Kostnatění is a one-man black metal band from the US and this is his second album.
Containing 40 minutes of unconventional black metal, Úpal is an atypical release that merges different genres and sounds into a blackened whole. A clash of cold, harsh dissonance and vibrant, melodic folk influences from around the globe, Úpal is a record that’s striking and impactful. Continue reading “Kostnatění – Úpal (Review)”
This is the fifth album from Canadian symphonic death metal band Aeternam.
Aeternam play a form of orchestral death metal that takes in Middle Eastern folk influences. If you’re a fan of the type of individual approach that bands such as Arallu, Melechesh, Orphaned Land, Septicflesh, Rudra, and Nile bring to extreme metal, then Aeternam is definitely an album you should check out. Continue reading “Aeternam – Heir of the Rising Sun (Review)”
Akhenaten are a death metal band from the US and this is their fourth album.
Akhenaten play a hybrid style of black and death metal that’s been spiced up with Middle Eastern folk influences. The music brings to mind a cross between aspects of bands such as Nile, Melechesh, Arallu, Orphaned Land, Rudra, Septic Flesh, and the like. In other words, bands that use their extreme metal for more than simple brutality. Continue reading “Akhenaten – The Emerald Tablets of Thoth (Review)”
Nyn are a technical/progressive death metal band and this is their second album.
Normally a solo project, the main-man-behind-the-band has been joined by others on this release, helping to flesh out his sound even further than previously. Continue reading “Nyn – Entropy: (of Chaos and Salt) (Review)”
Divine Element are an international black/death metal band. This is their second album.
This is quite a varied release that essentially boils down to about 40 minutes of epic extreme metal.
The music takes Continue reading “Divine Element – Thaurachs of Borsu (Review)”
This is the fifth album from Demonic Resurrection, a symphonic black/death metal band from India.
First impression – the album art is amazing.
Featuring members of Demonstealer and Albatross, Demonic Resurrection play epic blackened death metal with flair and style, influenced by Hindu mythology in both theme and sound. Continue reading “Demonic Resurrection – Dashavatar (Review)”
Rudra are a blackened extreme metal band from Singapore. This is their eighth album.
Despite being around for a very long time at this point, and despite having first heard of them an almost equally long time ago, this is my first actual encounter with Rudra and their so-called Vedic metal. Continue reading “Rudra – Enemy of Duality (Review)”
This is the debut release of Nekhen, a blackened doom solo project from Italy.
Even though this is the project’s first journey out into the world, the brains behind the outfit is obviously not lacking in ambition. According to the press blurb – ‘The album is intended as Continue reading “Nekhen – Entering the Gate of the Western Horizon (Review)”
Strafk are a Russian black metal band and this is their second EP.
Their début EP, Phaseshifting, was experimental black metal, all dark, menacing guitars and free-form malevolence.
There are two tracks on this new release, with the entire EP lasting under 10 minutes in total, and it has a different feel to it than Phaseshifting.
Up first is a track named Φόβος, and starts off with a sinister Continue reading “Strafk – Entomophobia (Review)”
This is the third album from Mexican Blackened Death Metallers Evilheart.
Essentially evocative Death Metal with a Blackened twist, Evilheart impress with their vision of Extreme Metal on Quinquaginta.
Think of a cross between bands like Behemoth, Morbid Angel, Melechesh, Belphegor and Nile; bands that are at home combining heaviness and mood.
This is full of impressive riffs, leads and solos. The dark melodics and shining leads are richly textured against the harsh rhythms and pounding drums. It’s apparent that thought and practice has gone into this, and it’s an album that’s as precise as it is passionate.
The band work their magic though a mix sheer ferocity and bright melodics, knowing instinctively when to use one and when the other is more suitable. This results in a brutally atmospheric set of songs, allowing the band to choose the best tools for the job, whether that’s churning, seething ambience or straight-to-the-jugular blasting.
Quinquaginta is full of energy, dynamics and choice riffs. The songs are well-composed slabs of well-thought out and proficiently delivered Metal that have a good combination of instant appeal and depth for longevity.
At almost an hour in length this is an album that you can get absorbed in. There’s a lot to enjoy here and the song lengths allow the band to spread their dark wings and disseminate their message on their own terms and in their own time.
If you’re looking for some advanced Death Metal with a brutal atmosphere and professional delivery then Evilheart are here to provide you with what you seek. Very impressive.
Wonderbox Metal 