Empyrium

Thragedium – Lisboa Depois De Morta Review

Thragedium – Lisboa Depois De Morta Review

By Mystikus Hugebeard on November 6, 2023 in Reviews, Neofolk, 61 comments

“Neofolk and heavy metal differ in many ways, but their unparalleled emotional intensity and outsiderness link the ethos of the two genres inextricably. The advent of Wardruna heralded a cultural explosion of Nordic neofolk, and the thrums of Heilung, Forndom, and Gealdýr have long resonated with metalheads worldwide. Viking-age music is understandably popular in the metal community, but neofolk is larger than the Vikings. Portugal’s Thragedium lives within the uncanny trench of neofolk and metal and plays neofolk that couldn’t be further from the usual Viking vibrations popular with metalheads.” Fvnerary fvlk.

Empyrium – Über den Sternen Review

Empyrium – Über den Sternen Review

By El Cuervo on February 27, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Post-Metal, 47 comments

“If you asked me to name an underrated band, Empyrium would be one of the first out my mouth. Beginning life as a symphonic/folk/metal band in the mid-1990s with gems such as Songs of Moors and Misty Fields, they strayed into pure neofolk territory as they developed before disbanding in relative obscurity in the early 2000s. 2014 saw their return with a fresh, post-metal influence in their sound in The Turn of the Tides. It borders on an atmospheric masterpiece and remains one of my favorites from that year.” Atmo-magik.

And Now the Owls are Smiling – Dirges Review

And Now the Owls are Smiling – Dirges Review

By Emya on January 30, 2021 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, 35 comments

“While padding lightly through the damp forests of local Seattle trails, I’ve encountered foreboding signage cautioning passerby of barred owl swoopings. In broad daylight, owls have been known to swoop down with virtually no sound and claw at the back of people’s heads with their sharp talons, oftentimes drawing blood. Thankfully, I have not yet experienced such a spooky and downright horrifying encounter myself, but I do know of multiple runner friends who have found themselves in one of these harrowing situations. I have little reason to believe And Now the Owls are Smiling’s band name was inspired by the vengeful owls of the Pacific Northwest seeing as the one-man band hails from Norfolk, England.” Hoot force.

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

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.

Les Discrets – Prédateurs Review

Les Discrets – Prédateurs Review

By Mark Z. on April 21, 2017 in 2017, French Metal, Post-Rock, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, Shoegaze, Shoegaze, 24 comments

“Prepare to enter the realm of the Non-Metal. Formed in 2003, Les Discrets are a French project started by illustrator Fursy Teyssier as a way of musically expressing the concepts in his visual art. Post-black connoisseurs may recognize Teyssier as having played alongside Alcest’s Neige in depressive rock collective Amesoeurs, in addition to producing artwork for Empyrium, Wood of Ypres, and Alcest themselves.” Be less discreet, dammit!

EP Edition [Things You Might Have Missed 2016]

EP Edition [Things You Might Have Missed 2016]

By El Cuervo on December 20, 2016 in 2016, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2016, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Neofolk, Progressive Rock, Thrash Metal, 57 comments

“Another year, another influx of new readers and writers at this mighty blog. Yet compared to those previously, this year has seen a significant growth in the consistency of our posts. A sad consequence of this is that EPs have increasingly fallen by the wayside as reviews of shitty full-length albums are summarily assigned to the probationary writers with reckless abandon.” We fixed the glitch.

Goatpsalm – Downstream Review

Goatpsalm – Downstream Review

By El Cuervo on March 5, 2016 in 2016, Aesthetic Death Records, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Folk Metal, Russian Metal, Ukrainian Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Folk, 35 comments

“It’s rare that I find music I can appreciate on a superficial, musical and a cerebral level. Too much of the former and it likely won’t stick with me in the long term; too much of the latter and the smell of shit wards me off as groups examine how far they can reach up their rectum. It’s great to hear that ideal fusion of the two, particularly when it comes out of left field – in this case, Russia.” From Russia, with folk.