Arcturus

Code – Augur Nox Review

Code – Augur Nox Review

By JF Williams on November 18, 2013 in 2013, Agonia Records, Avante Garde, Black Metal, English Metal, Finnish Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, 2 comments

“Genre tags such as progressive and avant garde are kind of paradoxical terms in metal. Surely something truly progressive or avant garde should traverse the outer fringes of musical expression, bringing to the table a metal forged of fearless, arcane exploration? Often that’s not the case – those terms are in many ways boxes only slightly larger than thrash, death, and other tags of old. Does the anticipated third album of England’s Code break free of these restraints?” JF Williams asks and also answers. That’s why we keep him around.

Persefone – Spiritual Migration Review

Persefone – Spiritual Migration Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 31, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Death Metal, Djent, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Death, Reviews, ViciSolum Productions, Djent, Melodic Death Metal, 17 comments

Persefone is in a bit of a strange position; a darling of the underground progressive metal scene, while still not being particularly well known. Formed in 2003, these Andorran prog metallers have a sound deeply influenced by the ’90s melodeath, progressive black and prog scenes including Opeth, Borknagar, Arcturus and Symphony X. In 2004 they released their debut record Truth inside the Shades and followed up quickly in 2006 with the epic Core. But it wasn’t until 2009 when Persefone blew the world of progressive metal up with Shin-Ken. The record was long, in-depth and gripping — with a unique sound palette that still hit home with metal fans. Technical, sprawling and unique Shin-Ken set the bar for Persefone tremendously high.

Sigh – In Somniphobia Review

Sigh – In Somniphobia Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 6, 2012 in 2012, 5.0, Black Metal, Candlelight, Progressive Metal, Reviews, 21 comments

Bands really get the shit end of the stick sometimes, and one of the areas that this happens with is the concept of change. On the one hand, a band is never supposed to change their sound. Their fans will freeeeak out and everyone will call what they do a big pile of shit (how about that last Drudkh album, went from darling of the scene to whipping boy in the matter of a day). On the other hand, others will hear a record from a band that functionally the same and say something cocky like “Is Cannibal Corpse even remotely relevant anymore?” [Oh wait, that was me and everyone got mad. — AMG] Sigh is one of those bands that I think threads that needle perfectly—offering up records every couple of years that change their sound, while keeping the core in place. In Somniphobia is really no exception to this rule—and it triumphantly continues the band’s current success streak.

Ulver – War of the Roses Review

Ulver – War of the Roses Review

By Angry Metal Guy on April 26, 2011 in 2.0, 2011, Kscope, Not Metal, Reviews, Not Metal, 8 comments

Ulver is one of the greatest metal bands ever. If there were a “Big 4” for 90s metal, Ulver would be one of them because those first three records, Bergtatt, Kveldssanger and Nattens Madrigal (for the uninitiated) are absolutely essential Norwegian black metal records (obviously Kveldssanger isn’t black metal per se, but it is still an awesome record). But, of course, that same experimental drive that pushed the band into black metal also pushed them out of it, and Garm has been very critical of the scene since leaving it. That said, Ulver is also like Katatonia or Anathema in that their post-(extreme) metal music has been widely accepted by metalheads largely because of the already existing cred. But I get the feeling that War of the Roses will try that patience.

Nidingr – Wolf Father Review

Nidingr – Wolf Father Review

By Angry Metal Guy on January 24, 2011 in 2010, 2011, 3.5, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, The End Records, Black Metal, 0 comments

When I got this disc last year via Jester Records I missed it. I don’t know why it got shuffled off to the side, or what happened exactly, but for some reason it just didn’t get done in time. In any case, I just recently got wind that they’re readying for the US release so I figured I’d break out the Internet-pen and have at a review of this super group’s (Line-up: bass and guitars: Teloch [1349, Gorgoroth, Ov Hell, Orcustus, Umoral, Konsortium]; bass and guitars (again): Blargh [Gravferd, Dødheimsgard]; vocals: Cpt. Estrella Grasa [Kort Prosess]; and drums: Hellhammer [Immortal, Shining, Thorns, Umoral, Mayhem, Winds, Arcturus]) stab at reclaiming Norwegian black metal glory.

Vulture Industries – The Malefactor’s Bloody Register Review

Vulture Industries – The Malefactor’s Bloody Register Review

By Angry Metal Guy on November 9, 2010 in 2010, 3.5, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Progressive Metal, Reviews, 3 comments

Another one of those bands that has floated in and out of my ‘sphere of knowledge’, I’d never really given Vulture Industries a fair chance. Part of this was probably just laziness on my part, but also the undeniable fact that the band had been pigeonholed as an Arcturus rip-off certainly didn’t make me want to check them out very much. As I’ve been pretty consistent about, I think that rip-off bands are usually boring, unimaginative and frustrating. And with a band like Arcturus that is easily one of the most unique bands to ever show up from the black metal scene, I couldn’t see how it could possibly be even remotely good. Certainly a band cannot re-imagine the most imaginative band from the first wave of Norwegian black metal.

Dimmu Borgir – Abrahadabra Review

Dimmu Borgir – Abrahadabra Review

By Angry Metal Guy on September 24, 2010 in 2010, 3.5, Black Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, 12 comments

It’s that time again! Dimmu Borgir is releasing a new album. It’s been a while, actually, and after having a scruff in the media with former keyboardist Mustis and having the mighty vocalist and for show bassist Simen Hestnæs leave the band (to the joy of Arcturus and Borknagar fans), there was actually a bit of anticipation to see what would happen with this album. I, like many, believed what Mustis said about writing all the music in the band and not getting the credit he deserved, and Abrahadabra proves that I think, but instead of being an indictment of the band, it may have been an idictment of Mustis’ writing.