Myrkur

Entrail – Eater of Starlight Review

Entrail – Eater of Starlight Review

“When I furtively snatched Entrail’s new album Eater of Starlight from the promo pit, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into. Given that Entrail recently played a show alongside Vouna, whose latest material was recorded entirely at Wolves in the Throne Room’s studio (Owl Lodge), and, like me, resides in the gloom-shrouded Pacific Northwest, I was easily intrigued. Choosing to review her new album was a no-brainer. Looking back, I am convinced that going in blind was the best possible way to be introduced to the one-woman experimental drone project of Christine Anderson.” Morbid entrails.

Murk Rider – Exile of Shadows Review

Murk Rider – Exile of Shadows Review

“Sounds of a crackling campfire permeate the peaceful night air in the opening moments of Murk Rider’s debut full-length Exile of Shadows. Shortly thereafter, gentle acoustic guitar joins the comforting snaps and sputters. But this is no foreshadowing for a sprightly pass-the-mallow-style campfire sing-along. The addition of a creaking rope and unfamiliar bird cries contribute to generating a feeling of unease. The way Murk Rider draws upon sounds of the natural world to conjure a particular aesthetic makes it impossible to not be reminded of the haunting but soothing loon calls and melancholic folk instrumentation that start off Panopticon’s Autumn Eternal and precede a deluge of pummeling black metal.” Murking in the shadows.

Woorms – Slake Review

Woorms – Slake Review

“I normally don’t take the whole “new year, new me” maxim seriously at all. I mean sure, improvements are a good thing, right? But an entire overhaul of oneself is completely unnecessary. That said, my first review of the year isn’t a one-person black metal project. How novel! In fact, said review involves the words “sludge” and “Louisiana,” two words that’ll make me shove other writers here aside like Patsy Stone gunning for her favorite bottle of vodka. Yep, Slake, the debut album from Louisiana power trio Woorms, broke my combo of icy-cold bedroom blackness once and for all, and you would think that I would be a happy camper here.” From black to blues.

Jo Quail – Exsolve [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

Jo Quail – Exsolve [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

“I love the cello. I don’t think there are any other instruments which offer the tonal range and gorgeous timbre a cello can. I also think it’s criminally underused in heavy music. Apocalyptica demonstrate it can sound metal as hell, yet otherwise it’s mostly limited to a few cameo appearances. This brings me to Jo Quail, experimental cellist, loop pedal wizard, and versatile session musician. Her own back catalog is largely a post-rock/modern classical blend, and after a year in which she’s supported acts like Myrkur, Amenra, Boris, and Winterfylleth, their influence clearly shows on her new record. With her sound evolving towards post-metal and atmospheric black metal, her new album is an interesting development.” Cello, my friends.

Ols – Mszarna Review

Ols – Mszarna Review

“Extreme metal purists skip this review now: we’re venturing into the realm of fancy-pants, hairy-fairy dark-ambient neo-folk. Picture this – you’re listening to an album that’s blowing you away. Riff after riff after riff pummels your puny brain and causes you to moan and grin and sway like a bath-salt sniffing metal whore. Then, as the riffs reach their apex, as the album continues to wither your bones into ash, an ambient interlude drags you upside down and twists your expectations inside-out. Now you’re either going to despise this forceful, useless intrusion or revel in its sweet unexpected nectar.” Taste the nectar, contract the nectar rabies.

Spite – Antimoshiach Review

Spite – Antimoshiach Review

“With a new year upon us, I’ve given myself a new challenge as we enter yet another spin around the sun: how long can I go without reviewing a one-person black metal album? Seeing as how that’s all we have in the promo bins every January, the answer is ‘not long at all.’ Mind you, there are some excellent examples of one-person black metal done right, with Ashbringer and Myrkur springing immediately to mind. But for the most part, the genre instills as much joy in me as watching a Don Bluth animated feature with a razor blade to my wrists does.” New year, new basement black metal.

Pristine – Ninja [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

Pristine – Ninja [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

“It might not have been the best year for male vocalists, but the women in metal more than made up for it. Stellar performances from bands as varied as Royal Thunder, Sabbath Assembly, Chelsea Wolfe, Myrkur, and Diablo Swing Orchestra showed us that the women can bring it. But the best performance of the year came from a band whose album flew under our radar back in June, Pristine, and their fourth album, Ninja.” Women to the front!

Wolves in the Throne Room – Thrice Woven Review

Wolves in the Throne Room – Thrice Woven Review

“Whenever I hear a half-decent band describe their upcoming record as ‘experimental,’ I find myself afflicted with a sort of low-level split-personality disorder. Half of me wants to clap them on the back and praise their boldness, while the other 50% wants to give them all a good slap for risking disaster so needlessly.” Claps and slaps for all.