| Tenhi Valkama | 4.5 |
| Malady (FIN) Ainavihantaa | 4.0 |
| Rota Fortunae Hinterland | 4.5 |
| Opeth Sorceress | 3.5 |
| Tool Fear Inoculum | 4.0 |
| Opeth In Cauda Venenum | 4.5 |
| Allelic The Smoke of Atavistic Fires | 4.0 |
| Rota Fortunae Solstice | 4.5 |
| Meus Miserere Mei Deus | 4.0 |
| Bill Evans Alone | 4.0 |
| Dornenreich Freiheit | 3.5 |
| Rota Fortunae Vespers | 4.5 |
| Meus September | 4.0 |
| This is an excellent exemplification of a band hitting its stride. July 2016's Downpour boasts its share of highlights, but September really takes Meus' minimalist approach to acoustic music and finely tunes it. Some of these tracks are more immediate than others. "The Witching Hour", for instance, might serve as an early favorite for many, but the subtly of tracks like "Moon Forest" and "Icarus" is what will bring you back. That is the beauty of this EP. There's a lot to enjoy in a single spin and plenty to dig in to on subsequent listens. |
| King Green Bionic Ark Holography | 4.0 |
| Percussive, bleak and unconstrained, Bionic Ark Holography shows a remarkably prolific artist releasing some of his best work to date. In this listener's opinion, "Central Control" is his strongest opener since "Nocturnal Navigator" from 2015's nightmarishly good Jaded Claws and Glistening Outmodes. |
| Magma K.A. (Köhntarkösz Anteria) | 4.0 |
| The Dave Brubeck Quartet Time Out | 4.0 |
| Laurent Thibault Mais On Ne Peut Pas Rever Tout Le Temps | 4.5 |
| Museo Rosenbach Zarathustra | 4.5 |
| The Dave Brubeck Quartet Jazz Impressions of Japan | 3.5 |
| Inspired by the music and culture they encountered during their tour through the land of the Rising Sun, Dave Brubeck and his quartet hurried back to the studio to pen a set of tunes commemorating the experience. Although somewhat overlooked nowadays, the resulting, Jazz Impressions of Japan, is a noteworthy entry in the quartet's laudable catalog and an excellent mainstream jazz record in its own right. The Japanese influences may be superficial and the rhythmic patterns may be noticeably simple compared to past offerings, but the music presented here still boasts perusable depth. In their sincere pursuit of approaching jazz from a different angle, the quartet gives a remarkably thoughtful and diverse performance, rounded out by their distinctively spirited key and alto sax flourishes and instrumental interplay. Impressions is full-blooded American, but nonetheless praiseworthy. |
| King Green Finite Encephalic Sequence | 4.0 |
| Hot on the heels of The Moon Has Fallen, Oliver plunges his experimental solo project King Green into the fathomless sea and returns with a brand-new EP. Armed with analog amps, modified drums, and a fascinating concept, Finite Encephalic Sequence finds Oliver harnessing layers of warm and cold hums and swells, unhinged percussion, and unusual voice manipulations to tell of the exploits of Nxeiff, an aquatic humanoid tasked with attaining the plans for a new type of cannon from a clandestine library. The result, perhaps best reflected in opener "Submerged Ghost Pirate Afterthought", succeeds in making the briny, undulations of the deep seem all the more alien. The succinctness of the EP format serves this particular release well. The 24-minute runtime renders this collection considerably more digestible than some of King Green's back catalog, making for an excellent point of entry in the discography of a consistently interesting artist. I can think of no better place for new listeners to dive in. |
| Oregon In Moscow | 4.5 |
| Forndom Flykt | 4.0 |
| Moonsorrow Jumalten aika | 3.5 |
| Oregon Winter Light | 4.0 |
| Winter Light is a consistently engaging listen that puts this American quartet's novel blend of instrumentation (oboe, English horn, flugelhorn, flute, piano, clarinet, guitar, sitar, bass, tabla, congas) on full display. Woodwinds explore abstract themes with support from virtuosic acoustic guitar, sinuous double bass, tasteful piano, and uncommon percussion. The music's momentum is expertly controlled as the band shifts fluidly between orchestrated refrains and improvisational brilliance. A few bits and pieces may feel somewhat dated, but it's nonetheless stimulating to hear such diverse instrumental voices sound together so beautifully and precisely. |
| Bert Jansch Avocet | 4.5 |
| The Visit Through Darkness Into Light | 4.0 |
Although The Visit's debut shares characteristics with metal, folk music, and classical, I can
safely say I've never heard anything quite like it. These five extended pieces, founded entirely
on the virtuosic bow work of cellist Raphael Weinroth-Browne (Musk Ox) and Heather Sita Black's
singular voice, meld extreme metal intensity with pastoral neoclassical splendor with surprising
ease, and the grandeur of the sound world this duo builds is really something to behold. Weinroth-
