In Vain - Ænigma (new album in March)

Way to few poeople know about this band, and I'm gonna rectify that by promoting the hell out of this one!

IN VAIN TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM “ÆNIGMA” IN MARCH



In Vain is back and ready to release their 3rd attack of progressive extreme metal! “Ænigma” is their most extreme work to date, mixed and produced by the legendary Jens Bogren (Opeth, Soilwork, Borknagar ++). The album will be released March 11th in Europe, March 8th in Norway and March 15th in Germany and Austria. Check out In Vain's tour dates for 2013 below!

The album contains 8 songs of In Vain’s unique trademarked sound and as usual, In Vain has brought some guests along. “Ænigma” sees excellent appearances by Lazare and Cornelius from Solefald.

With “Ænigma” In Vain is back in the game with their strongest album by far. Additionally, on the album the production is taken to another level, with stellar production provided by Mr. Jens Bogren. Songwriter Johnar Håland comments: “We had a solid impression of the releases coming out of the Fascination Street Studio, and believed Jens was the right guy to give the music the crystal clear and powerful sound that it demands. Jens did not cut any corners and delivered a production par excellente.”

The very talented designer Robert Høyem has designed the cover art on the album.

And a clip:

They're pretty good. I'll give them another try.

The Latter Rain was really one of the albums that got me into the death/black metal scene.
Looking forward to it.

I really like the Wounds EP. One time I bought both The Latter Rain and Mantra, but have not really given them much play time, so I am not sure what I think. The only impression I have is that I liked the versions of the Wounds songs on the EP better than those on The Latter Rain.

Give them some more spins, Chris. I really like everything this band have ever released.

I gave (am giving) Mantra a listen, and I am not sure if I could really love it. There's just a lot of sillyness going on. I feel like they could have cut some of that out and I might like it better. I am also not a big fan of the whole Native American aesthetic. In some ways it reminds me of the type of effort required to get into later Enslaved releases.

I am not writing it off. I will play it more times.

the native american stuff was what gave the album character IMO.

I am on about my 3rd or 4th listen, and it is starting to make more sense to me. I am starting to feel the character/nature of the songs. I am liking it much better now. I am still annoyed some by parts of that one Native American themed song.

Also, and I am not sure if it is just me, but I hate it when bands put a song after another song in the last track after a bunch of silence. I just can't imagine that bands think we music fans are still amused by the novelty of things like that. Yeah, when CDs first came out, it was a trip, but really it is just annoying to me. I can understand a separate track, or even the same track, with up to maybe 30 seconds of silence to sort of allow the mood to go beck to neutral (cleanse the aural palette), but much more than that is just annoying.

Thanks Kurt, for the encouragement to acquaint myself with this release. I'll probably spin in a time or two more, and then move on to The Latter Rain. I'll probably also dig out the two EPs as well.

That is very cool, Chris! I know I need sooooo many more spins to really appreciate anything these days, so I constantly have to tell myself to be patient to what I am listening to, and not just leave it after a spin or 2.

And I totally agree, I HATE having the silence, then more music thingy. I'm not sure if it was on this album, but I know that in the past I have edited such tracks and devided them in two separate tracks.

I really liked the track that you put on my comp, and I like what I have heard so far. I will definitly be checking this album out as well.

I am really detecting quite a bit of King's X influence on Mantra track 4, On The Banks of the Mississippi. I mean, this band is nothing like KX, but I definitely hear what sounds to me like heavy influences scattered here and there in this song.

The new album is awesome! One of my favorites so far, this year!! I hope more people give this band a chance. I'm looking at you, OCI!

I really want to pick this one up. I love their previous efforts. Thanks for the heads up Kmorg. I think it was probably you who turned me on to this band a few years ago through one post or another.