Dr. A.N. Grier

Shine on you crazy (King) Diamond.
Second to Sun – Nocturnal Philosophy [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

Second to Sun – Nocturnal Philosophy [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

“Of all the black metal names tossed around this site, Second to Sun is one of my favorites. Since giving their amazing record, The Walk, the top spot in 2018, StS have been regular listers for ole Grier. The combination of atmoblack, unsettling dissonance, and crushing riffs is like nothing I’ve ever heard before from a black metal outfit. The band has followed a standard format of digestible track lengths spread evenly over a forty-to-fifty-minute runtime for the last few years. But something dark is hovering over Vlad and co. Nocturnal Philosophy is something different.” Swallow this Sun?

Kampfar – Til Klovers Takt Review

Kampfar – Til Klovers Takt Review

“For those of you posers that don’t know, Kampfar is untouchable in the pagan/black metal realm. And they’ve been ruling it with a bloody battle axe for almost 30 years. Now, they are back again to threaten my year-end list with Til Klovers Takt. But, unlike Profan or even Ofidians Manifest, Til Klovers Takt explores all that is Kampfar. It plays out more like a best-of-release than a standalone record. Each song explores songwriting structures from the band’s past and present. Yet, somehow, it’s brought together in a strategic tracklist. Welcome to pagan metal heaven.” Kamping bastards.

Black Cross Hotel – Hex Review

Black Cross Hotel – Hex Review

“Is there anything better than a horror-themed album? I think not. But, being the mentally unstable King Diamond fan that I am, I’m sure that’s no surprise to anyone. But you won’t find soaring falsettos and soloing as old as Steel on Black Cross Hotel’s debut record, Hex. Instead, you’ll discover Killing Joke-inspired industrial metal mingled with punky vocals and synths that you’d swear came from a John Carpenter movie.” The horror….

Therion – Leviathan II Review

Therion – Leviathan II Review

Therion and I go way back, but not as far back as the Great Ape because he’s as old as the oil that lubricates my engine. Therion has always been the same bizarre operatic, symphonic enigma. I’ve been an enthusiastic fan, from Vovin to Secrets of the Runes to Lemuria/Sirius B. But after the release of Gothic Kabbalah, I begin to lose interest. With the release of Leviathan II, I revisited the band’s entire discog, and while I hate agreeing with Dumb Druhm, he is right.” Oeuvredone.

Them – Fear City Review

Them – Fear City Review

“It’s with great trepidation that I come to you this day. It’s 1980-something, and the world is coming apart. The Reagan administration has begun, John Lennon is dead, crime riddles the streets, and, by a freak toxic waste accident, KK Fossor is back. And back with a vengeance. After the death of his family and the destruction of the villainous Peter Thompson, we arrive at a new chapter of the story. On a mission to rid the world of Thompson’s bloodline, KK travels to the cesspool that is Fear City.” Pizza rats and baseball bats.

Borealis – Illusions Review

Borealis – Illusions Review

“With the stunning, back-to-back releases of Fall From Grace and Purgatory, it isn’t easy to imagine the band could ever top them. So, when 2018’s The Offering surfaced, I knew the very thing I feared had come true. The passion so instrumental to the band’s success felt zapped from the songwriting. And, where it was weakest, the orchestration was heaviest—as if trying to hide the lack of emotion found in previous releases. As I said in my review of The Offering, it’s still a strong enough album to revisit and enjoy. But something was missing. This year’s Illusions is a sequel to The Offering’s story. But will it be a sequel to that album’s struggling delivery?” Fire in the sky, bombast in the pie.