May17

Mountains Crave – As We Were When We Were Not

Mountains Crave – As We Were When We Were Not

By El Cuervo on May 15, 2017 in 2017, Avantgarde Music, Black Metal, English Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 20 comments

““Clear Light of the Void” is the third track from As We Were When We Were Not (henceforth AWWWWWN) by Leeds’ Mountains Crave and its opening explicitly grabbed my attention. Underpinned by a gently plucked simple progression, an old broadcast of Gerald Heard is sampled. Gerald Heard was a noted historian and writer but was also considered an expert on LSD; he espoused the mind-opening nature of psychedelic drugs. This sample led me to read around the young band and discover this psychedelic streak is important to them, citing Aldous Huxley as a particular influence.” Turn on, tune in, read on.

Nargaroth – Era of Threnody Review

Nargaroth – Era of Threnody Review

By Al Kikuras on May 14, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, German Metal, Inter Arma Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 36 comments

“Occasionally a promo in the list sparks some crusty old memory of an album. Nargaroth rang no bells on that front though I did marginally enjoy 2001’s Black Metal ist Krieg (A Dedication Monument), and Ash (aka “The Artist Formerly Known As Kanwulf”) is generally considered one of the forefathers of the second wave of black metal and had always been a staunch proponent of tradition and those three albums were no exception.” Old musician/older writer. FIGHT!

Summoner – Beyond the Realm of Light Review

Summoner – Beyond the Realm of Light Review

By Huck N Roll on May 13, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Magnetic Eye Records, Reviews, Sludge, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Sludge, 11 comments

“When Boston’s Summoner came into being back in 2009, they were originally known as Riff Cannon. Made up of members of black metal bands Plagues and Deafheaven, Summoner is clearly a vehicle for these fellas to shed their black metal overcoats and give some love to the Baroness/Kylesa/Torche side of the bill.” Black does sludge.

Ajattara – Lupaus Review

Ajattara – Lupaus Review

By Lokasenna on May 12, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Black Metal, 50 comments

“As an armchair linguist and general language nerd, I love listening to material in a language I don’t know. A sextet of Finnish Satanists and black metal veterans, Ajattara have a platter that fits that bill, and because of my total unfamiliarity with them, I approached the record with totally open ears. Lupaus, the band’s ninth full-length following a six-year hiatus, is a bit of a genre puzzle, as it’s hard for me to call it straight black metal.” Blackness, death and declension.

Highland – Loyal to the Nightsky Review

Highland – Loyal to the Nightsky Review

By Saunders on May 12, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Unsigned Bands, Black Metal, 19 comments

“Though I appreciate black metal and listen to my fair share of the genre, generally I’m more of a death metal guy, so I’m particularly selective when it comes to choosing artists to engage my black metal fix. When perusing the promo portal, for some reason the band name, album title and unsigned status of American/Armenian trio Highland was enough to pique my interest and curiosity. Plying their trade with a minimum of fuss, Highland channel Scandinavian second wave influences, spiked with shades of the livewire thrashing energy of Absu, riff-driven groove of Vreid, and seething wallop of Mantar, delivering an aggressive and dynamic album.” It’s over Anakin….

Ensnared – Dysangelium Review

Ensnared – Dysangelium Review

By Akerblogger on May 10, 2017 in 2017, Dark Descent Records, Death Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 11 comments

“How do you like your Swede-death in the morning? I like mine with a kick. I like to gargle the shards of old-school chaos around my mouth with verve. Sometimes I take less pleasure from this, though. Sometimes the taste of old-school chaos can become a numbing experience. The thrill and energy can wear off as swarm after swarm of newer bands look to add polish to the dirty obscurity of the early 90s underground by bringing it to the unwashed masses of 2017. Ensnared are disciples of this old-school sound.” Olde school is never out for summer.

Kaledon – Carnagus – Emperor of Darkness Review

Kaledon – Carnagus – Emperor of Darkness Review

By Steel Druhm on May 10, 2017 in 2017, Italian Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Sleaszy Rider Records, Power Metal, 18 comments

“I don’t know how I get myself into these things sometimes. I reviewed Kaledon’s 2013 opus, Altor: the King’s Blacksmith for reasons now completely unknown to me and was mightily unimpressed by the third-tier Italian power metal cheese therein. Because I reviewed Altor, I was on the hook for 2014s Antillius: the King of the Light, which was considerably heavier and much better, but still too dairy-intensive for my long-term listening tastes. Now they’re back with a reshuffled lineup including a new singer and set to deliver Carnagus – Emperor of Darkness.” Cheeses H. Christ.

The Thirteenth Sun – Stardust Review

The Thirteenth Sun – Stardust Review

By GardensTale on May 9, 2017 in 2017, Aural Music, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Reviews, Romanian Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, 76 comments

“What do you get when you take equal parts O(ld)peth, Rush and Devin Townsend, chuck it all in a cosmic blender and turn it on? The correct reply is ‘a throbbing erection,’ but second place goes to upstarts The Thirteenth Sun, set to release their debut full-length 5 years in the making.” Take a cold shower, you perv.

Voice of Ruin – Purge and Purify Review

Voice of Ruin – Purge and Purify Review

By Dr. Wvrm on May 9, 2017 in 2017, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Swiss Metal, Tenacity Music, Thrash Metal, Uncategorized, Thrash Metal, 23 comments

“Though grayed and wizened by bitter years of scathing aural abuse, my tastes never developed the way I expected. Gush over Dodecahedron; pre-order the new Ahab; “Pain of Salvation for AotY!”; I’ll be in the back row, drawing dicks on the cover of my Extreme Metal Starter Pack. Voice of Ruin, is right there with me.” Dicks and melo-death, man.