Browne fluidly (or suddenly) bridges passages of plucked or droning intimacy and technical sprints
of unfettered aggression as Black assumes the distant and bereft human element that cries out from
the forceful flurries of dark, sawing strings. The seemingly unlikely pairing of voice and cello
ultimately proves itself to be a natural one and its distinctiveness distinguishes Through
Darkness Into Light as an excellent, hidden treasure of late 2015. |
| King Crimson Islands | 4.5 |
| Anekdoten Vemod | 3.0 |
| Anekdoten Nucleus | 3.5 |
| Anekdoten From Within | 4.0 |
| Anglagard Epilog | 4.0 |
| Anglagard Viljans Oga | 4.0 |
| Anglagard Hybris | 4.5 |
| Lonney(s) Vet | 3.5 |
| King Green The Moon Has Fallen | 3.5 |
| Ulver Perdition City | 4.0 |
| Gentle Giant Acquiring the Taste | 4.0 |
| Gentle Giant In a Glass House | 4.5 |
| Nhor Momenta Quintae Essentiae | 3.5 |
| Leonard Cohen Songs of Love and Hate | 4.5 |
| Ethereal Shroud They Became the Falling Ash | 4.0 |
| A consistently excellent record! Beautiful moments throughout, and at a few points something truly special was captured. This is a recommended listen. |
| Garmarna Garmarna | 3.5 |
| Sangre de Muerdago O Camino das Mans Valeiras | 4.0 |
| Jackson C. Frank Jackson C. Frank | 4.5 |
| Moondog Moondog | 5.0 |
| Vemod Venter pa Stormene | 3.0 |
| Nest (FIN) Mietteitä | 3.0 |
| Amon Amarth Once Sent from the Golden Hall | 3.0 |
| Nature and Organisation Death in a Snow Leopard Winter | 4.5 |
| Steve Von Till A Life Unto Itself | 4.0 |
| Tenhi Kertomuksia | 3.0 |
| Anekdoten Until All The Ghosts Are Gone | 4.0 |
| Arstidir Svefns og vöku skil | 3.5 |
| King Green Jaded Claws and Glistening Outmodes | 3.5 |
| Rush Signals | 4.0 |
| Rush Vapor Trails | 3.5 |
| Rush Snakes & Arrows | 3.5 |
| Rush Clockwork Angels | 4.5 |
| John Abercrombie Timeless | 3.5 |
| Drudkh Eternal Turn of the Wheel | 3.0 |
| Alcest Shelter | 4.0 |
| Gentle Giant Octopus | 4.0 |
| Gentle Giant Free Hand | 4.0 |
| Grouper Ruins | 4.0 |
| Messenger Illusory Blues | 4.5 |
| Jan Dukes de Grey Mice and Rats in the Loft | 4.0 |
| Opeth Pale Communion | 3.5 |
| Bert Jansch Bert and John | 4.0 |
| Earth Primitive and Deadly | 4.5 |
| To follow up the minimalist, western soundscapes of 2012's Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II, Dylan Carlson and co. opt to re-introduced the crunch of their early years with Primitive and Deadly. The signature riffing styles return in a fuzzier, heavier form and manage to neatly intertwine with rock-oriented, psychedelic elements that haven't been heard since 1996's Pentastar: In the Style of Demons. Primitive and Deadly features another 90s-era Earth throwback -- vocals. Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees fame offers his voice and lyrics to great effect on the tracks There is a Serpent Coming and Rooks Across the Gates, while Rose Windows frontwoman Rabia Shaheen Qazi howls over the drug-induced riffing of From The Zodiacal Light. Ambitious, hypnotic and dense, Primitive and Deadly marries the parched blues rock of Hex with Pentastar's doom without neglecting the subtlety, tempo and melodicism of the band's latest folk-tinged outings. The album is massive in sound and scope. It stands as yet another triumph for the masters of drone. |
| Scott Walker Tilt | 4.0 |
| Rush Fly by Night | 3.5 |
| Miles Davis In a Silent Way | 5.0 |
| Musk Ox Woodfall | 4.5 |
| Agalloch The Serpent and the Sphere | 3.0 |
| Scott Walker The Drift | 4.5 |
| Antonin Dvorak Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, B. 178 | 4.5 |
| Igor Stravinsky Petrushka | 4.5 |
| Darkthrone The Underground Resistance | 4.0 |
| Rush Permanent Waves | 4.0 |
| Rush A Farewell to Kings | 5.0 |
| Nebelung Palingenesis | 4.0 |
| Ainulindale Nevrast | 4.5 |
| Bert Jansch Jack Orion | 4.0 |
| Townes Van Zandt Townes Van Zandt | 4.0 |
| Townes Van Zandt Our Mother the Mountain | 3.5 |
| Alcest Les Voyages De L'Âme | 3.5 |
| Alexi Murdoch Time Without Consequence | 3.5 |
| Alexi Murdoch Towards the Sun | 4.0 |
| Malicorne Almanach | 4.5 |
| Beautiful, haunting, interesting. French folk troupe Malicorne continue to flesh out their brand of progressive medieval music on 1976's Almanach. The sound is complex and features what seems like an ever-expanding array of instrumentation, including mandolin, violin, cello, electric dulcimer, bouzouki, crumhorn, hurdy-gurdy, epinette de Vosges, and psaltery; however, it's the layered 4-part vocal harmonies that steal the show. Also, the addition of the talented Hughes de Courson stirs a few classical influences into the mix. It may not reach the emotional heights of its predecessor, but Almanach is arguably Malicorne's most consistent effort and is recommended listening for those who like the idea of wandering minstrels with electric guitars. |
