El Cuervo

I'm not deliberately contrary.

Uada – Crepuscule Natura Review

By El Cuervo on September 13, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 51 comments

“A steady stream of music since 2016 and a consistent touring schedule has resulted in the increasing popularity of Oregon’s Uada. I’ve long since established that their debut marks my favorite of their work but the band clearly feels a positive progression indicated through their releases’ artwork. Beginning with a tortured skeleton with lifeless child in tow, they’ve developed through a figure casting a spell, a djinn rising and now a cosmic deity wielding the earth in space. Perhaps they suggest their growth in form and power, but I feel that their subsequent releases haven’t matched the unbridled vibrancy and massive hooks of the debut.” Final form?

Wooden Throne – Eternal Wanderer of the Night Sky Review

By El Cuervo on August 25, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 25 comments

“Some songwriters have ‘it.’ The ability to create meaningful, compelling music regardless of genre. Mikko Lehto is one such man. From folksy majesty and blackened ferocity to doomy potency, his work, especially October Falls, is well-loved in these parts. 2021 saw the release of more of his black metal in the form of Wooden Throne. Eternal Wanderer of the Night Sky represents his second endeavor under this project, promising something less earthly but more classical with a bigger piano presence in the soundscape.” Meandercore.

Royal Deceit – Ill Review

By El Cuervo on August 14, 2023 in Reviews, Metalcore, 27 comments

“Royalty and Roman numerals. It was for these reasons that I chose III by Royal Deceit for review from the pit of despair where other promos reside. Metalcore with delusions of grandeur? Count me in! Sadly I was misled; III is actually Ill. Rather than deluded grandeur, I would be analyzing ailments.” Turn your head and core.

Arch Blade – Kill the Witch Review

By El Cuervo on August 7, 2023 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, 10 comments

“Emerging from the primordial sludge of Los Angeles, Arch Blade brandishes a sound that harks back to the salad days of classic metal, blending the spirit of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with streaks of thrash metal’s intensity. Kill the Witch is their debut release, featuring an ensemble cast of father/son co-founders, a Ukrainian vocalist, and the powerful beats of an ex-Dark Angel drummer.” Dadcore.

Eternity – Mundicide Review

By El Cuervo on July 18, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 24 comments

“I invite you to observe the album artwork for Eternity’s third record, Mundicide. I was immediately struck by its painfully and laughably literal depiction of humanity’s interaction with its planet, especially with the cute little arms physically sticking out the earth. In fact, it was for the reason of the art that one of my esteemed colleagues chose this record for my review. Eternity proffer Norwegian black metal with roots intertwined with black metal’s innovators,” Malaise is kvlt.

Voyager – Fearless in Love Review

By El Cuervo on July 12, 2023 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 84 comments

“We’re long-time fans of Australia’s Voyager around these parts. Steel Druhm has been writing about them for nearly 12 years but has finally released the band to someone else’s opinion. I’ve broadly agreed with his views, the band’s career having ranged from great (The Meaning of I, Ghost Mile), to good (I Am the ReVolution) to somewhat patchy (V, Colours in the Sun). Their style has always offered a unique fusion of progressive metal and pop, but they’re now trending towards the melodic, synthy end of their sound.” Off the map?

Snorlax – The Necrotrophic Abyss Review

By El Cuervo on June 29, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 29 comments

“As much as I like extreme metal and as much as I’m fascinated by necrotrophs – parasites that kill their hosts to feed on their dying matter – the only reason I picked out The Necrotrophic Abyss by Snorlax is my love for Pokémon. As best I can ascertain, Snorlax has no relevance to the fat, sleeping bastard that gamers know and love, especially given Necrotrophic’s apparent and bleak concept of planetary destruction and undead survival.” Gotta kill em all.

Slow Fall – Obsidian Waves Review

By El Cuervo on June 7, 2023 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 32 comments

“Since the late 90s, Finland has been the spiritual home of sadboi melodeath; an idiosyncratic brand of melodic death/doom metal featuring weeping guitars, dejected rhythms, and a typical blend of pained growls and morose clean singing. Whether this flows from long, cold winter days or the characteristic Finnish solitariness is unclear but what’s more clear is the emotive impact of the music. Another band in the despondent deluge is Oulu’s Slow Fall, primed to reveal their second full-length album entitled Obsidian Waves.” Slow are the waves of sadboi.

Pandrador – Seiðr Review

By El Cuervo on May 30, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Post-Metal, 37 comments

“I’d hazard a guess that few cultures are represented so completely across metal’s myriad sub-genres as Norse mythology. Even bands flung far from Scandinavia write on the subject, including in this instance the less distant Poland. While Midgards and world serpents more typically feature in black metal and its derivatives, Pandrador have returned in 2023 with a release steeped in Norse mythology but channeled through death metal.” Death and bravery (and glory).

Hasard – Malivore Review

By El Cuervo on May 10, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 38 comments

“AMG.com has had mixed feelings about the musical work of ‘Hazard,’ the enigmatic songwriter behind Les Chants du Hasard. Claiming fatigue from this project following its most recent album, Hazard returns in 2023 with something that’s just as experimental but much heavier. Hasard principally extracts the black metal and secondarily extracts the orchestrations from its progenitor’s sound, carefully examining what remains in uncomfortable detail and manipulating it into deformed shapes.” At all Hasards.