Mains de Givre: Esther Marie (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top Ten "Not Metal" Picks for 2010
#6 of 10



Year: 2010
Genre: Atmospheric Classical Drone
Label: Textura
TRT: 46:29

Mains de Givre (Frost Hands) is a a partnership between experimentalist/guitarist Eric Quach and classically trained violinist Emilie Livernois-Desroches. What they've managed to do here is created a wonderfully dense soundscape of whirling, swirling, and often enveloping washes of slowly evolving loops and variations originating from strings, more often violin than guitar, but melded together expertly. The result is at once menacing and ominous, while somehow hinting at light on the cusp of breaking through the brooding storm clouds.

Not too shabby for a couple of Canadians.

01 Un Chœur Dâmes En Détresse
02 Le Cercle Des Moeurs
03 Cauchemar Noir Et Rouge
04 Larmes Sanglantes

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Elend: A World in Their Screams (4.5/5)

Year: 2007
Genre: Classical Dark Chamber
Label: Prophecy
TRT: 57:38

The atmosphere and tension created by this group is something often grasped for, but seldom attained. I can't think of a better time of the year to pop in this disc, with it's chilling choral arrangements, instrumentation both thunderous and hushed but always for maximum impact, and haunting spoken word sections. Adding to the mystique, everything is in French, so you really have no idea what sort of incantation is being uttered. in a few words,
Imagine the twisted sadistic half-brother of Dead Can Dance and you'll have a decent idea of what you're in for. As an added bonus, they have a fairly extensive back catologue reaching all the way back to 1994.

Highly recommended for scaring the fudge out of Trick-or-Treating visitors.

01 Ophis puthôn
02 A World in Their Screams
03 Ondes de sang
04 Le dévoreur
05 Le fleuve infini des morts
06 Je rassemblais tes membres
07 Stasis
08 Borée
09 La carrière d'ombre
10 J'ai touché aux confins de la mort
11 Urserpens

Eluvium: An Accidental Memory in the Case of Death (4.5/5)

Year: 2004
Label: Temporary Residence
Genre: Atmospheric Classical Piano
TRT: 30:09

This is, in my opinion, Mathew Cooper's finest work. Beautifully crafted and completely engrossing, his fingers never let go of their hold. One of my favorite parts of this album is the raw element found due to the occasional miss-hit that was left in. It just adds a warmth that I find very comforting. This is a wonderful album to put on when you have nothing to do but sit and ponder, or as intellectually conducive background ambiance.

01 An Accidental Memory
02 Genius and the Theives
03 Perfect Neglect in a Field of Statues
04 Nepenthe
05 In a Sense
06 The Well-Meaning Professor
07 An Accidental Memory in the Case of Death

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Eyvind Kang: Athlantis (4.5/5)

Year: 2007
Label: Ipecac
Genre: Dark Atmospheric Classical Chant
TRT: 41:48

Eyvind Kang has a very impressive body of work, ranging from string arrangements for Blonde Redhead's Misery is a Butterfly, to working with Secret Chiefs 3 on their album Book M. Yet I had never heard his name, and I must admit I never would have picked up this album if Mike Patton's name wasn't blatantly posted on the cd cover along wit hthe names of the other collaborators.

Athlantis falls somewhere between Dead Can Dance's medieval opera and Elend's sinister orchestrations, creating a sense of floating down a river draped in dense mist, trying to paddle towards the sound of the choir. Who happen to be chanting your elegy. And praying for your demise.

01 Ministers of Friday
02 Vespertilones
03 Andegavenses
04 Rabianara
05 Inquisitio
06 Ros Vespertinus
07 Conciliator
08 Iupitter
09 Repetitio
10 Lamentatio
11 Athlantis
12 Aquilas

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Virgin Black: Requiem - Mezzo Forte (5/5)

#1 out of 10
Metal Albums of 2007

Year: 2007
Label: The End/Massacre
Genre: Classical Orchestrated Doom
TRT: 52:09

Virgin Black has been my favorite band since the very first time I heard them in 2002. This is actually the second installment of a three part series entitled Requiem, however The End records chose to release this first, as it’s the closest to previous releases out of the three. Mezzo Forte was recorded, along with Pianissimo and Fortissimo, with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, making this at once the most ambitious, dense and multi-faceted Virgin Black release to date. With soaring operatic vocals (both male and female) and crushing growls, the album takes you for a tumultuous and emotional ride. The orchestration meshes seamlessly with Virgin Black’s brand of gothic doom metal, which comes as no surprise if you’re familiar with past releases. It’s no less than you would expect. Listening to this album, for me at least, is an experience I find difficult to put in to words. To put it simply, Virgin Black resonates within my soul.

01 Requiem, Kyrie
02 In Death
03 Midnight's Hymn
04 ...And I Am Suffering
05 Domine
06 Lacrimosa (I Am Blind With Weeping)
07 Rest Eternal

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