Aeternam – Heir of the Rising Sun (Review)

Aeternam - Heir of the Rising SunThis 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)”

Kuolemanlaakso – Kuusumu (Review)

Kuolemanlaakso - KuusumuKuolemanlaakso are a Gothic metal band from Finland and this is their third album.

Featuring the singer of Swallow the Sun, Kuusumu contains 47 minutes of polished, professional material. For a starting reference point think of a band like Paradise Lost, and then add in elements of acts such as My Dying Bride, Sentenced, Barren Earth, Amorphis, and Orphaned Land; this will give you a rough idea of where Kuolemanlaakso’s talents lie. Continue reading “Kuolemanlaakso – Kuusumu (Review)”

Akhenaten – The Emerald Tablets of Thoth (Review)

Akhenaten - The Emerald Tablets of ThothAkhenaten 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)”

Gorgon – Elegy (Review)

Gorgon - ElegyGorgon are a symphonic death metal band from France and this is their second album.

Symphonic death metal shouldn’t work, and mostly doesn’t. Elegy is different, however.

Imagine Orphaned Land if they were powered by death metal; this is my simplistic, overall Continue reading “Gorgon – Elegy (Review)”

Orphaned Land – Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs (Review)

Orphaned LandOrphaned Land are a progressive folk metal band from Israel and this is their sixth album.

Orphaned Land play music that’s inspired and influenced by Middle Eastern melodies and ideas. These elements are skilfully woven into the band’s progressive metal in natural, effortless ways, resulting in characterful and Continue reading “Orphaned Land – Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs (Review)”

Impureza – La Caída de Tonatiuh (Review)

ImpurezaThis is the second album from French death metallers Impureza.

Impureza play death metal mixed with Iberian musical influences. This means we get acoustic and flamenco guitars, folk melodies, and Spanish lyrics, all combined with a brutal/technical death metal core. Also featuring some additional guests Continue reading “Impureza – La Caída de Tonatiuh (Review)”

Divine Element – Thaurachs of Borsu (Review)

Divine ElementDivine 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)”

Demonic Resurrection – Dashavatar (Review)

Demonic ResurrectionThis 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 – Enemy of Duality (Review)

RudraRudra 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)”