Amazing band. Every listen they go up in my estimation.
But...they seem to be involved in some controversy. Why? Are they espousing some anti snowflake sentiments or what's going on?
Excellent band, all e.p's are fantastic, took a while for Hero to grow on me but love it now!
I'm guessing it's to do with his tattoos which he has clearly stated have nothing to do with right wing idiogology. Worth noting he is part Nigerian from his Dads side so he's not exactly part of saving the white race ::)
Such an impressive band. Been listening to Hero nonstop the last few days..really fantastic record, manages to sound modern and arcane at the same time.
Any talk of a new album or material?
Haven't heard any news about new album. Seems to be still doing a few live shows. Serious energy live. Well workrh checking them if you get a chance.
Regards new material after Hero, He did put out a track on a split last year called Born Led God Death.
I think that song pre-dates Hero.
Only started listening to hero the other day and I really enjoyed it. I haven't a clue about anything else by them. What is the general consensus on their best?
They are pretty consistent in my opinion. The demo, Roman Acupuncture, was incredibly strong and the follow up, Aura, was a ripper too. I thought Soma was alright but not as strong as the previous two. Hero is something is a departure from the savagery of the demo and EPs, but there is a clear thread running through all of their material. You can't go far wrong with them. If you haven't seen them live then put them on your list as they are really powerful on stage.
Incredible band, all material is mandatory. Hero still kicks my ass on a regular basis. Seeing them live is something else, essential stuff.
That Wolfshook tune from Aura is absolute class too. I like everything, but Hero is something special indeed.
On a side note, is there any other band out there who has that primitive, almost Beneath the Remains feel to them as do Bölzer? I'm not sure how else to describe the sound. More a vibe than anything else. Any recommendations more than welcome.
Is it "wolf's hook" or "wolf shook"? Like a hook belonging to a wolf, or a group of people who were shaken by a wolf
Wolf's hook. It's a pagan symbol I think. Funny enough, I was chatting to the Bölzer lads a few years ago at a gig and said, I love the riff in Entranced by the Wolf Shook... I felt like a bit of a tit when he corrected me!
Only managed to catch them live once at the most recent Siege. Couldn't get over the power, volume and sound clarity. Hugely impressive for a 2 man band to produce that in a live setting. Took a while for Hero to sit with me but once it clicked it's a seriously addictive audio journey.
Quote from: Pedrito on December 02, 2018, 11:39:48 AM
That Wolfshook tune from Aura is absolute class too. I like everything, but Hero is something special indeed.
On a side note, is there any other band out there who has that primitive, almost Beneath the Remains feel to them as do Bölzer? I'm
not sure how else to describe the sound. More a vibe than anything else. Any recommendations more than welcome.
Morrigan, or Urfaust are pretty decent.
Quote from: Pedrito on December 02, 2018, 11:39:48 AM
That Wolfshook tune from Aura is absolute class too. I like everything, but Hero is something special indeed.
On a side note, is there any other band out there who has that primitive, almost Beneath the Remains feel to them as do Bölzer? I'm not sure how else to describe the sound. More a vibe than anything else. Any recommendations more than welcome.
I get strong Bolzer vibes from Kosmokrator
https://kosmokrator-vanrecords.bandcamp.com
"The coming year is shaping up to be a busy one for us with a new release planned, intercontinental bouts of touring and plenty of festivals in exciting territories to play!"
This was on BOLZER's FB page on 2nd December... the fact he worded it as "new release" and not "new album" makes me think there's another EP coming along. Sure worth the wait...
Good news. It'll be interesting to see how they develop from Hero.
Yeah great news, Hero really took me by surprise by how much i liked it so im definitely interested to see where they go from here. I know they just played the siege but what are the chances of another gig here?
Love Hero, it's on regular rotation lately for me. Savage album. Seeing them live at the last Siege sealed the deal, for a two piece band they are monstrously heavy. Will definitely try catch them again sometime. Must dive more into their back catalog and see what it's like.
