Rhys Fulber had already proven his skills in ambient dance with Delerium. On Conjure One, he develops his own ideas further, applying a wonderful grasp of sounds from the Mediterranean and Middle East. Fulber traveled the world to put together this breathtaking work, which was recorded in Amsterdam, Vancouver, London, and Los Angeles. Given his busy production schedule, it's no surprise that this took three years to finish. The result is satisfying to say the least, as Conjure One is nothing short of sweeping ambient dance-pop. Like Sarah McLachlan's contribution to Delerium's "Silence," the guest vocalists here enhance Fulber's already powerful songwriting. Most magnificent are Sinéad O'Connor ("Tears From the Moon"), Poe ("Center of the Sun"), and Marie Claire D'Ubaldo ("Manic Star"). With other collaborations from Billy Steinberg and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, this ethereal solo debut (if you can call it a solo effort) is another big step forward for Fulber, as well as culturally diverse pop. A limited-edition version comes with a second disc of remixes.
Bad As Me is Tom Waits’ first studio album of all new music in seven years. This pivotal work refines the music that has come before and signals a new direction. Waits, in possibly the finest voice of his career, worked with a veteran team of gifted musicians and longtime co-writer/producer Kathleen Brennan. From the opening horn-fueled chug of “Chicago,” to the closing barroom chorale of “New Year’s Eve,” Bad As Me displays the full career range of Waits’ songwriting, from beautiful ballads like “Last Leaf,” to the avant cinematic soundscape of “Hell Broke Luce,” a battlefront dispatch.
After the mildly disappointing Alternative 4, Anathema strikes back with Judgement. Upon first listen, the music and message seem a bit mellow for these doomy metal moguls. Second listen is like a magical rediscovery of a lost art form, the art of creating simple, depressing hard rock that is so emotionally expressive that it bends one's own constitution. Quiet and introspective on songs like "One Last Goodbye" and "Anyone, Anywhere," Anathema has the ability to spew forth raw, volcanic pain on cuts like "Judgement" and "Pitiless" - the last of which contains the most heart-wrenching solo the Cavanagh brothers have ever penned. Drummer John Douglas also surprises, making an amazing contribution to the album, by writing two of the most memorable songs, "Don't Look Too Far" and "Wings of God." The first is a gorgeous Porcupine Tree-like tune with somewhat upbeat female vocals and melodies…
Many words come to mind when you hear the name Cannibal Corpse, but one truly defines the soon-to-be thirty-year death metal veterans: Unstoppable. Returning with their 14th full-length, the monstrous Red Before Black, serves to not only reiterate this but to once more raise the stakes, making it very clear who sets the standard when it comes to always compelling music that is equally brutal and complex.
Haken have proven over three previous albums and two EPs that musically, they can do pretty much anything they set their minds to. That said, the question was one of where to go after 2014's compelling and adventurous release, The Mountain. With new bassist Conner Green replacing Thomas MacLean, the band rethought its approach to songwriting. Previously, they'd composed around themes and ideas by keyboardist/guitarist Richard Henshall, but these nine cuts were written by all six members.
Affinity contains a themed schematic that deliberately falls short of a full concept: the ubiquitous presence of computers and their evolving relationship with human life…
Norway's Circus Maximus integrate the new millennium's first wave of progressive heavy metal. Formed in 2000, Circus Maximus consist of experienced musicians Michael Eriksen (vocals, guitar), Mats Haugen (guitar), Espen Storø (keyboards), Glen Cato Møllen (bass), and Truls Haugen (drums), and the group's 2005 debut album, The 1st Chapter, drew comparisons to Dream Theater and Symphony X for its melodic and song-oriented material. it anything, the band actually walked a tightrope between prog metal and power metal… In January of 2016, Circus Maximus released the single "The Weight" to the internet. It was followed in March by Havoc, their fourth album.
A concept album telling the tale of a patient in an asylum being subjected to all kinds of psychological and physical experiments, `Vector' mixes the heavy instrumental show-boating runs with frantic rock and thoughtful ballad passages that the band always deliver, even if they strip back virtually all of the Seventies/Eighties influences from their past few discs this time around, and they throw in a touch of jazz and electronica along with a big variety of rich vocal arrangements.