Leeches of Lore - Frenzy, Ecstasy
Yeah, my love for these guys is not quite hidden. I reviewed this album and gave it a 98%, check it out to know my opinion on it. To be brief, it's a heavy/speed metal mashup with country, Morricone and prog influences. An amazing underrated band that I wish I helped a bit.
Witch Mountain - Cauldron of the Wild
Again, I wrote a review for this one if you're interested. It's masterful bluesy traditional doom metal with an amazing female vocalist. I was lucky to see the band live 2 times in 2012 and both times they were very great and very cool people (grateful for the review and everything)
Royal Thunder - CVI
Really amazing hard to classify rock music. When I first heard them, I dropped their name in the blacklist because they have really borderline metallic moments but they have so many influences. Great songwriting, soothing and intense atmosphere and a ball crushing front woman makes RT a band with a lot of potential, can't wait to see them live.
Jess and the Ancient Ones - s/t
Masterful Finnish occult rock à la The Devil's Blood, if you haven't heard them and you're into this genre, you're very late my friend.
Fall of the Idols - Solemn Verses
Weird trad doom from Naperoland once again, I also wrote a review for it. Interesing atmospheres, weird without being avant garde, experimental or you know, trying to be.
Enslaved - RITTIR One of my favorite bands, when they release an album it's in my top 10, usually higher though, I need to listen to the album more, but it's still a work made by geniuses
Mgla - With Hearts Towards None My favorite black metal album of the year, a perfect blend of sad melodies with old and modern influences. I was sad they canceled their presence at Messe des Morts, but they'll finally come in March and they'll play with Forteresse and another not yet announced band.
Nattfog - Mustan Auringon Riitti Another black metal album, not as well known as Mgla but as good, classic black metal with sorrowful leads, occult dark atmospheres and a pristine songwriting.
Castle - Blacklands Once again, read my review
They toured with Witch Moutain twice so I got to meet them and they
were also very grateful for the positive review I wrote for them.Year of the Goat - Angel's Necropolis I really really like their EP and I was waiting anxiously for the album, it's not as good as the EP, but it is quite awesome, it's basically a male version of The Devil's Blood. It's with Griftegard's singer and he has a very enjoyable voice.
