#may24 — Public Fediverse posts

The Sacred Arithmetic of My Years

A Reflection on Turning Fifty-Nine on May 24, 2026

I do not believe that numbers control my life or determine my future. I do not look to numerology as prophecy or as a replacement for faith in God. Still, I find myself drawn to the symbolic possibilities hidden within dates, names, anniversaries, and coincidences. I have always been one to look beneath the surface of things, to wonder whether something ordinary might contain a whisper of something deeper.

And so, on this birthday, I find myself looking at the numbers of my own life: 5 / 24 / 1967.

Today, I turn fifty-nine. I enter another year grateful for life, even while longing to feel more fully alive within my own body. I have not been feeling well physically, and that has weighed on me. There is so much I want to do, so much I want to create, so much ministry and imagination still stirring within me. It is a strange and sometimes painful thing to feel my spirit reaching outward while my body asks me to slow down.

Perhaps that is why I find myself lingering over these numbers. Not because they can tell me what will happen, but because they give me another language with which to consider who I have been, who I am becoming, and what I still hope to offer.

My full birth date reduces to the number 7:

5 + 2 + 4 + 1 + 9 + 6 + 7 = 34; 3 + 4 = 7.

Seven is often understood as the number of the seeker, the contemplative, the mystic, the one who is drawn toward the deeper questions. I recognize myself in that description. I have never been especially satisfied with what lies only on the surface. I want to know what things mean. I want to know what suffering means, what beauty means, what history means, what faith means, what it means to walk faithfully through a world so broken and yet so astonishingly alive.

I have spent my life seeking God in scripture, in ministry, in music, in stories, in strange fragments of history, in imagined worlds, in the wounds of people, in the possibility of peace, and even in my own unanswered questions. I have often felt that I live somewhere along the border between contemplation and creation, between the desire to understand the world and the desire to reimagine it.

Seven also carries sacred meaning in scripture. It is the rhythm of creation moving toward Sabbath. It is fullness, completion, holy rest. Perhaps there is a word for me in that. I have spent much of my life asking what more I should do, what more I should make, what more I should accomplish. Perhaps the question of this birthday is gentler: What within me is asking to become whole? What in my life needs not more striving, but Sabbath?

I was born on the twenty-fourth day of the month:

2 + 4 = 6.

Six is associated with love, care, responsibility, home, beauty, healing, and service. Here, too, I recognize something of my life. I have given much of myself to ministry, to caring for others, to the church, to my family, to the hope that something I say or create might encourage someone, heal something, reconcile something, or simply remind someone that they are not alone.

The number twenty-four seems especially fitting: the tenderness and relationship of two joined with the grounding and craftsmanship of four, becoming six—a number of care and beauty. Much of what I love involves bringing things together: faith and imagination, peace and play, history and story, pain and hope, scraps of wood arranged into inlay, scattered ideas gathered into poems, songs, sermons, games, or worlds.

Yet care has its shadow. I can so easily feel that I ought to be stronger than I am, more productive than I am, more helpful than I am. I can feel guilty when my body interrupts my hopes or when weariness makes me less able to give. But perhaps this number does not only remind me of my call to care for others. Perhaps it also reminds me that I am a creature worthy of care. I do not have to earn rest. I do not have to apologize for needing healing. I am not valuable only when I am producing, preaching, creating, or carrying someone else.

May, the fifth month, brings another number into my birthday: 5. And the year of my birth also reduces to five:

1 + 9 + 6 + 7 = 23; 2 + 3 = 5.

There is, then, a double current of five woven into my birthday. Five is associated with movement, change, freedom, curiosity, experience, creativity, and new possibilities. Again, I recognize myself. My mind rarely stays in one place for long. A passing historical note can become a story. A phrase can become a song. A forgotten disaster can become a gothic meditation on memory. A theological idea can become a game, a world, an image, a spoken word piece, or an invitation to peace.

This past year has been filled with creative stirring. Stories, images, reflections, PeaceGrooves, imagined kingdoms, spiritual meditations, music, ministry, and new possibilities have continued to rise within me. Sometimes I hardly know what to do with all of it. My imagination feels crowded with doors, and behind each one is another room I want to enter.

And yet five also carries a restlessness. It wants to move. It wants freedom. It wants to run down every road and follow every spark. When my body does not feel well, that restlessness becomes painful. There are days when I feel as though my spirit is already racing ahead while my flesh is standing at the roadside, trying to catch its breath.

I do not want simply to exist. I want to be well enough to live. I want strength to minister, strength to love, strength to create, strength to bring into the world at least some portion of what continues to be born within me.

The month and day of my birth together yield the number 11:

5 + 2 + 4 = 11.

Eleven is often associated with heightened sensitivity, spiritual intuition, imagination, vision, and an unusual awareness of meaning. Reduced, it becomes 2, the number of relationship, compassion, receptivity, and peacemaking.

Perhaps this is part of why I feel things as deeply as I do. Beauty can overwhelm me. Failure can wound me. A story from the past can haunt me. A work of art can awaken something in me. The suffering of the world can feel almost unbearable. I find myself unable simply to accept violence, ugliness, cruelty, or indifference as the normal order of things. Something in me continues to insist that another world is possible, that peace is not foolishness, that imagination matters, that reconciliation is not weakness, that grace is still stronger than fear.

This sensitivity has not always been easy to carry. It means I can become discouraged. It means I can long deeply to be seen, heard, understood, or affirmed. It means I sometimes experience disappointment with an intensity that others may not recognize. But it is also part of the gift I have been given. It is part of what allows me to preach, to write, to create, to listen, to notice, to care.

Perhaps I should not spend so much energy wishing I were less sensitive. Perhaps I should ask God to help me carry that sensitivity with wisdom, humility, and courage.

The numerological pattern for the year beginning with this birthday gives me the number 3:

5 + 2 + 4 + 2 + 0 + 2 + 6 = 21; 2 + 1 = 3.

Three is the number of expression, creativity, voice, imagination, communication, music, storytelling, and joy. I cannot help but smile at that. At a time when I am so aware of physical limitation, the number for the year ahead is not silence or retreat, but expression. It is voice.

Write the stories. Sing the songs. Make the images. Build the worlds. Speak of peace. Preach the goodness of God. Let the things that have long lived inside me take form.

Perhaps I do not need to wait until everything is ideal. Perhaps I do not need to wait until I feel completely strong, completely confident, completely certain that anyone will notice or understand. Perhaps creativity itself is one of the ways I bear witness to life. Perhaps every story, every song, every reflection, every act of beauty is my small refusal to let suffering or discouragement have the final word.

And then there is the number of my age itself: 59.

5 + 9 = 14; 1 + 4 = 5.

Once again, I arrive at five: movement, change, possibility, new roads.

Fifty-nine is a threshold. It is not yet sixty, though I can see sixty from here. There is a temptation at this stage of life to look backward with regret, measuring what has not happened, what recognition has not come, what dreams remain unfinished, what strength seems less certain than it once did. I know that temptation well. I have wondered whether I have done enough with what I have been given. I have feared that some of my deepest gifts might remain unheard or unseen.

But perhaps fifty-nine is not a year for mourning what has not been. Perhaps it is a year for gathering what is still alive. Perhaps it is a year for listening closely to the call that has never quite left me alone. Perhaps it is a year for opening the doors that remain before me rather than staring only at the ones that seemed to close.

When I gather these numbers together, they seem to form a kind of portrait:

7 — I am a seeker, drawn toward mystery, contemplation, and the deep questions of God and life.
6 — I am a caregiver, a pastor, a lover of beauty, home, healing, and reconciliation.
11/2 — I am sensitive to meaning, to suffering, to vision, and to the fragile possibility of peace.
5 — I am restless with creativity, longing for freedom, movement, renewal, and life.
3 — I am entering a year of voice, expression, story, music, and joy.

These numbers do not define me. God does. But perhaps they name something true about the way grace has moved through my years.

I am fifty-nine years old today. I am grateful, though I am tired. I am hopeful, though I am not entirely well. I am surrounded by unfinished ideas, unanswered questions, creative longings, ministry responsibilities, and the quiet awareness that life is precious precisely because it is not endless.

I want to be well. I want to feel strength returning to my body. I want more years with my wife, more years of ministry, more years of creating, more years of discovering the hidden beauty of this world and offering whatever beauty I can in return. I want to continue seeking the goodness of God in the land of the living.

And perhaps that is enough for this birthday: not certainty, not achievement, not proof that everything I have hoped for will come to pass, but the grace to stand at this threshold and say:

I am still here.
I am still seeking.
I am still loving.
I am still imagining.
I am still creating.
I am still hoping.
And by the mercy of God, I am still becoming.

Prayer at Fifty-Nine

God of all my years,
gather the seeker in me.
Strengthen the caregiver in me.
Steady the restless creator in me.
Heal what is weary in me.
Comfort what is afraid in me.
Awaken what is still waiting to be born.

Teach me to receive rest without guilt,
care without embarrassment,
and life itself as grace.

Let this year not be measured only
by what I accomplish,
but by how faithfully I love,
how courageously I create,
how deeply I listen,
and how fully I trust Your goodness.

Give me strength for the road ahead,
joy in the work still before me,
and peace in the knowledge
that I have never walked alone.

May I see Your goodness,
again and again,
in the land of the living.

Amen.

24. Mai: Internationaler UN-Tag des Markhor (Schraubenziege) - von der UN ewrkoren (!). Die Schraubenziege ist das Nationaltier Pakistans. Ihr gefährdeter Bestand hat sich leicht erholt...

https://www.umwelttage.info/umwelttage-im-mai.html#0524b
__
#ziege #markhor #tiere #umwelttage #baldwald #24mai #may24 #unitednations

24. Mai: Internationaler UN-Tag des Markhor (Schraubenziege) - von der UN ewrkoren (!). Die Schraubenziege ist das Nationaltier Pakistans. Ihr gefährdeter Bestand hat sich leicht erholt...

https://www.umwelttage.info/umwelttage-im-mai.html#0524b
__
#ziege #markhor #tiere #umwelttage #baldwald #24mai #may24 #unitednations

24. Mai: Internationaler UN-Tag des Markhor (Schraubenziege) - von der UN erkoren (!). Die Schraubenziege ist das Nationaltier Pakistans. Ihr gefährdeter Bestand hat sich leicht erholt...

https://www.umwelttage.info/umwelttage-im-mai.html#0524b
__
#ziege #markhor #tiere #umwelttage #baldwald #24mai #may24 #unitednations

24. Mai: Internationaler UN-Tag des Markhor (Schraubenziege) - von der UN erkoren (!). Die Schraubenziege ist das Nationaltier Pakistans. Ihr gefährdeter Bestand hat sich leicht erholt...

https://www.umwelttage.info/umwelttage-im-mai.html#0524b
__
#ziege #markhor #tiere #umwelttage #baldwald #24mai #may24 #unitednations

24. Mai: Internationaler UN-Tag des Markhor (Schraubenziege) - von der UN ewrkoren (!). Die Schraubenziege ist das Nationaltier Pakistans. Ihr gefährdeter Bestand hat sich leicht erholt...

https://www.umwelttage.info/umwelttage-im-mai.html#0524b
__
#ziege #markhor #tiere #umwelttage #baldwald #24mai #may24 #unitednations

24. Mai: "Europaweiter Aktionstag der Nationalparks, Biosphärenreservate und Naturparks. Der Tag geht auf den 24. Mai 1909 zurück, als in Schweden neun Nationalparke als erste Schutzgebiete dieser Art in Europa ausgewiesen wurden." Heute wird er als "Sensibilisierungsveranstaltung für Schutzgebiete in Europa" genutzt.

https://www.umwelttage.info/umwelttage-im-mai.html#0524

#park #dayofparks #umwelttage #baldwald #24mai #may24 #parktag

Patio furniture deployed. Plants in dirt. Garage swept. Beers had. Grill hot. Birds singing.

