Album Review: Waldgeflüster's Unter Bronzenen Kronen

It’s hard not to feel down in recent years fellow Otaku & Metalheads. By the end of 2023, it’s not difficult to see why: Gaza & it’s people getting wiped off the map, further political tomfoolery here in the United States, and the dark theory that Donald J. Trump might actually get away with everything sends an absolute chill up a lot of our spines. It’s kind of the reason why I concluded last year’s top 5 albums list with some rather serious releases. I got 1 saved for November like I normally do, but in the meantime I have 2 others to take a look at, and both of them (Technically one of them) take a sledgehammer to the feels, and you’re left on the ground like a baby. So to start with, let’s take a quick trip back to Germany for this one!

Like I’ve said a few times throughout this blog’s existence, I’m not the biggest fan of Black Metal. From the lo-fi production that felt lazy to me, to musicianship that sometimes feels like people just banging on instruments, and to the vocal work that comes across like screeching & screaming (Even though it really isn’t). All of those factors kept me away from the genre for a really long time, until I began to expand my horizons back in 2015 when I began getting into Darkthrone (Read Here). Even with opening up my musical tastes in that direction, I still wasn’t giving it the chance that it deserved. It wasn’t until early 2019 when, by genuine accident, I clicked on a suggestion in my Youtube page that I really began to appreciate Black Metal more than I did.

As you can tell by the title of this review, that band in question was Waldgeflüster. Translated into Forest Whispers, the band has been around since 2006, and began to properly put out albums since 2009. Unlike a lot of groups in the style that leaned towards the Satanic side of things, these Germanic fellows were incredibly influenced by Nature & Heathendom as the subject matter of their music (With other subjects being supplementary), and it shows. The music is still incredibly brutal and heavy, but there’s plenty of times where it’s incredibly beautiful, and oddly peaceful as well if you can believe it. I first showed them off back in 2019 when I had them on my top 5 albums list of that year (Read Here), and that was where my love for them began. It’s only grown over the years since then, and in 2023 it became solid when Unter Bronzenen Kronen was released on the 29th of September.

Unter Bronzenen Kronen, or Under Bronze Crowns, is essential Waldgeflüster distilled into a bite-sized package. 4 tracks compose this little release, and each one is nothing short of fantastic. Each song is nothing short of beautiful, emotional, & heavy, and they all feel satisfying to listen to. All of the tracks conjure up images of Autumn, the forest, old memories, and spirits from bygone times. The experience is easy to describe, yet oddly difficult to describe as well. It really does feel like everyone will have their own experience with Unter Bronzenen Kronen, but they’ll all talk about it with people that haven’t listened to it.

Picking the best track off of here was easy, and that honor goes to The Pit. A cover of the Panopticon song of the same name (Listen Here), it trades that version’s Kentucky Bluegrass clothes, and fully embraces Waldgeflüster’s brand of Black Metal. It’s sweeping, epic, powerful, and unless I’m wrong, marks the very first time that the lyrics were sung in English. You really have your heartstrings pulled incredibly hard the first time you listen to the song, and it doesn’t really let up on subsequent hearings (Especially if you watch the video for it). I’ve kind of been in a rough place for months, and for some reason I’ve found that this track oddly fits how I’ve been feeling all this time so far. If you’re in the mood for a track that’ll put you on the edge of tears, you can’t get much better than The Pit.

The Pit

The Pit (Music Video)

So, with all of the positivity out of the way, you’re probably asking if there’s anything bad about this release? To be perfectly honest, there really isn’t anything to complain about. Unter Bronzenen Kronen from beginning to end is truly a perfect release, and really shows that Black Metal can easily break out of the stereotypical Satanic shell. That being said, the release is a bit on the short side. Playing for 28 minutes & 10 seconds, to be exact. It’s really funny that it goes on for just that amount of time, because the 4 songs on here don’t feel short. Again, they’re incredibly substantial, and will hit you hard every time you listen to them.

