[Nuke]

bacause 'Sideshow Symphonies' just so freaking awesome! vortex's voice soars, sorta like a viking maynard without the new age hippie exostentialisim or whatever.  hellhammer is his usuall brutal self, the inhumanly human drum machine. the rest of them arent bad either. there needs to be more clean vocal black metal (though arcturus has advant-garde and progressive elements too)

other new cds to check out inclue old mans child's vermin, which is ok but i havent really listened to it much. check that one out if you like black metal.

also managed to get ahold of dimmu borgir's Stormblåst 2005 promo, leaves to be desired, but its just a promo, the full should be better. but definately check out the arcturus album, even if you arent into black you will like it.

[Slanker_MT]

The farthest that I go into blackmetal is Dissection or Behemoth. Is it comparable by any means?

[Nuke]

not sure, i usually stick to the norwigian sceene. id call it post black, maybe progressive. metal archives discribes it as Avant-Garde, Atmospheric Black (early).

its got clean vocals. sorta like primordial but less irish. vocals sound similar to maynard from tool, at least to a degree and with a more scandinavian tone.

vortex is in a few bands , dimmu being the major one, he has vocal parts on "maelstrom mephisto" and "the insight and the catharsis" while also playing bass. he also had a doom metal band called lamented souls, which had an illusive hard to find album, the origins of misery , i have a couple tracks and thats his best work in my opinion. if you like melodic vocals some  keyboard/piano and of course hellhammer, i check it out. this album probibly could make it in the mainstream if the word spread though.

*edit*
been looking for a promo clip but cant seem to find one

[Zuljin]

Arcturus is definetly something of it's own when you compare it to the rest of the black metal scene.
I haven't heard anything from the new album, but I might look into it later.

Only new metal stuff I've gotten as of late is Opeth's newest album, Ghost Reveries.
Also picked up a couple of Windir cd's that I didn't have.

[Nuke]

that arcturus cd is so far the best thing ive heard out of 2005. not that ive heard all new stuff for this year. with so many disapointing albums coming out its good to hear something that is truely excelent.