If this isn’t nice I don’t know what is.

#may24

Blinky says Happy #May24 Eh! Even dough it b on da 18th, what's 6 digits btween friends. 🤪
What 2 do in da Kincave.
#trilliums b out in da North trails.
#sunset and harbour b filling up.
Ditto 2 da 1st sentence...

Blinky says Happy #May24 Eh! Even dough it b on da 18th, what's 6 digits btween friends. 🤪
What 2 do in da Kincave.
#trilliums b out in da North trails.
#sunset and harbour b filling up.
Ditto 2 da 1st sentence...

Rex Sacrorum

In ancient Roman religion, the rex sacrorum (“king of the sacred things,” sometimes called rex sacrificulus) was a senatorial priesthood reserved for patricians. The rex sacrorum was based in the Regia.

During the Roman Republic, the rex sacrorum was chosen by the pontifex maximus (the chief high priest of the College of Pontiffs in ancient Rome) from a list of patricians (patricians were originally a group of ruling-class families in ancient Rome) submitted by the College of Pontiffs.

A further requirement was that he be born to parents married through the ritual of confarreatio. This was also the form of marriage he himself had to enter. His wife (the regina sacrorum) also performed religious duties specific to her role. Marriage was such a fundamental part of the priesthood that if the regina died, the rex had to resign. The rex sacrorum was above the pontifex maximus. Although he was more or less a powerless figurehead.

The rex sacrorum wore a toga, the undecorated soft “shoeboot” (calceus), & carried a ceremonial axe. As a priest of the archaic Roman religion, he sacrificed capite velato, with head covered.

The rex held a sacrifice on the Kalends of each month. Kalends is the 1st day of every month in the Roman Calendar. The word ‘calendar’ comes from this word. On the Nones (the Roman Calendar used by the Roman Kingdom & Roman Republic), he announced the dates of festivals for the month.

On March 24 & May 24, he held a sacrifice in the Comitium. The Comitium was the original open-air public meeting space of ancient Rome & had major religious & prophetic significance. In addition to these duties, the rex sacrorum seems to have functioned as the high priest of Janus.

In Rome, the priesthood was deliberately depoliticized. The rex sacrorum wasn’t elected. His inauguration was merely witnessed by a comitia calata, an assembly called for the purpose. The rex was barred from a political & military command. After the overthrow of the Roman kings, the office of rex sacrorum fulfilled at least some of the sacral duties of kingship, with the consuls assuming political power & military command, as well as some sacral functions.

As the wife of the rex sacrorum, the regina sacrorum (“queen of the sacred things”) was a high priestess who carried out ritual duties only she could perform. On the Kalends of every month, the regina presided at the sacrifice of a sow (porca) or female lamb (agna) to Juno. The reginas were equal to their male partners. These 2 priesthood were gender-balanced & had shared duties.

While performing her rituals, the regina wore a headdress called the arculum, formed from a garland of pomegranate twigs tied up with a white woolen thread. The rex & regina sacrorum were required to marry by the ritual of confarreatio, originally reserved for patricians. But after the Lex Canuleia of 445 BC, it’s possible that the regina could’ve been plebeian. Plebeians/plebs were the general body of the free Roman citizens who weren’t patricians.

The office of Rex Sacrorum wasn’t a highly coveted position among the patricians. Although the rex sacrorum was technically superior to the pontiffs, the rank conferred no real political gain. Because of this, there would be some years without a rex sacrorum at all.

By the time of Antony’s civil war, the office was entirely in disuse. But seems to have been revived later by Augustus, as there was mention of it during the empire until it was probably abolished by Theodosius I.

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Make a monthly donation

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Make a yearly donation

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Rate this:

Rex Sacrorum

In ancient Roman religion, the rex sacrorum (“king of the sacred things,” sometimes called rex sacrificulus) was a senatorial priesthood reserved for patricians. The rex sacrorum was based in the Regia.

During the Roman Republic, the rex sacrorum was chosen by the pontifex maximus (the chief high priest of the College of Pontiffs in ancient Rome) from a list of patricians (patricians were originally a group of ruling-class families in ancient Rome) submitted by the College of Pontiffs.

A further requirement was that he be born to parents married through the ritual of confarreatio. This was also the form of marriage he himself had to enter. His wife (the regina sacrorum) also performed religious duties specific to her role. Marriage was such a fundamental part of the priesthood that if the regina died, the rex had to resign. The rex sacrorum was above the pontifex maximus. Although he was more or less a powerless figurehead.

The rex sacrorum wore a toga, the undecorated soft “shoeboot” (calceus), & carried a ceremonial axe. As a priest of the archaic Roman religion, he sacrificed capite velato, with head covered.

The rex held a sacrifice on the Kalends of each month. Kalends is the 1st day of every month in the Roman Calendar. The word ‘calendar’ comes from this word. On the Nones (the Roman Calendar used by the Roman Kingdom & Roman Republic), he announced the dates of festivals for the month.

On March 24 & May 24, he held a sacrifice in the Comitium. The Comitium was the original open-air public meeting space of ancient Rome & had major religious & prophetic significance. In addition to these duties, the rex sacrorum seems to have functioned as the high priest of Janus.

In Rome, the priesthood was deliberately depoliticized. The rex sacrorum wasn’t elected. His inauguration was merely witnessed by a comitia calata, an assembly called for the purpose. The rex was barred from a political & military command. After the overthrow of the Roman kings, the office of rex sacrorum fulfilled at least some of the sacral duties of kingship, with the consuls assuming political power & military command, as well as some sacral functions.

As the wife of the rex sacrorum, the regina sacrorum (“queen of the sacred things”) was a high priestess who carried out ritual duties only she could perform. On the Kalends of every month, the regina presided at the sacrifice of a sow (porca) or female lamb (agna) to Juno. The reginas were equal to their male partners. These 2 priesthood were gender-balanced & had shared duties.

While performing her rituals, the regina wore a headdress called the arculum, formed from a garland of pomegranate twigs tied up with a white woolen thread. The rex & regina sacrorum were required to marry by the ritual of confarreatio, originally reserved for patricians. But after the Lex Canuleia of 445 BC, it’s possible that the regina could’ve been plebeian. Plebeians/plebs were the general body of the free Roman citizens who weren’t patricians.

The office of Rex Sacrorum wasn’t a highly coveted position among the patricians. Although the rex sacrorum was technically superior to the pontiffs, the rank conferred no real political gain. Because of this, there would be some years without a rex sacrorum at all.

By the time of Antony’s civil war, the office was entirely in disuse. But seems to have been revived later by Augustus, as there was mention of it during the empire until it was probably abolished by Theodosius I.

Make a one-time donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Make a monthly donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Make a yearly donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Rate this:

Rex Sacrorum

In ancient Roman religion, the rex sacrorum (“king of the sacred things,” sometimes called rex sacrificulus) was a senatorial priesthood reserved for patricians. The rex sacrorum was based in the Regia.

During the Roman Republic, the rex sacrorum was chosen by the pontifex maximus (the chief high priest of the College of Pontiffs in ancient Rome) from a list of patricians (patricians were originally a group of ruling-class families in ancient Rome) submitted by the College of Pontiffs.

A further requirement was that he be born to parents married through the ritual of confarreatio. This was also the form of marriage he himself had to enter. His wife (the regina sacrorum) also performed religious duties specific to her role. Marriage was such a fundamental part of the priesthood that if the regina died, the rex had to resign. The rex sacrorum was above the pontifex maximus. Although he was more or less a powerless figurehead.

The rex sacrorum wore a toga, the undecorated soft “shoeboot” (calceus), & carried a ceremonial axe. As a priest of the archaic Roman religion, he sacrificed capite velato, with head covered.

The rex held a sacrifice on the Kalends of each month. Kalends is the 1st day of every month in the Roman Calendar. The word ‘calendar’ comes from this word. On the Nones (the Roman Calendar used by the Roman Kingdom & Roman Republic), he announced the dates of festivals for the month.

On March 24 & May 24, he held a sacrifice in the Comitium. The Comitium was the original open-air public meeting space of ancient Rome & had major religious & prophetic significance. In addition to these duties, the rex sacrorum seems to have functioned as the high priest of Janus.

In Rome, the priesthood was deliberately depoliticized. The rex sacrorum wasn’t elected. His inauguration was merely witnessed by a comitia calata, an assembly called for the purpose. The rex was barred from a political & military command. After the overthrow of the Roman kings, the office of rex sacrorum fulfilled at least some of the sacral duties of kingship, with the consuls assuming political power & military command, as well as some sacral functions.

As the wife of the rex sacrorum, the regina sacrorum (“queen of the sacred things”) was a high priestess who carried out ritual duties only she could perform. On the Kalends of every month, the regina presided at the sacrifice of a sow (porca) or female lamb (agna) to Juno. The reginas were equal to their male partners. These 2 priesthood were gender-balanced & had shared duties.

While performing her rituals, the regina wore a headdress called the arculum, formed from a garland of pomegranate twigs tied up with a white woolen thread. The rex & regina sacrorum were required to marry by the ritual of confarreatio, originally reserved for patricians. But after the Lex Canuleia of 445 BC, it’s possible that the regina could’ve been plebeian. Plebeians/plebs were the general body of the free Roman citizens who weren’t patricians.

The office of Rex Sacrorum wasn’t a highly coveted position among the patricians. Although the rex sacrorum was technically superior to the pontiffs, the rank conferred no real political gain. Because of this, there would be some years without a rex sacrorum at all.

By the time of Antony’s civil war, the office was entirely in disuse. But seems to have been revived later by Augustus, as there was mention of it during the empire until it was probably abolished by Theodosius I.

Make a one-time donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Make a monthly donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Make a yearly donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Rate this:

Rex Sacrorum

In ancient Roman religion, the rex sacrorum (“king of the sacred things,” sometimes called rex sacrificulus) was a senatorial priesthood reserved for patricians. The rex sacrorum was based in the Regia.

During the Roman Republic, the rex sacrorum was chosen by the pontifex maximus (the chief high priest of the College of Pontiffs in ancient Rome) from a list of patricians (patricians were originally a group of ruling-class families in ancient Rome) submitted by the College of Pontiffs.

A further requirement was that he be born to parents married through the ritual of confarreatio. This was also the form of marriage he himself had to enter. His wife (the regina sacrorum) also performed religious duties specific to her role. Marriage was such a fundamental part of the priesthood that if the regina died, the rex had to resign. The rex sacrorum was above the pontifex maximus. Although he was more or less a powerless figurehead.

The rex sacrorum wore a toga, the undecorated soft “shoeboot” (calceus), & carried a ceremonial axe. As a priest of the archaic Roman religion, he sacrificed capite velato, with head covered.

The rex held a sacrifice on the Kalends of each month. Kalends is the 1st day of every month in the Roman Calendar. The word ‘calendar’ comes from this word. On the Nones (the Roman Calendar used by the Roman Kingdom & Roman Republic), he announced the dates of festivals for the month.

On March 24 & May 24, he held a sacrifice in the Comitium. The Comitium was the original open-air public meeting space of ancient Rome & had major religious & prophetic significance. In addition to these duties, the rex sacrorum seems to have functioned as the high priest of Janus.

In Rome, the priesthood was deliberately depoliticized. The rex sacrorum wasn’t elected. His inauguration was merely witnessed by a comitia calata, an assembly called for the purpose. The rex was barred from a political & military command. After the overthrow of the Roman kings, the office of rex sacrorum fulfilled at least some of the sacral duties of kingship, with the consuls assuming political power & military command, as well as some sacral functions.

