Add post about music in 2015

_posts/2016-01-14-music-2015.md

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+--- 
+title: '2015 Music Roundup'
+categories: 
+- music
+layout: post
+date: 2016-01-11
+---
+
+I'm pretty sure that in a parallel universe there's a version of me who's a
+metal guitarist. I love music, despite knowing nothing about it technically and
+I spend most of my waking hours listening to rock and metal. 
+
+So, in a break from regular programming (haha, there's nothing regular about my
+posting), heres's a post about some delicious dark music I've discovered and
+enjoyed in the last year -- in no particular order. I've only
+covered a few albums, so this list is nowhere near complete, but I like the
+idea about writing about music, so may do it more.
+
+## Mammoth Storm - Fornjot
+
+First off, here's some [Stoner Doom Metal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doom_metal#Stoner_doom) (yes, that's totally a thing). 
+Mammoth Storm is slow, ponderous and extremely heavy, with epic buildups and hypnotic riffs. 
+Their full length album, [Fornjot](https://itun.es/gb/Co-P9) easily one of my
+favourite releases of 2015, and I find this great background music when I need
+to concentrate.
+
+## Riverside - Love, Fear and the Time Machine
+
+Riverside's albums get less heavy over time, but definitely no less brilliant. I'd be
+lying if I said I didn't miss the heavier albums of a few years ago, like 
+[ADHD](https://itun.es/gb/i5cv-), but this album feels a bit more grown up, and is excellent. 
+
+## Author & Punisher - Melk En Honning 
+
+[Melk En Honning](https://itun.es/gb/pbgk7) reminds me of The Fragile, by NiN.
+In that it's EXTREMELY heavy. I know little about this artist,
+but their [bandcamp page](https://authorandpunisher.bandcamp.com/) says they
+use specially made instruments, and this come across in the industrial
+sounding feel of the music. 
+
+## Paradise Lost - The Plague Within
+
+This is my favourite Paradise Lost album for years! I love the mixture old
+oldschool vocals and clean singing from earlier albums and the classic guitar
+sounds are still there. Nick Holmes' time singing for Bloodbath really helped
+with the quality of this album, and my favourite track is 
+[Flesh From Bone](https://itun.es/gb/hia--?i=1056440848).
+
+## Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard - Noeth Ac Anoeth
+
+Don't let the ridiculous name put you off! [Noeth Ac Anoeth](https://itun.es/gb/Lhdb-)
+is awesome Stoner Doom metal with positively angelic vocals. The female vocals
+make this really different from other bands in the same genre, and while I
+discovered it late in the year, I've been listening to it a lot.
+
+## Marilyn Manson - The Pale Emperor
+
+I spent a fair amount of time earlier last year with [this album](https://itun.es/gb/r0oU3)
+on repeat. It sounds great played loud, through actual speakers, and while it's
+not at all like any of his previous albums, I think this is Marilyn Manson's
+best album for a good few years.
+
+## Leprous - The Congregation 
+
+I really love Leprous, and I've only recently found any other bands with such
+striking vocals (see Agent Fresco, below). 
+[The Congregation](https://itun.es/gb/ap2A-) is great, but as lots of online reviews
+have said, somehow less striking and progressive than
+[Coal](https://itun.es/gb/0mYu-), their previous album.
+
+Still, don't let that stop you listening because it's still awesome. 
+If you need any convincing that this album is worth a listen, just watch the
+video for the opening track, The Price:
+
+<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0G9Qd_84YZs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
+
+## Gazpacho - Molok
+
+This post is dragging on, but I can't even start to wrap it up without
+mentioning one of my favourite Norwegian "Art-Prog" bands, Gazpacho. I always
+find their music takes a few listens to really sink in and become enjoyable, 
+but once you cross that threshold you'll become hooked. 
+[Molok](https://itun.es/gb/keSg-) is no exception. Some of the concepts covered
+in the album are crazy, so I encourage you to search the web and read about it!
+
+## Finding new music
+
+Apart from clicking about on streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify,
+which are great sources of new things to listen to, there are a few blogs I
+recommend if you're into 'dark' music, like the more experimental side of rock
+and metal.
+
+### Dark Hemyspheres
+
+[Dark Hemyspheres](http://music.thedigitalfix.com/column/dark-hemyspheres) is a
+monthly column which rounds up recent releases. I never know how the author
+picks what he reviews, but it's an excellent source of new music. In December
+2015, for example it reviewed Sunn O)))'s amazing [Kannon](https://itun.es/gb/8og9-) album, 
+and [Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard](https://itun.es/gb/Nhdb-), which is alo excellent.
+
+### Radio Fenriz
+
+[Radio Fenriz](https://soundcloud.com/heavytassen), by _the_
+[Fenriz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenriz) from
+[Darkthrone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darkthrone) covers a massive amount
+of music, a lot of which is excellent. [Episode 9](https://soundcloud.com/heavytassen/radio-fenriz-9-2015) 
+was my favourite last year, and it covered things ranging from
+[Avatarium](http://avatariumofficial.se/) to [Ecstatic Vision](https://ecstaticvision.bandcamp.com/), which I love. Check it out. Just
+don't send in any more demos.
+
+### Heavy Blog is Heavy
+
+[Heavy Blog](http://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/) does an excellent job of
+covering less common heavy music. In fact, it might do too good a job, and I
+end up with hundreds of posts in my RSS reader. Their 
+[Top 50 Albums of 2015](http://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/2015/12/21/heavy-blogs-top-50-albums-of-2015/) 
+is full of great albums, like [Myrkur's M](https://itun.es/gb/elhk7), 
+[Leprous - The Congregation](https://itun.es/gb/ap2A-), 
+and [Agent Fresco, with Destrier](https://itun.es/gb/Ym907). This is a good
+site to flick through until something catches your eye, and then listen to it.
+
+## Wrap up
+
+I've been thinking about writing a post about music for a while now, and now I have.
+Hopefully, if you've stumbled here because of an artist you know you'll find something else
+you like. I've tried to include a range of different types of music, but know I
+don't listen to that broad a range of styles -- there literally is just too much to listen to.
+