All About The Metal

ALBUM REVIEWS: October-December 2019

  This is going to be a long chapter, so let's get straight into it: 

Black Anima by Lacuna Coil (Oct. 11th) 

 I was very excited when I heard Lacuna Coil would be putting out a new album, but it was a bigger surprise than I thought it was going to be. Going by the songs that were released before the album came out, I thought Black Anima was going to be another album like Delirium, but it was and wasn't. Yes, it did have that same heaviness that Delirium had, but it also had elements from the band's early gothic metal works from the late 90s and early 2000s. I really liked that about it, and I would say that Black Anima is probably one of Lacuna Coil's best albums (or at least I think so). 

Hollow Mirror by Ethereal Kingdoms (Oct. 11th) 

 Ethereal Kingdoms are a recent symphonic metal band from Denmark, and Hollow Mirror is their debut full-length album. It is true that they sound like your typical symphonic metal band, but I enjoyed listening to this album. They are definitely a band I will look out for any more releases from. The one thing that I did not like, however, were the harsh/unclean vocals, which I personally thought sounded terrible. Hopefully, they'll just go with all clean vocals next time.  

Dynamind by Edenbridge (Oct. 25th)

 For those who don't know, Edenbridge is a symphonic power metal band from Austria, and Dynamind is their tenth album. This album has some great songs that have a power metal sound with some subtle symphonic elements in it, and Sabine Edelsbacher sounds amazing here. Dynamind is easily one of the best albums I have heard from the band. 

Continuum by Cathubodua (Oct. 25th) 

 Cathubodua are a symphonic metal band from Belgium, and Continuum is their debut album. I wasn't too into this album, but I think they're off to a good start. I can't think if any way to describe their music other than bombastic, and their singer's voice reminds of Floor Jansen, which isn't a bad thing at all. 

Spiritual Instinct by Alcest (Oct. 25th) 

 For those who don't know, Alcest are a post-black metal/shoegaze band from France, and Spiritual Instinct is their sixth album. I don't know how exactly I would describe Alcest's musical style, maybe as mysterious or otherworldly, but from what I've heard Neige has always written beautiful music. I did think Spiritual Instinct was a good album, but I don't think it was as good as older albums like Ecailles de Lune and Les Voyages de l'Ame. 

Veil of Imagination by Wilderun (Nov. 1st) 

 Wilderun are a symphonic folk/progressive metal band from Boston, and Veil of Imagination is their third album (after 2012's Olden Tales and Deathly Trails and 2015's Sleep at the Edge of the Earth). With Veil of Imagination, the band's previous folk elements are mostly absent, and it mainly sounds like a symphonic metal album. But it's bombastic and ambitious, and they sound like a completely different band. I like the way they sound completely different on each album, but if they make more albums like this one I wouldn't mind at all. 

Songs the Night Sings by The Dark Element (Nov. 8th) 

 This album was just as good as I thought it was going to be. I will admit that is very similar to their first album, and Songs the Nights Sings didn't seem to bring anything new to the table, but it is a great follow-up to The Dark Element. I love it, and it's definitely one of the best new albums I've heard all year.

No Halos in Hell by CyHra (Nov. 15th)

 I was really impressed with this album. I don't what subgenre of metal they are technically, but CyHra reminds me a lot of Amaranthe, which is a good thing, and Jake sounds really awesome on this one. No Halos in Hell is definitely one of the better albums I have heard this year. 

ANN Chapter 3: Anne Frank (EP) by Ex Libris (Nov.15th)

 Like the first two, this was a nice trio of songs. It opens with the soft and melancholy "The Diary" and then goes into the more hard-hitting "The Annex" and "The Raid". And now that all three EPs have been released, I hope they'll all be released together as one album. 

The Eminence of Nature by Coronatus (Nov. 29th) 

 This album was nowhere near my expectations. Most of the songs were boring and hard to get through, and Marieke and Katharina do not sound good together. The only track I genuinely enjoyed was the song "Echo of Souls". Unfortunately, I think The Eminence of Nature is by far one of Coronatus' worst albums.

Sun of the Sleepless/Cavernous Gate (Split) (Dec. 6th)

 Sun of the Sleepless is the black metal solo project of Ulf T. Schwadorf of Empyrium and The Vision Bleak, and this split album has five new tracks by Sun of the Sleepless, which I really enjoyed listening to. The other four tracks were by Cavernous Gate, a new solo project by S.K. of the band Helrunar. Cavernous Gate sounds like something similar to Sun of the Sleepless, but I personally wasn't into it. 

Black Butterfly (EP) by Leaves' Eyes (December 6th)

 This EP includes three new songs: "Black Butterfly", "Serkland" and "Night of the Ravens", as well as "Stille Nacht", a rendition of "Silent Night" sung in German by Elina. I really liked the new songs, and I hope they will all be on the next full-length album. 

 That wraps up all the 2019 releases I was looking forward to. Now that it's almost 2020, these are the albums scheduled for the coming year so far that I'm looking forward to:

Viridian by Temperance (Jan. 24th) 

Grave Image by Deathwhite (Jan. 31st) 

Apocalypse & Chill by Delain (Feb. 7th)

Obscura by Semblant (Date TBA)

TBA by Nightwish (Spring 2020) 

 Far as I know, these are other bands who are planning releases for sometime in 2020: 

Paradise Lost 

Conception

Her Chariot Awaits 

Phantom Elite 

Epica 

 There's always a chance someone else I like will put out something new, so we'll have to just wait and see.