As the wife of the rex sacrorum, the regina sacrorum (“queen of the sacred things”) was a high priestess who carried out ritual duties only she could perform. On the Kalends of every month, the regina presided at the sacrifice of a sow (porca) or female lamb (agna) to Juno. The reginas were equal to their male partners. These 2 priesthood were gender-balanced & had shared duties.

While performing her rituals, the regina wore a headdress called the arculum, formed from a garland of pomegranate twigs tied up with a white woolen thread. The rex & regina sacrorum were required to marry by the ritual of confarreatio, originally reserved for patricians. But after the Lex Canuleia of 445 BC, it’s possible that the regina could’ve been plebeian. Plebeians/plebs were the general body of the free Roman citizens who weren’t patricians.

The office of Rex Sacrorum wasn’t a highly coveted position among the patricians. Although the rex sacrorum was technically superior to the pontiffs, the rank conferred no real political gain. Because of this, there would be some years without a rex sacrorum at all.

By the time of Antony’s civil war, the office was entirely in disuse. But seems to have been revived later by Augustus, as there was mention of it during the empire until it was probably abolished by Theodosius I.

Make a one-time donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Make a monthly donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Make a yearly donation

Your contribution is appreciated.

Rate this:

Rex Sacrorum

In ancient Roman religion, the rex sacrorum (“king of the sacred things,” sometimes called rex sacrificulus) was a senatorial priesthood reserved for patricians. The rex sacrorum was based in the Regia.

During the Roman Republic, the rex sacrorum was chosen by the pontifex maximus (the chief high priest of the College of Pontiffs in ancient Rome) from a list of patricians (patricians were originally a group of ruling-class families in ancient Rome) submitted by the College of Pontiffs.

A further requirement was that he be born to parents married through the ritual of confarreatio. This was also the form of marriage he himself had to enter. His wife (the regina sacrorum) also performed religious duties specific to her role. Marriage was such a fundamental part of the priesthood that if the regina died, the rex had to resign. The rex sacrorum was above the pontifex maximus. Although he was more or less a powerless figurehead.

The rex sacrorum wore a toga, the undecorated soft “shoeboot” (calceus), & carried a ceremonial axe. As a priest of the archaic Roman religion, he sacrificed capite velato, with head covered.

The rex held a sacrifice on the Kalends of each month. Kalends is the 1st day of every month in the Roman Calendar. The word ‘calendar’ comes from this word. On the Nones (the Roman Calendar used by the Roman Kingdom & Roman Republic), he announced the dates of festivals for the month.

On March 24 & May 24, he held a sacrifice in the Comitium. The Comitium was the original open-air public meeting space of ancient Rome & had major religious & prophetic significance. In addition to these duties, the rex sacrorum seems to have functioned as the high priest of Janus.

In Rome, the priesthood was deliberately depoliticized. The rex sacrorum wasn’t elected. His inauguration was merely witnessed by a comitia calata, an assembly called for the purpose. The rex was barred from a political & military command. After the overthrow of the Roman kings, the office of rex sacrorum fulfilled at least some of the sacral duties of kingship, with the consuls assuming political power & military command, as well as some sacral functions.

As the wife of the rex sacrorum, the regina sacrorum (“queen of the sacred things”) was a high priestess who carried out ritual duties only she could perform. On the Kalends of every month, the regina presided at the sacrifice of a sow (porca) or female lamb (agna) to Juno. The reginas were equal to their male partners. These 2 priesthood were gender-balanced & had shared duties.

While performing her rituals, the regina wore a headdress called the arculum, formed from a garland of pomegranate twigs tied up with a white woolen thread. The rex & regina sacrorum were required to marry by the ritual of confarreatio, originally reserved for patricians. But after the Lex Canuleia of 445 BC, it’s possible that the regina could’ve been plebeian. Plebeians/plebs were the general body of the free Roman citizens who weren’t patricians.

The office of Rex Sacrorum wasn’t a highly coveted position among the patricians. Although the rex sacrorum was technically superior to the pontiffs, the rank conferred no real political gain. Because of this, there would be some years without a rex sacrorum at all.

By the time of Antony’s civil war, the office was entirely in disuse. But seems to have been revived later by Augustus, as there was mention of it during the empire until it was probably abolished by Theodosius I.

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Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band announce new tour with stop in Boston https://www.allforgardening.com/1613287/bruce-springsteen-the-e-street-band-announce-new-tour-with-stop-in-boston/ #america #AmericanDemocracy #AmericanFreedom #boston #BruceSpringsteen #D.C. #defense #EStreetBand #Feb.21 #garden #gardener #gardening #hope #LandOfHopeAndDreamsAmericanTour #massachusetts #May24 #NewTour #OwnTdGarden #spring #stop #TdGarden #TourDate #washington #wcvb

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band announce new tour with stop in Boston https://www.allforgardening.com/1613287/bruce-springsteen-the-e-street-band-announce-new-tour-with-stop-in-boston/ #america #AmericanDemocracy #AmericanFreedom #boston #BruceSpringsteen #D.C. #defense #EStreetBand #Feb.21 #garden #gardener #gardening #hope #LandOfHopeAndDreamsAmericanTour #massachusetts #May24 #NewTour #OwnTdGarden #spring #stop #TdGarden #TourDate #washington #wcvb

#MutualAidRequest

UPDATE - Call both Seattle City Atty and King County!

King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion

PHONE: 206-477-1200

EMAIL: [email protected]

Seattle City Attorney Ann Davidson

206-684-8200

#Seattle #PNW #SPD #AnnDavidson #May24 #LeesaManion

#MutualAidRequest

UPDATE - Call both Seattle City Atty and King County!

King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion

PHONE: 206-477-1200

EMAIL: [email protected]

Seattle City Attorney Ann Davidson

206-684-8200

#Seattle #PNW #SPD #AnnDavidson #May24 #LeesaManion

#MutualAidRequest

UPDATE - Call both Seattle City Atty and King County!

King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion

PHONE: 206-477-1200

EMAIL: [email protected]

Seattle City Attorney Ann Davidson

206-684-8200

#Seattle #PNW #SPD #AnnDavidson #May24 #LeesaManion

#MutualAidRequest

UPDATE - Call both Seattle City Atty and King County!

King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion

PHONE: 206-477-1200

EMAIL: [email protected]

Seattle City Attorney Ann Davidson

206-684-8200

#Seattle #PNW #SPD #AnnDavidson #May24 #LeesaManion

#MutualAidRequest

UPDATE - Call both Seattle City Atty and King County!

King County Prosecutor Leesa Manion

PHONE: 206-477-1200

EMAIL: [email protected]

Seattle City Attorney Ann Davidson

206-684-8200

#Seattle #PNW #SPD #AnnDavidson #May24 #LeesaManion

'It's terrorism' — Russia launches one of the heaviest strikes on Kyiv during full-scale war

https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-reported-in-kyiv-amid-russian-drone-attack/

#WarOfAggression #Europa #Ukraine #May24 #army #terrorism #Kyiv #war #Russia #WarCriminal #occupiers #defenders
#перемогаYкраїни

'It's terrorism' — Russia launches one of the heaviest strikes on Kyiv during full-scale war

https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-reported-in-kyiv-amid-russian-drone-attack/

#WarOfAggression #Europa #Ukraine #May24 #army #terrorism #Kyiv #war #Russia #WarCriminal #occupiers #defenders
#перемогаYкраїни

'It's terrorism' — Russia launches one of the heaviest strikes on Kyiv during full-scale war

https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-reported-in-kyiv-amid-russian-drone-attack/

#WarOfAggression #Europa #Ukraine #May24 #army #terrorism #Kyiv #war #Russia #WarCriminal #occupiers #defenders
#перемогаYкраїни

'It's terrorism' — Russia launches one of the heaviest strikes on Kyiv during full-scale war

https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-reported-in-kyiv-amid-russian-drone-attack/

#WarOfAggression #Europa #Ukraine #May24 #army #terrorism #Kyiv #war #Russia #WarCriminal #occupiers #defenders
#перемогаYкраїни

'It's terrorism' — Russia launches one of the heaviest strikes on Kyiv during full-scale war

https://kyivindependent.com/explosions-reported-in-kyiv-amid-russian-drone-attack/

#WarOfAggression #Europa #Ukraine #May24 #army #terrorism #Kyiv #war #Russia #WarCriminal #occupiers #defenders
#перемогаYкраїни

#may24 ► RELEASE SHOW ◄ WET SPINACH, Ambulanz, Ropewalks #Linz #KAPULinz
https://www.kapu.or.at/event/2024/04/18/release-show-wet-spinach-ambulanz-ropewalks

Russia-Ukraine war: Frontline update as of May 24

https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/russia-ukraine-war-frontline-update-as-of-1748066976.html

#WarOfAggression #Europa #Ukraine #May24 #army #update #Frontline #war #Russia #WarCriminal #occupiers #defenders
#перемогаYкраїни

There go the fireworks. #VictoriaDay #May24

My kid’s bedtime is 8:30pm but it’s still too bright outside to play with sparklers.

Guess we’re staying up til 10 tonight 😩

#victoriaday #may24 #toronto #parenting #dadlife

The first Eurovision song contest was held at Lugano, Switzerland on this date in 1956. Seven countries participated and they each sang two songs. Luxembourg and Switzerland used the same singer. Switzerland won with Refrain by Lys Assia.

10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 24 May:

https://topicaltens.blogspot.com/2022/05/24-may.html

#ThisDayInHistory #onthisday #OnThisDate #otd #24may #may24

Happy birthday Queen Vicky, she with the doilies on her head, patron monarch of the great Canadian MAY TWO-FOUR, that glorious annual fireworked barbequed hootin'n'hollerin' celebration of the unique way we Canadians package our beer! 🍺🎆🌭

#May24 #beer #ohCanada

Hey Canada! Have a safe and fun May Two-Four!! ✌️
#Canada #Travel #RV #MayLongWeekend #May24 #LongWeekend #DIY

Dartmoor Prison opened in this date in 1809 as a prison for French prisoners-of-war. The first regular convicts were imprisoned there in 1850.

10 weird and wonderful things which happened on 24 May:

https://topicaltens.blogspot.com/2022/05/24-may.html

#ThisDayInHistory #OnThisDay #OnThisDate #Today #OTD #24May #May24

Listening to Stephen Quinn and Lisa Christiansen explain what a "2-4" is on the #CBCEarlyEdition this morning, and why it's the May 2-4 weekend. Feeling old. #VictoriaDay #May24

Naxen – Descending Into a Deeper Darkness Review

By Dear Hollow

Last we met Germany’s Naxen, we were deep in the swills of the pandemic lockdown here in the States. Released in June of 2020, debut full-length Towards the Tomb of Times was a solid black metal affair that I gleefully awarded a 3.5 but just never listened to again. Not that it was bad by any means, but it did not have the staying power I expected. The trio exists in the cross-section of black metal, adhering to hints of melodic black and death metal, but is pure unadulterated black metal. As such, aside from the act’s adoration of alliteration, we’ve got ourselves a neat lil’ blackened number.

Naxen has been around the blackened block, having released alliterative albums since 2018, including EPs To Abide in Ancient Abysses, Of Fainting Faith in Futile Flesh, and The Perilous Path of Pain as well as 2020’s debut. If you know black metal, there’s really nothing terribly unique about Descending Into a Deeper Darkness, but that’s okay. Semi-raw, semi-dense tremolo and heavy guitar grooves dance about the ears with harsh rasps, while percussion varies between funereal plods and blazing blastbeats. United by a feeling of melancholy founded in more depressive interpretations, Naxen offers us a rock-solid black metal album that ascends its alliterative antecedent by an awful amount.

