Among the thousands of under-appreciated or under-publicized albums that were released in 2010, hundreds became our favorites and were presented in ALARM and on AlarmPress.com. Of those, we pared down to 100 outstanding releases, leaving no genre unexplored in our list of this year’s overlooked gems.
Enslaved: Axioma Ethica Odini (Nuclear Blast / Indie Recordings, 9/28/10)
Enslaved: “Ethica Odini”
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Enslaved abandoned black metal long ago in favor of expansive rock songs coated in darker aesthetics. This release continues in the tradition of post-Syd Barrett Pink Floyd by creating compositions of textures over a few simple rock riffs.
Style-shifting Norwegian band Shining continues on its acoustic-jazz-turned-jazz-fusion-turned-progressive-metal agenda, announcing 15 new dates for its fall European tour. Shining will pass through select European countries through early November, playing massive riffs from its latest album, Blackjazz (Indie Recordings). Check out Alarm 37 for our review of the album.
During the tour, Shining will share the stage with bands including Ihsahn, Leprous, Xerath, A-Ha, Killl, and Suburban Tribe. For a detailed schedule, visit the band’s website. And yes, that’s the same A-Ha of “Take on Me” fame — which awarded Shining one of its lucrative A-Ha Grants this summer.