Here some CD's you might want to ask Sinterklaas to bring for you.
Blood Incantation - Absolute Elsewhere
If there is one album that created (Time) waves on the internet recently, it must be this one. Blood Incantation the band with that logo, never is predictable. In March 2017 I caught them touring Starspawn and I loved their mix of Death Metal with ambient clean parts. Got the album after the show and I was a fan. Hidden History of the Human Race confirmed their originality and I was still on board. This until Timewave Zero contained only ambient soundscapes. A bridge too far for me, but I bought it now for completion reasons. And than there is Absolute Elsewhere. A masterpiece in my ears, where the Death Metal is mixed with Pink Floyd and electronic parts. Two songs each split in three tablets. Their Death Metal is not tech in the fast and freaky way, but their mix with the calmer bits works great. Pity I won't be around when they play Utrecht next year, but one fine album this Absolutely is. Don't play it on the background, but only in one go with headphones, while reading along with the lyrics.
Iotunn - Kinship
Just when I thought Blood Incantation covered my death metal needs for the month, Iotunn came with Kinship. In 2021 I rated Access All Worlds #3 on my end of year list. This one runs the risk of ending even higher as I can't stop going back to this album. Opener Kinship Elegiac sets the bar crazy high bringing all that represents Iotunn. Melodic opening, catchy chorus, death metal verses, and an epic end where Jon Aldará shouts: She Left Me and you feel his pain. This 14 minute opener might be the highlight, but the level never drops really. Their songs keep on mixing the beauty and the beast and I am not talking annoying female operatic vocals here. So they might have one of the most expressive voices in the scene, but the instrumental bits are all so damn tasty too. With Iridescent Way they even give us a ballad and over five minutes time to catch our breath. Anyone with a mild interets in metal should hear this one. Now waiting for a headline tour. Great artwork too on teh cover and in teh booklet.
Kings of Mercia - Battle Scars
I buy anything that holds Jim Matheos in the blind. The guitarist of Fates Warning is bringing lots of different projects to us lately and Kings of Mercia is where he releases the melodic hardrocker in himself. Steve Overland of FM fame is taking care of vocals, and with Joey Vera on bass and Simon Phillips on drums the band is completed. Two years ago their self-titled debut album was a nice surprise. This one is a bit stronger I believe. This because, they are more of a band now, as I read. In that same interview the word touring was also mentioned. For those who like their hard rock melodic with enough hooks, a must see I guess. No favourite tracks for me, just one fine album to play.
Michael Schenker - My Years With UFO
I had to think for quite a while if buying this album would add anything for me. Most songs of the best live album ever (Strangers in the Night for those unaware) with a long list of guests. Problem is that for me Phil Mogg is one of the best voices in rock ever. Still after hearing a few songs and getting myself a ticket for April next year this album live on stage I decided to pick it up after all. I must admit that even while knowing all the songs from studio and live versions this one is a joy to play. The guitar work is great by Michael himslef and at times notable guests. Vocals work sometimes surprisingly well with Dee Snider, Biff and Stephan Pearcy coming to mind. In reality only Axl Rose can't hold his own during Love to Love. No surprise there. So if you want a slightly new version of all these hits we know note for note, get this album.
Shumaun - Opposing Mirrors
Shumaun are a band I knew of, but never really heard. That was until on Youtube I saw an advance clip for this album. That sounded nice, so it became my clip of the day. Forward into the summer, I got a message from Esther, that the album was for sale on Sweden Rock, if I wanted a copy? as she remembered my post. Fast forward to Progpower and she handed me over the package of two KIT tickets and this CD. Shumaun is build around Farad Hossain (ex Iris Divine) and gives us Progmetal of the melodic yet heavy enough kind. So they are not trying to rewrite the book of progmetal here, they just give us some great songs with perfect performances. This is the kind of Progmetal that 20 years ago would be omnipresent at the Progpower line-up and now occassionally is included. One fine album this is.
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