“Where do you even start with a band like Defect Designer? Part Trollfest, part Diskord—one fewer part now that bassist Eyvind Wærsted Axelsen has moved on since his brief participation on 2022’s blasting EP Neanderthal—and three parts weird, this eclectic Russian-by-way-of-Norway export hasn’t defined one singular sound for itself over the years.” Genre inwasion.
Another year has reached its close and Angry Metal Guy is still standing—both the metal review site and the man. Come inside for reflections and rampant, unbridled listing.
TheKenWord and Carcharodon bring their special sets of skills to Listurnalia and things get…interesting.
![Trollfest – Flamingo Overlord [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]](https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/817314-768x767.jpg)
At its root, Trollfest’s sound combines the “huumpa and the beast” formula popularized by Finntroll with the diverse musical influences and a willingness to expand into whatever style feels fun at the moment from DSO. But unlike aforementioned artsy (and potentially fartsy) Swedes, Trollfest pretty much sings about their collective alcohol problem (like Korpiklaani). And honestly, every time I listen to a new Trollfest album I ask myself the same question: “Why don’t I listen to these guys more?”
“What should be said of the workhorses? The acts that caught your ear once and never let go? Not the kings of the mountain, no, but perennially at least at base camp. Like your dad used to say, the world needs 2.75-rated records too. Svartsot surmounted the folk metal summit but once with their 2007 debut Ravnenes Saga; their three shots at the top since have fallen well shy of that peak. Still, their thick-axed folkery scratches a certain itch, and given the Danes’ obligation to their sound, there’s little chance their fifth album, Kumbl, will be a disaster. There’s also little chance it’ll be a hit.” Ready to Kumbl.
“We’ve all heard heavy metal criticized for taking itself too seriously or, even more common, being so angry! I enjoy music that tackles tough topics like war, death, history and literature as much as the next angry metal guy, but sometimes it’s important to shake things up and take the piss. Behold Trollfest, a Balkan-folk inspired metal band known for their made-up troll language (a combination of German and Norwegian) who are about to drop their eighth full-length album, Norwegian Fairytales, on NoiseArt Records. They’re a metal band at heart, but if these nutcases are ever accused of taking anything too seriously or being too angry, I’ll eat my lederhosen.” Huh, apparently this n00b owns Lederhosen. Now we ALL know!
“My friends ask me what happened, but my ability to verbally communicate has been reduced to moaning and a weeping noise that sounds something like a baby panda crying for milk. I wonder how I’m going to make it through the final day of this floating festival. I wonder when the aching will subside. I wonder where my life went so wrong. How did I end up here, on the 7th annual 70000 Tons of Metal cruise, weak with exhaustion and feeling like my body has been bludgeoned with a sledgehammer? My mind drifts back…” Tales from a 70000 ton heavy thing.
“Russian tech-death machine Defect Designer had an interesting couple of years since their 2009 debut, Wax. Bassist, guitarist & vocalist Dmitry Soukhinin decided to relocate from the Russian city of Novosibirsk to the much-easier-to-pronounce Olso, Norway, taking everything but his band with him. To help round out his recording line-up, Dmitry enlisted members of SepticFlesh, Trollfest, and Cryptopsy to aid in recording what would become the oddly spelled Ageing Accelerator. Now, you would think that having people from the aforementioned bands perform for your record would have the masses salivating for progressive tech-deathy goodness, and in words on a screen, it does look inviting, doesn’t it?” So where’s all the drool?
“I’m finding it tough to grasp the fact that it’s been two years since Los Angeles, CA’s Nekrogoblikon released Stench. While being one of the silliest, over-the-top albums I picked up in 2011, it was packed with just the right level of gore, disembowelment, blood and great folk infused melodic death (as only goblins can deliver) that their dark onslaught just didn’t date! Goblins, hobgoblins and gore, oh my! These are a few of Madam X’s favorite things. Join her as she examines the weirdly melodic death metal of Nekrogolikon.
Madam X feels like 2012 was a weak year in the depressive, suicidal black metal department. This unheralded little disc from So Much for Nothing helped her get through without having to torture small animals and such, for which we are all thankful.
