Burzum

Abazagorath – The Satanic Verses Review

By Al Kikuras on October 19, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Black Metal, Eternal Death, Reviews, Black Metal, 14 comments

“There was a time before the Internet when musicians were scary. Glen Benton was an animal killing, Satan-worshipping maniac instead of an angry divorcee. Slayer were about to slit open a woman’s throat, all in spikes and leather instead of looking like they are on line at Chuck E. Cheese’s in a Spongebob t-shirt. The only scary person left in extreme music now that GG Allin is dead is Gaahl from Gorgoroth/God Seed and I’ve been too out touch to not know if he’s considered frightening these days.” Out of touch and scared of Sponge Bob is no way to go through life, Al.

Ophis – Abhorrence in Opulence Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on September 16, 2014 in 2014, Cyclone Empire, Death Metal, Doom Metal, German Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 4 comments

“Five doom/death songs comprising sixty minutes of music is a risky proposition that lives and dies by one thing: riffs. If you’re going to write songs that average out to twelve minutes in length, the riffs contained within had better be interesting, dynamic, and, of course, crushing.” That means some long, potentially ADHD offending tunes. Can Ophis hold the interest of the busy metaller?

Cardinals Folly – Our Cult Continues! Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on August 10, 2014 in 2014, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Shadow Kingdom Records, Doom Metal, 10 comments

“I’ve always found doom to be a particularly beguiling style of heavy metal. I’m not sure any other subgenre is able to evoke such a broad range of emotions, from sheer suicidal despair to fist-pumping, booty shaking euphoria. Or perhaps I have a pathologically shaky booty (though if you don’t at least feel a twitch in your hips when listening to Sleep’s Holy Mountain then I don’t trust you as a human being).” Ready from some odd doom metal? Jean-Luc Ricard joins AMG’s probationary squad to tell us of Cardinals Folly and their interesting approach to the typical slow and low.

Empire Auriga – Ascending the Solarthrone Review

By El Cuervo on August 5, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Black Metal, Moribund Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 4 comments

“A curious thing occurred while listening to Ascending the Solarthrone for the first time. I was commuting into the city, a monotonous, cramped experience at the best of times, when we were informed by the disturbingly enthusiastic guard that someone had committed suicide on the tracks. I was already noting the record for its depressive and desolate atmosphere, and in that moment, the feeling it produced was quite extraordinary.” Another double secret probationary writer joins the fray as El Cuervo reviews some bleak black metal. It’s getting like a goddamn frat house around the AMG offices!

Aurvandil – Thrones Review

By Steel Druhm on April 11, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Eisenwald Records, French Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 4 comments

“I don’t review much black metal because I’m pretty tired of the genre and there are more avid and enthusiastic reviewers at AMG who can deal with it properly. However, for unknown reasons, I took quite a shine to Aurvandil’s 2011 opus Yearning and gave it high marks. Now we get Thrones, which was originally released last year as a limited edition cassette, though why anyone would release anything on cassette is beyond my simple mind (why not an 8-track edition or if you really want to be kvlt, go with a phonography cylinder).” In the mood for 50 minutes of low-fi blast beating? Here’s your huckleberry.

Retro-spective Review: Emperor – In The Nightside Eclipse

By Grymm on March 1, 2014 in Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Retro Reviews, Black Metal, 6 comments

“Has it really been 20 years? Goddamn, I feel old. In 1994 PG (Pre-Grymm), I was a high-school sophomore with an in-between mullet/long-hair, burnt out on mainstream metal (“90s Metal Weirdness,” anyone?), and I was looking for darker, heavier, faster affairs. With some recommendations from friends as well as some trusty advice from the long-dormant-and-majorly-missed Metal Maniacs magazine, I would be introduced to a slew of new (to me) bands, including one by a bunch of teenagers from Norway who would be creating, and later changing, the blackest of all musical landscapes to come…” Grymm gets in the Wayback Machine for a wistful look at one of the defining moments in Black Metal History. He’s a wistful guy, that Grymm.

Profezia – Oracolo Suicida Review

By JF Williams on February 26, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Italian Metal, Moribund Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 0 comments

“It’s 2014, and bog standard black metal is alive and well! The Italian group Profezia (“masters of high drama”, if the promo hype is to be believed) play a kind of Burzum-esque minimalist black metal. Oracolo Suicida is their third full-length originally released late last year, but is now seeing release in the states through the grimmest of long-running black metal labels, Moribund Records. I probably don’t need to tell you that Profezia lives up to its promise of offering cold, grim black metal done in the old way, and for many, that will be good enough. But for those looking for a little more than “Old English font” black metal, a litany of concerns arise for Oracolo Suicida.” Please observe silence as JF williams begins the reading of the litany.

Front Beast – Demon Ways of Sorcery Review

By Madam X on August 7, 2013 in 2.0, 2013, Black Metal, German Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 12 comments

“When a band intimates that their album has the charm and atmosphere of a dark, damp dungeon and that it’s packed with bone-dry, ardent, miserable vocals reminiscent of Aske era Burzum it’s begging to get picked off the promo pile. German band Front Beast, signed to Hells Headbangers and led by sole member Evil Avenger, whetted my appetite with just such an oath on their second full length release Demon Ways of Sorcery. It looks like the Evil Avenger has been stumbling along spreading misery and Satan’s message over 24 split releases, EPs and demos, 1 compilation and 1 previous album released back in 2006 and judging by this back-history he’s not giving up on his mission any time soon…” Madam X takes on the supposedly dungeon-ready black metal rattle of Front Beast. Remember, a beast in the front is better than two behind. No…wait.

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.

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!