The 10 best albums of 2018

As every year, I'm presenting you my 10 favorite albums of 2018. I must say, I liked a lot of albums that were released this year - full list on my Spotify (note: two times Anneke van Giersbergen as guest vocalist in these favorite albums):



10. Primordial - Exile amongst the ruins


9. Epics vs Attack on Titan Songs


8. Ashbury Heights - Victorian Wallflowers


7. Rave the Reqviem - Fvneral (sic)


6. Lux Terminus - The Courage to Be


5. Madder Mortem - Marrow


4. Therion - Beloved Antichrist


3. Orphaned Land - Unsung Prophets and Dead Messiahs


2. Oceans of Slumber - The Banished heart


1. Amorphis - Queen of Time

Twenty best albums of all time

Every now and then, I mention how important music is for me - to stay sane, to fuel my writing, to keep me curious and creative. Some time ago, I made a list oof my top 20 albums - many of these are what I listen to very often while writing.

You can find the details of the list here, and below (no particular order):

1. Nightwish - Oceanborn
2. Therion - Theli
3. Dark Tranquillity - The Gallery
4. Metallica - Master of Puppets
5. Garbage - Version 2.0
6. Radiohead - OK Computer
7. Dark Tranquillity - Projector
8. Opeth - Morningrise
9. Amorphis - Silent Waters
10. In Flames - Reroute to Remain: Fourteen Songs of Conscious Insanity
11. Kamelot - Karma
12. Dream Theater - Metropolis, Part 2: Scenes From a Memory
13. Hexvessel - When We Are Death
14. Messenger - Illusory Blues
15. Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon
16. The Doors - Strange Days
17. Anathema - Judgement
18. Tiamat - Wildhoney
19. Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
20. Rammstein - Mutter

Ten best albums of 2017

As every year, I am presenting you with an overview of the ten best albums of the past year. This year, I only listened to albums and reviewed them until May. By June, during my time in Delft, I was so tired after work that I did not gather the strength and courage to write my reviews. After the baby was born, I didn't listen to any new album. With that in mind, here is my list for 2017:

10. King of Asgard - :Taudr:
Pagan metal with strong layering. You can find my review of this album on darkview.


9. Illimtable Dolor - Self-titled
Fine funeral doom. Read my review here.


8. Battle Beast - Bringer of Pain
Just good old heavy metal. You can find more on Darkview.


7. Psychedelic Witchcraft - Magick Rites and Spells
Seventies doom revival. Review on Darkview.


6. Magnet - Feel your fire
More seventies revival, but on the side of blues and rock and roll. You can read my full review on Darkview.


5. Immolation - Atonement
Raw energy. Dark death metal. For more, go to Darkview.


4. Jess and the Ancient Ones - The Horse and other weird tales
More psychedelic seventies stuff... I didn't review this album, but it happens to be an album that I listened to on Spotify.


3. Atlas Pain - What the oak left
Epic prog metal, and quite innovative at that. Review on Darkview.


2. Marche Funebre - Into the arms of darkness
Excellent doom/black from my homecountry Belgium. Head over to Darkview for my review.


1. Avatarium - Hurricanes and Halos
Best album of the year for a prog and 70s revival band. I never got around writing a review for this album as pregnancy made me too tired, but it is an excellent album.

2016 in review: the 10 best CD releases

Those of you who follow me on Twitter, or that have checked my list of guest posts, know that I write reviews for Darkview. This means that I get a steady stream of review copies of CDs sent to me, which fuels my CD-buying habit as well. Because is a release is good, I will go out and buy it. I've written similar lists in 2014 and 2015, if you want some more recommendations.

With that said, let me give you my top 10 picks of 2016 - some quite popular, others perhaps more obscure.

10. Dream Theater – The Astonishing
The opinions are divided on this release. This Cd is not your typical Dream Theater, but in my opinion, it brings something extra and a deeper layer. And, of course, it's still work from the Gods of Prog.



