Ulver

Obsidian Kingdom – A Year with No Summer Review

By Kronos on March 4, 2016 in 2016, Progressive Rock, Releases, Reviews, Season of Mist, Spanish Metal, Progressive Rock, 15 comments

“Catalonian prog-rock quintet Obsidian Kingdom caught my ear with Mantiis, an ambitious and cinematic debut that I’ve come back to often since its 2012 release. The album bordered many genres, but its kaleidoscopic diversity was more than a gimmick; Mantiis felt like a truly complete experience, complete with groovy death riffs, Floydian ambience, acidic snarls, and heartfelt synth-piano ballads. As the band like to say, it’s “hard-to-classify,” and just when I got my hopes up for more of the same, A Year with No Summer comes along to cleverly sidestep them.” The summer wind came blowing in from across Catalonia.

Spektr – The Art to Disappear Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on January 27, 2016 in 2016, Agonia Records, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, French Metal, Industrial Metal, Reviews, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, Industrial Metal, 27 comments

“I first came across the nightmarish raptures of Spektr in 2006 with Near Death Experience. That album was perhaps the most unsettling record in my music collection at the time, and served to worsen my already-horrific insomnia. Since then I’ve been captivated by every one of Spektr’s disturbing soundtracks.” To sleep, perchance to scream?

Grymm’s Top Ten(ish) of 2015

By Grymm on December 22, 2015 in 2015, Blog Posts, 39 comments

“2015 has not been the best of years for yours truly, with car accidents, challenges, setbacks, and death upon death upon even more death dropped into my unwilling lap. I was ready to rain supernova-warm hellfire upon this calendar year, but thankfully, a much-needed vacation with friends just this past week helped to deaden the pain of all this negativity the year had brought upon me. Musically, it’s been quite positive and productive. October alone was a monster of a month for metal, as you can see by my list. So despite all the negative garbage, at least the soundtrack was incredible.”

Helheim – raunijaR Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on December 6, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Viking Metal, Black Metal, Viking Metal, 14 comments

“I feel quite confident when I say that Helheim might be one of the most underrated Viking metal outfits on the planet. There weren’t too many Norwegian black-metal bands in the mid ’90s pushing the Viking sound as hard as these guys.” Hel, hel to Norway!

Sunn O))) – Kannon Review

By Roquentin on December 4, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Doom Metal, Drone, Reviews, Southern Lord, Doom Metal, Drone, Experimental Metal, 61 comments

“The music of American drone metal duo Sunn O))), even though structurally simplistic, is anything but easy to consume. The richness of their sound still pours through layered subtleties that require attentive listening lest they be drowned out by the incisively crumbling riffs.” It’s all about that riff, that riff, that riff.

Cold Northern Vengeance – Maelstrom Review

By El Cuervo on November 9, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Black Metal, Moribund Records, Reviews, Viking Metal, Black Metal, Viking Metal, 17 comments

“When I think of blackened Viking metal with influences from prominent Satan-centric places on this great Earth – such as Norway and France – I don’t necessarily think of New Hampshire. I’m no expert in American history so maybe there were bountiful Viking raids on picturesque seaside towns like Seabrook, but I can’t be sure about that. Nonetheless, Cold Northern Vengeance comes bearing gifts of such blackened Viking metal from their cheerful home town in the form of Maelstrom.” Vikings ruined my leaf peeping weekend.

Nechochwen – Heart of Akamon Review

By Steel Druhm on September 12, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Bindrune Recordings, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 84 comments

“I’ll freely admit to having thrown up my hands and walked away from the majority of black metal over the past five years. Whatever drew me to the style in its infancy with Bathory and onward through Emperor and Darkthrone has all but died. I’ll still pay attention to releases by the big names, but for the most part I’ve given up the ghost. One of the rare bands that still holds a special place in my nonblack heart is West Virginia’s quirky and obscure Nechochwen.” It’s time to get your ass into the Spirit World!

Kaiserreich – Cuore Nero Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on September 10, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, De Tenebrarum Principio, Italian Metal, Post-metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Post-Metal, 23 comments

“Black metal seems to, borrowing an excellent phrase from Erving Goffman, have been “permanently Wittgensteined” into meaning anything with screeching vocals, tremolo melodies, and blast beats that sounds a little chilly. The indie-black-gaze of Deafheaven, whatever Liturgy is, the poppy trappings of Alcest-core, and a lot of other nonsense seem to land under the umbrella that some of the best releases of the 90s and arguably metal in general built.” Join Diabolus as he tries to prove that black metal is rich and diverse.

Myrkur – M Review

By Saunders on August 18, 2015 in Black Metal, Danish Metal, Folk Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Post-Metal, 66 comments

“Danish one woman black metal project Myrkur burst onto the scene in a shroud of mystery with her debut self-titled EP last year. When her identity was revealed to be New York based artist Amalie Bruun of indie-pop duo Ex-Cops, the fickle factions of the wider metal community were seemingly more concerned about her apparently dubious metal cred than the frigid blast of old school Norwegian black metal, post-metal atmospherics and melancholic folk the EP delivered.” Damn those fickle factions to Hell!

Vardan – Winter Woods Review

By Madam X on June 16, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Italian Metal, Moribund Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 65 comments

“There’s such a thing as too much of a good thing. Imagine if Agalloch had released Pale Folklore, The Mantle and Ashes Against the Grain over a four-month period. These are all great albums and given time, you can appreciate every glorious nuance that makes them the timeless beauties they are. But over such a condensed period, crammed together, each vying for your attention, you appreciate absolutely nothing and eventually they gather dust. This is the problem that plagues the “busiest man in black metal.”” Enjoy of deep catalog.