Ghost Brigade

Swallow the Sun – Moonflowers Review

By Steel Druhm on November 19, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 36 comments

“There hasn’t been much positivity coming from the Swallow the Sun camp these last few years. The tragic passing of guitarist Juha Raivio’s partner and Trees of Eternity collaborator Aleah Stanbridge led to a grief-driven release from Raivio’s Hallatar project as well as the unrelentingly depressive When a Shadow is Forced Into the Light from this group. Years pass and pain diminishes, but based on what we get on Moonflowers, it seems Mr. Raivio is still struggling to get back to the light.” Aphotic hypnotic.

Ba’al – Ellipsism Review

By Carcharodon on October 28, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Post-Metal, 16 comments

“Post-black and blackened post metal. The same thing, surely? I would argue no. Post-black metal tends to rely on lengthy, brooding atmospheric passages, interspersed with blasts of black metal fury. Blackened post metal, on the other hand, should be towering, mesmerizing riffs with that vicious black metal edge to proceedings. Sheffield, UK’s Ba’al have been knocking around since 2016, putting out EPs in their first year and then in 2019 also, but the absolute shitshow that is 2020 sees this four piece dropping their debut full-length, Ellipsism.” Post-Post.

Atlases – Woe Portrait Review

By TheKenWord on October 20, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Post-Metal, 8 comments

“Once upon a time there was a Muppet. Muppet told me of this band called Atlases, threatening me with an unforgiving death if I didn’t try out their debut full-length, Haar, which came out last year. I never did try the whole thing until now, but the selection of tracks I did sample were solid. Then, one day I noticed their name in the promo bin, and I thought to myself, “what are the odds?” So here we are, with a quick turnaround by the Finnish five-banger. Is Woe Portrait good enough to earn a recommendation from me and my ridiculously productive multitude of alter egos on this power-metal-obsessed blog?” Map of sadboi.

Ambassador – Care Vale Review

By GardensTale on September 22, 2020 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Post-Metal, 46 comments

“Interesting, the grey area between rock and metal. It takes a lot of different shapes, from the classic hard rock proto-metal to the commercialized tough guy semi-nu-metal that still wanted to have radio play.[1. Joke’s on them, the hardest thing on commercial radio these days is fucking Imagine Dragons.] It’s an area that, in one of its many incarnations, has been elemental to most of us in our journey into the depths of our favorite depravity, as a bridge between the socially acceptable and commercially viable on the one end, and metal on the other. Ambassador, a four-piece from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, have a different approach to this uncertain spectrum from those I’ve mentioned.” Sad diplomacy.

In the Company of Serpents – Lux Review

By Master of Muppets on June 1, 2020 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 17 comments

“In the Company of Serpents‘ fourth full-length is an unholy concoction of sludge, doom and cowboys, and frankly things don’t get any Cherdier than that.” Snakes deLux.

Hanging Garden – Into That Good Night Review

By Master of Muppets on November 12, 2019 in 2019, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Gothic Metal, Lifeforce Records, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, 26 comments

“Evermore difficult to believe has been my luck in the ongoing war against the promo bin. Despite multiple attempts to lower my less than angry rating average, including seeking out non-atmoblack/Muppetcore albums or else surrendering my fate to Steel like a damn N00b, I somehow just keep wading out from the promo sump smelling like roses. This brings us nicely to my main point, being that I can’t believe that Dr. Fisting turned down the opportunity to drop everything and craft an unpaid review for Into That Good Night, the sixth album by Finland’s Hanging Garden.” Shaking fists at gardens in the sky.

The Holeum – Sublime Emptiness Review

By Master of Muppets on September 1, 2019 in 2019, Doom Metal, Lifeforce Records, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Spanish Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 18 comments

“One of the only neat things about this angry metal gig is how you can select an album to review and within a spin or two have a pretty good guess as to which of these other cretins will enjoy said album. Today I present to you The Holeum‘s somber sophomore escapade, Sublime Emptiness, with the strong suspicion that our silverbackedest scribe will scoff this stuff up.”Embrace the hollow.

Glare of the Sun – Theia Review

By Master of Muppets on June 21, 2019 in 2019, Austrian Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Lifeforce Records, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge Metal, 72 comments

“This site has introduced me to countless gems that have captivated me and permanently improved my life in inimitable ways, yet even my most heartfelt exercises in overrating have failed to yield ‘that’ album unto me… until now. With Theia, the sophomore full-length from Austria’s Glare of the Sun, I have found completion, something that fills my Muppet void in ways that would make Ron Jeremy blush.” Sun worshiping.

Nailed to Obscurity – Black Frost Review

By Steel Druhm on January 8, 2019 in 2019, Death Metal, German Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 99 comments

“One of the happy surprises from out of left field during 2017 was a little album called King Delusion by then unsung German act Nailed to Obscurity. It took the base elements of Opeth, Katatonia and Ghost Brigade and skillfully forged them into a humdinger of a prog-death platter brimming with heaviness and dark atmospheres. It garnered a place in my Top Ten for that year and I still play it quite regularly. 2019 sees the band return to greatly elevated expectations with their third album, Black Frost, and I was particularly eager to get my paws on this one.” Tales of frost and fire.

V – Pathogenisis Review

By Steel Druhm on November 18, 2017 in 2017, Doom Metal, Post-metal, Reviews, Suicide Records, Swedish Metal, Doom Metal, Hardcore, Post-Metal, 53 comments

“V is a project of Daniel Liljekvist (In Mourning, ex-Katatonia) and on their Pathogenisis debut they’re peddling a take on post-metal that clings close to the early days of the style, while also incorporating a good dose of doom. The hardcore element that’s slowly becoming watered down in much modern post-metal is quite prominent here, making V‘s sound muscular, aggressive and confrontation. Most importantly of all, it’s chocked full of spleen softening riffs.” V is for Post-metal?