I read Durkheim. Reality is what opposes the individual will. This title makes no sense! Anyway, you’re here for the Metal, not for the snobbery. So let’s see if this is more than just average Black Metal.

Rigor Sardonicous -Diatriba Deorum

Metalcatto

When I think of Meuse Records, I think of sad puppy Death/Doom with clean production. However, Rigorous Sardonicus truly defies the stereotypes, because Diatriba Deorum is just nasty work that feels like it came out of Finland in 1993. I was surprised by the band’s obscene proposal, but that’s not all it had to offer. We need more than slow riffs to be truly impressed at this point, don’t you think?

Tsar Stangra -Химните на разрушените светове (Hymns of the Broken Worlds)

Metalcatto

It’s been a while since I last gave a chance to a little band. Tsar Stangra is basically that – I don’t mean it in a disrespectful way. The whole point of this blog is helping bands reach new people. Hymns of the Broken Worlds pretty enigmatic. Is it folk, or death metal? Or both? Also, I could be wrong, but this might be the first or second band with Bulgarian heritage we’ve reviewed. Hence, I know nothing about Bulgarian metal. Still, there should be fair judgement today. Don’t despair!

Voivod – Symphonique

Metalcatto

I have a confession to make: I’ve never been the biggest Voivod fan. A mystery indeed, because the band has everything I should like—Thrash, Prog, space themes, and just pure, unhinged madness. But who knows? It just doesn’t click with me. Symphonique is pretty much a greatest hits album, but with an orchestra in the background, which might be what I’ve always needed to enjoy these guys’ work as much as I should. Anyway, does this work, or is it going to be full of clichés?

Elder – Through Zero

Metalcatto

Elder is one of the best acts out there. Doubts are next to none. Ever since Reflections of a Floating World, the band has released Album of the Year contender after another. So my real question was: will Through Zero reach those heights, or sink into absolute misery and disappointment? For once, my expectations landed somewhere in the middle of the scale. Ready to be happy or bored, but not furious. Snob note: how do you go through zero? It’s literally the absence of anything. But maybe these guys are in the “zero is a number” camp. Let’s see.

Vortex Sutra – Noumenon

Metalcatto

I can count on one hand the times an instrumental album has received a full review at MER Industries. It’s nothing personal. We just don’t get too many submissions of this kind, and even fewer from a promoter or label. The truth is, you customers love music where someone just shouts at you constantly. However, Vortex Sutra is a Prog Rock band that is pretty different from what we usually cover. Its album Noumenon surprised me and in a way challenged my reviewer’s habits. That’s good, right? Let’s find out.