Deathspell Omega

Ars Magna Umbrae – Lunar Ascension Review

By Cherd on January 22, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, I Voidhanger Records, Polish Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 151 comments

“Dissonant black metal is having a bit of a moment. With the late-aughts explosion of woodsy atmoblack now a decade old and on the wane—if ever so slightly—and artists turning to other inspiration for blackened evolution, those reclusive and mysterious French musicians of Deathspell/Aus Nord who first pioneered a more technical, terrifying sound are suddenly elder statesmen of a mini-movement. Now there’s K. M., the appropriately cryptic single member of Poland’s Ars Magna Umbrae, with a new album of dissoblack tunes.” Magna opus.

Barshasketh – Barshasketh Review

By Mark Z. on January 15, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, New Zealand Metal, Reviews, World Terror Committee, Black Metal, 225 comments

“One of the saddest things in music is the “almost there” album. It’s the album that has all the traits of something that should work, and yet it doesn’t. It’s the kid on the soccer team who is bad, but not bad enough to know he’s bad. It’s the guy in the friend group who everyone tolerates, but no one would be sad if he moved away. It’s the hundreds of albums that are released every year, met with a shrug at best, and are swiftly forgotten.” That’s not ominous or anything.

Misotheist – Misotheist Review

By Doom_et_Al on January 5, 2019 in 2018, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Terratur Possessions, Black Metal, 61 comments

“At its cold heart, black metal is supposed to be angry, dangerous, uncomfortable. And while the genre has broadened to include some generally more benign (and often very enjoyable) off-shoots of the originally evil vision, Misotheist, hailing from Trondheim in Norway, have arrived to remind us of how dark and malevolent black metal can be. The band, whose name means “Hatred of God,” combine the blasphemy of Batushka with the frozen hellscapes of Havukruunu, sprinkled with some dissonant elements of Deathspell Omega. Anonymous members playing evil music in black cloaks emphasize that the lush landscapes of some recent atmoblack albums are as absent as warmth on a Scandinavian midwinter day.” Miso thorny.

Gorycz – Piach Review

By Lokasenna on December 1, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Pagan Records, Polish Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 15 comments

“There are certain things that will always warm a music reviewer’s cold, dead heart. Poland’s Gorycz, for example, made a good impression on me immediately, as I opened the promo to an actual lyric sheet. Granted, that wasn’t much help with reviewing their debut, Piach, as my knowledge of Polish goes only a little further than “kurwa,” but it’s the thought that counts. The band choosing to write in their mother tongue was, in fact, only another point in their favor for a multiculturalism-loving cuck like myself.” First impressions matter.

Vuohi – Witchcraft Warfare Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on November 8, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Saturnal Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, 45 comments

“It’s 6:50 PM on a cold Saturday night. I’m tapping my foot impatiently, waiting for my lovely girlfriend — a few months my elder, and perhaps a bit slower moving, therefore — to come out from her room. ‘Come on, darling,’ I say, double-checking my tie in the mirror, ‘we’ll be late if we don’t leave soon.’ I hear the door open, and expect to be floored; she always looks so good in dresses, and this is a formal event. I turn around and do a triple-take — she’s wearing a strawberry onesie. I’m left confused as to what her intentions were, and I may perhaps never figure it out. May as well make the most of it, right? This ethos permeated my listening time with the Finnish band Vuohi’s debut full-length Witchcraft Warfare.” Kitchen sink-core.

Noise Trail Immersion – Symbology of Shelter Review

By Kronos on November 5, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Italian Metal, Mathcore, Moment of Collapse Records, Reviews, Black Metal, Mathcore, 39 comments

“In the past couple of decades, metal has generated extremity along both rhythmic and harmonic paths, but the two have been largely insulated from another. Meshuggah and The Dillinger Escape Plan meticulously machined immensely complex rhythms, while Deathspell Omega and Ulcerate twisted strings to wring out sickening chords and chilling melodies. And while accusing Meshuggah or Dillinger of harmonic simplicity would be as absurd as dismissing Ulcerate or Deathspell’s considerable rhythmic weight, the approaches of the two schools are rarely invoked at once. That’s where Noise Trail Immersion come in.” New maths.

Outre – Hollow Earth Review

By Akerblogger on October 25, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Debemur Morti, Polish Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 71 comments

“Another day another cryptic European black metal band. I’m certainly not complaining. Between the 90s and today, impulsive, anarchistic satanism has been replaced by the sophisticated, wine drinking sort: we’re all very smart these days, you see. Nature, religion and the occult have been approached with kaleidoscopic freedom in the lyrics and instrumentation of black metal bands for many years, but Poland particularly has spawned many bands of this mysterious, enigmatic variety.” The Polish Hammer.

Infera Bruo – Cerement Review

By Eldritch Elitist on September 10, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Black Metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 66 comments

“I had barely glanced at the cover art for Cerement, the third LP from American progressive black metal act Infera Bruo, before writing this review. This is only due to my media player failing to automatically import the art from the album’s file folder, but as I began my drafting process and truly examined the art for the first time, I’m honestly stunned at how well it encapsulates the music I’ve been scrutinizing over the past week. The image is at odds with itself; it is at once a perfect representation of the scale and abstract nature of Lovecraft’s cosmic gods, and a restriction of those same ideas within a literal box.” Cosmos in a box.

Aethereus – Absentia Review

By Kronos on August 12, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Progressive Death, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, The Artisan Era, Technical Death Metal, 61 comments

“Since the label’s inception, The Artisan Era has been edging into Unique Leader’s territory like it’s the South China Sea. With Inferi, Augury, and a slew of up-and-coming tech-death acts under its thumb, the label has established an ear for quality in an overindulgent niche. And as much as The Artisan Era’s output tends towards the frilly, keyboards-and-synth-orchestra side of the genre, I’m still keen to hear from their bands, and Washington’s Aethereus have my attention.” Absentia makes the heart grow brutal.

Atavisma – The Chthonic Rituals Review

By Master of Muppets on July 31, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Doom Metal, French Metal, Memento Mori, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 148 comments

“Get your shitkickers on and nightlights ‘n Prozac at the ready, yo, today we’re going somewhere filthy and utterly devoid of light or joy. France’s Atavisma will be dragging us pleasantly by the throat through a subterranean and sinister network ov nightmares which they call The Chthonic Rituals. I’m just here to narrate the whole ordeal and giggle as you lot wail and bump into each other in the dark.” Bumping in the night.