THE SHORT STACK: Short reviews of releases that need not many words

SWALLOW THE SUN - When a Shadow Is Forced into the Light

Century Media Records

2009's New Moon album was this band's milestone as far as my not so humble opinion goes when Finnish death doom is concerned. And after that they just went to shit. Not only have their past two albums suffered but this one, after a four year wait, is the pinnacle of boredom. The title of this album speaks volumes towards the music. Imagine if you will the worst of OPETH (kinda hard to decide on that one?) paired with modern era KATATONIA. This ain't doom folks, it's goth and goodbye.


https://www.centurymedia.com/

NOISEM - Cease to Exist

20 Buck Spin


NOISEM is a band I learned about a few years back when I picked up a 7" split they were on with another band who will not be named because they sucked. Actually it was the band that sucked as to why I bought the damm thing. NOISEM was better but not by much. We're talking average sounding grindcore or moreover death grind. Still I followed them, buying their second full length Blossoming Decay and hoping for the best. Once again it was decent but while doing SFM666 as well as searching for good music I have come upon some great grindcore acts. So here we are with this new one. Congradulations to the band for scoring a record deal with 20 Buck Spin (remember when they were a doom label?) But Cease to Exist will not push your buttons let alone excite your cravings for skull numbing grind. But if you like average stuff then it's all yours.

https://www.20buckspin.com/

ELUVEITIE - Ategnatos

Nuclear Blast

Alright full disclosure on my part, yeah I got into this Swiss band early on via their second full length Slania which came out in 2008. A decade ago the whole Pagan Metal / Battle Metal thing was going on. Unlike some people I admit that I was into it. Musically it was basically melodic death metal with the addition of folk instruments as well as galloping song structures. As far as my attachment to ELUVEITIE, that went on for a few more albums until I started seeing them go pop Euro metal.


Ategnatos is their eighth full length so props to them as well as still being on Nuclear Blast. Most major metal labels have dropped that generation of Battle Metal acts. The biggest change is that newest female member, Fabienne Erni, takes on more singing portions in this line-up them previous incarnations of this band. Chrigel Glanzmann still is in the main growler / screamer vocal role. There's still plenty of fiddle playing, hurdy gurdy playing, tin whistles and flutes blowing, etc. I enjoyed it but chances are I'll forget about it. It's more for your festival crowd who can stand the pop female sung melodious cuts.

https://www.nuclearblast.de/en/shop/index.html