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#darkfuneral — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #darkfuneral, aggregated by home.social.

  1. Dark Funeral have announced their new live album, A Beast To Praise.

    The band has also shared the live video for "The Arrival Of Satan's Empire," captured during their 2022 performance at Fållan in Stockholm.

    Details: metalinsider.net/video/dark-fu

    #DarkFuneral #BlackMetal #CenturyMedia #WeAreTheApocalypse #LiveAlbum

  2. Dark Funeral have announced their new live album, A Beast To Praise.

    The band has also shared the live video for "The Arrival Of Satan's Empire," captured during their 2022 performance at Fållan in Stockholm.

    Details: metalinsider.net/video/dark-fu

    #DarkFuneral #BlackMetal #CenturyMedia #WeAreTheApocalypse #LiveAlbum

  3. Sicarius – Nex Review By Tyme

    Sicarius hit the ground raging in 2017 when the Californian black metal upstarts released their scathingly vicious debut album, Serenade of Slitting Throats, which captured the metal heart of AMG’s Diabolus in Muzaka, earning a coveted 4.0. Sicarius’s sophomore effort, 2020’s God of Dead Roots, didn’t fare as well; the band, adjusting to the departure of founding guitarist Argyris, ultimately turned in a less visceral, more workmanlike product. Then, when original drummer Brandon Zackay left to focus on his career in Whitechapel, and the other members exited, both voluntarily and not, Sicarius ostensibly died, leaving God of Dead Roots an unanticipated swan song. Fast forward to 2024, when Argyris reunited with original bassist Carnage and joined forces with new vocalist Akéfalos and session drummer Levi Xvl to begin recording a third album, Nex, which, after six long years, has arrived to reintroduce this risen phoenix iteration of Sicarius to the masses.

    Sicarius the resurrected doesn’t sound much different than Sicarius the dead. Nex adheres to the same modern black metal formula as its predecessors, maintaining channels of influence drawn from Dissection, Dark Funeral, Urgehal, and, despite Mick Kenney’s departure from the booth, Anaal Nathrakh. In keeping with their monikers’ Latin translation, Sicarius brings an assassin’s cache of weaponry to bear. Argyris sounds rejuvenated and lethal, his armory of blistering riffage (“Cold Death,” “No Witnesses”), chaotically tremolodic leads (“Nex”), and nifty solo work (“Crashing Into the Abyss”) on full display.1 Newcomer Akéfalos adds a layer of frigidity to Nex’s surgical, cold-steel across a warm-throat sound, his icy, high-pitched screeches a mix of Abbath and Hat from early Gorgoroth, while his low-bellied growls are reminiscent of Rotting Christ. Nex has the sound of a band pissed, Sicarius attempting to bury the remnants of what was for something altogether more destructive.

    Nex by Sicarius

    There’s no doubt Sicarius is exceptionally capable of speed, but for my money, I connected most with Nex’s melodies and mixed paces. Beginning with a brooding, tremoloed guitar melody, “Opened Obsidian Gateways” uses Sargeistian levels of repetition to drive its earwormy chord progressions home, a variation employed during the verses and identically replicated during the bridge before sliding into a nice, mid-song chug section and then back again. Simple yet effective, the song’s a highlight as I found myself humming the melody randomly throughout the day. Also noteworthy are the slow-moving melodic chords of “Banshee,” which gave off Dissection vibes, and the mid-paced marcher “The Hunger We Cannot Sate,” as it gallops along in true Watain fashion, instigating black-n-roll levels of head bobbery over its 5:24 runtime. There’s a lot of musical nuance woven into the details of Nex; my many play-throughs tell me as much, which makes it all the more disappointing that it’s so hard to hear them.


    “With a (t)reble yell she cried, NO more, more, more.” I’ve taken some slight liberties with Mr. Idol’s classic lyric to illustrate Nex’s most glaring flaw: a thin, imbalanced mix. Nex sounds much louder than its DR score might suggest. Serenade of Slitting Throats, for instance, with a DR lower than Nex’s, sounds light years warmer because Kenney was able to give Serenade’s lower tones some weight. Nex is nearly devoid of low end, completely negating anything Carnage is doing on bass and robbing much of Levi Xvl’s bass drum work of power, making for an extremely exhausting experience. I had to break my focused listening sessions up, in fact, because trying to listen through all 44:10 of Nex’s runtime left me so audially spent that I was reaching for aspirin. Whether this was a deliberate choice, I don’t know. It sure lends Sicarius an icier-than-thou edge, as much black metal of this ilk is known for, but it really robbed a large portion of my enjoyment, which sucks because, in bite-sized pieces, Nex is actually a pretty decent album.

