Swiss Metal

Fall of Leviathan – In Waves Review

Fall of Leviathan – In Waves Review

By Dear Hollow on March 1, 2024 in Reviews, Instrumental Metal, Post-Metal, 23 comments

“As you may guess by its minimalist cover art, Fall of Leviathan takes inspiration from the ocean. Its placid surface, an unassuming miles-wide smile at the sun, and its brutal depth, a guttural roar and a gnashing of magnificent teeth, quietly collide to create a face that looks down upon man as he stands atop it, his hubris an engorgement of sails and a swelling of his chest. When faced with its might, the relentless apathy and his insignificance in the face of mountainous waves and the abyss at our rocky borders, man crumbles – sand castles deserted by distracted children. Fall of Leviathan embodies this dichotomy: sunbathed beauty and sunless brutality.” Deep waters flow DEEP.

Darkspace – Dark Space -II Review

Darkspace – Dark Space -II Review

By Dear Hollow on February 13, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Industrial Metal, 34 comments

“Few acts have been as influential as Darkspace and its storied lexicon, from its cosmic take on atmospheric black metal to Swiss extreme music in general. While unwavering in the kvlt standard, spacious and cold ambiance collide with an unshakeable and vicious groove like the impact of planetary collisions. Their veritable chaos galaxies of Roman numeral monikers are grounded by this lethal sonic balance, each album offering yet another formidable perspective on the unfathomable cosmos.” Space in your face.

Dyssebeia – Garden of Stillborn Idols Review

Dyssebeia – Garden of Stillborn Idols Review

By Carcharodon on November 18, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, 44 comments

“I am highly skeptical about the value of social media. For the most part, if you ask me (which I appreciate no one is but you should – I have OPINIONS!), it simply allows anonymous idiots hiding behind stupid pseudonyms to think that their opinions on anything from politics to music matter. For the most part, I don’t social. However, it was via a post on Zuckerbook (which I reluctantly use on occasion) that I first came to learn of the existence of Swiss blackened progressive death outfit, Dyssebeia, and their forthcoming debut, Garden of Stillborn Idols, which I duly snagged for review.” Farm fresh Idols.

Stortregn – Finitude Review

Stortregn – Finitude Review

By Cherd on October 18, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 76 comments

“Stortregn have always been a meloblack band with a tech death heart, but Finitude is a faster, meaner, and more varied beast than ever. The album is tightly wound and asymmetrical, unlike 2021’s Impermanence which counterbalanced the band’s labyrinthine instrumental prowess with nearly cinematic song structures, giving us sweeping epics like “Ghosts of the Past” and “Grand Nexion Abyss.” Many of the band’s signature aesthetics are still intact.” Tech vs. man.

Félonie – De Sève et de Sang Review

Félonie – De Sève et de Sang Review

By Carcharodon on October 12, 2023 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 5 comments

“De Sève et de Sang (Of Sap and Blood) is the first release by one-man black metal outfit Félonie. However, its progenitor, Marc Bourban, has been on the scene in his native Switzerland for a number of years, notably with Tyrmfar (melodic black metal) and Wizards of Wiznan (sludgy stoner death), handling bass and guitar for the former, and on vocal and guitar duties for the latter. After years playing in other bands, Bourban decided it was time to release something entirely of his own creation and thus was Félonie spawned.” Swiss missive.

Wyrgher – Panspermic Warlords Review

Wyrgher – Panspermic Warlords Review

By Thus Spoke on July 31, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 21 comments

“Panspermia refers to the hypothesis that life exists all throughout the universe, distributed by comets, space dust, or, most controversially, spacecraft. It is this final idea that grounds the concept for Wyrgher’s sophomore album, Panspermic Warlords. An intentional, maliciously-motivated seeding of life by the titular rulers. In weaving their drama, Wyrgher’s brand of cosmic black metal harbors a marked disso-death streak and an uneasy warped atmosphere that wraps everything with an unsettling otherness.” Sowing the seeds of weird.

Vomitheist – NekroFuneral

Vomitheist – NekroFuneral

By Kenstrosity on May 20, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 36 comments

“Initial spins of NekroFuneral reveal a record that is a perfect fit for Transcending Obscurity’s roster, embodying a serrated OSDM character bridging the gap between label mates Goregäng,Crawl, and Feral. The label itself even corroborates such comparisons, adding more established acts like Autopsy and Dismember.” Holy hurls.

Aara – Triade III: Nyx Review

Aara – Triade III: Nyx Review

By Dear Hollow on April 8, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 44 comments

“There’s a lot of pressure going into Triade III: Nyx, after two installments of killer black metal preceding it. I became a believer, a traveler in their gas-lit and cobblestone Victorian world, with second installment of their trilogy, 2022’s Triade II: Hemera. A series established upon the 1820 novel Melmoth the Wanderer by Charles Maturin, it follows the titular Melmoth as his deal with the devil comes to a bitter conclusion: with the death of his lover in the dungeons of the Spanish Inquisition. Doomed to long life, a gift originally too good to be true, Melmoth cannot save himself nor his lover or child. Nyx, like the goddess of night of its namesake, is a more morose, darker, and more devastating beast compared to its predecessors.” Immortal wounds.