CARVED IN STONE is the solo project of Swawa, a German lead singer who had played in several different Metal bands before joining her current Viking Metal band Taunusheim, where she´s doing backing vocals, keyboards and flutes. After the great success of her previous releases "The Forgotten Belief" (2002), "Hear the Voice" (2004) and "Tales of..
Auri – II: Those We Don’t Speak Of (Nuclear Blast)
The honeyed voice of Johanna Kurkela glides over the lush empyrean chords of Kiss The Mountain, the remarkably beautiful halfway point of Auri's sophomore release Those We Don't Speak Of. It's an unusual placement in the running order; other bands might have chosen such a piece to close their album, drifting off like a lullaby...
Jordsjø – Pastoralia (Karisma)
There came a point midway through Pastoralia, the new album from Nordic folk-proggers Jordsjø, where I realized they might be on to something with the switch from monochromatic cover art to a decidedly more vibrant impression. The Oslo-based outfit have been on a steady incline for several years, with recent albums Jord and Nattfiolen garnering..
Grumblewood – Stories Of Strangers (Gravity Dream)
Exquisite, skillful, rich in imagination and feel... The debut album from Grumblewood plays like a lost classic. It certainly doesn't have much 21st century about it, and yet it's a wonderfully refreshing change. You see, this quartet from Wellington, New Zealand merrily ignores boundaries, feeling every bit at home playing trippy bass lines and groovin'..