Dutch Metal

Distant – Tyrannotophia Review

By Saunders on June 15, 2019 in 2019, Death Metal, Deathcore, Dutch Metal, Reviews, Slam, Unique Leader, Death Metal, Deathcore, Slam, 25 comments

“Distant is a curiously subtle and vague moniker for a deathcore band with slam death leanings. Describing themselves specifically as downtempo deathcore, whatever the fuck that’s supposed to mean, the Netherlands outfit bring their down-tuned grooves and pig squealing brutality in typically boneheaded style with the subtlety of their chosen name certainly not translated into their musical template. That’s all good and well, yet with an increasingly stacked year of quality metal releases, does Tyrannotophia deliver to the expected standards of brutality and songcraft on their debut full-length?” Short armed.

Knoest – Dag Review

By Dr. Wvrm on June 13, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Dutch Metal, Reviews, Van Records, Black Metal, 25 comments

“Almost everything worth doing has been done so often that metal itself is now officially a very, very bad idea. And yet, every time I think that, Beaten to Death or Abstract Void or Embrace of Disharmony nutchecks me. Knoest, three dudes from Gelderland, “decided to write a piece of music based on the inspiration [from] driving and hiking through our surroundings during the afternoon, the evening, the morning, and the night.” That premise doesn’t scream six (a.m.) to midnight, but the other card up their sleeve might make their debut Dag a bit more enticing.” A day in the life.

Asgrauw – Gronspech Review

By Kenstrosity on February 5, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Dutch Metal, Heidens Hart Records, Melodic Black Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 75 comments

“I look upon the squiggly logo lightly imposed upon a dusky, yet colorful landscape and I realize that almost a half an hour has passed. Boy where does the time go? I finally break out of my trance and hit the play button, having queued up Asgrauw’s third offering, Gronspech. Well, I could have seen that coming miles away; this is quintessential 90’s black metal. Normally I feel ambivalence towards this particular strain. It drains me, the grating guitars and the wanton shrieks sapping my will to continue more quickly than most other subgenres of metal might. But this time I am finding myself once again entranced by what Asgrauw have on display.” Blackness from the land of orange.

Phlebotomized – Deformation of Humanity Review

By Eldritch Elitist on January 29, 2019 in 2019, Death Metal, Dutch Metal, Hammerheart Records, Reviews, Death Doom, Death Metal, 115 comments

“Following the spate of fantastic death metal records released in the twilight months of 2018, my new year’s resolution was thusly engraved: listen to more death metal. Admittedly, last year was absolutely bananas when it came down to average release quality across all varieties of death metal, rendering wishes for the streak to continue borderline pointless. I can at least continue to expand my horizons in a genre that I have always somewhat neglected, and what better way to start than with—Jesus fuck, what is that?” Ugly to be bone.

Within Temptation – Resist Review

By Steel Druhm on January 29, 2019 in 2019, Dutch Metal, Reviews, Spinefarm, Symphonic Metal, Symphonic Metal, 147 comments

“The times they are a changing. Once not so long ago, Within Temptation was in the vanguard of symphonic metal, powered by the wonderful voice of Sharon den Adel. Early albums like Mother Earth and The Silent Force balanced dark moods with accessible songcraft, and though they were never a super heavy outfit, their overall style fit well enough in the metalverse. Over time their sound became more glossy and pop-centric, drifting closer and closer to alt-rock, culminating in the commercially grasping dumpster fire that was 2014s Hydra. Four long years have gone by without a followup, reinforcing the bad taste that album left behind.” Resistance is brutal.

The EP, Demo, and Oddity Post [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By El Cuervo on January 2, 2019 in 2018, American Metal, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Dutch Metal, Hardcore, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Rock, Reviews, Speed Metal, Swedish Metal, Technical Death Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Ukrainian Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Electronic Metal, Hardcore, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Rock, Speed Metal, Technical Death Metal, 146 comments

“As a younger man I had no concept of the “EP,” nor the “demo,” nor the “split.” When was the last time Iron Maiden had to curb their excesses by squashing ideas into half an hour? When were Judas Priest not able to afford a professional recording studio and production job? And when’s that Metallica/Megadeth split due again? Such formats are reserved for the underdogs of the metal world, those bubbling beneath the surface of popularity who write music for the sheer creative expression and who will never see monetary reward for their time and effort.” Short is sweet.

Exit…Hall Left: The Weenie Metal Round-Up [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Dr. Wvrm on December 27, 2018 in 2018, Alt-Metal, American Metal, Black Metal, British Metal, Chinese Metal, Doom Metal, Dutch Metal, Epic Metal, German Metal, Hard Rock, Israeli Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Non-Metal Metal Things, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, Synthwave, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Alternative Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal, Doom Metal, Epic Metal, Hard Rock, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Non-metal Metal Things, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, Synthwave, 68 comments

“Not everyone can be BRUTAL ENOUGH!!! Some of us are hobbits; diminutive, folksy, averse to Camo™ and Camo™-derived accouterments. Maybe you just want to smell the flowers, despite your allergies. That’s ok. We’re here for you.” Hello, weenies.

Eadem – Luguber Review

By Lokasenna on October 21, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Dutch Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 27 comments

“There are phrases one never expects to encounter, phrases that raise more questions than they could answer on their own. One such phrase is “free jam black metal.” It raises such pressing questions as “why,” “who,” “how does such a thing come about,” and, of course, “…why?” The Netherlands’ Eadem offers no explanations, only their art.” Art for art’s sake.

DungeönHammer – Infernal Moon Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on October 12, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Dutch Metal, French Metal, Me Saco Un Ojo Records, Pulverised Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 112 comments

“Face it, there’s no one that sounds like Celtic Frost, or even Hellhammer before that. No one… Wait, what’s this?! A two-man band from France and Holland that praise the ground Hellhammer once walked on?! With a debut record called Infernal Moon?! And with the band name of… DungeönHammer…?? Wtf??” How’s the Hammer hangin’?

Lucifericon – Al-Khem-Me Review

By Mark Z. on October 7, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Death Metal, Dutch Metal, Invictus Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 21 comments

“Al-Khem-Me. Like alchemy. Get it? It’s kind of a silly pun, but upon further reflection, the word does serve as a decent metaphor for what Lucifericon are trying to do here. Ancient alchemists like Nicolas Flamel attempted to turn common metals into gold; by the same token, this Dutch quartet attempt to take decent riffs and turn them into vast and smoldering blackened death metal songs.” Lead or gold?