Drottnar sure takes their sweet time putting out albums, with 6 or 7 years between full-length releases. This time, it was definitely worth the wait. I was a fan of the first album, Spiritual Battle, but found 2006’s Welterwerk too chaotic and have rarely listened to it after the first few spins. Stratum seems to have taken the best of both those releases and melded them together into a furious sonic fury. There is still plenty of technical playing involved, maybe even more than in the past. Yet it never seems to get too chaotic or noisy, as those parts are juxtaposed with a more subdued grind and some atonal chord work, of all things—and it works. Add to that the stellar production, and this album shines. It’s already been a great year for extreme Christian Metal, and Stratum does its part to contribute.
Features
Alphaville’s Metal Renaissance
With influences that span Miles Davis and Stravinsky to Geddy Lee and Les Claypool, jazz metal force Imperial Triumphant is the epitome of genre-bending. HM contributing writer Andrew Voigt spoke with the band about their unique style, the massive bass presence in their music, and the rise and fall of civilization.
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Atreyu's Baptism
At their core, Atreyu is a hard rock band with metal riffs and pop choruses. Now, after more than 20 years, the band has stepped boldly into their next chapter with a change in lineup and an album that proves the lifeblood of Atreyu is stronger than ever.
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Heaven's Metal
When rock emerged from blues and 'heavy metal' began to surface, faith-based metal acts also rose to start their own journeys. Initially shunned by both believers and non-believers, they were fighting for their spot at the table, ultimately building a legacy that would go on to change the genre forever. HM presents an oral history of the beginning of Christian metal music, featuring Guardian, Tourniquet, Holy Soldier, Whitecross, and, of course, Stryper.
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Five Death Metal Bands You Need to Know Now
Death metal is no longer strictly a one-kind-of-sound genre but a cloud under which many elements have formed. We have assembled five must-hear death metal acts you should be listening to now, each distinctly set apart from another in form, yet still brethren in the death metal community.
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