Scottish Metal

Fuath – I Review

By El Cuervo on January 24, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Neuropa Records, Reviews, Scottish Metal, Black Metal, 19 comments

If you’ve been around since 2014, you may be aware that I’m rather taken with Andy Marshall’s solo project, Saor. As a talented song-writer and multi-instrumentalist, he has capably demonstrated that he knows his way around Gaelic culture and melodic intensity. Fuath—Gaelic for ‘hate’—is more fierce, more ominous, more closely tied with Norwegian black metal than Marshall’s other work, but it retains the profoundly evocative atmosphere for which his work is known. The imaginatively-titled I is his first release under this new moniker and it seems he’s on to another winner.” Come for the Christmas trees, stay for the music.

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.

Things You Might Have Missed 2014: Alestorm – Sunset on the Golden Age

By Diabolus in Muzaka on December 22, 2014 in 2014, Folk Metal, Heavy Metal, Napalm Records, Power Metal, Reviews, Scottish Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2014, Folk Metal, Power Metal, 19 comments

“Previously on AMG, heavy metal pirates Alestorm received the glowing accolade of “unceremoniously piss[ing] in the pool” of pirate metal in a Running Wild review. Today on AMG, these Scottish privateers set sail into calmer critical seas, and I’m going to spend 500 or so words telling you, our dear readers, why Alestorm’s latest record, Sunset on the Golden Age, is worth your time and attention.” Mutiny is afoot at AMG, and the one thing we don’t tolerate is insubordination. Oh, and Alestorm worship.

Things You Might Have Missed 2014: Saor – Aura

By El Cuervo on December 15, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Northern Silence Productions, Scottish Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2014, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 9 comments

“Painting an elaborate portrait of the mysterious but beautiful Scottish Highlands, Aura is atmospheric folk metal of the kilt and haggis variety. Saor is the brainchild of Andy Marshall, ex-Falloch, and he saw great success with his début Roots.” The hills are alive with the sound of…SAOR!

Falloch – This Island, Our Funeral Review

By Steel Druhm on September 18, 2014 in 2014, Candlelight Records, Folk Metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Scottish Metal, Folk Metal, 7 comments

“With Scotland potentially poised to proclaim independence from English rule in a very un-William Wallace fashion (ballots instead of broadswords), it seems only fair to highlight some Scottish music for a fookin change, eh? Today’s subject is Falloch, a folksy, relentlessly bleak post rock outfit that takes elements of traditional Scottish music and blends them with healthy doses of melodic, vaguely blackened metal. I suppose their sound could be described as Eluvilite mixed with Primordial and Agalloch, with some Enya thrown in for haggis and giggles.” Remember, they may take your dignity, and they may take your lunch money, but they’ll never take…your AMG!

Of Spire & Throne – Toll of the Wound Review

By Grymm on April 30, 2014 in 2014, Broken Limbs Recordings, Doom Metal, Reviews, Scottish Metal, 2 comments

“I don’t know what it is lately with the United Kingdom and it’s inhabitants looking to bulldozer over all those around them. With Conan crushing heads like they’re little businessmen on Kids in the Hall, it seems like the UK is a new hotbed for monolithic, slower-than-a-glacier doom metal. Scotland’s Of Spire & Throne are tossing their cabers into the ring, bringing forth quite the slab of sludge with their three-song EP, Toll of the Wound, and dangnammit, this deserves to be heard!” FREEDOM…and quality doom too!

Cnoc An Tursa – The Giants of Auld Review

By Natalie Zed on February 20, 2013 in 2013, 4.5, Black Metal, Candlelight, Folk Metal, Reviews, Scottish Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 25 comments

When one thinks about black metal, the image that probably comes to mind is that of the pine barrens and frozen desolation of Norway, the extreme cold only briefly warmed by burning churches dotting the landscape. Scotland, on the other hand, is not usually the landscape that one imagines, but rather than the icy fjords of Scandinavia, Cnoc An Tursa hail from Falkirk.” Scottish metal just sounds tough, doesn’t it? Well, Cnoc An Tursa is obsessed with scottish poetry about battles and death, which is clerarly tough. Natalie Zed will tell you if they’re good as well as tough.