“While another release from The 3rd Attempt wouldn’t get so much as a shrug from most metalheads, I’ve been fucking waiting all year for Egocidal Path. As anyone might be able to tell from reading 2015’s Born in Thorns review, I love anything Tchort gets his hands on. Be it Carpathian Forest, Green Carnation, or Blood Red Throne, I’m there. And being that the debut was a solid release of Nattefrost and Carpathian Forest-inspired black ‘n’ roll, I can’t help but get excited about the follow-up.”
“It’s the music that sends me careening through a canyon as dark as a Nick Cave soundtrack and as unique as a Sólstafir record. It has a suffocating mixture of Shining-like desperate, voice-throwing screams and cleans moodier than your grandma’s sanitarium. Coming off 2013’s Burzum-esque EP, I hoped Gärdefors would push on. I hoped for his refusal to revert back to the generic sounds of Fyra elegier. I hoped for more Syner. Well, my hopes became reality. And that reality is Arvet.” (TGIDF) Thank God It’s Depressive Friday.
“Twelve years down the road from the debut, Subterranean Masquerade no longer sounds the same. The psychedelic has lost ground to the Oriental, and the introduction of Green Carnation vocalist Kjetil Nordhus has brought influences from his main gig into the songwriting. The subtle madness and looming shadow have made way for a scene of sunlit clay houses in a strange, vaguely Middle-Eastern land.” The mind of an artist is murky and mysterious.
“But, after its layers upon layers of choirs, choruses, and orchestrations, Time I ended up being two great songs (“Songs of Winter and Stars” and “Time”) and three OK ones. But that was enough to keep appetites whet for its sequel. A sequel that never came… And still shows no sign of coming (except for the two random live performances). That’s why the title above doesn’t say Time II. Instead, we get a whole new album. One built around more talk, more delays, more anticipation, steamy saunas, and micro-hotel experiences. Welcome to the tangled forest that is Wintersun.” Suspicious package.
“If you’re like me, you already skimmed over the above tags, curious of Darkhaus’ origins, the style of metal they play, and the clickbaiting that awaits you in today’s review. And, perhaps, you noticed a few tags that stood out. You know, those couple of tags that made you want to rip your eyes out. By the way, you can stop refreshing your browser. You and I both know you’re here at angrymetalguy.com and those tags ain’t going anywhere.” And so goes the good doctor’s dubious metal cred.
“I have a strange relationship with In the Woods…. Back when I was first discovering underground metal and devouring all the obscure releases I could find in the Internet’s further reaches, I remember being taken aback one night by a mysterious 1995 debut called Heart of the Ages. Both the record’s hazy cover art and the esoteric black metal contained within conveyed a haunting, archaic timelessness that, oddly enough, was so powerful it actually discouraged me from returning to the album after my initial awestruck listens. The mystique was furthered by the fact that Woods broke up in 2000 – years before I ever heard of them.” Mystique and aura aren’t just friendly girls at the local gentlemen’s club.
“Despite picking up plenty of positive press for their debut Produces Reason a couple of years ago (including a glowing review from yours truly), Sleep of Monsters don’t seem to have penetrated far into the metal public’s collective consciousness. Comprising former members of underrated Finnish goth rockers Babylon Whores, overrated Finnish goth rockers HIM, and a host of other decorated musicians, Sleep of Monsters go beyond the narrow confines inhabited by the aforementioned acts, incorporating all manner of different musical ideas into their remarkably coherent overall sound.” Don’t sleep on these monsters.
“Todtgelichter set off on a pretty steep upward trajectory since their underwhelming debut back in 2005. Beginning life as just another black metal band, by the time of their third record Angst in 2010 they had transformed into one of the more exciting prospects in post-black metal.” We like exciting prospects here at AMG.
“I’m not sure if it’s “fitting” or “ironic” that I received a promo from a band called Dead to a Dying World. After a week of some unfortunate shit hitting way too close to home, I’m further convinced that “the world is going to hell in a hand basket” (as a close friend would say). The thought of being a voiceless observer watching the world kill itself is a heavy burden to carry into Dead to a Dying World’s sophomore outing, Litany.” When real life is depressing, doomy music like this can actually make things seem a little less bleak.
“When I heard Tchort put together a black metal band that combined elements of Carpathian Forest and Blood Red Throne with those of Gorgoroth, Immortal, Bathory, and even Motörhead, I nearly shat myself. After a decade trying to fill the empty crater in my achy-breaky heart with more of Nattefrost’s sadomasochism, I’m stoked to hear the master-behind-the-riffs unleash a sultry combination of all he is; black thrash, blackened rock ‘n’ roll, Scandinavian death, and a variety of surprising twists.” Its time to strap on the assless chaps again and take a run through the forest.