9. Scar of the sun – In flood
Sometimes you just like an album because it speaks to your heart. Scar of the Sun (click here for my full review) is one of those bands that immediately touched my ear. Check them out:



8. Myrkur - Mausoleum
Women who make black metal get a lot of haters, and so does Myrkur. But this year, she surprised friends and enemies with her new turn: an acoustic, choir-based version of some of her darker outlets.



7. Katatonia – Fall of Hearts
Good old Katatonia, they have moved away from their heavier and darker roots, added some extra prog, but they never forget to keep things deep. You can read my full review here, and check out a track of this album here:



6. Les Discrets - Viree Nocturne
A discovery for me this year. Even though Viree Nocturne is just an EP, I was quite pleasantly surprised by it. A blend of trip-hop and post-black metal? It works, and it works quite well.



5. Alcest - Kodama
For the finest post-black metal, look no further than Alcest, and their latest, Japanese-themed album Kodama. You can read my full review here.



4. Devin Townsend Project - Transendence
Townsend is a mastermind, and he proves it again with his latest release Transendence. Some of the best prog of the moment.



3. Opeth - Sorceress
Opeth have come a long way from their darker beginnings. Blackwater park was a masterpiece, but so is Sorceress - and the two albums are complete polar opposites. You can read my full review here.



2. Hexvessel – When we are death
Think psychedelic prog lost in the Finnish forests, and you get an idea of what Hexvessel bring. When we are death is more prog and maybe less dark Finnish forests, but they still preserver their unique sound. Read my full review here.



1. Oceans of Slumber - Winter
Discovery of the year. Oceans of Slumber are the new heroes of prog, and beyond. Their album Winter is a journey across emotions, musical styles, and instruments. You can read my full review here.

Musical instruments for Ecuador

Dear readers,

I usually don't use my blog as a platform for raising money - but today I am making an exception. Living in Ecuador has made me painfully aware of the privileged position in which I grew up, being able to learn to play music without needing to fork out large amounts of money. Music education is subsidized in Belgium, and in Ecuador it is not.

With Capella Aeqvator, we would like to make give the gift of music to young people - and we have turned to crowdfunding to raise money to buy instruments. I am saying "we" - I've been involved with some of the projects of Capella Aeqvator, which works as a collective of musicians often changing composition depending on the projects - so I can vouch for the fact that all money will go towards the goal of spreading the love for music to those who can't afford a private tutor.

If this blog has helped you at some point, if you want to support me in my work, I'd love you to pass on your gratitude to this project.

Please help this campaign here. And if you want to, share my short message:

In Belgium, we take music education for granted thanks to the generous government subsidies. In Ecuador, that is unfortunately not the case - and you almost need to come from a privileged position to be able to afford music education. Please consider donating to this crowdfunding campaign for Capella Aeqvator for the purchase of music instruments, in order to give the gift of music to everyone who wants to learn. And if music ever had an impact on you in your life, please help us spread the word about this campaign, and spread some love and positivity through the beauty and power of music.

2015 in review: 10 best CD releases

I published my list of 10 favorite CDs of the past year for the first time in 2014. Since I'm constantly listening to review copies of CDs, since this year for Darkview, I like looking back on the year and compiling my list of best CDs that were released this year.

First of all - there are some records that I missed this year. I haven't heard the new Paradise Lost, Apocalyptica, Steve Wilson and My Dying Bride - albums for which I have high expectations.

With this limitation in mind, let's look at my top 10 of 2015:

10. Isenmor - Land of the Setting Sun

Maybe this album doesn't deserve to be in this list. There are other albums that I wanted to include, and it was a hard choice. Land of the Setting Sun in itself is not a spectacular album, but I wanted to mention Isenmor for the potential the band has. With two violinists, their sound is at times unique. I'm nominating them more based on my expectations for their future than for their amassed curriculum. You can read my full review of the album here.



9. Moonspell - Extinct

Ah, Moonspell - ever since I was a teenager I have loved you. And you have never let me down. With Extinct, they have produced yet another solid album. You can read my full review here.



