New Sigh Content?!

Imaginary Sonicscape

I’m glad how Sigh is always churning out content, all of which is top-of-the-line quality. After Hangman’s Hymn, they did Tribute to Venom which was pretty good in itself. Their latest appears to be hitting next month.

It’s going to be a reissue of what I believe is their best album ever: Imaginary Sonicscape. The reissue is entirely remastered by James Murphy, who remastered Gallows Gallery in that blue-coloured version, and also worked on Hangman’s Hymn, from what I know.

The reissue will also include two new tracks: one of which was included only on the Japanese version. The two are Voices and Born Condemned Criminal. Also, Bring Back the Dead will get an extended version. Since that’s one of my favourite tracks on the album, I can’t wait!

I really loved the style they used on IS, so I’m dying to hear more in the same style. The reissue will hit stores January 20th, 2009. Wonder how long it’ll take for the Internets to pick it up.

There’s also some news of a future project, hell concrete news. The next album will be released in 2009 and is titled Scene from Hell / Tempore Belli / Vanitas. The End Records describes it as “The album will feature massive orchestrations, including a string quartet and brass players.”

Awesome. Brass! String Quartets! Massive orchestrations! Sigh is one of the greatest metal bands I know!

Hammerheart

I’ve always regarded Bathory’s Hammerheart as one of my all-time favourite songs. With a profound, reflective meaning and a heroic choir, the songs stirs emotions like no other. It breaks convention while not sounding too alien, and is definitely, in my honest opinion, Bathory’s finest.

I remember first downloading Hammerheart on the day Quorthon died – a truly sad, sad day for Metal. Quorthon was the one-man inventor and maverick of genres like Black Metal, Folk Metal and of course, Viking Metal. This one song seemingly summarizes him perfectly and almost connects you with his soul, almost as in necromancy, without the darker connotations.

I sing in chorus for this one every time, to remember Bathory always. These are some of my most favourite lyrics ever.

Now that the wind called my name,
And my star had faded now hardly a glimpse up in the empty space.
And the wise one-eyed great father in the sky stilled my flame.

For the ones who stood me near,
And you few who were me dear,
I ask of thee to have no doubts and no fears.

For when the great clouds fills the air,
And the thunder roars from O, so far away up in the sky!
Then for sure you will know that I have reached the joyous hall up high.

With my blood-brothers at side,
All sons of father with one eye,
We were all born in the land of the blood on ice.

And now you all who might hear my song,
Brought to you by the northern wind have no fear,
Though the night may seem so everlasting and forever dark,

There will come a golden dawn,
At ends of nights for all ye on whom
Upon the North-star always shines.

The vast gates to hall up high,
Shall stand open wide and welcome you with all its within,
And Oden shall hail us bearers of a pounding Hammerheart.

Keep on Galloping!

Turns out the torrent was legit and all of the songs are present, in excellent quality. While I haven’t been through the entire album and taken notes, I can say that the album is as good as any Korpiklaani album, and that is also its biggest problem.

Korven Kuningas retains the usual, unique Korpiklaani sound, rich with violins, accordions and raspy vocals I’m still not very fond of. Still, the songs sort of grow on you with repeated hearings, thanks to their raw catchiness.

And by the way, Korven Kuningas means “King of the Woods”, which is what Korpiklaani claims is a nickname given to Finnish lumberjacks. Not a bad name, and Korpiklaani says that the album is a tribute to them, too!

I listened to Keep on Galloping first on Songza, and it’s an excellent song, perhaps one of the best on the album, maintaining a unique melody and a great riff. Most of the other songs, however, sound more or less similar, which is why I really hope Korpiklaani adds more variety in their next album, or adopts a new twist to their music.

I see that some of the songs have made their way to Songza, so here are their links:

• Tapporauta
• Metsamies
• Gods on Fire
• Paljon On Koskessa Kivia

Korven Kuningas

I see that Korpiklaani is coming out with a new album in 10 days, named “Korven Kuningas”, the meaning of which escapes me, but I have no doubt that somebody at DarkLyrics will help me solve out.

I’ve found a torrent of it here, and am downloading it now (at a shameful 1-digit speed, for some reason) – it’s in a RAR file, so I’m not too sure if its real or not. I can’t imagine a person so vile that he would release a fake of a comparatively non-famous Folk Metal band…

Wikipedia also lists that a video for Metsämies was/is to be released in 2008, but I didn’t find a link on YouTube, and if it isn’t there, it’s nowhere. Hope it comes out soon, though – I love Korpiklaani’s videos.

I also like the album art – while it has that annoying antler-horn-dude mascot, he seems at least bearable, perhaps a little cool. The album art has been hand-painted, which is perhaps why it looks so complete and well-done (all the others were done in Photoshop and looked terrible, except the first two – Voice of Wilderness looked great).

I see that a single for “Keep on Galloping” is out – I’ll go check it out now.

Farewell, by Summoning

This is probably Summoning’s best, or at least one of their best. It has their characteristic epic feel, along with godlike vocals, haunting melodies and a chorus that has been embedded in my head.

Planet Caravan

Listening to Planet Caravan by Black Sabbath gives me a high. The song is so cool.

We sail through endless skies
Stars shine like eyes
The black night sighs
The moon in silver trees
Falls down in tears
Light of the night
The earth, a purple blaze
Of sapphire haze
In orbit always

While down below the trees
Bathed in cool breeze
Silver starlight breaks down the night
And so we pass on by the crimson eye
Of great God mars
As we travel the universe

Nile is sucking me back

Nile was one of my first brushes with Heavy Metal music and one of my first music downloads came from Nile. It was arguably the first band I recognized and followed online, alongside Something Corporate (yeah) and is therefore, naturally up there in my books. After my Metal Renaissance two years ago, I haven’t touched them for some reason, and I’m hoping to change that.

Nile is a very talented, original and plain unique band with beautiful music and vocals. I don’t know why I haven’t been listening to them lately. I got back when I was browsing Wikipedia and somehow came across Nile. I had to be listening again and so found “Sacrifice unto Sebek” at Nile and it has convinced me to go look up the discography!

Death Metal Generator

This is unusually, awesomely addicting.

Death Metal Generator

Battle! Battle Metal!

I’ve been hooked to Turisas lately, and with good reason. They make some of the best damned music I’ve heard in quite a while. They take the four elements that I love in the right proportions – Black Metal, Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal and Power Metal. I really like the epic feel of their songs, which gives them a sense of battle. Their best known song is Battle Metal, and the term fits Turisas perfectly.

Long live Turisas!

Apocalyptica is awesome

Alright, I bow before Apocalyptica. They make some of the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard and their lack of vocals doesn’t matter one bit. In fact, it’s better this way. They have a more classical music feel because of this. I also like the way they’ve covered Metallica, and Seamann by Rammstein.   The vocals on Seamann was downright painful, however.

Apocalyptica must be the only major Heavy Metal band to not use guitars, or any other instrument other than their trademark cellos and the newly introduced drums.

Man, I’d love to see Apocalyptica play with Haggard live. That’d be the perfect evolution of Classical music.