New four track EP, Lese Majesty, coming in November through the band's own label, Lightning and Sons. Looking forward to this one. I imagine they'll follow their own creative path regardless of anyone's expectations so it'll be interesting to see how their songwriting and style has developed since Hero.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on September 17, 2019, 08:21:10 AM
New four track EP, Lese Majesty, coming in November through the band's own label, Lightning and Sons. Looking forward to this one. I imagine they'll follow their own creative path regardless of anyone's expectations so it'll be interesting to see how their songwriting and style has developed since Hero.
Oh, that one crept out of nowhere. Looking forward to it alright.
Consider balls thoroughly tingled.
Top band. Love their sound. Was very happy to see them at the Siege a year ago. Got to do an interview with Okoi a few weeks beforehand on the phone. Very nice guy (on the phone anways ha).
Savage news about the new EP. Would love to catch them live again, the siege show was brilliant!
Here's hoping they'll release a song soon. High hopes for this.
https://youtu.be/pPwmdr5nbfM
'A Shepherd in Wolven Skin' is online. Sounds savage. Not as triumphant as Hero, generally a darker and more vicious tone throughout but still retaining those catchy clean vocals. Definitely one I'll be spinning on repeat until the EP is out 8)
With a cursory listen the production sounds really good. Nice thick kick drums :abbath:. I think I'll haul off playing this one out until the full release.
Good to hear new material though. I wonder how they'll pace their next rake of releases. There always seems to be some sort of numerical/esoteric reasoning behind it.
At least they haven't gone the way Baroness did after 2 EPs and a more melodic album.
Enjoyed that.
We're all just going to pretend the bit with the whistling didnt just happen then yeah?
Nothing new for Bölzer. There's whistling on 'Hero', too, albeit only in an intro.
True.
Weirdly that bit and the clean singing directly after brought Peter Gabriel to mind for some reason. Like the sudden jump in speed in the middle too.
Yeah, nothing new on the palette compared to Hero, except a slightly increased forwardness with the clean vocals (I guess this is what you're calling the PG bit Grimes...?). Good tune.
Yep. Diesnt sound like PG,the whistling just made "Games Withiut Frontiers" pop into my head
Got a medium chubby listenjng to that. They also added a song to the Soma EP on Bandcamp. It's called Born Led God Death.
Yeah, it was actually released before as part of a Swiss Metal Compilation.
Really liked that, sounds a bit more aggressive than hero and the drums sound huge. Now is there anywhere I can pre-order it where the shipping doesn't cost more that the actual vinyl?
Darragh was saying he'll be sticking it but it looks like the record is going for around €24 everywhere so it'll be a steep one wherever you order it from.
Does anyone know if this is a standalone release or if there's a full length to follow, it's a half hour long which is decent but I was hoping for a full length after 3 years :abbath:.
Suppose if the songs are good it doesn't really matter, quality over quantity and all that.
Jesus for a 9 minute song that was over all too soon! Loving the more aggressive vocals, massive sounding production as always. Here's hoping for another Irish gig down the line :abbath: :)
This sounds immense
Loving the drums
Singing great too
Really organic sounding overall
I think a bit filthy bass would add nicely to it
So after a few listens...it's a cool tune. Not as memorable as some of the Hero tunes but I'm hoping it will work as part of the wider EP? release. More beautiful guitar and the drums have a nice heft to them. Atmospheric and interesting, it kind of reminds me of Mastodon or Enslaved in terms of length and cool repetitiveness.
Aye, the Mastodon thing was thrown about a lot when Hero came out but I never really thought there was much similarity. I definitely got a Masto vibe from the clean vocal sections this time though.
To my ears it's falling somewhere between Soma and Hero. Digging the whistling though, adds a folksy flavour. Just have to wait patiently until Invictus get it in.
Don't really get the Mastodon comparison at all, certainly not here. Musically it's more savage and black/ death sounding, with the added Bölzer signature, than the tricky and hectic style of Mastodon. Vocally, I think the clean Mastodon stuff is more like Alice in Chains than Bölzer.
Yeah it's just inklings, maybe the sound of the drums or something. More listens down, she's a baysht of a tune. Love the lyrics too. They remind me of the Dune series that I'm reading at the moment. Prophets coming from desert sands anf all that. Anxious for the full release..it's quality stuff.
