Dutch Metal

Bong-Ra – Meditations Review

By Thus Spoke on August 3, 2022 in Reviews, Instrumental Metal, 42 comments

“As some of you might have guessed from my unsubtly Nietzschean moniker, I like philosophy. That’s why upon spotting Bong-Ra’s Meditations in the swirling chaos of the promo sump, I had to have it. The album is a tribute to the posthumously-titled Stoic writings of Marcus Aurelius, each of the four tracks named after the Stoic virtues “Courage,” “Wisdom,” “Justice,” and “Temperance.” Naturally, I took this as an opportunity to immerse myself not only in new music, but in Stoic philosophy.” Here today, Bong tomorrow.

Teethgrinder – Dystopia Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on July 31, 2022 in Reviews, Hardcore, 10 comments

“Whether in the presence of a low or high grind tide, the quest for more persists. It’s no secret that quite a few of us in the office are sickos looking for a cheap, direct-to-vein thrill. Why just the other day our own El Cuervo was at the water cooler pining for the muddy-muzzled lashing of Ass to Mouth. And who could blame him? Their 2014 outing had a unique charm of blended political samples and rough-tongued tirades against the traditional pummel and pierce of high ethanol grind. Teethgrinder understands this hunger.” Molarity ensued.

Alburnum – Buitenlucht Review

By Doom_et_Al on July 14, 2022 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 12 comments

“Certain things just go together. Prawn and avocado. Holdeneye and 4.0s. Ozzy and Black Sabbath. You get the gist. Two of those things are “black metal” and “nature.” From its early pagan roots, black metal has always had a close affinity with the great outdoors, rejecting rigid theism for a more atavistic, mystical spiritualism. It’s why half the shitty black metal videos you see happen in forests or on mountaintops. New Dutch band, Alburnum (another name for “Sapwood”) are therefore trodding well-worn ground; when compatriots, Fluisteraars have an album with flowers all over the cover, you’re going to have a tough time out-naturing the competition.” Play outside!

Am Himmel – As Eternal as the Starless Kingdom of Sorrow Review

By Thus Spoke on June 30, 2022 in Reviews, Drone, 15 comments

“Metal, and black metal-adjacent styles in particular, has traditionally tended towards the chthonic over the celestial in its imagery. But Am Himmel (“In the Sky”) choose to base their horror in the heavenly rather than the hellish. Their music purports to express, it seems, the eternal divine separation in “starless” metaphysical voids. It could be a project born out of piety or heresy. In either case, the import of existential terror is evident.” Heaven as Hell.

Celestial Season – Mysterium I Review

By Steel Druhm on April 26, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 44 comments

“Second acts for bands are always interesting. Sometimes the years away from the tussle and grind of the record release schedule does a band good, allowing passion and creativity to flow anew as it did back in their early days. Sometimes that same passage of time provides maturity and a seasoned confidence that informs the new material. In the case of Dutch goth-doom act, Celestial Season, we saw a bit of both of these progressions on 2020s The Secret Teachings. Coming off a 20-year hiatus, the compositions felt surprisingly creative, confident, and adventurous. They retained enough of the original sound from their heyday but were unafraid to wander into new soundscapes. Two years later we get the follow-up, Mysterium I.” Mystery season is upon us.

Freja – Tides Review

By Twelve on April 25, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Doom, 9 comments

“I’m a simple creature, really. If you make your album even vaguely Nordic-themed, I’ll pay attention. The mythologies that have spawned countless legends, a whole lot of music, and many other artistic expressions are so enduringly popular for a reason, and their themes have similarly lent themselves to some really good metal. Freja is among the newest bands to find influence in this striking topic, a Dutch duo of one C. and W., who describe their style as one of “towering, thundering” atmospheric black metal.” The tides are a raider.

Faceless Entity – The Great Anguish of Rapture Review

By Thus Spoke on April 15, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, 21 comments

“The Ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus maintained that fear of death is irrational, for while we exist, our death is not, and when death comes, we do not exist. This hasn’t convinced Faceless Entity, whose brand of black metal they describe as “audial thanatophobia” (fear of death). The Great Anguish of Rapture represents an extension of their dour meditations to their most broadly philosophical release so far, following the more straightforwardly depressive early demos and 2017 debut In Via Ad Nusquam (On the Road to Nowhere).” Fear and loathing in The Netherlands.

GGGOLDDD – This Shame Should Not Be Mine Review

By GardensTale on April 4, 2022 in Reviews, Alternative Metal, 132 comments

“GGGOLDDD is a band with a message. That sentence alone is enough to put Many People on edge. Because Many People are of the opinion that your sole duty as a band is to play music, not to confront us with stuff like political statements or uncomfortable truths. Many People say that music is supposed to be an escape and the only emotions an artist is allowed to make you feel are happy ones. Many People speak utter horseshit. Many People speak this horseshit because listening to a band with a message makes them uncomfortable, even when the message is as plain as “don’t fucking rape people.”” Words to live by.

Doodswens – Lichtvrees Review

By Twelve on December 10, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, 18 comments

“Somehow, we’ve made it to December again, which means the time for cold, dark, angry albums is once again upon us—or so I told myself when I discovered Doodswens (“death wish”) in the Promo Pit, a Dutch duo who plays exactly that sort of music. Specifically, they play frigid black metal of the sort that ruins happy days and wraps around you like a blanket on the miserable ones.” Turn loose the dood swans.

Prospectors – Proven Lands Review

By Kronos on December 1, 2021 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 12 comments

“If you make stuff, you probably make side-projects. No matter how much you like what you do, some things get too big, too stressful, to focus creative efforts on, and the creative urge trickles into one-offs that reflect what the main project cannot. Prospectors is one such oddity, formed by a couple black metal musicians leaning into their progressive tendencies. They take after Colin Marston projects—Krallice and early Behold… the Arctopus—but temper their oddities with more conventional structures.” Fertile soil.