Funeral Rain Press Corps

Genres: Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock
Label: Armoury Records, Mystic Production

Votum were the first of three CDs I chose to review from this package from Eagle Rock, if for no reason it just happened to be the first one I grabbed. And I’m glad I did. This CD is just fucking awesome. It’s like Opeth and Anathema, who the band cites as big influences, but it’s also got some more going on. Mostly due to Maciej Kosinski’s voice, which is deep and full of power, and also Zbigniew Szatkowski’s keys, which are in part atmospheric and ambient, but also at times more traditionally rhythmic. Sometimes atmospherically rhythmic.
The shortest song is just three seconds short of four minutes, with a pair in the 6+ minute and a pair in the 9+ minute range, but they don’t drag on, which is a relief. There are some bands that can do longer song structures, and some that can’t, but Votum are aces at them. I’d love to hear them do a 15 minute song.
As an added bonus for prog rock fans, it’s a concept album in music, lyric, and art, all tied together to give the listener something not just to hear but something to hold dearly to while the somber, dark tunes drag you to a pit of gorgeous bliss.
8.5 out of 10.

Genre: Experimental, Progressive Metal
Label: Supernaturalcat

A 45 minute long song split into five movements. Each movement gets a track on the CD. Interesting…
I’m really liking this. Very meditative, Tool-like qualities, with some heavy as hell Black Sabbath doom, and Rob Zombie sound effects in the background. It’s kind of hard to describe, I’ll be honest, but EVE is a kick ass album, and I definitely recommend it.
7.5 out of 10.

Ufomammut on MySpace.

Genre: Progressive Death Metal
Label: I, Voidhanger Recordings, ATMF

This is some kind of strange. It’s death metal, but it’s also so much more. There’s electronic elements, black metal, nü-metal, Tool-esq moments and time changes, and wicked riffs all over the place. It’s a smorgasbord of everything there is to listen to in the metal world. It’s just so fucked up that I can’t help but listen to it over and over, and still I’m finding new things inside that I never heard before.
If you love the avant-garde, industrial metal, or just strange shit, give Umbah’s new ODD-yssey Trilobeth a listen.
9 out of 10.

Umbah on MySpace.