Update: several bands

All Nagelfar-related bands have had their links removed. Reason can be read on Nagelfar-discography post.

Dissection - Storm of the Light's Bane & Where Dead Angels Lie

This is one of these albums I can't hear everyday, but whenever I hear it once in a time (recently more often, again) its energizing, empowering. Sadly, there aren't many albums I've encountered (I guess their number is in the 10s) that have this effect, but this one is a perl!

Facts:
• released 1995, this rereleased version in 2002
• 1:01:19, 13 tracks
• fixed bitrate of 320 kBit/s

Highlights: Night's Blood, Where Dead Angels Lie, Retribution - Storm of the Light's Bane, Thorns of Crimson Death, Soulreaper

In case you like, this way.

Update: Nachtmystium

- Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. I is now coded in 256 kBit/s.
- Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II is now coded in 320 kBit/s, including the rare bonus track from the vinyl.

Feindflug - Sterbehilfe

Without background knowledge, one may say that this band is right winged with them often using NS-samples or having an album named 'Volk und Armee', but I can tell you they aren't.
Now you can either believe my words or research on your own!

P.S.: I like how I didn't say a word about the music itself!

Facts:
• released 2000
• 44:23, 7 songs
• fixed bitrate of 192 kBit/s

Highlights: the samples in general (well, you need to be german), B66883, Roter Schnee

In case you like, this way.

Nachtmystium - Instinct: Decay

Another masterpiece, although I do not like Eternal Ground, but everything else on this album.

Facts:
• released 2006
• 42:55, 10 songs
• VBR between 188 and 227 kBit/s

Highlights: A Seed for Suffering, Here's To Hoping, Chosen By No One

In case you like, this page is your friend.

Nachtmystium - Doomsday Derelicts

I don't really need to comment this piece of awesomeness.

Facts:
• released 2009
• 16:36, 4 songs
• VBR between 262 and 303 kBit/s

Buy this EP here.

Nachtmystium - Worldfall

As great as the cover art is depicted here, the music is, well, actually the music is way better than this ... unconventional cover.
Who cares, these 5 tracks are so impressive, this is the first time I'm glad they're releasing a new record almost every year!

Facts:
• released 2008
• 26:14, 5 songs
• fixed bitrate of 160 kBit/s

There are no real "highlights" as every song is fucking great. Moreover, the lyrics printed on the back of their Nachtdemon merchandise are from the song Depravity.

In case you like, this way: link.

Madrugada - Discography

Despite of my somewhat blackened metal charts, my 2nd most listened band are Madrugada (spanish or portuguese for "dawn"), fronting Sivert Hoyem, which, since Madrugada has come to an end, tours solely.

Their music is almost completely melancholic, lyrically as well as musically. Of course they do have some faster songs like Running Out of Time (album The Deep End), but mainly they are low- to mid-paced with impressive riffs and structures.

Industrial Silence



Facts (CD1 - CD2):
• released 1999 (rereleased 2010 with bonus material)
• 1:08:23, originally 14 songs; this is a 2 CD release, over 2 hours long
• fixed bitrate of 320 kBit/s

Highlights: CD1 - actually everything CD2 - Highway 2.000.000, Tonight I Have No Words For You, 1990, I'm Life's Wonderful Way Of Letting You Down

You like? Buy here.

The Nightly Disease



Facts:
• released 2001
• 1:11:22, 13 songs
• fixed bitrate of 320 kBit/s (except the bonus track, 192 kBit/s)

Highlights: Step Into This Room And Dance For Me, Hands Up - I Love You, Sister, Only When You're Gone, Nightly Disease Part I

In case you like, this way.

Grit



Facts:
• released 2002
• 53:07, 11 songs
• fixed bitrate of 320 kBit/s

Highlights: Blood Shot Adult Commitment, I Don't Fit, Madrugada

Random notice: Got You is 10:56 long, at the end there's a hidden song named Love's Institution.

In case you like, this way.

