Self Release

Dream Tröll – “I Will Not Die Today” Video Premiere and Second to None Review

By Eldritch Elitist on July 3, 2019 in 2019, English Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 56 comments

“Dream Tröll. It’s a weird-ass pairing of words even in the realm of metal bands, yet one that glides off the tongue, despite every synapse in my brain screaming “That’s not right!” Sonically speaking, Dream Tröll is beholden to convention, but their splicing of genres is handled so ingeniously as to make such an unclassifiable name somehow fitting. It’s easy to draw correlations between traditional metal, power metal, and good ol’ fashioned rock ‘n roll, yet Dream Tröll plays with these tropes in delightfully unexpected ways, resulting in a distinct sound displaced from any defined era of metal music.” Trölling with the oldies.

Snøgg – Chhinnamasta Review

By Master of Muppets on June 18, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Slovenian Metal, 80 comments

“Individuality is everything to me. I neither desire nor strive to be anything other than whatever I feel like being in any given moment, and it creeps the everloving fuck right outta me to witness people forcing themselves to fit into a predetermined role simply because it worked for someone else. Hive-minded fashion trends, movie references in lieu of actual jokes, and viral video memery in general; these are a few of my least favorite things that people often use to fill the voids where their personalities should be. And, as a reviewer, the sonic equivalent — blatantly aping any given artist and avoiding originality altogether — makes me fucking sick.” Felt integrity.

Architects of Aeon – Koloss Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on April 4, 2019 in 2019, Death Metal, Doom Metal, German Metal, Progressive Death, Reviews, Self-released, Doom Metal, 57 comments

“As a metal reviewer, I, every so often, have to describe the music I’m hearing. Using complex vocabulary, a plethora of unnecessary adjectives, and textures as real as your blind uncle’s toilet seat, I force you to feel, hear, and taste the album I’m reviewing. If you think that’s easy, you’re wrong. ‘Tis hard. Thankfully, for all you, I’m the master of my domain.” Touch nothing, hear everything.

Predatoria – Casting Shadows Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on March 26, 2019 in 2019, Belgian Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 65 comments

“Predatoria’s debut EP, Unmarked Graves…Tell No Tales is one of the best death metal EPs I’ve ever heard. It’s crushing and catchy, merging the best aspects of Bolt Thrower and Amon Amarth with a vocal performance that reminds of Chris Barnes on Torture Killer’s Swarm. Given that I’m fond of all those things, the skillful mixture of them into twenty-odd minutes of death metal glory was an offer I couldn’t refuse. Three years later, Predatoria has evolved and diversified their sound a bit.” Warfare evolved.

10:13 – Result of an Iron Age Review

By Dear Hollow on February 14, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, 29 comments

“I think we can all agree that the world is fucked. I was a middle school librarian for a few years and, while the majority of the population consisted of illiterate miscreants, the smarty-pants who could actually read (anything besides the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid) would always go for a dystopian/post-apocalyptic book. From the holy trinity of Hunger Games, Maze Runner, and Divergent to newer and depressing takes on the genre, I’m convinced there’s gotta be something masochistic about indulging in a future whose bleakness rests solely on human shoulders, but every few years a new book or new movie will convince us again that such a future is inevitable without serious change. This brings us to newcomer 10:13, a new instrumental black metal act from the United States, whose sole member is multi-instrumentalist Neil Carter.” In the Age of Iron, they were metal.

Mo’ynoq – Dreaming in a Dead Language Review

By Lokasenna on January 10, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Black Metal, 75 comments

“Mo’ynoq, Uzbekistan is a former fishing capital and trade hub now lain low. Once a place of bounty, the decline and poisoning of the Aral Sea by the agricultural practices of the Soviet Union have left it dying husk, its few remaining inhabitants stricken with cancer and illness even as they scratch out a living from their drying, dusty coastline. It is from this place that North Carolina’s Mo’ynoq borrow their nom de guerre. However, such an evocative (if obscure in the United States of 2019) moniker all but mandates high standards.” Dead seas.

Burial Oath – Subjugation of the Bastard Son Review

By Kenstrosity on December 19, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Black Metal, 68 comments

“As I zip maniacally through these hallowed halls with Cleveland, Ohio’s Burial Oath’s second offering Subjugation of the Bastard Son, I can’t help but feel karma sneaking up on me. Surely, for all of the crimes and indecencies I have committed here, this new shadowy thing I’ve snatched will mark my last acquisition before the Mvppety One obliterates me in a singularity of hate and caliginosity.” Into Crypts of Muppets.

Convulsing – Grievous [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Ferrous Beuller on December 19, 2018 in 2018, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Black Metal, Death Metal, 90 comments

“Convulsing might just command one of the best combinations of atmospheric black and death metal I’ve ever heard. Sloan has a rare ability to fuse dense death metal riffing with a suffocating black metal fluidity. Grievous somehow manages to bludgeon yet persuasively menace in one fell blow.” Death spasms.

Lucis Absentia – Gehenna Gate [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Dr. A.N. Grier on December 10, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Thrash Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 33 comments

“I remember when I was first introduced to Cincinnati’s Lucis Absentia back in 2015. Only that wasn’t the name they went by. When Justin of War Curse first told me about them, they had a single EP under the moniker of Gomorrah. With the name change in 2016, the rumors of a full-length release began to whirl around the dark alleys of the underground. And, now, after three long years, Lucis Absentia’s debut record is here. And you, I, we are going in on Gehenna Gate at ground zero.” Gate creepers.

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

By sentynel on November 28, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, British Metal, Non-Metal Metal Things, Post-Rock, Reviews, Self-released, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Atmospheric Black Metal, Non-metal Metal Things, 66 comments

“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.