Unter Bronzenen Kronen gets a solid 10 out of 10. It might be on the short side of things, but it’s one of the most fulfilling releases of 2023, and more than deserves to be at the no. 1 spot. So, we’ve got one of my number 1 releases out of the way, and the second pays homage to one of Shock Rock’s most iconic figures. See you all next week!



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If you’d like to listen to this album, click on the link below:

Unter Bronzenen Kronen

Album Review: Devin Townsend's Infinity (Remaster)

Time for honorable mentions fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

That’s right, time to look at the albums of 2023 that didn’t quite make the cut. Like I’ve said numerous times on prior lists, just because an album made it to the honorable mentions section doesn’t mean that it’s bad or mediocre. Most if not all of the honorable mentions I’ve spoken about are genuinely quite good, and the subject of today’s review is no exception, and is from Devin Townsend, who I’ve spoken about many times in high regard. However, today’s review marks the first time that I will be throwing some criticism at a release of his. Some pretty big criticism, to be exact. So, without further delay, here’s my review of the remaster of 1998's Infinity. Let’s begin!

Background
Taken from Devin’s website about the original Infinity:

“I remember once I had finished Ocean Machine and City, the idea of duality became a big thing for me. I began to find myself fascinated by the concepts of ‘this and that’ and ‘yin and yang’ (or whatever metaphors supported that idea). I realized that the things that were motivating me were (in hindsight) a relatively common ‘coming-of-age’ type of artistic view. I found myself engaging in drugs and relationships that were unhealthy, yet playing into the whole metaphoric nature of that period to the point where my whole world resonated with a very deluded sense of self importance that ultimately had much invested in the music itself.

I felt a very arrogantly gratifying sense of martyrdom in ‘sleeping on the studio floor’, feeling ‘persecuted’, and ultimately winding myself up to believe that what I was doing was of some sort of great significance. At the time it was very romantic, but in hindsight, it was very obviously engagement in chemicals and drugs that I was unfamiliar with. These experiences threw me into a psychological tailspin that resulted in a chaotic, dense, (at times glorious), but mostly very confused statement.

It was done on ADAT in my friends basement, and the recording was unfortunately a self-imposed hellish mess. Again, hindsight is 20/20 and currently it’s much easier to recognize what is legitimate drama from artistic gratification. At the time, I believed it was the last record I would ever make. Strangely, I feel that about most records I’ve done. Ultimately, Infinity is one of the most important records I feel I’ve been involved with, and it was a rewarding time for my process.”

Taken from Devin’s website about the original Christeen EP + 4 Demos:

“Nowadays, when I record too much music for a single disk, it comes out in double disks or bonus editions etc, but at the time, (without a label or management to guide), I would put out the bonus songs as things like this, or the ‘Ass-Sordid’ stuff. Japan wanted to make a video for Christeen with a famous photographer that ultimately got edited by someone other than him and was a disaster. The inclusion of the video, however, seemed an appropriate excuse for me to put the additional songs into one place that existed in tandem with the Infinity sessions.

Some interesting stuff here, with the final song ‘Love Load’ causing quite a ruckus among friends and band mates as being a horrible statement. A statement that distanced myself from the things that actually defined Infinity in the beginning. (Selfishness over community)”

Taken from Metal Injection in September of 2023 about the reissue/remaster:

“As I move into a new phase of my work, (one that requires the next two years to be spent writing and recording), I reflect on the Infinity album and the period it all happened in many ways. This was my first attempt at engineering and mixing an album, and without it, I wouldn’t have gotten where I am now on a technical level. It was like going to college at the time, and although it is primitive in many ways, it also reminded me of the amount of passion it takes to reach a new level.

The whole process during the making of this album was fraught with learning, turmoil, growth, and psychological development. In fact: I didn’t think at the time that I would even get through it, (let alone be here 25 years later writing and working with the hard-won experience that came as a direct result of making Infinity).

I realize now how pivotal this period of expression was for me, and how it was a testament to tenacity in the long run. As such, I’m proud that we’ve decided to re-release the record with all the bonus tracks and personal artwork from that period in one place. I was even asked to do an updated version of the naked cover album cover (!!!) so in the name of authenticity… I did that too.