| Wovenhand Woven Hand | 4.0 |
| Havnatt Etterlatte | 3.5 |
| Vali Skogslandskap | 5.0 |
| Ulver Blood Inside | 3.5 |
| Porcupine Tree Signify | 3.0 |
| ISIS Panopticon | 4.0 |
| Ulver Messe I.X-VI.X | 4.5 |
| Arnold Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4 | 4.0 |
| Henryk Gorecki Symphony No. 3, Op. 36 | 5.0 |
| Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 6 in A minor, "Tragic" | 3.5 |
| Gustav Mahler Symphony No. 1 in D major, "Titan" | 3.5 |
| Steven Wilson The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories) | 4.0 |
| Syven Corpus Christi | 4.5 |
| On their sophomore effort, Syven emulates the music of the Knights Templar by reviving two sacral hymns and allowing them to expand across a monolithic, 35-minute track. Fleshed out by sparse percussion, organs, keyboards and Aslak Tolonen's signature kantele, the work not only recalls the melismatic voices of ancient Crusaders, it weaves them through the depths of untouched pine forests and casts them over the vast expanse of a misty, forlorn valley. |
| Grouper Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill | 4.0 |
| Chelsea Wolfe Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs | 4.0 |
| The Pentangle Sweet Child | 4.0 |
| Birdsongs of the Mesozoic Magnetic Flip | 3.5 |
| Harmonium Les Cinq Saisons | 5.0 |
| Univers Zero Univers Zero (1313) | 3.5 |
| Univers Zero Heresie | 4.0 |
| Espers Espers III | 3.0 |
| Igor Stravinsky Le Sacre du Printemps | 5.0 |
| Wovenhand The Laughing Stalk | 3.5 |
| King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King | 4.5 |
| King Crimson Larks' Tongues in Aspic | 4.0 |
| King Crimson Red | 4.5 |
| Agalloch Faustian Echoes | 3.5 |
| Moonsorrow Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maassa | 3.0 |
| Earth Pentastar: In The Style Of Demons | 3.5 |
| Scott Kelly and the Road Home The Forgiven Ghost In Me | 3.5 |
| Nick Drake Pink Moon | 4.5 |
| Nick Drake Five Leaves Left | 5.0 |
| Bert Jansch Bert Jansch | 3.5 |
| Roy Harper Stormcock | 4.5 |
| Tenhi Airut : Ciwi | 4.0 |
| Tenhi Folk Aesthetic 1996-2006 | 4.5 |
| Worm Ouroboros Come the Thaw | 3.5 |
| Storm Corrosion Storm Corrosion | 4.0 |
| Tenhi Saivo | 4.0 |
| Wovenhand Mosaic | 3.5 |
| Earth Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II | 3.5 |
| Sonne Hagal Jordansfrost | 3.5 |
| Hawk Nelson Letters To The President | 1.0 |
| Jan Johansson Jazz Pa Svenska | 5.0 |
| Eluveitie Spirit | 3.0 |
| Earth Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light I | 4.0 |
| Ralph Vaughan Williams A Pastoral Symphony [No. 3] | 3.5 |
| Ralph Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis | 4.0 |
| Earth The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull | 5.0 |
| Cruising across the desert in a rusty American muscle car...with a body in the trunk. |
| Focus Hamburger Concerto | 3.5 |
| Focus Focus II | 3.5 |
| Sol Invictus The Cruelest Month | 3.5 |
| Wongraven Fjelltronen | 3.0 |
| Maneige Les Porches | 4.5 |
| John Butler Trio Live at Saint-Gallen | 3.5 |
| John Butler Trio Sunrise Over Sea | 3.0 |
| Fearthainne Fearthainne | 3.0 |
| Chet Scott and two members of the black metal band Fauna collaborate to create epic drone folk music in the classic Cascadian fashion.rContained within each song is a meditative quality disturbed by harsh undertones. With the use of powerful voice harmonies, thrumming guitars and thundering bodhrans, Fearthainne achieve a challenging and incomparable listening experience. |
| Ulver A Quick Fix of Melancholy | 3.0 |
| Pat Metheny Day Trip | 3.5 |
| Pat Metheny Tokyo Day Trip | 3.0 |
| Keith Jarrett The Survivor's Suite | 3.5 |
| Keith Jarrett The Köln Concert | 4.5 |
| Bill Frisell Unspeakable | 3.5 |
| Primus Antipop | 2.5 |
| Primus Sailing the Seas of Cheese | 3.0 |
| Primus Pork Soda | 3.0 |
| AC/DC Highway To Hell | 2.5 |
| AC/DC Back In Black | 3.0 |
| Jet Shine On | 2.5 |
| Jet Get Born | 3.0 |
| Wolfmother Wolfmother | 2.0 |
| Wolfmother Cosmic Egg | 1.5 |
| Les Discrets Septembre Et Ses Dernières Pensées | 3.5 |
| Amon Amarth Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds | 2.0 |
| Amon Amarth Twilight of the Thunder God | 3.5 |
| Amon Amarth With Oden on Our Side | 3.5 |
| Amon Amarth Fate of Norns | 3.0 |
| Amon Amarth Versus the World | 3.0 |
| Amon Amarth Wrath of the Norsemen | 2.5 |
| Manegarm Vargstenen | 2.5 |
| Avenged Sevenfold Avenged Sevenfold | 1.5 |
| The Moody Blues On the Threshold of a Dream | 3.0 |
| Procol Harum Live with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra | 3.5 |
| Renaissance Scheherazade and Other Stories | 5.0 |
| Renaissance Turn of the Cards | 4.0 |
| Renaissance Ashes Are Burning | 4.5 |
| Mudvayne The Beginning of All Things to End | 1.5 |
| Jean-Luc Ponty Open Mind | 2.5 |
| Steven Wilson Grace for Drowning | 3.5 |
| Opeth Heritage | 4.5 |
