Mark Z.

Wömit seasön!
Satanize – Baphomet Altar Worship Review

Satanize – Baphomet Altar Worship Review

Satanize. Now there’s a verb I can get behind. Satanize my music, satanize my wardrobe, satanize my life. For the past few months I’ve been on a metal reviewing hiatus and “satanizing” does a pretty good job capturing what I’ve been doing in my free time. I’ve been spelunking deeper than ever in the infernal netherworld of bestial blackened death metal, listening to every act I can find that worships at the altar of goats and blast beats. Thus, when I saw a band called Satanize in the promo bin, I knew it was time to stir from my reviewing slumber.” Satan stole my legal briefs.

Prosanctus Inferi – Hypnotic Blood Art Review

Prosanctus Inferi – Hypnotic Blood Art Review

“I’ll be honest: I don’t give a fuck about most new music out there today. Lately, the only thing I want to listen to is blackened death, blackened thrash, and the occasional hardcore band that actually has interesting guitar parts. Fortunately, bands like Prosanctus Inferi are here to provide new music that I’m actually interested in hearing.” Blood art is fine art.

Temple Nightside – Pillars of Damnation Review

Temple Nightside – Pillars of Damnation Review

“Readers of this site will not find it surprising when I say that I love blackened death metal of the chaotic and brutal variety, with groups like Impiety, Archgoat, and Angelcorpse being some of my favorites. In the last decade, however, a new strain of blackened death metal came to prominence that seemed to prioritize atmosphere and uneasiness above all else. Some of the more notable bands in this category are Portal, Abyssal, and Teitanblood—groups whose work I respect, even if it doesn’t resonate with me as deeply. When I grabbed Pillars of Damnation, the fourth album by Australia’s Temple Nightside, I had no idea what strain of blackened death metal it would be.” Cavern kegger.

Yer Metal Is Olde: Nifelheim – Servants of Darkness

Yer Metal Is Olde: Nifelheim – Servants of Darkness

“There’s something immensely satisfying about listening to musicians who are utterly devoted to their craft. In the realm of blackened thrash, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who fits that description more than Nifelheim’s founding members, Swedish twins Erik “Tyrant” and Per “Hellbutcher” Gustavsson. These are the guys who apparently kicked out their first guitarist for being “wimpy” enough to have a girlfriend, the guys who once claimed that Venom is the most recent band they actually like.” Trve darkness.

Draconis – Anthems for an Eternal Battle Review

Draconis – Anthems for an Eternal Battle Review

“There’s something special about South American death metal. I don’t know what it is, but the continent seems to have no shortage of bands that pair a raw, uncompromising, and wholly sincere approach with a strange and otherworldly mystique. Peru’s Mortem and Chile’s Atomic Aggressor, for instance, both excel at infusing the sound of old Morbid Angel with a sense of ancient and mysterious horror, while Chile’s Death Yell use less discernible influences to craft equally dark and aggressive material. Thus, I was quite excited when AMG Himself recommended I cover Draconis, an Argentinian death metal band who I’ve never heard of before.” Eternal muddle.

Ahtme – Mephitic Review

Ahtme – Mephitic Review

“It’s hard to believe considering my current taste, but back in the mid 00s I consumed all the tech death I could. I devoured Arsis, Deeds of Flesh, Origin, and all the other bands who were just coming into their own in the midst of MySpace and metalcore. My tastes have changed since then, but it doesn’t take much to make me give a genre another try. And by “doesn’t take much,” I mean a Monday night death metal show two years ago that just happened to be taking place at my favorite bar in town.” Easy Z.

Skeletal – Bitterness and Burning Hatred Review

Skeletal – Bitterness and Burning Hatred Review

“I have mixed feelings towards modern death metal. On one hand, you have a lot of bands doing pretty cool stuff, like the warped songwriting of Blood Incantation or the hardcore underpinnings of Xibalba. On the other hand, few of these modern bands are anywhere near as good as the classics. That certainly doesn’t stop them from trying, however, and Finland’s Skeletal are the latest looking to leave their mark on the scene.” Tastes like burning.

Dead Carnage – From Hell for Hate Review

Dead Carnage – From Hell for Hate Review

“Some things seem to be just one tweak away from being great. Dead Carnage is an okay band name, but it seems a bit redundant. Isn’t most carnage dead? Better, I think, would be Live Carnage. The image of butchered and bloody bodies, moaning and clinging to their last vestiges of life, seems a lot more brutal to me than any imagery evoked by “Dead Carnage.” But hey, I’m a guy that listens to Goatpenis—a band’s moniker has never stopped me from checking out an album before.” Live undead.