Zakhm - The Way for Suicide

This ep finds Zahedan Iran's Zakhm mining the depths of human misery on it's third release. The minimalist ambient/DSBM project of lone member Sad is entrancing and draws the listener into a world of pain and suffering that is raw and oppressive through the first five tracks with the last drops of blood exiting during Last Tear. The end track leaves us with the contemplation of what remains in the shadow of our existence.


Tracklist :

1 Sad Funeral (intro)
2 The Way for Suicide
3 Must Kill
4 Last Winter's Sunset
5 End of Life
6 Last Tear
7 Push Me Down

Website : http://www.zakhm-home.com/blog/

Label : Rigorism Production

Release Date : January 7th 2011

Sig:Ar:Tyr - Godsaga

Godsaga is the third full length release from London Ontario's Sig:Ar:Tyr which is comprised solely of Daemonskald playing all instruments and singing. The album blends black metal, folk and ambient beautifully and deals with the concept of loss and sacrifice in the Icelandic epic of Egil's saga and Odin's hanging from Yggdrasil. The blending of acoustic guitar and blackened riffs works to great effect and projects a mood consistent with the lyrical themes. The level of musical proficiency is high and impresses with the fact that it is all accomplished by one man.



Tracklist:

1 Nights All Nine
2 Midwinter Sacrifice
3 Blood of the North
4 Black Sun's Bane
5 Eternal Return
6 Sleep of the Sword
7 Sonatorrek
8 Godsaga
9 Distant Northern Shore

Website : http://www.sigartyr.com/SIGARTYR/News.html

Release Date : May 3rd 2010

Label : Morbid Winter Records

Garden of Sadness - Travesty of a Human Being

Garden of Sadness is a one man project from Poland consisting of Marek playing and singing on this depressive opus full of despair and isolation. The album progresses at a funereal pace with the only trajectory being downward as the listener is drawn into an existence rife with anguish. The mood created is unrelenting and serves as a fitting soundtrack for those that feel the heavy burden of this life.



Tracklist :

1 Distorted in Pain
2 My Empty Life
3 Chains of Infirmity
4 Another Failure
5 Surrounded by Their Laughter
6 Kill Another Day
7 No Shelter From Suffering
8 Self - Loathing

Website : http://www.myspace.com/gardenofsadness27

Label : Beneath The Fog Productions

Release Date : January 1st 2009

Lantlos - .Neon

Neon is the second album from the German post metal/shoegaze band consisting on this release of multi instrumentalist Herbst and vocalist Neige. The blend of light and dark that is this genre is infused with jazzy chords in some of the softer parts to create an interesting contrast with the more blackened moments. The album plays with an almost soothing effect and is realised in an overall optimistic mood.


Tracklist:

1 Minusmensch
2 These Nights Were Ours
3 Pulse/Surreal
4 Neige de Mars
5 Coma
6 Neon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_ApaSELFUM

Website: http://lantlos.com/

Label: Prophecy Productions

Release Date: June 14th 2010

Wintercult - Neverending Selfhatred

Wintercult is a one man project from the Russian Federation in the depressive black metal genre. The production on this album is raw which furthers the atmosphere of misery that is unrelenting and oppressive. The vocals exist in the realm of suicidal agony and take the music to a place haunted by the demons of isolation and despair. The album cover is a perfect representation of the images conjured during a listen to this fine release.



Tracklist:

1 Frozen in Melancholy
2 Neverending Selfhatred
3 Submerged in Desolation
4 Nocturnal Silence
5 The Somber End

Website: http://www.myspace.com/wintercultofficial

Label: Unsigned

Release Date: December 7th 2010

Vigri - Pink Boats

Vigri is a five piece band from Reykjavik, Iceland and on this first self released album they deliver a dreamy, melancholy pop masterpiece. They seem to have an innate feel for haunting melodies that are all their own and the vocals shine with their immediately memorable sound. Apparently the album was mostly recorded with a laptop and one microphone in various places around Iceland including a restaurant, retirement home and church. This is amazing considering the quality of the recording. I feel lucky for having stumbled across this album and look forward to future releases.



Tracklist :

1 Awakening
2 Drag Down the Dark
3 Animals
4 Coin Finder
5 (fyrir) Skikkan Skaparans
6 Sleep
7 Maternal Machine
8 I Augsyn
9 Fume
10 These are the Eyes

Website : http://www.myspace.com/vigri

Label : independent   gogoyoko

Release Date : May 25th 2011

Altar of Plagues - Mammal

This second full length from Cork, Ireland's, Altar of Plagues brings an atmospheric black metal gem. With extended songs the band is able to cover plenty of ground and seamlessly blend black metal, post rock and ambient into a cohesive whole that draws you in and keeps you listening. The inclusion of a vocal lament by an elderly woman in a funerary custom during the third track adds to the weight of this listen. The mood is set early and captivates on this impressive release.



Tracklist :

1 Neptune is Dead
2 Feather and Bone
3 When the Sun Drowns in the Ocean
4 All Life Coverges to Some Center

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnjQKd7imq4

Website: http://www.altarofplagues.com/

Label: Profound Lore

Release Date: April 25th 2011

Pale Roses - Fear of Dawn

Pale Roses is a neofolk band from Lorient, France that keeps it stripped down to mostly acoustic guitar and vocals with splashes of bass, piano and drums. Their influences are laid plain with a song called Sol Invictus and like it's namesake it conjures images of plaintive balladry on the moors. The vocals are prominent in the mix and while not always perfect they project a mood of a troubled troubador watching the world disintegrate. The video I'm including is not on this album but it's the only one I can find and it is also a great cover of a Saxon song.



Tracklist :

1 Flow My Tears
2 Four Winters
3 Sol Invictus
4 Lord Gregory
5 Heroes Dawn
6 When the War is Over
7 Niflheim
8 Pagan
9 Two Ravens
10 Are You Ready( For Total War) ?

Website : http://www.myspace.com/morepaleroses/blog

Label : The Eastern Front

Release Date August 10th 2010

Heretoir - Heretoir

The debut full length from German duo Heretoir is a post black metal album that mixes acoustic passages with washes of heaviness to achieve an atmosphere of bleakness and modern decay. The occasional use of clean vocals heightens the tension felt throughout the album and the inclusion of a few short ambient tracks furthers the overall mood. This release should appeal to fans of genre leading bands Alcest and Amesoeurs.



Tracklist :

1 The Escape Part I
2 Fatigue
3 Retreat to Hibernate
4 0
5 Weltschmerz
6 Graue Bauten
7 The Escape Part II
8 To Follow the Sun
9 Heretoir

Website : http://www.myspace.com/heretoir

Label : Northern Silence Productions

Release Date : February 25th 2011

Musk Ox - Musk Ox

Musk Ox is Nathanael Larochette from Ottawa, Ontario and he gives us a beautiful sonic expression of landscape that delivers you to the isolated Canadian wilderness to contemplate life. The mostly nylon string guitar compositions are enchanting and the vocals appear like the wind. There is an organic feel to this record that is captivating, you can feel the moss beneath your feet and and see the opening sky. A beautiful journey.



Tracklist :

1 Un Jardin Au Bout Du Monde
2 Sur Une Infinie Route De Terre
3 Entre La Terre Et Le Ciel
4 Les Plus Beaux De Nos Jours
5 Lullaby For Ghosts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45R4dqbTJb8

Website : http://www.myspace.com/embraceinashes

Label : Absurdist Records

Release Date : January 19th 2009