Black Metal

Lustre – Wonder Review

By Noctus on August 6, 2013 in 1.5, 2013, Black Metal, Nordvis Produktion, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, 9 comments

“It was about five years ago that I heard Lustre’s very first EP, Serenity, and it wasn’t awful I suppose. It was incredibly soft as black metal goes, to the point where I wouldn’t even call it black metal any more. It had a very prominent keyboard melody over the top of the “black metal” and just went on and on, but since the melody was good it didn’t feel too overlong. Where I didn’t really enjoy the EP all that much, I did see some kind of potential if the dude actually worked towards evolving his songwriting past the *cough* “hypnotic” structure, in which he steals Burzum’s flair for repetition and forgets everything that makes repetition actually work. Five years later I check out his latest recording and it’s pretty much as dreadful as it possibly could be. What on earth happened?” Noctus unleashed a vicious indictment againt the lack of progression by a black metal act and in related news, water is still wet.

Obsidian Tongue – A Nest of Ravens in the Throat of Time Review

By Noctus on August 1, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, American Metal, Black Metal, Hypnotic Dirge Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 1 comment

“Say what you like about the U.S. black metal scene, they know how to make so much out of so little. The number of American bands taking black metal in its arguably most minimalistic form and taking it in much more ambitious directions with long and winding song structures is quite staggering. But when you consider the roots of the black metal scene in the US, and the opus that made arguably the biggest impact on it, it doesn’t seem so surprising that so many bands follow almost directly in the footsteps of Weakling’s widely acclaimed album, Dead as Dreams. Noctus traces the family tree of USBM and gives a little insight on how it influences the new opus from Obsidian Tongue. BTW, that name sounds like a fruity tropical drink that comes with a tiny umbrella.

Månegarm – Legions of the North Review

By Angry Metal Guy on July 28, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 4 comments

In the late ’90s and early ’00s (aughts, as I call ’em), there was a swath of Scandinavian bands forming something of a scene around the sound of folk influenced black metal. Chief among these were Thyrfing, Moonsorrow, and Månegarm. While Moonsorrow changed their sound with time and went on to have widespread respect, the Swedish bands (Månegarm and Thyrfing) both labored in relative obscurity. Why Månegarm never quite pushed their way onto the international stage is mysterious for me, because they’ve always been a band producing unique, interesting, and enjoyable music. In any case, Legions of the North marks the band’s first record since 2009’s Nattväsen which was released on the struggling (and now defunct) Regain Records. While Nattväsen was excellent, my major complaint was simply that it was largely a repetition of 2007’s Vargstenen. After 4 years, signing with Napalm Records, getting a new drummer and losing violinist Janne Liljeqvist, can Månegarm present a fresh face and fill their little niche in folk metal?

Chthonic – Bú-Tik Review

By Madam X on July 18, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Black Metal, Releases, Reviews, Spinefarm, Taiwanese Metal, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 21 comments

“While first wetting my feet with black metal I came across Chthonic’s 9th Empyrean, Relentless Recurrence and Seediq Bale albums. I felt a distinct pull towards their use of traditional instruments, their dramatic, aggressive, melodic sound and their bleak, nihilistic undercurrent and for a fair while their screams gripped my attention. Eventually though I felt the inevitable allure for darker and uglier and sank deeper and into the blackness discovering Nattefrost, Carpathian Forest, Shining (Swedish), 1349, Marduk and so on and to be honest I got distracted and I guess I just forgot about Chthonic….” Will Madam X have a happy reunion with the once beloved Chthonic or has absence made the heart grow bitter? So much drama!

Ereb Altor – Fire Meets Ice Review

By Steel Druhm on July 17, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Black Metal, Cyclone Empire, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Viking Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Viking Metal, 3 comments

“With little or no fanfare, the trolls of Viking/doom/folk/black metal known as Ereb Altor storm back from the frozen wastes with their hybrid sound and more tales from Norse mythology. Though they began life as an epic-sized, Viking metal act with a strong doom influence (check out By Honour because it’s badass!), they added more and more black metal over time, culminating with 2012s Gastrike opus. As before, they worship the sound and mood of Bathory’s Hammerheart opus (and to a lesser extent Twilight of the Gods) while also incorporating early Darkthrone influences and doom stylings similar to While Heaven Wept.” A fusion of Viking, black and doom metal pretty much sells itself, but Steel Druhm still showed up to grab a paycheck and examine the heady brew that Ereb Altor cooked up. Tastes like…wictory.

