“Ghoulgotha make their death metal intentionally unsettling and uber-ugly to the point that even a seasoned crusty fucker like my brothers in arms, Grymm and Dr. Fisting, couldn’t wrap their iron-laden arms around their debut, The Deathmass Cloak. I started to listen to it out of morbid curiosity and found that it sank into my brain like a cancerous strain to the point that it wound up in my year end top ten list.” There really is no accounting for taste.
“Norwegian trio Virus, and by extension its mastermind Carl-Michael Eide a.k.a. Czral, never steered away from oblique, almost hermetic forms that somehow seemed to cater to metal audiences while simultaneously belonging to completely different narratives. In that respect, Memento Collider is a culmination and possibly the band’s boldest statement to date.” We found the profound for you.
“Poland’s been the source of some great metal over the years. Behemoth probably comes to mind first, being that Nergal’s the master of controversy and the court room. But putting that aside, there’s Vader, Decapitated, Hate and Lux Occulta, who along with many others have been delivering the goods and then some. Somewhere in the throng, the talents of one-man, black metal or dark ambient artist, Fabian Filiks (Moloch) of Zørormr became a little obscured.” One does not simply hear all the bands in Poland.
“Name the first band that comes to mind when I say Brazil. OK, now name a second one. With some countries like Sweden, the choices are endless. The two picks made are usually based on my favorite bands or bands whose albums were most recently spun. In the case of countries like Brazil, my mind goes straight to timeless classics. Old-school Sepultura and Krisiun. But this game only works once. If you ask me again to name the first two Brazilian bands that come to mind, I will give the same answers. But what if you ask me to name a third? In that case, I’d add Nervosa to the list.” This game isn’t a lot of fun.
“Before I delve into the guts of this self-titled debut from Indiana’s Skeleton Wolf, I’d like to pose a question to our loyal readers here at Angry Metal Guy. What is your favorite drunken party metal album and/or band? You know the kind of metal that just lifts a gear and thrives with the accompaniment of alcohol.” Okay, who said Men Without Hats? You leave the hall right now!
“Much like Behexen, Dark Funeral have been at this whole black metal thing for some time. Not sure if “pioneer” is appropriate for these Swedish tremolo-crafters, but they are influential. Their approach is straightforward, their black metal is classic, and their releases consistent.” Classic and consistent is an okay way to go through life, son.
“It seems legendary front man and self-proclaimed “Voice of Rock” Jorn Lande is at the point in his lengthy career where he gives zero fucks and does just as he pleases. As much as it pains me to reference yuletide rom-com Love Actually, Jorn is like a heavy metal version of the character Billy Mack, played so righteously by Bill Nighy. He’s old, jaded and out for a buck, a bit of fun and maybe the odd shag. And that’s where Jorn’s ridiculous new vehicle Heavy Rock Radio comes in.” This crow’s watch has not ended.
“In the case of Finnish five-piece Vuolla, nomen really est omen. Their name, which translates as “carve” or “whittle,” is an apt symbol of the group’s reductive and appropriating approach. As they chisel away at a body of work developed from various genres, from post-rock to death metal, it’s difficult to ignore that the essence of their sound is still based in a rehashed version of melancholic doom metal.” Turn loose the sads.
“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?
“When you think of Massachusetts, many images pop into your head immediately. Legendary sports dynasties, people with goofy accents, cities with tough-to-pronounce names, the Big Dig, the entire Kennedy clan… oh, and metalcore. Lots and lots of metalcore… and Converge. You don’t look at the Bay State and think to yourself, “Gee, I’m sure there’s quality doom metal afoot here.” Hell, I sure didn’t!” Let’s listen to doom metal as we potty!
