Talanas‘ “The Waspkeeper” is quite simply, Album Of The Year [2011]. Last year’s debut EP and the name-dropping of My Dying Bride, Porcupine Tree and Akercocke hinted at what may come and whetted my appetite, but I was not prepared for this.

Equal parts brutal, beautiful, soothing and unsettling, The Waspkeeper is a perfectly balanced album. A rare gem pulls together strands of influence and presents them in a fresh way. Also a formidable live band, these guys are a very promising prospect for the future of British Metal. Progressive Death Metal has never sounded so good.

The CD version of this album is exclusively available directly from the band at this location.