Emperor

Wampyric Rites – The Eternal Melancholy of the Wampyre Review

Wampyric Rites – The Eternal Melancholy of the Wampyre Review

“In the night they come, seeking wengeance. Nocturnal creatures bent on destruction, chaos, and wiolence. No matter how much wiolence and wengeance is wrought, they are never sated – they are always wery sad. Such is The Eternal Melancholy of the Wampyre. At least I think it is anyway, because at the risk of sounding like your mother when you showed her that cool new Carcass band with that Heartwork record you just downloaded from Limewire back when you were a teenager, I can’t understand a word of what’s being sung here; it just sounds like wordless screaming. That’s no matter though, as Wampyric Rites aren’t really about the lyrics in my estimation.” I’d gladly pay you Tuesday for a wampyre today.

Paradise in Flames – Devil’s Collection Review

Paradise in Flames – Devil’s Collection Review

Paradise in Flames is a Brazilian black metal quartet, having released two albums, two demos, and an EP since their 2003 formation. While their third full-length’s cover poses questions, a glance at their promo confuses further. They cite death metal countrymen Sepultura and Sarcófago as influences, while the Devil’s Collection was mastered by producer Tue Madsen of Meshuggah and Dark Tranquility fame. Such first impressions are baffling, but the looming question is: is Devil’s Collection any good?” Riffing is fundamental.

Onirik – The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity Review

Onirik – The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity Review

“In 2015, I had the opportunity to review Casket Dream Veneration; an album I had much love for. But something happened. As I revisit it again, I find myself in love with it even more. It’s a unique experience—spinning an album loved and forgotten, only to cherish it more than ever. As one would expect, this had me excited for follow-up The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity. Not only does G. Rex remain the mastermind behind Onirik but he invited Dirge Rep (drums; The Konsortium, ex-Orcustus, ex-Emperor, ex-Gehenna, and the list goes on forever) and Semjaza (mixing, mastering, and ambient vox; Thy Darkened Shade) to contribute. This is a dream team of underground black metal proportions!” Burning cults.

Sammas’ Equinox – Tulikehrät Review

Sammas’ Equinox – Tulikehrät Review

“The style approached by Sammas’ Equinox harkens back to the days of olde, when face-painted specters frolicked in the church cemeteries amongst the flames. Not quite as raw as early Darkthrone and not quite as melodic as Emperor, Sammas’ Equinox occupies the middle ground, offering all the tremolos one could ask for and loading up on the synths for atmospheric grandeur.” Old hrät.

Hark From The Tomb – Let Them Die Review

Hark From The Tomb – Let Them Die Review

“Unlike most other genres, metal has made hating humanity a part of its quirky charm. Black metal in particular has turned the distaste for all things carbon-based into a truly terrifying art form. It’s no surprise then that Hark From the Tomb, an anonymous Swedish duo who play a prehistoric form of old school black metal, was formed solely to express their shared disgust for their fellow bipedal lifeforms.” Hark, the hateful angels sing.

Recorruptor – The Funeral Corridor Review

Recorruptor – The Funeral Corridor Review

“We interrupt the regularly scheduled program to bring you something much better. I am the mighty Kronos, Master of Br00tality, and I listen to things that most metalheads wouldn’t even calI music. I can alliterally alliterate alliteration all day long and I know everything there is to know about the feeding and breeding tendencies of every fucking kind of animal that has ever or will ever live. I eat power metal loving weenies like Holdeneye for breakfast, and I fucking did it — I ate him for breakfast.” Chain of foods.

Ages – Uncrown Review

Ages – Uncrown Review

“There’s something distinct, and distinctly satisfying, about the mid-90s surge of Scandinavian melodic death and melodic black metal. When the likes of Emperor, Sacramentum and Dissection were changing the face of metal they were precocious kids with precise and warped visions of what they wanted darkness and evil to sound like. I feel an oxymoronic cold warmth when hearing bands which fit this sound. Many bear the torch but few get so high as those early pioneers.” Heavy is the crown of ice and darkness.

Serment – Chante, Ô Flamme de la Liberté Review

Serment – Chante, Ô Flamme de la Liberté Review

“Some black metal bands are sheer aggression and violence, while others are all about slow-build atmosphere and ambience. Lurking around the fringes, just outside these respective circles of firelight, are the folk black metal bands, crooked harps and battered lutes clutched in their claws. By far the most interesting – to me at least – are the black metal acts that dip their bucket in multiple wells, and we have one such specimen on our hands today. Quebec’s Serment is the one-man side project from Forteresse’s guitarist and bassist, Moribond.” Folk in the eye.

Valdrin – Effigy of Nightmares Review

Valdrin – Effigy of Nightmares Review

“I’m just now becoming aware of the fact that reviewing previously unknown (to me), established black metal bands with solid discographies has become one of my favorite hobbies. Last fall brought me Germany’s Krater, with their well-produced and varied venomous assault. Last month saw me covering Finland’s …and Oceans, a band that blasted onto the scene again after nearly twenty years of silence with an album that effectively displayed the band’s evolutionary past. And now I’ve spent the last several weeks spinning Effigy of Nightmares from Cincinnati band Valdrin.” Effigy of the unforgotten.

Ormskrik – Ormskrik Review

Ormskrik – Ormskrik Review

“I don’t know what happened to me, but all of a sudden I started to like thrash metal sometime in the last year. Granted, the barking vocals endemic to purebred thrash still grate my senses, but when black metal or death metal is thrown in the mix I get sprung as hell. It’s for this reason that I absolutely love bands like Antiverse, whose vital combination of death metal and thrash metal kicks my ass on a regular basis. You know what else kicks my ass on a regular basis? This fucker right here.” Thrash in a blackened space.