Tag Archive: Ihsahn

Jeff Loomis Unveils Details On New Solo Album, Plains of Oblivion

Jan.30, 2012

Prog metal guitar virtuoso Jeff Loomis (ex-Nevermore) has finally made an announced on his upcoming album, Plains of Oblivion. His sophomore solo effort was produced by 7 Horns 7 Eyes‘ Aaron Smith and will include a handful of guest artists, including the likes of Ihsahn and Marty Friedman, among others. Check out the tracklist below:

01 Mercurial (featuring Marty Friedman)
02 The Ultimatum (featuring Tony MacAlpine)
03 Escape Velocity
04 Tragedy And Harmony (featuring Christine Rhoades)
05 Requiem For The Living (featuring Attila Voros)
06 Continuum Drift (featuring Chris Poland)
07 Surrender (featuring Ihsahn)
08 Chosen Time (featuring Christine Rhoades)
09 Rapture
10 Sibylline Origin

Looks like it’s gonna be killer. I’m particularly interested in hearing how the Ihsahn collaboration worked out! Speaking of which, Loomis has reciprocated the solo album guest solo, and will be featured on Ihsahn’s upcoming solo album. NEAT. Can’t wait for that!

Plains of Oblivion is due out April 10th on Century Media Records.

- JR

Tags: 7 Horns, attila voros, Chris Poland, Christine Rhoades, Ihsahn, Jeff Loomis, Nevermore, Tony MacAlpine

Abigail Williams – Becoming

Filed Under: Reviews

Jan.19, 2012

Abigail Williams

Becoming

01. Ascension Sickness
02. Radiance
03. Elestial
04. Infinite Fields of Mind
05. Three Days of Darkness
06. Beyond the Veil

[01/24/11]
[Candlelight Records]

Abigail Williams were always a divisive band in the realm of black metal. You could probably accurately pin it on a number of factors, including their roots in deathcore and the fact that they don’t particularly look the part. However, the LA-based band have been undergoing a transformation into a full-fledged black metal band, thanks in part to a revolving door lineup policy. Becoming, their appropriately-titled third record, sees the polarizing band evolving into an atmospheric black metal band akin to the likes of Wolves in the Throne Room and Agalloch. Yes, I’m serious; and no, it isn’t bad. In fact, it’s quite good.

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Tags: Abigail Williams, Agalloch, Becoming, candlelight records, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Ihsahn, Isis, Wolves in the Throne Room

Experience A Full Ihsahn Set, Live From Tokyo!

Filed Under: Live, Video

Dec.07, 2011

The almighty Ihsahn (ex-Emperor frontman turned prog solo project) played a headlining set in Tokyo this week with one fan capturing the whole set in surprisingly high quality. If only more fan bootlegs were this good, ~~we’d never have to go to shows—~~WELL, we should go to shows regardless because that’s a band’s bread and butter along with merch sales, but you get the point; bootlegs are handy for shows that are simply impossible to see otherwise. When’s the last time Ihsahn was in America for a legitimate tour? Certainly not since before After was released, unless I somehow missed it.

Anyway, what I’m getting at is that if you’ve been neglected by touring acts like I am and yearn to see Ihahn live, feast your eyes on the above hour+ Ihsahn set, supported by the band Leprous. Ihsahn couldn’t have found a more appropriate backing band. I just wish SHINING‘s Jorgen Munkeby were there to play saxophone on “A Grave Inversed“! Oh well. Otherwise, everything is absolutely glorious. Someone tell Ihsahn to put out a live DVD, because I’d buy it in a heartbeat.

Speaking of Ihsahn, there’s a new solo record out in 2012. This sends tickles to my nethers, and if it doesn’t tickle yours, you need to hear 2010′s After and re-evaluate your tastes.

- JR

Tags: Ihsahn, Leprous, Shining

New Ihsahn Album In 2012. Sweet Babies!