Awaken ye spellbound children of the occident
Beware the one who seeketh to sculpture your will
Beveiled of face and of reptilian intent
A herdsman is he to all man's earthly ills
Tasty
Quote from: Eoin McLove on October 06, 2019, 08:12:33 PM
Don't really get the Mastodon comparison at all, certainly not here. Musically it's more savage and black/ death sounding, with the added Bölzer signature, than the tricky and hectic style of Mastodon. Vocally, I think the clean Mastodon stuff is more like Alice in Chains than Bölzer.
I think his clean vocals are very reminiscent of Troy Sanders.
Don't know if there's much musical influence, but on Hero the 'epic' vibe reminds me a bit of Crack the Skye.
Sounds nothing like Crack the Skye at all to me, but I appear to be in a minority.
Pedro, where did you see the lyrics?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/genius.com/amp/Bolzer-a-shepherd-in-wolven-skin-lyrics
For the mouth of the heretic be blessed
His silken tongue doth line their ears with gold
I am the prophesied antithesis of silence
I breathe the raging winds of old
Awaken ye spellbound children of the occident
Beware the one who seeketh to sculpture your will
Beveiled of face and of reptilian intent
A herdsman is he to all man's earthly ills
And lo, fear doth flee as the air
Hums with the songs of the dead
Tremors sweep the heartland
As lips do remember their names
Serpents of the sickled star
Silent and virulent
Servants of the crucifix
Restless pacifists
Axioms of abraham
Spiritual ransom
May the gnashing of teeth for his treachery be heard!
May the somniferous in devout ignorance be stirred!
Unmask the rats
The swindler lives
With book in hand
Of sword he speaks
Thou art my foeman
Soon shall the spell be broken
Thou art death's oathman
A shepherd in wolven skin
Cheap is his blood and cryptic his name
Reigning one-eyed king of the blind
He be a tyrant and he be a saint
Cold captor of innocence
Harken the return of ancient rites
A synergy of earth and mind ablaze
Fates scream with urgency in the night
A storm of steel to grace the break of day
Jizz :abbath:
Nice, cheers.
They have updated their band photo on metal archives. The two lads are wearing identical gear, and both wearing the same Bölzer t-shirt. Zero fucks given, as the internet retards say :laugh:
I'm definitely not being alarmist here because I hate all that outrage stuff. What I will say is that Bölzer seem to play an interesting 'take it to the edge' game with their imagery. The SS looking skull on those t-shirts is just about not SS enough looking for them to get away with it. That accompanied by the swastika style tatts and yet the lad is 1/4 Nigerian or something like that.
It's nothing new, The Stooges used SS uniforms and I'm not really making any point for or against. I get it but I wouldn't know how to explain it. It seems to be, as you say, quite a 'fuck you we'll do what we want' type thing, rather than something political as such.
I think it's a clever move in a way. People getting outraged or upset by their antics keeps them in the limelight and their profile rises. You could be cynical and say they should let their music do the talking and not get involved in media driven hype, but ultimately their music is really strong and the striking image goes hand in hand with the lyrical concepts, too- being bold and daring and reaching new heights. Much better than being shrinking violets or overly apologetic. It's a bit rebellious and that's certainly welcome. I think that, particularly with the way the internet has made everybody ordinary (sharing photos of their breakfast or their cat), we could do with a band who is iconic and stands out from the crowd. Whether you like Bölzer or not, I think it's hard to argue that they have developed a strong, identifiable image, and one that everyone has an opinion about.
Yes, it stands out and there's enough contradiction in who they are and what they believe in from the interviews I've read to make it interesting and allow them to stand out from the crowd. I think it works, there's a certain unknown quantity there that is always good for bands, and especially in today's environment where mystique is almost non existent. Bold, daring and reaching new heights sums it up nicely.
Just to add..I think they're a band that could go down some really interesting roads in the future if they allow themselves to and not cave into the metal brotherhood. I'm expecting something totally leftfield, (probably not a crappy accoustic album), but something slower, exploring sounds and rhythms and god knows what. They may need to add an extra musician or 2 to do so.
Shirts seem just to reflect the artwork, lightning bolts all over the gaff.