I believe this to be the quintessential version of the record. It was a statement then as it is now. And for those who were there during that period as well as those who are perhaps interested in how it all began, I present to you ‘Infinity’ in an updated fashion. I’m grateful for the opportunity to release it in this light and thank you all for the support all these years. Please wish me luck as I delve into this next phase, and being able to reflect on Infinity during the start of this process has proven to be very useful.”

Basic Description
Welcome yet Disappointing.

Let’s get this out of the way: Infinity is not a bad album, and the Christeen EP + 4 Demos release is not bad either. Having the two on one record (Split among 2 CDs) is a great way to re-introduce classics to a new generation that might not have heard of it, while at the same time giving longtime listeners a huge nostalgia blast. That being said......it’s not a great remaster. If anything, this is one of the most incredibly subtle remasters I’ve ever heard of. Just to check to see if I was having auditory hallucinations, I went back & listened to the original release to listen for anything different from them & this record, and if there’s any difference between the originals and the remasters, it’s an exceedingly small difference. Which is a crying shame, as again I find the original music to be great, and this re-release of it is great for bringing in old & new fans alike, but the lack of remastering signs really hurts it.

Best Track
Like I said in my review for the original Infinity (Read Here), I was a big fan of both Christeen & Noisy Pink Bubbles. They were the most normal sound & feeling tracks of the album, and I still stand by that. However, I can’t deny that even on these two songs, there’s still at least a little bit of weirdness (Especially on Noisy Pink Bubbles) to be felt, which I guess is a good thing.

Christeen

Noisy Pink Bubbles

And then there’s Sit In The Mountain. If the two previously mentioned tracks are the most normal on Infinity, then the middle track of the Christeen EP is the most normal for that release (Read Here). A groovy little number, it’s simultaneously peaceful, while still providing quite a bit of heaviness to the listener. Definitely a nice mix!

Sit In The Mountain

Finally, there are the 3 bonus track included, which I suspect are the only pieces of music that actually had the remastering work done on. They include an acoustic version of Sister & Hide Nowhere off of his prior album Ocean Machine, as well as a demo for the song Man, which I have no idea what that one was going to be on. Regardless, these little musical nuggets do round out this reissue rather nicely, and add a little extra meat onto what is already a beastly dish.

Sister (Live Acoustic)

Hide Nowhere (Live Acoustic)

Man (1996 Demo)

Worst Track
Again, this remaster’s only fault is that it’s so incredibly difficult to tell that it’s actually been remastered. Like I said above, I listened to the original versions then this one to see if there’s a difference, and if there was, it’s so small it might as well not be a remaster in the first place.

(The Acoustic tracks & Demo track are exempt from this, as they’re new material which, as far as I know, weren’t on the original Infinity release or anything after it.)

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Infinity: Remaster

Overall Impression & Rating
Infinity: Remaster is a baffling one for me. On the one hand, as a remaster it stumbles somewhat. The way it was redone makes it difficult to tell that anything has changed in any meaningful way. On the other hand, it’s great that HevyDevy still recognizes Infinity & it’s EP as important steps in his career, as he is more than willing to put it back out for the public to listen to. If you’re buying this as a remaster, you’ll be incredibly disappointed. If you’re buying it for the general level of quality however, then you won’t be upset in the slightest!

Infinity: Remaster gets a 10 out of 10 for overall quality, but a 5 out of 10 for the remastering.

And that was my look at the remaster for Devin Townsend’s 1998 classic, Infinity, as well as it’s EP. The quality might be fantastic, but it still feels the same as it was over 25 years ago.....for better or for worse. Well, I’ll save the other honorable mention for November later on this year, but in the meantime we’ve reached number 1, and I’m starting things off with quite the emotional colossus. See you next week!



