Album Review (Obscurus Metalus): Lord Vigo's Danse De Noir

So here’s a bit of a 2020 musical bonus fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

This one’s a bit interesting. I was aware of this record for quite some time that year, and listened to it on & off quite a bit back then, but for whatever reason it didn’t quite grab me as hard as all of the albums I’ve looked at throughout a good chunk of this year. It wasn’t bad by any means, and it was most certainly enjoyable, but it didn’t click more with me until a few years down the road. Now, over 5 years later, I’ve come to regret not putting this release on my top 5 list back then. Still, it seemed right to truly close out my retrospective on 2020's music with this one. So, sit back, jack into the web, and enjoy my review for Lord Vigo’s 4th album, Danse De Noir. Let’s begin!

Background
It’s a bit difficult to find information on these guys, as they’re a foreign band (Germany). A trio of a band, there’s Vinz Clortho on drums & vocals, and both Tony Scoleri & Volguus Zildrohar on guitar and drums, and as it’s described on their bandcamp:

“Evil, loud and paranormal, LORD VIGO is one of the best and most productive Epic Metal bands of our times. Hailing from Germany, they already have released three studio albums
and they descend the army of angry spirits upon the Earth to deliver Epic Doom Metal with NWoBHM-guitar harmonies and scatterbrained organs. A ghostly vague chimera of sound destined to haunt you.”

The funny thing is, I had never heard of this band until early 2020 if you can believe it. I just randomly watched a music video for one of the songs off this album, and something about it got a hook in me. Maybe not strongly, but it did. Then, on the 10th of April in that year, Danse De Noir was released. Their prior 3 records were all inspired by different things within pop culture, and their 4th one is no different. Being massively inspired by Cyberpunk and classics within the genre like Blade Runner, and I believe this release was the first time that keyboards & sound effects were used (Haven’t listened to anything before). 

Basic Description
Cyberdoom.

A bit of a strange way to describe things, but hear me out. In one corner, you’ve got Doom Metal. It’s slow, atmospheric, grim, and has a nice pace. In the other corner, you’ve got Cyberpunk in both music and mood. It’s also slow (Though sometimes it can pickup a little speed), atmospheric, grim, and has a nice pace as well. Despite coming from 2 different worlds instrumentally, vibe wise there’s actually a lot in common with these two, and thus the mix works surprisingly well with one another. Neither aspect of Danse De Noir ever overpowers the other, and what you get is music that you could put into any Cyberpunk Game and/or Movie, as well as a soundtrack to a great Cyberpunk novel. Pretty versatile in my opinion!

Best Track
Danse De Noir on principle alone is the best track of the album, and considering that from top to bottom the album is filled with nothing but great songs, that’s saying something. It’s a slow & brooding number, with a pace that just creeps along as it plays out. The instrumentation is powerful and emotional, & Vinz Clortho’s vocals really pulls on your emotions rather strongly. The Cyberpunk aspect comes in pretty strongly also, but never overwhelmingly so, as there’s sound bites from Blade Runner, and other little effects that make the track come across as more futuristic. Certainly very tasty!

Danse De Noir

However, Between Despair and Ecstasy kinda comes out of nowhere towards the end. The only track that’s faster than anything else on the album, it’s got a bit of a Thrash Metal vibe to it because of the faster speed, as well as it’s attitude. It really surprised me when I first heard it, simply due to the fact that I didn’t expect it! Even with the faster speed, the Doom Metal/Cyberpunk atmosphere is never lost at all, as the instrumentation isn’t played too fast, and helps hold up the rest of the music well. 

Between Despair and Ecstasy 

Worst Track
Danse De Noir really doesn’t have any faults to it’s name. It’s a great record from top to bottom, with nothing in the way of a bad track by any means. IF you want to be at least a little picky, there are 3 soundscape tracks (The Voight Kampff Situation, Are You Human?, Fiery the Angels Fell) that feel like they take up space, but to play devil’s advocate they also provide quite a bit of atmosphere to the record. Also, if you’re not a fan of Doom Metal pacing, then you might not like this release as a whole.