In terms of the lyrics, worth a refresher on the meaning of the EP title: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A8se-majest%C3%A9
They're leaving everything wonderfully ambiguous in terms of who is the offender and who is the offendee, and the title "Shepherd in Wolven Skin" goes in the same direction. If there is something to be read from the choice of apparel and artwork, it may also be an echo of the "look beyond the surface" ethos every aspect of this seems to be driving at. Okoi's Nigerian heritage is surely a small part of that too, or not so much his heritage per se but the fact that it is very much real yet seemingly invisible to those who only look to the surface. And given his, from what I've read in interviews, pretty insightful understanding of Nietzsche, it all really goes along with that.
In short, I don't think anything is being done for shock value, more like a game of "say what you see" where you get a slap in the face every time you respond with something too obvious.
Nice summary Chris. Nietzsche constantly springs to mind with them and the 'look beyond the surface' ethos is what I was struggling to put words to. They're definitely far more nuanced than the majority of metal bands which makes them all the more interesting.
Quote from: Pedrito on October 06, 2019, 09:18:14 PM
What I will say is that Bölzer seem to play an interesting 'take it to the edge' game with their imagery.
They got an apology type statement out in record time when Antifa came after them last year.
A bit of ear straining and " " Google searching reveals the sound-bite at the beginning to be none other than Carl Sagan:
QuoteThe trapdoor beneath our feet swings open. We find ourselves in bottomless free fall.
Taken from this classic speech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSrL0BXsO40
Hero was basically Thus Spake Zarathustra in audio. Magic
Quote from: Eoin McLove on October 06, 2019, 08:37:16 PM
Sounds nothing like Crack the Skye at all to me, but I appear to be in a minority.
Pedro, where did you see the lyrics?
Yeah it'd be more in the vibe than anything tbh, there's something 'cosmic' about CTS and Bolzer, YOB also have a similar thing going on, although all three bands play different styles of metal, maybe I'm talking bollocks though :laugh:.
Might just be something that happens when a band, in creating an album, succeed in aiming at something that goes beyond the sequences of notes and rhythms employed. Since most bands don't have that ambition, and that among those who do only a few do actually succeed, it's not so strange there'd just be a few quite different sounding artists who nevertheless have a kind of "family resemblance" about them.
You could be on to something there. The parallel you could conceivably draw is their huge emphasis on groove, which is generally avoided in the end of the scene Bölzer emerged from, and their playing style doesn't rely on the predictable, identifiable black or death metal cliches. They somehow encompass those genres while sounding little like either and have hit on something original, yet kind of familiar or timeless.
I wouldn't describe them as "death metal" in any way shape or form, which is not a slag at all, I just really don't think it describes them accurately.
In the minority here but I really could not care less about this band's lyrics/philosophy. Mind you that applies to 99% of music I listen to really.
Nice bang of Bölzer off these guys...
Jade - Smoking Mirror
https://youtu.be/BHnGb7wYPoA
Sounds alright but kind of like a sanded off Bölzer with all of the interesting idiosyncrasies removed. That artwork is funny, though.
"Here, have some symbolism!"
Five days til this motherfucker drops. Anyone had a sneak peak of the new release apart from the 1 song?
Haven't heard anything else from it but I've listened to that song quite a few times and it's savage. Looking forward to picking it up.
Prevìew stream of album below
https://cvltnation.com/sate-your-hunger-for-bolzer
Enjoyed that immensely I must say! Really gets the hunger up for a full release
Going to give it a spin in a bit. High hopes indeed.
Early listens...sounding tastage
Yes indeed! This sounds excellent. It'll be interesting to see if they plan another set of EPs before going for a second full length as a way to develop their sound into new territory. This is darker and more aggressive sounding in tone, and in terms of the lyrics of Shepherds, compared to the more positive vibe of Hero, while retaining/ re-imagining the epic, clean elements. Looking forward to getting more familiar with this.
I was late to the party and only got around to Bolzer when Hero came out. There's just too many bands to keep up with. I'm kicking myself I didn't indulge earlier.
I'm on my first spin of this new album and fuck me its a belter. Definitely darker and more aggression. More focused sounding overall.
Yes, darker and more aggressive and yet very listenable. The production really allows everything to be heard. The drums sound great. A very cool alternative to Hero.
