Van Records

Our Survival Depends on Us – Melting the Ice in the Hearts of Men Review

By Eldritch Elitist on February 24, 2019 in 2019, Austrian Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Van Records, Doom Metal, 54 comments

“I really don’t like to throw around the word “pretentious” in my reviews. Underground music, particularly of the avant-garde persuasion, is a field where I believe that perceived false pretenses are merely the result of a disconnect between the artist and consumer. After all, properly recording an album is an expensive undertaking; with little chance for financial gain, why would a given band have any reason not to wear its heart on its sleeve? While I’ve covered many albums where I’ve felt this sense of disconnect, Melting the Ice in the Hearts of Men is not one of them.” Hot island songs.

Sulphur Aeon – The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on December 17, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, German Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Van Records, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 157 comments

“Every reviewer asks the question of why great bands would put out anticipated records right at the end of the year. I’ve done that too, especially because that was my first reaction to the announcement of Sulphur Aeon’s The Scythe of Cosmic Chaos, the follow-up to Gateway to the Antisphere (also known as “the Best Record ov 2015”).” Tentacle Metal II: The Rebirthening.

Svartidauði – Revelations of the Red Sword Review

By Angry Metal Guy on November 30, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Icelandic Metal, Reviews, Van Records, Black Metal, 115 comments

“Although not the first country that leaps to mind, Iceland is tailor made for a black metal scene. With thirty active volcanoes, a sun that can still shine in the middle of the night, and a winter that lasts almost precisely as long as summer, bands have plenty of inspiration in which to toil and leave their legacy on the sound. The arguable leader of these is Svartidauði, whose debut full length Flesh Cathedral received heaping praise and exposed the Icelandic scene to the world at large.” Of ice, volcanoes, and red swords.

Chapel of Disease – And as We Have Seen the Storm, We Have Embraced the Eye Review

By Akerblogger on November 29, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, German Metal, Reviews, Van Records, Death Metal, 79 comments

“There’s a constant glut of death metal on the market coming in all shapes and sizes. Chapel of Disease’s particular brand of death metal has been well and truly re-branded. Once paying homage to the old school tones of the late 80s and early 90s, Chapel of Disease have now re-painted the death metal machine with tones straight from the 70s.” The Chapel of Retro smells of dead music categories.

Slægt – The Wheel [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Grymm on November 26, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Danish Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Van Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, 50 comments

“When I was a pimply-faced, mullet-headed teenager-cat, I loved watching bands I followed grow and develop their trademark sounds over time and across albums. I did so with equal parts glee and trepidation. On one hand, it’s cool to see bands take their collective influences and morph them into something completely their own. On the other hand, some morphed themselves into a rather comfortable box to grow complacent inside of, settling into a familiar niche that, while successful, doesn’t allow much wiggle room for progression without alienating their fanbase. Case in point: while Denmark’s Slægt.” Evolution is tricky biness.

Paragon Impure – Sade Review

By Lord Doom on November 3, 2018 in 2018, Belgian Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Van Records, Black Metal, 48 comments

“Founding member and driving force Noctiz has only managed one full length release thus far, 2005’s To Gaius! (For the Delivery of Agrippina), with technical and personal setbacks apparently stalling efforts around 2009 to release a follow-up album which was to be titled Fall of Man. That unreleased material has been reworked and incorporated into this—their second full length in thirteen years—Sade. No, not that Sade, the English singer of “Smooth Operator” fame; Sade as in the Marquis de Sade, that cheeky French noble whose sexuality and writings thereof have been an inspiring, deep, rich vein of perversity for metal artists to plunder ad infinitum.” Sade songs say so much.

Škan – Death Crown Review

By Akerblogger on April 12, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Van Records, 18 comments

“Skan is The UK’s largest Optical and Technical Glass Warehouse and Applications Hub. The band Škan is the focus of this review. You’ll have to visit our affiliate site for a review of the UK Glass Warehouse Skan. A caron rides the s of Škan’s mysterious aplomb; similarly Death Crown, the debut album by this multi-national four-piece, is a mysterious and constantly morphing animal that one will find difficult to put one’s finger on.” Tech-glass is the new black.

Dautha – Brethren of the Black Soil Review

By Ferrous Beuller on March 25, 2018 in 2018, Doom Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Van Records, Doom Metal, 35 comments

“”The meaning of life is that it stops.” – Franz Kafka, doom metal luminary. If there’s one genre of our beloved tumult that, above all others, wants nothing more than to ponder death in all of its final implication, it’s, ironically, not death metal. Doom be thy name and death be Dautha’s, a Swedish band plying the same Candlemasstery that incites many a metalhead to rage against the Dying of the Bride.” Doomed to death.

Faal – Desolate Grief Review

By Saunders on February 4, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Dutch Metal, Reviews, Van Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, 23 comments

“While many of my writing colleagues hunker down amid inches of snow and ice, wallowing in gloom, I’m enjoying a haphazard but sporadically scorching Australian summer. The closest I’ve got to such frosty atmospheres recently was on an evening sitting outside where I outrageously had to retrieve a jacket in the middle of fucking summer. As such, my musical appetite generally stays on the lighter side at this time of year, in extreme metal terms that is. However, as it turns out, January, and life circumstances have forced my hand to embrace the darker, doomier realms of metal.” Faal for every season.

Attic – Sanctimonious Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on August 14, 2017 in 2017, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Van Records, Heavy Metal, 73 comments

“Grier walks through swinging double–doors; their rectangular plates and white panels smudged by hundreds of dirty, desperate hands. Along the decades–old, re-waxed checkerboard floors of sun–bleached white and black, the vulnerable Doctor approaches the receptionist’s desk. ‘The doctor is waiting.’ The distinguished Grier makes his way through the buzzer–kept door to the far–end of the faux–marbled hallway. He turns the doorknob to Room 17. Beyond the stuttering fluorescent bulbs overhead, the Doctor finds “Dr.” Landau seated at a walnut–stained desk, just this side of the cherry–red built–ins—bookshelves filled with volumes as convincing as the toupee positioned upon Landau’s head. Grier walks to the glossy, chocolate–brown sofa positioned in the middle of the room. He lies back. Landau looks upon the weathered face and sleep–deprived eyes of the patient. He knows well the sickness the patient suffers.” Physician, heal thyself!