| Katatonia Viva Emptiness | 3.0 |
| Ulver Shadows of the Sun | 4.5 |
| Owl City All Things Bright And Beautiful | 1.0 |
| Eighteen Visions Eighteen Visions | 1.5 |
| Flyleaf Flyleaf | 2.0 |
| Evanescence Fallen | 2.5 |
| Nightwish Dark Passion Play | 2.5 |
| Harvestman In a Dark Tongue | 3.0 |
| Steve Von Till As the Crow Flies | 3.0 |
| Pererin Teithgan | 3.5 |
| Jean-Luc Ponty Mystical Adventures | 3.5 |
| Mahavishnu Orchestra Birds of Fire | 4.0 |
| Weather Report Heavy Weather | 3.5 |
| John Adams Nixon in China | 3.0 |
| Philip Glass Metamorphosis I-V, for piano | 4.0 |
| Philip Glass Solo Piano | 4.5 |
| John Cage Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano | 3.5 |
| John Cage Thirty Pieces for String Quartet | 4.0 |
| Johannes Brahms 21 Hungarian Dances, WoO 1 | 3.5 |
| Johannes Brahms Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98 | 4.5 |
| Igor Stravinsky L'Oiseau de feu | 4.5 |
| Igor Stravinsky Symphonies of Wind Instruments | 4.0 |
| Limp Bizkit Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water | 1.5 |
| Agalloch The Demonstration Archive: 1996-1998 | 3.0 |
| Agalloch The Grey | 2.5 |
| Rainbow Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow | 3.0 |
| Rainbow Long Live Rock 'n' Roll | 3.5 |
| Rainbow Rising | 3.5 |
| Lamb of God Sacrament | 2.5 |
| Hellyeah Hellyeah | 1.0 |
| Poropetra Poropetra | 3.5 |
| Comus First Utterance | 4.5 |
| Cold A Different Kind of Pain | 2.0 |
| Seether Holding Onto Strings Better Left To Fray | 1.0 |
| Seether Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces | 1.5 |
| Seether Karma And Effect | 2.0 |
| Seether Disclaimer II | 2.5 |
| Lynyrd Skynyrd Second Helping | 3.5 |
| Lynyrd Skynyrd Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd | 3.5 |
| Black Stone Cherry Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea | 1.5 |
| Alter Bridge One Day Remains | 2.0 |
| Gryphon Red Queen To Gryphon Three | 4.0 |
| Hurt Goodbye To The Machine | 2.0 |
| Pink Floyd Atom Heart Mother | 3.0 |
| Pink Floyd The Division Bell | 3.0 |
| Pink Floyd The Wall | 3.5 |
| Wishbone Ash Argus | 4.0 |
| Rush Moving Pictures | 4.5 |
| Rush Hemispheres | 4.5 |
| Rush 2112 | 4.0 |
| Rush Caress of Steel | 3.0 |
| Rush Test for Echo | 4.0 |
| Moonsorrow Viides luku - Hävitetty | 4.0 |
| Pererin Haul Ar Yr Eira | 4.5 |
| Malicorne Le Mariage Anglais | 5.0 |
| Peter Frampton Frampton Comes Alive! | 3.0 |
| Coal Chamber Dark Days | 2.0 |
| Slipknot Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses | 2.5 |
| Nucleus Torn Andromeda Awaiting | 4.5 |
| Sully Erna Avalon | 3.0 |
| Moonsorrow Verisäkeet | 4.0 |
| Enchant Tug Of War | 2.5 |
| Faun Licht | 3.5 |
| Death in June KAPO! | 3.0 |
| Current 93 Of Ruine Or Some Blazing Starre | 3.0 |
| Current 93 Thunder Perfect Mind | 4.0 |
| Current 93 Black Ships Ate the Sky | 3.5 |
| Norma Jean Meridional | 2.0 |
| Underoath They're Only Chasing Safety | 1.5 |
| Swans Feel Good Now | 3.0 |
| Scott Kelly The Wake | 4.0 |
| Steve Von Till If I Should Fall to the Field | 3.5 |
| Steve Von Till A Grave Is a Grim Horse | 4.0 |
| Dornenreich In Luft Geritzt | 4.0 |
| Mumford and Sons Sigh No More | 2.5 |
| Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden Jasmine | 3.5 |
| Smile Empty Soul Smile Empty Soul | 1.5 |
| Three Days Grace Three Days Grace | 2.0 |
| Nickelback Silver Side Up | 2.0 |
| Laibach Opus Dei | 3.0 |
| Thirty Seconds to Mars 30 Seconds To Mars | 2.0 |
| Thirty Seconds to Mars A Beautiful Lie | 1.5 |
| Porcupine Tree Metanoia | 2.5 |
| Porcupine Tree Voyage 34: The Complete Trip | 3.0 |
| Porcupine Tree Recordings | 3.0 |
| The Rasmus Dead Letters | 2.0 |
| Of the Wand and the Moon It's Like Dying On Christmas Day | 4.5 |
| Sevendust Seasons | 2.0 |
| The Offspring Greatest Hits | 2.5 |
| Green Day International Superhits | 2.5 |
| Of the Wand and the Moon Sonnenheim | 3.5 |
| Of the Wand and the Moon Lucifer | 3.5 |
| Of the Wand and the Moon Nighttime Nightrhymes | 4.0 |
| Of the Wand and the Moon :Emptiness:Emptiness:Emptiness: | 3.5 |
| Of the Wand and the Moon Midnight Will | 3.0 |
| Solanaceae Solanaceae | 4.5 |
| The Mars Volta Frances the Mute | 3.0 |
| Ulver Wars of the Roses | 3.5 |
| Empyrium A Retrospective | 4.0 |
| Empyrium A Wintersunset | 3.0 |
| Empyrium Songs of Moors and Misty Fields | 4.0 |
| Robert Plant Band Of Joy | 3.0 |
| Death in June The Rule of Thirds | 3.0 |
| Death in June But, What Ends When the Symbols Shatter? | 4.0 |
| Death in June Rose Clouds of Holocaust | 3.5 |
| Agalloch Whitedivisiongrey | 5.0 |
A beautiful 2 lp collection on white, black-splatter vinyl containing both the White and Grey EPs. It also contains Nest's fantastic rendition of "Haunting Birds", two remixes by Allerseelen based on "In the Shadow of our Pale Companion," and a "Desolation Song" remix by Chris Greene.
