Madam X is a dedicated reviewer. In preparation for her thoughtful analysis of Melencolia Estatica’s black metal concept album Hel, she watched the really really old movie that provided the source material, then she did some deep thinking about the music itself. In contrast, Steel Druhm posted sexy pics of the female band member. He’s a slacker pig.
Ragnarok is back with a new album and yet another vocalist. These guys go through vocalists like Spinal Tap goes through drummers! Anywho, Madam X is here to break it down as she gets herself in a tizzy over church burnings and other “necro” things.
Italian blackened doom devils Forgotten Tomb are back to crush your spirit with tales of tragic romance and gruesome torture. Madam X considers herself a hopeless romantic and a lover of gruesome torture, so we pretty much just threw this promo at her and ran for our lives.
Who would have thought that an icy wasteland would be good for the music community, it seems ice inspires insane speeds and death metal! A few weeks back, in my review of Kontinuum’s Earth Blood Magic, I commented on the metal kick-assery that’s making its way out of Iceland (and in particular Reykjavík), and at the time of their review another band aggressively caught my attention, doggedly refusing to let my mind rest! In true shit-happens style I ended up missing their release date and now you have a retrospective review of Beneath’s Enslaved by Fear [I feel shame at my tardiness].
Madam X gets all the hot, nasty necro-metal! Here, she examines whether tales of necro-lesbianism make for a great album. The answer just might surprise you!
When Madam X heard this album was full of sick, inhumane grind, she wanted to taste the blood in her mouth as she enjoyed the carnage. When that didn’t happen, she got very unhappy. Lesson for the day: never deprive Madam X of her blood tasting!
Satan’s Wrath play necro-style blackened thrash with a thick coating of evil. Madam X loves all things necro. She’s a hopeless necromantic.
Madam X learns the hard way that reviewing isn’t always a happy picnic. Nay, indeed, sometimes reviewing is a miserable picnic, full of bees, rain and miserably long songs that don’t ever end. Norway’s Kraków is a hard, but fair teacher.
To say I’ve been moved by this album is just a slight understatement… bear with me while I try and reign in my fangirl-ism! It’s rarely that I’ve come across an album that carries such a strong and powerful message, while sounding mind-blowing at the same time. This 8-piece, modern folk metal band hail from Udine, in north-eastern Italy, and it seems this city, known for its iron commerce, will soon be known for a slightly more folk inspired kind of metal. Krampus have a style that is reminiscent of new wave folk metal act Eluveitie and sometimes progressive, mostly melodic, folk metal acts Amorphis, Wintersun and Korpiklaani. Where they differ however, is that instead of looking to the past for inspiration, Krampus have crafted Survival of the Fittest wholeheartedly, lyrically and musically, looking towards the future and a rather bleak, battered and bruised future it appears to be. This is the bands first full release, however Krampus have already released two very tempting EP offerings (Shadows of Our Time and Kronos’ Heritage), and will be leaving for their first extended European (Heidenfest) tour shortly (joining the likes of Wintersun and Korpiklaani), and therefore there is a definite expectation that Survival of the Fittest will be well-received.
“Hard as a Rock” off AC/DC’s Ballbreaker album says it all: “So low and dirty, it’s darn right mean.” These five Finns have a ballsy, edgy, in your face attitude that you’ll pick up on quickly – they go so far as to say, and I quote, “Boundaries shall be broken / We told you.”
