Dutch Metal

Kayak – Seventeen Review

By Huck N Roll on January 11, 2018 in 2018, Dutch Metal, InsideOut, Progressive Rock, Reviews, Progressive Rock, 54 comments

“I consider myself fairly well-versed on the subject of 70s prog. I’ve got scores of albums by dozens of bands, and what I don’t have I can usually recognize. So when something comes about that I haven’t heard of (like last year’s Sea Goat record), it’s gotta be for a good reason — like the band not recording anything, or sucking. So here we are with Dutch outfit Kayak, probably spelled backward, and their latest album Seventeen, which I have found out has nothing to do with Kip Winger strutting around partially clothed.” No Winger, no hairpiece!

Neocaesar – 11:11 Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on December 9, 2017 in 2017, Death Metal, Dutch Metal, Reviews, Xtreem Music, Death Metal, 61 comments

“As this isn’t my memoirs, nor a review of a decades-old Nuclear Blast and Relapse sampler, let’s get to what’s written on the top of this page, and what you came here for: Neocaesar’s 11:11. And what a guy with a dreadful Slayer pun as a pen name who talks about Plato too much has to say about it.” Sophistry and death.

Deinonychus – Ode to Acts of Murder, Dystopia, and Suicide Review

By Mark Z. on December 5, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Dutch Metal, My Kingdom Music, Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 33 comments

“I’ve been meaning to check out Deinonychus for one simple reason: I fucking love dinosaurs. Fellow dino nerds will know that Deinonychus was a fearsome predator of the early Cretaceous period, closely related to the infamous Velociraptor and with a name that means ‘terrible claw.’ It’s a badass band name, and though this Dutch trio doesn’t sing about slicing open unsuspecting sauropods, their music is no less compelling.” Music to go extinct to.

Record(s) o’ the Month – October 2017

By Angry Metal Guy on November 7, 2017 in 2017, Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, 219 comments

“Hoo boy! It’s the 7th of November and I’m dropping the Record(s) o’ the Month from October. What on earth will you people do with yourselves when you don’t have a late Record o’ the Month to complain about? Oh right, you’ll complain about the record I chose. I’d say “You can’t win all the time,” but when it comes to the RotM that’s not true. I do win all the time.” Trolling with timeliness.

Vuur – In This Moment We Are Free – Cities Review

By GardensTale on October 25, 2017 in 2017, Dutch Metal, InsideOut, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Progressive Metal, 94 comments

“I’m about as far from a nationalist as you can get, but for metal I make an exception. In the Netherlands, for a country 17 million strong, the amount of metal icons is remarkably low, with Ayreon probably the most famous example from our little patch of Earth. But we did produce some big names among female vocalists, and none more so than the insanely productive Anneke van Giersbergen, whose angelic voice featured on a wide array of guest performances, three Ayreon albums, numerous Devin Townsend collaborations, The Gentle Storm and of course quirky doom goth icons The Gathering, where her upward trajectory began. Seeking more focus in her musical escapades, she decided to relegate her more quiet acoustic side to her solo name (formerly Agua De Annique) and concentrate her progressive metal tendencies in new project Vuur.” The unsinkable Anneke.

Epica – The Solace System EP Review

By Dr. Wvrm on August 29, 2017 in 2017, Dutch Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Symphonic Metal, 44 comments

“2017 finds Epica as they have ever been (and essentially as they were in 2016 because it’s been eleven fucking months): well-oiled and fun, but still prone to excess and struggling to engender their music with a sense of purpose. A thirty-minute time limit should rein in the former, can a lithe bodice and some deft editing take care of the rest?” In space, no one can hear your bombast.

Sator Malus – Dark Matters Review

By Treble Yell on July 5, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Dutch Metal, Forever Plagued Records, Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 18 comments

“What do you notice when you take in a Paul Gauguin? Do you admire the stark brush strokes and bold secondary colours? Maybe the uninhibited naturalism of the Tahitian subjects draws your eye? Or can you not get past the stunted proportions, flattened perspectives and homely faces? A similar divide exists in music. Some are pulled in by lyrical themes and instrument tone whereas others require a reproachless performance and complex song writing. Emotional stimulus versus technical ecstasy. Sator Malus, with their debut album, Dark Matters, are less concerned with peerless virtuosity than delivering a sombre mood suitable for an afternoon spent indoors carving runes.” Everything’s runed.

Dead Head – Swine Plague Review

By Dr. Wvrm on June 20, 2017 in 2017, Dutch Metal, Hammerheart Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 14 comments

“I’ve liked Dead Head for nearly a decade, though I haven’t thought of them in nearly that long. During one youthful torrent rampage, I collected an album for every letter of the alphabet; 2009’s Depression Tank served as the D. Titillated by the delightful mix of Panzer riffs and bullet belts, I patiently anticipated a follow-up, my naive exuberance skating right over Dead Head’s spotty release pattern.” Plagues before Swine.

Carach Angren – Dance and Laugh Amongst the Rotten Review

By Madam X on June 14, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Dutch Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Symphonic Metal, Black Metal, 66 comments

“After a lengthy North American tour as the special guests of Kataklysm, beginning in California, traversing the outskirts of Long Island (New York) and wrapping up in Florida, I’m expecting some Kataklysm melodic death-isms to wheedle its way into Dance and Laugh Amongst the Rotten. In short I was expecting a shakeup.” Don’t shake the rotten.

Ayreon – The Source Review

By Angry Metal Guy on May 23, 2017 in 2017, Dutch Metal, Heavy Metal, Mascot Records, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, 96 comments

“Look, I know I’m late with this. I can hardly swing reviews these days and Arjen didn’t pull any punches with The Source. In fact, our Poofy-Haired Dutchman™ didn’t even do me a solid by making The Source a sequel to The Theory of Everything, an album I adored. Rather, he made it a prequel to 2004’s 01011001 (that’s “Y” for those of you who aren’t computers), an album that I’d spent precious little time with. What’s weird about that, is that 01011001 is probably his least popular album aside from Into the Electric Castle. When I went back to listen to it, I have to admit that I agree. So I was perplexed by the choice to write a prequel to it. But Arjen’s mind works in mysterious ways, which is why I have come to love his music so much. So, despite a history of prequels being horrible pieces of shit that not even a mother can love, Arjen gets better with age and I needed to give it a chance.” Chances are, Arjen wears a silly grin.