Filed Under: General News, Upcoming releases

Nov.23, 2011

Ihsahn‘s After was easily one of the best records of 2010, melding his black metal roots with progressive metal to create one hell of an album. Shining‘s Jorgen Munkeby was featured across that album playing saxophone, which only made the album that much stellar.

Which brings us to today’s best news. Ihsahn is currently working on a new record, and will once again feature Jorgen Munkeby playing sax. Great success! 2012 just got that much greater. We’ll have more info when it’s available!

- JR

Tags: Ihsahn, Jorgen Munkeby, Shining

Leprous – Bilateral

Filed Under: Reviews

Nov.08, 2011

Leprous

Bilateral

01. Bilateral
02. Forced Entry
03. Restless
04. Thorn
05. Mb. Indifferentia
06. Waste of Air
07. Mediocrity Wins
08. Cryptogenic Desires
09. Acquired Taste
10. Painful Detour

[08/23/11]
[Inside Out]

Leprous are a very interesting band. While they’ve had stylistic changes over the years, the style they’ve reached at `Bilateral` is definitely where they sound most comfortable. If you wonder what they sound like, it’s a bit difficult to explain, but I’ll try. Try taking Dream Theater, adding haunting characteristics of Opeth, sprinkling in some of Frank Zappa‘s craziness, adding a very Levi/Werstler style of guitar, and adding some of Devin Townsend Project‘s Deconstruction stylings, you’ll have the right mix. Now, if those names made your stomach turn with disgust, this album is obviously not for you. But if you’re a regular reader of ours, most of these names probably made you jump with excitement. Well then, hop in and experience this crazy journey with me.

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Tags: Devin Townsend, Devin Townsend Project, Dream Theater, Ihsahn, John Petrucci, Leprous, Levi/Werstler, Opeth, zappa

Leprous: A Videographical Journey Into What The Hell?!

Filed Under: Video

Oct.26, 2011

Leprous – whom some of you might recall also act as Ihsahn‘s band – have dived headfirst into what I can only describe as Lynchian territory for the new video for “Restless“.

Jokes aside, it’s beautifully produced, and representational imagery or not, it’s certainly an interesting video. I’m not sure I will ever look at dryer lint the same way again. Primary vocalist Einar Solberg reminds me of a mix of Matt Bellamy and someone I can’t pin down in my head right now – but if any of you catch it let me know – and the music is absolutely stunning.

As it happens, Leprous have an impeccable pedigree – they’ve actually been around for about ten years now, and it shows. Unsurprisingly they’re also from the same Norwegian town as the aforementioned Ihsahn, and by extension Emperor and Peccatum, which all technically include the same person, but have varying members thereof so I feel fine listing them as such.

The band released their album Bilateral a couple of months ago, which included guest vocals from the king of Norwegian black metal himself, and although I haven’t heard it yet, I’m told it’s a pretty good spin. This has certainly encouraged me to check it out, and I hope it has you too.

- CG

Tags: Emperor, Ihsahn, Leprous, Peccatum, Restless

Candlelight Records Signs More ‘Quality Fuckin’ Metal’

Filed Under: General News

Aug.08, 2011

I can kid myself for only so long that this is news but I thought an update on British death metal titans The Rotted would do you all some good. Plus Tim Carley is hilarious.

Yes that’s right, The Rotted now nestle happily amongst great acts including Ihsahn, Xerath and Anaal Nathrakh over at Candlelight Records and not alongside any ‘floppy haired Christians pretending to be Arnold fuckin’ Schwarzenegger’. Personally, it doesn’t really mean much to me other than we’re one step closer to getting another release with a promise of more updates in the next few weeks. But it’s also good to see Carley well over the fact that he went all Tony Iommi on us and lost the end of a finger (THIS VIDEO IS FAIRLY GRAPHIC) as I’ll be seeing them at Bloodstock later this week.

- DL

Tags: Anaal Nathrakh, Ihsahn, The Rotted, xerath

Feature: Obsidian Kingdom’s 3:11

Filed Under: Features, Hits From The Inbox, Interviews, Listen To This!

