Salem - A Moment of Silence

Today I bring some great Israeli metal, from a friend's request.
This band is Salem, the first extreme metal band from Israel and pioneers of the Oriental Metal movement. They play a form of Doom/Death Metal that features Oriental scales, which sound pretty exotic to us in the West, but it also sounds great in metal.
Definitely check them out if you're into the more well-known Melechesh or Orphaned Land!

Salem formed in 1985, and have released six full-length albums since then. This is their second, and considered by many, including myself, their best album to date (probably the most accessible, too). Then again, I haven't listened to their new album, though the reviews are not favorable so far.
This album has many songs I consider classic, not only for Salem, but songs that should be metal classics. One such song is the title track, without a doubt.

But I'll let you see for yourself and decide...

Salem - A Moment of Silence

Tracklist:

1. A Moment of Silence

2. Winter's Tears

3. Hour Glass

4. Flames

5. Set The Controls

6. In Another Dimension

7. The Worst To Come

8. An Unwanted Guest

9. Symbiosis

10. Eyes to Match A Soul

11. Who Will Comfort Me Now?

Stahlhammer - Feind Hört Mit

Stahlhammer is a Neue Deutsche Härte/Industrial Metal band from Austria, formed in 1992.
This is their third album, Feind Hört Mit (roughly "The Enemy Is Listening In"), and as with most of their music, is almost entirely in German.

If you're into the NDH sound, industrial, and/or heavy, tight, catchy riffs, this is definitely for you!

Stahlhammer - Feind Hört Mit

Tracklist:

1. Was Ist Das ["What Is That"]
2. Am Liebsten Von Hinten [roughly "Preferably From The Rear"]
3. Feind Hört Mit ["The Enemy Listens In"]
4. Der Mann Mit Dem Koks ["The Man With The Coke"] (Falco cover)
5. Herz Aus Stahl ["Heart of Steel"]
6. Schlag Mich ["Hit Me"]
7. Messerschmied ["Knife Smith"]
8. Jeanny (Falco cover)
9. Kein Schöner Land ["None More Beautiful Land"]
10. Strom Der Zeit ["Current of Time"]

Týr - By The Light of The Northern Star

Týr is a notorious viking metal band from the Faroe Islands formed in 1998.
This is their fifth full-length album, released in 2009, and apparently a bit of a fan favorite.

Indeed, with its nordic imagery, great riffs, epic lyrics and overall vibe, fantastic guitar solos, and progressive undertones, this is a very enjoyable album.


Týr - By The Light of The Northern Star

Tracklist:

1. Hold The Heathen Hammer High

2. Tróndur í Gøtu

3. Into The Storm

4. Northern Gate

5. Turið Torkilsdóttir

6. By The Sword In My Hand

7. Ride

8. Hear The Heathen Call

9. By The Light of The Northern Star

Cor Scorpii - Monument

Cor Scorpii is one of the two bands that rose from the ashes of Windir, after the tragic demise of Valfar.
In 2005, they released their demo, which received much praise from critics as well as fans.
Later, in 2008, they released this album, Monument, which at the time of this post, is the only full-length album by the band; although it has been reported that a follow-up album is the in the works.

Featuring an air of nostalgia and melancholy, Cor Scorpii's atmospheric and highly melodic brand of black metal is undoubtedly reminiscent of Windir.
And so, without any further ado:

Cor Scorpii - Monument

Tracklist:

1. Ei Fane Svart

2. Endesong

3. I, The Damned

4. Our Fate, Our Curse

5. Helvetesfossen

6. Oske Og Innsikt

7. Kjettar

8. Bragder I Stein

Old Boy OST

Today I bring with me the delightful score of what I consider the masterpiece of modern South Korean cinema: Old Boy.

Old Boy is a 2003 South Korean movie directed by Park Chan-Wook and starring Choi Min-Sik, Yu Ji-Tae, and Kang Hye-Jeong. It's the second part in Park's Vengeance Trilogy, although the three movies are only tied by a theme of vengeance, rather than plot.

If you're not already a big fan and you happen to like intelligent, independent, unconventional films, you owe it to yourself to check it out!

This is the amazing, gorgeous score.
Enjoy!

Old Boy OST

Composer: Yeong Wook Jo (or Jo Yeong-Wook in Korean)

Tracklist:

1. Look Who's Talking
2. Somewhere In The Night
3. The Count of Monte Cristo
4. Jailhouse Rock
5. In A Lonely Place
6. It's Alive!
7. The Searchers
8. Look Back In Anger
9. Vivaldi "Four Seasons" - "Winter" 1st Mov.
10. Room At The Top
11. Cries And Whispers
12. Out of Sight
13. For Whom The Bell Tolls
14. Out Of The Past
15. Breathless
16. The Old Boy
17. Dressed To Kill
18. Frantic
19. Cul-De-Sac
20. Kiss Me Deadly
21. Point Blank
22. Farewell, My Lovely
23. The Big Sleep
24. The Last Waltz

Wilkommen!

I had been wanting to start one of these for a while.
May this be a phrontistery for those with a barathrum for new music, and occasionally as a personal growlery for my soliloquies of cognitive profligacy, prolixity and amphigory.

Cheers!