Peaceville

Yer Metal Is Olde: Katatonia – Tonight’s Decision

Yer Metal Is Olde: Katatonia – Tonight’s Decision

Katatonia are something like my anti Pokémon: when I first discovered them, circa Viva Emptiness, I shared none of the love that the rest of the metalsphere had for the Swedes, and yet it and each subsequent album would eventually dig the band a little deeper into what’s become their home at the innermost depths of my heartcicle. Like the infamous pocket monsters ov yore, each successive Katatonia offering has introduced new defining elements to their makeup, constantly evolving and establishing distinct historical chapters in their wake. Today we revisit Tonight’s Decision, an album that bade farewell to Katatonia’s violent youthful tendencies and set them on a course for dark prog greatness.” They chose…wisely.

Darkthrone – Old Star Review

Darkthrone – Old Star Review

“Well, you always get what’s coming to you. Though I’m a faithful and unfaltering fan of everything Darkthrone, the band’s 2016 full-length release kinda ticked me off. Having dealt with Napalm and Frontier Record’s insistence on sending out stream-only promos to music journalists across the world, I was a little peeved when Peaceville did the same with Arctic Thunder. Everyone remembers it. And I said some things I shouldn’t have. But, I got over it. And so did everyone else. But, when talk of the newest Darkthrone opus, Old Star, rolled around, I was content with receiving another stream-only promo. I mean, fair is fair, right?” Damn the stream!

Bloodbath – The Arrow of Satan Is Drawn Review

Bloodbath – The Arrow of Satan Is Drawn Review

“We all know AMG‘s policy on supergroups, but if ever there was an act that continues to entice, it has to be the Swedish Modern Prometheus, Bloodbath, a band responsible for creating two of my very favorite death metal albums and reliably catering to all my HM2 needs. Our very own Steel Commander saw fit to furnish their previous release with a favorable review, and while I didn’t enjoy it quite as much, I can’t say they have ever truly disappointed me. Four years drinking deeply of the grave has re-energized the quintet to return and beguile those of a buzzsaw bent with another foray into the old-school.” Bloody arrows of death.

Akercocke – Renaissance In Extremis Review

Akercocke – Renaissance In Extremis Review

“I created my moniker out of a weird obsession with Akercocke. A close friend and I would muse over the lyrical and conceptual themes from Goat of Mendes, watch videos of the band being interviewed by Irish religious nuts, and generally make long-winded jokes over Jason Mendonca’s LinkedIn profile and his love for tweed and sophisticated exhibitionism. Beneath this was a love for the eclectic and unique extreme music that Akercocke crafted.” Tweed the demons.

Morta Skuld – Wounds Deeper Than Time Review

Morta Skuld – Wounds Deeper Than Time Review

“The process of quantifying quality is always a capricious thing. Contrary to nature, what I might allow for one band, I may use to vilify another, and we haven’t even begun to touch on the perils of genre favoritism — because, despite any reviewer’s very best attempts to consider a product on its individual merit, there will always be some material that I’ll subconsciously allow an extra furlong of leeway.” Media bias!

T.O.M.B. – Fury Nocturnus Review

T.O.M.B. – Fury Nocturnus Review

“Makers of what they have referred to as “shadowy,” “blackened,” and “industrial” noise, T.O.M.B. ask in their own language of exploding synthesizers what would happen if, instead of making music haunted and cinematic, someone collected everything haunted and cinematic about metal and made it musical. Literally, this is a group that has crafted an entire album from samples recorded at famous insane asylums, and here on their newest release, Fury Nocturnus, they do their best to convince listeners they have found an even spookier space.” An experiment in terror?

Darkthrone – Arctic Thunder Review

Darkthrone – Arctic Thunder Review

“For the last fifteen, this Norwegian duo have been turning out album after album of crusty, blackened heavy metal. Using these recent records as the balancing weight to their black metal counterparts. Though fans may be split on which seat they prefer on this dilapidated teeter totter from Hell, Darkthrone ain’t returning to their old, black metal ways. And Arctic Thunder is proof of that, adding even more weight to the leather-draped seat on this hellish seesaw.” Sounds of a playground…nearing?

Yer Metal Is Olde! Anathema – Eternity

Yer Metal Is Olde! Anathema – Eternity

“Of thousands of metal bands, there are few that have changed as drastically as Anathema. First blazing trails as a death-doom band and party to the so-called ‘Peaceville Three,’ they underwent a softening into what can be described as doom or goth rock. Their deathy innards stripped away, this mid-era is what some regard as their strongest output given they retained their darkness and evocative atmosphere but with subtler music. Since the turn of the millennium they’ve mellowed yet further into an unusual but compelling amalgamation of alternative rock, airy prog and dreamy pop. I’m here today to discuss my favorite Anathema album, one from the mid-period: Eternity.” The evolution of sadness.

Katatonia – The Fall of Hearts Review

Katatonia – The Fall of Hearts Review

“You might consider a band to be losing momentum when they go four years without releasing any original music, yet Katatonia’s profile has risen since 2012’s Dead End Kings. With two live albums as well as Dethrowned and Uncrowned – a mellow reworking of Dead End Kings – under their collective belt since then, they’ve managed to keep their name in the press despite a lack of new material. If any band deserves this continued level of recognition and praise it’s Katatonia.” Praise to the sad boys!

Novembre – URSA Review

Novembre – URSA Review

“I have an admission to make, and it’s not an easy one. Until the past few weeks, I had never heard of Italy’s Novembre. Yes, as Angry Metal Guy’s resident doom meister who worships at the altar of the Peaceville Three, considers Funeral’s From These Wounds a desert-island album, and champions any band that possesses The Riff of Sorrow, I had neglected to check out one of Italy’s heralded progressive exports.” Please publicly shame this man.