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Post by Deepfriar on May 9, 2018 20:44:31 GMT -6
Another fine release from the technical black metal experts from Norway? I certainly think so, but I'll let you decide. Let me explain. They have changed their sound a little bit, but it's no less unique. It could be even more unique, though it still retains the characteristic sound of their self-named, "bunker metal." Like the recent A Hill To Due Upon release, Drottnar's latest offering showcases an attention to detail and a musical sensibility that is less about fury and more about fluidity. I confess, I find myself almost wanting for a more crisp production sound, but the musicianship and songwriting renders that fleeting desire obsolete. The root sound of the band is still there - guitar notes that keep you guessing, vocals that do not disappoint, and bass that gives the whole of the music a robust spine. The core sound is brought to the forefront and broken down into something more easily digested. Some prefer to tear into beef jerky and some like to feel the soft squish of a medium-rare steak between their teeth. Then there is everyone in between, and even those (like myself) who don't eat beef. My point is that people are different and have different ideas which is why I made this thread. I want to know what you guys think about Drottnar's Monolith I and Monolith II. III is just around the corner, and I must say I'm excited. I hope they have a physical copy once they are done selling me the digital copies, because I would so buy that. 😁 In the meantime, here's one of my favorite tracks among what's available so far from the Monolith releases: drottnar.bandcamp.com/track/charagma
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Post by nocturnaliridescence on May 9, 2018 21:17:12 GMT -6
Oh, this is just a thread about the Monolith EPs? When you started talking about AHTDU's newest album, I assumed you were talking about something else. I don't really know Drottnar's music that well. All I really know is their old death metal stuff, and the Monolith EPs, so I can't talk too much, but I REALLY like this new music they're releasing. Whenever I think of these, I always think of the very first song on the first one, "Funeral of Funerals" - that song is outstanding, but they're all pretty great Definitely looking forward to III.
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Post by Deepfriar on May 10, 2018 5:01:07 GMT -6
Fixed the thread title so hopefully it's more clear that I'm talking about their most recent music. You are right, it needed more clarity!
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Post by grendel on May 10, 2018 6:02:19 GMT -6
hm, I consider the Monolith EPs rather "popular" if one could say something like this within that genre they are enjoyable music that I like to listen - but somehow nothing special, nothing that cathes my heart. I prefer Drottnar's old works
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Post by SLAVE_HEART on May 10, 2018 11:33:54 GMT -6
Drottnar's album spiritual battle is the only album I have heard and bought. Though a pretty good release, I never looked for more of drottnar. If I did which one would you recommend. I have to plan my money. The hard part for me is to have a limited income, and yet have to say; which style of Christian Metal needs growth, and which bands of that genre are top of the list. Plus it comes with the reality that I never get to listen to all the older stuff. With a smaller collection you can listen to the same album over and over again. You can't do that with over 200 Unblack albums and Ep's, lol.
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Post by Deepfriar on May 10, 2018 14:05:39 GMT -6
Drottnar's album spiritual battle is the only album I have heard and bought. Though a pretty good release, I never looked for more of drottnar. If I did which one would you recommend. I have to plan my money. The hard part for me is to have a limited income, and yet have to say; which style of Christian Metal needs growth, and which bands of that genre are top of the list. Plus it comes with the reality that I never get to listen to all the older stuff. With a smaller collection you can listen to the same album over and over again. You can't do that with over 200 Unblack albums and Ep's, lol. I would recommend one of their last two albums: Welterwerk or Stratum. I like them better than the new Monolith EP's. Stratum would probably be the easiest and most affordable one to find. Can't go wrong.
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Post by SLAVE_HEART on May 10, 2018 16:48:01 GMT -6
With a smaller collection you can listen to the same album over and over again. You can't do that with over 200 Unblack albums and Ep's, lol. Is it just me or is the scene grown in a giant wave over the last decade. I'm just saying; Ten years ago one could have collected maybe less than two hundred albums, but now, even with 200 album and ep's I can't come anywhere close to all that's out there. However underground it is, it really is at least in the thousands with an s now....
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Post by Deepfriar on May 11, 2018 13:08:20 GMT -6
It might be growing, and it is probably due to the fact that doing one-man metal releases is easier then ever with inexpensive equipment and software. Bandcamp makes it easy to get your music out there also.
By the way, Monolith III released today. I had preordered it so I should be able to listen this weekend when I get time to download it and add to my Google Play Music account.
