Akerblogger

Swampbeast – Seven Evils Spawned of Seven Heads Review

Swampbeast – Seven Evils Spawned of Seven Heads Review

“Tranquility is having one’s swamp to one’s self. Nothing beats the sultry shimmer of swamp silence. But silence is fleeting. Evil lurks in the hazy depths of the swamp. Upward through ancient mud rises Swampbeast, a mangled, tangled death metal creature. The beast is here to stay. Seven Evils Spawned of Seven Heads, Swampbeast’s debut full-length, drags a listener through a 36-minute mire of grinding putridity.” Running bog wild.

The Ruins of Beverast – The Thule Grimoires Review

The Ruins of Beverast – The Thule Grimoires Review

“Thule: the northern most part of the ancient world. Grimoire: a text that invokes an evil magic. With his seventh full-length, Alexander von Meilenwald – the single figure at the heart of The Ruins of Beverast – journeys northwards and backwards into a mystical, malevolent past. Gone is the shapeshifting shamanism of 2017’s Exuvia. Only the cold embrace of frost and despair remains.” Thule’s gold.

Portrayal of Guilt – We Are Always Alone Review

Portrayal of Guilt – We Are Always Alone Review

“The three members of Austin’s Portrayal of Guilt are young and full of punk. Jadedness and grey hair is a distant worry. They are raging, raging against the dying of a light that so many have gently entered. Youthful vigor is a fleeting thing. If the rage of youth could be bottled it would sell billions. For many bands, the golden thread of youth unravels and vanishes in a flash. It’s a ball of yarn and a knitting needle then, a life trying to recreate the glory of days gone by. The rare band or individual breaks the mold, but for the most part, nothing can recapture the seething potential and momentum of the early days.” Alone in angst…together.

Endezzma – The Archer, Fjord and the Thunder Review

Endezzma – The Archer, Fjord and the Thunder Review

“It’s a silent and foggy evening on the banks of your fjord. You’ve finally got a moment to yourself, away from the chaos of the clan. You press play on your Windir tape as you sit back to watch the fog unfurl over the water. Then a light. Then an arrow. All of a sudden a buff trio of mythological malevolent creatures arrive to upset your reverie and rain fire upon your name. Endezzma has arrived with a slow, evil intent that rapidly turns to chaos and hellfire.” Fjord world problems.

Mamaleek – Come & See [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]

Mamaleek – Come & See [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]

Mamaleek’s experimental fluidity has been bubbling beneath the surface since 2008. Not a lot is known about the two brothers who have channeled many genres through the Mamaleek moniker. Come & See is their seventh full-length and another chapter in their difficult-to-place story. If you asked me about this record a few months ago I would have huffed, puffed and dismissed it as a work of directionless cross-genre experimentation. After revisiting the record last month, however, I was struck by how coherent and engrossing it was as a whole.” Experiments in sound.

Vajra – Irkalla Review

Vajra – Irkalla Review

“After confusing body/soul searching I opened my third eye to Irkalla. Following the band’s advice to light a candle (I could only find a mulled wine scented candle from Christmas) after midnight I listened to the record, enhancing my journey into the esoteric darkness of my soul. What I found, deep within, was dark.” Block the chakras.

Molten – Dystopian Syndrome Review

Molten – Dystopian Syndrome Review

“Dystopia no longer exists in the realm of fiction. Fiction is reality. Falsities become truths, truths falsities. Who knows what’s true. This Christmas a mainstream British TV channel provided an alternative deepfake version of the traditional Queen’s speech, a warning against the proliferation of misinformation and fake news. When will metal be deepfaked? Will we even be able to tell if we’re listening to the machine? Are we deepfakes, howling through the vortex of the internet and providing energy to the lizard people? Who knows. Molten may be real or may not.” Dystopia now!

Sightless Pit – Grave of a Dog [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]

Sightless Pit – Grave of a Dog [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]

“Lee Buford of The Body and Dylan Walker of Full of Hell provide an alternative angle of attack: harsh, industrial and nasty. Grave of a Dog, described by Walker, is “about the anonymity of struggle, the darkness of a lifetime wasted warring against nature, god and everything else, only to be defeated… nothing… the end.” Into the dog pit.

Over The Voids – Hadal Review

Over The Voids – Hadal Review

“The Fall, the sole member of Over The Voids, has stated that the great motivator is his ‘fear of death.’ This infatuation with the unavoidable is the pulse of metal and the life force of Over The Voids, a spectral blackened project that seeks to evoke the mystery of the second wave whilst constructing an immersive narrative.” Death fuels art.