Melodic Black Metal

Vintersorg – Till Fjälls del II Review

Vintersorg – Till Fjälls del II Review

By El Cuervo on June 27, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Napalm Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Folk Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 35 comments

Till Fjälls (“To the Mountains”) marked the début of Sweden’s Vintersorg and thus began one of the better melodic black and folk metal bands around. Though their music phased out the folk influences and replaced them with even more melody, Till Fjälls del II is a definitive statement that they still care about folksy stimuli. Cast your eyes over the rather excellent artwork. Do you see the mountains, the trees, the snow, the Northern fucking Lights? I think you’ll agree that they definitely still care about nature and shit.” Just call him “the Natural.”

Ardent Spirits – Mountain Howl Review

Ardent Spirits – Mountain Howl Review

By GardensTale on May 17, 2017 in 2017, German Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 27 comments

“Music is a lot like food. Both are nourishing: food for the body and music for the spirit. There’re no accounting for taste, but there’s semi-predictable consensuses (consensi?), such as nu-metal and tofurkey are both hellspawn that should be scorched from the face of the Earth. Sometimes you feel in the mood for a big, luxury five-course meal, so you load up Ayreon, sometimes you crave the greasy slop of Vader, and sometimes you prefer a salad so you throw yourself out the sixth-floor window. With all this said, who’s ready for a medium-sized bag of popcorn?” Kernels of truth.

Ignis Gehenna – Baleful Scarlet Star Review

Ignis Gehenna – Baleful Scarlet Star Review

By Madam X on January 14, 2017 in 2017, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Séance Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Melodic Metal, 24 comments

“Here’s something to think about… If Darkthrone’s Transilvanian Hunger released today, would it make the same impression it made back in 1994? More importantly, would it get the same reception nowadays that it got in the past?” No chance.

Far Beyond – A Frozen Flame of Ice [Things You Might Have Missed 2016]

Far Beyond – A Frozen Flame of Ice [Things You Might Have Missed 2016]

By Diabolus in Muzaka on December 21, 2016 in 2016, German Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Things You Might Have Missed 2016, Melodic Black Metal, 38 comments

“Many have complained about 2016’s selection of great music, and not without reason; it can seem a bit lacking. Germany’s Far Beyond, the one-man project of Eugen Dodenhoeft, decided to roll with the simplest solution of all to 2016’s musical woes: stop releasing music that isn’t great. With this, A Frozen Flame of Ice was born. That was simple enough to fix.

Bornholm – Primaeval Pantheons Review

Bornholm – Primaeval Pantheons Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on December 9, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Hungarian Metal, Massacre Records, Melodic Black Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 9 comments

“Metalheads saying “I’m a pagan” is, generally speaking, our chosen genre’s equivalent of wine-guzzling middle-aged single women who say they’re “not religious, but spiritual” during those book clubs where Eat, Pray, Love is read in perpetuity. It’s empty posturing made to make someone sound more profound and “enlightened” than they actually are. So-called pagan metal is generally melodic stuff with a lyrical eye to old folklore but, other than that, the definition doesn’t give us a whole lot to go on.” Only join Book of the Dead clubs.

Sons of Balaur – Tenebris Deos Review

Sons of Balaur – Tenebris Deos Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on October 18, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 20 comments

“Some marketing types like to talk about what they call fast followers, people who capitalize on an idea and make it better or more palatable shortly after the innovator puts out their original product, smartly getting someone else to test the waters for both the idea generally and the flaws in its initial execution. If this is true, then we can safely assume that the “Norwegian” Sons of Balaur weren’t created by competent marketers in a boardroom.” Black metal straight from Dexter’s Laboratory.

Uada – Devoid of Light Review

Uada – Devoid of Light Review

By El Cuervo on September 1, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Black Metal, Eisenwald Records, Melodic Black Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 71 comments

“The first thing that struck me about Uada is that although they are categorically black metal, drawing influence from numerous sources, they’re so bright and energetic. There’s a vibrancy here which is missed entirely by so many of their blackened peers. The musicianship is enthusiastic, agile and infectious as neat ideas are incorporated throughout – I’m not supposed to be feel happy when listening to black metal but I invariably am with Devoid of Light.” We laughed, now we must applaud.