This month has already seen many heavyweight releases from bigger bands like Shadow of Intent, Fit for an Autopsy, Worm Shepherd. Among these bigger bands, memorable releases from not-so-known bands get lost. Here is my list of Best Albums of Jan 2022.
Leiden - Aethereus
Hands down the best release of January. These boys know how to Tech-Death, and they do it in style. Already signed under The Artisan Era, they provided a newer bliss to and fresh take on the overly complex extreme metal. Benjamin Glassman and Kyle Chapman on Guitars, Scott Hermanns on Bass, Matt Behner on Drums and Vance Bratcher on vocals, everybody delivers incredible performances on the album. Every instrument itself sounds so beastly, thanks to the insane production of the album! There is no denying the fact that the band has insane musicians, and this album is the living proof of it! Definitely Aethereus's magnum opus till date.
The Gaian Mind - Animårum
"The Gaian Mind" paints a canvas of aesthetic soundscape mixed along with Death Metal madness. Like its predecessor bands like Obscura and Beyond Creation which have covered themes like "Soul" and "Spirituality",, Animårum borrows concepts about "The Gaia Philosophy '' and "Gaianism". With a run-time of 30 mins, the album has provided enough gateways to transport mortals to a place of higher consciousness. It is a perfect blend of technicality + progressiveness + ambience. Being somewhat intellectual and mature in songwriting, Animårum proves what it takes to be the torch-bearer of Persefone, Cynic and Obscura.
Maze of Time - Phreneticis
“Maze of Time” features some complex musicianship on each instrument, but it is somehow easy to grasp for the listener, something which Alustrium has mastered. The guitar solos do not sound too technical or mind-numbingly boring, being melodious with just the right amount. The drums and bass do a lot of heavy lifting, shaping the songs in the way they are. The songs range from five minutes to seven minutes, giving a total track-length of 27 minutes and all the runtime is perfectly justified! All we can do now is wait for what Phreneticis drops next.
SAGAS - Disgression Assasins
Amidst some heavy metal releases this month, I really needed something fresh and exciting to open up my mind. That's when our boys from Sweden, Sagas dropped their newest EP "Digression Assassins" this week and I knew I had to review it. This Progressive Metal outfit has been active since 2005 and already has three full-length releases, adding a latest EP, on their discography.
To describe the sound of Digression Assassins is difficult. The guys definitely had a pretty fun time recording the EP, which is very clear from the energy the record carries. It is when you listen to their music, you realize how much of a unique band they are! "Sagas" definitely is one of a kind and qualifies for one of the best releases of January.