The Deep End



Facts:
• released 2005
• 1:06:19, 14 songs
• fixed bitrate of 192 kBit/s

Highlights: The Kids Are On High Street, On Your Side, Hold On To You, Stories From The Street, Hard To Come Back, Slow Builder, Sail Away

In case you like, here you go.

Madrugada



Facts:
• released 2008
• 48:04, 9 songs
• fixed bitrate of 192 kBit/s

Highlights: Whatever Happened To You?, The Hour of the Wolf, Honey Bee, Highway of Light, Valley of Deception

In case you like, click.

Cathedral - The Guessing Game

Cathedral - The Guessing Game - two words: party music. I can't say it's bad, actually it's really good, but it's music you can play at a party (in contrast to bm) even with having people there that aren't familiar with metal in any way. At least I have the problem at some locations, if there's a song I know playing, I need to pay attention to it, whatever happens. But in this case, it simply rocks, literally, and you can play it without having the need to listen to it whilst being somewhere.

Facts:
• released 2010
• 1:24:50, 13 tracks (2 CD release)
• fixed bitrate of 320 kBit/s

In case you like (no, I actually don't copy & paste it even it would be worth the time I guess), click me.

Nargaroth - Semper Fidelis

Actually I have no clue what I should write about this album. Lyrics are great, as expected from Nargaroth. Next to Jahreszeiten and Black Metal ist Krieg it's the only album I can actually listen to; I don't get familiar with the vocals, normally I need to be able to understand the lyrics without reading them simultaneously, which isn't the case here.
But once familiar with song structures, lyrics and background informations I can enjoy it somewhat, else I wouldn't post it.

Facts:
• released 2007
• 1:19:52, 12 tracks
• fixed bitrate of 320 kBit/s

Highlights: Artefucked, Vereinsamt, Hate Song

In case you like, this way.

Update: Nagelfar

As of today, the Nagelfar albums Hünengrab im Herbst and Srontgorrth are coded 320 kBit/s.

Update: Dissection - Reinkaos

The whole album is now encoded with 320 kBit/s.

Jex Thoth - Jex Thoth

Not many bands are unique like Jex Thoth are. Named after their singer Jessica Thoth, they create a dense atmosphere of how the 70s and 80s must have felt musically - great.

Expect slow, sabbath-ish passages but also typical metal elements like Isis use with their latest release, Wavering Radiant (already posted here).

Facts:
• released 2008
• 50:57, 12 tracks
• VBR between 144 and 179 kBit/s

Highlights: Nothing Left To Die, Son of Yule

In case you like, buy here.

Pink Floyd - Meddle

Nothing has changed since my last post. Must-have, or at least, must-have-listened album!

Facts:
• released 1971
• 46:48, 6 tracks
• VBR between 232 and 262 kBit/s

Highlight: One of These Days, Echoes

In case you like, buy here.

Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon

If I really need to point out this album you must have been living under a rock.

Facts:
• released 1973
• 42:54, 9 tracks
• fixed bitrate of 128 kBit/s

In case you like, buy here.

The Devil's Blood - Come, Reap

Thanks to Pink Floyd introducing me into the whole Psychedelic genre (beginning with Nachtmystium) I had the chance to see The Devil's Blood live at the german Summer Breeze festival and damned, this was by far the best concert I've visited!

This is Psychedelic Rock at its best, lyrically occult/satanic and inspired by bands like Watain and Dissection with which they already toured/are touring. Moreover they are related to Urfaust, one member was playing on the demo. By the way, Satanic Tyrant Werewolf of Satanic Warmaster created their logo.

Facts:
• released 2008
• 27:43, 5 tracks
• fixed bitrate of 320 kb/s

Highlights: the whole album, but my favorite track is Voodoo Dust

In case you like (how couldn't you?), buy here.

Our Survival Depends on Us - Painful Stories Told with a Passion for Life

It doesn't occur every few new albums I discover that I get a catchy tune from a song that I absolutely disliked, so with most songs of this album. After a few spins it became greater and greater and now evolved to one of my favorite Sludge/Doom albums. Sadly, the band is so unknown, I didn't even hear about them despite their long name before I read in an interview of Amestigon about other unknown austrian bands.
The bassist was 4 years in the well-known Belphegor (Aut).