Nest's version of "Haunting Birds" breathes a fresh, cold, minimalist air into the old Agalloch track. It's very well done and is everything we have come to expect from Nest.
The Allerseelen and C. Greene tracks fit perfectly alongside "Lodge (Dismantled) and "Odal (Nothing remix)" tracks. All three remixes are performed in the style of the Grey Ep. It is neat to hear the classic acoustic guitar melodies and timpani percussion placed in a new context.
These limited Eps finally got the treatment they deserve. |
| Various Artists Whom The Moon A Nightsong Sings | 4.5 |
| Lustre (SWE) A Glimpse of Glory | 4.0 |
| Ornette Coleman Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation | 3.0 |
| Ornette Coleman The Shape of Jazz to Come | 3.5 |
| Mogwai Happy Songs for Happy People | 3.0 |
| Saosin Saosin | 1.5 |
| Finch Say Hello to Sunshine | 1.5 |
| Finch What It Is to Burn | 2.0 |
| The Starting Line Say It Like You Mean It | 1.0 |
| The All-American Rejects Move Along | 1.0 |
| The All-American Rejects The All-American Rejects | 1.5 |
| Fall Out Boy Folie a Deux | 1.0 |
| Fall Out Boy From Under the Cork Tree | 1.5 |
| Yellowcard Ocean Avenue | 1.5 |
| Simple Plan No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls | 1.0 |
| Vasen Trio | 3.5 |
| Vasen Gront | 3.0 |
| Vasen Whirled | 3.0 |
| Vasen Mike Marshall & Darol Anger with Väsen. | 4.5 |
| Vasen Linnaeus Väsen | 3.5 |
| Vasen Väsen Street | 4.0 |
| Moonsorrow Voimasta ja kunniasta | 3.5 |
| Nebelung Vigil | 3.5 |
| Nebelung Mistelteinn | 4.0 |
| Nebelung Reigen | 5.0 |
| Neun Welten ...auf ewig Wald... | 3.0 |
| Neun Welten Valg | 3.5 |
| A Perfect Circle eMOTIVe | 1.5 |
| A Perfect Circle Mer de Noms | 3.0 |
| A Perfect Circle Thirteenth Step | 3.0 |
| Chevelle Point #1 | 1.5 |
| Chevelle This Type Of Thinking (Could Do Us In) | 2.0 |
| Chevelle Wonder What's Next | 2.5 |
| Breaking Benjamin Phobia | 2.0 |
| Breaking Benjamin We Are Not Alone | 2.5 |
| Breaking Benjamin Saturate | 2.5 |
| Trapt Trapt | 2.5 |
| Edgewater We're Not Robots... | 1.5 |
| Edgewater South Of Sideways | 2.0 |
| Trust Company The Lonely Position of Neutral | 2.5 |
| Trust Company True Parallels | 2.0 |
| Green Day American Idiot | 2.0 |
| Green Day 21st Century Breakdown | 1.5 |
| Rise Against The Sufferer and the Witness | 1.5 |
| Rise Against Appeal to Reason | 1.5 |
| Alkaline Trio From Here to Infirmary | 2.0 |
| AFI The Art of Drowning | 2.0 |
| AFI Sing the Sorrow | 1.5 |
| Social Distortion Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes | 2.5 |
| Sol Invictus In the Rain | 4.0 |
| Sol Invictus In A Garden Green | 3.5 |
| Camel Breathless | 3.0 |
| Camel Rain Dances | 3.5 |
| Camel Camel | 4.0 |
| Camel Mirage | 4.5 |
| Camel I Can See Your House From Here | 3.0 |
| Camel Nude | 3.5 |
| Caravan For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night | 3.5 |
| Caravan In the Land of Grey and Pink | 4.0 |
| Bathory Hammerheart | 3.0 |
| Immortal The Seventh Date of Blashyrkh | 3.0 |
| Immortal Damned In Black | 2.5 |
| Metallica Metallica | 2.5 |
| SOiL Scars | 2.0 |
| Drowning Pool Sinner | 2.0 |
| Linkin Park Meteora | 2.0 |
| Mudvayne The End of All Things to Come | 2.5 |
| Mudvayne Lost and Found | 2.0 |
| Mudvayne The New Game | 1.5 |
| Godsmack Faceless | 2.5 |
| Godsmack Awake | 2.5 |
| Godsmack Godsmack | 2.5 |
| Godsmack IV | 3.0 |
| Godsmack The Other Side | 3.0 |
| Amber Asylum Bitter River | 3.5 |
| Amber Asylum Still Point | 3.5 |
| Amber Asylum Looking Glass/Poppies | 4.0 |
| Amber Asylum Garden of Love | 4.0 |
| Worm Ouroboros Worm Ouroboros | 4.0 |
| Graumahd Untitled | 3.0 |
| This is Graumahd's debut. It was a very limited pressing on 7'' vinyl. There are 4 untitled tracks, two on each side, all of which are very good. |
| Wyrd Heathen | 3.5 |
| Les Discrets/Alcest Split | 3.0 |
| Yes Fragile | 4.0 |
| Agalloch From Which of This Oak | 3.0 |
| Korn See You on the Other Side | 1.5 |
| Korn Follow the Leader | 2.5 |
| Korn Untouchables | 2.0 |
| Lonndom Viddernas Tolv Kapitel | 3.0 |