8. Jess and The Ancient Ones - Second Psychedelic Coming: The Aquarius Tapes

Jess is back with some more psychedelic rock. I loved their EP Astral Sabbat, and their second album is spot-on again. You'll see Jess as well again later in this list. Her voice is amazing.



7. Draconian - Sovran

Draconian have been around since 1994, and I had lost track of them. But their latest release Sovran is a nice album. It's not very surprising or new or anything, but it just is smooth on the ears and reminds me of the better beauty and the beast albums from the 90s.



6. Manegarm - Manegarm

While a lot of folk/pagan metal sounds the same, I have a special like for Manegarm. It's hard to explain why, it's their energy and melodic parts that set them aside, I think. Their latest release is again a lot of fun.



5. Sabbath Assembly - Sabbath Assembly

Sabbath Assembly originally only interpreted hymns of the Process Church. Sabbath Assembly is their first album in which they move away from the set texts of the Process Church rituals and create their own, worship-like music. It's a success. (Warning: the videoclip is somewhere between absurd and disturbing).



4. Kamelot - Haven

More power metal than in some of their previous albums: Kamelot have gone for a trip down memory lane, and I'm quite enthusiastic about the result. You can read my full review here.



3. The Exploding Eyes Orchestra - I

Here we have Jess again - the singer from Jess and the Ancient Ones. While she sounds different on this recording, her vocal is work is splendid as ever. The Exploding Eyes Orchestra brings smoky bars to live and rocks away like no other. You can read my full review here.



2. Luciferian Light Orchestra - Luciferian Light Orchestra

Therion are taking a break to write a metal opera, but that didn't stop Christopher Johnson from writing music. Luciferian Light Orchestra is Therion thrown back to the seventies, and it really works. You can check out my full review here.



1. Amorphis - Under the Red Cross

Under the Red Cross is the best album made by one of the most versatile bands out there. When I heard this album for the first time, I immediately knew this was going to be my album of 2015. I wrote it as such in my full review of the album, and I'm stating this here again.

2014 in review: the 10 best CD releases

Just as in 2013, I have been reviewing a number of new CD releases over the last year for Grave Concerns e-zine, and, while you might be already tired of the end-of-year lists that pop up everywhere on the internet in December, here I would like to present you with my top 10 of CD releases of 2014:

10. In Flames - Siren Charms

I'm a massive fan of Gothenburg death metal, but I'm not 100% convinced of the "new" direction In Flames have been following recently. Not their best album ever, but I like In Flames. A lot. And I enjoy listening to their latest album.



9. Pink Floyd - The Endless River

The swansong album of my favorite band ever. the psychedelic edge is gone, and some might say that only navel-gazing is left - but I can't deny I love that typical Pink Floyd sound. Maybe it's more nostalgia than anything I like about this album.



8. Epica - The Quantum Enigma

You can't go wrong with an Epica album, right? Great female fronted metal - the stuff I grew up with. Not much new in this album, but put a few good riffs, Simone's vocals and some choirs, and I'm happy.



7. Pet the Preacher - The Cave & The Sunlight

Best stoner rock album of the year. Pet the Preacher did not reinvent stoner on this album, but they did cross-over into the realm of post-rock a little bet. Catchy stuff. You can find my full review of this album over at Grave Concerns.



6. Fluisteraars - Dromers

Best black metal album of the year. Or should I say: post-black? Fluisteraars are a Dutch band, with their own take on the swooningly emotional metal from bands like Opeth and Primordial. You can find my full review over at Grave Concerns.



5. Diabulus in Musica- Argia

Best symphonic metal album of the year. This Spanish band has surprised me with their fresh energy and great compositions.



4. Schwarzblut - Gebeyn Aller Verdammten

Because some music just sounds better in German: Schwarzblut! Tanzen! I love how they bring German poetry and electronic / gothic music together into their gesammtkunstwerk.



