Shining

Shining – Shining Review

Shining – Shining Review

By GardensTale on September 14, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 35 comments

“Shining have a carefully calibrated reputation as one of the saddest bands in history. A single spin of the renowned V: Halmstad is enough to know that it’s a reputation well earned. Oppressive, dark and full of despair— it’s rightfully considered a seminal depressive suicidal black metal record. The band’s record since then has been spotty, however. Incorporating more acoustics and clean vocals brought variety but did not increase the gut punch the band was known for. Attempts at re-aligning the band’s direction were made and unmade, naming traditions were dropped and picked up again, and the misanthropic flame started to sputter.” The definitive Shining?

Fustilarian – All This Promiscuous Decadence Review

Fustilarian – All This Promiscuous Decadence Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on September 21, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, 48 comments

“While many a reviewer despises grabbing black metal promos stuck in the ’90s, I love it. For nothing else, it gives me an itch for my favorites. Sometimes I won’t even finish the new promo before I abandon it for the road down memory lane. I always start with Darkthrone—sometimes Transylvanian Hunger, other times it’s Hate Them. Then it’s Mayhem’s De Mysterii Dom Sathanas and Wolf’s Lair Abyss. From there, it’s Gorgoroth, Immortal, Funeral Mist, and Horna. Before I know it, the review is past due and the album is already on the shelves.” Lateness and decadence.

Decline of the I – Johannes Review

Decline of the I – Johannes Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 27, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, 28 comments

“Like Mephorash, Decline of the I relies on key atmospheres, orchestration, and beautiful female choirs. The main difference here is that Decline of the I is French. Meaning that you can expect some weird-ass shit on their albums. With a new lineup to support founding member A.K., let’s explore Johannes.” The Decline of Western Civil-I.

Calyces – Impulse to Soar Review

Calyces – Impulse to Soar Review

By Huck N Roll on October 14, 2020 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 20 comments

“Calyces’ mastermind is singer/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter/producer Manthos Stergiou, late of Tardive Dyskinesia. This time around, Stergiou and his bandmates are going for a sound that is heavily influenced by Mastodon, Baroness, and Tool. This has been done to death, so the key to making it work is writing great songs and establishing your own original take on those bands’ sounds.” Impulse to ape.

Saltas – Mors Salis: Opus I Review

Saltas – Mors Salis: Opus I Review

By Dear Hollow on March 16, 2020 in 2020, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Nuclear War Now! Productions, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 10 comments

“In spite of listening to this stuff for the better part of my life now, I still realize how much I don’t know about so many sub-sub-subgenres, such as doom’s vast array. While I delved into the melodic death flavors of Saturnus, Swallow the Sun, and Novembers Doom, I let the cavernous stuff pass me by. It all comes full circle, when Swedish duo Saltas punishes me with a lethal dose of suffocatingly dense doom to whom comparisons are sparse.” Saltas the earth.

Advent Sorrow – Kali Yuga Crown Review

Advent Sorrow – Kali Yuga Crown Review

By Doom_et_Al on October 8, 2019 in 2019, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Werewolf Records, Black Metal, 29 comments

“Modern life is safe. Extreme danger and fear are rare, which makes experiences that mimic them memorable. The genre of depressive/suicidal black metal (DSBM) appears to support this, because not much is more extreme than profound depression and suicide. Yet those of us who listen, do so because it makes us feel better; that dabbling in the pain through music lessens its impact in the real world.” Depression lite.

Mithridatic – Tetanos Mystique Review

Mithridatic – Tetanos Mystique Review

By Grymm on September 10, 2019 in 2019, Death Metal, French Metal, Reviews, Xenokorp Records, Death Metal, 29 comments

“I wish I was born with the ability to remain blissfully ignorant, especially when it comes to the music you and I enjoy. For starters, my output would increase exponentially from not saying “fuck this bullshit” due to bands promoting questionable beliefs this calendar year alone, and I would most likely review an album at face value. Oh, and I would relish in the sheer joy of ignoring the fact sheet that comes packed with about 75% of the music we review. What am I getting at, you may ask? Tetanus Mystique, the second album by French “blackened” death metal merchants Mithridatic, is based on writer Roger Gilbert-LeComte, and his getting high by injecting tetanus into himself. Lovely. Oh, and the album prides itself on being an unflinching look into mental illness and stability.” Bad science.