Jul.13, 2011

“Hours pass, slow and submissive

And I don’t know what to do

I live inside myself…”

These tortured final moments of Obsidian Kingdom‘s latest offering 3:11 are hypnotic and downright eerie as the ticking of a clock closes the album past unsettling atmospherics, mirroring the introspective lyrics of a man lost alone, seemingly inside of his own mind.

“3:11 was supposed to be an advance of a conceptual album focused on fear. It occurred to us as a casual thing, after writing a few songs we realised that we we’re constantly referring to things that we were really scared of…” explains guitarist and vocalist, Rider G Omega. “In the end, we as humans still share some very old fears that bring us together. Thus, we see it as a very powerful tool of communication.

“We believe that optimal musical communication can only be achieved when there is a background of intense feeling from the speaker. And in order to deeply feel something it’s always better to have experienced it by oneself… or else be really good at faking.”

Despite possible inferences associated with the lush soundscapes of shoegaze, Obsidian Kingdom’s promotion as a post-black metal band isn’t entirely inaccurate; while the band sports a prominent blackened tenacity and grim roots, they certainly transcend the genre’s confined boundaries. The Spaniards’ collective repertoire runs the gamut from doom to progressive metal, with the forward-thinking attitude and spirit of Norway’s Shining and the musicianship of seminal extreme prog band Enslaved, showing the potential to be one of the best new bands in progressive metal.

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Tags: Emperor, Enslaved, Ghost, Ihsahn, Obsidian Kingdom, Opeth, Shining, Ulver

Helveticore: Painting With All The Colours Of The Wind

Filed Under: Helveticore

Jun.10, 2011

Today I would like to discuss a recent trend in the field of album artwork as it pertains to metal bands. When you think about the artwork of most metal albums, images of skulls, demons, fire and misogyny spring to mind. Metal is supposed to be evil and the artwork is supposed to reflect that right? In the past this was the case. Cliched imagery, was combined with a mono- or duo-chromatic colour palette to create something dark and unsettling. Blue implies coldness, red symbolizes fire, purple is alien, etc. A combination of sickly green and blue are used to startle and disgust the viewer. Of course there are exceptions to the rule but in the majority of cases, the design and execution of metal album artwork has followed strict, unwritten rules.

But things are different now. Metal musicians can have short hair, merch can be neon, and a genre called djent can exist and be taken seriously. So what does this mean for album artwork? Perhaps you have seen the signs already, noticed the changes, album art is no longer the one colour festival of evil that it used to be. Bands are embracing warm and varied colour palettes, comforting textures, landscape images and even sunshine! Gasp, you say! I’m not just talking about scene golems who have embraced all over print design like your nearest BAPE outlet (LOL at this image). I’m talking about bands that are lauded by critics and recognized as talented and original.

Let’s examine some evidence.

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Devin Townsend Project – Deconstruction

Filed Under: Reviews

Jun.03, 2011

Devin Townsend Project

Deconstruction

01. Praise the Lowered
02. Stand
03. Juular
04. Planet of the Apes
05. Sumeria
06. The Mighty Masturbator
07. Pandemic
08. Deconstruction
09. Poltergeist

[06/20/11]
[Inside Out Music]

Operatic, triumphant, and out of its fucking mind. That’s the perfect short description of the highly anticipated “heavy” installment of Devin Townsend’s four-part album series released under the Devin Townsend Project name. This is an amalgamation of what we’ve come to expect from Devin over the years. Deconstruction is an adventurous look inside of Devin’s mind that is quirky, honest, and his best work since Ziltoid the Omniscient, if not the best work he’s ever done period.

As expected, Deconstruction is huge in every sense of the word. There’s so much going on in the mix at times that it’s dizzying. Devin spared no expense in making this record sound the best that it possibly can, hiring a full choir and orchestra that pushes the album into the realm of epic symphonic metal. The quirky symphonic overtones makes Deconstruction feel grandiose throughout, sounding like a pissed off Danny Elfman score. We normally shy away from lengthy track-by-track reviews here on Heavy Blog Is Heavy, but honestly, this album demands it.

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