3. Blood and Sun - White Storms Fall

Neofolk done just right, and married to dark americana. Blood and Sun are a deeply Appalachian band, and deeply rooted in old American traditions. Not just a side project of some metalheads. Read my full review here.



2. Sabbath Assembly - Quaternity

Ever since I first heard my review copy of "Ye Are Gods", I've been intrigued by Sabbath Assembly, who are using the liturgical material of the Process Church into their releases. Quaternity centers around the Christ, Jehovah, Satan and Lucifer. Read my full review here.



1. Messenger - Illusory Blues

Hands down the best album of the year. Kristoffer Rygg from Ulver said "Fuckin' well done" about this album - and I have nothing more to add. Or if you want some more explanation, my full review is here.

Writing with Music - When Spotify doesn't work

It's not a secret that I like listening to music while writing. I have a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, that I swear by. nothing distracts me as much as people who are talking around me, so often, my headphones are a lifesaver. Plus having some music while I am writing makes it all a little more enjoyable.

When I'm not listening to new CD releases while I am working (which I review later on for Grave Concerns E-Zine), I typically listen to music on Spotify. I've written previously about how I improve my Spotify experience with some additional apps and programs, and how nowadays I am using EZBlocker to mute adverts. Seriously, if they thought I'd pay for streaming music just to get rid of ads, they'd better come up with something slightly more sophisticated.

Typically, when I am writing, I prefer to listen to music that does not have clear vocals or lyrics - which tends to distract me. My favorite writing music alternates between classical music (or instrumental music, at times), post-rock and shoegaze playlists and melodic death metal (large large chunks of my dissertation have been written to The Gallery by Dark Tranquillity, and it's still one of my go-to records for writing).

When I'm crunching numbers, and doing work that does not take up very much brain space, but that is just tedious, then I tend to go for futurepop or 60s rock, just something that puts me in the flow of copying and pasting numbers and dragging columns from one place to another.

Now, it can happen that Spotify is not working - for example, when I'm traveling and it starts to give errors because my location is not matching my profile. When that happens, I simply turn to YouTube. Since I have an absolute dislike for adverts when I am listening to music while working (if ads come through, I get so scared/distracted that I almost jump out of my chair), I finally have found a way to listen to music on YouTube without getting bothered every 5 minutes by a random ad for something I would never even consider buying: I now browse for DJ mixes that are over an hour in length. As such, I can crank out 2 pomodoros in deep concentration without getting bothered by ads (and without needing to catch any of the noise of my surroundings).

Do you listen to music while you study and write? What type of music do you prefer? Which programs do you use for listening?

Replacing Blockify by EZBlocker

Over two years ago, I wrote about ways to improve your Spotify experience (free ways so you can avoid the subscription cost, of course!). Spotify is growing more and more, and is now seemingly the standard for streaming music. The post is thus still relevant, and maybe even more widely applicable. Of the software I discussed in that post, Blockify is not getting updated anymore, and ads slip through more and more.

With Blockify off the radar, it was time for me to look for a replacement. Paying to get rid of the ads just is not something I would want to consider. If I pay for music, it is for CDs, with artwork, a booklet and maybe even a digipack with stickers and whatnot of the band. But just paying to get rid of ads and not even supporting a certain band? No thanks...

After a bit of looking around on the internet, I found EZBlocker. Just like Blockify, EZBlocker is an ad-muting little helper, that makes sure you won't get disturbed when an ad pops up but simply brings a pause in between two tracks, muting the ad into the background. EZBlocker is incredibly easy to use, and is by now a standard feature on my laptop. Highly recommended if you work with music!

Silver Linings: Favorite Flashmob

With its more than 10 million views, you must have seen the Sound of Music flashmob.

But I'm sharing it here:
- because it always makes me smile when the thesis hits me in my stomach
- because it comes from home (my home town is 20 minutes from Antwerp, and I went a few years to school to Antwerp, passing through that very train station)
- because I love the architecture of that massive entrance hall of the Antwerp Central station
- because the Sound of Music is the shiz

Have fun watching this!