Season of Mist

Chaostar – Anomima Review

Chaostar – Anomima Review

By Madam X on May 4, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Non-Metal Metal Things, Not Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, 5 comments

“Christos Antoniou is a busy guy, classically trained musician and composer, he’s probably more commonly associated with the likes of Septicflesh. Album after album they’ve brought something huge, dramatic and tasty to the table and if you’re like me you’ve ravenously gobbled up every last scrap and looked around for seconds. Well here they are… what you may or may not know is that Christos has a side-project called Chaostar, born round the time Septicflesh released The Eldest Cosmonaut. While their core sound definitely captures some of what makes Septicflesh great, it’s also enough set apart that it’s an entirely different animal.” Join Madam X as she’s dragged kicking and screaming out of the mosh pit and unceremoniously dumped into the world of baroque style classical music… will she come out unscathed on the other side?

Warbeast – Destroy Review

Warbeast – Destroy Review

By Natalie Zed on April 7, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, American Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 1 comment

“Destroy is the second full-length record for Arlington, Texas-based thrash metal warriors Warbeast. It follows 2010’s promising debut Krush the Enemy, and a split, also released in 2013, with Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals, entitled War of the Gargantuas.” Now they’re back with their second full length, and Natalie Zed is here to tell you whether it’s time to strap yourself into your skull tank or not!

Rotting Christ – Κατά τον Δαίμονον Εαυτού Review

Rotting Christ – Κατά τον Δαίμονον Εαυτού Review

By Madam X on February 27, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Black Metal, Greek Metal, Rating, Releases, Reviews, Season of Mist, Uncategorized, Black Metal, 21 comments

“I’m always enchanted by a band or album that pushes me to think outside the box, compelling me at 2 am to seek out the translation of an old Romanian curse, making me read up on Voodoo and at the same time the i’m knee deep in the teachings of Aleister Crowley – now that’s what metal’s about [Mister Crowley, won’t you write for my blog? – Steel Druhm]! Aleister Crowley wrote ‘Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law’ and I’m pleased Greek icons Rotting Christ decided to use this credo as the basis for their 11th full-length release Κατά τον Δαίμονον Εαυτού (meaning ‘Do what thou wilt’).” Mister Crowley and Madam X are like two peas in a devil pod, so join her as she discusses the new opus from Greek black/death act Rotting Christ and all things sacrilicious.

Dodecahedron – Dodecahedron Review

Dodecahedron – Dodecahedron Review

By Angry Metal Guy on February 4, 2012 in 2012, Black Metal, Dutch Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Avante Garde, Black Metal, 17 comments

“When I was first cutting my teeth as a reviewer over at the long defunct Unchain the Underground, I had the distinct honor of reviewing Blut Aus Nord’s 2003 opus The Work which Transforms God. I recall it distinctly being one of the most difficult reviews I ever had to write. The music the band created was new, extreme, pummeling, challenging and ultimately difficult on a level which few records I’d ever heard before were. It offered up an extremity for which I was not prepared. I could tell, though, that it was a revolutionary record. It was something special; incredibly special… extreme, abstract, brilliant, innovative and done in a way that I was not ready for. I really, really hated it.” Nearly one decade later, what the hell will AMG do with Dodecahedron?

Nothnegal – Decadence Review

Nothnegal – Decadence Review

By Steel Druhm on January 26, 2012 in 2.0, 2012, Death Metal, Maldive Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 3 comments

Sweden this, U.S.A. that. Its always the same countries churning out the metal that lands on the cluttered desk of Steel Druhm. Sure, every now and then a Middle Eastern or Asian act tosses a spiked glove in the ring, but it’s predomiantly Europe and the Americas tasked with carrying the metal standard these days. That’s why its such a treat when we get a promo from someplace new and exotic. Nothnegal clearly qualifies, since they hail from the tiny Maldive Islands, way out in the Indian Ocean (their location is actually listed as an atoll, which counts as mega-exotic). Decadence is their first full length and its all about modern melodic death with loads of keys, bells and whistles. They take the basic melo-death concept and mix in semi-industrial Fear Factory-like riffing, loads of electronic effects, keys and even synthesized guitars. The big mystery is how this remote isle act wrangled drum services from Kevin Talley (Six Feet Under, ex-Hate Eternal, ex-The Black Dahlia Murder) and keys by Marco Sneck (Poisonblack, ex-Kalmah, ex-Charon). Sounds interesting so far, right? Well, it may be interesting, but sadly, it ain’t too good. Despite the endless array of interesting keyboard noodling and effects, things never really work out and Decadence quickly sinks below the waves of mediocrity. This is a real shame, since there are some interesting ideas on hand and some talented folks involved. But, as the saying goes, no band is an island (sorry, island jokes are rough going).