Metalorgie Monthly: December 2024

What has the team been listening to lately? New and old, Metal, Punk, or anything else. You can discover it in this new issue of Metalorgie Monthly.

The month of December…

… Maxwell

Fatima – Fossil (2022)

In preparing the chronicle ofEerieI immersed myself for the first time in Fossiljust to get back into the swing of things. Since then, he has driven back and forth countless times. Very powerful riffs with subtle nuances and an interesting and original style. We hum “Feathered Fossil” with as much pleasure as we shout “Strawberry Brain Shake”, but above all, we hope to see them live very soon.

Alice in Chains – Dirt (1992)

Come on, it’s Christmas time, we have the right to treat ourselves to some great classics. Okay, Christmas spirit level with Dirtwe are a little far from the basic idea of ​​the thing (loneliness, suicide, depression)… although, in fact no, we are right on the theme. Because yes, if this opus which is considered one of the three best grunge albums in history, and simply one of the ten best all styles of the 90s, it is because it knows how to combine elegance and heaviness, beauty and sadness , lightness and depth. Both in terms of lyrics and music, it’s an absolute hit. Now a classic, it was innovative in many ways at the time. More than thirty years later, it remains an unparalleled experience in many respects and any artist would one day like to compose an opus that has as much scope and meaning as this one. But why is he so popular? Well guys, listen to “Them Bones”, “Rooster”, “Down in a Hole”, “Junkhead”, “Would?”… in fact, all the songs from Dirt. There are only bangers that follow one another.

Static-X – Wisconsin Death Trip (1999)

What few people know is that a little before 2000 the most popular trend was not thrash, R’n’b or grunge but evil disco. It’s a bit of the myth and the heritage that conveys Wisconsin Death Trip from Static-X. Any initiate will understand what you are referring to, a clue; the battery may have something to do with it. To understand, immerse yourself in this opus where the fury of “Push it”, “I’m with Stupid” and “Bled for Days” is combined with the aspiring heaviness of “Trance is the Motion”, “Love Dump”, or ” Stem.” In terms of killer riffs, we also find ourselves there throughout the album. You too, come experience evil disco and join the club!

… Sneeze

Unfold – Feral Futures (2024)

Very raw half-screamed, half-screamed vocals that sit on instrumentals that oscillate between very venerated post-hardcore, fat and not subtle, and atmospheres with slightly more sculpted guitars and synths (ambiences a la Cult of Luna heavy session ) ; all of which gradually builds a whole that finds its coherence as the album progresses. Feral Futures hits for thirty-seven minutes, until the abrupt end of “Spite Rites”. Enough to make you hungry again.

… Marine

Blackbriar – All discography

Yes. The entire discography. Afterwards, it is not that long: 2 studio albums and 2 EPs, which makes it quite easy to cover the entire discography in one afternoon. Despite everything, that didn’t stop me from releasing singles here and there, which meant that I spent a good part of the month of December stuck in a goth-romantic mood. Because yes, Blackbriar is a strongly present gothic imagery, whether through the theme of the texts (ghosts, witchcraft, tales and legends with a romantic feel) or through the voice of Zora Cock, bewitching as can be for this kind of ‘atmosphere.

Nightwish – Yesterwynde (2024)

The latest album from the pioneers of symphonic metal, which was both disconcerting but also very well received. The promo was not very reassuring since the group preferred to highlight either extracts of a sound seen, seen and seen again at home, or synthwave keyboards, brand new for the group. Well, suffice to say that after a first listen, I was smacked, in a good way. Once again, Nightwish’s albums, especially the last three, really require us to put ourselves in condition to fully enjoy the artistic creation that is offered to us. And it’s always an impactful journey, at least for me, a welcome breath of fresh air. In addition to the poetry of the texts, epic symphonies, or folk ballads revolving around nature and positivity, Floor Jansen’s voice conveys different emotions, and is simply sublime. Perfect for interpreting the often complex texts and themes of Tuomas Holopainen.

… Skaldmax

Darkthrone – The Cult Is Alive (2006)

After giving birth to Black Metal classics in the first half of the 90s, Darkthrone had a bit of a slump. The albums that come after Panzerfaust are much less catchy, even boring. But miraculously, in 2006 appeared The Cult Is Alivea real rebirth for the Norwegian duo who fully embrace their Punk leanings. The guitars are carved out of ice, Nocturno Culto seems to have taken its vocals from the depths of a cave, in short the ingredients of Black are present but serve other purposes. “Too Old, Too Cold”, “Whiskey Funeral”, “Graveyard Slut”, the album is filled with winter hits which are based on 2-3 simplistic but devilishly well-found riffs. To continue while you’re at it with the Now, Diabolical by Satyricon released the same year.

Slomosa – Tundra Rock (2024)

If Kyuss reduced the fuzz a little and released more Pop tracks, we would probably have a result close to Tundra Rock. It would be a lie to say that I follow the Stoner scene regularly, but between the latest Lowrider, Dozer and Slomosa, I’ve often been lucky lately. This record really has it all: memorable riffs and vocal lines, a beautiful cover, and a deserved place in my 2024 top.

The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World (2024)

I would like to add a layer to The Cure, already praised by Pentacle some time ago. Songs Of A Lost World frankly lives up to its name: the atmosphere is twilight from Robert Smith’s first words on “Alone”, and it remains so until the masterful “Endsong”. I hear in this album tunes of Disintegration. We find similar colors, spacey aspects and an instrumental part which takes up quite a bit of space. So no, it’s clearly not joy, it would even be a beautiful soundtrack for the end of the world. Nonetheless, I keep coming back to it, and I’m far from being the only one, given the commercial success of the album.