ART GALLERY - AMON AMARTH, HUMAN IMPROVEMENT PROCESS, EXIVIOUS

Ever have album art melt your face? Every once and awhile a band will create or commission artwork which is undeniably awesome, iconic, or inspiring. Sometimes it compliments the music in the perfect way, leaving a mark on the listener or maybe even music history itself.

Welcome to the Art Gallery. We're gonna take a look at some really impressive art while listening to some great music in the process.

Have you ever seen artwork that was so damn awesome that you still remember the first time you saw it? I was flattened when Amon Amarth's "Twilight of the Thunder God" came out in 2008. Not only by the music but by the insanely detailed scene depicted on the front cover. THIS IS VIKING METAL \m/

 
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Human Improvement process is an impressive band emerging Italy on Memorial Records. This year they dropped a great record "Deafening Dissonant Millenium" bolstering some mind bending artwork. Better yet, it compliments the title of the album in an unsettling way. Highly recommended on all counts. We should have a review on this one coming soon!

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Merch // Bandcamp

Exivious needed to be included because of the way that they experiment with their artwork. For both of their albums, they've allowed the fans to create their own poster based on the official album art. The process for their latest album "Liminal" (read our review here) was intricate to say the least. All in all this band has spawned incredible results (take a look here).

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AMON AMARTH HEADLINING A U.S. TOUR IN EARLY 2014!

For those of you that were disappointed with the time constraints surrounding Amon Amarth's performance in this year's Metalfest and for the rest of you that just plain want more of them, worry no more. They will be invading the U.S.A. for a nationwide tour with their tour mates Enslaved and Skeletonwitch in early 2014 for "The Deceiver of the Gods North American Tour."

Special Fan pre-sale tickets are available now here.

-\m/eyer

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Twitter // iTunes

NEW MUSIC TUESDAY - SEPTEMBER 17TH

Horns up to Carcass \m/ Their album "Surgical Steel" just came out today but we literally just gave them a front page review. Click here to read.

That being the case, here are three more albums you should listen to.

Remember that one band you used to dream of playing in as a kid, and then life got shit complicated and you looked the other way till that “something” that comes your way and jolts you into an overwhelming sense of déjà vu? Stray From The Path and their new full length “Anonymous” are that “something”. RATM fans, roll call please. Read the rest of the review here.

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This London based Progressive Metal band has been making a stir this year, twisting minds and making fans within a mere listen. Signed to InsideOutMusic, they've released a number of impressive singles to support the main event - which has been released upon the world today! Let your ears climb "The Mountain".

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Where the vikings at!? Týr has retyrned (I'm sorry...). Already released in Europe, "Valkyrja" has just reached shores stateside. This band always provides a great listen with their brand of metal. This album is no exception. Give it a listen!

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Merch

AMON AMARTH "DECEIVER OF THE GODS" STREAM!

Stream "Deceiver of the Gods" right here!

Amon Amarth is one of those bands that can make basically the same album over and over again and still dish out solid music. The band’s 2008 offering “Twilight of the Thunder God” is my favorite release and it was released around ten years into their career. The viking metallers have been just that for their entire career, writing music solely about vikings. Their style of music hasn’t changed very much either honestly. Like melodic death metal contemporaries Kalmah, not much has changed throughout their career.

The band’s new album “Deceiver of the Gods” is now available for streaming courtesy of guitar world. Unfortunately, Metalblade records is still a spotify holdout so this is the only place that this album can be streamed. Either way, go check out this album while you still can. The album comes out next Tuesday and I assume the stream will be down soon. You can purchase this when it comes out soon from Metalblade records or the link below.

As for the music, Amon Amarth is branching out a little. There is definitely more classic metal influence on this record. But the core of the songs are still the same. This one probably won’t grab many more fans for the kings of viking metal but honestly I doubt they care. This is more solid music from a solid band. Check it out.

-Trisolino

Links: Facebook // Stream // Pre-order

THROWBACK THURSDAY - BATHORY

Last week we started the Throwback Thursday segment talking about the influence Swedish bands have had on heavy metal.  This week we're going to dive back into the 1980's and talk about one of the most important, if not the most important band to emerge from Sweden during that era: Bathory.

In 1984, Bathory released their self-titled debut. The sound of this album was like nothing any other band had released up to that point. It was thrashy, heavily distorted, and one of the most evil sounding recordings of the time. Along with the satanic imagery in the lyrics, vocalist and primary song writer, Quorthon, provided some of the most beautifully disturbing vocals ever recorded, consisting mainly of high pitched shrieks and grunts. In a sense, this album was the first true black metal album.

