“De Sève et de Sang (Of Sap and Blood) is the first release by one-man black metal outfit Félonie. However, its progenitor, Marc Bourban, has been on the scene in his native Switzerland for a number of years, notably with Tyrmfar (melodic black metal) and Wizards of Wiznan (sludgy stoner death), handling bass and guitar for the former, and on vocal and guitar duties for the latter. After years playing in other bands, Bourban decided it was time to release something entirely of his own creation and thus was Félonie spawned.” Swiss missive.
Code666
Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture Review
“If you live in any major metro, you are familiar with the problem of homelessness and the effect it has had on how we enjoy our spaces, or rather, how others don’t. Hostile architecture—rails in the middle of park benches, rocky floors below awnings, incessantly flashing lights in seemingly empty corners—is a mainstay of contemporary urban design and aims to ensure that public features are for temporary public enjoyment, not temporary public shelter. Ashenspire has noticed too, and, with all the subtlety of a hippo eating a watermelon, this Glaswegian gang has chosen to use Hostile Architecture to highlight various issues.” Brutalism for the brutal.
Non Serviam – Le Coeur Bat Review
“It’s not uncommon for fans of metal to lovingly describe an album as a “tough listen.” There are releases and sometimes entire discographies that can only be appreciated once a specific taste has been acquired. Given enough time and the right mindset though, what once may have been a shock to the system can become as comfortable as slipping into a warm bath or taking off a virus-splattered mask at the end of a long day. Don’t take my word for it; you don’t have to look far to spot avant-garde, genre-fluid bands like Imperial Triumphant gaining attention and garnering praise. This line of thought kept recurring again and again as I listened to Non Serviam’s latest release Le Coeur Bat.” Spiteful sounds.
Maestus – Deliquesce Review
“Funeral doom is the cilantro of the metal world. Those who like it tend to love it. Others wonder why anyone would want to eat a little leaf that tastes like soap listen to a twenty-minute song with four beats per minute. On the occasions it’s reviewed here, there are usually a few predictable cries from the peanut gallery of “Only listened to 30 seconds! Why this boring? Me want fast!” That’s right. I made you sound like Cookie Monster.” C is for Cookie and it’s better than you deserve.
Piah Mater – The Wandering Daughter Review
“The pia mater, Latin for “tender mother,” is one of three meninges that surround and protect the brain from damage. So as you’re headbanging at your local metal show, your pia mater keeps your delicate, spongy brain tissue from dashing itself against the inside of your skull and knocking you out cold.” Keep your mothers close and your Opeth-core closer.
Al Ard – Al Ard Review
“Al Ard are described as a mixture of black metal and dubstep, and if you didn’t grimace at least a little just now, you probably managed not to hear about dubstep in the first place. Dubstep is the unholy combination of a computer on the fritz and all the worst tendencies of electronic music. The last time we saw a metal band try to incorporate dubstep was about as pleasant as using a lamprey for a fleshlight. Can Al Ard overcome my prejudice?” Step off.
Fen – Winter Review
“Judging by the hype I’m picking up over this, Fen’s newest release, that’s probably as much as I need to tell you about the London-based band. Punxsutawney Phil caught a glimpse of his shadow and foresaw more winter on its way, looks like he wasn’t wrong after all!” Winter is long.
Rise of Avernus – Dramatis Personæ EP Review
“Dramatis Personæ is the sound of a band trying to relocate the European orchestral metal canon into their snakey and spidery Southern-Hemispherical home. Australia’s Rise of Avernus would love to have Fleshgod Apocalypse’s authentic Italian heritage of classical music and opera informing their extremity – it’s this quality which made Oracles so ground-breaking.” They can’t all be Italian….
Syn Ze Şase Tri – Stăpîn Peste Stăpîni Review
“Syn Ze Şase Tri is a Romanian band hailing from from—no joke—Transylvania, and whose material I had the pure luck to discover by my naïve dedication to trying to review everything that ever landed in my mailbox back in the early days. The band’s first record, Între două lumi, was the victim of brutal mastering job which rendered the mp3s I received in the promotional material unlistenable. ” Will these Carpathian creepers have the aural bite to win AMG’s love this time around?
Hail Spirit Noir – Pneuma Review
This is a remarkable record… and I mean that in a good way this time.