Roquentin

Sacrificium Carmen – Ikuisen Tulen Kammiossa Review

By Roquentin on November 18, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 11 comments

““Love at first sight” is an interesting concept: a basic mammalian response formed by some pesky, involuntary biological and cognitive mechanisms. And I wonder, can music elicit something similar? Can you, perhaps, start loving a record during the first minute of a sample track? Can this kind of appreciation evolve into a long-lasting bond with a piece of music? The début by Finnish black metallers Sacrificium Carmen, Ikuisen Tulen Kammiossa, had that sort of a struck-by-lightning influence on me.” But will an early frost kill this blooming love?

Amberian Dawn – Innuendo Review

By Roquentin on November 1, 2015 in 2015, Finnish Metal, Napalm Records, Power Metal, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Power Metal, 25 comments

“Amberian Dawn are a Finnish neoclassical power metal stalwart that has been around for almost a decade, always lurking somewhere on the outskirts of mainstream popularity, but never quite reaching the status of bands such as Nightwish or Epica.” Enough of this kvlt crap, let’s fire up the pop-porn!

Blacklisters – Adult Review

By Roquentin on September 25, 2015 in 2015, English Metal, Handshake Inc, Hardcore, Non-Metal Metal Things, Reviews, Hardcore, Noise Rock, Non-metal Metal Things, Post-Hardcore, Punk, 17 comments

“Leeds-based foursome Blacklisters’ sophomore release Adult is a cynical punch in the face accompanied by a sardonic smile. An eruption of sickening bile gestated for years in pools of angst spat by generations of punk, hardcore, and noise bands.” If you’re like me and don’t like clowns, this cover creeps you out.

SardoniS – III Review

By Roquentin on September 13, 2015 in 2015, Belgian Metal, ConSouling Sounds, Doom Metal, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, Instrumental Metal, Stoner Metal, 6 comments

“Imagine, for a second, one such object, say a charcoal black freight train splattered with shiny, rainbow-colored spots that has descended to our plane straight from some kooky stoner heaven, traveling at a high speed, unstoppable, and crushing everything in its path.” So little time to get out of the way of the Rainbow Train. Now less…now none!

Krallice – Ygg huur Review

By Roquentin on August 12, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Reviews, 23 comments

“Krallice is a band that often gets misunderstood. Forcibly shoved into a conveniently labeled drawer of “black metal,” the New York group was an easy target of both the trve black metal kvltists, condemning them for “mocking and desecrating the genre,” and the mainstream public, that couldn’t stand such “noisy wankery.” They’ve been cynically called “controversial,” “divisive,” “hipsters,“ and “ostentatious,” often being mentioned in the same breath with the likes of Deafheaven and Liturgy, with whom they have little in common.” Notice how New York is becoming the Mecca of interesting black metal?

Locrian – Infinite Dissolution Review

By Roquentin on July 24, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Avante Garde, Non-Metal Metal Things, Relapse, Reviews, Avante Garde, Non-metal Metal Things, 33 comments

““Black metal, noise, krautrock, post-rock and something else, but none of the above at the same time,” wrote Alex Franquelli about Locrian’s previous record Return to Annihilation. These words ring truer than ever on Infinite Dissolution, a record that eschews categorization and shows the Chicago/Baltimore trio carrying their sound into unexplored and inexplicable structures, bringing together disparate worlds, and moving even farther away from the slow ambient noise and drone that marked the first, hyper-productive part of their career.”

DarkTribe – The Modern Age Review

By Roquentin on July 22, 2015 in 2015, French Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Scarlet Records, Melodic Metal, Power Metal, 16 comments

“It’s difficult to shake the feeling that among all of metal’s subgenres, power metal remains the one that refuses to grow up, stuck forever in an adolescent state. Barring a few bands, the power metal scene might as well still be living in the middle of the nineties, when Stratovarius’ Visions had just been released, Nightwish were kind of relevant, and Symphony of Enchanted Lands, by that Italian band that used to be known simply as Rhapsody, lurked around the corner.” Ah, the 90s were the good old days for 80s style power metal.

Ommadon – Empathy for the Wicked Review

By Roquentin on July 15, 2015 in 2015, Doom Metal, Drone, Golden Mantra, Reviews, Scottish Metal, Doom Metal, Noise, 6 comments

“The greatest strength of Glasgow’s doom-meets-drone-meets-noise duo Ommadon is also their greatest weakness. Namely, their artistic devotion to relentlessly forceful, suffocating music, which can be quite a tough cookie to chew on for the uninitiated.” Stick this where the Sun O)))) don’t shine.

Cut Up – Forensic Nightmares Review

By Roquentin on July 8, 2015 in 2015, Death Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 18 comments

“Just one look at the cover of Cut Up’s Forensic Nightmares will tell you pretty much everything there is to know about the music hidden beneath it. What else could a cool depiction of a disassembled human body represent other than some cool, old school death metal?” Cover o’ the Year? Maybe.

District 97 – In Vaults Review

By Roquentin on June 23, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, The Laser's Edge, Progressive Metal, 27 comments

“Ah yes, progressive metal/rock, the genre with one of the worst palatable-to-garbage ratios and a catalyst that often makes gifted musicians churn out forgettable pieces of music that serve no purpose other than to act as vessels of said instrumental talents. Yes, that is a platitude that everyone’s aware of at this point, but it also rings true very often. Then again, when prog’s done well, it can be really good.” Ready the Noodle Monitor!