In theory I should love this album. Being a fan of Cruachan, Skyclad, In Extremo and other folkish inspired metal acts, I was looking forward to reviewing Waylander’s second album. Adorned with Celtic knot work and pagan icons and also having song titles like, “Morrigan’s Domain”, and “Balor of the Evil Eye”, you know what […]
In 1989, I brought Agnostic Front’s live Compilation, Live at CBGB’s, based on some review in a British metal magazine.’Being swamped in Iron Maiden, Sabbat and Metallica, I had no idea what New York hardcore was. I was literally blown away ‘ the energy, the unity and the power had me hooked, resulting in me […]
This is my first experience with this band, although it is their fourth full-length release. So much for being gentle the first time. I have not been this blasted into this kind of audio submission since Cryptopsy’s Whisper Supremacy. There have been some impressive releases in to heavier end of the Death metal/grindcore spectrum (Soils […]
It’s almost criminal to have to review this so soon after reviewing labelmates Dagorlad, as they sound very, very similar. Whereas Dagorlad describe themselves as (and I quote), “Melodic, dark evil, epic fantasy black/death metal”, Axamenta merely consign themselves to the far simpler “Melodic, epic, fantasy, horror, black metal” category – You see, two completely […]
Coming from the same label that is responsible for the excellent Deranged, I had high hopes for this Belgium death metal outfit. Needless to say I was suitably impressed, but not exactly blown away. A glance at the cover and song titles give you a glaring indication as to what these five medical misanthropes are […]
Oh dear. It appears that I am going to very unpopular. Why? You ask. Well it seems that I am not going to follow the bleating herd by showering this famed Erik Rutan project with vast amounts of praise. Instead I am going to give my honest opinion of this album, with the hope that […]
You know what my favorite instrument is? The war drum. I love it and have wanted a band to utilize it more since I heard it on Abigor‘s Verwüstung/Invoke the Dark Age album and varying Bal-Sagoth songs. Enter Austria’s Summoning – a war drum lovers dream come true. For those that don’t know, Summoning has […]
I quite enjoyed the trio’s blackened take on some dark, metal twinged with folky/Viking melodies on .. And So The Night Became. Then 1999’s Shadows of Old and 2000’s Burning the Shroud, seemed to wander of into more death metal swamped pastures, and while being enjoyably brutal, I missed the atmospheric flare, that gave them […]
This is one if those really unusual releases that provided me with a serious split personality complex. You see, while I am listening to this debut from this promising and diverse quintet, I am enjoying it completely. Yet, when I am not listening to it, there is nothing about it that makes me crave listening […]
I’m going to get straight to the point, much like this criminally short mini-album from Thy Pain. More Than Suffering is no frills, no musical jargon kick ass American death metal. I just wish it were a longer ass kicking. Here’s what you get in 21 minutes: some very aggressive, pounding yet melodic American death […]
Back in 1994, three bands were leading the savage path of black metal into the mainstream. Emperor released Into the Nightside Eclipse, Cradle of Filth released Principles of Evil Made Flesh, and finally Ancient released Svartalvheim. All three were landmark albums and eventually led to more acclaimed albums and propelled two of the bands to […]
There are two opposing factions when it comes to this British five piece. Either you hate them, and think that their over-the-top theatrical metal is cheesy synth-heavy fodder for basement dwelling D&D fanatics. Or, you love the bombastic barbarian imagery and grandiose epic metal styling, set to fantasy inspired orchestrations. I fall in the latter […]
Upon initial listening of Sombre Romantic I began to think, “Wow, has the End Records finally signed an average band? Will this be the first negative review of a End Records release?” But then dammit all to hell, I became absorbed by this deftly crafted piece of depressive art. Sharing structural and musical similarities to […]