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If you’re curious about the original Infinity & Christeen EP releases, click on the links below to give them a listen to:

Infinity

Christeen EP + 4 Demos

Album Review: U.D.O.'s Touchdown

Closer to no. 1 fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

We’re not that far away from the highest spot of last year’s albums. 2023 had some surprising choices at the number one spot, but before we see what’s there, we gotta finish up here at no. 2. Last week I took a look at Firestar, which was Iron Savior’s newest release. However, those fellows were not alone, as another Germanic Metal titan stood alongside them! Since 2018, I’ve spoken about the legends U.D.O., and the wonderful material they’ve release since I’ve been paying attention to them for close to over a decade since I accidentally discovered them. Last year, they put out a monster of an album, so let’s not waste anymore time! Here’s my review for 2023's Touchdown. Let’s begin!

Background
Taken from Wikipedia:

“In September 2022, bassist Tilen Hudrap got injured in Munich while playing a show during the Game Over world tour. Former Accept bassist Peter Baltes would step in as the temporary member. Hudrap announced his departure from the band soon after. In April 2023, Baltes was announced as the band's new bassist. The eighteenth studio album Touchdown was released on 25 August 2023.”

Taken from Metal Invader:

“After touring Australia and Japan as well as kicking off this year’s festival season by introducing new bassist Peter Baltes last month, U.D.O. – the iconic heavy metal five-piece led by legendary vocalist Udo Dirkschneider (official) – let the next cat out of the bag today: In between various live activities throughout the year, the band have been very productive having recorded a massive, 13-track album at various locations. Crafted with producer and mixing engineer Martin “Mattes” Pfeiffer at Redhead Studio (Wilhelmshaven, Germany) and mastered by Stefan Kaufmann at ROXX Studio (Solingen, Germany), Touchdown is scheduled to land in the end zone of the heavy metal world on August 25th, 2023 through Atomic Fire Records. Artwork & photos were provided by Martin Häusler.”

Basic Description
Balls To The Wall.

Hehe, I couldn’t help but put in that little Accept reference. Even with that said, this album definitely comes across like the U.D.O. of old at times. There’s no frills, there’s no added features, no bells, and no whistles. Touchdown at the end of the day is classic Heavy Metal from the 1980s, but given a bit of spit & shine thanks to modern recording and production techniques. Not only that, but the record does manage to somewhat eclipse the equally excellent Game Over from 2021 by having a bit more energy than the previously mentioned release. Not enough to equal that of the phenomenal We Are One from the start of this decade, but definitely enough to put it in view of that release.

Best Track
I think for any first time listener of this album, they’ll definitely fall in love with the title track. Curiously found at the very end of the record, it’s a wonderful & intense song that keeps it’s energy going throughout the entire thing. The football imagery not withstanding, Touchdown is classic U.D.O. brought into the 2020s with fists raised high and can do attitude front & center. Possibly the most interesting part about the track is the brief few second of what comes across like violin playing towards the end of the song, and while it’s not bad in any way (If anything, it’s interesting), it is something of a double take for that brief period of time.

Touchdown

Worst Track
Kinda like Firestar from last week, Touchdown’s only fault is that there isn’t a ballad anywhere to be heard. The band always manages to have at least one power ballad on their albums, so it’s weird to not find one on this record. Unlike Firestar, there isn’t one as a bonus track on the Japanese edition, which makes that edition pointless unless you’re a diehard collector of that country’s releases of Western albums.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Touchdown

Overall Impression & Rating
Touchdown is damn good. Lack of a ballad not withstanding, U.D.O. continue to prove after nearly 40 years that they still have talent & relevancy here in the early parts of the 2020s. I may hold We Are One from 2020 in higher regard than this record (And Game Over from 2021 to a lesser extent), but Touchdown isn’t that far off. Definitely a release to not pass on!

Touchdown gets a 9.5 to out of 10.

And that was my review of Touchdown. Further proof that the old-schoolers of Heavy Metal still have weight in the 2020s, it's a testament to the overall quality & entertainment factor that this record stands so tall. So, we’ve reached the honorable mentions of 2023, and to say the releases I picked that year are.....odd to say the least. So, I’ll see you all next time, when we’ll look at a re-release that’s simultaneously delightful, yet oddly disappointing. Until then, take care!

