Ildjarn

T.O.M.B. – Terror Winds Review

By Dear Hollow on December 9, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, Industrial Metal, Noise, 14 comments

“I picked up Terror Winds for shock – I’ll admit that fully. When we last met T.O.M.B. readily dealt my very first 1.0 roundhouse kick. 2020’s Thin the Veil was, by all accounts, a disgrace. Offering a revolving door of guest musicians without a thread of consistency while flaunting painfully directionless songwriting in the name of kvlt kred, it consisted of forty-five minutes of noisy industrial black metal that felt about forty-three minutes too long. Straddling the fence between a bargain bin Psyclon Nine “beats ‘n shred” approach and the Tetragrammacide ascetic aesthetic with the grace of a toddler, it was something else. I just didn’t expect to see T.O.M.B. back ’round these parts so soon.” T.O.M.B. soon?

Eggvn – La Era de la Bestia Review

By Dear Hollow on May 12, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Electronic, Electronic Metal, Industrial Metal, 38 comments

“Let me introduce you to Eggvn, self-professed “Satanic Death Industrial Metal.” Sporting some obvious black metal influence, I was expecting an ominous ambient album among the ranks of Moëvöt or Velvet Cacoon, but the Mexicans’ sophomore full-length La Era de la Bestia is more akin to a bizarre combination of Psyclon Nine, Brokencyde, Angelspit, and Nine Inch Nails. Featuring pulsing beats, cold industrial flourishes, dark ambiance, and harsh barks, it has its moments of listenable plagiarism, but is comically marred by a club-footed collision of its influences.” Alert the Egg Council.

Revenant Marquis – Below the Landsker Line Review

By Dear Hollow on March 23, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, 20 comments

“Revenant Marquis is a raw one-man black metal act from Wales, where the title of his latest album Below the Landsker Line originates. Sole member S offers a unique aesthetic: while older 2018-19 releases feature your typical kvlt “corpsepaint in the dark with fire or some shit” look, 2020’s Youth in Ribbons offered a black-and-white picture of a smiling young girl, a trend continuing into the fifth offering.” Innocence and wrath.

Alkerdeel – Slonk Review

By Dear Hollow on February 12, 2021 in Reviews, 9 comments

“As you’re reading this, I’m sure you’re thinking, “Alkerdeel. Why does that sound so familiar?” You ask yourself if it’s a similarity to the British Akercocke – maybe? Well, perhaps a similarity to the illustrious Akerblogger, and you question if in fact the good lad was named thusly – nah, that’s not it either. You give a brief overview of their discography, noting that 2012 album Morinde features a somewhat abstract but violent portrayal of, what, a wolf beating a rabbit to death? That seems excessive for a predator with, y’know, teeth. Oh look, they were involved with Hypertension Records’ The Abyss Stares Back split series that’s fucking impossible to find.” Rabbit don’t come sleazy.

Prometheus – Resonant Echoes From Cosmos Of Old Review

By Dear Hollow on October 21, 2020 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, 14 comments

“Prometheus is a Greek trio, releasing two demos, an EP, and one full-length since 2007. Their style professes to carry “the heritage of Hellenic and Scandinavian black metal” while fusing it with esoteric death metal. And fuse do they.” Tentacle-core reborn.

Illkynja – Sæti Sálarinnar Review

By Dear Hollow on September 18, 2020 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 14 comments

“Illkynja, like many of its country’s blackened offerings, is a project shrouded in mystery. It’s unknown how many members are involved or how prolific to the scene–only that the project is Icelandic in origin. Goathorned Productions debut Sæti Sálarinnar features all the hallmarks of Icelandic style: scathing layers of dissonance, pummeling drums, and punishing roars reminiscent of Almyrkvi or Andavald.” Iceland, man.

Irae – Lurking in the Depths Review

By Dear Hollow on June 23, 2020 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Groove Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 34 comments

“Black metal has a weird reputation. If you ask anybody walking down the street about it, given its nuances of church burning and Satanism, they’ll shudder and tell you “that stuff is scary, man.” However, if you ask a person who regularly listens to it, it becomes a different beast entirely: using Burzum’s self-titled as an example, you’ll hear an angsty Ewok grumbling about his mom taking away his Satanic Bible while abusing a Walmart guitar.” Fear and loathing in Portugal.

Golden Ashes – In the Lugubrious Silence of Eternal Night Review

By Dear Hollow on May 16, 2020 in Reviews, Ambient, Atmospheric Black Metal, 13 comments

“Black metal is great at it, as its entire purpose is to conjure blasphemous and decrepit images of icy forests and iconoclastic rituals, but there are twists to your snow-crusted Norwegian fjords and the sounds of Hail Satans: Austere’s desolate Australian deserts, Blut Aus Nord’s hellish industrial landscapes, and Saor’s Scottish highlands, to name a few. While images painted are up for grabs, the general consensus is one of darkness, bleakness, and spiritual desolation. But what happens when the black metal is, ya know, not that?” Bright darkness.

Calligram – The Eye Is The First Circle Review

By Dear Hollow on April 10, 2020 in 2020, Black Metal, Crust Punk, Doom Metal, Hardcore, International Metal, Prosthetic Records, Punk, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Black Metal, Crust Punk, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 37 comments

“How can music communicate the feeling of dread? While all styles are able, metal’s inherent darkness fits like a glove. While it’s easy to provide aural bludgeoning or emphasize excess, the discipline of restraint takes time and effort. From the post-metal dirges of Neurosis, the avant-garde buildups of Eryn Non Dae., the spiraling doom of Swallowed, the blackened payoffs of Cultes des Ghoules, and the death metal environs of Desolate Shrine, it revels in darkness, plays with menace, but most notably, waits patiently.” Waiting in the darkness.

Faustian Pact – Outojen Tornien Varjoissa Review

By Dear Hollow on March 7, 2020 in Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Werewolf Records, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 17 comments

“There’s something intriguing about black metal. While its origins are saturated with violence and its imagery is so defiantly anti-status quo, it’s calmed down significantly over the last decade or so. With more accessible styles like folk and post-rock taking more of a prominent role, it can be difficult to find the trve kvlt style that once circulated the underground in whispered rumors.” Dirty deals.