“If much of post-black metal maintains a chilly distance from its listeners, Ellende has always—for better or worse—worn its emotions on its sleeve. And these emotions are some of the most mournful in all of black metal. The problem in the past was that the execution was lacking, which dulled the impact. Shifts on previous albums were inelegant and clunky, sapping momentum; the interludes were intrusive; the fuzzy production obscured rather than highlighted. But with every new release, Ellende have been honing and improving their craft, and Ellenbogengesellschaft finds the band finally cracking the code.” Pearls before swine.
Mysterium
Manilla Road – The Blessed Curse/After the Muse Review
“You can’t accuse Manilla Road of jumping on many bandwagons. Since forming in the late 70s, they’ve lingered in a perpetually kvlt phantom zone, honing their uniquely clunky proto-metal sound. While doing so, they’ve steadfastly remained oblivious to how the metal world evolved around them, and practiced willful ignorance toward modern production technology and recording advances. Because of this admirable history of stubborn stick-to-it-ness, I can’t accuse them of joining the double album trend we see developing of late, though a double album they doth deliver.” Another double album in 2015? This may become the Year of Too Much Metal!
Manilla Road – Mysterium Review
“Manilla Road has more lives than Michael Myers or Jason Vorhees and much like those respective masked lunatics, they just won’t die. Although toiling away since the late 70s, Manilla Road and founder/vocalist/guitarist Mark “The Shark” Shelton have achieved nothing more than obscure, cult status in the metal world. They are the quintessential “true” metal act and have been releasing slight variations on their mega old school, American proto metal since I was in grade school.” Steel Druhm destroyed the last album by these legends, but loved the related Hellwell project. Will he find love on the Road or will the Hammer of Judgment come down again?