Metal Reviews

A replay of this until afternoon's newer playlist.

A great wealth of musical ideas materializing.

Half way through


I have not heard this recording for a very long period of time but I knew it had always been a quality release, melodic in nature, with hammering heaviness. And, so it is.

Half way through


The late Maestro, a band ripe with power and maturity, and a bygone era.

A good evening to you, Husker. The latest Mastodon (2021), just picked it up today. Truly immersive, and impressive. Superb production, with outstanding musicianship, and heart. Will be playing the new Ihsahn later tonight.

There is no doubt in my mind that Ihsahn is one of a kind, and altogether a genius in music. However, that does come at a great cost, and that is this album will in all likelihood not receive any attention at all, or very little so, at best.

Now, I do think that this recording has improved, greatly, and Ihsahn is certainly harkening back to his roots, with such names as Peccatum, and even Emperor's exist album, but I still do believe that the recording is very much modern Ihsahn, whereby, the centerpiece of pretty well the entire recording, orbits around orchestration, and therefore, the riffs are accompaniment, and never completely in command, which is what I was expecting. Is he maturer? He definitely thinks so.

There are still three or four tracks, where, the recording does feel heavier and more extreme, but for the most of the recording, Ihsahn is meandering in his ever romantic pains and aches. Well, that's modern Ihsahn for you, sentimental, and a bundle of emotions. Artistic, yes, but extreme and potent, not so much, no.

I still do love it, and will listening to it much more. But, I cannot in all frankness say that I love it with all my might, very sadly so.

An adventurous and a very likeable recording.

Third spin. I was truly hopeful that this new recording would encompass a serious return to the album Lost In Reverie by Peccatum. But only a slight tingling, and a very slight wink to it, at that.

^^Excellent. Eremita and After I found to be the most substantial of Ihsahn's solo work. Explore!