Facts:
• released 2009
• 40:18, 6 tracks
• VBR between 184 and 279 kBit/s

Highlights: Angel Ranger

In case you like, buy here.

You can download both albums from their myspace homepage here.

Wallachia - Ceremony of Ascension

Next to the damned great cover artwork, this album offers one of, if not THE the most varied influences in metal.
Really everything found it's place, beginning with aggressive chords, massive blast beats but not too many, death-, black- metal and clean vocals, some really catchy melodies and even operatic, symphonic elements but not too many.
You should also notice that Lars Stavdal, mastermind of Wallachia, took himself 10 years to develop that album.

The lyrics are also VERY great:

I am at war with nothing
An empty shell withering
Catharsis of the soul
Swallowing the void

Oh, and one last note (aka highlights):
Sanctimonia XXIII is my most listened song since end of november, counting 45 (+ x times on iPod, etc.), followed by Genesis Enigma with 34.
Nevertheless, the whole album is a f*cking masterpiece, you actually should buy it instantly without having listened to it ;)

Facts:
• released 2009 & album of the year 2009
• 35:50, 8 tracks
• VBR between 201 and 320 kBit/s

In case you like, buy here.



As of September the 4th, this post is linked with the official Wallachia-Myspace itself. I'm very glad about this and need to thank Lars for allowing me to distribute his work!

Simple Existenz - Das Leben vor dem Tod

Listeners of Nagelfar are familiar with Zorn, having been a founding member, their guitarist from 1993 to 2002 and partially also bassist. Now, almost exactly 8 years after them disbanding, he releases his solo album Das Leben vor dem Tod which can be labeled Black Metal as well as Hard Rock.
Next to this, Jander (Nagelfar-vocalist on Hünengrab im Herbst) contributes his voice on the song Schaben (officially his first life sign since almost 11 years).

You should also take a look at the lyrics, they are one of the best I've read a long time.

Zorn also plays in EgoNoir, named 'Lethargie (bei 30 Grad)'.

Facts:
• released 2010
• 43:47, 8 tracks
• VBR between 191 and 241 kBit/s

Highlight: whole album

In case you like, buy here.


LINK REMOVED SINCE 27th OF OCTOBER, SAME REASON AS IT CAN BE READ ON THE NAGELFAR-DISCOGRAPHY PAGE!

Update: Nagelfar

Short notification about the edit of the Nagelfar-discography with one new song. See bottom for news.

Mistur - Attende

As already mentioned, one of the Sognametal bands in the vein of Windir.

Facts:
• released 2009
• 55:35, 7 tracks
• VBR between 234 and 320 kBit/s

Highlight: Attende

In case you like, buy here.

Dissection - Reinkaos

Last.fm tells me, Reinkaos is my most listened album since the beginning of recordings, meaning end of november. So I guess, it must be very good. As far as I know, I can support this statement :))

Beside the music, you could consider the lyrics as cliché if you don't know about Jon Nödveidts anti-cosmic background which resulted in his death.

Facts:
• released 2007
• 42:59, 11 tracks
• fixed bitrate of 320 kBit/s

Highlights: Beyond The Horizon, Dark Mother Divine, God of Forbidden Light ...... oh forget it, the whole album is great!

In case you like, buy here.

Windir - Arntor/1184/Likferd

My favorite album of one of the greatest bands Norway has seen, if not the greatest; time will tell.

Facts:
• released 1998
• 46:08, 7 tracks
• VBR between 128 and 320 kBit/s

Highlights: Arntor - ein Warrior, Svartesmeden og Lundamyrstrollet, Saknet

In case you like, buy here.



Todeswalzer. That's said enough.

Facts:
• released 2001
• 51:37, 8 tracks
• VBR between 128 and 320 kBit/s

Highlights: Todeswalzer, 1184, Journey To The End

In case you like, buy here.



Once more, Terje Bakken proved his musical genius.

