I am not only a musician, I am also a music collector. For whom 2013 has been a pretty great year.
So I thought I would make a selection of three albums that I consider particularly meaningful. It is not really a "top 3" but more a list of works that I find enlightening.
In particular, I tried to select those I thought would be the most interesting for you all, the Askrinn fans.
Hate - Solarflesh
Black/Death metal. I had never been really into Hate before, but this magnificent artwork almost forced me to give a listen to this masterpiece. From the band's own words, it's their most black-metalish opus. There are some killer tunes inside, with a lot of variations and a lot of skills. The melodic approach is really interesting. Much recommended. (link to their website)
Totengeflüster - Vom Seelensterben
Symphonic Black Metal. I randomly discovered this band because Christophe Szpajdel, the author of the Askrinn logo, also designed this band's logo. They had a nice music video, which quickly led me to buying their digipack CD. Different vocal textures, interesting symphonic elements. Some parts are pretty heavy. This is the band's debut album, and - wow! - it's really good. I strongly recommend it. (link to their website)
Summoning - Old Mornings Dawn
Atmospheric Tolkien-inspired Black Metal. I don't really need to introduce that band. This is their first album since 2006, with most of their works dating back from the 90s. That new album is a must-have, and I am now a proud owner of the orange-colored vinyl, which I will probably cherish for many years. Awesome melodic content from an awesome band. Definitely a must-have in the genre. (link to their website)
It was hard…
It was hard to choose 3 albums out of all the interesting releases. I have been tempted to include Ulver's last album ("Messe I.X-VI.X") in the list even though it was not a metal one.
Do you own yourself one of these CDs ? For you, what would be your Top 3 of 2013 among the metal sphere ? Just leave a comment below, I'm eager to read your point of view.
Regards, V.