Amenra

Eyeless in Gaza – Act I: The Protagonist Review

By Carcharodon on May 28, 2020 in Reviews, Ambient Metal, Doom Metal, 19 comments

“Band names are important. They can often tell you a lot about a band or artist. Of course, the music matters most but I will frequently, while plumbing the murkier depths of Bandcamp, stick on a track purely on the strength of a band’s name. That is how I came to find Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean, for example. Conversely, a poor name can be a big negative, although, as Gazpacho demonstrate, a stellar band can rise above a terrible moniker. Every now and again though, I stumble across something I want to like simply because of the name. And that is how I feel about Eyeless in Gaza.” What’s in a name?

Bâ’a – Deus Qui Non Mentitur Review

By Dear Hollow on April 20, 2020 in 2020, Ambient, Black Metal, French Metal, Hardcore, Osmose Productions, Post-metal, Reviews, Ambient, Black Metal, Hardcore, Post-Metal, 48 comments

“Bâ’a is an anonymous French black metal trio, and while pronunciation of the name remains unclear, their debut album Deus Qui Non Mentitur[ rips open the gates with stunning clarity in scorching tremolo, blastbeats, bass riffing, mammoth songwriting, morose atmosphere, and a fiery preacher for a vocalist.” Sheep becomes wolves.

Dwaal – Gospel of the Vile Review

By Cherd of Doom on March 5, 2020 in 2020, Dark Essence Records, Doom Metal, Norwegian Metal, Post-metal, Reviews, Sludge, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, Sludge, 6 comments

“Dwaal is made up of six full-time members, a lot for this genre, and they spring from the sludgy post landscape founded by Neurosis. A close contemporary in sound and style would be Amenra, with both bands adept at slow building tension, but there are moments, especially in closer “Descent,” that indicate they are very much down with Why Oh Bee (yeah you know me).” Sludge hammer.

An Evening with Knives – Sense of Gravity Review

By Dear Hollow on March 5, 2020 in 2020, Ambient Metal, Argonauta Records, Doom Metal, Dutch Metal, Groove Metal, Post-metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Ambient Metal, Groove Metal, Post-Metal, 5 comments

“Our latest post-metal loving Dutch trio An Evening with Knives is hoping to take a stab at the scene with their second full-length, Sense of Gravity. They advertise their sound as ‘where the wall of sound falls down into a sea of tranquility’ in a fusion of post-metal and stoner-doom. Does their intriguing premise succeed in a cut above the rest or will it just settle being another post-metal old knives‘ tale?” Falling blades.

Deliverance – Holocaust 26:1-46 Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on February 18, 2020 in 2020, Black Metal, Deadlight Entertainment, French Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Black Metal, Sludge Metal, 27 comments

“Like Amenra, they have the ability to suck you deep into tension-building ascensions before coming down on the front of your skull like a sledgehammer. But, the biggest difference between Amenra and Deliverance is that the latter prefers the accompaniment of rasping vocals and black-metal song structures. Combining this foundation with Amenra-like builds and Gojira-esque, concrete-cracking riffs, 2020 finds Deliverance releasing their most-impressive work to date. But, good luck looking beyond the haunting artwork, the heart-sickening album title, and a band name that reminds one of hillbilly butt sex. Now, everyone, open your books to the chapter of ‘Holocaust’ and let’s begin.” End times.

Ars Moriendi – La solitude du pieux scélérat [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]

By Dr. A.N. Grier on January 9, 2020 in 2019, Archaic Sound, Black Metal, French Metal, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2019, Black Metal, 72 comments

“I may drive like a twenty-year-old, dad-joke like a forty-year-old, but I’m as fit as a flabby sixty-year-old and as spry as a seventy-year-old. I have two cups of coffee and have diarrhea for the rest of the day and, two beers later, I’m drunk. Yet, with Angry Metal Age comes Angry Metal Wisdom. As well as a lot of annual visits from old friends to the old-people home. This year, visits came from Darkthrone, Kampfar, Rimfrost, Sorxe, Stormhammer, Via Vengeance, War Curse, Reign of Fury, Second to Sun, and others. One visit I was most excited about was from Ars Moriendi.” Olde habits.

Dr. A.N. Grier’s Top Ten(ish) of 2019

By Dr. A.N. Grier on January 1, 2020 in 2019, Blog Posts, Lists, 105 comments

“Name another site out there with writers hiding behind silly monikers whom you know better than your best friends. Name a site you dared to lean on, pouring your heart out in the comments, getting positive and uplifting responses when you needed them most. Name a site you’ve spent as much time debating, loving, and sharing music as you have on AMG. You can’t.” Truth telling.

Via Vengeance – Diestractions from the Truth Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on November 14, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Salt of the Earth Records, Sludge, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 20 comments

“He’s a happy dude that makes everyone around him happy. Case in point: at a Neurosis show in Phoenix, I became so enamored with opening act Amenra that nothing existed around me but dark, depressive death. Then I felt the nudge and looked over at the smiling face of Mr. Ocell. One second, I wanted to die. The next, I wanted to give the little guy a noogie. But how can a guy as happy as Shane write music as dark and heavy as that of Via Vengeance? I haven’t a clue, but that’s what he does.” Beware the smiling man.

Jo Quail – Exsolve [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By sentynel on November 28, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, British Metal, Non-Metal Metal Things, Post-Rock, Reviews, Self-released, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Atmospheric Black Metal, Non-metal Metal Things, 66 comments

“I love the cello. I don’t think there are any other instruments which offer the tonal range and gorgeous timbre a cello can. I also think it’s criminally underused in heavy music. Apocalyptica demonstrate it can sound metal as hell, yet otherwise it’s mostly limited to a few cameo appearances. This brings me to Jo Quail, experimental cellist, loop pedal wizard, and versatile session musician. Her own back catalog is largely a post-rock/modern classical blend, and after a year in which she’s supported acts like Myrkur, Amenra, Boris, and Winterfylleth, their influence clearly shows on her new record. With her sound evolving towards post-metal and atmospheric black metal, her new album is an interesting development.” Cello, my friends.

Vile Creature – Cast of Static and Smoke Review

By GardensTale on March 8, 2018 in 2018, Canadian Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge, 32 comments

“Why do we love music of such a harsh, ugly aesthetic? Once, during my college years, I was asked this question by a project coach. It wasn’t the first time I heard the question, but it was the most memorable, as for the first time it wasn’t asked as an attack but of genuine interest. I found I did not have a satisfying answer. “It has a furious energy, a certain power that gives me a rush for all its darkness,” was the best I could say. But at the time, I did not yet listen to doom metal, and if I had, it might have complicated my search for a genuine answer further. Because how would I describe the appeal to bands like Vile Creature, a duo who makes deliberate, hideous music that is slow and steady.”