“Longevity is underrated. In 1999, I was a school kid listening to so-so indie rock. Meanwhile, Forgotten Tomb was formed and was busy defining the depressive black metal subgenre: 2003’s Springtime Depression and 2004’s Love’s Burial Ground are considered reasonably important touchstones for the era.” Entombed but not forgotten.
“France: the last bastion of sophistication. Even its black metal has a sophisticated propulsion, its lyrical themes of the up-turned nose, deep in thought variety searing through deeply-challenging avant-garde compositions. I wonder why extreme metal continues elsewhere when France has sharpened the genre to the point of near perfection? The dissonant shock waves of the French scene should crumble the simple-minded bones of music in other countries, surely. But no – Scandanavia, America, Germany, Britain, South America and other such facile nations continue to churn out music that scratches the heart and offends the brain. This has to stop!” Running with Billy Bayou.
“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.
“Forgotten Tomb’s recent output has taken on a chunkier form – thick chord patterns becoming the prominent mode of expression. Their depressive black metal escapades of the early 2000s eradicated: the icy sheen of their stabbing tremolo making way for swampier humidity.” King of the Swamp or merely soggy?
“With Christmas just around the corner, it gives me wry amusement that Bethlehem are about to unleash their latest slab of blackened thrash on the unsuspecting masses. Tis the season and Bethlehem are in a very giving kind of mood!” Grim yule tidings.
“Wastes of Life hit me at my most unprepared. Billed as “unapologetically defiant and shockingly melodic” including a statement from Wrath to the effect of “My new album is one of my most soul-destroying albums. It was written under feelings of frustration and disgust.” my expectations were high.” You know, there just aren’t enough soul-destroying albums out there these days.
“Portugal’s Vaee Solis don’t have much experience administering slow tempo lashings steeped in thick doomy riffs, or for that matter, flogging you mercilessly with shrieks and snarls loaded with blackened ideology. It makes sense then that they’d turn to the guidance and creative output of seasoned veterans like Celtic Frost and Venom to light their path.” Whip it good!
“On the hunt for some mid-eighties style hybrid black thrash packed with blasphemous Venom? Well, as luck would have it the Greek titans, Satan’s Wrath, are back in black, sporting a lineup change, and they have just such a putrid platter!” With a cover like you, you know you’ll need a patched denim vest.
“Transport yourself if you will to the outer reaches of planet Aegis VII. A routine mining operation’s in progress with the situation fast souring. The year is 2508 and our story opens up with the USG Ishimura as it sends out an ominous distress signal to the Concordance Extraction Corporation (CEC)… I’ve misled you, this is not an overdue review of that Dead Space.” Nerd Alert!
“Forgotten Tomb aren’t new to black metal and they’re a dish best served cold. Following the disbandment of his earlier project (Sacrater), Ferdinando “Herr Morbid” Marchisio masterminded what we now know as Italy’s Forgotten Tomb.” Is it possible Forgotten Tomb forgot something important?
