Wilderun

Burial in the Woods – Church of Dagon Review

By Twelve on June 30, 2019 in 2019, Death Metal, Doom Metal, German Metal, Naturmacht Productions, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 15 comments

“The difference a single instrument can make is incredible. Barring the obvious candidates, like voice and drums, you can change an entire band’s sound with a single addition. Nightwish makes standard power metal until you add in the orchestrations. Wilderun play pretty neat symphonic metal, but throw in a mandolin and see how that changes things. It’s these small flourishes that help many of our favorite bands to win the battle against homogeneity. In the spheres of death-doom, Burial in the Woods seek similar uniqueness with their debut effort, Church of Dagon.” Church is kvlt.

Embrace of Disharmony – De Rervm Natvra Review

By Twelve on June 7, 2019 in 2019, Avante Garde, Italian Metal, My Kingdom Music, Symphonic Metal, Symphonic Metal, 81 comments

“Stagnation is a problem. In this wondrous day and age where music can be shared across the globe at a mere few clicks, you’d think that “too much of the same” in metal would be a laughable concept. Instead, it’s an actual problem. An uncountable number of fledgling bands are being influenced by the same big acts and creating essentially the same sound over and over again. There is nothing more exciting in this musical sphere than a band that breaks the cycle of stagnation, who smashes through stereotypes and clichés both to rise above the rest and revitalize their sad, tired genre. Symphonic metal, I give you Embrace of Disharmony and their sophomore effort: De Rervm Natvra.” Symphonies of slickness.

Belzebubs – Pantheon of the Nightside Gods Review

By GardensTale on April 26, 2019 in 2019, Century Media, Finnish Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 231 comments

“The concept of the virtual band is hardly a novel one anymore. The first was arguably Alvin and the Chipmunks all the way back in 1958, though it was Gorillaz who popularized the concept. Metal has dipped their toes in the idea a few times as well, most notably with Dethklok from Adult Swim’s Metalocalypse cartoon. Yet something just feels different about Belzebubs, a new virtual band formed around the webcomic of the same name by Finnish author JP Ahonen. The comic is high quality in and of itself, mixing black metal tropes, an Adams Family theme of a dark and weird yet loving family, and a Calvin & Hobbes sense of adorable bubbly slapstick. But comics and music are extremely different media. How serious can we take an actual album by the bumbling ink-drawn band?” Anime to the Nightside Eclipse.

Sacrificed Alliance – Withdrawn Review

By Dr. Wvrm on August 7, 2018 in 2018, Canadian Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Melodic Death Metal, 124 comments

“Look past the front pages, beyond the newest Kalmah or Omnium Gatherum, but to the fringes. What do you see? Melodeath, by inch and by foot, grows longer by the year. This lengthwise legacy has nascent foundations as far back as Crimson before acts like Insomnium and Be’lakor (for better) and Wintersun (or worse) exposed that phenomenon to the masses. The most impressive returns rely not on track listings overstuffed with a dozen taut melobangers but long-form songs pushing the boundaries of melodeath’s expectation. Sacrificed Alliance assume this mantle.” Melodeath and the universe are ever expanding.

Kanseíl – Fulìsche Review

By Lokasenna on June 3, 2018 in 2018, Folk Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Rockshots Records, Folk Metal, 42 comments

“It is hardly controversial to describe the Italian metal scene as ‘bombastic,’ or even ‘cheesy.’ Hell, it’s the go-to for basically everyone in the Anglosphere, even when talking about brutally heavy acts like Hour of Penance. So imagine my surprise when I turn over a rock and find an Italian act that defies those expectations!” Cheese famine.

Æther Realm – Tarot [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

By Dr. Wvrm on December 10, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Primitive Ways Records, Reviews, Things You MIght Have Missed 2017, Melodic Death Metal, 72 comments

“Why do I do this? I am not paid to write here; I wouldn’t mind but I never set out to cash in on my inconsistent drivel at 700 words a pop. Love of the gig, the craft, the community all register and indeed carry me when nothing flows and everything comes out like shit, but that did not impel me to sign up. Having something to say reads more like a line on a CV than a raison d’etre, but maybe. Tarot make me think so. I can count on one hand the number of records that so immediately and viscerally impacted me as Æther Realm’s second effort. Rectifying its absence here might just be why Jørn put me on this planet.” Jorn to review.

Contrite Metal Guy – Mistakes Were Made

By El Cuervo on August 10, 2017 in 2017, Blog Posts, Contrite Metal Guy, 154 comments

“The life of the unpaid, overworked metal reviewer is not an easy one. Cascading promos, unreasonable deadlines, draconian editors and the unwashed metal mobs – it makes for a swirling maelstrom of music and madness. In all that tumult, errors are bound to happen and sometimes our initial impression of an album may not be completely accurate. With time and distance comes wisdom, and so we’ve decided to pull back the confessional curtain and reveal our biggest blunders, missteps, oversights and ratings face-plants. Consider this our sincere AMGea culpa. Redemption is retroactive, forgiveness is mandatory.” El Cuervo has something he needs to get off his chest.

Lör – In Forgotten Sleep Review

By Eldritch Elitist on August 9, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Folk Metal, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, 104 comments

“Maybe it was the strange appearance of an unsigned progressive power metal band from Philadelphia of all places (or maybe it was Lör’s use of the most sacred of all metal naming conventions, the umlaut) that drew me to it, but I instantly reserved In Forgotten Sleep when it popped up in our promo queue. A totally unjustifiable anticipation grew in the back of my mind in the weeks leading up to my acquisition of the album.” Hope in the promo sump.

Aeternam – Ruins of Empires Review

By GardensTale on February 25, 2017 in 2017, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Uncategorized, Symphonic Metal, 67 comments

“Us no-wage slaves ceaselessly cranking the almighty Angry Metal Guy Patented Review Mill (patent pending) usually have the choice between handing a review in at least 12 days before release or receiving 50 lashes and a metalcore promo. But now and then, the brutal roar of Steel Druhm’s voice comes through the trap door above, barking orders to review a promo that has already been released but is so good it still requires a write-up, lest the unwashed masses find themselves missing out. Such was the case with Aeternam’s latest opus, Ruins of Empires.” Sand, Steel and slave labor.

Undrask – Battle Through Time Review

By Dr. Wvrm on January 20, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Melodic Death Metal, 43 comments

“With a basic internet connection offering an up-to-the-minute cornucopia of quality metal releases, snap judgments have become an unfortunate way of life. On my first listen, Undrask came off as middling melodeath in the vain of acts emulating Clayman—In Flames and peak Children of Bodom. Packaged in a blue-and-orange visage that could leave Michael Bay weak in the knees, debut Battle Through Time initially left me stifling a yawn. Sorry, better luck next time. NEXT!” A funny thing happened on the way to the review.