Wolves in the Throne Room

IIVII – Colony Review

IIVII – Colony Review

“Josh Graham is a serial pie fingerer. Aside from his visuals and art work for established names such as Neurosis and Vattnet Viskar, he’s also embarked on a number of music projects including the post-rock Red Sparowes and post-metal A Storm of Light. Now he brings his tight atmospherics and stunning visual design to his new ambient project IIVII and its debut, Colony.” There’s complete anarchy here at AMG headquarters!

Terra – Untitled Review

Terra – Untitled Review

“I loved the Cascadian/post-black metal craze, but let’s be honest: that bubble burst at least two years ago. After the umpteenth Wolves worshipper appeared (Addaura, Alda, Ash Borer – need I move past the ‘A’s?’), the mystique wore off and the music turned predictable.” Spring has sprung, and in case the snow hansn’t cooled your outlook, here’s some black metal to further harsh your mellow.

Ethereal Shroud – They Became the Falling Ash Review

Ethereal Shroud – They Became the Falling Ash Review

“Honestly, I don’t know who is more thankful for the bat-like ears of the AMG senior (I mean this in the kindest way possible) staff; the readers or the reviewers. These old (sorry), metal titans have a knack for finding little-heard-of and underrated promos to be reviewed, and then hunt them down like a pack of blood-thirsty hellhounds.” Kvlt as hell, obscure as fook. Win win.

Kult Ofenzivy – Nauky ruznic Review

Kult Ofenzivy – Nauky ruznic Review

“Black metal has become so diverse that the tag has practically lost all meaning. What does it refer to these days? The post-black style first whisked from Cascadia in 2007 with Wolves in the Throne Room’s seminal Two Hunters? Or the stomach-churning dissonance of Deathspell Omega? Or maybe legacy acts like Mayhem, still trudging on and attempting to rekindle the fires that burned so fiercely in the early 90s?” Black metal has been seriously wounded, but the fire still burns.

Falls of Rauros – Believe in No Coming Shore Review

Falls of Rauros – Believe in No Coming Shore Review

“My first exposure to Falls of Rauros was their sophomore release, The Light That Dwells in the Rotten Wood. Even though it doesn’t wander far from the style established by other great post-black metal bands of the Pacific Northwest, I immediately fell in love with its flow and seamless execution.” Can this lesser known act survive in the shadows of greater companions like Agalloch?

Wolves in the Throne Room – Celestite Review

Wolves in the Throne Room – Celestite Review

“It may be somewhat reasonable to assume a skeptical stance in the face of Wolves in the Throne Room’s decision to embark into purely ambient territories. The Cascadian black metal sibling duo found its niche making hypnotically atmospheric black metal that sprinkled soundscape ambiance with its uniquely life-affirming take on the most unholy of metals, and with disgraced black metal pioneer Varg Vikernes continuing to do his very best to sever the few threads remaining of Burzum’s musical legacy with his excruciating “video game loading screen” music, I don’t think anyone was particularly thrilled at the prospect of the brothers Weaver ditching their black metal signature.” Video game loading music…HA!