Candlelight

Ihsahn – Ihsahn (Studio version) Review

Ihsahn – Ihsahn (Studio version) Review

By Carcharodon on February 14, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Classical, Progressive Metal, Symphonic Metal, 117 comments

“Introductions to Emperor’s creative mastermind Ihsahn, as he drops his eighth (and ninth) solo LPs, seem unnecessary. However, a small note is needed for this review because there are two, entirely separate but inextricably related, versions of Ihsahn and I am reviewing only one of them. Ihsahn’s solo work has always involved a significant symphonic component, as did his writing for Emperor albeit to a lesser degree, but he has gone all-out orchestral for his selt-titled offering.” Symphonies of the night.

Cruachan – Blood on the Black Robe Review

Cruachan – Blood on the Black Robe Review

By Angry Metal Guy on April 16, 2011 in 2.5, 2011, Black Metal, Candlelight, Folk Metal, Irish Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 4 comments

So, like them or not, Cruachan has been around since the early 1990s doing their Celtic folk metal bit with varying success. Their most widely well-regarded record is the album Folk-Lore from 2002, but there was at least a little love for the band’s blending of Gaelic folk music and metal. For me, the band has always had an air of ‘amateur’ about them. While bands like Primordial and Skyclad produced unique music at a high level, there’s always been a seed of a good idea with Cruachan, but an execution problem. So, how does Blood on the Black Robe live up to the legacy of the band?

Winterfylleth – The Mercian Sphere Review

Winterfylleth – The Mercian Sphere Review

By Angry Metal Guy on July 20, 2010 in 2.5, 2010, Black Metal, Candlelight, Reviews, Black Metal, 1 comment

Winterfylleth is a pagan black metal band from Manchester, England who previously has a full length that was released on Profound Lore. They join the ranks of modern black metal bands who, while conforming to many aspects of the genre, are still fighting against the basics: grindy Satan worship. Instead, Winterfylleth produces atmospheric, but melodic black metal that fits in perfectly with a lot of what’s going on around the world in black metal, but that definitely couldn’t be grouped in with sort of “post-black metal” crowd. The Mercian Sphere has the basic foundations of what could be a highly successful record in 2010, but there are a few things that get in the way for this Angry Metal Guy.

Limbonic Art – Phantasmagoria Review

Limbonic Art – Phantasmagoria Review

By Steel Druhm on July 7, 2010 in 2010, 3.0, Black Metal, Candlelight, Reviews, Black Metal, 6 comments

I loved Bathory growing up. I mean, I REALLY loved me some Bathory! That crazy Quorthon and his one man band really tore it up while basically giving birth to the black, folk and viking metal genres all by his lonesome. However, A.B. (After Bathory), many one man bands rose up in the frozen, gloomy black metal basements of the world, some good, many not. Therefore, when I heard that long running Norwegian black metal act Limbonic Art was now essentially reduced to a one man project for co-founder Daemon, I was more than slightly uneasy about the release of this, their seventh album, Phantasmagoria. Further enhancing my unease was the advance word that the album would again feature a drum machine (a long running negative for this band). With unease and hesitation upon all our minds (or at least mine), here we go.

Circle of Dead Children – Psalms of the Grand Destroyer Review

Circle of Dead Children – Psalms of the Grand Destroyer Review

By Steel Druhm on June 14, 2010 in 2.0, 2010, American Metal, Candlelight, Death Metal, Reviews, Grind, 3 comments

Here at Angry Metal Guy Industries ©®, staff is small [by which he means “little people” – Ed.], deadlines are many and mercy is neither asked for nor granted. Therefore, we of the reviewer caste don’t always get to cherry pick bands or genres we love. Because of this ugly truth, sometimes a review must be done for something outside our musical wheelhouse. That is the very dilemma facing yours truly with a review of Psalms of the Grand Destroyer by Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s own Circle of Dead Children. Album number four by these purveyors of inhuman deathgrind is sick, twisted, chaotic and brutal for brutality’s sake, but is it good? That is a mighty tricky question.

Ihsahn – After Review

Ihsahn – After Review

By Angry Metal Guy on January 12, 2010 in 2010, 4.0, Black Metal, Candlelight, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, 8 comments

Easily one of the most anticipated records of 2010 for me has been Ihsahn’s new offering. While I was a passing Emperor fan, really just a fan of In the Nightside Eclipse and Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk-era, I was taken by Ihsahn’s solo stuff. The Adversary felt fresh, progressive enough, a step away from the later Emperor material of which I wasn’t a fan, and it captured the sonic styles and textures that he was never quite allowed to explore while in Emperor. The record didn’t stick with me as I had hoped, while I listened to it occasionally it didn’t hold a steadfast position in my discography. On the other hand, angL blew me away. Probably the finest record of 2008, angL has maintained a steady place in the rotation and is a record that I’ve showed to dozens of people. Perfectly produced, perfectly composed and smartly written, angL contained everything that I wanted out of a new progressive metal record. So, of course, when I heard that Ihsahn would be releasing a new record in 2010, I became justifiably excited.

Claustrofobia – I See Red Review

By Angry Metal Guy on October 14, 2009 in 2.5, 2009, Candlelight, Death Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 0 comments

Claustrofobia – I See Red Rating: 2.5/5.0 – Drop the scale runs and make it shorter, and this would be a better album Label: Candlelight Website(s): myspace.com/claustrofobia Release Date(s): EU: 19.10.2009 | USA: Release date unclear Anyone who’s ever been a guitarist knows that guy who shames you. Well, maybe not everyone, ’cause sometimes you […]

Evile – Infected Nations Review

Evile – Infected Nations Review

By Angry Metal Guy on September 24, 2009 in 2009, 3.0, Earache Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, 2 comments

Thrash revival has been a big deal of late. I mean, thrash is the biggest thing since.. well, thrash, in the metal scene right now. Bands from all over the world, particularly in the underground, are donning tight jeans, jean jackets, Kreator and Exodus patches and looking for the next big thrash prodigy. Earache is not the only label releasing thrash revival stuff, it’s coming from everywhere (Candlelight has been particularly prolific with the thrash revival). Evile is on that bandwagon, whether they like it or not, but they have a different take on it. That is: they sound a lot more like the mature Bay Area.

The Atlas Moth – A Glorified Piece of Blue-Sky Review

By Angry Metal Guy on September 16, 2009 in 2009, 3.5, American Metal, Candlelight, Reviews, Sludge, Sludge, 0 comments

The Atlas Moth – A Glorified Piece of Blue-Sky Rating: 3.5/5.0 – A mix of sounds that works very well, but doesn’t stand out for me.. Label: Candlelight Website: theatlasmoth.com Release Date(s): EU: 21.09.2009 | USA: 10.6.2009 Sludge, and many variations thereof, have definitely been working their way into the “mainstream” consciousness of heavy metal […]