Aspera hiems symphonia
Garm - vocals (Borknagar)
Hellhammer - drums (Mayhem)
Skoll - bass (Ved Buens Ende)
August - guitars (Tritonus)
????? - synths and keyboards
1. To Thou who dwellest in the Night
2. Wintry Grey
3. Whence & whither goes the wind
4. Raudt og Scart
5. The Bodkin & the Quietus (... To reach the Stars)
6. Du Nordavind
7. Fall of Man
A supergroup made up of some of the big names in Black Metal, this "side project" is very unique and very talented. If you like lots of synths, atmosphere, and solos reminiscent of the Great Randy Rhoads, then you'll love this band. I wish I knew Norwegian so I could understand some of the stuff on the album but it still sounds great. Garm's vocals fit with the atmospere perfectly. Hellhammer plays some of the tightest drums around. I wish the guitars were a little louder during the rhythm sections but then the character of this band would go straight down the toilet.
Production rating 9/10
Songwriting 8/10
La Masquerade Infernale
Hugh Steven James Mingay - limousine and low frequencies (bass)
G. Wolf - Statements, samples and buffonery (vocals)
Jan Axel Von Blomberg - hellhammers (drums)
Steiner Sverd Johnsen - synthetic devices of horror (synths and keyboards)
1. Master of Disguise
2. Ad Astra
3. The Chaos Path
4. La Masquerade Infernale
5. Alone
6. The Throne of Tradgedy
7. Painting My Horror
8. Of Nails and Sinners
This album is weird. It's a combination of Opera, atmoshpere, black metal, and it's very, very haunting. All the vocals here are clean and extrememly well done thanks to Garm and the some guest vocalists. All the songs are great and have a Phantom of the Opera vibe to them. On this album, there's an actual string section, instead of keyboards trying to emulate violins and cellos. I love that! This is the most original good music I've heard in a very long time.
Production rating 10/10
Songwriting 10/10
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