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Post by SLAVE_HEART on May 11, 2018 14:40:17 GMT -6
It might be growing, and it is probably due to the fact that doing one-man metal releases is easier then ever with inexpensive equipment and software. It's like that in every genre. I talked with a man who was into rap music. He said it's way to easy to make killer rap beats without any knowledge of music theory and college skills. He then added, it shouldn't be this way. As for myself With Unblack Heart albums and shadow cross albums I made without any music skills on a fifty dollar beat making program, and it is really easy. I think it goes both ways. On one hand all kind of people can express themselves without going to school and years of intense practice, but at the same time back when it wasn't that easy you had only hardcore dedicated musicians. This should almost be a thread in itself, but moving on...
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Post by frozenfire on May 11, 2018 15:50:44 GMT -6
This thread is ironic. I was coming here to post about "slow" black metal. Years ago the band Satyricon slowed their sound down. They went from a high energy melodic black metal band to what they did on Volcano (Rebel Extravaganza was a mess of a transitional album prior IMO). It was well produced and tame by comparison. For me, it showed they just weren't that good of songwriters. Without the aggression the songs didn't carry the weight.
I bring that up because both A Hill To Die Upon and Drottnar are right there.
Honestly, the results are still pretty good. AHTDU, when they are writing well pulled out some great songs on Via Artis, Via Mortis. When they aren't, there's nothing there without the aggression. I was surprised by how plain the songs were as I generally took them as writing fairly catchy blackened death metal. I'm still fairly disappointed in VAVM despite playing it a fair amount over the past 7-8 months. Pretty decent but not enthralling like the past.
For Drottnar it's a bit different. Their disharmonic sound still draws me, even with the slowed down material. On Welterwerk and Stratum they didn't write catchy material. I was attracted to the chaos like I was bands from my past like Spiral Architect and Mekong Delta where the "songs" weren't so much the thing as the experience, the challenge. For me, as much as "Monolith I" was slowed down, I was still attracted. I held it more like Extol "Synergy." It was different yet well written. Excellent for what it was. It was also surprisingly catchy! Yet, as much as I love Monolith I, on initial listens I thought part II was much worse, a "Blueprint Dives." I actually thought Axiom was terrible the first few times I heard it. It was terribly boring. It wasn't catchy. It wasn't rhythmically interesting. I like it better now but I don't love it. The other two tracks Charagma and Nihilords were better. "II" has now grown on me. I especially enjoy "Nihilords." The slowed, simplified style doesn't bother me. The strength of the writing is the key. These are more successful than AHTDU for me.
I also preordered "III" and am excited to hear it! An early review says it's faster. That doesn't necessarily make a difference. I just hope the songs remain excellent. This will make an excellent album all put together I believe.
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Post by Deepfriar on May 13, 2018 4:05:25 GMT -6
I also preordered "III" and am excited to hear it! An early review says it's faster. That doesn't necessarily make a difference. I just hope the songs remain excellent. This will make an excellent album all put together I believe. I listened through once today and initial thought is that it's pretty much on par with the first two. I like the first track, I REALLY like the second, and the third is my least favorite. Seems to be the pattern. One good song, one really good song, and one that might need more listens. But at least that's two out of three that are immediately enjoyable. I'm not sure the AHTDU hit that same ratio, but the more I listen to it, it does grow on me a bit. I think Drottnar gets extra points because of uniqueness. Anyway, you have some really good points and I agree with most if not all.
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Post by blake on May 14, 2018 8:18:33 GMT -6
Theres a new Drottnar release? I need to check that out
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Post by Deepfriar on May 14, 2018 8:46:59 GMT -6
Theres a new Drottnar release? I need to check that out Digital only, check Bandcamp bro. I'm hoping they release a physical copy after they are done releasing the EP's.
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Post by frozenfire on May 14, 2018 15:18:31 GMT -6
I also preordered "III" and am excited to hear it! An early review says it's faster. That doesn't necessarily make a difference. I just hope the songs remain excellent. This will make an excellent album all put together I believe. I listened through once today and initial thought is that it's pretty much on par with the first two. I like the first track, I REALLY like the second, and the third is my least favorite. Seems to be the pattern. One good song, one really good song, and one that might need more listens. But at least that's two out of three that are immediately enjoyable. I'm not sure the AHTDU hit that same ratio, but the more I listen to it, it does grow on me a bit. I think Drottnar gets extra points because of uniqueness. Anyway, you have some really good points and I agree with most if not all. Yeah. Listening to Monolith III a bunch of times today, the title track is the grower. For me the slower material drags a little on first listen. Monolith comes on well with repeated listens more so than Axiom on II. Monolith definitely has a doomy, grinding quality to it. The other two tracks are instantly likable. Really enjoying all of these! 9 tracks 45 minutes makes for a solid album!
