Theocracy is a band started by Matt Smith in 2002 and it took him five years to released this album. The wait is more than well worth it! I pre-ordered this album then listened to it the day it arrived. I couldn't stop listening to the album for days. This is truly an amazing progressive metal with strong power metal influences. Matt Smith definitely is one of the best vocalist out there today. He's great with the guitarworks too. The title track is 22 minutes long! Usually long tracks like that is hard to listen sometimes due to the length but Theocracy hit it home with this song. I absolutely love the interludes, guitar works, and keys in the song. Absolutely beautiful song. The lyrics is strong Christian theme and it's truly meaningful, nothing cheesy. I truly recommend anyone who want some good metal to listen to Theocracy and buy this album. 9/10


www.myspace.com/theocracyband

Labels: american metal, christian, power metal, progressive metal, review, theocracy, ulterium records

Before I bought this album, I've been hearing many good stuff about Agalloch in this past year so finally I decided to buy this album on a sale. Boy, I have to say it's one of best sale I bought this year. Pale Folklore is Agalloch's full debut album and I have to say they did excellent job considering it is their first full release.

The first three songs is actually supposed to be one long song called "She Painted Fire Across the Skyline" and they run between 3 minutes to more than 8 minutes. It is an excellent song that makes me feel like I'm going on a long adventure through nature. It has one of best opening I've ever heard in a while. I think my favorite song has to be The Misshappen Steed which happen to be one of slowest and softest song of the album. That actually surprised me because I usually lean toward heavy and fast but this song is just plainly amazing. It shows variety of speed Agalloch is able to play in the album. 9/10

I defintely recommend this album to anyone who enjoys those nature inspired dark folky metal. Heck, even if you don't enjoy it, you should give them a try anyway. Their myspace link is: http://www.myspace.com/agalloch

I definitely plan to purchase their other album, The Mantle.

Labels: agalloch, american metal, folk metal, metal, review

I've been listening to Kekal's "1000 Thoughts of Violence" and I just have to say...wow. They kept delivering amazing album after another. I just bought this one few weeks ago after enjoying The Habit of Fire for past several months. I think I'll have to say I love this album better than Habit. My reasons are that it is a fusion of black metal and avant garde. It's the perfect balance between two "eras" of Kekal. I get to listen to the best of both eras in my opinion. I have to say my favorite song is Violent Society because it is just remarkable how they can somehow combine black metal with little bit of strange hip hop right in the middle. At first I was like what was that? Then I realized what they did and I have to give them props for having guts to go that far and it definitely work very very well. I definitely am planning to order more of their albums and see what else they have to offer. I also am looking forward to their new album coming out sometimes this month(i believe). If you are in mood for some avant garde or even some good black metal then I definitely recommend you to check them out. 8/10


myspace: http://www.myspace.com/kekalembracethedead

Labels: avant garde, black metal, christian, kekal, metal, review