• Patrick Saad’s Top Releases of February 2011

  • Turisas – Stand Up And Fight

Highlights: Stand Up And Fight and Venetoi! – Prasinoi!.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIDPh7wVCTk]

Positives: Extensive orchestration boosting the album’s epic battle mood, all mixed and mastered by no other than Jens Borgen (Opeth, Katatonia, etc). Great sing-along tracks (stadium rock?) such as “Stand Up and Fight” and “Take the Day!”.

For fans of: Ensiferum, Týr and Moonsorrow.

  • Ava Inferi – Onyx

Highlights: The Heathen Land and The Living End.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55msu8xjOm0]

Positives: Dark, heavy and most certainly catchy, this Gothic Doom album takes the best from early Theater of Tragedy and Draconian and molds it to an even more obscure mood.

For fans of: Theater of Tragedy, Draconian and The Sins of Thy Beloved.

  • Moonsorrow – Varjoina Kuljemme Kuolleiden Maassa

Highlights: Huuto and Tähdetön.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2QObJG-gJE]

Positives: Four intense 10+mins folk black metal songs with 3 short songs that takes the listener right into the cold Finnish forests!

For fans of: Enslaved, Blut Aus Nord and Primordial.

  • Honorable Mentions

Evergrey – Glorious Collision

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wTYOKxChVg