Facts:
• released 2003
• 48:36, 8 tracks
• 320 kBit/s

Highlights: Fagning, Dauden

In case you like, buy here.


After his death in january '04, Windir disbanded and follow-up bands were formed:
2003 Mistur - 2004 Vreid - 2004 Cor Scorpii
In my opinion, Mistur did the best job transporting Valfars idea of Sognametal.


Heidra Valfar!

Moonsorrow - V: Hävitetty

I'm not that much into Moonsorrow, actually I only like this album and the 'For Whom The Bell Tolls' Metallica-cover because it's just way better than the original, but I need to make an exception.
These two songs blew me away and still do.

In some way, Moonsorrow are the finnish Windir.

Facts:
• released 2007
• 56:29, 2 songs
• VBR between 238 and 243 kBit/s

In case you like, buy here.

Lyrinx - Ending The Circle Of Life

Simply depressing. There's not that much more to tell about, it's perfect, as simple as that.

Oh, and the drums are f*cking great.

Facts:
• actually released 2008 as a split with Austere, rereleased as EP 2009
• 34:57, 2 tracks
• VBR between 186 and 187 kBit/s

In case you like, buy here (the vinyl is worth it's price).

Imperium Dekadenz - Dämmerung der Szenarien

Well known band from my home country, known mainly for the german black metal milestone 'Der Dolch im Gewande'. Actually, the whole album is very good, although I dislike their mixture of german and english lyrics.

Facts:
• released 2007
• 51:03, 10 tracks
• VBR between 169 and 320 kBit/s

In case you like, buy here.

Isis - Panopticon

When I first listened to it, I thought it wasn't something special. I've now heard it about 8 times completely and still don't know what's so special about it, it is just indescribable, something on it's own, something new whilst being 6 years old. Looks like I can't grew old of this, so it must be somewhat good.

Facts:
• released 2004
• 59:02, 7 tracks
• fixed bitrate of 320 kBit/s

Highlight: So Did We, Altered Course

In case you like, buy here.

EgoNoir - Discography

EgoNoir is the most sophisticated and sociocritical band I know. For me, it's the definition of music written from heart, producing somewhat raw music I'm pretty sure not everyone will like - but that's the point, not everybody has to like it.

Der Pfad zum Fluss



Facts:
• released 2007
• 48:07, 7 tracks
• VBR between 193 and 204 kBit/s

A New Philosophical Thunder



Facts:
• released 2009
• 28:40, 5 tracks
• VBR between 145 and 179 kBit/s

Reste... (Was vom Sturm übrig blieb)



Facts:
• released 2010
• 45:21, 9 tracks
• VBR between 153 and 183 kBit/s

BinZynisch also composes in another band named Lousberg, but there are almost no details known, except one presumably Dreh dich um-named song on his homepage. In EgoNoir, he is supported by Zorn, here named Lethargie (bei 30grad), ex-member of Nagelfar and member of Simple Existenz.



LINK REMOVED SINCE 27th OF OCTOBER, SAME REASON AS IT CAN BE READ ON THE NAGELFAR-DISCOGRAPHY PAGE!

Anti - The Insignificance Of Life

Anti were one of my favorite bands back then when I discovered them, but sadly, they grew old - after having listened to The Insignificance Of Life like 15 times, which is, I guess kinda normal. I definitely should listen to them again if I find some time. By the way, they also took part in the Gott In Uns-split, featuring The Ruins of Beverast.

Facts:
• released 2006
• 29:14, 6 tracks
• VBR between 222 and 320 kBit/s

Highlight: Nothing

Looks like you can't buy it at the moment.

ColdWorld - Melancholie²

Not quite sure if there is even one person that doesn't like this album. It may be the wrong season to post it, whatever, it's a fantastic album.

Facts:
• released 2008
• 49:42, 9 tracks
• 320 kBit/s

Highlight: Escape

In case you like, buy here.

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

I'm somewhat sure I don't need to point out this album.

Facts:
• released 1970
• 42:02, 8 tracks
• fixed bitrate of 160 kBit/s

In case you like, buy here.

