Review by Felix on November 28, 2023.

The Will:
Driven by their affinity for sonic vandalism, Azaghal have returned once again. The restless Finnish institution meets Ars Veneficium, a bunch of newcomers from Belgium, in order to create an output for the underground. Both groups are united under the banner of extreme music and the will to write another chapter of acoustic destruction is omnipresent. Azaghal stay loyal to the ironclad principles of black metal and devote themselves completely to total blackness. Ars Veneficium do not intend to be left behind on the road to perdition. No doubt, in terms of passion and motivation, both bands are not in the mood for shoddy compromises.

The Power:
I don't think that anybody seriously doubts the massive force of Azaghal. During their long-lasting existence, they did not always deliver top quality. Yet it is also a fact that they never showed a sign of battle-weariness. "Uhri Yölle" flows like a torrid stream of lava. The mainly mid-paced tune thrives on its natural hostility and the mighty production which ennobles the contribution of Azaghal. The band accelerates the speed during "Varjojen Seremonia", but this track is also not exclusively focused on high velocity. Both tunes demonstrate impressively that Azaghal have never heard the term "fickleness". They celebrate their sinister art and that is the best they can do. The dark creatures of Ars Veneficium are endeavoured, but they do no reach the same level of remorseless aggressiveness. The band offers songs with constantly flowing lines that avoid an extra dose of melodies. Nonetheless, one can see the band's ambition to present powerful yet carefully thought through tracks. Unfortunately, both songs leave a very similar scent.

The Goat:
The first song of the Belgian warriors is called "Worship the Goat" and this seems to be the accepted maxim for the entire 12". Especially the misanthropes of Azaghal combine rawness, robustness and cruelty in a mature manner. This "satanic" mixture is crowned by the inhumane voice which underlines the hellish aura. Ars Veneficium are amazed about this degree of bestiality and only notorious liars would say that they are behaving like absolute beginners. Yet they have to acknowledge that the impenetrable darkness and the negativity of their Finnish opponents remain out of reach, at least for the moment. Anyway, "The Goat" will malignantly smile when listening to the results of this cooperation. No doubt, this vinyl is on his slightly carbonized shopping list, in particular because of Azaghal's songs. 80% for Azaghal, 70% for Ars Veneficium, this is his verdict. I do not think that I am a coward, but I dare not to disagree.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Review by Adam M on April 30, 2019.

Dream Theater has gone through a number of changes, but they are in pretty good form on their new album Distance Over Time.  The music here is indulgent, but not to the point of being unlistenable, but features a streamlined aspect that has been improved over the years.  Having mostly heard Dream Theater’s old material, there is a similar need to be dynamic and interesting to albums like Scenes From A Memory and the songs are more clearly defined and constructed. 

The opening song of the album Untethered Angel is certainly a highlight and sets the tone for the rest of the album.  This album is pretty heavy and brings interesting guitar riffs to the table.  The songs take some time to develop, but are accessible enough with repeated listens.  This is still a meandering album at times, but the songs are kept in check by many memorable moments.  Since the band now has competition in the form of bands like Haken, lets see how they stack up.  The songs are more complex, but not as impactful as that act.  There are a number of shifts and changes within each song that makes them appealing and the melodic singing of James Labrie fits nicely over the top of the tracks.

This doesn’t quite equal some of the more intricate portions of their early material, but it is still quite complex.  Again, the songs are held in check by reasonably solid song-writing that crafts one of the more memorable progressive discs I’ve heard in some time.  The band is still a bit too meandering to be a perfect act, but they have constructed a very solid album with Distance Over Time.  Fans of the band’s past material looking for something new will be enamored with the songs here.  People who weren’t fans of the band before will have no reason to shift over..  Still, for a Dream Theater album, this is fairly solid stuff.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Review by Adam M on April 30, 2019.

Dream Theater has gone through a number of changes, but they are in pretty good form on their new album Distance Over Time.  The music here is indulgent, but not to the point of being unlistenable, but features a streamlined aspect that has been improved over the years.  Having mostly heard Dream Theater’s old material, there is a similar need to be dynamic and interesting to albums like Scenes From A Memory and the songs are more clearly defined and constructed. 

The opening song of the album Untethered Angel is certainly a highlight and sets the tone for the rest of the album.  This album is pretty heavy and brings interesting guitar riffs to the table.  The songs take some time to develop, but are accessible enough with repeated listens.  This is still a meandering album at times, but the songs are kept in check by many memorable moments.  Since the band now has competition in the form of bands like Haken, lets see how they stack up.  The songs are more complex, but not as impactful as that act.  There are a number of shifts and changes within each song that makes them appealing and the melodic singing of James Labrie fits nicely over the top of the tracks.

This doesn’t quite equal some of the more intricate portions of their early material, but it is still quite complex.  Again, the songs are held in check by reasonably solid song-writing that crafts one of the more memorable progressive discs I’ve heard in some time.  The band is still a bit too meandering to be a perfect act, but they have constructed a very solid album with Distance Over Time.  Fans of the band’s past material looking for something new will be enamored with the songs here.  People who weren’t fans of the band before will have no reason to shift over..  Still, for a Dream Theater album, this is fairly solid stuff.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10