Feb17

Gloson – Grimen Review

Gloson – Grimen Review

By Kronos on February 8, 2017 in 2017, Art of Propaganda, Post-metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Post-Metal, 23 comments

“Monotone is modern; when we look at Helenistic sculpture or a Gothic cathedral, we see the beauty of shape set in stone without the competing influence of color. But when these wonders were first sculpted and erected, they were painted as part of the vision of their creators to reflect the heavens and the earth. Only with time did the colors erode, the bare contours scoured of their pigmented cloak, the first piece to yield. Gloson operate in this space, with phrases more suggestive than descriptive, the contours of metal worn but still noticeable.” Even masterpieces turn to gray.

Benighted – Necrobreed Review

Benighted – Necrobreed Review

By Saunders on February 7, 2017 in 2017, Death Metal, French Metal, Grind, Reviews, Season of Mist, Death Metal, Grind, 32 comments

“After scaling back the blackened and melodic tendencies that marked their 2000 self-titled debut, French loonies Benighted rapidly morphed into the finely-tuned deathgrind butchering machine they are today, releasing a consistent string of high-quality albums drenched in blood-spattered brutality, while keeping the fun and creepy factors cranked. Their sound may be set in stone, but the beauty of Benighted is the distinctive quirks and curve balls they splice into their brutal and musically dynamic brand of pig-squealing lunacy.” Hurls before swine.

Witherfall – Nocturnes and Requiems Review

Witherfall – Nocturnes and Requiems Review

By Steel Druhm on February 7, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Progressive Metal, 79 comments

“When you spend a lot of time sorting through an overloaded promo bin, sometimes it becomes hard to see the dark forest from the evil trees. You look for the big releases, separate out the worst of the unsolicited junk, try to find things to appease the overly finicky tastes of our diva fancypants drama club review crew – it’s a real grind. And sometimes as you grind along, you spot an unheralded dark-horse that you just have to hear. That’s how Witherfall came into my life.” Tales of romance in the promo bin.

Invasion – Destroyer of Mankind Review

Invasion – Destroyer of Mankind Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on February 7, 2017 in 2017, Abyss Records, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 19 comments

“War…war certainly changes. Whether it was the Crusader’s use of the crossbow against their enemies’ inferior longbows, the subversive tactics of the Cold War, the intellectual dispute between the thought of Martin Luther and Francisco de Vitoria on the justness of combat (the latter was right, by the way), or the modern West taking Plato’s Republic one step further and treating everyone as the great philosopher did Greeks in our international war laws.” What’s it good for?

Hymn – Perish Review

Hymn – Perish Review

By Eldritch Elitist on February 6, 2017 in 2017, Doom Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Doom Metal, 27 comments

“As a music critic I am strictly prohibited from judging albums by their covers, yet it’s a behind-the-scenes hobby of mine to analyze album art as a thematic companion to the sounds that lie within. A successful album cover shouldn’t just serve as a pretty face; from art style to color palette, it should be a reflection of the band’s ideas and personality, something that sticks in one’s subconscious as a valuable piece of the overall experience. Norwegian doom duo Hymn opt for an exterior aesthetic that’s more in line with black metal than doom on their debut record Perish, exhibiting a stark, monochromatic mountain ridge.” Feel the mountain.

Morta Skuld – Wounds Deeper Than Time Review

Morta Skuld – Wounds Deeper Than Time Review

By Ferrous Beuller on February 6, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Death Metal, Peaceville, Reviews, Death Metal, 19 comments

“The process of quantifying quality is always a capricious thing. Contrary to nature, what I might allow for one band, I may use to vilify another, and we haven’t even begun to touch on the perils of genre favoritism — because, despite any reviewer’s very best attempts to consider a product on its individual merit, there will always be some material that I’ll subconsciously allow an extra furlong of leeway.” Media bias!

NOÊTA – Beyond Life and Death Review

NOÊTA – Beyond Life and Death Review

By Akerblogger on February 6, 2017 in 2017, Ambient Metal, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Ambient Metal, 13 comments

“As touched upon by many publications, 2016 was a great year for female-fronted music. Bands like Cult of Luna and Julie Christmas, Darkher, Esben and the Witch, and Oceans of Slumber combined excellent instrumentation with dark and powerful clean vocals that weren’t gimmicky or soulless. The brooding and stark gloominess of these bands have drawn much attention in the metal-verse.” And now it’s becoming a regular thing.

Obitus – Slaves of the Vast Machine Review

Obitus – Slaves of the Vast Machine Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on February 5, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Hypnotic Dirge Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, 29 comments

“Post-black has often struck me as expressing a decadent sort of misery, one which is more malaise than malice, an effeminate whimpering against the dying of the light. It seems to cry out to the God it vehemently denies exists and beg for a purpose, painting a bleak sort of hopelessness; a musical version of an off-brand Sartre, if you will. Like Sartre’s Roquentin, post-black bands create to find a purpose, but they end up stuck in the slime, accepting the hilariously overstated “death” of God and tradition, whining like Nietzsche’s Last Man for the dull pain of a meaningless existence to stop.” Feel the Nietzsche.

Nidingr – The High Heat Licks Against Heaven Review

Nidingr – The High Heat Licks Against Heaven Review

By Grymm on February 3, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Indie Recordings, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 19 comments

“Teloch is one busy dude. When he’s not busy touring with Myrkur or writing and playing guitar for Mayhem, the Norwegian guitarist juggles his seemingly-limitless time between NunFuckRitual, The Konsortium, and a handful of other bands. One of these bands happens to be Nidingr. It has been five long years since Greatest of Deceivers terrorized our eardrums, and the time is right for some fresh-out-of-the-oven blasphemy.” Hot upside-down cross buns for all!