Ambient Metal

Forlesen – Hierophant Violent Review

By Carcharodon on April 17, 2020 in 2020, Ambient Metal, American Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Hypnotic Dirge Records, Post-metal, Reviews, Ambient Metal, Drone, Post-Metal, 82 comments

“A hierophant – a word I was dimly aware of but confess that I had to look up – is a person who leads the religious into the presence of that which is deemed holy by the relevant congregation. It also a card in the tarot deck and at least one of its meanings is that of a teacher or counselor who aids the seeker in the acquisition of knowledge. Both of these meanings are wholly appropriate for Bay Area trio Forlesen’s debut, Hierophant Violent. I would estimate that, since beginning my tenure serfdom here at AMG, my musical consumption has increased by upwards of 80% and I was listening to a lot before I started. And yet it’s rare indeed that an album hits me like Hierophan Violent did.” Elephantine Hierophant.

Dodenbezweerder – Vrees De Toorn Van De Wezens Verscholen Achter Majestueuze Vleugels Review

By Dear Hollow on March 23, 2020 in 2020, Ambient, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, Drone, Dutch Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Noise, Reviews, Black Metal, Noise, 18 comments

“For those of you acquainted with the Dutch black metal scene, this is another project from Maurice “Mories” de Jong, whose sadistic tendrils puppeteer acts like Gnaw Their Tongues, De Magia Veterum, and Obscuring Veil, to name only a few. He and an anonymous member released three demos and an EP in 2019 under the moniker Dodenbezweerder, which attempts to fuse the sprawl and evocation of ambient black with the edge and claustrophobia of raw black.” Noise as a weapon.

Saltas – Mors Salis: Opus I Review

By Dear Hollow on March 16, 2020 in 2020, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Nuclear War Now! Productions, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 10 comments

“In spite of listening to this stuff for the better part of my life now, I still realize how much I don’t know about so many sub-sub-subgenres, such as doom’s vast array. While I delved into the melodic death flavors of Saturnus, Swallow the Sun, and Novembers Doom, I let the cavernous stuff pass me by. It all comes full circle, when Swedish duo Saltas punishes me with a lethal dose of suffocatingly dense doom to whom comparisons are sparse.” Saltas the earth.

An Evening with Knives – Sense of Gravity Review

By Dear Hollow on March 5, 2020 in 2020, Ambient Metal, Argonauta Records, Doom Metal, Dutch Metal, Groove Metal, Post-metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Ambient Metal, Groove Metal, Post-Metal, 5 comments

“Our latest post-metal loving Dutch trio An Evening with Knives is hoping to take a stab at the scene with their second full-length, Sense of Gravity. They advertise their sound as ‘where the wall of sound falls down into a sea of tranquility’ in a fusion of post-metal and stoner-doom. Does their intriguing premise succeed in a cut above the rest or will it just settle being another post-metal old knives’ tale?” Falling blades.

Throne of Iron – Adventure One Review

By Steel Druhm on February 21, 2020 in 2020, Ambient Metal, Heavy Metal, No Remorse Records, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 23 comments

“The inspiration for the Bloomington, Indiana based Throne of Iron came to founder Tucker Thomasson when he heard Mark Shelton, the legendary frontman of cult act Manilla Road, had passed away. The band was created as a way to pay homage to the man and his music as well as Thomasson’s love for Dungeons & Dragons. For a time Throne of Iron functioned as a one-man project, but eventually Thomasson drew supporters to the cause and the debut, Adventure One features a full time raiding party/band/nerd herd.” Chaotic-neutral.

Runescarred – The Distant Infinite Review

By Kenstrosity on February 18, 2020 in 2020, Ambient Metal, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Thrash Metal, 20 comments

“Runescarred blend thrash, heavy and progressive metal together into an amalgam that is simultaneously all of those things and its own thing entirely. Immediately upon completing a preliminary spin of The Distant Infinite, bands which first came to mind included The Offering, Nevermore, and Havok.” Prog may be closer than it appears.

Krosis – A Memoir of Free Will Review

By Dear Hollow on February 6, 2020 in 2020, Ambient, Ambient Metal, American Metal, Deathcore, Djent, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal, Unique Leader, Deathcore, Djent, Technical Death Metal, 46 comments

‘Krosis is a progressive deathcore band from North Carolina, A Memoir of Free Will being their second full-length. I’m not sure what progressive really entails, as the label has been used to describe anything from the djenty chuggaboundabounboundaluggs of Structures or Volumes, to the transcendental offerings of Slice the Cake or Kardashev.” Jawbreakers.

Midnight – Rebirth by Blasphemy Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on January 24, 2020 in 2020, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 54 comments

“Few bands paint a picture quite as Midnight does. But, in this case, it’s no ordinary picture. It’s Hell. Even more than the ancient works of Venom, Midnight paints a blood-red scene of violence on a black canvas. I not only can feel it but I can smell it. The flickering reds and oranges burn to the touch and the air is stifling and uncomfortable. The fragrance is a mix of unwashed crotch and dogshit burning in a paper bag. When you pass through the large, creaking door to the back of this stinking asylum, your sweat solidifies to your face. From red hot to freezing cold, Hell’s non-smoking area in the rear is black and brown, with the stench of wet earth and decomposition. Yet, no matter where you are in this underground venue, the walls reverberate with the black rasps, fiery guitars, rumbling bass, and pounding drums of the lone devil, Athenar.” Welcome home.

Bull of Apis Bull of Bronze – Offerings of Flesh and Gold [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

By Dear Hollow on January 10, 2020 in 2019, A Moment of Clarity Recordings, Ambient Metal, American Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2019, Doom Metal, 37 comments

“Offerings of Flesh and Gold blends ritual ambiance, drone, and even aspects of dungeon synth with black metal, and I don’t know if it’s my latest fascination with enigmatic black metal projects like Death. Void. Terror. or Ancient Moon, but this debut hits the sweet spot.” Bull markets .

Unreqvited – Mosaic II: La déteste et la détresse Review

By Carcharodon on January 7, 2020 in 2020, Ambient Metal, Canadian Metal, Post-metal, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, Ambient Metal, Post-Metal, 38 comments

“The more wizened experienced writers on staff say it’s best never to go back and read your early reviews. This is the first occasion I have had to really ponder the wisdom in these words. Unreqvited’s Mosaic I: Mosaic I: L’amour et l’ardeur was just the third n00b review I penned for these venerable pages and it is the first band I am reviewing here for a second time.” Shark teeth and time.