Agonia Records

The Konsortium – Rogaland Review

The Konsortium – Rogaland Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on June 5, 2018 in 2018, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Thrash Metal, 60 comments

“If you’re into the Norwegian black metal scene, you may know bassist/guitarist/songwriter Teloch. For those that don’t know, he’s the man behind Nidingr and responsible for guitars and songwriting on Mayhem’s Esoteric Warfare. If you do know the man, you already knew that and also know he’s a member of the once mysterious—but now not-so-mysterious—black/thrash outfit The Konsortium, where he writes and plays bass alongside the legendary black metal drummer Dirge Rep, and, together, they rip, shred, and tear shit apart.” At the Roga, Roga Cabana.

Demonical – Chaos Manifesto Review

Demonical – Chaos Manifesto Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on April 18, 2018 in 2018, Agonia Records, Death Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 64 comments

“Genre-defining records are are lodestars, influences, fertile grounds for inspiration, and more, but not something to be pressed into warm wax and fed again to the audience. Nonetheless, blatant mimicry and an endless army of clones persists; rather humorously, the largely Godless metal scene has an idolatry problem.” Entombed idols.

Voidhanger – Dark Days of the Soul Review

Voidhanger – Dark Days of the Soul Review

By Mark Z. on March 7, 2018 in 2018, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, Polish Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 37 comments

“If there’s one problem with today’s metal scene, it’s that there’s not enough Infernal War in it. As heard most recently on 2015’s Axiom, the Polish blackened-death troupe are possibly the fastest, angriest, and most captivating band ever recorded, all of which make their lack of productivity that much harder to endure. Fortunately, all their rage couldn’t be contained in just one project, and thus War guitarist ‘Zyklon’ and vocalist ‘Warcrimer’ formed Voidhanger in 2010 to further their main band’s hate crusade against humanity.” Careers in hate.

Usurpress – Interregnum Review

Usurpress – Interregnum Review

By GardensTale on February 26, 2018 in 2018, Agonia Records, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, Gothic Metal, Progressive Metal, 0 comments

“Consistency is a virtue, most of the time. Oftentimes, it is vital for a band’s recognizability, allowing only for incremental growth and change, both within an album and across several. But it can be taken too far with a sound growing stale, or eschewed completely for avant-garde whiplash effects (see Igorrr). Usurpress love mixing different genres into their Swedish death metal, risking consistency issues but aiming for the reward of diversity and unpredictability.” Overthrow the expected.

Threat Signal – Disconnect Review

Threat Signal – Disconnect Review

By Mark Z. on November 13, 2017 in 2017, Agonia Records, Canadian Metal, Groove Metal, Metalcore, Reviews, Groove Metal, Metalcore, 39 comments

“Five years ago, another metal blog referred to As I Lay Dying’s Awakened as “the world’s first retro-metalcore album.” While that same not-to-be-named blog was also recently guilty of authoring one of the most idiotic self-serving shitposts I’ve ever read, in the case of Awakened they were actually right. With its melodic Gothenburg riffs, gang vocals, soaring clean choruses, and pummeling breakdowns, the record hearkened back to mid-00s metalcore at a time when the rest of the scene was too busy being balls deep in whatever Periphery was doing.” Old core, new core. At this point, what does it matter?

Blaze of Perdition – Conscious Darkness Review

Blaze of Perdition – Conscious Darkness Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on November 8, 2017 in 2017, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Polish Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 26 comments

“Blaze of Perdition is a Polish band, and Poland is a largely Catholic country. Conscious Darkness, their follow-up to the solid Near Death Revelations, is a black metal record, which in the vast majority of cases entails irreligious or fervently anti-religious content. This is black metal fused with death metal, but not blackened death; the Polish, along with the Germans, are particularly good at this!” Poles of blackened fury.

King Parrot – Ugly Produce Review

King Parrot – Ugly Produce Review

By Mark Z. on September 29, 2017 in 2017, Agonia Records, Australian Metal, EVP Recordings, Grind, Housecore records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 32 comments

King Parrot make grindcore great again. At least that’s what I thought after first hearing the Australian quintet’s 2012 debut Bite Your Head Off, which bucked genre norms by fusing groovy aggression with honest-to-God vocal hooks and a “hip slumdog” attitude. In my review of 2015 follow-up Dead Set I referred to the band as the “Die Antwoord of grindcore,” and that remains one of my favorite analogies I’ve made at AMG to this day.” King for a day, grind for 12 minutes.

Svartsyn – In Death Review

Svartsyn – In Death Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on June 14, 2017 in 2017, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, 45 comments

“First, there was Ofermod’s new record, Sol Nox. A solid outing from a band with a notoriety tied directly to the quality of their releases. Though the band shares many connections to “larger” bands in the Swedish black metal scene, Ofermod is a wholly underrated gem. But, Ofermod aren’t the only ones. No, there are others. Many of you may not know them, so let me introduce you to Svartsyn; one of my favorite black metal acts of all time.” Lick the Devil.

Azarath – In Extremis Review

Azarath – In Extremis Review

By Grymm on April 7, 2017 in 2017, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, Polish Metal, Reviews, 19 comments

“I make it a point to never judge a band by the musical contributions of its members. Case in point: Azarath. This Polish death metal behemoth boasts in its ranks Inferno from, well, Behemoth. As such, I know that many people are going to draw comparisons between this act and Poland’s favorite Satanic sons. Doing so shortchanges Azarath’s five vicious full-lengths and their own standing among Poland’s influential scene.” Poland Springs…evil.