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

Danse De Noir

Overall Impression & Rating
Danse De Noir is the sleeper hit record for me from 2020. While I definitely liked it back then, nowadays I think it’s a masterpiece of the 2020's that deserves to be standing right next to many of my number one albums I’ve talked about these past few years. The mix of genres creates an experience that’s really unique, and entertaining as well. The truly picky might criticize a track or two as well as the pacing, but those people are few and far between. 

Danse De Noir gets a 9 out of 10.

And that was my review for Danse De Noir. An album from the most diseased year of this decade that came out of nowhere, the mix of styles creates a unique experience that anybody who’s curious at the very least. Whether you like Doom Metal or Cyberpunk, Danse De Noir is for you. So, tomorrow is the first of September, and I’ve got some special, & after that my look at the Blizzard Of Ozz begins. See you tomorrow!



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If you’d like to support these guys, then click on the link below: 

Lord Vigo (Bandcamp)

Album Review: Majestica's A Christmas Carol

Here it is everybody! My final review on my final no. 1 album from 2020!

This was a hell of a journey throughout 2025. Looking back at all of the music I listened to from then was pretty nostalgic, and thankfully was disease-free! With today’s subject, it’s got a lot of the trappings of Skycrest from the end of last month: it’s upbeat, warm & fuzzy, and full of all sorts of positives vibes.....but it’s different somehow. Yeah it’s upbeat, but there’s twinkling lights everywhere. Yeah it’s warm & fuzzy, but you’re given a wooly sweater and some cocoa (With the little marshmallows of course). Even the positive vibes are different, as snow comes gently down from the sky, and you swear you’re hearing jingle bells in the distance. On top of that, but this album is the second reason why my top 5 list from 2020 was delayed until near the very end. So, put on some nice clothes, get into the seasonal mood (Despite it being the middle of August), and enjoy my review of Majestica’s second outing, A Christmas Carol. Let’s begin!

Background
With his old band resurrected in 2019 with their first album Above The Sky, Tommy & the rest of Majestica set off on tours & appearances all over Europe, and then 2020 came along. Derailing effectively any plans, it didn’t stop the band from producing music. By the October of that year, the band announced their second album, A Christmas Carol. As said in the band’s announcement of it: 

“It's pure symphonic power metal in the true Majestica spirit along with elements inspired by the likes of Twilight Force, Rhapsody, Alan Silvestri, Danny Elfman and John Williams.”

In regards to the musical direction for the record, Tommy said: 

“Once again people can expect real power metal, but this time it's a bit more symphonic and epic compared to our previous album Above the Sky. When it comes to the symphonic parts we've taken it a bit further and included a lot more orchestral instruments, including tubular bells, glockenspiel and sleigh bells to really get that Christmas sound to it.”

A Christmas Carol would be released on the 4th of December in 2020. The same day when Skycrest from Iron Savior came out if you can believe it, and was the 2nd reason why I delayed my top 5 album list that year. 

Basic Description
Ho-Ho-HOLY SHIT! ***

As good as Majestica’s first outing was with Above The Sky, there was that ever so slight off quality with the audio, and the whole thing comes across as random tracks put together (Even if it’s all tons of fun). A Christmas Carol, on the other hand, is perhaps the band’s most focused record to date. Gone is the patchwork nature of their previous release, and instead is one solid story from beginning to end. Sure, the tale of Scrooge and his redemption on Christmas Eve & Day is known by practically everybody that celebrates the season, but it’s the little things that make it different. Retelling the story through Power Metal makes it much more grand & epic, and the usage of so many Christmas instruments turns the seasonal knob to 11. Even during the more emotional parts, there’s this feeling of awesomeness that you can’t quite describe. On top of that, A Christmas Carol is one of the few pieces of seasonal media you can experience outside of December, and it’s not.....too weird.