Comprising four tracks with lengthier compositions dominated by diminished chord progressions, songs are smartly composed and neatly executed. Naxen attacks with a blend of scathing and riffy, balanced by sustained melodic plucking that adds a beating heart to the mid-tempo attack. The melodic layers of guitar plucking in the closing portion of “Our Souls Shall Fall Forever” or the heart-wrenching melodic template of “Triumphant Tongue of a Thousand Swords,” for instance, make their respective attacks extremely memorable in the balance of melody and shredding punishment – seriously, the latter really provided the scratch to the brain I needed. These two are most solid, while the fluid movements of “To Writhe in the Womb of Night” revel in a Trist-esque tremolo buzz while shapes of vocals and melody emerge and submerge around it, including an immense percussive presence that feels nimble and pummeling in its necessary measures. The most traditionally punishing track is “A Shadow in the Fire – Pt. III (A Life Led by Loss),” more punky upbeat drumming colliding with barbed-wire tones of drawling guitar, stinging melodies, and rabid percussion fills.

There is little to complain about in terms of the album at large or Naxen’s performance, but it likely should go without saying that four tracks with massive track lengths require a fair amount of patience. As fluid and smartly composed as “To Writhe in the Womb of Night” is, for instance, its melodic approach does not hold up as well as “Triumphant Tongue of a Thousand Swords,” and it grows old quicker over nine minutes than the latter’s fourteen, while the melodies in “A Shadow in the Fire…” can feel directionless in comparison to its more crushing moments as well as its successor in the closing opus. As with its debut, Naxen exists in the shadow of the early 2010s black metal releases of the likes of Altar of Plagues, Svartidauði, or Wolves in the Throne Room, whose more protracted lengths added up to greater breathing room and dynamic growth for both contemplative and punishment, but it still requires a fair amount of patience to sit through.

Naxen will not change your mind about black metal, but they also don’t make any pretense about doing so. It’s black metal with a melodic sensibility and an ear for dynamic songwriting, nothing more and nothing less. The bookends are the undisputed highlights in expert balance of melody, crunch, and shred, although the relatively weaker middle portions feature neat punishment and fluid songwriting themselves. In the end, Descending Into a Deeper Darkness is far from mediocre, but its alliterative bad self doesn’t do its duty in decreasing black metal dread. If you are a black metal fan, dive deep into Descending Into a Deeper Darkness, never neglecting Naxen.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Vendetta Records
Websites: naxen.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/naxenbm
Releases Worldwide: May 3rd, 2024

#2024 #30 #AltarOfPlagues #BlackMetal #DescendingIntoADeeperDarkness #DSBM #GermanMetal #May24 #MelodicBlackMetal #Naxen #Review #Reviews #Svartidauði #Trist #VendettaRecords #WolvesInTheThroneRoom

Naxen – Descending Into a Deeper Darkness Review

By Dear Hollow

Last we met Germany’s Naxen, we were deep in the swills of the pandemic lockdown here in the States. Released in June of 2020, debut full-length Towards the Tomb of Times was a solid black metal affair that I gleefully awarded a 3.5 but just never listened to again. Not that it was bad by any means, but it did not have the staying power I expected. The trio exists in the cross-section of black metal, adhering to hints of melodic black and death metal, but is pure unadulterated black metal. As such, aside from the act’s adoration of alliteration, we’ve got ourselves a neat lil’ blackened number.

Naxen has been around the blackened block, having released alliterative albums since 2018, including EPs To Abide in Ancient Abysses, Of Fainting Faith in Futile Flesh, and The Perilous Path of Pain as well as 2020’s debut. If you know black metal, there’s really nothing terribly unique about Descending Into a Deeper Darkness, but that’s okay. Semi-raw, semi-dense tremolo and heavy guitar grooves dance about the ears with harsh rasps, while percussion varies between funereal plods and blazing blastbeats. United by a feeling of melancholy founded in more depressive interpretations, Naxen offers us a rock-solid black metal album that ascends its alliterative antecedent by an awful amount.

Comprising four tracks with lengthier compositions dominated by diminished chord progressions, songs are smartly composed and neatly executed. Naxen attacks with a blend of scathing and riffy, balanced by sustained melodic plucking that adds a beating heart to the mid-tempo attack. The melodic layers of guitar plucking in the closing portion of “Our Souls Shall Fall Forever” or the heart-wrenching melodic template of “Triumphant Tongue of a Thousand Swords,” for instance, make their respective attacks extremely memorable in the balance of melody and shredding punishment – seriously, the latter really provided the scratch to the brain I needed. These two are most solid, while the fluid movements of “To Writhe in the Womb of Night” revel in a Trist-esque tremolo buzz while shapes of vocals and melody emerge and submerge around it, including an immense percussive presence that feels nimble and pummeling in its necessary measures. The most traditionally punishing track is “A Shadow in the Fire – Pt. III (A Life Led by Loss),” more punky upbeat drumming colliding with barbed-wire tones of drawling guitar, stinging melodies, and rabid percussion fills.

There is little to complain about in terms of the album at large or Naxen’s performance, but it likely should go without saying that four tracks with massive track lengths require a fair amount of patience. As fluid and smartly composed as “To Writhe in the Womb of Night” is, for instance, its melodic approach does not hold up as well as “Triumphant Tongue of a Thousand Swords,” and it grows old quicker over nine minutes than the latter’s fourteen, while the melodies in “A Shadow in the Fire…” can feel directionless in comparison to its more crushing moments as well as its successor in the closing opus. As with its debut, Naxen exists in the shadow of the early 2010s black metal releases of the likes of Altar of Plagues, Svartidauði, or Wolves in the Throne Room, whose more protracted lengths added up to greater breathing room and dynamic growth for both contemplative and punishment, but it still requires a fair amount of patience to sit through.

Naxen will not change your mind about black metal, but they also don’t make any pretense about doing so. It’s black metal with a melodic sensibility and an ear for dynamic songwriting, nothing more and nothing less. The bookends are the undisputed highlights in expert balance of melody, crunch, and shred, although the relatively weaker middle portions feature neat punishment and fluid songwriting themselves. In the end, Descending Into a Deeper Darkness is far from mediocre, but its alliterative bad self doesn’t do its duty in decreasing black metal dread. If you are a black metal fan, dive deep into Descending Into a Deeper Darkness, never neglecting Naxen.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Vendetta Records
Websites: naxen.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/naxenbm
Releases Worldwide: May 3rd, 2024

#2024 #30 #AltarOfPlagues #BlackMetal #DescendingIntoADeeperDarkness #DSBM #GermanMetal #May24 #MelodicBlackMetal #Naxen #Review #Reviews #Svartidauði #Trist #VendettaRecords #WolvesInTheThroneRoom

Naxen – Descending Into a Deeper Darkness Review

By Dear Hollow

Last we met Germany’s Naxen, we were deep in the swills of the pandemic lockdown here in the States. Released in June of 2020, debut full-length Towards the Tomb of Times was a solid black metal affair that I gleefully awarded a 3.5 but just never listened to again. Not that it was bad by any means, but it did not have the staying power I expected. The trio exists in the cross-section of black metal, adhering to hints of melodic black and death metal, but is pure unadulterated black metal. As such, aside from the act’s adoration of alliteration, we’ve got ourselves a neat lil’ blackened number.

Naxen has been around the blackened block, having released alliterative albums since 2018, including EPs To Abide in Ancient Abysses, Of Fainting Faith in Futile Flesh, and The Perilous Path of Pain as well as 2020’s debut. If you know black metal, there’s really nothing terribly unique about Descending Into a Deeper Darkness, but that’s okay. Semi-raw, semi-dense tremolo and heavy guitar grooves dance about the ears with harsh rasps, while percussion varies between funereal plods and blazing blastbeats. United by a feeling of melancholy founded in more depressive interpretations, Naxen offers us a rock-solid black metal album that ascends its alliterative antecedent by an awful amount.

Comprising four tracks with lengthier compositions dominated by diminished chord progressions, songs are smartly composed and neatly executed. Naxen attacks with a blend of scathing and riffy, balanced by sustained melodic plucking that adds a beating heart to the mid-tempo attack. The melodic layers of guitar plucking in the closing portion of “Our Souls Shall Fall Forever” or the heart-wrenching melodic template of “Triumphant Tongue of a Thousand Swords,” for instance, make their respective attacks extremely memorable in the balance of melody and shredding punishment – seriously, the latter really provided the scratch to the brain I needed. These two are most solid, while the fluid movements of “To Writhe in the Womb of Night” revel in a Trist-esque tremolo buzz while shapes of vocals and melody emerge and submerge around it, including an immense percussive presence that feels nimble and pummeling in its necessary measures. The most traditionally punishing track is “A Shadow in the Fire – Pt. III (A Life Led by Loss),” more punky upbeat drumming colliding with barbed-wire tones of drawling guitar, stinging melodies, and rabid percussion fills.

There is little to complain about in terms of the album at large or Naxen’s performance, but it likely should go without saying that four tracks with massive track lengths require a fair amount of patience. As fluid and smartly composed as “To Writhe in the Womb of Night” is, for instance, its melodic approach does not hold up as well as “Triumphant Tongue of a Thousand Swords,” and it grows old quicker over nine minutes than the latter’s fourteen, while the melodies in “A Shadow in the Fire…” can feel directionless in comparison to its more crushing moments as well as its successor in the closing opus. As with its debut, Naxen exists in the shadow of the early 2010s black metal releases of the likes of Altar of Plagues, Svartidauði, or Wolves in the Throne Room, whose more protracted lengths added up to greater breathing room and dynamic growth for both contemplative and punishment, but it still requires a fair amount of patience to sit through.

Naxen will not change your mind about black metal, but they also don’t make any pretense about doing so. It’s black metal with a melodic sensibility and an ear for dynamic songwriting, nothing more and nothing less. The bookends are the undisputed highlights in expert balance of melody, crunch, and shred, although the relatively weaker middle portions feature neat punishment and fluid songwriting themselves. In the end, Descending Into a Deeper Darkness is far from mediocre, but its alliterative bad self doesn’t do its duty in decreasing black metal dread. If you are a black metal fan, dive deep into Descending Into a Deeper Darkness, never neglecting Naxen.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Vendetta Records
Websites: naxen.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/naxenbm
Releases Worldwide: May 3rd, 2024

#2024 #30 #AltarOfPlagues #BlackMetal #DescendingIntoADeeperDarkness #DSBM #GermanMetal #May24 #MelodicBlackMetal #Naxen #Review #Reviews #Svartidauði #Trist #VendettaRecords #WolvesInTheThroneRoom

My Silent Wake – Lost in Memories, Lost in Grief Review

By Saunders

England’s long-running doom act My Silent Wake started slinging old-timey doom tunes since forming in 2005. My Silent Wake boasts an impressively lengthy track record, culminating in their twelfth opus of sadboi gloom, Lost in Memories, Lost in Grief, complete with a side of death and Gothic romanticism. I came across the band on their solid tenth album There Was Death in 2018, dipping into the promo sump blindly and initially thinking I stumbled across a newer, untapped gem to spread the gospel. A bit of research uncovered their storied recording past. There Was Death didn’t inspire enough interest to do a deep dive, however, it left me satisfied with the rich, slab of doomy goodness, bringing modern flavorings and character to Peaceville Three influences, most prominently My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost. I missed 2020’s follow-up, Damnum per Saeculorum (an ambient, experimental excursion), now reconnecting and crossing fingers for a doom album to reach into my soul and bring the feels.

