Abbath

Goden – Beyond Darkness Review

By Dear Hollow on May 5, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 11 comments

“We’ve discussed revivals before, and tributes aplenty. Just look at Sweven‘s Morbus Chron tribute–kind of a bit of both, and to mixed reactions. The list goes on: Black Sabbath and Heaven and Hell; Immortal and Abbath. Musicians looking to revive an old project under a new name must tread lightly, as we don’t want Morbus Chron 2.0, for example, but something that acknowledges the past while taking a fresh step forward. Today’s topic of discussion, New York’s Winter, a relatively quiet 90’s death metal act that nevertheless influenced the development of the death/doom niche with its murky and sprawling tunes.” Winter is coming back.

Sarke – Gastwerso Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on November 5, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Indie Recordings, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 20 comments

“Since 2016’s Bogefod, Sarke has been on a steady incline that includes clean/acoustic guitars, interesting key work, and female vocals. In and around it all, they use aggressive Hellhammer/Celtic Frost moments, cold first-wave tremolo pickings, and plenty of slumbering sinisterness. Bogefod and its follow-up, Viige Urh, were fresh cuts that sounded like siblings born moments apart from one another. But where is Gastwerso‘s branch on this family tree? Is it the birth of triplets or is this a xenomorph C-section?” Horrific lineage.

Abbath – Outstrider Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 5, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Black Metal, 55 comments

“Abbath needs no introduction, but Outstrider does. In the three years after his well-received eponymous solo debut dropped, Abbath has replaced his entire band and recorded a new record, which comes to us in the form of Outstrider. Predictably, this does little but change the window dressing of the record, as Abbath dominates the proceedings here as before, both visually and musically. Outstrider feels even more like an Abbath record than Abbath did. Abbath!

Angry Metal Primer – Abbath

By Dr. Wvrm on June 30, 2019 in 2019, Angry Metal Playlist, Angry Metal Primer, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Season of Mist, Black Metal, 75 comments

“In which the Cookie Man discards your crusty, useless exterior and sups of your cream innards.”

Nocturnal Breed – We Only Came for Violence Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on June 28, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Folter Records, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 27 comments

“Nocturnal Breed are everything I’ve ever wanted to be in this life. They’re old-school, they don’t give a shit about anybody or anything, and they’re Norwegian. Making their start with ‘97’s Aggressor, these hateful sonsabitches haven’t changed a goddamn thing in over twenty years. Their albums are way too long, there’s no fluidity from one track to the next, and they’re still kicking the combination of Bathory, Venom, and Motörhead mixed with first-wave black metal and thrash.” Breed in the night.

Helheim – Rignir Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on May 8, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Viking Metal, Black Metal, Viking Metal, 38 comments

“As I sit here with Helheim‘s newest album, Rignir, two things occur to me. First, Helheim is the most-consistent band I know. Not only are all their albums good or great but they’ve been releasing a new one every 2-3 years since 1995. Second, I’ve been at AMG far longer than I realized. Having first reviewed this black/Viking metal band back in 2015, Rignir is now the third time I’ve penned some words on their music.” The olde and the reliable.

Immortal – Northern Chaos Gods Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on July 5, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Black Metal, 128 comments

Immortal is back, and that deserves a big, fat double review of frozen mountain proportions. Stay frostbitten, my friends.

Dyscarnate – With All Their Might Review

By Mark Z. on September 22, 2017 in 2017, British Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Unique Leader, Death Metal, 72 comments

“If there’s one thing Dyscarnate have taught me, it’s that other modern death metal needs to step up its collective shit. Formed in 2004, this British trio first caught my attention in 2012 with sophomore full-length And So It Came to Pass, a record which may as well have invented the term “chunky riff.”” Hammer time.

Nervecell – Past, Present… Torture Review

By Master of Muppets on August 27, 2017 in 2017, Lifeforce Records, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, United Arab Emirates Metal, Technical Death Metal, 42 comments

“Why tech-death insists on being an exercise in as many bands as possible doing the exact same thing as each other, is something that baffles. On that note, and with Beuller-approved levels of irony, let’s talk about some dudes from Dubai and what they’ve done with the genre on their third full-length, Past, Present… Torture.” Dial N for Nile, oh, and Nervecell.

Ajattara – Lupaus Review

By Lokasenna on May 12, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Black Metal, 50 comments

“As an armchair linguist and general language nerd, I love listening to material in a language I don’t know. A sextet of Finnish Satanists and black metal veterans, Ajattara have a platter that fits that bill, and because of my total unfamiliarity with them, I approached the record with totally open ears. Lupaus, the band’s ninth full-length following a six-year hiatus, is a bit of a genre puzzle, as it’s hard for me to call it straight black metal.” Blackness, death and declension.