Teloch Vovin – I Review

By Madam X on June 28, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, American Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 2 comments

“You know that scene in The Midnight Meat Train, just after the butcher’s death, the one where the conductor introduces Leon to those unholy reptilian creatures that live beneath New York City? Or maybe you’ll better remember it as the scene where Leon’s tongue is ripped straight from his mouth and he’s told, you’re it, you’re the next butcher! When I think of Teloch Vovin, that’s the first place my mind travels to. They’re also from the seedy underbelly of New York.” Madam X seems enthralled with New York’s seedy underworld… could it have been the lure of sacrificial blood that drew her, or was Teloch Vovin’s sticky, murky black metal the attraction? Maybe it was the smell of garbage and falafel.

Pest – The Crowning Horror Review

By Madam X on June 14, 2013 in 2.0, 2013, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Uncategorized, Black Metal, 3 comments

“Bands regularly lay claim to being ‘old school’, to bringing back the ‘glory days’. But from my experience, what they’re REALLY trying to tell you, is that they’re foisting their low budget recording quality onto you and they’re serving you a platter of replica tracks. This was my first thought when I saw that Necro and Equimanthorn’s big selling point on Pest was that their brand of Swedish black metal is ‘played in the old vein, no females or keyboards involved’ naturally I prepared myself for the worst…” Old school Swedish black metal? Isn’t all black metal old school? Regardless, Madam x delves into the latest Pest and tells you if they annoy her.

Kalmah – Seventh Swamphony Review

By Steel Druhm on June 7, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Black Metal, Death Metal, Finnish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Spinefarm, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 10 comments

“As the only blackened thrash band willing to sing about fishing and fish generally, Kalmah always had a special place in my outdoorsy heart. I mean, who else can make simple tales of man vs. fish seem so epic and life threatening? I was impressed by their first four outings (with Swampsong being my favorite), but I felt really let down by their For the Revolution opus, which felt quite tedious. While things kicked back up for the enjoyable and energetic 12 Gauge, it still felt like a band entering the “spinning the wheels” period of their career. Thankfully, Seventh Swamphony sees these psychotic fishermen make a triumphant return to the off-the-rails, blackened thrash of old which straddles the line between the melodic tomfoolery of Children of Bodom and more extreme, cvlt black/death acts.” Do you like blackended catfish metal like Steel Druhm does? If so, you best don the hip waders and read all about the return of the swamp lords.

Summoning – Old Mornings Dawn Review

By Noctus on May 26, 2013 in 2013, 4.5, Austrian Metal, Black Metal, Napalm Records, Reviews, Uncategorized, Black Metal, 27 comments

“It was seven years ago that I purchased my very first CD as a teenager who knew nothing about music other than the fact I absolutely loved it and wanted to find something completely different and obscure. I opened up a metal magazine and was instantly pulled in by the mysterious description and album cover to Summoning’s Oath Bound. The nature-influenced album cover, the Austrian black metal description, all of it seemed incredibly alluring so I bought it blindly — my first ever musical purchase. Needless to say, Oath Bound arrived and floored me.” Noctus has a heartfelt history with this group of Tolkien-obsessed black metal maven, but does their new album live up to his lofty (and insanely fanboyish) expectations?

Svartsyn – Black Testament Review

By Alex Franquelli on May 23, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Uncategorized, Black Metal, 0 comments

“Black metal. No, wait, not that one; but the other, unpolished predecessor of whatever came next. And when I say ‘next’ I mean that black metal. With its intriguing plots, assassinations, Satanists that become pagans, that go to prison and discover the absolute, compelling modernity of nationalism. Usually right before they realize that, you know what, milking Norwegian cows can indeed be a form of protest against Christianity and Judaism if one looks at it from the right perspective.” Join Alex as he speedily runs us through 27 years in black metal!