Svart Records

Rippikoulu – Ulvaja Review

By JF Williams on June 14, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 2 comments

“Two decades ago, a young troupe of bummed-out Finns churned out two primitive death/doom demo tapes, and promptly disappeared following the death of one of their guitar players. Rippikoulu’s latter release, 1993’s primitive doom/death gem Musta seremonia, followed suit with other short-lived doom/death groups from the early 90s by accruing a great deal of kvlt charm cultivated by many years dwelling in obscurity and anonymity.” Back from dead, we get some old timey doom/death right out of Finland.

Vainaja – Kadotetut Review

By Grymm on May 20, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 20 comments

“Finnish folklore tells the tale of a small rabid cult in the 19th century, performing blasphemous actions on followers of old Finnish religions, including ritual sacrifice and burying innocent townsfolk alive. This small cult was discovered, and sentenced to die by fire on the altar in their own mansion, burned alive with most of their scriptures, save for one book which was left miraculously intact. Such is the story of Kadotetut, told by relative newcomers Vainaja. Svart Records labeled this as “one of the heaviest records ever made in the Finnish language,” and I’ll be hard pressed to disagree.” Really heavy shit about creepy Finnish murder cults. That my friends, is metal.

Nightsatan – Nightsatan and the Loops of Doom Review

By Steel Druhm on March 28, 2014 in 2014, Finnish Metal, Not Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, 11 comments

“Well, after reviewing another album by true cult creepers and religious deviants Sabbath Assembly, I thought things couldn’t wander any further into strangeville. Clearly, I was mistaken and to prove it, Nightsatan arrived in my promo bin with their second album, Nightsatan and the Loops of Doom. Why are they so weird you ask, apart from the truly dreadful moniker? Well for starters, this Finnish three-piece records spacy, synth-heavy soundtracks to late 1970s/early 80s, Grade-Z, post-apocalyptic sci-fi movies…that don’t exist. That’s correct, soundtracks to imaginary movies that would have played at your local drive-ins at midnight along with such classics as Galaxy of Terror, Deathrace 2000 and Deathsport (the latter of which features the mother of all cheesy synth soundtracks).” Ready to expand your horizons into strange new worlds? Barbarella awaits!

Things You Might have Missed 2013: Kuolemanlaakso – Musta Aurinko Nousee

By Steel Druhm on December 10, 2013 in 2013, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Svart Records, Things You Might Have Missed 2013, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 3 comments

“Since all my “Things You Might Have Missed” this year came from the doom genre, I thought I’d shake things up with… some doom/death! Yes I know, not a very big shake up, but worthwhile metal is worthwhile. Anywho, Kuolemanlaakso is a Finnish doom/death act with an insanely complicated name, composed of members from Swallow the Sun and Chaosweaver and they rock a rather simple, but very effective style of death/doom that somehow remains accessible.” This is a release Steel Druhm was supposed to review last month, but he was too overworked (he’s essentially an indentured servant with an iPod and a keyboard). Since he liked this quite a bit, he wanted to be sure you didn’t miss it and feel remorse later. You can thank him with beer.

Domovoyd – Oh, Sensibility Review

By JF Williams on October 8, 2013 in 2013, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Svart Records, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 0 comments

“Finland has a dark legacy within the subterranean world of doom metal. Browsing the Encyclopaedia Metallum’s list of Finnish bands reveals the likes of funeral doom pioneers Thergothon and Skepticism, as well as other underground stalwarts of the genre such as Wormphlegm, Shape of Despair and Stabat Mater, to name a few. Indeed, the Finns do not fuck around with their doom – perversion, depression, sadism and Lovecraftian horror is the name of the game. Even the more traditionally oriented Reverend Bizarre was similarly steeped in lyrical and musical despondency alongside their trademark tongue-in-cheek snarkiness. Yet, here we have relative newcomers Domovoyd. Somewhat of an anomaly within the country’s pitch-black doom metal reputation, Domovoyd is a stoner doom group that looks to the likes of Electric Wizard, Sleep and The Sweet Leaf for inspiration.” A new and exciting band and a review of same by a new and exciting writer for AMG. JF Williams is here to discuss doom, stoner rock and all things Sabbath worshipping.

Oranssi Pazuzu – Valonielu Review

By Happy Metal Guy on October 2, 2013 in 20 Buck Spin, 2013, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 2 comments

“Music that takes you places in your mind is a queer phenomenon. How the hell did the mind associate certain patterns of molecular vibrations in the air with such far-flung imagery as the cold depths of interstellar space and impossibly colorful dreamscapes in the first place anyway? To answer my own question because I’m solipsistic like that: unicorns. Also: invisible fairies sitting on your shoulders that are hosing liquid fairy dust into your ears. And oh, don’t forget about those psychic ants chewing and burrowing into your brain’s numerous ridges.” The staff at AMG apologies in advance for the cutesy-tootsy nature of this here review. We’ve tried nothing with Happy Metal Guy and nothing hasn’t worked. Anywho, read all about the unicorns and blackened doom from Finland.

Church of Void – Dead Rising Review

By Steel Druhm on August 19, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Doom Metal, 0 comments

“Church of Void is a young upstart Finnish doom band, but they like to bill themselves as the spearhead of the “new wave of traditional heavy doom metal.” While that might be putting the cart before the dead horse quite a bit for an obscure band, I admire their hyperbole and moxie. Featuring former members of Battlelore and Horna, they play a slightly amorphous style of doom that skips between 70s Sabbath worshipping acts like Orchid and Hour of 13, modern doom like Katatonia and even stoner rock like Monster Magnet.” Can a young band lead the way in a style so old and gnarly? Steel Druhm is also old and gnarly so we asked him.

Victor Griffin’s In-Graved Review

By Steel Druhm on March 22, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Doom Metal, 13 comments

“As a long time fan of American doom pioneers Pentagram, I’ve been an admirer of Victor Griffin’s playing and his bluesy, but street tough style. Sure, he borrowed a lot of his sound from Tony Iommi, but he made it his own by mixing it with the sound of Cream-era Clapton and a touch of Hendrix. When he left Pentagram, their stock dropped precipitously, and when he returned for their Last Rites opus, everything was right in the doom world again. I enjoyed most of the material from his Place of Skulls outing, so when I heard of the new Victor Griffin’s In-Graved project, I expected solid results, which this delivered, along with a few surprises.” Doomy biker rock? Does Steel Druhm need to say more? Well, he will anyway because he’s wordy!

Convulse – Inner Evil EP Review

By Natalie Zed on January 27, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, Death Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Death Metal, 0 comments

Like many tragic biographies of great artists who were not recognized in their time, Finnish death metal pioneers Convulse released only two records during the brief initial run of their career: World Without God in 1991 and Reflections in 1994. In the intervening years, they have become recognized as an important and influential extreme metal force in the country. Now, nearly two decades after their last release, Convulse are finally making music again together.

Sabbath Assembly – Ye Are Gods Review

By Steel Druhm on September 19, 2012 in 2012, 3.0, American Metal, Gothic Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Progressive Metal, 6 comments

Steel Druhm keeps getting the weirdo hippie albums and nobody knows why! Sabbath Assembly is the strangest yet and featured members of Hammers of Misfortune performing eerie, psychedelic church music designed to raise Satan and bring about the apocalypse. And you thought church was boring!