Into the Temple of Spears could easily slot into Hero. The other 2 are a little more aggressive alright, guitars aren't as 'shiny' for want of a better word. Nice to have a bit more venom in the vocal delivery too. I'd love to hear these songs live!
Quote from: Born of Fire on November 29, 2019, 11:41:59 AM
Into the Temple of Spears could easily slot into Hero. The other 2 are a little more aggressive alright, guitars aren't as 'shiny' for want of a better word. Nice to have a bit more venom in the vocal delivery too. I'd love to hear these songs live!
Vocals are great; fine venom
Quote from: Jward on November 29, 2019, 02:26:37 PM
Quote from: Born of Fire on November 29, 2019, 11:41:59 AM
Into the Temple of Spears could easily slot into Hero. The other 2 are a little more aggressive alright, guitars aren't as 'shiny' for want of a better word. Nice to have a bit more venom in the vocal delivery too. I'd love to hear these songs live!
Vocals are great; fine venom
Oh I wasn't criticising the vocals at all, could have worded it better I guess!
Hero with added wolverine bite. First listen just gives a hint of all there is to pay attention to. Impressed.
The preview track is the best song they have recorded since CME. Love the clean vocals as well. Is this a new full length or an EP? I have seen it referred to as both over the last few days.
Four track EP. Three full songs and a two minute interlude.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on November 29, 2019, 05:35:22 PM
Four track EP. Three full songs and a two minute interlude.
Thanks
It's a very good release. It's no Hero that's for sure. I try not to, or even tend not to compare albums too much so I'd be fairly happy as long as the quality remains high with any band. Hero is something quite special though, even when held up against this and all their other material, but that in no way is to disparage the other output which is claaarse. Ah fuck I'm comparing...agghhhhhh!!!!
https://youtu.be/Kww-Si5e_4o?t=236
One part that definitely belongs in the best moments in albums thread.
What makes the band so great and unique is the military type drum beats the varied vocal style (how he can change it so well to fit the current tempo at a given time) and the great lyrics.
The last track on the new EP is some of their best work. I think the vocal performance is Okoi's best yet. His clean vocals have always been good but they are much improved and more controlled on this one. The production is monstrous on it!!! I have a nice set of headphones and it sounds fucking huge through them!!! Definitely going to travel to see them if they don't come over here.
Heading out foreign for the next few weeks so won't get to pick this up until I'm home, but it sounds savage alright. Trying not to over listen to it into the LP and CD arrive.
Been giving this a good listen lately. It's class. Very different to Hero. The first two tracks remind me of Sons of Northern Darkness style Immortal for some reason. Would have loved to have a longer album format but beggars can't be choosers.
It is class. Everything they've done so far has been class! Subtle variations on a superbly rich tapestry.
Monthly update: fucking Bölzer is right! Feels like this is still getting better every listen.
Yeah man, totally agree. Had it on my headphones in the gym the other day and was in an absolute frenzy, throwing weights about the place, kettlebells, punchbag, sweat pisskng out of every pore. It's absolutely savage and gets better with every listen. 'Into the Temple of Speaeeaarrrrß'. They updated facebook the other day with a post about Hordane's Land. That and the new Bölzer one back to back is enough to start a small war somewhere.
Got the CD and vinyl last night and had it on this morning on the way to work. 'Shepherd in Wolven Skin' is a fantastic song but the rest sounds a little less exciting to me. That's my initial assessment, at least. I have listened to 'Shepherd...' loads of times online but it had a immediate impact on me whereas the two other proper songs, not including the waste of time second track, seem a bit ordinary by comparison. I'm hoping they'll grow on me with repeated listens but overall it feels like the EP is a bit padded out with unnecessary elements. Those interlude parts worked well on 'Hero' as they were short and the was so much meat on the bone anyway, whereas on a short little EP they make up too much of the running time.
Not sure what you're calling "little interlude" parts, on Hero or the new EP. Both are fantastic complete works from where I'm listening.
The trilogy of Norns interludes on 'Hero' were fine.
