Angry Metal Guy

Yaotl Mictlan // Dentro del Manto Gris de Chaac
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Finally, some True Mexican Mayan Metal!
Label: Candlelight
Websites: myspace.com/yaotlmictlan
Release Dates: EU: 2011.02.28 | US: Out

One little-known, but easily knowable, fact about Angry Metal Guy is that he (I, I guess we’re going in third person today) is a big history buff. In other reviews I (OK, back to first person now) have frequently referred to the history of whatever it is that said band is writing about and I truly enjoy it when bands look backwards to their own cultural history for influence. Why form a band and copy the Norwegians and Swedes who did the same? Look at your own world, look at your own culture and build up from there! The band Yaotl Mictlan has probably not read this blog to get this idea, but they have the same idea that I do. Drawing on hundreds of years of history and hundreds more of oppression, Yaotl Mictlan is writing black metal with folk undertones that is strongly influenced by the history of the Mayans, the pre-Hispanic-conquest people of Mexico—who have never really disappeared, even if their ancient empire collapsed. Continue reading

Watain // Lawless Darkness
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Black metal excellence
Label: Season of Mist
Websites: templeofwatain.com | myspace.com/watainofficial
Release Dates: EU: 07.06.2010 | US: 06.08.2010

This Angry Metal Guy rips on black metal a lot. One of the most overdone and ill-performed genres in the history of metal has to be black metal. The problem is that when black metal is performed poorly by individuals who are not invested in it, then black metal is boring, simplistic and uninteresting. But when black metal is performed with the force and fanaticism of Sweden’s very own Watain, then it is a force to be reckoned with. And finally Lawless Darkness the new full-length from this Uppsala/Stockholm, Sweden-based black metal act is here and it is a force be reckoned with. It harkens back to the days of yore, when black metal was new, vile and most importantly, dangerous and excellent. Continue reading

Ragnarok // Collectors of the King
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — If it ain’t baroque…
Label: Regain Records
Websites: ragnarokhorde.com | myspace.com/ragnarok
Release Dates: EU: 22.03.2010 | US: Never?

It’s about time someone took black metal to some new exciting levels. A music style can only go so far until it becomes somewhat stale, and for every album released, there are ten others that do the same thing – and almost none of the time is it markedly better. Black metal is no exception, and I have a lot of respect for bands that try something new and innovative. But there are some bands that don’t need to. Some bands, no matter how many albums they release of the same style, never grow stale and are always the best of the trade when it comes to the style of music they perform.

Among the ranks of bands that perform excellent black metal that never seems to grow stale is Ragnarok. Normally overlooked by fans of black metal, they’ve been going since 1994. Something I cannot understand is how a band that has been going for 16 years, with 6 full length albums (Which are all very critically acclaimed, may I add) can be so criminally overlooked by the general community of black metal fans. Judging by the quality of this record, fans of black metal really need to give this band some needed attention.

A lengthy six years had passed since their previous offering Blackdoor Miracle, a critically acclaimed album that is worshiped by their fans and I cannot see Collectors of the King disappointing anybody at all. Instead, Ragnarok really do show they know exactly what they are doing on this record with monolithic black metal riffs soaring through the air, a distinctive dark and brooding feeling, a blisteringly fast tempo on nearly every song, beautifully performed drumming and well written satanic lyrics. To top it off, Ragnarok add their highly competent songwriting to this angry, dark and frostbitten cake. Every song here is multi-layered and dynamic, which keeps the listener interested until the very end, giving you the urge to play the album again.

The melodies displayed in this album are a definite highlight. They lay on top of the thick, distorted chords beautifully. The melodies themselves have a distinct Windir (ca 1184) or Taake feel to them; there’s a subtle folk influence here – just not in the form of traditional folk. If these songs were at walking pace, you’d find yourself marching to them, preaching the gospel of Ragnarok. They’re engaging and memorable, to the point where I could even recommend this to folk metal fans that don’t really appreciate black metal.

Every track is a triumph in its own way (with the exception of “Resurrection”, which is the fairly useless intro clocking in at less than a minute). If you’re thinking of checking this out, I’d definitely listen to the title track—”Collectors of the King”—it’s probably the highlight of the album. The only criticism I have towards this track is the fact that it ends too soon, I feel like it could have been stretched a bit more and given more of a gradual ending rather than it coming as a surprise. Every song seems to have this feel – but it’s a small niggle.

It’s difficult to go so in depth about an album that doesn’t step a toe out of line. The bottom line is, if you like black metal, you’ll love this. If you’d like to start getting into black metal, this is an album I’d recommend to you. It’s accessible (as far as black metal goes), engaging and superbly executed. Perhaps this will give Ragnarok a place among the kings of black metal, I feel they have earned it. Fans of Taake, Windir and Tsjuder can rest easy with Collectors of the King. As far as modern black metal goes, this is the best you can get.