Italian Metal

Svlfvr – Shamanic Lvnar Cvlt Review

By Grymm on August 1, 2016 in 2016, Bakerteam Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 25 comments

“By now, the more astute of you are aware of my promo selection process. If you’re just tuning in, I select bands based on the following criteria: my own listening history of the band (naturally), the band’s back story, and their naming conventions. That last one has unearthed some amazing gems. Other times, it bit me in the ass hard. Italy’s Svlfvr (pronounced “Sulfur” and not “SVILFIVOR,” sadly) caught me with not only their name, but also their beautiful purple-and-green album cover for their debut full-length.” Color my wvrld.

Summit – The Winds That Forestall Thy Return Review

By Mark Z. on July 6, 2016 in 2016, Ambient Metal, I Voidhanger Records, Italian Metal, Post-metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Ambient Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge, 32 comments

“Solo projects are a mixed bag for me. On one hand, you’ll occasionally get a musician’s pure, unencumbered vision, free of competing egos, stylistic conflict, or bullshit social media drama that inevitably leads to a nasty breakup and months of blog posts detailing the extended legal battle over rights to the band name. More often, however, you get good ideas and musicianship hampered by a lack of self-awareness or weakened by the absence of an additional creative force. To paraphrase Stephen King, writers are often the worst judge of their own work.” And that’s where we come in.

Secret Rule – Machination Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on June 22, 2016 in 2016, Alt-Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Scarlet Records, 105 comments

“Remember Amaranthe? Say what you want about them as a metal band (which, if you’re being six figure tax return levels of charitable, would be “not so great”), but as a pop band they’re alright. Massive Addictive was catchy, regardless of the fact that it was meticulously crafted by Swedish pop robots, made of 100% candy-coated processed cheese, and equal in substance to a sugar rush. Italy’s Secret Rule is pure processed cheese too.” Cheese and sugar go together like dynamite and napalm.

Deceptionist – Initializing Irreversible Process

By Kronos on June 13, 2016 in 2016, Death Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Unique Leader, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 24 comments

“Another day, another release from Unique Leader; yet there is no release for me. As the de facto tech-death guru at the AMG offices, I’m caught in a near perpetual state of mild frustration as streams of 16th notes tickle my cochleae and bearded men scream putrid nothings into my ear. While the year thus far has been pretty kind to the genre, Sturgeon’s law is still in effect, and Deceptionist’s debut, Initializing Irreversible Process, is my latest helping of the caviar of middlingness.” Somebody needs a staycation.

Silverbones – Wild Waves Review

By Steel Druhm on June 1, 2016 in 2016, Heavy Metal, Italian Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Stormspell Records, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 20 comments

“Somewhere on a wind swept beach in a far-flung corner of the Pacific Ocean was a buried treasure chest. That chest was filled with all the riffs Running Wild had yet to use but wanted to keep from their scurvy competition. And there it sat for decades in it’s sandy repose, unknown to all but Rock n’ Rolf. That was until upstart Italian buccaneers Silverbones jacked the riff-booty, leaving empty bottles of Limoncello as their calling cards.” YAARR’s revenge?

Messa Premieres Promo Video for “Babalon” and You Should Watch It

By Steel Druhm on May 10, 2016 in 2016, Aural Music, Doom Metal, Italian Metal, Doom Metal, 31 comments

“A few weeks back I ranted and raved like a madman over Messa’s debut album, Belfry. Sadly, the Italian doom mavens had little in the way of online music with which to showcase their wares.” And now they’ve corrected this grave injustice.

Darkend – The Canticle of Shadows Review

By Madam X on April 23, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Italian Metal, Non Serviam Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 15 comments

“Until recently, I believe Italy’s Darkend promoted the kind of symphonic black metal that chased the coattails of bands like Cradle of Filth. With their fourth release, The Canticle of Shadows, I was unsure of whether to expect more of the same or something entirely new. I succeeded in missing their earlier releases like Damned Woman and a Carcass, Assassine and Grand Guignol, despite them receiving mostly positive reviews.” What the hell is a canticle?

Messa – Belfry Review

By Steel Druhm on April 22, 2016 in 2016, Ambient Metal, Aural Music, Doom Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, 66 comments

“Sometimes a band comes out of nowhere and takes a baseball bat to the established way of doing things. Whether that means adding banjos to black metal or incorporating 70s prog into doom/death, it can result in absolute triumph or a total grease fire. It’s those unexpected triumphs in particular that make music such a visceral and exciting medium and when a band pulls off something new and unusual, they deserve respect and admiration. Unknown Italian doomsters Messa want to be the next trend wrecker and to that end they’ve fused dark ambient weirdness and minimalist drone onto old school, traditional doom on their eye-opening debut, Belfry.” No one expected this Italian Inquisition!

Braindamage – The Downfall Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on April 20, 2016 in 2016, Italian Metal, My Kingdom Music, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 14 comments

“I know this Belgian dude who acts as my barometer for judging a band’s obscurity. The man’s knowledge of all things metal never ceases to amaze me. Whether it’s the newest grindcore band from Kuala Lumpur or a NWOBHM act that only ever released a live demo, he’ll have heard of them and, provided they aren’t too kvlt for social media, have “liked” them on Facebook. So when I look at a band page and don’t see his name on their fan list, it’s usually because they are so fresh you can suck their nuts.” We do not advocate nut suckery.

The Foreshadowing – Seven Heads Ten Horns Review

By Grymm on April 19, 2016 in 2016, Cyclone Empire, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 38 comments

“Imagine, if you will, a world torn asunder by racial and cultural intolerance. Entire countries are erased, and many religions are shunned, their followers persecuted or worse. Now picture, if you can, a united Europe acting as a new Babylon, a holy ground for those seeking shelter from the bitter storms of prejudice and hate, and bustling with diversity, all while impending doom is just looming over the amber horizon. Such a lofty world is given life on Seven Heads Ten Horns, the fourth album by Italian gothic doom sextet, The Foreshadowing.” A concept album about the 2016 American election cycle? That was fast!