Crippled Black Phoenix - 200 Tons of Bad Luck

I do not like that much Post-Rock, but whenever it's obviously influenced by Pink Floyd, I'm there. So Crippled Black Phoenix are a perfect example, especially having a track called Time of Ye Life/Born for Nothing/Paranoid Arm of Narcoleptic Empire, lasting over 18 minutes and unfolding like infinite Pink Floyd'ish themes.

Facts:
• released 2009
• 1:17:02, 12 tracks
• VBR between 195 and 250 kBit/s

Highlight: see LONG song title above

In case you like, buy here.

Agalloch - The Mantle

I'm not quite sure what I'd be now if I had discovered this album years ago and not just this winter. This album catches all sadness and melancholy and moreover, is partially acoustic. It is easily my favorite record of Agalloch, but we will see what this year brings.

Facts:
• released 2002
• 1:08:31, 9 tracks
• fixed bitrate of 192 kBit/s

Highlight: ... And The Great Cold Death Of The Earth

In case you like, buy here.
If you don't, F.O.A.D. ;)

Isis - Wavering Radiant

Sadly, the good-bye full-length album of the american band Isis. It's strange, sometimes you discover bands just right after they disbanded and existed for more than a decade. Maybe it was the right decision, quitting now, because, well, you know, missing the point where your music gets worse is always bad (see AC/DC, Metallica and Slayer for example).

Wavering Radiant is not an album you can compare with anything, it stands for itself and can't be really described despite of being classified as Atmospheric Sludge Metal (even tough many don't know what Sludge is).

Highlights (yes, I think I'll continue contributing my highlights, perhaps somebody wants to give it a listen first on youtube):
Stone To Wake A Serpent & Threshold of Transformation

Facts:
• released 2009
• 54:05 length, 7 tracks
• VBR between 190 and 210 kBit/s
• no cliché japanese bonus track, but here on youtube.

In case you like, buy here.

Division Germania - Manifest

Sort of known RAC-band from Germany, but way better than the cliché Landser. I consider myself as a patriot, not by any means racist or antisemitic (that would be retarded, close-minded and obviously, unlogic), that's why this album is a pearl.
The lyrics are well written, musically it's quite good for that genre.

Highlights: Die Nacht neigt sich dem Ende & Auf die Ahnen

Facts:
• released 2009
• 43:34 length, 13 tracks
• fixed bitrate of 320 kBit/s
• NOT banned by the german authorities, it's censored on last.fm for no reason

In case you like, buy here.

Nachtmystium - Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. 1

While we're at it, here the Black Meddle Pt. I (remember Addicts: Black Mettle Pt. II a few weeks ago). It's not that far away, musically, from Pt. II and quite ... I'd say, happy, not melancholic as Pt. II was.

Personal favorite: Ghost of Grace and Your True Enemy.

Facts:
• released 2008
• 45:05 length, 10 tracks
• fixed bitrate of 256 kBit/s

In case you like, buy here.

Update 10-3-10: Now coded in 256 kBit/s!

The Ruins of Beverast - Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite

This album sort of introduced me into the slower paced metal. Thanks to it, I discovered bands like Isis or Our Survival Depends On Us and some other Doom, Melo Death/Doom and Doom/Black Metal bands.

The Ruins of Beverast is the solo project of Alexander von Meilenwald, ex-drummer of Nagelfar (see below for other information) and his debut album Unlock The Shrine was the birth hour of Ván Records, which were founded just for the release of this album to be independent of other labels.

You will notice, next to the fantastic drums, some Nagelfar-elements, for example some synths and keyboards.
I can also recommend the second album, Rain Upon The Impure (I don't own Unlock The Shrine so I'd better don't link it).

Facts:
• released 2009
• 1:19:52 length, 10 tracks - no bonus track, couldn't get the vinyl :(
• fixed bitrate of 320 kBit/s

In case you like, buy here.


LINK REMOVED SINCE 27th OF OCTOBER, SAME REASON AS IT CAN BE READ ON THE NAGELFAR-DISCOGRAPHY PAGE!

