Dimmu Borgir

Ragnarok – Psychopathology Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 27, 2016 in 2016, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 26 comments

“There really isn’t much more to be said about Ragnarok that hasn’t already been said by our beloved Noctus and Madam X (and the rest of the black metal community). Ragnarok, like Urgehal, are one of the most underrated black metal acts on the planet. Perhaps it’s due to their consistency and unwillingness to fix-what-isn’t-broken that’s kept them from reaching black metal stardom (if “stardom” is actually attainable in this genre).” Consistency is the hobgoblin of great black metal (because it requires hobgoblins).

Sulphur – Omens of Doom Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 7, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Death Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 47 comments

Sulphur (or sulfur in the States) is ungodly, foul smelling shit. This isn’t exactly news to anyone but you don’t know the half of it until you have actually jousted with the likes of benzyl or ethanethiol. There aren’t many chemicals I’ve worked with that linger on your mustache and penetrate your clothes like sulfur. It’s pungent, it’s offensive, and it’s fucking nauseating. While I’ve had my fair share of encounters with sulfur, I have never encountered its black-metal equivalent—which is odd considering I’ve been a fan of Øyvind Madsen’s other project, Vulture Industries, for years. With a name like Sulphur, I had expected some unsettling, engulfing black metal to match the stomach-turning feelings I get when “sulfur” is mentioned.

Necronomicon – Advent of the Human God Review

By Mark Z. on March 6, 2016 in Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Symphonic Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, 33 comments

“Despite being dubbed the “Chameleon of Rock” for his ever-changing style, the late David Bowie didn’t agree with this title. “For me a chameleon is something that disguises itself to look as much like its environment as possible,” he once said. “I always thought I did the exact opposite of that.” But fret not, you fanatical herpetophiliacs out there, Canadian blackened-death trio Necronomicon is proof positive that musical chameleons do, in fact, exist.” Those who deny the existence of musical chameleons may be musical chameleons themselves. Trust nothing.

Abigail Williams – The Accuser Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on October 28, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Black Metal, Candlelight Records, Post-metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Post-Metal, 43 comments

“Few bands have ever achieved the feat of satisfying their loyal fan-base one day and pissing them off the next. And all within a single decade. Having never been a fan of the early days of Abigail Williams, I avoided the apparent “hardship” many fans went through come the release of 2012’s Becoming.” We hardly even knew ya, Ms. Williams.

I Am the Trireme – Gnosis: Never Follow the Light Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on June 26, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Black Metal, HPGD Productions, Metalcore, Reviews, Black Metal, Metalcore, 30 comments

“Electing to join the I Am the Wooden Object Club before The Table Himself even did, I Am the Trireme’s name can be described as “I am the Phoenician, ancient Greek, or Roman naval vessel with three rows of oars.” Luckily they didn’t pick that one, but in the spirit of needlessly long names, they’ve called their first full-length Gnosis: Never Follow the Light. We know right off the bat that these guys can produce pretentious sounding names for things, but that’s not what we’re here for; we’re here to see what they bring to the Hetfield musically.” We are also the table. And the oar bench.

Withering Soul – Adverse Portrait Review

By Madam X on June 4, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 6 comments

“I’m not much of a social media trend follower, maybe it’s a generational thing (read as I’m old) or maybe it’s because I just really couldn’t give a shit about investing time in a meaningless fad, take your pick. That said, labelling today Throwback Thursday, transporting you briefly back to the 90s and enlightening you as to the highs and lows of Withering Soul’s third and forthcoming offering, now that appeals to me.” The clones are about to attack…again.

Rise of Avernus – Dramatis Personæ EP Review

By El Cuervo on April 2, 2015 in 2015, Aural Music, Australian Metal, Code666 Records, Doom Metal, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Doom Metal, 27 comments

“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….

Negură Bunget – Tău Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on March 26, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Lupus Lounge, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, Romanian Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 12 comments

“Apparently I don’t read the metal news enough, because I had no idea that (a) a new Negură Bunget album was dropping this year, or (b) that it again features an entirely new line-up, with drummer Negru the only constant.” We may not always be your breaking metal news source, but we’re cooler than Brian Williams.

Moonspell – Extinct Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 13, 2015 in 2015, Gothic Metal, Napalm Records, Portuguese Metal, Reviews, Gothic Metal, 32 comments

“After ten albums (nine for those that don’t count Under Satanæ as an original release), each new Moonspell album leaves me in a state of “ummmm,” “hmmmm,” and “interesting.”” Things that make you go hmmmm, now including Moonspell!

Syn Ze Şase Tri – Stăpîn Peste Stăpîni Review

By Angry Metal Guy on February 27, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Code666 Records, Folk Metal, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 6 comments

“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?