Black Metal

Martyrdöd – List

By Akerblogger on December 2, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Crust Punk, Reviews, Southern Lord, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, Crust Punk, 13 comments

“While Gothenburg’s melodeath bands dilly-dallied with their harmonic guitar lines and playful melodies the less harmonious and filth-ridden beasts of punky D-beat slimed their way around the city’s sewers. In the 80s and 90s Swedish bands like Anti Cimex and Totalitär funnelled the crusted hardcore-punk sound of Discharge and their British counterparts through even dirtier Swedish backwaters.” D…beat.

Liber Null – I – The Serpent Review

By Dr. Wvrm on December 1, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Dutch Metal, Italian Metal, Osmose Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 2 comments

“Creativity is a fickle beast. On bright days ensconced in melodious excellence, these words bound forth like an ever-flowing stream. Others? A wall of emptiness and muted cinder blocks mortared upon dark grey concrete. We yearn for the music that evokes the former but Liber Null, unfortunately, does not. So here I sit, swilling my scotch, wondering how to convey just what about I – The Serpent fails to strike me.” Drinking scotchy scotch scotch on the job, eh? We approve.

Aenaon – Hypnosophy Review

By Grymm on December 1, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Code666 Records, Greek Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 38 comments

“It’s not often that AMG Himself and I get into an online kerfluffle about a review. See, I do my best to grab promos from bands I’ve never heard of, hoping that my curiosity turns me on to some great music. For the most part, it succeeds. But there comes a time when Señor AMG gets a taste of a band you’re reviewing and goes completely ga-ga over it.” When AMG attacks.

Mortualia – Wild, Wild Misery Review

By Lord Lucan on December 1, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Finnish Metal, Moribund Records, Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, 19 comments

“Here’s a sage piece of life advice you can have for free: always carefully check what you’ve typed into your Google search bar before hitting ‘enter.’ I recently fell foul of this little rule while researching ‘depressive suicidal black metal’ (or ‘DSBM’) for the purposes of writing this review. Unless you’re feeling particularly brave, you’ll just have to take my word for it that while DSBM and BDSM might look similar, they are definitely not the same thing. I learned this the hard way.” Are we still doing phrasing?

Root – Kärgeräs – Return from Oblivion Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on November 30, 2016 in 2016, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Czech Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 17 comments

“After years of meandering through the comments section as your friendly neighborhood bone-saw (and before as another beloved reader), I’ve had the pleasure of sparing with many of you, upsetting the tight-ass AMG HR department, and making fun of Diabolus for his bad taste in music. Somewhere in the last couple years, one of you recommended Root to me and forever changed my life.” Report to HR to get your life re-changed.

Bethlehem – Bethlehem Review

By Madam X on November 29, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Doom Metal, German Metal, Industrial Metal, International Metal, Polish Metal, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, Russian Metal, Uncategorized, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Industrial Metal, 26 comments

“With Christmas just around the corner, it gives me wry amusement that Bethlehem are about to unleash their latest slab of blackened thrash on the unsuspecting masses. Tis the season and Bethlehem are in a very giving kind of mood!” Grim yule tidings.

Master of Cruelty – Archaic Visions of the Underworld

By Lord Lucan on November 27, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Death Metal, Deathrash Armageddon, Paraguayan Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 10 comments

“Trying to think of a catchy way to start a review when there’s very little information available on the band concerned, most of what is out there is in a foreign language and the record in question isn’t actually very good can be tough. In an ideal world, I probably ought to power through irrespective, taking plenty of time in order to come up with something snappy. Well, in an ideal world I’d also be married to Emilia Clarke, so what can I say?” Get the lede out!

Panphage – Drengskapr Review

By Lord Lucan on November 23, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Nordvis Produktion, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 82 comments

“One-man black metal projects are like rats nowadays; you’re never more than a few meters away from one at any given time. Okay, I may have made that up, but there does seem to be quite a surplus of them knocking about at the moment. While this abundance of choice is great for those of us who like our music bleak and wintery, with every man and his dog getting in on the act, cutting through the chaff and finding material actually worth listening to can seem like a pretty mammoth task.” Allow us to separate the wheat from the rats.

Bölzer – Hero Review

By Saunders on November 22, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Death Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Post-metal, Reviews, Swiss Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Post-Metal, 27 comments

“Switzerland’s Bölzer created sizable tremors in the underground in 2013 upon the release of their stunning Aura EP. I got caught up in the swell, impressed by their atmospheric and innovative blackened death formula, laced with memorable hooks and otherworldly vibes.” When expectations meet reality.

Witchery – In His Infernal Majesty’s Service Review

By Lord Lucan on November 21, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Century Media, Reviews, Speed Metal, Swedish Metal, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 40 comments

“For a quality so inextricably linked with metal, at times heaviness can be a difficult characteristic to define. For some it’s all about sheer volume and noise, whereas for others, myself included, attitude and the weight of feeling behind the music are key components. Every now and then, however, a record will come along dripping with such malice and vitriol that it nullifies any need for a debate on the matter entirely.” 8 out of 10 Witchfinder Generals recommend this.