| Ainulindale The Lay of Leithian | 3.5 |
| Orplid Nächtliche Jünger | 3.5 |
| Agalloch Marrow of the Spirit | 3.5 |
| Finntroll Nifelvind | 2.5 |
| Between the Buried and Me The Great Misdirect | 2.0 |
| Between the Buried and Me Colors | 2.5 |
| Scale the Summit Monument | 2.5 |
| Scale the Summit Carving Desert Canyons | 3.0 |
| God Is an Astronaut The End of the Beginning | 3.0 |
| Cold Year Of The Spider | 2.5 |
| Finntroll Jaktens Tid | 2.0 |
| Gustav Holst The Planets, Op. 32 | 4.0 |
| John Coltrane My Favorite Things | 3.5 |
| John Coltrane Ascension | 3.0 |
| John Coltrane A Love Supreme | 4.0 |
| Alestorm Captain Morgan's Revenge | 3.0 |
| Alestorm Black Sails at Midnight | 2.5 |
| Shinedown The Sound of Madness | 2.5 |
| Shinedown Us and Them | 2.5 |
| Shinedown Leave a Whisper | 3.0 |
| Led Zeppelin Coda | 2.5 |
| Led Zeppelin In Through the Out Door | 3.0 |
| Led Zeppelin Presence | 3.0 |
| Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti | 4.0 |
| Led Zeppelin Houses of the Holy | 3.5 |
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV | 4.0 |
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin III | 4.5 |
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II | 3.5 |
| Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin | 3.5 |
| Five Finger Death Punch War Is The Answer | 2.0 |
| Drudkh Microcosmos | 4.0 |
| Drudkh Forgotten Legends | 3.5 |
| Riverside Second Life Syndrome | 3.0 |
| Agalloch and Nest Split | 4.5 |
| Phil Keaggy The Wind and the Wheat | 3.0 |
| This record's sound is somewhat dated in places, yet it still yields some top notch tunes. The Mission, The Promise, and The Reunion as well as the title track are all noteworthy. |
| Phil Keaggy Lights of Madrid | 4.0 |
| Phil Keaggy The Song Within | 3.5 |
| Phil Keaggy The Master and the Musician | 3.5 |
| One he's know for! With their hints of classical warmth, "Pilgrim's Flight", "Castle's Call" and "Wedding at the Country Manor" are probably the most notable highlights. |
| Wardruna Runaljod - Gap Var Ginnunga | 4.0 |
| Gjallarhorn Rimfaxe | 3.5 |
| Porcupine Tree Lightbulb Sun | 3.0 |
| Porcupine Tree On the Sunday of Life | 2.0 |
| Nest (FIN) Woodsmoke | 4.0 |
| Hurt Vol. II | 3.0 |
| Hurt Vol. 1 | 2.5 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium | 2.5 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers Mother's Milk | 2.5 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers Blood Sugar Sex Magik | 3.0 |
| Taproot Gift | 2.0 |
| Flaw Endangered Species | 2.0 |
| Bathory Blood Fire Death | 3.5 |
| Lagwagon Let's Talk About Feelings | 2.5 |
| Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93 | 3.5 |
| Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 | 5.0 |
| In Gowan Ring Hazel Steps Through A Weathered Home | 3.5 |
| Herbie Hancock Head Hunters | 3.5 |
| Herbie Hancock Maiden Voyage | 4.0 |
| Miles Davis Ascenseur pour l'echafaud OST | 4.0 |
| Miles Davis Sketches of Spain | 4.0 |
| Miles Davis Miles Smiles | 4.0 |
| Miles Davis Kind of Blue | 4.5 |
| Miles Davis Bitches Brew | 4.0 |
| Acoustic Alchemy This Way | 2.0 |
| Acoustic Alchemy American/English | 2.5 |
| Acoustic Alchemy Radio Contact | 3.0 |
| Acoustic Alchemy Arcanum | 3.0 |
| Acoustic Alchemy Sounds of St. Lucia | 3.0 |
| Fejd Eifur | 4.0 |
| Tenhi Airut: Aamujen | 4.5 |
| Tenhi Maaaet | 5.0 |
| Darkthrone Transilvanian Hunger | 4.0 |
| Darkthrone Under a Funeral Moon | 3.5 |
| Darkthrone A Blaze in the Northern Sky | 4.0 |
| Windir Arntor | 3.5 |
| Sigur Ros ( ) | 4.0 |
| Tenhi Vare | 4.5 |
| Yes Relayer | 4.0 |
| Yes Close to the Edge | 4.5 |
| Mudvayne L.D. 50 | 3.0 |
| Disturbed Indestructible | 2.5 |
| Disturbed Ten Thousand Fists | 2.5 |
| Disturbed Believe | 2.5 |
| Disturbed The Sickness | 2.0 |
| Jethro Tull Songs from the Wood | 4.0 |
| Jethro Tull Thick as a Brick | 4.0 |
| Neun Welten Destrunken | 4.0 |
| Linkin Park Hybrid Theory | 2.5 |
| Linkin Park Minutes to Midnight | 1.5 |
| Linkin Park A Thousand Suns | 1.5 |
| Alcest Écailles De Lune | 4.5 |
| Alcest Souvenirs D'Un Autre Monde | 3.5 |