One key criticism of There Was Death related to the significant bloat present, detracting from the more solidly written and compelling material. The band continues to dabble in longer form cuts, pushing upwards of six minutes on half the eight songs present, yet the whole package runs more concisely at a manageable 43 minutes. Immediately the band’s experience and confident grasp of their well-trodden formula is apparent on opener “The Liar and the Fool.” The subdued, almost spoken word opening rolls out the Gothic drama, before kicking into a hefty mid-paced groove adorned with groovy riffs, prominent organ, and dueling vocals. Main growler Ian Arkley (also on guitars) possesses a suitably thick, hearty death growl perfectly befitting the old school death-doom style. Meanwhile, the stately, drama-fueled cleans of the organ-wielding Simon Bibby provide the epic, harmonizing melodic counterpoint, forming a potent combo.

My Silent Wake’s rich, heaving sound comes awash in gloomy atmospheres and crimson-dipped Gothic melancholy, without falling into overly bleak, depressing realms. The well-executed vocal tag team, rich mix of chunky, organ-drenched death grooves, and dreary doom dynamics lend the album an energetic, striking dynamic, backed by engaging guitar work, sorrowful melodies, and earworm hooks. Bibby’s increased role on dual lead vocals is a significant change-up, his dramatic, powerful cleans responsible for many rousing moments across the album, though at times they slightly detract from the meaty old school growls of Arkley. Listeners not down with Bibby’s style may find his increased involvement a potential sticking point. However, it’s hard to argue with some of the strikingly infectious vocal melodies and beauty vs beast harmonies scattered amidst the doom and gloom.

“Lavender Garden” supplies heroic vocal hooks and emotional weight in spades. It’s rugged grooves and sprightly pacing serve a well-constructed song that lodges itself in the brain. “When You Look Back” will please death-doom purists. Despite featuring some clean singing, the song heavily relies on Arkley’s impassioned death vox, settling into a mournful, doomy cadence, with strong results. Elsewhere, “Another Light” picks up the pace and jam packs lots of energy, deathly crunch, and bright, organ-dabbled grooves into the mix. There are no real clunkers to speak of, though album pacing is a bit off on occasions and bloat appears on a couple of lengthier later album tunes (“The Last Lullaby” and “No Time”). I could also do without the occasional spoken word moments. Thankfully, closer “The Judges” concludes the album in a compact, satisfying manner, combining a morose atmosphere with excellent dual vocal harmonies and beautifully soulful guitar work.

Surrounded by his accomplished bandmates, Arkley remains the key figure steering the doom ship. His formidable growls ground the band in deathlier territory and ensure the increased melodic tendencies do not overshadow My Silent Wake’s darker, heftier throes. Arkley’s guitar work is also top-notch, straddling death-doom lines and integrating chunky, harder-hitting riffs amidst the deft melodic touches. My Silent Wake may not be positioned at the forefront of the modern doom scene. However, from my limited exposure to their extensive catalog they are a spirited, gifted act. Proudly wearing their influences on their sleeves, My Silent Wake boast enough character and songwriting smarts to carve their own niche in the retro-minded Goth-tinged doom space. Lost in Memories, Lost in Grief is a warm, inviting and endearingly solid slab of catchy death-doom, well worth a listen.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Ardua Music
Websites: mysilentwake2.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/mysilentwake
Releases Worldwide: May 3rd, 2024

#2024 #ArduaMusic #DeathDoomMetal #DoomMetal #EnglishMetal #GothicDoom #LostInGrief #LostInMemories #May24 #MyDyingBride #MySilentWake #ParadiseLost #Review #Reviews

My Silent Wake – Lost in Memories, Lost in Grief Review

By Saunders

England’s long-running doom act My Silent Wake started slinging old-timey doom tunes since forming in 2005. My Silent Wake boasts an impressively lengthy track record, culminating in their twelfth opus of sadboi gloom, Lost in Memories, Lost in Grief, complete with a side of death and Gothic romanticism. I came across the band on their solid tenth album There Was Death in 2018, dipping into the promo sump blindly and initially thinking I stumbled across a newer, untapped gem to spread the gospel. A bit of research uncovered their storied recording past. There Was Death didn’t inspire enough interest to do a deep dive, however, it left me satisfied with the rich, slab of doomy goodness, bringing modern flavorings and character to Peaceville Three influences, most prominently My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost. I missed 2020’s follow-up, Damnum per Saeculorum (an ambient, experimental excursion), now reconnecting and crossing fingers for a doom album to reach into my soul and bring the feels.

One key criticism of There Was Death related to the significant bloat present, detracting from the more solidly written and compelling material. The band continues to dabble in longer form cuts, pushing upwards of six minutes on half the eight songs present, yet the whole package runs more concisely at a manageable 43 minutes. Immediately the band’s experience and confident grasp of their well-trodden formula is apparent on opener “The Liar and the Fool.” The subdued, almost spoken word opening rolls out the Gothic drama, before kicking into a hefty mid-paced groove adorned with groovy riffs, prominent organ, and dueling vocals. Main growler Ian Arkley (also on guitars) possesses a suitably thick, hearty death growl perfectly befitting the old school death-doom style. Meanwhile, the stately, drama-fueled cleans of the organ-wielding Simon Bibby provide the epic, harmonizing melodic counterpoint, forming a potent combo.

My Silent Wake’s rich, heaving sound comes awash in gloomy atmospheres and crimson-dipped Gothic melancholy, without falling into overly bleak, depressing realms. The well-executed vocal tag team, rich mix of chunky, organ-drenched death grooves, and dreary doom dynamics lend the album an energetic, striking dynamic, backed by engaging guitar work, sorrowful melodies, and earworm hooks. Bibby’s increased role on dual lead vocals is a significant change-up, his dramatic, powerful cleans responsible for many rousing moments across the album, though at times they slightly detract from the meaty old school growls of Arkley. Listeners not down with Bibby’s style may find his increased involvement a potential sticking point. However, it’s hard to argue with some of the strikingly infectious vocal melodies and beauty vs beast harmonies scattered amidst the doom and gloom.

“Lavender Garden” supplies heroic vocal hooks and emotional weight in spades. It’s rugged grooves and sprightly pacing serve a well-constructed song that lodges itself in the brain. “When You Look Back” will please death-doom purists. Despite featuring some clean singing, the song heavily relies on Arkley’s impassioned death vox, settling into a mournful, doomy cadence, with strong results. Elsewhere, “Another Light” picks up the pace and jam packs lots of energy, deathly crunch, and bright, organ-dabbled grooves into the mix. There are no real clunkers to speak of, though album pacing is a bit off on occasions and bloat appears on a couple of lengthier later album tunes (“The Last Lullaby” and “No Time”). I could also do without the occasional spoken word moments. Thankfully, closer “The Judges” concludes the album in a compact, satisfying manner, combining a morose atmosphere with excellent dual vocal harmonies and beautifully soulful guitar work.

Surrounded by his accomplished bandmates, Arkley remains the key figure steering the doom ship. His formidable growls ground the band in deathlier territory and ensure the increased melodic tendencies do not overshadow My Silent Wake’s darker, heftier throes. Arkley’s guitar work is also top-notch, straddling death-doom lines and integrating chunky, harder-hitting riffs amidst the deft melodic touches. My Silent Wake may not be positioned at the forefront of the modern doom scene. However, from my limited exposure to their extensive catalog they are a spirited, gifted act. Proudly wearing their influences on their sleeves, My Silent Wake boast enough character and songwriting smarts to carve their own niche in the retro-minded Goth-tinged doom space. Lost in Memories, Lost in Grief is a warm, inviting and endearingly solid slab of catchy death-doom, well worth a listen.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Ardua Music
Websites: mysilentwake2.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/mysilentwake
Releases Worldwide: May 3rd, 2024

#2024 #ArduaMusic #DeathDoomMetal #DoomMetal #EnglishMetal #GothicDoom #LostInGrief #LostInMemories #May24 #MyDyingBride #MySilentWake #ParadiseLost #Review #Reviews

My Silent Wake – Lost in Memories, Lost in Grief Review

By Saunders

England’s long-running doom act My Silent Wake started slinging old-timey doom tunes since forming in 2005. My Silent Wake boasts an impressively lengthy track record, culminating in their twelfth opus of sadboi gloom, Lost in Memories, Lost in Grief, complete with a side of death and Gothic romanticism. I came across the band on their solid tenth album There Was Death in 2018, dipping into the promo sump blindly and initially thinking I stumbled across a newer, untapped gem to spread the gospel. A bit of research uncovered their storied recording past. There Was Death didn’t inspire enough interest to do a deep dive, however, it left me satisfied with the rich, slab of doomy goodness, bringing modern flavorings and character to Peaceville Three influences, most prominently My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost. I missed 2020’s follow-up, Damnum per Saeculorum (an ambient, experimental excursion), now reconnecting and crossing fingers for a doom album to reach into my soul and bring the feels.

One key criticism of There Was Death related to the significant bloat present, detracting from the more solidly written and compelling material. The band continues to dabble in longer form cuts, pushing upwards of six minutes on half the eight songs present, yet the whole package runs more concisely at a manageable 43 minutes. Immediately the band’s experience and confident grasp of their well-trodden formula is apparent on opener “The Liar and the Fool.” The subdued, almost spoken word opening rolls out the Gothic drama, before kicking into a hefty mid-paced groove adorned with groovy riffs, prominent organ, and dueling vocals. Main growler Ian Arkley (also on guitars) possesses a suitably thick, hearty death growl perfectly befitting the old school death-doom style. Meanwhile, the stately, drama-fueled cleans of the organ-wielding Simon Bibby provide the epic, harmonizing melodic counterpoint, forming a potent combo.

My Silent Wake’s rich, heaving sound comes awash in gloomy atmospheres and crimson-dipped Gothic melancholy, without falling into overly bleak, depressing realms. The well-executed vocal tag team, rich mix of chunky, organ-drenched death grooves, and dreary doom dynamics lend the album an energetic, striking dynamic, backed by engaging guitar work, sorrowful melodies, and earworm hooks. Bibby’s increased role on dual lead vocals is a significant change-up, his dramatic, powerful cleans responsible for many rousing moments across the album, though at times they slightly detract from the meaty old school growls of Arkley. Listeners not down with Bibby’s style may find his increased involvement a potential sticking point. However, it’s hard to argue with some of the strikingly infectious vocal melodies and beauty vs beast harmonies scattered amidst the doom and gloom.

“Lavender Garden” supplies heroic vocal hooks and emotional weight in spades. It’s rugged grooves and sprightly pacing serve a well-constructed song that lodges itself in the brain. “When You Look Back” will please death-doom purists. Despite featuring some clean singing, the song heavily relies on Arkley’s impassioned death vox, settling into a mournful, doomy cadence, with strong results. Elsewhere, “Another Light” picks up the pace and jam packs lots of energy, deathly crunch, and bright, organ-dabbled grooves into the mix. There are no real clunkers to speak of, though album pacing is a bit off on occasions and bloat appears on a couple of lengthier later album tunes (“The Last Lullaby” and “No Time”). I could also do without the occasional spoken word moments. Thankfully, closer “The Judges” concludes the album in a compact, satisfying manner, combining a morose atmosphere with excellent dual vocal harmonies and beautifully soulful guitar work.