Quorthon continued this formula in the next three Bathory albums, "The Return of the Darkness and Evil" (1985), "Under the Sign of the Black Mark" (1987), and "Blood Fire Death" (1988). In 1990, he drastically changed the sound of Bathory for the album "Hammerheart", which is credited as being the first viking metal album. Not only did their songs become slower, longer, and more epic, but the lyrical themes switched from the typical satanism to a more introspective look at Sweden's viking past and ancient pagan religion.  A strong anti-Christian message was still present, but it was delivered in a more personal and sophisticated way.

Throughout the rest of their career Bathory experimented with more viking metal sounds as well as thrash metal.  Bathory is a band that will easily go down in history as one of the most influential practitioners of extreme metal.

The Circle Pit recommendations for curious parties:

Fans of black metal should check out "Bathory", "The Return of the Darkness and Evil", "Under the Sign of the Black Mark", and "Blood Fire Death".

Fans of viking metal should check out "Hammerheart", "Twilight of the Gods", "Nordland I & II".

Links: Facebook // Official Website // iTunes

ÆTHER REALM "ONE CHOSEN BY THE GODS" ALBUM REVIEW

I just had the pleasure of listening to the debut record from Æther Realm, "One Chosen By The Gods". This is a band that's not from Finland, but sound exactly like they're from Finland. In reality they come from North Carolina to provide some of the best Folk Metal you may end up hearing this year. They actually got in contact with us at The Circle Pit and shared this album. I'm glad they did and will return the favor by spreading the word with this here review.

If I had to describe this band with one word alone, it would be "epic". Actually, let's try that again... "EPIC!" If I had to describe them with more than one word, it would be extreme, intelligently constructed Folk Metal infused with the edge of a Viking's axe and Death Metal accents. They sound like a compound of fellow Viking Metallers Amon Amarth along with Ensiferum, Wintersun, The Black Dahlia Murder, and maybe even a touch of Alestorm making for a very strong mix. And that strength is brought out even further by producer Jamie King (who has worked with Between The Buried And Me / Scale The Summit). All in all, if you feel like banging your head, moshing, and pillaging, Æther Realm will do the trick.

The album opens with a massive melodic scape in "Journey of Discovery" only to smash your eardrums with "Hourglass", giving you an idea of how the rest of the album will play out. "Hourglass" is just one stand out among many including "One Chosen By The Gods", "Odin Will Provide", "Winter's Grasp", "Swampwitch", and the amazing closer "Oak". All the 9 tracks on "One Chose By The Gods" provide greatness in various forms, whether that be blistering guitar riffs, ripping blast beasts, flying solos, symphonic work, extreme heaviness, touching melody, interesting lyrics, or all the above. Awesome music \m/

I don't have many criticisms here but some things should be noted. In some ways, you can tell that this is a band that directly tries to emulate their inspirations. This can be a good thing because they have awesome inspirations. In other ways, it may hold them back. You may get the feeling that you've heard some of their musical ideas plenty of times before. But I'm sure they will only expand on their sound with time. Also their vocalist doesn't switch things up much at all, but he's good at what he does. And his lyrics are awesome to say the least. They also add in backing choral sections for some extra spice.

If you're jonesing for some folksy Viking Metal, Æther Realm will sate your appetite for pillaging and plundering. Record labels will probably be scrambling to sign these Scandinavian spirits very soon. "One Chosen By The Gods" is available NOW! Give a couple tracks a good listen above and if you get the urge to raid coastal villages, go ahead and buy the album either on Bandcamp or pick up a physical copy and a shirt right here! Kudos to Æther Realm for releasing a solid debut. Keep doing what you're doing guys \m/

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Bandcamp // iTunes

AMON AMARTH RECORDING NEW ALBUM & SELLING WINE!

Hailing from Sweden (aka Valhalla), Viking Metal pioneers Amon Amarth are officially back in the studio recording their ninth full-length album. The record is slated for a possible release in June through Metal Blade Records. They're currently working with a new producer, Andy Sneap (who has worked with Megadeth, Machine Head, and Exodus). Considering Jens Bogren produced the last three records, Olavi Mikkonen made the following comment on their switch in the studio.

"We were looking for a change, and Andy has been in our thoughts for some years now. After meeting with him, we felt a good connection. We think this is going to be a ripper."

If that last line is any indication, this album should slaughter and pillage like no other. While you're waiting for the upcoming greatness, blast some Amon Amarth classics below!

In other news, Amon Amarth have just released their own brand of wine \m/ “You can now get your own Amon Amarth Shiraz red wine! A must at any classy dinner party or as a gift to the wino friend! Drink irresponsibly!” Order a bottle or three right here!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Alcohol