Mayhem

Provocator – Antikristus Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on August 23, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Moribund Records, Reviews, Slovenian Metal, Black Metal, 3 comments

“These days it seems difficult to find the black metal of old; the kind that Hellscream, the sole member of Slovenia’s Provocator claims to play. Even the originators of the dark, raw, and minimalistic style have chosen to delve into experimental, avant-garde, symphonic and punk-driven crust that take the primitive and simplistic foundation of the 90s to bigger and (sometimes) cleaner heights. That being said, these new hybrids have created some incredible material and the old walls of Scandinavian black metal have burned down along with several churches.” Yet another newbie reviewer tackles yet another black metal band. Give Dr. A.N. Grier a warm welcome as he tells of church burnings and old school yearnings.

Angry Metal-Fi: Just Cause – The Whys Behind the Loudness Wars

By Steel Druhm on July 11, 2014 in Angry Metal-Fi, Blog Posts, 30 comments

“Let’s pretend for the sake of argument that you’ve read all of our articles and are now a true believer: The overzealous use of dynamic range compression coupled with brickwall limiting yields lifeless, dull sounding records. But if this is indeed all true, then why does the industry continue to approve of (and even insist on) this insanity in the first place?” Now that’s a good question, and the Metal-Fi guys have answers you might not like.

Mayhem – Esoteric Warfare Review

By Grymm on June 8, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, 7 comments

“I’m sure you are looking at the title of the review and my name being attached to it, and getting all sorts of nervous and anxious. Well, don’t be. We all know that Mayhem is one of the most influential black metal bands around, but we also know that their name is synonymous with both divisiveness within the fanbase and severe fluctuations in quality.” After his scandalous bashing of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, we just knew Grymm was the man to review this.

Indefensible Positions: Grymm Attacks De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

By Grymm on April 19, 2014 in Black Metal, Century Media, Indefensible Positions, Norwegian Metal, Black Metal, 34 comments

“Every once in a while the metal scene collectively heaps too much praise on a band or record and someone needs to step up and announce that the Emperor has no clothing. We normally don’t spend a lot of time attacking beloved records, but sometimes genuinely overrated records get far too much love from the metal sheeples and that calls for a professional contrarian to set things right! If ever there were professional contrarians, they would be us at AMG.” Grymm decides to kick the sacred cow of Norwegian black metal and stir up a hornets nest of frigid fury. Ask us for his phone number and we just may give it to you.

Retro-spective Review: Emperor – In The Nightside Eclipse

By Grymm on March 1, 2014 in Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Retro Reviews, Black Metal, 6 comments

“Has it really been 20 years? Goddamn, I feel old. In 1994 PG (Pre-Grymm), I was a high-school sophomore with an in-between mullet/long-hair, burnt out on mainstream metal (“90s Metal Weirdness,” anyone?), and I was looking for darker, heavier, faster affairs. With some recommendations from friends as well as some trusty advice from the long-dormant-and-majorly-missed Metal Maniacs magazine, I would be introduced to a slew of new (to me) bands, including one by a bunch of teenagers from Norway who would be creating, and later changing, the blackest of all musical landscapes to come…” Grymm gets in the Wayback Machine for a wistful look at one of the defining moments in Black Metal History. He’s a wistful guy, that Grymm.

Lvcifyre – Svn Eater Review

By Steel Druhm on January 17, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Dark Descent Records, Death Metal, English Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 10 comments

“Alright, enough of the goddamn “V” replacing the “U” in band and song names! It’s dumb, trite, annoying, I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore! Moving on, Lvcifyre is a blackened death outfit from the U.K. and Svn Eater (irritating isn’t it?) is their sophomore outing. Having never heard them before, I admit to being pleasantly surprised by what they’re offering here, which is a fascinating mix of Norwegian black metal circa 1993 and hyper-riffy, technical and mega-brootal death metal. In a nutshell, their sound is vicious-as-fuck, mean-as-hell and heavy-as-a-two-ton-heavy-thing. You can expect to hear traces of old Darkthrone, Behemoth, Nile, Immolation and Deathspell Omega in a SINGLE SONG, all stitched together with power of the almighty riff.”

Shining – 8 ½ – Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd Review

By Madam X on September 23, 2013 in 2013, Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 4 comments

“I came across Shining for the first time while reading Angry Metal Guy’s Best Heavy Metal Songs of All Time back in 2011. Since then Kvarforth and his menagerie of Scandinavian black metal projects and collaborations (Shining, Skitliv, Diabolicum, Den Saakaldte and Bethlehem) have been a constant on my playlist. I’d go so far as to say that, were I to have some kind of guarantee that it would arrive on my sunny shores, I would absolutely order a copy of When Prozac No Longer Helps – hand numbered in Kvarforth’s blood of course!” Madam X and Kvarforth are clearly a match made by the Sid & Nancy Dating Service and/or Hell. Will love blossom once again or will the knives come out?

A Transylvanian Funeral – Gorgos Goetia Review

By Madam X on March 16, 2013 in 1.5, 2013, American Metal, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Rating, Releases, Reviews, 0 comments

“When I think old-school, ’80s or early ’90s style black metal my mind naturally spirals through the rabbit hole landing squarely in the frozen planes of Norway to bands like Darkthrone and the rawness of Transylvanian Hunger or Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, my mind certainly doesn’t go bounding off like Alice into the dusty, critter infested, heat of Tucson Arizona. Nor, to be more precise, towards Sleepwalker and his one-man homage to Satan – A Transylvanian Funeral.” Madam X sat through 72 minutes of old school black metal and came out on the other side to tell you about it… Poor lady.

Koldbrann – Vertigo Review

By Madam X on January 30, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Rating, Releases, Reviews, Season of Mist, Black Metal, 7 comments

“I’ve noticed that the face of Norwegian black metal is a changing, it’s becoming more adventurous, more rock infused, more progressive and God forbid, more accessible [well, it can’t get LESS accessible — Steel Druhm]. I can confirm however, that while they’re not just all about the evil any longer, they definitely haven’t lost sight or forgotten about the mighty Dark Lord Satan! Breath people, all is still right in the world.” How does Koldbrann fit in to this new movement? Follow Madam X on her trend analysis.

Melencolia Estatica – Hel Review

By Madam X on November 5, 2012 in 2012, 3.5, Black Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Temple of Tortorous Records, Black Metal, 2 comments

Madam X is a dedicated reviewer. In preparation for her thoughtful analysis of Melencolia Estatica’s black metal concept album Hel, she watched the really really old movie that provided the source material, then she did some deep thinking about the music itself. In contrast, Steel Druhm posted sexy pics of the female band member. He’s a slacker pig.