Agonia Records

Azarath – Saint Desecration Review

By Dear Hollow on November 30, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 16 comments

“I want to do my best to respect the awe-inspiring Grymm. I inherited Azarath as he was too busy with other things to tackle it. I want to do him justice, to approach the Polish blackened death metal collective with the respect and professionalism due. I would mention that the act began as a side-project of Behemoth drummer Inferno and Armagedon guitarist Bart, currently featuring Embrional vocalist Skullripper and former Lost Soul guitarist Peter on bass. So, given the formidability of the members and the solid catalog ,b>Azarath has amassed, I want to treat 2020’s Saint Desecration with the privilege and honor it is owed.” Honor and desecration.

Demonical – World Domination Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on October 29, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 18 comments

“Demonical is a reliably good band from that everflowing stream of Swe-death. I got into them on the fun Death Infernal and kept with them ever since. I know when I want some cool modern Swe-death that merges Dismember, Entombed, and Amon Amarth pretty effectively, I can turn to Demonical.” Demonical inwasion!

Forgotten Tomb – Nihilistic Estrangement Review

By Doom_et_Al on May 8, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 21 comments

“Longevity is underrated. In 1999, I was a school kid listening to so-so indie rock. Meanwhile, Forgotten Tomb was formed and was busy defining the depressive black metal subgenre: 2003’s Springtime Depression and 2004’s Love’s Burial Ground are considered reasonably important touchstones for the era.” Entombed but not forgotten.

Ragnarok – Non Debellicata Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on November 19, 2019 in 2019, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 24 comments

“Like Marduk, a fair comparison in sound and style, Ragnarok continues their reign of destruction upon the shoulders of a founding member. From the debut record, Nattferd, to 2012’s Malediction, Jontho has been the mastermind behind the band, as well as their sole drummer. A role he greatly succeeded at, as he is one of my favorites in the genre. Then in 2016, with the release of Psychopathology, he slithered out from behind the drums to lend his voice to the band. The jury’s still out debating if this was the best move for the band, considering that one of the best drummers in the field is no longer drumming. So, let’s bring them back in and see what the verdict is.” Personnel follies.

Hour of Penance – Misotheism

By Ferrous Beuller on November 6, 2019 in 2019, Agonia Records, Death Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 21 comments

“Hour of Penance have always been a great representation of Italy’s brand of death metal. Whether or not you enjoy that particular approach is down to personal preference, but their quality can’t be disputed. In an effort to fend off stagnation, the band have actively attempted to refine their sound since Sedition. Regicide and Cast the First Stone showcased a much more succinct pummeling. Without wanting to carve a potential rut, Misotheism sees Hour of Penance subtly shifting shape once more.” Killing time.

In Mourning – Garden of Storms Review

By Kenstrosity on October 1, 2019 in 2019, Agonia Records, Doom Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Doom Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 66 comments

“I’ve heard it said many a time that In Mourning carry the torch that Opeth “abandoned” with the release of Heritage. I don’t happen to agree with that statement. Sure, superficially the Swedish prog-melo-death-doom quintet share something in common with Blackwater Park-era Opeth, but it was clear to me from the first minute of the indelible Monolith that In Mourning were an entirely different collective, a point that each subsequent release reinforced.” Mourning frost on the Great Pumpkin.

Beheaded – Only Death Can Save You Review

By Kronos on June 10, 2019 in 2019, Agonia Records, Death Metal, Maltese Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 70 comments

“Sometimes you just want a death metal record. No problem – I have hundreds of hours of the things stashed away for this very emergency. It gets tricky when you just want a death metal album you haven’t heard before. They’re not hard to find. The problem you now have is one of option paralysis; there are literally too many death metal albums to know where to start. Do you just pick one at random? Do you poll a bunch of snobbish pedants to figure out which ones are the best use of your time?” You axed for it.

October Tide – In Splendor Below Review

By Steel Druhm on May 16, 2019 in 2019, Agonia Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 39 comments

“Summer is coming slowly to New York, and it seems to rain every day lately, keeping a grey, overcast shroud over the Empire State. That means the time is as right as it will be until October for a new October Tide opus of melancholy melodeath. Album number six In Splendor Below sees Katatonia expats Fredrik and Mattias Norrman sporting a new, more illegible logo, and a bit more of a blackened edge at times, but otherwise it’s business as usual for theses purveyors of gloom. Their output still sounds like a mix of early Katatonia and Rapture, and aims to hit that downcast sadboy sweet spot.” Splendor in the sad grass.

Halcyon Way – Bloody But Unbowed Review

By Treble Yell on August 15, 2018 in 2018, Agonia Records, American Metal, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Thrash Metal, 67 comments

“Just because you wore yourself down to the stubs doesn’t mean you produced anything worth a damn. It’s about what you achieve, not how much of it. Halcyon Way would seem to disagree. Having built their reputation on grit and gumption, they stand proud of their latest album, Bloody But Unbowed, a declaration to dogged persistence if there ever was one. But, does effort guarantee success?” Prog-thrash is a dangerous game.

Decline of the I – Escape Review

By Grymm on July 30, 2018 in 2018, Agonia Records, Black Metal, French Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Post-Metal, 38 comments

“Henri Laborit was a French neurobiologist who studied brain activities, including the brain patterns of rats when they’re met with undue aggression. In doing so, he developed chlorpromazine, a powerful antipsychotic used to treat severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, helping to change the tide of mental illness forever. However, due to being at odds with fellow researchers at the time, he felt that his recognitions were viewed as just a footnote compared to those of his peers, and he was said to have died a bitter man in 1995. France’s Decline of the I, led by main man and multi-instrumentalist A (Merrimack, Sektarism, The Order of Apollyon), formed to release a trilogy based on Laborit’s life and works.” Metal health.