“Iceland’s black metal scene is one of the world’s most singular, with bands like Misþyrming and Zhrine combining some of the dissonance of French bands with the Earthy atmospheres of the Cascadian scene while oddballs Sólstafir fall in with psychedelia and krautrock. Some of the most well-received black metal of the early decade came roaring out of Reykjavík, and with an impressive roster of active bands there’s sure to be more to come. Much like New Zealand, the island nation has gained most of its notoriety in the metal world in the last ten years, but unlike New Zealand, very little of that notoriety has gone to death metal. Kaleikr have a thing or two to say about that.” Death on ice.
Post-Metal
King Apathy – Wounds Review
“As a pledged and proud purveyor of pessimism and particularly powerful pieces ov post-black pain, it’s probably presumed by you plebs that this puppet perceives positivity and pleasure as pointless and pathetic, practically on par with such unpalatable practices as publicly popping pimples or pooping in the pool. Well, be proud, you presumptuous phucks poopyheads: you’re right. Everything sucks and it’s all your fault. It’s hard for a Muppet to make much meaning of mankind’s minute moments of mirth when there’s just so much wrong with the world. I could go on forever about how humans are just the absolute fucking worst, but it wouldn’t sound anywhere near as glorious as King Apathy’s latest sonic assessment of the essential suckiness of our species. So, in the interest of avoiding my transforming into a velvety Lewis Black, let’s rant talk write about that instead.” And this guy thinks the SCORE he’s giving these guys is the thing that’s gonna get him fired…
Downfall of Gaia – Ethic of Radical Finitude Review
“Downfall of Gaia hit me hard in recent years, blowing me away with 2014’s Aeon Unveils the Thrones of Decay and 2016’s Atrophy. Both albums explored the idea of a world in decline with a combination of post-metal and black metal that proudly upheld the torch of the almighty (and sadly defunct) Altar of Plagues. Yet fifth full-length Ethic of Radical Finitude initially made me nervous due to its somewhat pretentious title and the fear that the German quartet had no tricks left in the bag.” Is the downfall upon us?
A Secret Revealed – Sacrifices Review
“I’ve learned that when it comes to the promo sump, metalcore sneaks in the back door. This makes sense. we at AMG like to joke about all things -core, so why explicitly say you’re a metalcore band in your promo? Why not say you play post-metal, and when you’re safe inside the city gates, sneak out of that Trojan horse and stab the shit out of us with your VERY EARNEST SCREAMING and siq breakdowns? And so it is that I find myself reviewing Sacrifices, the second full-length from Germany’s A Secret Revealed.” Core at the door.
Into the Obscure: Rune – The End of Nothing
“We all have our dirty metal secrets that we selfishly keep to ourselves, only sharing with a select few close to us. Or alternatively, we incessantly talk up underground gems and spread the gospel to anyone that will listen, as we cherish our slice of underground cred. Into the Obscure aims to right the wrongs and unearth the artists/albums that for whatever unjust reason didn’t get the exposure or credit they sorely deserved the first time round.” Everything’s Rune(ed).
Sylvaine – Atoms Aligned, Coming Undone Review
“Back in 2016, Katherine Shepard, aka Norwegian/French multi-instrumentalist Sylvaine, dropped an impressive album of beautiful soundscapes in Wistful, taking the groundwork laid down by the likes of Alcest and branching out into greener, more ambient paths. In doing so, Sylvaine provided a soundtrack to some amazing memories, and when word dropped that she was working on a follow-up, to say that some of us were frothing at the bit to give it a listen would be a mild understatement.” Light in the darkness.
Sumac – Love in Shadow Review
“Earlier this year, Sumac collaborated with the Japenese artist Keiji Haino. Haino’s abstract, free-form approach to music heavily influenced Love in Shadow. What you’ll find, when you open this Pandora’s post-metal box, is an hour of music split into four massive slabs. Structures, pre-rehearsed music is stitched together with passages of improvisation, recorded over five days in a single room, and carefully merged by Kurt Ballou. The goal: “Finding comfort in the negative spaces within each track’s borderland.”” Spaced jam.
Potmos Hetoimos – Vox Medusae Review
“The typical pitfall of pseudo-experimental metal bands is their tendency towards buffoonish self-aggrandizement and the accompanying insistence on pompous philosophical themes. Often drawing inspiration from edgy, coincidentally anti-humanistic philosophies and providing a “thinking man’s take” on black metal, they immerse themselves in childish interpretations of nihilism and neoreactionary doctrines. The similarly arty and bombastically theatrical Potmos Hetoimos, the long-standing one-man progressive sludge project of Baltimorean Matt Matheson, is an antipode of such acts.” Humanistic is as humanism does.
The Crotals – Horde Review
“As Angry Metal Guy’s resident post-metal aficionado, I’ve been bombarded with more of the cresting-and-climaxing heavy stuff than a crab-walking man-cat can possibly handle. Epic-length songs featuring more build-ups than a pro-wrestling pay-per-view? Check. Thundering drums? Check. Cascading riffs and bass work that doesn’t teem with melody so much as it just levels you into (and sometimes through) the ground? Check and mate.” Post-Crotal glow.
Kraków – minus Review
“Once again the torch is passed. Madam X, bless her black, soulless heart, has declined the opportunity to talk to us about Kraków, a band whose last two albums she reviewed with wildly different results. So it falls to the Huckster, known for enjoying music just slightly askew, and also known to have a bit of a Neurosis hard-on, to take up the cause here and see if the latest from Bergen, Norway’s morose post-metallers is a success like Amaran, their last album, or disappointing like Diin, their sophomore effort.” Unleash the Kraków.