RR04 Alda - Tahoma Formed in Washington during the fall of 2007, Alda is a four-piece band from Tacoma that plays a style of black metal that is considered to be of the Cascadian ilk.  The band is a collective project that is dedicated to the reclamation of Lost Wisdom and the application of a lifestyle founded on respect and communication with the soils on which they dwell. On April 10, 2012, Alda released their masterpiece Tahoma on vinyl through Replenish Records.  100% of the proceeds from the digital downloads of the album will be donated to Center for Biological Diversity at http://www.biologicaldiversity.org in order to help to secure a future for all species hovering on the brink of extinction through science, law, and creative media with a focus on protecting the lands, waters and climate that species need to survive. Pressing Information: Vinyl [ Test | Red | 10 ] [ 1 | Black | 300 ] [ 2 | Red | 500 ]
#4 on American Aftermath's Top 22 Albums of 2011 #8 on Hammer Smashed Sound's Best Albums of 2011 "Like the mighty volcano that is its namesake, Tahoma is an epic journey.  It is serene and beautiful one minute, and violent and explosive the moment your back is turned.  The only way to discover it is to pick this up and prepare to be wowed by one of 2011's strongest black metal efforts."  Sputnik Music "Alda's Tahoma is truly a masterpiece. On this album, Alda truly makes you feel as though you are surrounded by great forests and mountains. The level of composition displayed on Tahoma is excellent, with songs that range from more straightforward Cascadian black metal to entirely acoustic folk. The music on Tahoma is top notch. Even though it is fairly straightforward nature-inspired black metal, it comes together perfectly to create a juggernaut of an album." Metal Archives "It's quite hard to find an album where you can't tell which riff you like better, which section makes you get more goosebumps or which passage bears more barren, natural beauty.  Tahoma takes you on a journey from the lush forests and blooming rivers, to the highest mountains covered in snow, while Native American shamans keep you company by telling you their tales of old around a cozy campfire at night.  I found Tahoma 2011's best black metal release, even leaving Wolves In The Throne Room behind."  Metal Storm "Alda give us the sounds of deep ancient forests, a labyrinth of dark folk shifting to heavier and more dense black metal, then transcending to druidic like chants. The opening song ?In The Wake Of An Iron Wind? like the rest of the album is like a journey beginning so tranquil and then goes to bleak black metal then spirals into the solitude of a barren landscape. You're left daydreaming of living a transcendentalist life or hiking through a forest. The next four songs carry you through to just under an hour of dark almost ritualistic atmosphere. This band has an ecologically-oriented stance that is reflected in the sound of their music. This is a contemplative album of soundscapes which for me is a must in my vinyl collection."  CVLT Nation "Alda is a black metal band from Tacoma, Washington cut from the same cascadian cloth as Agalloch, so if you are a fan of the latter (as I am, in spades), there’s a good chance you’ll get off on Alda, too.  They have a similar nature-centric take on the music and a similar ritualistic approach to their live performances.  Their songs are long and often hypnotic, with tribal percussion, and memorable, sweeping melodies.  But they also know how to slash and burn.  The band generates a moving storm front of sound that will wash over you like a deluge, yet leave the melodies ringing in your head when they allow you to come up for air." No Clean Singing