    Sicarius has returned with a vengeance and a we’re-not-fucking-around attitude, as evidenced in no small part by that brutally distinctive cover art. Alongside other bands like Impious Throne, Unholy Altar and Wuldorgast, Sicarius is bringing a sense of menace back to the US black metal scene. Nex is an album worth spinning, despite being hampered by a production that makes it too tiring to listen to in a single sitting, which left me to score it thusly. Still, I’ll be keeping my eyes and ears peeled for the next outing.

    Rating: 2.5/5.0
    DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
    Label: Adirondack Black Mass | Bandcamp (album)
    Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
    Releases Worldwide: April 10th, 2026

    #25 #2026 #AdirondackBlackMass #AmericanMetal #AnaalNathrakh #Apr26 #BlackMetal #DarkFuneral #Dissection #Nex #Review #Sicarius #Urgehal
  4. Sicarius – Nex Review By Tyme

    Sicarius hit the ground raging in 2017 when the Californian black metal upstarts released their scathingly vicious debut album, Serenade of Slitting Throats, which captured the metal heart of AMG’s Diabolus in Muzaka, earning a coveted 4.0. Sicarius’s sophomore effort, 2020’s God of Dead Roots, didn’t fare as well; the band, adjusting to the departure of founding guitarist Argyris, ultimately turned in a less visceral, more workmanlike product. Then, when original drummer Brandon Zackay left to focus on his career in Whitechapel, and the other members exited, both voluntarily and not, Sicarius ostensibly died, leaving God of Dead Roots an unanticipated swan song. Fast forward to 2024, when Argyris reunited with original bassist Carnage and joined forces with new vocalist Akéfalos and session drummer Levi Xvl to begin recording a third album, Nex, which, after six long years, has arrived to reintroduce this risen phoenix iteration of Sicarius to the masses.

    Sicarius the resurrected doesn’t sound much different than Sicarius the dead. Nex adheres to the same modern black metal formula as its predecessors, maintaining channels of influence drawn from Dissection, Dark Funeral, Urgehal, and, despite Mick Kenney’s departure from the booth, Anaal Nathrakh. In keeping with their monikers’ Latin translation, Sicarius brings an assassin’s cache of weaponry to bear. Argyris sounds rejuvenated and lethal, his armory of blistering riffage (“Cold Death,” “No Witnesses”), chaotically tremolodic leads (“Nex”), and nifty solo work (“Crashing Into the Abyss”) on full display.1 Newcomer Akéfalos adds a layer of frigidity to Nex’s surgical, cold-steel across a warm-throat sound, his icy, high-pitched screeches a mix of Abbath and Hat from early Gorgoroth, while his low-bellied growls are reminiscent of Rotting Christ. Nex has the sound of a band pissed, Sicarius attempting to bury the remnants of what was for something altogether more destructive.

    Nex by Sicarius

    There’s no doubt Sicarius is exceptionally capable of speed, but for my money, I connected most with Nex’s melodies and mixed paces. Beginning with a brooding, tremoloed guitar melody, “Opened Obsidian Gateways” uses Sargeistian levels of repetition to drive its earwormy chord progressions home, a variation employed during the verses and identically replicated during the bridge before sliding into a nice, mid-song chug section and then back again. Simple yet effective, the song’s a highlight as I found myself humming the melody randomly throughout the day. Also noteworthy are the slow-moving melodic chords of “Banshee,” which gave off Dissection vibes, and the mid-paced marcher “The Hunger We Cannot Sate,” as it gallops along in true Watain fashion, instigating black-n-roll levels of head bobbery over its 5:24 runtime. There’s a lot of musical nuance woven into the details of Nex; my many play-throughs tell me as much, which makes it all the more disappointing that it’s so hard to hear them.