Best Track
Like I said in my overview from a few years ago, The Joy Of Christmas just hits me so hard. A moment in the story that’s told from Bob Cratchet’s perspective, it’s also the least metallic song on the album. Most of the instrumentation is beautiful piano work, some orchestral-like playing, and some Christmas sound effects. Tommy’s singing is pretty soft throughout the whole thing (Even though it’s fantastic), and it’s not until towards the end where we get some intensity from the guitars & drums. Yet, it’s that softness with a hint of hardness that makes it work so well: Bob Cratchet’s side of things should be warm and fuzzy.....even when you’re raising the horns. 

The Joy Of Christmas

Worst Track
Also like I said in my overview from a few years ago, A Majestic Christmas Theme just feels like a waste of time. Make not mistake: it’s not bad when it comes to the instrumentation, which is fantastic. Nor is the recording & production bad, and I don’t hear even the smallest of audio errors. What makes it the worst is that it feels like it was put in just to be some padding, and just stretches the story for a few extra minutes. The instrumental at the beginning of the album makes much more sense, as it sets up the story to come, but the second one is just a recap of the entire tale we just heard. Again, quality wise it’s lovely, but isn’t worth much else.

A Majestic Christmas Theme

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

A Christmas Carol

Overall Impression & Rating
A Christmas Carol absolutely deserved all the praise it got when it first release, and still continues to do some to this day by fans. It was a perfect example of a band-aid that heals not only the body, but the mind as well. It took something classic, turned it into something new yet familiar, and slathered so much yuletide warm & fuzzy all over it to make it feel like it’s Christmas all year round. Even if the final track feels like it’s just stretching things out, the overall experience is truly perfect. I guarantee that yule love it!

A Christmas Carol gets a 10 out of 10.

And that was my review of Majestica’s second record, A Christmas Carol. Full of seasonal magic, it definitely needed to be on my list in 2020. Never be afraid to listen to this in December, or even after.  And with that everyone, my look at my top 5 albums of 2020 is done! However, despite all of my albums from that year being covered, I still have one last release from then to take a look at.....and it’s one that I should have talked about back then & payed attention to. See you all at the end of the month!



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The description came from this: 

https://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/Majestica/A_Christmas_Carol/891183/Larry6990/330688

Also, I know about the extended edition. It contains two extra tracks that do flesh out the story a little more, but I own the original version only.

The Top Albums Of The 2020s (So Far)

So, this is going to be an interesting one fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

We’re now over halfway through 2025. As of this past June, we are halfway through a decade that seems to be getting worse and worse, and I’m not sure if it’s going to get better. Even so, the music of the 2020s has been incredible, and given that I’m a metal guy, I’ll die on the hill and say that Heavy Metal still has it’s claws in this time (Especially in 2020). Given we’re halfway through this time, I thought it would be fun to look at what I think are some of the best albums that have come out so far. The albums that show off the fact as dogshit as things are (And things are really dogshitty), there is still some slivers of light & positivity floating around. I won’t waste anymore of your time, so here are the top albums of the 2020s.....so far! 

2020) U.D.O. - We Are One (Song)

I reviewed this album just a few weeks ago in the middle of July, so I won’t repeat too much here. We Are One absolutely needed to come out in 2020, what with it’s upbeat nature & social messaging that was all too important during that time, and has only become more needed in the just over 5+ years since it’s release. If anything, with the political climate being what it is right now in not only the United States but all over the world it seems, maybe this album should have been released in 2025 instead. I said it in both reviews that the social messaging is a little goofy, and I still stand by that, but it’s still powerful more often than not. Definitely a great release to open up the decade!

