Grymm

The beard knows who is trve.

Zgard – Contemplation Review

By Grymm on June 20, 2014 in 2014, Folk Metal, Reviews, Ukrainian Metal, 4 comments

“You never know when the winds of inspiration will go wafting through your soul like a favorite home-cooked meal. People will spend a good long time hammering out songs, putting hammer to anvil, cooling them off for a short time before honing them to perfection, and presenting their bared souls to the festering masses. Unless you are uber-prolific like Ukraine’s Zgard and release album after album, and I mean “four albums and one split in two years” prolific. And now, mastermind Yaromisl has unleashed Contemplation upon us.” The Ukraine may be in upheaval, but you can still count on Zgard’s productivity.

Mournful Congregation – Concrescence of the Sophia Review

By Grymm on June 16, 2014 in 20 Buck Spin, 2014, Australian Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Funeral Doom, 3 comments

“June is never a good month for the Grymm household. Between the rapidly increasing temperatures, even more rapidly increasing humidity, and BUGS EVERYWHERE, I’m not exactly what you would peg as “walking on sunshine.” I just want to stay inside, shun the sunlight, and get some dirge-and-purge going. And here comes Australia’s Mournful Congregation, with their stop-gap 2-song, 30-minute EP, Concrescence of the Sophia, bridging the distance between 2011’s all-encompassing somber funeral march, The Book of Kings, and their next full-length album. Should you stay in and harvest the sorrow, or would it be better for you to go outside, put on Coppertone SPF100, and flamethrow some 8-legged critters?” Grymm is far too fair for the scorching suns of summer.

Mayhem – Esoteric Warfare Review

By Grymm on June 8, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, 7 comments

“I’m sure you are looking at the title of the review and my name being attached to it, and getting all sorts of nervous and anxious. Well, don’t be. We all know that Mayhem is one of the most influential black metal bands around, but we also know that their name is synonymous with both divisiveness within the fanbase and severe fluctuations in quality.” After his scandalous bashing of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, we just knew Grymm was the man to review this.

Yer Metal is Olde: Kyuss – Kyuss (Welcome to Sky Valley)

By Grymm on June 3, 2014 in American Metal, Stoner Rock, Yer Metal Is Olde, 6 comments

“I am not ashamed to admit this, but it takes something incredibly special for me to be excited about a simple signpost. A benign, innocent sign nestled in the desert roads of California that, when looked at, conjures up memories of guitars blaring through bass amps, thundering drums, heartier-than-chunky-soup bass, and weed-and-beer soaked vocals about high temperatures, brushing your teeth, and calling the desert home. A sign that resonates within the souls of those who have experienced the musical memories it brings forth. A sign that, whenever viewed, causes people to proclaim, “DUDE!!! FUCKING KYUSS!!!””

Tombs – Savage Gold Review

By Grymm on May 29, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Black Metal, Post-Rock, Relapse, Black Metal, Post-Metal, 10 comments

“Alchemy is a powerful philosophical practice that would lead their followers to perceived unlimited power. One of those goals ultimately outlined by alchemists is the ability to transmute lesser metals (such as lead) to more noble, socially-desirable metals such as gold. This romantic and idealistic viewpoint of bettering simple metals can be reflected onto the human race as well, with one’s desire to elevate themselves from more modest, humble origins to become something greater, more powerful. And yet, somehow retain their primal instincts while transmogrifying into their ideal form. Such is the basis of Brooklyn, New York’s Tombs and their newest album, the rightfully-titled Savage Gold.” Deep thoughts, profound words, nasty music. Enjoy!

Vainaja – Kadotetut Review

By Grymm on May 20, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 20 comments

“Finnish folklore tells the tale of a small rabid cult in the 19th century, performing blasphemous actions on followers of old Finnish religions, including ritual sacrifice and burying innocent townsfolk alive. This small cult was discovered, and sentenced to die by fire on the altar in their own mansion, burned alive with most of their scriptures, save for one book which was left miraculously intact. Such is the story of Kadotetut, told by relative newcomers Vainaja. Svart Records labeled this as “one of the heaviest records ever made in the Finnish language,” and I’ll be hard pressed to disagree.” Really heavy shit about creepy Finnish murder cults. That my friends, is metal.

Vehemenz – Vehemenz Review

By Grymm on May 18, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, German Metal, MDD Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 4 comments

“Nothing annoys me more than when artists hype up their work beyond perceivable notions. You know what I’m talking about. “It needed to be visceral.” (adorable, Linkin Park). “…unique, not following trends” (right, Savn)? It’s just better for everyone involved to just shut the hell up and let the music do all the communication for you instead of throwing out false pretenses in hopes that maybe someone out in the Nethersphere will somehow agree with you. In other words, take a note from Germany’s Vehemenz, who have managed to grab my attention and kept me musically fixated and grinning ear-to-ear with their self-titled debut 5-song EP, all without overhyping the ever-loving shit out of it.” We at AMG will tolerate no guff, bullhockey or hype. None!

Cradle of Filth – Total Fucking Darkness Review

By Grymm on May 6, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, English Metal, Mordgrimm, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Black Metal, Symphonic Metal, 2 comments

“Suffolk extreme metallers (and eternal underground whipping martyrs) Cradle of Filth, have given Mordgrimm the official go-ahead to release their infamous third demo, Total Fucking Darkness, to the masses over 20 years after its initial release, remastered with more tracks.” Grymm gets pulled underground into Total Fucking Darkness, will he make it out unscarred?

Landskap – I Review

By Grymm on May 4, 2014 in 2014, Doom Metal, English Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Doom Metal, 5 comments

“‘There.’ That one word can describe a place of interest. It could be a home you grew up in, a pub you frequent, or a restaurant you and your family or friends enjoy eating at. ‘There’ can also be used as a point of indication in a role, such as ‘I was there to purchase cat food while making evil grimaces and throwing up invisible oranges at the cashier lady.’ What is the point of all this, you may ask?” Oh shit, ain’t that a cliffhanger!?

Of Spire & Throne – Toll of the Wound Review

By Grymm on April 30, 2014 in 2014, Broken Limbs Recordings, Doom Metal, Reviews, Scottish Metal, 2 comments

“I don’t know what it is lately with the United Kingdom and it’s inhabitants looking to bulldozer over all those around them. With Conan crushing heads like they’re little businessmen on Kids in the Hall, it seems like the UK is a new hotbed for monolithic, slower-than-a-glacier doom metal. Scotland’s Of Spire & Throne are tossing their cabers into the ring, bringing forth quite the slab of sludge with their three-song EP, Toll of the Wound, and dangnammit, this deserves to be heard!” FREEDOM…and quality doom too!