The second track on 'Lese Majesty' is an interlude, not a song, and the final track has kind of ambient nothingness for the opening minute or two and ends with more of the same. Padding, all of it. Maybe as the EP grows on me I'll appreciate those parts more but my feelings at the minute are against them.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on March 05, 2020, 10:43:55 AM
Got the CD and vinyl last night and had it on this morning on the way to work. 'Shepherd in Wolven Skin' is a fantastic song but the rest sounds a little less exciting to me. That's my initial assessment, at least. I have listened to 'Shepherd...' loads of times online but it had a immediate impact on me whereas the two other proper songs, not including the waste of time second track, seem a bit ordinary by comparison. I'm hoping they'll grow on me with repeated listens but overall it feels like the EP is a bit padded out with unnecessary elements. Those interlude parts worked well on 'Hero' as they were short and the was so much meat on the bone anyway, whereas on a short little EP they make up too much of the running time.
I felt the same at the start...for me it's a bad idea releasing 1 of the 3 or 4 tracks on an EP like that. It's such a class song and the other's are very different in tone. All.that said, once I played it 10 or 15 times it quickly turned into an absolutely brilliant listen for me. Give it time.
Yeah, third spin in and it's getting better already. The drumming is incredible, particularly on the last song. It feels in some ways like a step backwards from 'Hero' so I just need to readjust.
Just gave it a first listen there. Sounds brilliant and coherent throughout. Despite Hero being one of the best albums I've heard in years I resisted the temptation (didn't bother) to listen to the preview track so my initial impression is unadulterated. When I used to listen to Metallica or whoever back in the day I hated when you knew a single well before you got the album and then had to do a lot of listening to re balance your impressions of the whole thing.
Anyway. Another massive release. The vocals as ever are class and the seem harsher /more aggressive than previous. I was a fan of the clean singing from the get go and no change here.
As mentioned the drumming is ferocious and seems to really ramp it up a notch from previous releases.
One of the only modern bands worth caring about and they transcend the entire extreme genre.
Really grew tired of the latest release very fast songs are too long and drawn out. I hope the next release is better.
Having the opposite experience here. I still think the last song is needlessly padded out with ambient shite but the songs have really started to grow on me.
I got caught off guard at the beginning by the music and lyrics in the Shepherd song. I am glad in the end I didn't buy a physical copy.
Revisiting 'Hero' this morning for the first time in ages. What an album. A modern classic as far as I'm concerned. Grim Reality said it above, they transcend genre boundaries and really just stand on their own. It's good to see the style they have developed within black and death metal hasn't become a trend so they are being left to their own devices. It keeps the sound fresh. There was one band being hyped momentarily last year who seemed to be edging into their territory quite a bit, their name escapes me, but they just lacked everything that sets Bölzer apart from the pack.
'Hero', though... what a monumental record.
Great stuff alright! Wore it out when I first heard it. That 3-minute intro to Phosphor never gets old. Can't wait to hear what they do next.
A class of its own. I mentioned it somewhere here at the time, but when I was going through a recent, first of my life, Rammstein binge, I was pleasantly surprised to hear what I think must have been a direct or indirect inspiration for the whistling which Bölzer integrate so well on Hero, given that Okoi is so open in his diverse musical appreciations and influences:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2rQzv8OWEY
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on October 06, 2021, 09:54:15 AM
A class of its own. I mentioned it somewhere here at the time, but when I was going through a recent, first of my life, Rammstein binge, I was pleasantly surprised to hear what I think must have been a direct or indirect inspiration for the whistling which Bölzer integrate so well on Hero, given that Okoi is so open in his diverse musical appreciations and influences:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2rQzv8OWEY
When I was in secondary school a lad told me he'd sell me a Rammstein CD for a fiver. What a deal, I thought, having heard a few tracks on MTV2/Kerrang and enjoying them, but never going much further what with the dial up at home and CDs still costing pounds to investigate. On he arrives later in the week with a cover printed on normal paper that was definitely mocked up in MS Paint, and some absolutely brutal bootlegs he ripped off Napster. There were about three listenable songs on it, and Engel was one of them. Great track. I still bought it off him and all, I wonder if it's still in the crate of CDs I have hidden away. I have a copy of Kill II This "Trinity" from around the same era too, permanently borrowed from Astfgyl there, which he lovingly reconstructed using clear contact to the point you can't read the song names on it and the CD looks like it was used as a brake disc for a few years. For the best.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on October 06, 2021, 12:23:21 AM
Revisiting 'Hero' this morning for the first time in ages. What an album. A modern classic as far as I'm concerned. Grim Reality said it above, they transcend genre boundaries and really just stand on their own. It's good to see the style they have developed within black and death metal hasn't become a trend so they are being left to their own devices. It keeps the sound fresh. There was one band being hyped momentarily last year who seemed to be edging into their territory quite a bit, their name escapes me, but they just lacked everything that sets Bölzer apart from the pack.
