Smiqra – Rɡyaɡ̇dźé! (Review)

Smiqra - Rɡyaɡ̇dźé!This is the debut album by solo Chinese avant-garde extreme metal act Smiqra.

Brought to us by the artist behind the Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites), Smiqra take the more avant-garde aspects of the last Ὁπλίτης release Παραμαινομένη and runs with them. Rgyaɡ̇dźé! is a 42-minute explosion of avant-garde metal that’s dizzying. Continue reading “Smiqra – Rɡyaɡ̇dźé! (Review)”

Still – A Theft (Review)

Still - A TheftStill are a post-black metal band from the UK and this is their second album.

Still boast a fierce, ugly sound that’s equal parts black metal, sludge, and hardcore, resulting in a post-blackened 35-minute burst of punishment that’s damaging, yet moreish. The more Still scar and brutalise you, the more you want more. Continue reading “Still – A Theft (Review)”

Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) – Παραμαινομένη (Review)

Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) - ΠαραμαινομένηThis is the fourth album from Ὁπλίτης, (otherwise known as Hoplites), a solo post-black metal band from China.

So, it was January 2023, and out of nowhere Ὁπλίτης appeared into my life with the devastating Ψευδομένη; a uniquely brutal record that introduced me to the atypical blackened world of this enigmatic entity. This, rather unexpectedly, was quickly followed up by the equally destructive Τρωθησομένη and then Ἀντιτιμωρουμένη. This punishing rate of releases Continue reading “Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) – Παραμαινομένη (Review)”

Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) – Τρωθησομένη (Review)

Ὁπλίτης - ΤρωθησομένηThis is the second album from Ὁπλίτης (otherwise known as Hoplites), a one-man post-black metal band from China.

Well this is unexpected. Having only unleashed the stunning Ψευδομένη on an unsuspecting world in January, we now get the equally unexpected Τρωθησομένη – 38 minutes of tasty new material from the very talented, (and apparently very prolific), artist behind Ὁπλίτης, (as well as Vitriolic Sage). Continue reading “Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) – Τρωθησομένη (Review)”

Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) – Ψευδομένη (Review)

Ὁπλίτης - ΨευδομένηThis is the debut album from Ὁπλίτης (otherwise known as Hoplites), a one-man post-black metal band from China.

Ψευδομένη contains 38 minutes of experimental avant-garde black metal. The artist behind Ὁπλίτης has combined a lot of different styles and influences into this record. Imagine Blut Aus Nord, Jute Gyte, and Deathspell Omega crossed with Frontierer, Converge, and Sectioned, along with a touch of Ephel Duath and Oranssi Pazuzu, and you’ll have a rough idea of what you’ll encounter here. Continue reading “Ὁπλίτης (Hoplites) – Ψευδομένη (Review)”