UK Metal

Ba’al – Ellipsism Review

By Carcharodon on October 28, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Post-Metal, 16 comments

“Post-black and blackened post metal. The same thing, surely? I would argue no. Post-black metal tends to rely on lengthy, brooding atmospheric passages, interspersed with blasts of black metal fury. Blackened post metal, on the other hand, should be towering, mesmerizing riffs with that vicious black metal edge to proceedings. Sheffield, UK’s Ba’al have been knocking around since 2016, putting out EPs in their first year and then in 2019 also, but the absolute shitshow that is 2020 sees this four piece dropping their debut full-length, Ellipsism.” Post-Post.

Memories of Old – The Zeramin Game Review

By Emya on September 20, 2020 in Reviews, 33 comments

“As if the cover of Memories of Old’s debut wasn’t enough of an indicator, this one is for all the fantasy nerds out there. Promo materials for The Zeramin Game identify Memories of Old’s music as symphonic power metal, but if we’re talking specifics, The Zeramin Game is a spirited cross between castle metal and pirate metal. It’s the kind of album I’d expect might be born if Serenity and Alestorm had an inkling for each other — an album concerning equal parts ancient times, legend, and prophecy and equal parts a journey across turbulent seas.” Game-core.

Winterfylleth – The Reckoning Dawn Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on May 11, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 54 comments

“Wtf’s occur in everyday life. I’ve broken a thumb of one hand under the hammer held by the other and exclaimed the same betrayed question. Hell, I’m sure my mother pinched me out and exclaimed those same three words to my father. I sure did whisper it when I heard Winterfylleth’s The Hallowing of Heirdom. An acoustic album was not what I expected. I had hoped, instead, for a strong release to balance out the mediocre The Dark Hereafter. Upon the first spin of The Reckoning Dawn, my mouth hung open once more and I exclaimed, ‘what the fuck.’ But what kind of ‘wtf’ is this? The good kind? Or the bad?” You can’t spell Winterfylleth without WTF.

Grim Ravine – It’s a Long Way Down, to Where You Are Review

By Kenstrosity on April 1, 2020 in 2020, British Metal, Doom Metal, Hostile Media, Reviews, United Kingdom Metal, Doom Metal, 9 comments

“Information on Grim Ravine is minimal, but so is their discography. One EP, one full-length that’s as long as your average doom EP, and this sophomore outing. All firmly entrench themselves in doom defined by waves of blackened froth across a sea of subaqueous riffs.” Trench waterfare.

Deadwood Lake – Immortalised in Death Review

By Emya on August 14, 2019 in 2019, English Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Reviews, UKEM Records, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 15 comments

“Sparkling cool water gently thrums against a piece of driftwood. A tiny squirrel scurries through the underbrush. I sit atop a picnic bench beside the rock strewn shore of Diamond Lake in southern Oregon mulling over how to articulate my heavy thoughts regarding an album by a band with a similar name to the very lake I overlook. When asked how they got their name, melodic atmospheric black metal band Deadwood Lake’s response is simply “we just thought it sounded cool.” It turns out that there is in fact a body of water in northern Wisconsin with the same sinister name as this relatively new yet prolific addition to the UK’s atmoblack scene.” Death at the lake.

Gorilla -Treecreeper Review

By Steel Druhm on June 20, 2019 in 2019, English Metal, Heavy Psych Sounds Records, Reviews, Stoner Metal, Stoner Metal, 29 comments

“The AMG promo sump is stuffed to the rafters with glowing PR spin about how this band redefines genre X and that band takes sub-genre Y into realms hitherto unheard. Most of it is utter crap and as accurate as your average public access channel psychic reading. Not so with the debut full-length by U.K.’s Gorilla however, who describe their sound as “F*ck the safety net heavy rock n’ roll.”” Ape cake for all.

Iron Void – Excalibur Review

By Steel Druhm on October 22, 2018 in 2018, Doom Metal, English Metal, Reviews, Shadow Kingdom Records, Doom Metal, 79 comments

“Few things are more epic than the tale of King Arthur, Merlin, the Knights of the Round Table, and the original sword of poser pokery, Excalibur. Fewer still are as big and bombastic as John Boorman’s mammoth, sweeping retelling of the fairy tale in his 1980 film named after said mega-blade. Since Excalibur happens to be my favorite movie of all time, when I heard English doom mongers Iron Void were doing a conceptual album based on it, my interest was piqued.” Knight fall.

Monument – Hellhound Review

By Steel Druhm on May 22, 2018 in 2018, English Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Rock of Angels Records, Heavy Metal, 39 comments

“When does homage cross over into plagiarism? When does admiration become unhealthy obsession? These are questions one must confront when reviewing Hellhound by U.K. traditional metal fiends, Monument. Sporting several former members of White Wizzard, the band unsurprisingly sets out to showcase their love of 80s metal in ways so shameless and graphic, decorum almost prevents me from discussing them here. Almost.” Hellhounds and copycats.

Esben and the Witch – Older Terrors Review

By Steel Druhm on November 4, 2016 in 2016, English Metal, Gothic Metal, Non-Metal Metal Things, Reviews, Season of Mist, 31 comments

“I’m not alone among the AMG staff in having fallen hard for The Gathering’s career defining Mandylion release back in 95. That platter combined elements of doom and goth rock in a way that had never been done before and created something haunting, sad and achingly beautiful. The band quickly drifted toward more commercial waters, and many (myself included) were left hungering for more of what Mandylion delivered. Perhaps that’s why my ears pricked up when I heard a snippet of the Older Terrors promo from hitherto unknown by me English three-piece, Esben and the Witch.” Oh, Mandy, you came and you found me an Esben….

Rex Shachath – Revocation of the Blood Elect EP Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on December 1, 2015 in 2015, Death Metal, Great Dane Records, Reviews, Death Metal, 8 comments

“I like my death metal like the Swedes like their herrings: putrefied to the point of being potentially hazardous to consumers. Come to think of it, that’s also how the Swedes like their death metal. No wonder I’ve been enjoying the waves of throwback Swedeath that have splashed across my eardrums with remarkable frequency since Bloodbath’s debut re-popularized the Stockholm sound over ten years ago. But even the pungent flavor of semi-rotten fish becomes bland and unsatisfying when consumed in bulk, and so it is with retro death metal.” When is too much really too much?