“The album owes its name to one of the more boring and inconsequential areas of theology, triclavianism, a school of thought professing the notion that Jebus was crucified with not four, but three, nails. On the contrary, it owes its music to both black metal and thrash; is it able to nail the fusion of the two?” Nail pounding metal.
“Sometimes blackened death metal feels like the only music that matters. No, more than that—it feels like the only thing that matters. The pummeling drums, the frenzied riffs, the scathing vocals—it just makes me want to put my fist through a wall, rip off my shirt, and go skullfuck the nearest quadruped. When the need arises to rally my inner Z-beast, Angelcorpse often does the trick, but they’re not the only game in town.” Tip of the spear.
“Al-Khem-Me. Like alchemy. Get it? It’s kind of a silly pun, but upon further reflection, the word does serve as a decent metaphor for what Lucifericon are trying to do here. Ancient alchemists like Nicolas Flamel attempted to turn common metals into gold; by the same token, this Dutch quartet attempt to take decent riffs and turn them into vast and smoldering blackened death metal songs.” Lead or gold?
“Remember when you “cleaned out” your basement and swept a pile of concrete, paint chips, and earwig corpses into the corner? Malthusian broke into your house, snorted it, and recorded Across Deaths there while you were at work. This album will give you an asthma attack and reduce your children’s IQ by ten points.” Population control metal.
“Back in 2016, Italy’s ghoulish Demonomancy released a split EP with Finland’s Witchcraft that was one of the first releases that I tackled as a scribe for the site. While the split didn’t have me feting either act I still wrangled a fair measure of enjoyment out of it, enough at least to warrant a closer look at Demonomancy’s new album, Poisoned Atonement.” Vote Hell.
“With a new year upon us, I’ve given myself a new challenge as we enter yet another spin around the sun: how long can I go without reviewing a one-person black metal album? Seeing as how that’s all we have in the promo bins every January, the answer is ‘not long at all.’ Mind you, there are some excellent examples of one-person black metal done right, with Ashbringer and Myrkur springing immediately to mind. But for the most part, the genre instills as much joy in me as watching a Don Bluth animated feature with a razor blade to my wrists does.” New year, new basement black metal.
“OK, think fast: what’re the first two bands that come to mind when you think of Zurich? If you’re me, it’s Celtic Frost and Triptykon. Sure, there are plenty of others, but regardless which ones you picked, I bet Antiversum wasn’t one of them. Nothing against this mysterious, black/death group, but with only a demo and a six-way split to their name, I’m sure only a few people here have heard of them. But, now that their debut record is out, here’s your chance.” Blackened Swiss for all.
“How do you like your Swede-death in the morning? I like mine with a kick. I like to gargle the shards of old-school chaos around my mouth with verve. Sometimes I take less pleasure from this, though. Sometimes the taste of old-school chaos can become a numbing experience. The thrill and energy can wear off as swarm after swarm of newer bands look to add polish to the dirty obscurity of the early 90s underground by bringing it to the unwashed masses of 2017. Ensnared are disciples of this old-school sound.” Olde school is never out for summer.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I really don’t need originality in my music. Take last month’s Necroblood album. Though it hardly did anything groundbreaking, that record gave me all the Satan, blastbeats, and atom-bomb riffing I could ask for.” Can Possession provide maximum Satan?
“Why, many reviewers often ask themselves, should I recommend or trash this record? I’ve asked this question of myself about Ascended Dead’s Abhorrent Manifestation repeatedly, and my truthful answer to that is “I have no idea.”’ Brootal music, confused reviewer.
