Phrenelith

Venomous Skeleton – Drowning in Circles Review

By Dear Hollow on April 26, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Technical Death Metal, 11 comments

“Having been raised in church, I found my religious experience carried over into my vast expeditions into metal’s colorful multiverse: I find myself reaching more and more for the stuff that incorporates a unique tone of reverence, a sound of standing beneath the colossal or infinite. For bands like Batushka, Ancient Moon, and Behemoth, this liturgical and hieratic atmosphere is proposed through its ritualistic songwriting and uses of common religious musical elements (Gregorian chants, choirs, etc.) contrasting with blasphemy’s twisted dagger in an aural representation of madness. Sonne Adam’s death/doom solo LP Transformation did this for me.” Worship music.

Carnal Tomb – Abhorrent Veneration Review

By Holdeneye on July 26, 2019 in 2019, Death Metal, German Metal, Reviews, Testimony Records, Death Metal, 27 comments

“I’m sitting here watching the sun illuminate the leaves of the many trees in my gigantic new backyard, and I’m finally allowing myself to entertain a glimmer of hope that this all might work out. Ask Mrs. Holdeneye and she will tell you that I can become quite despondent and Eeyore-like when exposed to even mild amounts of stress, so moving twice this year has affected my baseline mood significantly. Perhaps this explains why I’ve been listening to far more death metal during the last few months than is my norm — I’ve been unconsciously trying to vent the frustration that comes from uncertainty and constant change, things I love just about as much as Ron Swanson does.”Stressball deathball.

The EP, Demo, and Oddity Post [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By El Cuervo on January 2, 2019 in 2018, American Metal, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Dutch Metal, Hardcore, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Rock, Reviews, Speed Metal, Swedish Metal, Technical Death Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Ukrainian Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Electronic Metal, Hardcore, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Rock, Speed Metal, Technical Death Metal, 146 comments

“As a younger man I had no concept of the “EP,” nor the “demo,” nor the “split.” When was the last time Iron Maiden had to curb their excesses by squashing ideas into half an hour? When were Judas Priest not able to afford a professional recording studio and production job? And when’s that Metallica/Megadeth split due again? Such formats are reserved for the underdogs of the metal world, those bubbling beneath the surface of popularity who write music for the sheer creative expression and who will never see monetary reward for their time and effort.” Short is sweet.

The Ridiculous Year o’ Death Metal Round-up, Part 2 [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Ferrous Beuller on December 28, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Austrian Metal, British Metal, Canadian Metal, Danish Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Italian Metal, Portuguese Metal, Reviews, Swiss Metal, Symphonic Metal, Technical Death Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, 128 comments

“2018 has been undeniably kind to death metal. So kind that it became impossible to pay the necessary attention to every release worthy of note. So, possessed of tyrannical temperament and iron resolve, Kronos and I have enlisted the help of the staff to cover those bands that went so unjustly overlooked.” – Even MORE death metal we missed!? Wow, we’re bad at this job.

Piqaia – Artifact Review

By Kronos on August 17, 2018 in 2018, Danish Metal, Djent, Prime Collective, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Djent, Progressive Metal, 61 comments

“Over the past few years, Copenhagen’s most gruesome residents have established one of the world’s most fetid death metal breeding grounds, with acts like Phrenelith, Undergang, and Taphos garnering global attention. But with one look at the album art — say nothing of the band photo — you’ll recognize that we’re not going to hear from that ilk today. Instead, Piqia forces us to consider the lighter side of the city’s metal scene.” Pastels and prog.

Gravewards – Ruinous Ensoulment Review

By Kronos on July 31, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Greek Metal, Reviews, Unspeakable Axe Records, Death Metal, 68 comments

“Now if there’s one thing I love more than needless pedantry, it’s death metal, and since this band knocked off the first without playing so much as a note, I’m particularly well-disposed towards Ruinous Ensoulment. But Gravewards hardly need the boost. The Greek trio’s winding riffs and gritty, old-school attitude makes Ruinous Ensoulment an engaging debut and earns them a respectable spot among this year’s bevy of solid underground death metal releases.” Death in Greece.

4 Days of Death: The Maryland Deathfest Diaries

By Mark Z. on June 16, 2018 in 2018, Blog Posts, Live Reviews, 41 comments

“Anyone who’s seen The Wire knows Baltimore can be a rough place, but on Memorial Day weekend every year, things get especially brutal. Hundreds of rabid metal fans from all over the world descend on ‘Charm City’ to participate in Maryland Deathfest, and the result is four days of moshing, headbanging, and partying like it’s 1989.” Death to all.

Grave Upheaval – Untitled Review

By Kronos on April 24, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Nuclear War Now! Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 42 comments

“Much like their country~~men~~ country~~people~~ fellow Austral beings in Portal, the only thing Grave Upheaval cherish more than cavernous production is their own obscurity — though this could be because Portal, Impetuous Ritual, and Grave Upheaval are the cast of a half-dozen or so shadowy musicians. Call them kvlt, call them private; the result is the second Grave Upheaval album once again untitled and once again filled with indecipherable moaning, squealing terrors, and suffocating doom-death.” In a cavern, no one can hear you spelunk.

Grymm’s and Kronos’ Top Ten(ish) of 2017

By Steel Druhm on December 29, 2017 in 2017, Blog Posts, 207 comments

The Lord of Brvtality and the Immortal Mancat have deigned to deliver Top Ten(ish) lists for the masses. Let them eat metal cake.

El Cuervo and Diabolus in Muzaka’s Top Ten(ish) of 2017

By Steel Druhm on December 28, 2017 in 2017, Blog Posts, Lists, 115 comments

“Making a successful and popular Top Ten list involves a series of complex calculations, comprised of, but not limited to the following: a tallying of recorded scores, estimated scene cred, a precise proportion of big and underground bands, a spot for that one record universally praised during the year, and a pathological need to seem like one has not missed anything.” Making a list, checking it thrice.