Carach Angren : "Frankensteina Strataemontanus"

I normally have to brace myself for the theatrical narrative of this band, but this album is about "Frankenstein" or at least monsters as the lyrics from the first song throws black cats and other ghoulds into the mix. The drums are a little thin and the vocals are way up front. Might just need head phones for this album. They stay at a pretty speedy pace, but while in the same sonic zip code as Cradle of Filth, I prefer what these guys do. The bounce to the title track gives a nice groove that I can get on board with. Not as heavy, but it is cool,There is also carnival like bounce to "the Necromancer'. They are like a more playful less proggy version of Sigh with how the strings sit on "Sewn for Solitude" . The sung vocals are even better than when they first appear. Not giving a hook , but introspective musing. Normally the vocals are an articulate snarl.

They get more death metal on "Operation Compass" . It gets more melodic as it progresses. "Monster" is more deliberatly paces almost likea death metal version of Tom Waits. "Der Vampir von Number" we have skipped over to Nazi scientists, so maybe it is the concept of re-animating that this album is about unless we are tying that into Frankenstein mythology , which the movie  "Frankenstein's Army' did. This song is more jarring in the fun house turns it takes. They return to the heaviness on "Skull With a Forked Tongue" . It is not in your face a hundred percent, but has a more aggressive death metal drive aside from how a few blast beats are used. We are not even going to talk about what happened with these guys being black metal as they crossed that bridge moons ago. The drumming is pretty impressive how he comes around the kit. Their synth player is also earning his pay, every one else does their job and serves the song , but do not take the spotlight.

"Like a Conscious Parasite Roam" could very well be a Dimmu Borgir song, as it indulges in symphonic bloat. It loses the flair that gives this band it's personality. While well done it could be one of a hundred symphonic metal bands. They regain their sense of self on "Fredrick's Explosion" that loses some of the song writing magic they had and feels like Stephen King dialing in an edngin just to finish. Overall this is one of their better albums so I will give it a 9. If you are a fan you will like it.