2021) Mastodon - Hushed And Grim (Song)

Hard to believe that one of the biggest icons were together for over 20 years, only for one of the founding members to leave just a few months ago & badmouth them pretty hard in the process. It’s a shame, because the final record they made together in 2021 will always be the pinnacle of their talent in my eyes. Hushed And Grim is a bit on the bloated side (Almost plays for an hour & a half), but even with that bloat, Mastodon created what forever be the best thing they’ve ever made. Taking all of the emotion from Emperor Of Sand & Cold Dark Place, turning it up to 11, and placing it within some of the strongest instrumentation & vocal work they’ve ever done, it’s easy to see why many fans showered it with nothing put praise. I was only listening to the band for over 4 years by the time Hushed And Grim came out, but it’s because of that record that I might just stick around until the end of their career.

2022) Ozzy Osbourne - Patient Number 9 (Song)

The funny irony about me selecting this record was that it was actually one of my no. 5 albums of 2022 instead of it being a number 1. Fundamentally sharing many issues with it’s predecessor, Patient Number 9 makes it onto this list for two reasons. First, the faults of this release were far more smoothed out than what came before. They’re still there, but it’s nowhere near as bad. Secondly, Ozzy’s increasing bad health kinda moved me to pick this release. Anyone who saw the Black Sabbath concert not too long ago will attest that, as badass as he was singing on the throne, it was also obvious that he was suffering in some way. We all thought he was going to go away when Ordinary Man came out back in 2020, and now.....Patient Number 9 is sadly his last.

2023) Waldgeflüster - Unter Bronzenen Kronen (Song)

The Paradise Lost side project Host gave us a look into their past unfettered by company interference with IX, while Alice Cooper’s tribute to touring and the open road with Road was a fun ride. With German Black Metal masters Waldgeflüster, and their mini-release Unter Bronzenen Kronen, we have what is perhaps one of if not the most emotional releases of 2023. Bite-sized for sure (Only 4 songs), but in just under a half-hour you’re treated to a record that truly tugs your heartstrings & shakes your soul so much that the aftershock come around for a bit of time after you’re done. It might take a few go-arounds for it to permanently stick, but the music is so good it’s not an issue!

2024) Judas Priest - Invincible Shield (Song)

With Ozzy having passed away not too long ago, I now have my fingers crossed for Rob Halford. Though not that much younger than Ozzy (Currently 73, but will turn 74 later this month), I definitely saw how old he looked when I saw him for the first time last year. Luckily, he’s been healthy & clean for quite some time, so I’m not too worried. Even if he does pass away, he’s leaving on a high note with 2024's Invincible Shield! Released roughly half a century since their very first record, there was a very good reason why it was one of my number 1 albums of last year. Though the songs fluctuate between great & good (Never bad or okay), the overall experience of the release is why so many people have stuck with them for so long. Again, I’m not too worried if Rob passes on into Heavy Metal Heaven, but if he does.....he left on a high note.

2025) Destruction -  Birth Of Malice (Song)

I’ll be repeating this in December, but there was no other choice to put here (With maybe one exception). On principle alone, 2025 needs one of the titans of German Thrash Metal to take the mantle. I’ve talked about Kreator and Sodom plenty of times, but I don’t think I’ve ever talked about their compatriot Destruction before. Formed around the same time as the previously mentioned bands, along with Tankard, Destruction certainly knew how to be brutal pretty much all the time, and Birth Of Malice continues this. Perfectly reflective of what this year has been like (We got these last few months incoming, so we’ll see if things improve), Birth Of Malice reminds me very much of Sodom’s 1992 near Death Metal experience Tapping The Vein: it’s dingy, dirty, bloody, gory, violent, and reflective of the world’s politics perhaps a little too well. Even if things do come back even a little in 2025, I still won’t change my opinion that Birth Of Malice is 2025's best album.

And these were what I thought the best albums of the 2020s were so far. The Heavy Metal that’s come out in this decade has been pretty intense, but if the rest of this era is anything to theorize, then things will probably get more intense. Not only that, but things might change by the time we get to 2029, and thus some light may come back into the world. So with that, this list is done, & I got the final review of 2020 coming.....it’ll be quite a bit jolly. See you in the middle of August!