Mgła

Amalekim – Avodah Zarah Review

By Thus Spoke on November 2, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 51 comments

“2023 hasn’t been the best year for black metal. With some scattered, notable exceptions—DHG and Manbryne among them—most new releases have been underwhelming, or at least disappointing. Undeterred, I continue to pick promos bearing the ‘black metal’ tag, because I believe the genre, at its best, is captivating in a way others aren’t, and offers a flavor of expression unique to itself. As we approach the sunset of the year, my persistence has paid off with the arrival of Avodah Zarah, the sophomore record from Polish/Italian outfit Amalekim.” Blackened treasures uncovered.

Woe – Legacies of Frailty Review

By Thus Spoke on October 6, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 12 comments

“A catastrophizing depiction of humanity’s mutual destruction greets us, the blazing fire and distraught figures a dramatic allegory for the harm and alienation caused by relentless tribalism. So, at least, Legacies of Frailty purports its art and musical content to revolve around. The personal project of Woe’s founder Chris Gregg, it marks the band’s first solo record since acquiring a full lineup with 2010’s Quietly, Undramatically.” Woe tide.

Decipher – Arcane Paths to Resurrection Review

By Thus Spoke on April 21, 2023 in Reviews, 25 comments

“The artwork for Arcane Paths to Resurrection struck me immediately, and not only because it’s cool. There was something familiar about it, and after a little digging, I found that the same artist, Artem Grigoryev, is behind both this and the cover of Suffering Hour’s The Cyclic Reckoning. What’s funny is that even before discovering this, I was thinking about how much Decipher’s debut reminded me of Suffering Hour. It has a similar grittiness, a similar piercing edge to its guitar tones, and similar thrashy energy.” Suffering for art.

Fiat Nox – Demanifestation (Hymns of Destruction and Nothingness) Review

By Dear Hollow on February 1, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, 23 comments

“Fiat Nox is a German black metal quartet, having released one full-length, a demo, and an EP. Second “EP” Demanifestation (Hymns of Destruction and Nothingness) offers thirty minutes of second-wave shenanigans, citing acts like Dissection, Mgła, and Svartidauði as influences. While black metal influences pretty much end up being the umpteenth reiteration of Transilvanian Hunger, some nicely melodic touches grace Demanifestation as well as a take-no-prisoners attitude.” Nasty, brutish and short.

Groza – The Redemptive End Review

By Dear Hollow on August 3, 2021 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 37 comments

“I was tentative about taking this album. I was familiar with Groza’s debut Unified in Void from 2018, granting it a casual listen and making that “not bad” Obama Rage Comic face from 2012. If one peruses the Metallum profile of these Germans, you’ll be graced with the shocking sight of a whopping 0% average review score from three reviews. Why, you ask? Probably because — and maybe this is obvious given the act’s name and a certain Polish full-length debut — Groza sounds a hell of a lot like Mgła. That’s unfair, awarding no merit to an album simply because it imitates another. I mean, if fans cancelled every act that sounded like Transilvanian Hunger, we’d have no black metal left.” The end of influence?

Mānbryne – Heilsweg: O udrece ciala i tulaczce duszy Review

By Doom_et_Al on April 9, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, 98 comments

“The reason many debut albums sound so good, the theory goes, is that the composer has been creating and honing these songs (at least in their head) their whole life. What the songs lack in finesse, they make up for with creativity and fresh energy. It’s why hardcore fans of many bands prefer their earlier output, before an established groove was settled into. What happens, though, when you have the shaggy exuberance of a fresh and gifted songwriter, combined with the talents of more experienced heads to hone and polish the rougher edges? Mānbryne answers that question with Heilsweg: O udrece ciala i tulaczce duszy.” Marinating in Mānbryne.

Uada – Djinn Review

By El Cuervo on September 25, 2020 in Reviews, Melodic Black Metal, 109 comments

“Uada have captured the hearts of many fans searching for plenty of melody with their fury or Mgła without the controversy. I was (and remain) a huge fan of the tight, energetic debut, but 2018’s Cult of a Dying Sun left me colder. I felt that the band were going through the motions, which concerned me given it was but a sophomore release. Take the essential formula of these two albums, ladle on more melody and add a few pinches of Mgła controversy and you have Djinn.” Djinn and juice.

Ragehammer – Into Certain Death Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on September 19, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Speed Metal, 18 comments

“After the absolute walloping Ragehammer dished out on The Hammer Doctrine, I wanted more Ragehammer but was perfectly content spinning that wonderful little record again and again. Since I avoid social media like the plague vodka-based drinks, I generally don’t know who’s releasing what until I dig through the ol’ promo sump. Seeing Ragehammer was a pleasant surprise, as The Hammer Doctrine still gets regular spins ‘round these parts.” Hammer.

Theotoxin – Fragment: Erhabenheit Review

By Holdeneye on September 9, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 14 comments

“There’s no question that the latest Cytotoxin absolutely destroys. Its powerful and vicious approach touches me right in my technical sweet spot, and as the year goes on, Nuklearth’s bleak, post-apocalyptic world begins to seem more and more familiar as the coronavirus continues its assault upon our very cells. It’s getting easier everyday to believe Freddy’s old maxim, “God is dead.” But what has led to our having to walk alone down the open road of this godless endeavor? The answer escaped me until, during one of my daily swims through the promo sump, I happened upon an empty prescription bottle. “Theotoxin 5mg” the label read, and the patient’s name upon it? “God.” Prescription proscription.

AthanaTheos – Prophetic Era (Or How Yahveh Became the One) Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 9, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 22 comments

““French philosophy” is, in some circles, a punchline. It evokes the image of an edgy atheist, fedora on head, sipping his black espresso (symbolic, of course, of the darkness of his existence – the horror of reflecting on Sartre in a café surely cripples the best of men) and smoking a strange, thin cigarette in perpetuity – pretension personified. AthanaTheos, a French black doom atmospheric dissonant epic death metal band has tried their hand not just at an album but an epos – an epic poem set to music.” Profits of doom.