Surrounded by his accomplished bandmates, Arkley remains the key figure steering the doom ship. His formidable growls ground the band in deathlier territory and ensure the increased melodic tendencies do not overshadow My Silent Wake’s darker, heftier throes. Arkley’s guitar work is also top-notch, straddling death-doom lines and integrating chunky, harder-hitting riffs amidst the deft melodic touches. My Silent Wake may not be positioned at the forefront of the modern doom scene. However, from my limited exposure to their extensive catalog they are a spirited, gifted act. Proudly wearing their influences on their sleeves, My Silent Wake boast enough character and songwriting smarts to carve their own niche in the retro-minded Goth-tinged doom space. Lost in Memories, Lost in Grief is a warm, inviting and endearingly solid slab of catchy death-doom, well worth a listen.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Ardua Music
Websites: mysilentwake2.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/mysilentwake
Releases Worldwide: May 3rd, 2024

#2024 #ArduaMusic #DeathDoomMetal #DoomMetal #EnglishMetal #GothicDoom #LostInGrief #LostInMemories #May24 #MyDyingBride #MySilentWake #ParadiseLost #Review #Reviews

Nocturnus AD – Unicursal Review

By Steel Druhm

The memories of my first spin of Nocturnus’ seminal debut The Key way back in 1990 are still fresh in my ancient brain. In a time when death metal was still fairly new and evolving in different directions, the quirky and inventive sci-fi style of Nocturnus made an impression. Formed by Morbid Angel ex-pat Mike Browning, his brainchild was different and dynamic. It sounded like nothing that came before and promised a new world of musical adventure. Sadly, that promise was never completely fulfilled. 1992s Thresholds was less interesting, and by the time 1999 Ethereal Tomb showed up, the thrill was gone. When Browning reformed his project as Nocturnus AD and dropped 2019s Paradox, it ignited a fresh rush of possibility. Was this the long-awaited successor to The Key? Sadly, it was not, though it was a rip-roaring dose of proggy death with a grand scope. Now we get Unicursal and like its predecessor, the ambition is on full display as Browning and company strive to create a new world of unusual soundscapes. It’s an hour of wild time signatures, twisting tempo shifts, and enough technical chops to overdose on, but is it the Nocturnus album we dream about like so many electric sheep?

With the same lineup that made Paradox such a wild ride, Nocturnus AD come out swinging with confidence and swagger on proper opener “The Ascension Throne of Osiris.” No time is wasted blasting you with frantic riffs that constantly mutate, and it’s easy to hear nods to the early days as the band runs amok. It’s satisfyingly heavy and quite linear, driven by a collection of effective riffs and Browning’s kinda-sorta harsh vocals. The keyboards are still very present, lending atmosphere and a cinematic dimension. It leaves you excited for what’s to come and shows the band is tight, mean, and hungry. “CephaloGod” keeps the positive momentum with a thrashy attack and a respectable number of twists and turns, but as things progress, Browning’s uniform, staccato shout-vocals start becoming tedious. Things don’t go completely prog-wonky until the nearly 9 minutes of “Mesolithic” arrive. Here we wander from tribal drumming through progressive tech-thrash segments that remind of Atheist one minute, and Mordred and Faith No More the next. As riffs swirl and corkscrew in dizzying patterns, cinematic keyboards swell and crest, making for impressive moments. As a song, however, it sometimes feels stitched and bolted together like some kind of space-age Frankenstein.

The best moments arrive on the back half of the album, which continues Paradox’s saga of Dr. Magus and his quest to conquer the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. “Mission Malkuth” runs heavier and meaner with references to The Key more obviously as it plows your lawn with wild riffs and ever-shifting tempos. There’s a grand scale to the music that commands your attention, the thrashy leads have bite and heft, but things run too long at over 7 minutes. “Hod, the Stellar Light” is the high point, with a thrashy energy that recalls Vektor’s best moments and the music also nods to Dimension Hatross era Voivod. “Netzach, the Fire of Victory” is probably the least impactful main track, with a sleepy, stop-start, slow-fast dynamic that never seems to evolve meaningfully. The instrumental outro that follows is also underwhelming and I’m not a fan of its 1950s sci-fi keyboards which read as cheeeball rather than quaintly retro. The combined 11-plus minutes of these so-so final tracks end Unicursal with a tired whimper. With an hour of dense prog/tech misbehavior, Unicursal feels like too much of a wild thing, and by the time I get to the end, I’m plenty fatigued. Excessive lengths partially undermine good songs, but this is prog so that’s to be expected. Some self-editing would have gone a long way regardless.

The talent here is unquestionable. Demian Heftel and William Koblak are insane guitar phenoms bringing endless streams of technical thunder to the material. They craft sharp thrash leads, amazing harmonies, and jaw-dropping solos. It would be hard to ask more of them. Josh Holdren’s keyboards are interesting and versatile, adding muted textures and prominent cinematic flourishes as the songs may require. At times the push-pull between the heavy guitars and the melodic keys can become awkward but more often it creates a fascinating tension. Unfortunately, Mike Browning’s vocals don’t add much to the musical maelstrom. He no longer does death vocals and his mostly powerless delivery sits between spoken word and monotone shouting. Where he used a blackened snarl on much of Paradox with backing guttural death roars from William Koblak, that’s all gone now. It’s the main weakness here and it saps vitality and danger from the sound.

I didn’t come in expecting Unicursal to recapture the magic of the past, though there are flashes of that ancient brilliance. Nocturnus AD isn’t really playing death metal anymore and I wish this was much heavier, but it’s a mostly fun, energetic outing sure to please fans of techy thrash. Now go blast The Key.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Profound Lore
Websites: facebook.com/nocturnusad | instagram.com/nocturnusad
Releases Worldwide: May 17th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #Atheist #May24 #NocturnusAD #Paradox #ProfoundLoreRecords #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveThrashMetal #Review #Reviews #TechnicalThrashMetal #TheKey #Unicursal #Voivod

Nocturnus AD – Unicursal Review

By Steel Druhm

The memories of my first spin of Nocturnus’ seminal debut The Key way back in 1990 are still fresh in my ancient brain. In a time when death metal was still fairly new and evolving in different directions, the quirky and inventive sci-fi style of Nocturnus made an impression. Formed by Morbid Angel ex-pat Mike Browning, his brainchild was different and dynamic. It sounded like nothing that came before and promised a new world of musical adventure. Sadly, that promise was never completely fulfilled. 1992s Thresholds was less interesting, and by the time 1999 Ethereal Tomb showed up, the thrill was gone. When Browning reformed his project as Nocturnus AD and dropped 2019s Paradox, it ignited a fresh rush of possibility. Was this the long-awaited successor to The Key? Sadly, it was not, though it was a rip-roaring dose of proggy death with a grand scope. Now we get Unicursal and like its predecessor, the ambition is on full display as Browning and company strive to create a new world of unusual soundscapes. It’s an hour of wild time signatures, twisting tempo shifts, and enough technical chops to overdose on, but is it the Nocturnus album we dream about like so many electric sheep?

With the same lineup that made Paradox such a wild ride, Nocturnus AD come out swinging with confidence and swagger on proper opener “The Ascension Throne of Osiris.” No time is wasted blasting you with frantic riffs that constantly mutate, and it’s easy to hear nods to the early days as the band runs amok. It’s satisfyingly heavy and quite linear, driven by a collection of effective riffs and Browning’s kinda-sorta harsh vocals. The keyboards are still very present, lending atmosphere and a cinematic dimension. It leaves you excited for what’s to come and shows the band is tight, mean, and hungry. “CephaloGod” keeps the positive momentum with a thrashy attack and a respectable number of twists and turns, but as things progress, Browning’s uniform, staccato shout-vocals start becoming tedious. Things don’t go completely prog-wonky until the nearly 9 minutes of “Mesolithic” arrive. Here we wander from tribal drumming through progressive tech-thrash segments that remind of Atheist one minute, and Mordred and Faith No More the next. As riffs swirl and corkscrew in dizzying patterns, cinematic keyboards swell and crest, making for impressive moments. As a song, however, it sometimes feels stitched and bolted together like some kind of space-age Frankenstein.

The best moments arrive on the back half of the album, which continues Paradox’s saga of Dr. Magus and his quest to conquer the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. “Mission Malkuth” runs heavier and meaner with references to The Key more obviously as it plows your lawn with wild riffs and ever-shifting tempos. There’s a grand scale to the music that commands your attention, the thrashy leads have bite and heft, but things run too long at over 7 minutes. “Hod, the Stellar Light” is the high point, with a thrashy energy that recalls Vektor’s best moments and the music also nods to Dimension Hatross era Voivod. “Netzach, the Fire of Victory” is probably the least impactful main track, with a sleepy, stop-start, slow-fast dynamic that never seems to evolve meaningfully. The instrumental outro that follows is also underwhelming and I’m not a fan of its 1950s sci-fi keyboards which read as cheeeball rather than quaintly retro. The combined 11-plus minutes of these so-so final tracks end Unicursal with a tired whimper. With an hour of dense prog/tech misbehavior, Unicursal feels like too much of a wild thing, and by the time I get to the end, I’m plenty fatigued. Excessive lengths partially undermine good songs, but this is prog so that’s to be expected. Some self-editing would have gone a long way regardless.

The talent here is unquestionable. Demian Heftel and William Koblak are insane guitar phenoms bringing endless streams of technical thunder to the material. They craft sharp thrash leads, amazing harmonies, and jaw-dropping solos. It would be hard to ask more of them. Josh Holdren’s keyboards are interesting and versatile, adding muted textures and prominent cinematic flourishes as the songs may require. At times the push-pull between the heavy guitars and the melodic keys can become awkward but more often it creates a fascinating tension. Unfortunately, Mike Browning’s vocals don’t add much to the musical maelstrom. He no longer does death vocals and his mostly powerless delivery sits between spoken word and monotone shouting. Where he used a blackened snarl on much of Paradox with backing guttural death roars from William Koblak, that’s all gone now. It’s the main weakness here and it saps vitality and danger from the sound.

I didn’t come in expecting Unicursal to recapture the magic of the past, though there are flashes of that ancient brilliance. Nocturnus AD isn’t really playing death metal anymore and I wish this was much heavier, but it’s a mostly fun, energetic outing sure to please fans of techy thrash. Now go blast The Key.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Profound Lore
Websites: facebook.com/nocturnusad | instagram.com/nocturnusad
Releases Worldwide: May 17th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #Atheist #May24 #NocturnusAD #Paradox #ProfoundLoreRecords #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveThrashMetal #Review #Reviews #TechnicalThrashMetal #TheKey #Unicursal #Voivod

Nocturnus AD – Unicursal Review

By Steel Druhm

The memories of my first spin of Nocturnus’ seminal debut The Key way back in 1990 are still fresh in my ancient brain. In a time when death metal was still fairly new and evolving in different directions, the quirky and inventive sci-fi style of Nocturnus made an impression. Formed by Morbid Angel ex-pat Mike Browning, his brainchild was different and dynamic. It sounded like nothing that came before and promised a new world of musical adventure. Sadly, that promise was never completely fulfilled. 1992s Thresholds was less interesting, and by the time 1999 Ethereal Tomb showed up, the thrill was gone. When Browning reformed his project as Nocturnus AD and dropped 2019s Paradox, it ignited a fresh rush of possibility. Was this the long-awaited successor to The Key? Sadly, it was not, though it was a rip-roaring dose of proggy death with a grand scope. Now we get Unicursal and like its predecessor, the ambition is on full display as Browning and company strive to create a new world of unusual soundscapes. It’s an hour of wild time signatures, twisting tempo shifts, and enough technical chops to overdose on, but is it the Nocturnus album we dream about like so many electric sheep?

