Horror Metal

Ancestral Curse – In Dreams of Endless Darkness Review

Ancestral Curse – In Dreams of Endless Darkness Review

“Since the first chords of “Black Sabbath” rang out from Tony Iommi’s tipless fingers, horror and metal have been intertwined. Horror can be injected into a record any number of ways, be it through gratuitous slasher samples, thematic lyrical content, or a general focus on terrifying atmosphere. New York new bloods Ancestral Curse claim to brandish a “horror-themed concoction of melodic blackened death metal.” In Dreams of Endless Darkness is the self-released debut from this quintet, which always tempers expectations, but the band managed to pull in a couple of notable guest spots that caught my eye.” Scared by death.

Sickseed – Goregeous Review

Sickseed – Goregeous Review

“The downside of being one of the longer-standing writers is a failure to adapt to our new system of promo selection. If you don’t claim promo on the day it becomes available 1 month in advance of release, you’re left with nothing but the dreck and the chaff. For what I can only assume is its “horror metal” tag, and the fact that there’s never been a good “horror metal” release, Sickseed’s Goregeous was one of a great many promo left in the pool for my selection. I won’t pretend there was any design or deliberation in my choosing it; it was a symptom of necessity and my own tardiness.” Freedom from choice.

Opera Diabolicus – Death on a Pale Horse Review

Opera Diabolicus – Death on a Pale Horse Review

“Along with Shaw and Levén, the band adds some stellar vocals from Madeleine Liljestam (Eleine) and Angelina DelCarmen (Charetta), and guitar solos from King Diamond legends Andy LaRocque and Michael Denner. But the backbone of the album is all the other guests. These lesser-known individuals supply the keys, strings, pianos, and organs that make up the record’s core. It’s an unbelievable lineup with a lot of moving parts. But, somehow, the band keeps this chaotic metal opera about ‘witchcraft, the black death and revenge!’ together.” Panic in the opera horse.

Abysmal Grief – Blasphema Secta Review

Abysmal Grief – Blasphema Secta Review

“Italy’s Abysmal Grief have been doing horror-themed doomed things for 22 years. That’s a lot of time to be doing anything, perhaps enough that one might expect something downright brilliant from a band with such experience, but riddle me this: when’s the last time you encountered a brilliant 22-year-old?” Young, dumb and fulla doom.

Deathless Legacy – Rituals of Black Magic Review

Deathless Legacy – Rituals of Black Magic Review

“A Christmas tree shorn of spectacle is just a skeleton pining for its casket. Deathless Legacy are loud, boisterous and with their untrammeled Italian bombast are hoping to capture hearts and minds with Rituals of Black Magic, but they’ll have to prove they harbor substance beyond their sparkling facade.” Of bare trees and Italian cheese.

Necrophagia – WhiteWorm Cathedral Review

Necrophagia – WhiteWorm Cathedral Review

“If you’re a death metal fan and haven’t at least heard the name Necrophagia, you either aren’t much of a fan or you’re deaf, in which case you have a really good excuse and aren’t listening to death metal anyway. Or nu-metal. Or polka.” These fiends have been lurking at the periphery of extreme metal since the 80s and just wont die. Die, monster, die!

Death SS – Resurrection

Death SS – Resurrection

“It seems I’m not quite over my hankering for cheese. In simple terms, that means you get to sit through a review of Resurrection, the aptly titled rebirth of Italian band Death SS and their brand of ‘horror music’. Death SS have quite a history, going back to their inception in 1977 with the only constant of the band (outside of the Evil Metal EP) being the odd vocal styling’s of Steve Sylvester. The list of former members is pretty astonishing (upwards of 30 member changes) which probably accounts for why Death SS have done a complete about-turn when comparing Resurrection against its predecessors.” First Powerwolf and now this? Madam X is off the reservation and wandering through Cheese Land and she may never be the same. Ever see KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park? This could be KISS Meets the Madam.