Being out most of November I am rather late with some words on the below three albums. Since all of them run the risk of making it into my top 23 of 2023 I had to write some words and recommned these though.
Apotheus - Ergo Atlas
Portugal is a blind spot in the history overview of ProgPower Europe. In the past I recommended Hourswill several times, but they might be too Heavy Metal along their prog. Now we have Apotheus and I will be very surprised if these four northern Portuguese lads won't be playing Baarlo any year soon. Why? first because when istening to this album I am at times reminded of PPE houseband Wolverine. We get mainly calm and atmospheric songs, with an occassional outburts. Further the songs are all well composed and the overall storyline of the album runs smooth. This is just very enjoyable progmetal of the lighter kind. Also Kingcrow at times comes to mind. Does the fact that the drummer is a friend of a Portuguese friend of Josie has any influence on me liking this band? No as I am not bribeable, this is just a good album by a band that soon plays Sjiwa.
Sorcerer - Reign of the Reaper
Anyone who is into good old Heavy Metal of the doomy kind will know Sorcerer by now. Starting with demo's in 89 and 92, they made their first real impact in 2015 with the album In the Shadow of the Inverted Cross. This is album number 4 and again they play the champions league of Epic Heavy Metal of the doomy kind. If you like Candlemass, Abstrakt Algebra or Krux, you will love this. If you are into eighties Black Sabbath and Rainbow (both covered on the bonus disc) you will also like them a lot. It is not for nothing that Hans and I earlier this year made a roadtrip to Bree (Belgium) to see this band. On Reign of the Reaper they do it again. Releasing a classic Heavy Metal albums full of variation, top class vocals and great guitars. Heavy Metal as it was played during our early days. Must buy in my ears.
Wayfarer - American Gothic
In 2020 Wayfarer blew me away with their Spaghetti Western Black Metal on A Romance with Violence. On American Gothic they seem to have further perfected their style and release a highly original album telling a part of America's history. I am not the biggest expert in Black Metal, but as soon as it blends into an original sound I am all on board (DHG are another good example this year) The lyric sheet in the form of an old Western Newspaper already brings you into the mood and the steel guitar brings the great movies of the sixties and seventies to mind. On this album the songs range from pretty heavy Black Metal until calmer pieces with clean vocals only. Next year they come supporting Enslaved and I hope to be there (even if that week holds fierce competition by Cynic and Atheist tours). The most Gothic you get on the bonus track Night Shift, which is a cover of a Siouxie and the Banshees song. Try this out.
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