With the same lineup that made Paradox such a wild ride, Nocturnus AD come out swinging with confidence and swagger on proper opener “The Ascension Throne of Osiris.” No time is wasted blasting you with frantic riffs that constantly mutate, and it’s easy to hear nods to the early days as the band runs amok. It’s satisfyingly heavy and quite linear, driven by a collection of effective riffs and Browning’s kinda-sorta harsh vocals. The keyboards are still very present, lending atmosphere and a cinematic dimension. It leaves you excited for what’s to come and shows the band is tight, mean, and hungry. “CephaloGod” keeps the positive momentum with a thrashy attack and a respectable number of twists and turns, but as things progress, Browning’s uniform, staccato shout-vocals start becoming tedious. Things don’t go completely prog-wonky until the nearly 9 minutes of “Mesolithic” arrive. Here we wander from tribal drumming through progressive tech-thrash segments that remind of Atheist one minute, and Mordred and Faith No More the next. As riffs swirl and corkscrew in dizzying patterns, cinematic keyboards swell and crest, making for impressive moments. As a song, however, it sometimes feels stitched and bolted together like some kind of space-age Frankenstein.

The best moments arrive on the back half of the album, which continues Paradox’s saga of Dr. Magus and his quest to conquer the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. “Mission Malkuth” runs heavier and meaner with references to The Key more obviously as it plows your lawn with wild riffs and ever-shifting tempos. There’s a grand scale to the music that commands your attention, the thrashy leads have bite and heft, but things run too long at over 7 minutes. “Hod, the Stellar Light” is the high point, with a thrashy energy that recalls Vektor’s best moments and the music also nods to Dimension Hatross era Voivod. “Netzach, the Fire of Victory” is probably the least impactful main track, with a sleepy, stop-start, slow-fast dynamic that never seems to evolve meaningfully. The instrumental outro that follows is also underwhelming and I’m not a fan of its 1950s sci-fi keyboards which read as cheeeball rather than quaintly retro. The combined 11-plus minutes of these so-so final tracks end Unicursal with a tired whimper. With an hour of dense prog/tech misbehavior, Unicursal feels like too much of a wild thing, and by the time I get to the end, I’m plenty fatigued. Excessive lengths partially undermine good songs, but this is prog so that’s to be expected. Some self-editing would have gone a long way regardless.

The talent here is unquestionable. Demian Heftel and William Koblak are insane guitar phenoms bringing endless streams of technical thunder to the material. They craft sharp thrash leads, amazing harmonies, and jaw-dropping solos. It would be hard to ask more of them. Josh Holdren’s keyboards are interesting and versatile, adding muted textures and prominent cinematic flourishes as the songs may require. At times the push-pull between the heavy guitars and the melodic keys can become awkward but more often it creates a fascinating tension. Unfortunately, Mike Browning’s vocals don’t add much to the musical maelstrom. He no longer does death vocals and his mostly powerless delivery sits between spoken word and monotone shouting. Where he used a blackened snarl on much of Paradox with backing guttural death roars from William Koblak, that’s all gone now. It’s the main weakness here and it saps vitality and danger from the sound.

I didn’t come in expecting Unicursal to recapture the magic of the past, though there are flashes of that ancient brilliance. Nocturnus AD isn’t really playing death metal anymore and I wish this was much heavier, but it’s a mostly fun, energetic outing sure to please fans of techy thrash. Now go blast The Key.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Profound Lore
Websites: facebook.com/nocturnusad | instagram.com/nocturnusad
Releases Worldwide: May 17th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #Atheist #May24 #NocturnusAD #Paradox #ProfoundLoreRecords #ProgressiveMetal #ProgressiveThrashMetal #Review #Reviews #TechnicalThrashMetal #TheKey #Unicursal #Voivod

Árstíðir lífsins – Aldrlok Review

By Twelve

Árstíðir lífsins seem to not believe much in fanfare. Since I discovered the Icelandic/German group via their very good fourth full-length Saga á tveim tungum I: Vápn ok viðr, I never learn about their releases until AFTER they show up. The followup to Saga I never reached the Angry Metal Promo Sump, and their most recent release, the enjoyable Hermalausaz, arrived quietly at the end of last year. Now they’re back with Aldrlok (“Death [of an age]”), their sixth full-length release, which follows the band’s familiar vein of mountainous black metal adorned with gorgeous folk passages and lyrics sung in Old Norse-Icelandic. It’s a super-potent combo, and these guys have the smarts to back up their premise, so how does that translate into eighty-three minutes of music?

Compared with recent releases, Aldrlok is familiar territory. This time around, the riffs feel heavier (“Stormr, hvítundit grand gundar gjálfrs”) and the orchestrations are more elaborate (“Er faðir kulda ok myrkrs hopar fyrir endalausum vegi Ránar”), creating a strong melodic black metal feel for the album. Of course, it’s as folky as ever, in that Old Norse sort of way that Árstíðir lífsins excel at. Marsél, credited as ever as the band’s storyteller, provides deep, intoning singing, guttural narrations (to superb effect on “Nú er lengstu miskunndir dalreyðar ná hátindi”), and vicious black metal rasps, while frequent acoustic and orchestral passages break up the black metal assaults provided by Stefán (guitars and bass) and Árni (percussion and string instruments) (both of whom also provide vocals). The sound is elaborate, dense, and well done. Aldrlok is the sound of a band that knows exactly what they are doing.

This also means that the strongest and coolest element of Aldrlok is the storytelling. The album tells a tale semi-mythological fiction, taking place in Iceland around 1040, during a period of societal upheaval, and borrows material from Skaldic and Eddic poetry. Through their music, Árstíðir lífsins transport the listener back in time. The album opener, “Hvítir hjǫrvar Heimdalls aldraðra fjallgylða,” takes the listener on a journey, opening slowly with deep chants that make way for passages of solemn vocal melody that evoke a great tale about to begin. When the black metal arrives, it does so climactically, being built up to grandiosity by a band that is more than happy to take its time. From here, the song—and indeed, the album—does a great job of balancing black metal, melody, and folk. “Nauð greyprs élreka” does the best job of striking this balance. A band with a keyboardist could certainly mimic the style, but Aldrlok asks: “why do with a keyboard what you could do with your own voices?” Suitably, the close of the song, where massive black metal riffing gives way to solemn, near-reverent chanting, is one of the best moments, not only on this album but on any Árstíðir lífsins release to date.

Of course, some will be put off by the lengths of both the individual songs on Aldrlok and the length of the whole. Nine songs covering eighty-three minutes is a lot of music. I do wish the mix and production favored the metal elements more, as they tend to be muted. I’m sure it’s a stylistic choice, but it’s hard not to think that more prominence for the drumming and a touch less distortion on the guitars could net a really heavy album in the vein of a contemporary like Mistur. On the other hand, the grand length of the album contributes to its “Norse epic” feel, emulating the poetry it’s based on. The long songs that often flow into one another create the feeling of a mythology told in two parts (“Nú er lengstu miskunndir dalreyðar ná hátindi” breaks up the album expertly, and is a terrific dark folk song), and while it is a lot to take in all at once, there aren’t any actual weak spots on Aldrlok.

Árstíðir lífsins are consistently releasing interesting, well-researched, and very good black metal. I would argue that Aldrlok is their strongest yet, but it will be very familiar to you if you’re a fan of their recent work. It takes you back into the past in a way that most art struggles to do, and continues to fill a unique space in the world of metal. It demands a certain mood, but if you’re in it, this album will bring you back in time.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Ván Records
Websites: arstidirlifsins.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/arstidirlifsins
Releases Worldwide: May 31st, 2024

#2024 #35 #Aldrlok #ArstidirLifsins #BlackMetal #FolkMetal #GermanMetal #IcelandicMetal #May24 #Mistur #Review #Reviews #VanRecords

Árstíðir lífsins – Aldrlok Review

By Twelve

Árstíðir lífsins seem to not believe much in fanfare. Since I discovered the Icelandic/German group via their very good fourth full-length Saga á tveim tungum I: Vápn ok viðr, I never learn about their releases until AFTER they show up. The followup to Saga I never reached the Angry Metal Promo Sump, and their most recent release, the enjoyable Hermalausaz, arrived quietly at the end of last year. Now they’re back with Aldrlok (“Death [of an age]”), their sixth full-length release, which follows the band’s familiar vein of mountainous black metal adorned with gorgeous folk passages and lyrics sung in Old Norse-Icelandic. It’s a super-potent combo, and these guys have the smarts to back up their premise, so how does that translate into eighty-three minutes of music?

Compared with recent releases, Aldrlok is familiar territory. This time around, the riffs feel heavier (“Stormr, hvítundit grand gundar gjálfrs”) and the orchestrations are more elaborate (“Er faðir kulda ok myrkrs hopar fyrir endalausum vegi Ránar”), creating a strong melodic black metal feel for the album. Of course, it’s as folky as ever, in that Old Norse sort of way that Árstíðir lífsins excel at. Marsél, credited as ever as the band’s storyteller, provides deep, intoning singing, guttural narrations (to superb effect on “Nú er lengstu miskunndir dalreyðar ná hátindi”), and vicious black metal rasps, while frequent acoustic and orchestral passages break up the black metal assaults provided by Stefán (guitars and bass) and Árni (percussion and string instruments) (both of whom also provide vocals). The sound is elaborate, dense, and well done. Aldrlok is the sound of a band that knows exactly what they are doing.

This also means that the strongest and coolest element of Aldrlok is the storytelling. The album tells a tale semi-mythological fiction, taking place in Iceland around 1040, during a period of societal upheaval, and borrows material from Skaldic and Eddic poetry. Through their music, Árstíðir lífsins transport the listener back in time. The album opener, “Hvítir hjǫrvar Heimdalls aldraðra fjallgylða,” takes the listener on a journey, opening slowly with deep chants that make way for passages of solemn vocal melody that evoke a great tale about to begin. When the black metal arrives, it does so climactically, being built up to grandiosity by a band that is more than happy to take its time. From here, the song—and indeed, the album—does a great job of balancing black metal, melody, and folk. “Nauð greyprs élreka” does the best job of striking this balance. A band with a keyboardist could certainly mimic the style, but Aldrlok asks: “why do with a keyboard what you could do with your own voices?” Suitably, the close of the song, where massive black metal riffing gives way to solemn, near-reverent chanting, is one of the best moments, not only on this album but on any Árstíðir lífsins release to date.

Of course, some will be put off by the lengths of both the individual songs on Aldrlok and the length of the whole. Nine songs covering eighty-three minutes is a lot of music. I do wish the mix and production favored the metal elements more, as they tend to be muted. I’m sure it’s a stylistic choice, but it’s hard not to think that more prominence for the drumming and a touch less distortion on the guitars could net a really heavy album in the vein of a contemporary like Mistur. On the other hand, the grand length of the album contributes to its “Norse epic” feel, emulating the poetry it’s based on. The long songs that often flow into one another create the feeling of a mythology told in two parts (“Nú er lengstu miskunndir dalreyðar ná hátindi” breaks up the album expertly, and is a terrific dark folk song), and while it is a lot to take in all at once, there aren’t any actual weak spots on Aldrlok.

Árstíðir lífsins are consistently releasing interesting, well-researched, and very good black metal. I would argue that Aldrlok is their strongest yet, but it will be very familiar to you if you’re a fan of their recent work. It takes you back into the past in a way that most art struggles to do, and continues to fill a unique space in the world of metal. It demands a certain mood, but if you’re in it, this album will bring you back in time.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Ván Records
Websites: arstidirlifsins.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/arstidirlifsins
Releases Worldwide: May 31st, 2024

#2024 #35 #Aldrlok #ArstidirLifsins #BlackMetal #FolkMetal #GermanMetal #IcelandicMetal #May24 #Mistur #Review #Reviews #VanRecords

From Dying Suns – Calamity Review

By Dolphin Whisperer

Before I even laid eyes once on the glorious pixel art that adorns Calamity, From Dying Suns had sold me on their debut promise of progressive death metal. Hailing from the great French north of Quebec, and pulling performers whose live credentials include heavyweights like First Fragment, Augury, and Obliveon, this side-scrolling informed album, this full-length offering stood before itself with veteran swagger. It’d be amiss to call this a supergroup, though, as many of the associated acts that comprise this mostly untested group—a single EP from a while back under their banner—staked their claim separate from the contributions of the names on roster here. From Dying Suns, then, has something to prove in this fairly crowded field of high bombast, high-tech strain of noodle-strewn death arts. But have they enough quarters to see it all the way through?

