TOP 14 ALBUMS OF 2015

STATEMENT ABOUT STU'S REVIEWS

There have been no reviews posted since October 6th, that is due to serious health problems which have left me in constant physical pain and resulting in a fair amount of depression, this is still ongoing.

All review copies sent to me since that date have been deleted and no further promos have been downloaded, this will remain the situation until my health returns, i have already spoken with a numer of record company pr people on this subject.

So until i can sort myself out, there will be no more posts after this one.

TOP 14 ALBUMS OF 2015

So been a good year for music, quite a lot of interesting and original albums being produced, these are my personal choices from what has landed in my inbox or been sent to me.

STU

01.GALLEY BEGGAR - SILENCE & TEARS

02.PYOGENESIS - A CENTURY IN THE CURSE OF TIME

03.WITH THE DEAD - WITH THE DEAD

04.THE DAY OF LOCUSTS - FROM THE GUTTER TO THE GODS

05.THE DEEP - PREMONITION

06.NORSE - PEST

07.LUCIFER - LUCIFER 1

08.VALENTINE WOLFE - THE NIGHTINGALE: A GOTHIC FAIRYTALE

09.SOLDIER - DEFIANT

10,AGUE - POWERED BY EFFLUVIA

11.AL B DAMNED - FOR OLD TIMES STAKE

12.DESERT - NEVER REGRET

13.MEKIGAH - LITLOST

14.ALBATROSS - FEAR FROM THE SKIES

Norse - Pest (CD Review)

01.Encoded Weakness
02.Disarmed, Toothless, Weak
03.Pest
04.True Insignificance
05.Irradiator
06.Aimless


ADR (Vocals/Bass)
Forge (Drums/Guitar)

Shayne Querruel (Session/Live Guitars)
S. Maher (Session/Live Guitars)
Marcus Bastiaanse (Session/Live Bass)

Austrailian band Norse began in 2006 with 7 years of turmoil, member changes and conflict, with Forge (drums) at the core. At Norse' heart lies experimentation and innovation, which is driving force behind each album. Consistently pushing boundaries and showcasing the bands unique ideologies, Norse is not interested in genres or trends but creating unique music and atmospheres.

'Encoded Weakness' is a strange and wonderful mix of styles and ideas, some traditional elements of extreme metal blended with avant-garde noise and drone, add to this screamed and spoken vocals and you have a rare example of a band really pushing forward.

'Pest' is a little more restrained, this one has more in common with the doom genre, slow pounding and atmospheric.

Then comes 'True Insignificance' a full on extreme/death metal tirade of instruments and screams, reminds me of early Anaal Nathrakh.

Dispite the drums being stuck on full speed times infinity, the overall feeling you get from 'Irradiator' is one of a slow and gloomy black metal style, this due mainly to the guitarwork.

Finally 'Aimless' opens with some dark synth then falls into this nightmare world of strange noise and extreme metal, before ending back with more dark synthwork.

This kind of music has always been of intrest to me, any band can just play straight forward metal (any sub genre of your choice) but this band like a few others like to play around with what they can do and create a kind of musical artform, though it may be a hellish noise to many it is clever and well thoughout, intense and intresting.

Rating 10/10
For fans of: Anaal Nathrakh, Axis Of Perdition, Sunn 0))), Blut Aus Nord, Aborym, Ulver