Dutch Metal

Dödsrit – Nocturnal Will Review

By Thus Spoke on March 22, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 44 comments

“It’s not like I really need any convincing, but it’s great when an album comes along and reminds me that black metal is, in fact, fucking fantastic. 2023 was a comparatively dry year for the genre, especially as far as the more straightforward, unadorned variety was concerned. 2024 is already making up for it. Swedish/Dutch four-piece Dödsrit are one of the voices in the scene quietly but confidently proving how effective some no-frills (crust-adjacent) melodic black metal can be.” Black is the olde black.

Vltimas – EPIC Review

By Kenstrosity on March 15, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Groove Metal, 59 comments

“International supergroup Vltimas crashed upon the Earth early in 2015, dropping their well-received debut roughly four years later. Comprised of Morbid Angel’s very own David Vincent at the mic, Cryptopsy’s Flo Mounier manning the kit, and Aura Noir’s Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen slinging axe, the project deals in grooving, swaggering blackened death metal singing Satan’s praises and glorifying the destruction of all the world. You know, the usual.” Super epic?

Sea of Consciousness – Sea of Consciousness Review

By Eldritch Elitist on January 11, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 23 comments

“Credit where credit is due: Sea of Consciousness might be the first band outside of Napalm Records-core to don color-coordinated robes, and I think that’s just kinda neat. It’s further refreshing to see this band releasing their unsigned debut in January, rather than in the slaughterhouse of the autumn pre-awards season. I’d like to think Sea of Consciousness realizes that an early-year release gives them a larger platform by default.” Into the depths of metaldom.

Shylmagoghnar – Convergence Review

By Doom_et_Al on November 22, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 32 comments

“Holy shit, Shylmagoghnar doesn’t do itself any favors. Everything about the project seems engineered to scare all but the most committed away. Unpronounceable name that’s a spelling mistake waiting to happen? Check. One-man, home-made black metal? Check. Excessive length and an inability to self-edit on previous albums (both of which clocked in at the 70 minute mark)? Check. And yet, there was something undeniable about the band’s previous output.” Fat Wednesday.

Nahasheol – Serpens Abyssi Review

By Dear Hollow on November 15, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 11 comments

“Black metal is a petty mistress, a femme fatale. Promising the void with cupped hands only to say “made you look” when thousands of one-man bedroom projects jump on your face like deranged sugar gliders, black metal will lull you in and punish you for your optimism. That said, I know better, so I approached the Dutch duo Nahasheol cautiously.” Fear of the dark (and snakes).

Autarkh – Emergent Review

By Kenstrosity on November 10, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Electronic Metal, Industrial Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, 49 comments

For your amusement we present two very different perspectives on the new Autarkh opus, Emergent. Will their divisive industrial/post/black metal sound bring an ugly end to a lovely friendship?

Laster – Andermans Mijne Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on November 4, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, 44 comments

“What a weird band Laster is. As a name in the ever-expanding roster of strange, wailing, and skronk-toned black metal spilling off the banks of Utrecht, Netherlands, the three cloaked comrades join the ranks of other regarded underground acts like Grey Aura, Nusquama, and Verval—each featuring a Laster member no less—truly pushing the bounds of what the genre can harbor.” Laster man standing.

Salacious Gods – Oalevluuk Review

By Iceberg on October 15, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 6 comments

“Second-wave black metal worship is like that regular at your local dive: omnipresent, predictable with their order, and armed with the same old stories for whoever happens to be within earshot. They’re not bad for business per se, but familiarity has been known to breed contempt. And few styles are as familiar as Norwegian black metal of the early ’90s, inspiring generations to revere and—occasionally—innovate upon that trademark of “trve evil.” Enter mercurial Dutch black metallers Salacious Gods, rising from the ashes of self-imposed exile to bring us their first record in 18(!) years.” Salacious layoffs.

Iskandr – Spiritus Sylvestris Review

By GardensTale on October 11, 2023 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Folk Metal, 14 comments

“The Netherlands has a very healthy black metal scene, with many bands using peat-bogs and Germanic folklore as inspiration. Until recently, Iskandr was part of that tradition. Twelve gave the band a mixed review last time, and clearly, this caused a major identity crisis in drummer M. Koops (Fluisteraars et al) and everything-elser O. Iskandr (Dool, Turia et al). Because Spiritus Sylvestris marks a huge shift in the band’s sound, going from shrieking and blastbeats to pastoral atmospheric doom.” Horse of a different color.

Sammath – Grebbeberg Review

By Maddog on June 27, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 8 comments

“Sammath’s style isn’t my usual cup of tea, but Godless Arrogance still wowed me nearly a decade ago. Avoiding any pretense of variety, the Netherlands’ Sammath played war metal in the truest sense. Monotony can be hit-or-miss, but Sammath made it work through the emotive power of their music. Godless Arrogance both sounded and felt like being in the trenches during a losing battle. Its successor Across the Rhine Is Only Death shattered the underpaid Score Safety Counter in 2019, leaving me with high expectations for 2023’s follow-up Grebbeberg.” Back to the front!