“When I submitted last week’s Godflesh review for their awesome long-awaited comeback album, I had no idea that it would just be part one of a two-part special on British Two-Piece Bands Who Want To Watch The World Burn.” Will Anaal Nathrakh’s quick and cold Desideratum attack decimate or will it self-destruct? Read on!
“So this is what the end-times look like, eh? We live in an age where clean water, organic food, and simple shelter costs a premium. A world where wars are still waged in the name of money and God, forests are plowed and industrial parks are erected, and in America, where a livable wage is becoming less of a reality because we decided, “Hey, corporations are people, too!” These are depressing times, my friends, and we need something to fulfill a long-dormant spirit that has been slumbering for too damn long.” And that, my friend, is where Godflesh comes in.
“There’s a lot to be said about a band that can produce albums that are radically different from each other, but still are unmistakably recognizable as a product of their arduous labor. Even more can be said when those albums are consistent in their high level of quality.” Can the high quality and creative insanity keep going or have we finally found the rut?
“Classic doom metal is wrought with tragedy. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, the pain of watching one’s dreams turn to dust, or just lamenting something that was never there to begin with, great doom metal can be both depressingly cathartic and strangely uplifting in its dirges and sadness. In fact, a series of tragedies would befall a very young doom band from Norway rightfully named Funeral.” This is a sad tale, my friends.
“Laika was a stray dog from Russia who would become the first animal to orbit the earth back in the 1950s. Sadly, Laika did not survive her trek around our planet, but her story would help inspire a group of six dudes from Winnipeg to form a melodic death metal band named after her, because… well, fuck if I know. Anywho, Laika the band have their second album coming out entitled Somnia. Naming yourself after a pioneering canine takes a lot of guts, so how does Laika fare on their second trip around the sun?” Will Laika burn up on re-entry? Join Grymm and find out!
“The concept of outer space presented in the confines of black metal is nothing new. Samael’s 1996 classic, Passage, delivered the final frontier via programmed drum beats and symphonic grandeur, making the concept dark yet accessible. Yet, for as great as Passage was, it lacked a certain coldness and aura that goes hand-in-hand with black metal. Leave it to fellow Swiss aliens Darkspace to take the concept of outer space, with its unknown and potentially evil discoveries, and travel at warp speed with it over the course of three minimalist albums and one EP.” Creepy outer space black metal is creepy.
“The very idea of being a musical conduit is intriguing. A lot can be said about people who, instead of hopping on fading bandwagons or changing themselves to create some kind of spark that may or may not keep them relevant, decide to follow their dormant spirits and let them guide their fingers, feet, and voices to craft something that is truly their own. Forget about trends, man; it’s about the feeling of those spirits. That feeling is fucking celestial.” People who deny the existence of spirits may be spirits themselves.
“There is one cardinal rule that just about every metal musician out there adheres to: you never, repeat, never fuck over your fans. I don’t mean changing genres on a whim, or abandoning a tried-and-true sound for greener, greedier passages. I’m talking about taking advantage of the goodwill and adoration of your fanbase, using them for your own selfish purposes. Again, most metal musicians are very thankful for the fans they have. The fans indirectly feed them, put gas in their touring vans, allow them to put t-shirts on the table, and ultimately pursue the career [hobby – AMG] that they love the most, and they are always appreciative for that. Sadly, Nachtmystium mainman Blake Judd is not one of those people.”
Grymm and Angry Metal Guy comment on the recent craziness with Nachtmystium and Blake Judd.
“Whenever I hear that there’s a new In Flames record, I can’t help but feel my heart sink a tad more. Anyone who was around to experience the majesty that was their first four full-lengths (as well as the Subterranean EP) knows what I’m talking about: soaring folk influenced twin-guitar melodies with beautifully heart-stopping acoustic interludes. The band had an undercurrent of heaviness that wasn’t too extreme, but was just right for their sound. They had a sense of youthful exuberance and actual purpose… Then the 2000s happened.” And it keeps happening again and again!
“Ah, the dreaded Second Album. It’s the infamous make-or-break moment that either legitimizes a young act as The Real Deal, or the one record that calls a band on its bullshit. Case in point: 2012’s Sorrow and Extinction put Little Rock, Arkansas’s Pallbearer into the ears and hearts of many doom aficionados, rightfully earning its place on many end-of-year playlists. A minor line-up shuffle and a few high-profile tours later, they’ve returned with the much-anticipated Foundations of Burden.” With several AMG staff members anxiously hoping for a big win from these doomsters, can they deliver?