Album Review: Iron Savior's Firestar

Now we’re at no. 2 fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

It’s not much longer before we get to the no. 1 spot of 2023, and that year’s honorable mentions by an extent. The no. 2 spot of 2023 definitely had perhaps the most upbeat & optimistic release of that time, and the first of the two I’m looking at I once spoke of back in 2020. Much like that previously mention album, this record was a much needed boost of positivity to help us get out of the disease-ridden mire of the beginning of this decade. I’m speaking of course.....of Iron Savior. For almost 30 years, this German band has crafted some of the Power Metal genre’s finest in Science Fiction record, but never forgetting to add just a little bit of Fantasy to even it out. So, without further delay, here’s a look at Iron Savior’s 2023 release, Firestar. Let’s begin!

Background
As I seem to be saying a lot lately.....2020 was an absolute crapshoot. I don’t need to go into detail like I been doing when bringing up this year, but it stands to reason that not a lot of good was going on. For Iron Savior, they didn’t let a once-a-century plague stop them from making music, and by the end of that year they had released the excellent Skycrest (Which I’ve talked about here). However, that wasn’t the end of their work, as by November the 19th of 2021 they would release a 10th Anniversary Edition of The Landing, which was completely re-recorded & including the Japanese bonus tracks (Which was a huge treat for those outside the Land of the Rising Sun). However, it wouldn’t be until 2023 that all new material would reach listeners, and on 6th of October that year, Firestar was released.

Basic Description
Sci-Fi Power Metal Fun.

This has pretty much been the band’s M.O. since they began releasing music back in 1997: a band firmly within the realm of Power Metal musically, but more often than not utilizes Science Fiction rather than the style’s signature take on the Fantasy genre (Though they do keep a little of that genre in their music.). It’s definitely makes fans of Power Metal who like the style more on the traditional side to do a double take, but more often than not they adapt to it very fast. As for Firestar itself, I say it’s fantastic! There is one weird fault with the album (More on that in a bit), but that weird fault doesn’t ruin the experience that this record provides. Firestar was definitely an album that was needed to help listeners continue to get out of the mire that was 2020. The upbeat energy, mixed with the heaviness of the instrumentation, and topped with the Sci-Fi syrup, just makes the whole listening experience a great time. Nuff said!

Best Track
It’s hard not to love the title track of the album, and for good reason. Everything about the song is infectious: from the pacing, to the instrumentation, and to Piet Sielck’s signature vocal work, it’s hard to not have this track at least be partially stuck in your brain. But as usual, it’s Iron Savior own brand of Sci-Fi Power Metal optimism that really shines on this tune, and Firestar as a whole to be honest. My only complaint is that this song isn’t the opener, and that’s it!

Firestar

Worst Track
In an absolute bizarre move, Firestar doesn’t have a single power ballad that’s pretty much been typical of Iron Savior since the beginning of their career. The European edition doesn’t have a ballad, and the American version (Which I have) doesn’t have one either. It’s only on the Japanese Edition that Firestar gets a ballad, and it’s a lovely little tune by the name of When The Tanks Are Rolling. Sadly, there isn’t a link to the song on Youtube, but I can say that it’s definitely within the ballad territory. Maybe not as sappy as something like Ease Your Pain off of their last album, but it definitely does have that Iron Savior ballad-grade emotional weight on it’s shoulders. If you by any chance grab/download the Japanese release, it’s definitely not a track to skip!  

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:

Firestar

Overall Impression & Rating
Firestar was an absolute blast! Sure, there wasn’t a ballad to be heard for the most part, but everything else is a nice slice of Power Metal cheesecake that just so tasty. Yet another example of an album that pulled many of us out of the disease-ridden depths of the first few years of this decade, it’ll be around for us whenever we need a big emotional pick-me-up!

Firestar gets a 9.5 to 9.9 out of 10.