Whatever From Dying Sun may lack in quarters, they make up for in sheer exuberance for their brand of bass-forward, rifftacular technical, and melodic death metal. At least, that’s what Calamity comes off as to me. Much in the same vein as thrash-tempo arpeggio-rippers like the early works of Revocation and Arsis, each track across this fret-exhausting offering—the sweep-and-slay of “Calamity” to the classic Gothenburg descent of “Undergrowth”—can’t stop delivering riffs. To prevent from being too exhausting, though, From Dying Suns rips a page out of their local scene, reminiscent of acts like the brutally elegant Neuraxis or the wailing-yet-churning Martyr, often leading with an upfront refrain or lead to signal fresh beginnings. And I know I already mentioned that From Dying Suns takes their low-end seriously, but I cannot stress enough how forward Christian Pacaud (Contemplator, Aeternum1 to avoid falling into a trap of their own multithread weaving. Tracks that deliver moments of skronky chord-based progressions (“Turn Undead,” “Ruination”) help to break the smattering of hyperspeed pull-offs and precision-tuned arpeggion runs serve as sugar-rush fodder for those with a wanky sweet tooth. And mid-album ambient segue “Respite” too lulls the ever-feeding fingers and picks that From Dying Suns fuels liberally.

Despite finding a rollicking home in the arrays of tablature challenges that Calamity carves, I often find my mind drifting toward what From Dying Suns channels rather than the unique theme for which the band aims. This work contains many elements that attack the genre from an angel that other bands don’t—the practiced and forceful bass rhythms, Mathieu Dhani’s (Killitorous, Épiphanie) wild and whipping shrieks and howls—and it’s impossible to ignore the level of skill on display. But at the moments where it aims to hook the hardest, namely with simpler chorus structures and vocal patterns, many of the most impressive moments across Calamity begin to blur amongst the most memorable moments among heavy hitters like Arsis or The Black Dahlia Murder. Granted, these bands command respect, and music that resembles theirs is often good music. But when the theme visually pops on the page, and the band reinforces that Calamity is a hero’s journey through a landscape inspired by their favorite video games, I’d rather find my way through a soundscape that resembles that rather than just good melotech.

Nevertheless, From Dying Suns can’t help but charm with their aesthetic and musical command. Tonally, Calamity has a strong enough presence on its own to steer toward its own lane from up-and-comers in the same competitive space, names you may have heard in these halls like Carnosus or Xoth. And, like those acts, From Dying Suns, despite not capturing strongly the specifics of their narrative, maintains a playfulness that owes to the digital lands that they’ve mused about with Calamity. I’ve got confidence that From Dying Suns is far from closing the cover on this swinging battlefield of fanciful death metal. So even if this debut full-length isn’t quite it, its future sequel surely lurks around the corner waiting to strike.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: PCM2
Label: Self Release
Websites: fromdyingsuns.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/fromdyingsuns
Releases Worldwide: May 3rd, 2024

#2024 #30 #Arsis #Calamity #CanadianMetal #Carnosus #DeathMetal #FromDyingSuns #IndependentRelease #martyr #May24 #MelodicDeathMetal #Neuraxis #Review #Reviews #Revocation #SelfRelease #TechnicalDeathMetal #TheBlackDahliaMurder #Xoth

From Dying Suns – Calamity Review

By Dolphin Whisperer

Before I even laid eyes once on the glorious pixel art that adorns Calamity, From Dying Suns had sold me on their debut promise of progressive death metal. Hailing from the great French north of Quebec, and pulling performers whose live credentials include heavyweights like First Fragment, Augury, and Obliveon, this side-scrolling informed album, this full-length offering stood before itself with veteran swagger. It’d be amiss to call this a supergroup, though, as many of the associated acts that comprise this mostly untested group—a single EP from a while back under their banner—staked their claim separate from the contributions of the names on roster here. From Dying Suns, then, has something to prove in this fairly crowded field of high bombast, high-tech strain of noodle-strewn death arts. But have they enough quarters to see it all the way through?

Whatever From Dying Sun may lack in quarters, they make up for in sheer exuberance for their brand of bass-forward, rifftacular technical, and melodic death metal. At least, that’s what Calamity comes off as to me. Much in the same vein as thrash-tempo arpeggio-rippers like the early works of Revocation and Arsis, each track across this fret-exhausting offering—the sweep-and-slay of “Calamity” to the classic Gothenburg descent of “Undergrowth”—can’t stop delivering riffs. To prevent from being too exhausting, though, From Dying Suns rips a page out of their local scene, reminiscent of acts like the brutally elegant Neuraxis or the wailing-yet-churning Martyr, often leading with an upfront refrain or lead to signal fresh beginnings. And I know I already mentioned that From Dying Suns takes their low-end seriously, but I cannot stress enough how forward Christian Pacaud (Contemplator, Aeternum1 to avoid falling into a trap of their own multithread weaving. Tracks that deliver moments of skronky chord-based progressions (“Turn Undead,” “Ruination”) help to break the smattering of hyperspeed pull-offs and precision-tuned arpeggion runs serve as sugar-rush fodder for those with a wanky sweet tooth. And mid-album ambient segue “Respite” too lulls the ever-feeding fingers and picks that From Dying Suns fuels liberally.

Despite finding a rollicking home in the arrays of tablature challenges that Calamity carves, I often find my mind drifting toward what From Dying Suns channels rather than the unique theme for which the band aims. This work contains many elements that attack the genre from an angel that other bands don’t—the practiced and forceful bass rhythms, Mathieu Dhani’s (Killitorous, Épiphanie) wild and whipping shrieks and howls—and it’s impossible to ignore the level of skill on display. But at the moments where it aims to hook the hardest, namely with simpler chorus structures and vocal patterns, many of the most impressive moments across Calamity begin to blur amongst the most memorable moments among heavy hitters like Arsis or The Black Dahlia Murder. Granted, these bands command respect, and music that resembles theirs is often good music. But when the theme visually pops on the page, and the band reinforces that Calamity is a hero’s journey through a landscape inspired by their favorite video games, I’d rather find my way through a soundscape that resembles that rather than just good melotech.

Nevertheless, From Dying Suns can’t help but charm with their aesthetic and musical command. Tonally, Calamity has a strong enough presence on its own to steer toward its own lane from up-and-comers in the same competitive space, names you may have heard in these halls like Carnosus or Xoth. And, like those acts, From Dying Suns, despite not capturing strongly the specifics of their narrative, maintains a playfulness that owes to the digital lands that they’ve mused about with Calamity. I’ve got confidence that From Dying Suns is far from closing the cover on this swinging battlefield of fanciful death metal. So even if this debut full-length isn’t quite it, its future sequel surely lurks around the corner waiting to strike.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: PCM2
Label: Self Release
Websites: fromdyingsuns.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/fromdyingsuns
Releases Worldwide: May 3rd, 2024

#2024 #30 #Arsis #Calamity #CanadianMetal #Carnosus #DeathMetal #FromDyingSuns #IndependentRelease #martyr #May24 #MelodicDeathMetal #Neuraxis #Review #Reviews #Revocation #SelfRelease #TechnicalDeathMetal #TheBlackDahliaMurder #Xoth

From Dying Suns – Calamity Review

By Dolphin Whisperer

Before I even laid eyes once on the glorious pixel art that adorns Calamity, From Dying Suns had sold me on their debut promise of progressive death metal. Hailing from the great French north of Quebec, and pulling performers whose live credentials include heavyweights like First Fragment, Augury, and Obliveon, this side-scrolling informed album, this full-length offering stood before itself with veteran swagger. It’d be amiss to call this a supergroup, though, as many of the associated acts that comprise this mostly untested group—a single EP from a while back under their banner—staked their claim separate from the contributions of the names on roster here. From Dying Suns, then, has something to prove in this fairly crowded field of high bombast, high-tech strain of noodle-strewn death arts. But have they enough quarters to see it all the way through?

Whatever From Dying Sun may lack in quarters, they make up for in sheer exuberance for their brand of bass-forward, rifftacular technical, and melodic death metal. At least, that’s what Calamity comes off as to me. Much in the same vein as thrash-tempo arpeggio-rippers like the early works of Revocation and Arsis, each track across this fret-exhausting offering—the sweep-and-slay of “Calamity” to the classic Gothenburg descent of “Undergrowth”—can’t stop delivering riffs. To prevent from being too exhausting, though, From Dying Suns rips a page out of their local scene, reminiscent of acts like the brutally elegant Neuraxis or the wailing-yet-churning Martyr, often leading with an upfront refrain or lead to signal fresh beginnings. And I know I already mentioned that From Dying Suns takes their low-end seriously, but I cannot stress enough how forward Christian Pacaud (Contemplator, Aeternum1 to avoid falling into a trap of their own multithread weaving. Tracks that deliver moments of skronky chord-based progressions (“Turn Undead,” “Ruination”) help to break the smattering of hyperspeed pull-offs and precision-tuned arpeggion runs serve as sugar-rush fodder for those with a wanky sweet tooth. And mid-album ambient segue “Respite” too lulls the ever-feeding fingers and picks that From Dying Suns fuels liberally.

Despite finding a rollicking home in the arrays of tablature challenges that Calamity carves, I often find my mind drifting toward what From Dying Suns channels rather than the unique theme for which the band aims. This work contains many elements that attack the genre from an angel that other bands don’t—the practiced and forceful bass rhythms, Mathieu Dhani’s (Killitorous, Épiphanie) wild and whipping shrieks and howls—and it’s impossible to ignore the level of skill on display. But at the moments where it aims to hook the hardest, namely with simpler chorus structures and vocal patterns, many of the most impressive moments across Calamity begin to blur amongst the most memorable moments among heavy hitters like Arsis or The Black Dahlia Murder. Granted, these bands command respect, and music that resembles theirs is often good music. But when the theme visually pops on the page, and the band reinforces that Calamity is a hero’s journey through a landscape inspired by their favorite video games, I’d rather find my way through a soundscape that resembles that rather than just good melotech.

Nevertheless, From Dying Suns can’t help but charm with their aesthetic and musical command. Tonally, Calamity has a strong enough presence on its own to steer toward its own lane from up-and-comers in the same competitive space, names you may have heard in these halls like Carnosus or Xoth. And, like those acts, From Dying Suns, despite not capturing strongly the specifics of their narrative, maintains a playfulness that owes to the digital lands that they’ve mused about with Calamity. I’ve got confidence that From Dying Suns is far from closing the cover on this swinging battlefield of fanciful death metal. So even if this debut full-length isn’t quite it, its future sequel surely lurks around the corner waiting to strike.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: PCM2
Label: Self Release
Websites: fromdyingsuns.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/fromdyingsuns
Releases Worldwide: May 3rd, 2024

#2024 #30 #Arsis #Calamity #CanadianMetal #Carnosus #DeathMetal #FromDyingSuns #IndependentRelease #martyr #May24 #MelodicDeathMetal #Neuraxis #Review #Reviews #Revocation #SelfRelease #TechnicalDeathMetal #TheBlackDahliaMurder #Xoth