'Hero', though... what a monumental record.
It is fantastic. Great to see it so unique alright, and you could never tire of the album, though it goes a few months between listens for me it's still a regular occurrence. After that recent Ruins of Beverast album came out, I thought there were a few similarities in the production in spots, and in the style, but obviously not exactly the same. The joy soon after when both bands were announced to play Limerick - serious combination. Can't wait.
https://youtu.be/oLGUgpn5-38
An in-depth interview here with Okoi. I enjoyed it but I'd like to have heard a few more details about the new album that they are working on. High hopes for that one. I might stick on Hero today. And why not! Sure, didn't the good lord himself take the guts of an hour out of being crucified to give it a spin.
Have Hero on here again meself, shittily off the back of a phone because I am away with no speakers or anything. Doesn't matter, it's still great. Not looking for clones by any means but what to you reach for to keep this particular buzz going? I'm likely going for mid era Enslaved after this but that's not exact either, it does have some nod to the progressions and style of riffs mind.
There was a band called Jade I think who released something a couple of years ago. I thought they were shite when I checked them out- Bölzer lite sort of stuff- and realised I don't really want another Bölzer. So it's hard to find anything in that similar positive vein that have a similar sound. You could try later day Borknagar. Different style but it has an uplifting quality to my ear that could work. Maybe something like Summoning or Falkenbach purely for that epic, triumphant vibe, but again stylistically not many similarities there.
Cheers, I'll try out a few of those. Yeah it's a tough find. I gave Eld a spin yesterday afterwards and it had a few bits in common but again not exact (still a class album anyway though). Drifted off down a different route to Kreationist "Dans L'interminable" out of a memory that it had some fairly triumphant sounding BM on it, though it was ultimately nothing alike it was still great.
Out of the bands I lumped Bölzer in with here, Morbus Chron/Sweven are the one I would most often listen to back to back with Bölzer. I find they scratch a similar itch.
https://forum.metalwarfare.com/index.php?topic=1965.0
https://youtu.be/CKud8rGf-d0
Bölzer aired a new song live recently named The Pauper (Be A Prince in the Arms of Death). I've given it one spin and it has set my brain on fire. It is epic, barbaric, rocking and uplifting. It's Bölzer in other words. I will be listening to it on repeat over the next few days I'm sure. Maybe there's a new EP or album on the way... fingers crossed.
Edit. I read my post above and it looks like they are working on an album.
This is also seems to be a new song or I at least don't recognise it from anything that has been released so far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUUAyhZJZ_A
I thought the last EP or LP or whatever you want to call it was a big of the let down. The Shepard in Wolven skin track was the only good thing on that release.
Quote from: mickO))) on May 22, 2023, 11:46:24 AMThis is also seems to be a new song or I at least don't recognise it from anything that has been released so far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUUAyhZJZ_A
I thought the last EP or LP or whatever you want to call it was a big of the let down. The Shepard in Wolven skin track was the only good thing on that release.
The sound quality is killing my ears but it sounds promising.
Listened to the one you posted Andy, but going to wait for a studio recording before judging. I dig Lese Majesty myself, and was just thinking about it yesterday as I stumbled across the term in a book.
Can't listen so not sure if it's the same tune they posted on fb a while back but I was kind of surprised, Gojira or something came to mind by the riff.
I enjoyed the EP but a new full length is way overdue, also looking forward to the gig next week, haven't seen them since around the time Hero came out.
Any sign of these lads releasing new stuff?
Looks like they were in Stockholm recording for three weeks last month so I'm assuming there's a full length coming sooner rather than later. Okoi shaved the noggin too, but the writing was on the wall there for a while I think! I hope his riff power didn't reside in his follicles.
Bäldzer :abbath:
Also were announced for the Primordial gig the other day.