| Katatonia Night Is the New Day | 3.5 |
| Opeth Watershed | 4.0 |
| Enslaved Blodhemn | 2.5 |
| Enslaved Axioma Ethica Odini | 3.5 |
| Sergei Rachmaninoff Cello Sonata, Op. 19 | 4.0 |
| Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 1 in F♯ minor, Op. 1 | 4.0 |
| Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Sonata No. 2 in B♭ minor, Op. 36 | 3.5 |
| Ralph Vaughan Williams A London Symphony [No. 2] | 4.5 |
| Ralph Vaughan Williams Fantasia on "Greensleeves" | 4.5 |
| Claude Debussy La mer (The Sea), L. 109 | 4.5 |
| Claude Debussy Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, L. 86 | 5.0 |
| The almost improvisational feel of the "Prélude" belies its masterful composition. A closer look at its inner workings reveals an intricate assortment of motile, maturing themes being passes back and forth amongst the instruments, as well as a potent sense of purpose on the part of its maker. Debussy employs many of his most characteristic compositional methods and a hefty dose of orchestral shading and voicing to allow woodwinds to carry fluid, atmospheric melodic ideas across a subtle yet progressive foundation of strings, horns, and harp. Ambiguous chord progressions, chromaticism, and shifting meters all culminate here to evoke the oneiric landscape explicated by the Mallarmé poem that inspired the piece. This is a work of genius in every sense. |
| Edward Elgar Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D | 4.0 |
| Edward Elgar Enigma Variations, Op. 36 | 4.5 |
| Edvard Grieg Piano Concerto in A Minor | 4.5 |
| Edvard Grieg Peer Gynt, Op. 23 | 5.0 |
| Modest Mussorgsky A Night on Bald Mountain | 5.0 |
| Modest Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition | 4.5 |
| Steven Wilson Insurgentes | 3.0 |
| Vali Forlatt | 4.5 |
| Tool Opiate | 3.0 |
| Tool Undertow | 3.0 |
| Tool 10,000 Days | 3.5 |
| Tool Ænima | 3.5 |
| Tool Lateralus | 4.0 |
| Riverside Out of Myself | 3.0 |
| ISIS Wavering Radiant | 4.0 |
| ISIS In the Absence of Truth | 4.5 |
| Dream Theater A Change of Seasons | 3.5 |
| Dream Theater Images and Words | 3.5 |
| Dream Theater Awake | 3.5 |
| Dream Theater Falling into Infinity | 3.0 |
| Dream Theater Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence | 3.0 |
| Dream Theater Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory | 3.0 |
| Dream Theater Train of Thought | 2.5 |
| Dream Theater Black Clouds and Silver Linings | 2.5 |
| Dream Theater Octavarium | 3.0 |
| Dream Theater Systematic Chaos | 2.0 |
| Rodrigo y Gabriela Rodrigo y Gabriela | 3.0 |
| Rodrigo y Gabriela 11:11 | 2.5 |
| Manegarm Urminnes Havd - The Forest Sessions | 4.5 |
| Borknagar Origin | 2.5 |
| Borknagar's 2006 offering Origin is a missed opportunity to produce an engaging, semi-symphonic acoustic album. The band is musically stilted but on point as one would expect from a progressive metal act. It's the vocal department that primarily drops the album short of its goal. Unaided by trite and often embarrassingly heavy-handed lyrics, Vintersorg's warbling frequently borders on cringe-inducing. The songwriting, which is pretty and interesting at times, seems to call for a less brazen approach, so the vocal presence undermines the effect of the lush instrumentation and the overall atmosphere the band attempted to create. It's a shame really, because this could have been a compelling record had it not felt so forced. |
| Dave Beegle Beyond The Desert | 3.5 |
| Nest (FIN) Trail of the Unwary | 4.5 |
| Phil Keaggy Freehand: Acoustic Sketches II | 3.0 |
| Not quite as good as the first Acoustic Sketches, but there are still some terrific songs here. Cajon Pass is definitely a standout as well as Chester's Tree, Bodhran Brawl and Renaissance Boy. |
| Phil Keaggy Music To Paint By: Splash | 3.5 |
| The album contains "Shades of Green," a Keaggy classic. All of the songs are great as well, especially Phantasy, Miles Away and Floating On Ice. |
| Phil Keaggy Beyond Nature | 4.0 |
| Tva Fisk Och En Flask Jungfruburen | 4.0 |
