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Windthrow - Katabasis

Released in the sterility of early December, this record came and went last year with zero fanfare.  I can understand why this Swedish one-man project is obscure, but that doesn't mean it should be.  I'll do my part in singing its praises.  So what are we dealing with here?  Windthrow peddles black metal that borrows liberally from traditional heavy metal.  Expect to hear a wealth of guitar harmonies and solos that polish off each composition.  The well-endowed production ensures that your ears can isolate each instrument.  I'm picky as hell when it comes to black metal (okay, I'm a fastidious fool with all subgenres), so the fact that I've given Katabasis several spins should clue you in on something.

I'm using the word "spins" informally, as this record doesn't seem to be available on CD.  If you have a turntable, this is an easy recommendation.  Sample "Stygian Halls" or "New Light."

Solitude Aeturnus - Downfall

When I was hospitalized at the midpoint of 2022 (I call it the "deep torso of doom"), Solitude Aeturnus is one of the bands I can remember jamming on my headphones in an effort to obviate currents of anxiety.  I distinctly recall listening to 1994's Through the Darkest Hour, which I rate as my favorite SA album.  And even though Downfall has to settle for second place, I've been enjoying it quite a bit lately.  Can someone please explain to me in plain, elementary English why it's considered to be the worst of the bunch?  I don't get it.  Okay, it doesn't replicate the epic, haughty atmosphere of Into the Depths of Sorrow or Beyond the Crimson Horizon, but the songs are there.

The chorus of "Chapel of Burning" simply cannot be denied.  What about the moody hooks of "Only This (and Nothing More)" or the driving riffs of "Deathwish"?  The latter tune is a Christian Death cover, but I couldn't tell.  It doesn't intercede on the natural flow of the music despite its whereabouts in the tracklist.  I reject the notion that Downfall entertains alternative rock.  That's just bogus, man.  Listen to "Concern" and tell me it's not irrationally infectious.  Bogus!