Blackened Death Metal

Bölzer – Lese Majesty Review

By Saunders on November 14, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Death Metal, Lightning & Sons Records, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Swiss Metal, Progressive Metal, 19 comments

“I kept the faith that Bölzer were able to deliver a knockout blow leading up to their 2016 debut LP, Hero. Unfortunately, the album left me feeling indifferent and frustrated due to inconsistent writing and questionable vocal choices, leaving scattered traces of brilliance hidden amidst the wreckage. Finally, Bölzer return on their own label and ready to unleash their sophomore LP, Lese Majesty. With increasingly diminishing returns defining their career thus far, can the dynamic duo reclaim the glory and shoot for the stars this time around?” More or Lese?

IATT – Nomenclature Review

By Eldritch Elitist on October 10, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Black Lion Records, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, 23 comments

“IATT—FKA I Am the Trireme, the one-time recipients of an AMG 1.0—is a band I hoped would capitalize on my renewed craving for a smarter kind of blackened death metal. Much of Nomenclature certainly qualifies as prog—and as such, scratches that particular itch—but like the best music in the style, it is great music first, progressive music second. Through theatrical songwriting and melodic grandeur, IATT has assured that their second record is a deeply captivating experience.” You can call this a comeback.

Arallu – En Olam Review

By Master of Muppets on October 5, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Death Metal, Israeli Metal, Reviews, Satanath Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, 26 comments

“I now recognize AMG‘s Law ov Diminishing Albums as a cold and cruelly ironic constant, and subsequently I slowly shuffled up to Six’s successor, the septimal En Olam, with extreme arthritis and trepidation. By the time it was all over, I sighed wearily and shuffled even more gingerly back to my sleeping perch—for such was the extent of my physical capabilities in the wake of the ass beating that En Olam had just given me.” Desert for dinner.

Eclipser – Pathos Review

By Eldritch Elitist on September 27, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Noise Salvation, Reviews, Black Metal, 26 comments

“For those who are also aspiring black metal musicians, pigeonholing a specific sound must require diligent compromise so as not to spread oneself too thin. Unless, of course, you come from Canada and go by the moniker of Eclipser, whose only compromise is in the amount of disc space they’ve saved with their debut LP, Pathos.” Grow stronger, not longer.

Vitriol – To Bathe from the Throat of Cowardice Review

By Ferrous Beuller on September 25, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Century Media, Death Metal, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 21 comments

“2018’s EP Pain WIll Define Their Death showcased an act hellbent on utter annihilation. The band’s merciless modus revels in a perpetual motion so vicious it actively raised my heartbeat. Those three tracks have blasted wide the cut and made it on to debut To Bathe from the Throat of Cowardice. But context is key. What resounds as a roar in the confines of an EP may whimper in the expanse of an album.” Throatbather.

Temple Koludra – Seven! Sirens! To a Lost Archetype Review

By Master of Muppets on June 25, 2019 in 2019, Death Metal, German Metal, Reviews, Transcending Obscurity, Death Metal, 25 comments

“Throughout the untold eons that have comprised my existence thus far, I’ve found myself entangled in countless trysts with the myriad subgenres ov metal. Seasons pass, empires rise and fall, and as the face of humanity changes so does the soundtrack to my omnipresence. My point: I’ve been everywhere in the metalsphere, man, and though I have my preferences and proclivities, I’ll always respect death metal above all. There’s an earnest fervor found and felt throughout the genre at large, and it’s to death metal that I turn whenever I feel burnt out by a deluge of musical sameness.” Death for life.

Intothecrypt – Vakor Review

By Twelve on June 20, 2019 in 2019, Death Metal, Ordo MCM Records, Reviews, Russian Metal, Doom Metal, 11 comments

“I’m always interested in bands that rise from the ashes of other bands. We hear about it all the time: four original members from one band go onto form their own band, bringing fans of the original band untold joy, because that band hasn’t put out a record in twelve years. In the case of Russian doom act Scald, it was the unfortunate death of the band’s lead vocalist that led its remaining members to Tumulus, which plays folk metal based on Slavic mythology. Fast-forward to 2016, and those same original Scaldians have now formed Intothecrypt, fusing these styles together by playing blackened death-doom in English and Ancient Russian, with Finno-Urgic influences informing both the story and the language.”

Stormlord – Far Review

By Kenstrosity on May 22, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Death Metal, Epic Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Scarlet Records, Symphonic Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 36 comments

“Every once a while we at AMG hack and slash each other for promos. In this case, I slice-and-diced one Very Messy Individual™ (Holdeneye) in the name of a symphonic death metal band by the name of Stormlord. You see, symphonic death and symphonic black metal seem to be on the upswing this year.” Storming with malice.

Warforged – I, Voice Review

By Kenstrosity on May 8, 2019 in Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 25 comments

“The Artisan Era has been on a decent roll lately, releasing good to great albums left and right for just over a year. Warforged seemed like a bit of an odd duck for the label though. The Chicagoan five-piece of progressive blackened death metal don’t really fit the tech-death-heavy mold The Artisan Era have curated for themselves. It was this fact that initially drew me to I, Voice.” War by another name.

Deiphago – I, the Devil Review

By Dear Hollow on May 3, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Death Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Reviews, 71 comments

“Pretense is a bitch. I’ve found myself being more and more cynical through the years about people who claim to be the best at what they do. From athletes and artists to people I interact with on a daily basis, I prefer action and art to speak for itself. Therefore, I found myself suspicious with Filipino blackened death metal three-piece Deiphago, who proclaim to be ‘arguably the most violent band on the planet, as well as one of the most envelope-pushing.'” Heavy is as heavy does.