| This band helped Manegarm out on several of their releases. Manegarm's violinist plays in Tva Fisk Och En Flask. Dissonant strings, strong hand percussion and the beautiful voice of Umer Mossige Norheim all work together well here. |
| Graumahd Cheru | 4.0 |
| Excellent folk with psychedelic influences! Standout tracks include Cheru and the Auwaldschatten song cycle. |
| Fejd En Tid Som Var | 2.5 |
| Fejd Huldran | 3.0 |
| Fejd Eld | 3.0 |
| Weezer The Red Album | 2.0 |
| Sherwood Sing, But Keep Going | 2.0 |
| Sherwood A Different Light | 2.5 |
| Motion City Soundtrack I Am the Movie | 2.0 |
| Moonsorrow Kivenkantaja | 4.5 |
| Immortal All Shall Fall | 3.0 |
| Immortal At the Heart of Winter | 4.0 |
| Immortal Sons of Northern Darkness | 4.0 |
| Musk Ox Musk Ox | 4.0 |
| This is my first experience with the band. I stumbled across this album and purchased it on a whim. rIt is a one-man project, but many instruments are used and they are played extremely well. Most of the album is instrumental and revolves around the acoustic nylon-string guitar, but some of the other instruments include piano, glockenspiel, and an assortment of flutes. rThe singing on the album is mostly sung in a choral or chanting style. It is never too overpowering.rI would recommend this album to fans of maybe Ulver's "Kveldssanger," Tenhi, Empyrium's later work and Agalloch's White Ep. |
| October Falls Marras | 4.5 |
| Trace Bundy Adapt (CD/DVD) | 4.0 |
| Porcupine Tree Warszawa | 3.5 |
| Porcupine Tree Fear of a Blank Planet | 3.0 |
| Porcupine Tree Nil Recurring | 3.0 |
| Porcupine Tree Stupid Dream | 3.5 |
| Porcupine Tree Deadwing | 3.5 |
| Porcupine Tree In Absentia | 3.5 |
| Porcupine Tree The Sky Moves Sideways | 4.0 |
| Porcupine Tree Up the Downstair | 4.0 |
| Porcupine Tree The Incident | 2.5 |
| Pink Floyd Animals | 5.0 |
| Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon | 4.5 |
| Pink Floyd Meddle | 4.0 |
| Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here | 4.5 |
| Phil Keaggy Acoustic Sketches | 4.5 |
| Drudkh Blood In Our Wells | 3.5 |
| Drudkh Songs of Grief and Solitude | 4.0 |
| Drudkh Autumn Aurora | 4.5 |
| Camel Moonmadness | 5.0 |
| The stellar follow-up to '75's The Snow Goose shows Latimer and company at their apex. Here, prog's understated maestros have crafted a 7-song slab of mellow, symphonic-flavored rock, coherently uniting their fanciful pop sensibilities with their penchant for extended, gorgeously-textured instrumental passages. Winding bass and jazz-tinged percussion form the bedrock for soaring guitar leads and unearthly keys, producing one affecting, memorable moment after another. Serene, plaintive and genuine, Moonmadness is a progressive masterpiece not to be overlooked. |
| Camel The Snow Goose | 4.5 |
| Camel Rajaz | 4.0 |
| Camel Harbour of Tears | 4.0 |
| Camel A Nod and a Wink | 4.5 |
| Green Carnation Light of Day, Day of Darkness | 3.0 |
| Green Carnation The Acoustic Verses | 3.5 |
| Fejd Storm | 3.5 |
| Empyrium Weiland | 4.5 |
Carrying the torch of its bleak forbearer further in to the willowwacks, Empyrium's three-
rchaptered Weiland delivers a gentle yet sinister blend of dark acoustic splendor; each of
rits 12 entries awash in German Romanticism and the all Gothic imagery the term inspires, namely
rautumnal forests and fog-draped moors. The extended centerpiece, "Waldpoesie", is a gripping
embodiment of the emotional tumult felt while being lost in the deep woods. |
| Empyrium Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays | 5.0 |
| October Falls Sarastus | 3.5 |
| Ulver Nattens Madrigal | 4.0 |
| Ulver Bergtatt - Et eeventyr i 5 capitler | 4.5 |
| Ulver Kveldssanger | 5.0 |
| Neun Welten Vergessene Pfade | 4.0 |
| Tenhi Kauan | 5.0 |
| Opeth Blackwater Park | 4.0 |
| Opeth Still Life | 4.0 |
| Opeth Ghost Reveries | 4.0 |
| Opeth Deliverance | 3.5 |
| Opeth My Arms, Your Hearse | 3.5 |
| Opeth Orchid | 3.5 |
| Opeth Morningrise | 4.0 |
| Opeth Damnation | 4.5 |
| Agalloch Pale Folklore | 3.5 |
| Agalloch Ashes Against the Grain | 4.0 |
| Agalloch The Mantle | 4.5 |
