Cradle of Filth

Sermon – Birth of the Marvellous Review

Sermon – Birth of the Marvellous Review

By Huck N Roll on March 22, 2019 in 2019, British Metal, Progressive Metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Progressive Metal, 213 comments

“I’ve said it before: we love finding gems amongst the post-apocalyptic ruins of the promo bin. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it is glorious. Perhaps the name Lör rings a bell? How about The Reticent? Heck, we can throw King Goat in there as well. All examples of unknown acts whose music blew us away. It’s a big part of why we review albums, to be honest. Sure the 0.5 and 1.0 reviews can be entertaining, but we would much rather have people talking about (and buying) the music rather than the review. Which makes me pretty happy to say I’ve found my latest gem in Birth of the Marvellous.” You look…Marvellous!

Children of Bodom – Hexed Review

Children of Bodom – Hexed Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 8, 2019 in 2019, Finnish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Power Metal, Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Power Metal, 120 comments

“I’m a little more broken, a lot less trusting, and a touch more cynical than before. Such is life. So, it’s only fitting my return would be alongside Finland’s Children of Bodom; a band that’s been giving the finger for years. Comebacks are never perfect and never as hyped as we all want them to be but, in an imperfect way, CoB and Doc are back. Yup, fuck you, world.” Hexed and vexed.

Second to Sun – The Walk Review

Second to Sun – The Walk Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on November 22, 2018 in 2019, Black Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Russian Metal, Self-released, Thrash Metal, 115 comments

“Second to Sun hails from St. Petersburg, Russia and plays slick atmospheric black/death with a touch of thrash tickling the edges. But, before that, they played djent… Though you aren’t allowed to talk about that because the band doesn’t acknowledge Based on a True Story (or their ‘debut’ record, Gal agnostiske drømmer) as being a part of the band’s official discography. Instead, it all began with 2015’s The First Chapter. And though a transition from djent to wicked, unsettlingly melodic black metal (with clear headbangable moments) is odd, the strangest part about The Final Chapter is that it’s an instrumental album… I know what you’re thinking: shit’s getting weird.” Walk on home, boy.

Chthonic – Battlefields of Asura Review

Chthonic – Battlefields of Asura Review

By Eldritch Elitist on October 27, 2018 in 2018, Ciong Zo, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Taiwanese Metal, Folk Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 41 comments

“After five years spent successfully spearheading a successful new political party in Taiwan, Chthonic is back, and no, they do not come bearing gifts of blackened metal. For those of us who were won over by 2013’s Bu-Tik, this is not necessarily bad news. That record, which marked a full transition from peak Cradle of Filth-esque extreme metal to soaring, folk-spliced melodeath, executed the transition with aplomb. Five years on, the latter style remains the status quo, and Battlefields of Asura handles the aesthetic with confidence indicative of half a decade of preparation.” Fog of war.

Begat the Nephilim – Begat the Nephilim I: The Surreptitious Prophecy/Mother of the Blasphemy Review

Begat the Nephilim – Begat the Nephilim I: The Surreptitious Prophecy/Mother of the Blasphemy Review

By Grymm on June 22, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Unholy Anarchy Records, Death Metal, 65 comments

“New Hampshire is known for a lot of things, such as the Old Man of the Mountain, harsh winters, and the best chicken tenders ever. Death metal, though, isn’t one of those things. Luckily, Dover’s Begat the Nephilim are looking to change that with their wordy debut, the Fiona Apple-esque Begat the Nephilim I: The Surreptitious Prophecy/Mother of the Blasphemy.” I am Begat Death.

Stahlsarg – Mechanisms of Misanthropy Review

Stahlsarg – Mechanisms of Misanthropy Review

By Dr. Wvrm on November 4, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, British Metal, Non Serviam Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 15 comments

“Our lovable cat-man Grymm described the Brits’ debut Comrades in Death as “frustratingly average,” with perhaps a tilt toward the “frustrating.” The descriptor fit the record’s unevenness snugly, as the offering straddled sublimity and snooze-inducement. Follow-up Mechanisms of Misanthropy smooths out Stahlsarg’s wrinkled edges, but seesaws into “average” territory as well.” The battle for attention.

Zornheym – Where Hatred Dwells And Darkness Reigns Review

Zornheym – Where Hatred Dwells And Darkness Reigns Review

By Ferrous Beuller on September 15, 2017 in 2017, Non Serviam Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Symphonic Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, 42 comments

“First, a question: do you love King Diamond? If the answer is no, you’re dead to me. If the answer is yes, congratulations; my definitive opinion deems you worthy. If, however, you’ve always been enticed by the inherent fun of the King’s horror-fiction but have never been able to click with Bendix’s unique vocals, or perhaps found the music a little lacking in extremity, then… you’re dead to me. But fear not, fallible one, a saviour crests on this wan-mooned abyss of night. Zornheym, a Stockholm based predator culled from the likes of Dark Funeral, Diabolical, and Facebreaker, have collectively extended their talents into a symphonic project whose oeuvre borrows from both black and death metal.” A one way ticket to the nervous hospital.

Seven Spires – Solveig Review

Seven Spires – Solveig Review

By Eldritch Elitist on August 4, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Symphonic Metal, Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, 26 comments

“Enter Seven Spires, a Boston-based act I blindly picked as a personal punching bag after going soft from weeks of reviewing great material. Featuring Adrienne Cowan of Light and Shade (a band we largely panned last year), their debut Solveig, armed with the most excruciatingly mediocre cover art of the year, is doomed to fail… right?” Books, covers, judgments, etc.