Amsteg: Extreme Metal

Intermezzo

2010-09-30T23:41:00.000-07:00

No time for a review today, but I won't let you down :)
Here is a bad ass game to make up for it, my dear followers

Also check the producer's website, there is some pretty cool stuff in there :D

www.berzerkstudio.com/

Carach Angren

2010-09-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

Who: Carach Angren
What: Symphonic Black Metal
Where: Holland
Why: Extremely good production, perfect orchestral samples, good atmosphere
Comment: One of the best in the genre, enough said!
How Good: 9/10

More:

Official Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/carachangren
Official Website: http://www.carach-angren.nl/

AxamentA

2010-09-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

Who: AxamentA
What: Progressive/symphonic extreme Metal
Where: Belgium
Why: Impressive symphonic/classical references, strong riffs and drumming.
Comment: This belgian 5-piece act delivers a very powerful extreme metal sound, with excellent bleding of progressive and classical elements and a very dynamic drum line and the mix of death growls and clean vocals.

How Good: 9/10

More: www.myspace.com/axamenta

Meanwhile, at the WOA '10

2010-09-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

The Wacken Open Air is one of the most important heavy metal open air festivals in Europe. It happens every for three days during the summer on the small city of Wacken, in northern Germany.

It attracts all kinds of metal music fans, such as fans of black metal, death metal, power metal, thrash metal, gothic metal and folk metal, from around the world.
The festival was first held in 1990 as a small event for local German bands. By 1998 the event had become the major festival on the European metal calendar and has included over 70 bands from all over Europe, North America and Australia. W:O:A is usually held at the beginning of August and lasts three days, during which the festival-goers camp on several large camping grounds surrounding the actual festival area. The 70 or more bands perform across four separate stages over the course of the even

Dustynation

2010-09-24T15:32:00.000-07:00

Who: Dustynation

What: Progressive Death Metal

Where: Greece

Why: Excellent vocals, good production and compositions

Comment: This greek band has a very dynamic, excellent clean vocals and growls and a deep, melocid and progressive straight-forward death metal. Good guitar solos and heavy drumming. Pleasant to the casual listener, awesome to the die-hard fan.

How Good: 9/10

More:

Official Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/dustynation

Official Website: http://dustynation-band.com/

Depressed Mode

2010-09-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

Who: Depressed Mode

What: Doom/Symphonic Extreme Metal

Where: Finland

Why: Very Impressive blend of symphonical structures with heavy and slow riffs

Comment: This band can provide you with a somewhat easier listening experience compared to the previous ones I've reviewed. But it is awesome nevertheless. They have released 2 albums so far and will present you with a slow, melancholic and heavy atmosphere, if you're into Doom Metal with a touch of Death Metal, you'll like it.

How Good: 7.5/10

More:

Official Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/depressedmodedoom

Official Website: http://www.depressedmode.net/

Gwyinbleidd

2010-09-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

Who: Gwyinbleidd

What: Progressive Death Metal

Where: USA

Why: Excellent blending of extreme metal with acoustic melodies, good production and riffs

Comment: Well, do you know Opeth? Of course you do. If you like Opeth, Gwyinbleidd will please you. Definitely worth taking your time to listen, they have released two albums so far. (Please note that even though the band is based on New York, all of their members are originally from Poland, and that means you can expect a very european sounding metal)

How Good: 8.0/10

More:
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/gwynbleidd
Official Website: http://www.gwynbleidd.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gwynbleidd/11188054615

Lyfthrasyr

2010-09-22T05:25:00.000-07:00

Who: Lyfthrasyr

What: Black/Death Metal

Where: Germany

Why: High-quality production, very interesting classical influence, excellent riffing and drumming, good quality vocals

Comment: Lyfthrasyr will please both the orthodox extreme metal fan and the open-minded metal adventurer, mainly for it's high quality production and straight forward composition. Lyfthrasyr has released 2 albums so far and is working on a third one.

How Good: 8/10

More:

Myspace: www.myspace.com/lyfthrasyr

Official Website: www.lyfthrasyr.com
Download page: http://www.lyfthrasyr.com/media-e.html

Amsteg: Progressive, Avant Garde and Technical Extreme Metal

2010-09-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Amsteg.

First of all, this is a blog about extreme metal. But it's not a regular blog and it's not about regular extreme metal.
It's not a regular blog in the sense that I won't bitch about anything on my life nor will I address any subject unrelated to extreme metal or music.

And it's not about regular extreme metal in the sense that.. well.. it's not about regular extreme metal..
I'll explain it: Obviously I love extreme metal, but somewhere along the way I felt that most of the music that are being produced under this genre is, as in Chuck Palahniuk's words: "A copy of a copy of a copy." In other words, you could say that the formula being used to create extreme metal over time has gotten worn out by the fact that there are too many bands out there with little or no talent doing exactly what a few talented people were doing back in the 90s.
But there are exceptions, and most of the bands I'll be dealing with fall under the category of progressive, avant garde or technical extreme metal, mostly because the original "extreme metal" genre is much more accessible to anyone willing to spend 10 minutes on Google.

Now, about the name, Amsteg: It is a reference to a technique used on bowed instruments (such as a violin or a cello) where you play with the bow very close to the bridge, creating a heavier sound. Am Steg is the german expression for it, though it's often called Sul Ponticello, the original italian expression. Being both a classical music and heavy metal fan and musician I immediately recognized a similarity between the Am Steg and the "Palm Mutted" riffing, one of the trademarks of heavy metal music.

Thank you and please come back whenever you can.