Nagelfar - Discography

As of October, the 27th, I removed any Nagelfar upload. This was done because of them being my favorite for so long now, it's almost blasphemy :P If you know how, you will find the albums somewhere else.



Check out their other bands/projects!

The drummer, Alexander von Meilenwald, is engaged in The Ruins of Beverast (outstanding as well), Kermania (Ahnenwerk is also very good), Heematand Abusus.

Their former singer Jander seems to be completely gone, working, if at all, under another pseudonym. He left because he became more and more goth, which I think you actually can hear off Hünengrab im Herbst and Jagd.

Their last singer, Zingultus, performs in Graupel, Graven, Desecrationand now in Endstille.

Zorn released this year his debut-album with his solo project Simple Existenz, Das Leben vor dem Tod, and also helps out at EgoNoir.

Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon

Some people may actually hate me now for posting this album, but it was on the one side my first album I've listened consequently 2 times a day for about a month I guess, on the other side it's just really awesome, even for Dimmu Borgir (yeah, I actually don't hear them anymore and ISD was a pile of crap...).
Nevertheless, the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra did a great job, creating a dense atmosphere of awesomeness.

The facts:
• primarily released in 2003, re-released a few times
• 1:05:44 length, 12 tracks (incl. bonus, Bathory cover)
• fixed bitrate of 192 kbits/s

In case you like, buy here.

Nachtmystium - Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II

Really, if there's one thing I like at black metal, then its possibility of inventing new ways to sound like. Nachtmystium are doing exactly this. Electronic vocals, post-punk influences, some razor sharp riffs and a lot power was placed in their new album, Addicts: Black Meddle Pt. II. As many of you came on this blog through my last.fm profile, you've perhaps seen, that I'm also enjoying Pink Floyd a lot. The 'Meddle' in the album name is inspired by the Pink Floyd album, as stated by Blake Judd (mastermind of Nachtmystium). By the way, their album Assassins: Black Meddle Pt. 1 is also very good.

Facts:
• released 2010 (actually, not even a week ago)
• 48:01, 10 tracks
• fixed bitrate of 320 kBit/s
• black metal purists - stay away, this is something new you possibly can't handle

In case you like, you know where to click.

Update 10-3-10: Now coded in 320 kBit/s & including rare vinyl bonus track "Macrocosmic"!

Bishop of Hexen - Archives Of An Enchanted Philosophy

And whilst we are on the Symphonic Black Metal train, you shouldn't miss the israeli version of it, Bishop of Hexen. Their debut album Archives Of An Enchanted Philosophy with very strange, serpent-like vocals which fits into their "satanized" lyrics, create a world of their own.

I think you already got the idea:
• released 1997
• 41:42, 8 tracks
• fixed bitrate of 128 kb/s

Dekadent - The Deliverance Of The Fall

Sometimes, music must be epic. And with epic, I mean bombastic, orchestral, almost hollywood-ready. Gladly, Dekadent created with The Deliverance Of The Fall one of the most epic albums I've ever heard. It's musically sort of a concept album (the trumpets are almost omnipresent) and has a very special atmosphere among other Symphonic Black Metal bands.
It may be slow at some parts, so it's sort of the opposite of Anorexia Nervosa's style of SBM, but music must not always be that aggressive.

Download facts:
• released 2008
• 42:53, 10 tracks
• VBR between 125 and 242 kb/s
• incl. bonus track (which doesn't really fit to the end after the epilogue, but who cares...)

In case you like, buy here.

Alcest - Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde

Alcest, a name widely known in the metal scene, especially in the last few months because of the new release Écailles de lune (which I didn't like that much, in fact) created sort of a masterpiece back in 2007 with Souvenirs d'un Autre Monde.
Actually, you can't really describe the sound of that album, it's something very special musically, something of its own. You need to listen to it for yourself ;)

Guess what: download facts!
• released 2007
• 41:20, 6 tracks
• VBR between 234 and 265 kb/s

In case you like, buy here.