Havard Lunde has been recording Moonscape albums for quite some time. His mix of prog and power elements with death metal croaking and black metal atmospherics is intoxicating. The melodies are stirring, and the propulsive elements keep the entire project driving forward.

Moonscape Entity, Chapter III: A Sudden Glimpse of Clarity (self-released)

Entity was a single 40-minute track. Its sequel appeared a years later, and now five years on comes the trilogy maker. Unlike the earlier installments, the movements on this album are separated into tracks. I'd still advise listening the entire way through and not skipping about, but the tracks work that way, too.

Oh, and this is all Lunde. He has recruited plenty of vocal help, but all the instruments (and arranging and production and . . .) are him. Perhaps this is just because of his location in the Norwegian hinterlands, or perhaps he knows exactly what he wants and how to get it. Based on the superior sound, I'd bet strongly on the latter.

Is this excessive? Oh, hell yes! Metal requires a spot of cheese for lubrication, and Lunde provides solid satisfaction. Oh, and there's a story here. I didn't follow the lyrics. I'm much more about the music, and Lunde has a stranglehold on his. Listen and enter another world. You might not want to leave. You may be right.

Jon Worley