After recently discovering the Norwegian black metal band Sworn, and thoroughly enjoying their latest record A Journey Told Through Fire, I felt compelled to do a deep dive through their discography. I decided to document this as part of a new named feature on the site. I’m not sure how often I’ll get to do these, but when I can, I will, and I can already think of a few bands I’d love to thoroughly explore in this way. Before then though, we have Sworn. They have three albums other than their latest, and I’m going to concentrate just on these, (they also have a demo, an EP, and some singles to their name). Let’s dig in. Continue reading “Artist Deep Dive: Sworn (Review)”
Tag: Metal
Grand Cadaver – Deities of Deathlike Sleep (Review)
Grand Cadaver are a death metal band from Sweden and this is their second album.
Featuring current and ex-members of Dark Tranquillity, Katatonia, The Halo Effect, and Tiamat, Deities of Deathlike Sleep is the 35-minute follow up to 2021’s Into the Maw of Death. Continue reading “Grand Cadaver – Deities of Deathlike Sleep (Review)”
Garoted – Bewitchment of the Dark Ages (Review)
Garoted are a death metal band from the US and this is their fourth album.
A crushing display of death metal prowess, Bewitchment of the Dark Ages is a blisteringly aggressive 36-minute slab of dark extremity. Garoted can certainly play, and they wield their instruments like weapons as they pursue they ferocious goals. Continue reading “Garoted – Bewitchment of the Dark Ages (Review)”
The Gorge – Mechanical Fiction (Review)
This is the third album from US progressive metallers The Gorge.
Mechanical Fiction contains 45 minutes of modern, heavy music. The Gorge are an interesting band, in that they are ostensibly a band you’d give the tags of progressive metal and technical metal too, but they also incorporate avant-garde and jazz elements into their style, as well as having an underpinning hardcore/sludge influence that’s formative. Continue reading “The Gorge – Mechanical Fiction (Review)”
Decompression – Love Is the Beauty of the Soul (Review)
This is the debut album from one-woman black/doom band Decompression from the US.
Decompression is a 53-minute collection of original compositions, (five), and cover songs, (three, including one from Forgotten Tomb). Stylistically, black/doom doesn’t really do it full justice, but it’s a loose descriptor that’s suitable enough. Continue reading “Decompression – Love Is the Beauty of the Soul (Review)”
Pyrkagion – The Katechon and the Unending Fire (Review)
This is the debut EP from US black metal band Pyrkagion.
The Katechon and the Unending Fire is a 26-minute EP consisting of two tracks. Brought to us by members of Bell Witch, Human Effluence, and Hissing, Pyrkagion deliver a strong lesson in modern black metal. Continue reading “Pyrkagion – The Katechon and the Unending Fire (Review)”
Spirit Adrift – Ghost at the Gallows (Review)
This is the fifth album from the US heavy metal band Spirit Adrift.
I’ve always enjoyed what Spirit Adrift offer, (check out Chained to Oblivion, Curse of Conception, Divided by Darkness, and Enlightened in Eternity), so new album Ghost at the Gallows is most welcome. Continue reading “Spirit Adrift – Ghost at the Gallows (Review)”
The Circle – Of Awakening (Review)
The Circle are a German black metal band and this is their second album.
Of Awakening is a 33-minute black metal album of sorts that incorporates elements of doom, ambient, symphonic, and post-black metal. While black metal is the obvious tag for this, and it’s superficially the correct one, it doesn’t tell the whole story of Continue reading “The Circle – Of Awakening (Review)”
Horrendous – Ontological Mysterium (Review)
This is the fifth album from US death metallers Horrendous.
Horrendous’ trajectory through their last three albums – 2014’s Ecdysis, 2015’s Anareta, and 2018’s Idol – has been an enjoyable one to experience, but it’s been a while since we’ve heard from them. As such, it’s great to finally have Ontological Mysterium, which contains 38 minutes of new material. Continue reading “Horrendous – Ontological Mysterium (Review)”
Orbit Culture – Descent (Review)
This is the fourth album from Swedish metallers Orbit Culture.
Both 2020’s Nija and 2021’s Shaman made very good impressions, and now Orbit Culture are back with another 49 minutes of new material in the form of Descent. Continue reading “Orbit Culture – Descent (Review)”
Wonderbox Metal 