I once saw progressive black metallers, Dawn of Ouroboros shortly after their debut, The Art of Morphology was released at one of my favorite Pittsburgh area venues, Black Forge Coffee House. I had reviewed it, enjoyed it, and went to the show thinking it would be sparsely attended. Unfortunately, I was right, but they still put on a […]

US Progressive Black Metallers Amiensus return with their fourth full-length record Reclamation: Part 1. The album gets kicked off with “Blink of the Moment” which right off the bat I am impressed with the production values. The clean vocals of James Benson and Kelsey Roe are outstanding. I dig the bass break played by Todd […]

Unfortunately, I missed the last album, Zerfall, from these guys. So the last taste in my mouth from them was the strange tangent EP, #YOLO, a departure from the band’s epic, cinematic stylings. But from what I gather Zerfall was indeed a return form of prior albums like2 012s Rastlos and 2015s  Mach Dich Frei. […]

In 1994, I was a twenty something working at Best Buy. We had received a copy of the Emperor/Enslaved massive split Hordanes Land and it caught my eye. I had no clue what Black Metal was, had never heard of the genre at all. Of course, Emperor comes first, and those four tracks alone had […]

There are quite a few things I wish I could go back and change about last year. I’m sure most of us feel the same way considering what a shitball year it was, and still continues to be in a lot of ways. Though one of the simplest things I would change would be regulating […]

This is neat. Stone Healer are about to unleash quite the progressive metal record on the world and I don’t know if I was quite ready for it. Listing as influences such bands as Alice in Chains and Ulcerate, this could have turned out to be a masterpiece or a complete mess. Conquistador is the […]

The craziness of 2020 just kept rolling in. Did it not? Hell, everytime I thought I was about to get somewhat caught up in my “real” job and life, another curve ball of some shape or form got thrown my direction, ultimately taking time away from one thing to give to another. Nine times out […]

At this point, Enslaved can do pretty much whatever they want and need no introduction. If you don’t subscribe to that theory, I will fight you. Naked (I do all of my fighting in the nude exclusively). They’re no longer what one would necessarily consider black metal, although they have those influences creep up. At […]

If you didn’t enjoy 2019’s Of Rot and Ruin by Hath, I don’t know what to tell you. Despite the fact that I don’t much care for “Star Wars” and I thought the band was called “Hoth” in an homage, I still gave it a listen. When I realized my mistake, I was glad to […]

Ah, symphonic, female-fronted, progressive metal… WAIT! Where are you going? Come back! Fine. At least pick up your garbage on the way out and shut the damn door! Do you think we live in a barn? Who’s we? I’m by myself living in quarantine. Well, anyway, the joke’s on you because this is not symphonic, […]

Based out of Seattle, Washington, Izthmi are a 5 piece band describing themselves as progressive, atmospheric black metal.  After a pointless 3 minute and slightly irritatingly long intro the ball gets rolling with the 8+ minute “To Traipse Alone”.  I cannot remember when I saw the word traipse in a song.  The name of this […]

A new Enslaved album has become an event for fans of challenging and atmospheric progressive and extreme metal, promising a depth and soulful, honest authenticity that few bands today cannot match. Theirs is a ceaselessly adventurous, bold and fearless persona, and every new album is a journey all its own. With RIITIIR, the 12th studio album in a […]