    “With a (t)reble yell she cried, NO more, more, more.” I’ve taken some slight liberties with Mr. Idol’s classic lyric to illustrate Nex’s most glaring flaw: a thin, imbalanced mix. Nex sounds much louder than its DR score might suggest. Serenade of Slitting Throats, for instance, with a DR lower than Nex’s, sounds light years warmer because Kenney was able to give Serenade’s lower tones some weight. Nex is nearly devoid of low end, completely negating anything Carnage is doing on bass and robbing much of Levi Xvl’s bass drum work of power, making for an extremely exhausting experience. I had to break my focused listening sessions up, in fact, because trying to listen through all 44:10 of Nex’s runtime left me so audially spent that I was reaching for aspirin. Whether this was a deliberate choice, I don’t know. It sure lends Sicarius an icier-than-thou edge, as much black metal of this ilk is known for, but it really robbed a large portion of my enjoyment, which sucks because, in bite-sized pieces, Nex is actually a pretty decent album.

    Sicarius has returned with a vengeance and a we’re-not-fucking-around attitude, as evidenced in no small part by that brutally distinctive cover art. Alongside other bands like Impious Throne, Unholy Altar and Wuldorgast, Sicarius is bringing a sense of menace back to the US black metal scene. Nex is an album worth spinning, despite being hampered by a production that makes it too tiring to listen to in a single sitting, which left me to score it thusly. Still, I’ll be keeping my eyes and ears peeled for the next outing.

    Rating: 2.5/5.0
    DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
    Label: Adirondack Black Mass | Bandcamp (album)
    Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
    Releases Worldwide: April 10th, 2026

    #25 #2026 #AdirondackBlackMass #AmericanMetal #AnaalNathrakh #Apr26 #BlackMetal #DarkFuneral #Dissection #Nex #Review #Sicarius #Urgehal
  5. Sicarius – Nex Review By Tyme

    Sicarius hit the ground raging in 2017 when the Californian black metal upstarts released their scathingly vicious debut album, Serenade of Slitting Throats, which captured the metal heart of AMG’s Diabolus in Muzaka, earning a coveted 4.0. Sicarius’s sophomore effort, 2020’s God of Dead Roots, didn’t fare as well; the band, adjusting to the departure of founding guitarist Argyris, ultimately turned in a less visceral, more workmanlike product. Then, when original drummer Brandon Zackay left to focus on his career in Whitechapel, and the other members exited, both voluntarily and not, Sicarius ostensibly died, leaving God of Dead Roots an unanticipated swan song. Fast forward to 2024, when Argyris reunited with original bassist Carnage and joined forces with new vocalist Akéfalos and session drummer Levi Xvl to begin recording a third album, Nex, which, after six long years, has arrived to reintroduce this risen phoenix iteration of Sicarius to the masses.

    Sicarius the resurrected doesn’t sound much different than Sicarius the dead. Nex adheres to the same modern black metal formula as its predecessors, maintaining channels of influence drawn from Dissection, Dark Funeral, Urgehal, and, despite Mick Kenney’s departure from the booth, Anaal Nathrakh. In keeping with their monikers’ Latin translation, Sicarius brings an assassin’s cache of weaponry to bear. Argyris sounds rejuvenated and lethal, his armory of blistering riffage (“Cold Death,” “No Witnesses”), chaotically tremolodic leads (“Nex”), and nifty solo work (“Crashing Into the Abyss”) on full display.1 Newcomer Akéfalos adds a layer of frigidity to Nex’s surgical, cold-steel across a warm-throat sound, his icy, high-pitched screeches a mix of Abbath and Hat from early Gorgoroth, while his low-bellied growls are reminiscent of Rotting Christ. Nex has the sound of a band pissed, Sicarius attempting to bury the remnants of what was for something altogether more destructive.

