It was said of the author, Michael Crichton, that he was unusually cursed. By some Faustian bargain, he was able to come up with exceptionally good ideas for his novels, but then cruelly denied the ability to see any of them through to satisfying conclusions. It’s why most movies of his works (Jurassic Park, The […]
“Oppressive Rocky Mountain Dirge.” That is the descriptor Velnias uses to describe its music. Sounding more like the slop at the bottom of a bucket than something you would want to spend your time listening to, it nevertheless proves that occasionally we all need to update our bios. While “dirge” may have been Velnias’s original aesthetic when it released its debut, Sovereign Nocturnal, in 2008, the band’s output has evolved considerably since then to incorporate an array of new and different influences. Now it’s back with its third album, Scion of Aether.” Dirge purge.
“At its core, metal has always been about rebellion. About sticking it to the man, and society at large. About thumbing expectations and demands and just banging your fukkin’ head. But metal is also, for most, an irrelevant beast. In an era of Coronavirus and global warming, singing about Satan and wizards seems quaint at best, and ridiculous at worst. On top of that, metal is generally white. And male. And often not particularly kind to people who aren’t male and straight and white. Into this breach steps the provocatively named Gaylord, with its second LP, Wings of the Joyful.” Big tent metal.
“While I can appreciate that certain substances can enhance a listening experience, I’ve always been a bit wary of music that seems designed to appeal to folks under the influence. Maybe I was burned by the rubbish techno of my youth — so repetitive that unless hopped up on MDMA, it’s damn near unlistenable. For that reason, I’ve steered clear of a lot of stoner doom/rock. If I don’t do any drugs, why would I bother with music for which getting high is a sine qua non?” In the weeds.
“Thokkian Vortex has always been a little… odd. Into the Nagual frequently sounded like standard second-wave black metal fare, with few frills and even less fuss. But then, out of nowhere, weird ambient tones would emerge, combined with chanting and strange instrumentation. While it didn’t work particularly convincingly, like great uncle Bob removing his dentures as a party trick at Thanksgiving, it had a peculiar charm.” Throne to the wolves.
“I’d never heard of the band, but for the next two weeks, I listened to the album at least 25 times. I lived it. I breathed it. The review I produced was no Tolstoyan masterpiece, but the score was correct, and I remain weirdly proud of it. Netherworld Triumphant was a cool, bluesy amalgamation of a whole bunch of 70s and 80s hard rock influences, performed by talented musicians having a lot of fun. It wasn’t original, but it worked. It was also my ticket out of the Skull Pit. Now, a mere 15 months later, the Norwegians return with the ridiculously titled Astro Tongue in the Electric Garden.” Tongue AND groove.
“Nostalgia. In times of uncertainty, people seek its warm and motherly embrace: the familiar smells, the sense of safety, the notion that things were ‘better and less complicated’ back then. Artists have been trading off nostalgia for years now, whether it’s dropping the Millennium Falcon in The Force Awakens or the Pixies reuniting to perform Doolittle, there’s an undeniable comfort in the familiar. Perhaps this is the reason ‘traditional’ sounding black metal appears to be making a comeback of sorts.” Familiar demons.
“Metal, particularly death metal, has generally had a particularly Western bent. Originating as it did from rock and heavy blues, this is to be expected. But music never exists in a vacuum, so when artists with a different cultural background bring their experience to traditionally western cannon, the results are often quirky and interesting. Japanese death metal veterans Defiled are a case in point: while the style exists in the unmistakable sandpit of death metal, there are enough different toys that the music feels fresh and unorthodox.” Just like sand through the horror glass.
“I first became acquainted with Vananidr through the AMG metal forum. One of the contributors recommended the band’s second album, Road North, on the grounds that although it seemed, from afar, like a fairly straightforward, old-school black metal album, there was something compelling about it that kept him returning. Well, for once, the rabble was right: while Road North was far too long, it’s an unpretentious slab of second-wave, black metal goodness. It also sported that often-undefinable quality, possessed by bands like Immortal or Sacramentum, that brings you back again and again. I was impressed, and gladly signed up for the follow-up, Damnation.” X factoring.
![Misþyrming – Algleymi [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]](https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Algleymi.jpg)
“As El Cuervo pointed out in his coverage of the band’s debut, Söngvar managed to be both avant-garde but also thrillingly, devastatingly alive. As a result, I was thoroughly looking forward to the follow-up. Algleymi arrived, and to the disappointment of some fans, it wasn’t Söngvar part 2. No, it was something else entirely, but definitely not something you’d want to miss.” Strange ice.
