And fire swept the earth. No, it's not Enslaved but Poland's Misanthropic Rage who cast all asunder with their avant-garde progressive metal. A dark, croaky voice echoes behind a full-out sound which bounces off walls, crunches buildings and creates expanses and big atmospheres. Frequent tempo changes are the order of the day, but Misanthropic Rage somehow manage to blend all embracing darkness and ghastly, industrial scenes with melancholic guitar passages. There's continuity, which is the main thing and quite an achievement. www.avenoctum.com
