Norwegian Metal

Sylvaine – Atoms Aligned, Coming Undone Review

By Grymm on November 1, 2018 in Ambient Metal, Black Metal, French Metal, Norwegian Metal, Post-metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, Post-Metal, 109 comments

“Back in 2016, Katherine Shepard, aka Norwegian/French multi-instrumentalist Sylvaine, dropped an impressive album of beautiful soundscapes in Wistful, taking the groundwork laid down by the likes of Alcest and branching out into greener, more ambient paths. In doing so, Sylvaine provided a soundtrack to some amazing memories, and when word dropped that she was working on a follow-up, to say that some of us were frothing at the bit to give it a listen would be a mild understatement.” Light in the darkness.

Avast – Mother Culture Review

By Master of Muppets on October 30, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 83 comments

“Dear Kronos, If you’re reading this, it’s already too late. When the respective hazes of gun smoke and cranial-injury clear, you’ll find your army of feral pigs disposed of and your fortress reduced to rubble; I even sang Porcupine Tree as everything burned to the ground, how’s that for brutal, yo? Anyway, you knew this was coming. You had something of mine – that’s right, had. Not only are you down a fortress and a pig army, but you’ll also find yourself no longer in possession of Avast’s Mother Culture.” Speak the Charm of Taking.

Deathhammer – Chained to Hell Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on October 6, 2018 in 2018, Hells Headbangers Records, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Speed Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 28 comments

“What’s always been appealing about Deathhammer is their remarkably particular niche, one which nobody really knows they need until they hear it. Take the earliest Sodom and Slayer material, and pretend a band existed alongside them which kept more of the speed metal influence around and played their music with all the tact and professionalism of early Venom and you have a good idea of what to expect.” Bring down the Hammer.

Orkan – Element Review

By Mark Z. on October 5, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 85 comments

“I don’t listen to much Taake (hell, I’m not even sure I pronounce their name right), and this lack of familiarity puts me at an immediate disadvantage for reviewing Orkan. Observant readers will note that “Orkan” is actually the title of a Taake song, but the connection goes beyond that: Orkan actually consists of Taake’s live guitarist and former live bassist, who formed the project in 2008 along with fellow members of Norwegian black metal band Enchanting Darkness.” Taaking it to the streets.

Lydia Laska – Ego Death Review

By GardensTale on October 4, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Edged Circle Productions, Glam Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Punk, 46 comments

“Sir David Bowie. The Duke, The Chameleon, The Goblin King. In January 2016, the world lost one of the greatest musicians it had ever known. Throughout his illustrious career, Bowie wore many faces, but even at his darkest, he retained a sultry air with his seductive voice and androgynous personae. First-wave black metal would place near-last on my list of metal genres that could pair with the Duke, but that’s exactly what ,b>Lydia Laska aim to do.” Look back in blackness.

Black Viper – Hellions of Fire Review

By Eldritch Elitist on September 30, 2018 in 2018, High Roller Records, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Speed Metal, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, 68 comments

“You may think you know what you want, but you don’t know shit; Black Viper sees right through your facade, all the way from Norway. They are spying you perusing through AMG’s recent round of reviews, and scoffing as you check out bands with extraneous tags such as “post” or “progressive.” Why on Earth would you ever want to engage with such pretentious, slow burning affairs when Hellions of Fire offers instant gratification – i.e. the prompt melting of faces – that occurs immediately and doesn’t let up until the album ends or your sound system catches fire (whichever comes first).” Kill it with speed.

Vreid – Lifehunger Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on September 27, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Black Metal, 101 comments

“It was June 2006 and I was helping a friend move into a downtown apartment. It was hot and we were scrambling up and down two flights of stairs as fast as possible before a cop could ticket us for taking up half-a-lane of traffic with our truck. When it was finally over, we grabbed lunch and went to my favorite record store down the street. This place had the strangest collection of albums I’d ever seen and a surprisingly large metal section for a town full of hippies and reggae fans. The album I selected that day was something I had heard many things about. From a band that rose from the ashes of Windir.” Vreid it and weep.

Madder Mortem – Marrow Review

By GardensTale on September 20, 2018 in 2018, Avante Garde, Dark Essence Records, Norwegian Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Progressive Metal, 99 comments

“Rare is the band that truly sounds like no one else. Either standing on the shoulders of giants, or innovating their way to hundreds of copycats, few have no comparable peers, followers, or ancestors. Madder Mortem, also known as Norway’s best-kept secret, are one of those bands.” Post-Madder Mortem.

Kraków – minus Review

By Huck N Roll on August 29, 2018 in 2018, Karisma Records, Norwegian Metal, Post-metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Post-Metal, 48 comments

“Once again the torch is passed. Madam X, bless her black, soulless heart, has declined the opportunity to talk to us about Kraków, a band whose last two albums she reviewed with wildly different results. So it falls to the Huckster, known for enjoying music just slightly askew, and also known to have a bit of a Neurosis hard-on, to take up the cause here and see if the latest from Bergen, Norway’s morose post-metallers is a success like Amaran, their last album, or disappointing like Diin, their sophomore effort.” Unleash the Kraków.

Shotgun Rodeo – By Hook or by Crook Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on August 28, 2018 in 2018, Hard Rock, Mighty Music, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Hard Rock, 47 comments

“My first hard rock record was Saliva’s Survival of the Sickest. I don’t mean that it was the first thing that could be lumped into the hard rock category that I’d ever heard—far from it—but that record gave me—then just into my teens—that missing bridge between classic rock and heavy metal. I could listen to both at the same time by throwing it on, hearing rock n’ roll played by a band who still had the nu-metal swagger of their early days. That link between genres is exactly what I look for in hard rock, and it seems that the Norwegians in Shotgun Rodeo think the same way.” Rock the bulls.