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Post by barabbas on May 20, 2018 21:15:28 GMT -6
I haven't heard Monolith III yet. I only listed to I and II for the first time about a month ago because I wanted to give them extended attention.
They are different from the previous output. They lost a guitarist and a vocalist: went down from five to three. The new vocalist doesn't sound too dissimilar from the previous (which makes sense since they're brothers, I believe). Some have described it as less technical. That's perhaps true in one respect. It's less baroque and chaotic sounding. The production is different from the previous two, also. The musicianship is still outstanding.
I've also heard the new sound described as catchy, and it really is! I only have to think about the album to have a riff show up in my head, even if I haven't listened to it for a couple of days. One of the catchiest releases I've heard in months.
I loved the previous two. I still listen to Welterwerk a lot. But I like the new sound quite a bit too.
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Post by Thomas Eversole on May 21, 2018 7:37:47 GMT -6
I want to know what you guys think Everything sounds good, but one aspect bothers me about their newer tracks to the point that I cannot enjoy it. At all. For me the slower material drags a little on first listen. This. ....except its not just the first listen. I would compare Drottnar's newest release to a brand new BMW that you can only drive 45 MPH. It looks great, feels great, its well put together, not a thing wrong with it's structure or presentation.... but if I had the choice between driving a junker I can take to 90MPH or this shiny brand new car that only goes half the speed.... Junker me up please. I hate to say it, and this is probably going to make me sound obsessive-compulsive, but anytime I check out new black metal, Christian or not... I literally, first thing, scout the track for blasts. It drives me CRAZY to go skip forward in 15-20 second increments only to discover turtle pace after turtle pace after turtle pace. If I wanted to listen to music this speed, I'd hit 90's grunge or alternative mall metal up. I WAS going to get the new Glorior Belli - because the first 2 tracks they released of their new album were KILLER.... then I checked out the rest of the songs and was extremely disappointed that they were a dragging black-n-roll pace. I'm not going to buy the album just for the 2 fast tracks so.... pass, unfortunately. Don't get me wrong, I'm cool with slow tracks.... but all slow or majority slow ruins black metal albums. T-T
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Post by nocturnaliridescence on May 21, 2018 9:54:35 GMT -6
I hate to say it, and this is probably going to make me sound obsessive-compulsive, but anytime I check out new black metal, Christian or not... I literally, first thing, scout the track for blasts. It drives me CRAZY to go skip forward in 15-20 second increments only to discover turtle pace after turtle pace after turtle pace. Exactly. Why is so much black metal going this route??? I can't speak for Drottnar's new EP, I haven't listened to it yet but in general.....?
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Post by Thomas Eversole on May 21, 2018 11:31:31 GMT -6
Exactly. Why is so much black metal going this route??? This was yeeeeeeeeeeeeeears ago, Grim / Akryal era. I was jamming with a dude from where I worked at the time. We both liked metal, he could jam out to any beat thrown his way, but as soon as I summoned a blast, he stopped mid shred and looked at me like I was breaking my set in half. "Man, that's so fast it's confusing." were his exact words, I'll never forget it. ....but really, this isn't just about blasts. Even if they put a decent drill in, or some double bass, it would be much MUCH less a snoozefest. In my completely biased opinion, here's why I think black metal acts drop their speed. - Slower is easier. Being fast and tight takes a lot more effort than being slow and tight. - Slower caters to more listeners. ...because (like my example) fast is confusing to even some weathered metalheads. - The band's fast drummer left, and the only replacement they could find was a rock musician willing to brave black metal just to be in a band. That's really the only reasons I can wrap my head around right now.
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Post by frozenfire on May 22, 2018 12:53:27 GMT -6
The band's comment to the question of "what happened to the tech?" was "been there, done that."
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Post by SLAVE_HEART on May 22, 2018 17:02:29 GMT -6
The band's comment to the question of "what happened to the tech?" was "been there, done that." But did you get the limited edition Drottnar T-Shirt? lol
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Post by frozenfire on May 28, 2018 10:24:35 GMT -6
The band's comment to the question of "what happened to the tech?" was "been there, done that." But did you get the limited edition Drottnar T-Shirt? lol That's funny. I'd like to have one but I already have surely around 45 band shirts probably threw away that many secular shirts back in the day). It's pretty ridiculous. My wife's never too happy when a new one shows up (partially because it'll show up at a family gathering). She doesn't like how "scary" they look. My kids think it's normal though. Lol
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