This is the fourth album from Czech band Panychida, who play black metal.
Panychida’s 2013 release Grief for an Idol was an enjoyable slab of Pagan-influenced black metal, which is why I have been looking forward to their latest release.
Let’s start off with the album artwork; I like a good cover and this is one Continue reading “Panychida – Haereticalia – The Night Battles (Review)”
Uhtcearu are a melodic black metal band from the US. This is their début album.
The production on The Plight of Wanderers is enough to turn blood to pure ice. It’s the perfect kind of recording that allows for that intimate sense of frozen fragility and icy winds to permeate every fibre of your being, while at the same time retaining enough clarity and power to showcase the band in the best darkened light. Also, the bass can be heard. Bonus. Continue reading “Uhtcearu – The Plight of Wanderers (Review)”
Bizarre are a Spanish death metal band and this is their début release.
Featuring members of Onirophagus, Famishgod and Elderdawn, this new band peddle a nice line in old-school death metal that’s dark, foetid and reeks of decay.
The vocals consist of a combination of utterly illegible Continue reading “Bizarre – Inner Necropolis (Review)”
Abisso are a black metal band from Italy and this is their début album.
Abisso specialise in underground atmospheric black metal that has an emphasis on the murk and grime of the underworld, rather than the starry, keyboard enhanced heavens that a lot of atmospheric black metal sets its sights on.
As such, this album contains atmospheric dissonance with Continue reading “Abisso – WRNSS (Review)”
Raging Speedhorn are a sludge metal band from the UK. This is their fifth album.
After their ultimately very enjoyable, but quite different, fourth album Before the Sea Was Built, the band called it a day. After a self-resurrection, the mighty Raging Speedhorn have now returned with their latest release.
Questions abound – what will it sound like? What kind of style have they embraced? Well, the only thing to be done is to press play and find out… Continue reading “Raging Speedhorn – Lost Ritual (Review)”
Quercus are from the Czech Republic and play funeral doom. This is their third album.
Funeral doom! When you want slow, miserable and despondent; accept no substitute.
Growled vocals that sound like something is straining against the seams of reality cry out, pained and desperate, from beneath the heavy, distorted guitars. Winding leads flow around the music’s murky foundations, working alongside a sturdy rhythm section that’s in no hurry to get anywhere. After all, what’s the point? Continue reading “Quercus – Heart with Bread (Review)”
Area are a death metal band from Poland. This is their début release.
This new band have travelled along the 90s death metal route, it seems. At only 18 minutes in length, this is a good calling card for their take on the genre, and showcases their obvious passion for the style.
They’ve even got a bit of the Continue reading “Area – Obsolete Flesh – Part I (Review)”
Fallujah are from the US and this is their third album of progressive death metal.
Fallujah are one of the more interesting and individual bands out there. Their previous album The Flesh Prevails was an exceptional release that really showcased their blend of technical/progressive death metal, with bright melodies and soundscapes created with ease, all wrapped around a modern death metal core.
They have now returned with Continue reading “Fallujah – Dreamless (Review)”
Arallu are a band that have been releasing quality music for almost 20 years, and their fifth album, Geniewar, sees the band losing no momentum or creative power. It’s an engrossing listen, and by rights the band should be at least twice as popular as they actually are. With that in mind, let’s take the time to catch up with Arallu and find out a bit more about what makes this very individual black metal band tick…
Hello from Jerusalem.
Arallu was founded in Jerusalem, in the middle of the conflict between the religions around the old city of Jerusalem in the 90s. When you live as the terror is surrounding you. Want it or not, it inspires you whatever you do. Continue reading “Interview with Arallu”
This is the second album from this Russian death metal band.
Katalepsy have a dynamic and vibrant sound for a band that are, essentially, brutal death metal. They seem to be able to pick energetic riffs with ease and form their compositions around interesting structures and ideas.
This album’s a monster, and crushes like one, too. A clear, crisp Continue reading “Katalepsy – Gravenous Hour (Review)”