    Nex by Sicarius

    There’s no doubt Sicarius is exceptionally capable of speed, but for my money, I connected most with Nex’s melodies and mixed paces. Beginning with a brooding, tremoloed guitar melody, “Opened Obsidian Gateways” uses Sargeistian levels of repetition to drive its earwormy chord progressions home, a variation employed during the verses and identically replicated during the bridge before sliding into a nice, mid-song chug section and then back again. Simple yet effective, the song’s a highlight as I found myself humming the melody randomly throughout the day. Also noteworthy are the slow-moving melodic chords of “Banshee,” which gave off Dissection vibes, and the mid-paced marcher “The Hunger We Cannot Sate,” as it gallops along in true Watain fashion, instigating black-n-roll levels of head bobbery over its 5:24 runtime. There’s a lot of musical nuance woven into the details of Nex; my many play-throughs tell me as much, which makes it all the more disappointing that it’s so hard to hear them.


    “With a (t)reble yell she cried, NO more, more, more.” I’ve taken some slight liberties with Mr. Idol’s classic lyric to illustrate Nex’s most glaring flaw: a thin, imbalanced mix. Nex sounds much louder than its DR score might suggest. Serenade of Slitting Throats, for instance, with a DR lower than Nex’s, sounds light years warmer because Kenney was able to give Serenade’s lower tones some weight. Nex is nearly devoid of low end, completely negating anything Carnage is doing on bass and robbing much of Levi Xvl’s bass drum work of power, making for an extremely exhausting experience. I had to break my focused listening sessions up, in fact, because trying to listen through all 44:10 of Nex’s runtime left me so audially spent that I was reaching for aspirin. Whether this was a deliberate choice, I don’t know. It sure lends Sicarius an icier-than-thou edge, as much black metal of this ilk is known for, but it really robbed a large portion of my enjoyment, which sucks because, in bite-sized pieces, Nex is actually a pretty decent album.

    Sicarius has returned with a vengeance and a we’re-not-fucking-around attitude, as evidenced in no small part by that brutally distinctive cover art. Alongside other bands like Impious Throne, Unholy Altar and Wuldorgast, Sicarius is bringing a sense of menace back to the US black metal scene. Nex is an album worth spinning, despite being hampered by a production that makes it too tiring to listen to in a single sitting, which left me to score it thusly. Still, I’ll be keeping my eyes and ears peeled for the next outing.

    Rating: 2.5/5.0
    DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
    Label: Adirondack Black Mass | Bandcamp (album)
    Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
    Releases Worldwide: April 10th, 2026

    #25 #2026 #AdirondackBlackMass #AmericanMetal #AnaalNathrakh #Apr26 #BlackMetal #DarkFuneral #Dissection #Nex #Review #Sicarius #Urgehal
  6. Sicarius – Nex Review By Tyme

    Sicarius hit the ground raging in 2017 when the Californian black metal upstarts released their scathingly vicious debut album, Serenade of Slitting Throats, which captured the metal heart of AMG’s Diabolus in Muzaka, earning a coveted 4.0. Sicarius’s sophomore effort, 2020’s God of Dead Roots, didn’t fare as well; the band, adjusting to the departure of founding guitarist Argyris, ultimately turned in a less visceral, more workmanlike product. Then, when original drummer Brandon Zackay left to focus on his career in Whitechapel, and the other members exited, both voluntarily and not, Sicarius ostensibly died, leaving God of Dead Roots an unanticipated swan song. Fast forward to 2024, when Argyris reunited with original bassist Carnage and joined forces with new vocalist Akéfalos and session drummer Levi Xvl to begin recording a third album, Nex, which, after six long years, has arrived to reintroduce this risen phoenix iteration of Sicarius to the masses.

    Sicarius the resurrected doesn’t sound much different than Sicarius the dead. Nex adheres to the same modern black metal formula as its predecessors, maintaining channels of influence drawn from Dissection, Dark Funeral, Urgehal, and, despite Mick Kenney’s departure from the booth, Anaal Nathrakh. In keeping with their monikers’ Latin translation, Sicarius brings an assassin’s cache of weaponry to bear. Argyris sounds rejuvenated and lethal, his armory of blistering riffage (“Cold Death,” “No Witnesses”), chaotically tremolodic leads (“Nex”), and nifty solo work (“Crashing Into the Abyss”) on full display.1 Newcomer Akéfalos adds a layer of frigidity to Nex’s surgical, cold-steel across a warm-throat sound, his icy, high-pitched screeches a mix of Abbath and Hat from early Gorgoroth, while his low-bellied growls are reminiscent of Rotting Christ. Nex has the sound of a band pissed, Sicarius attempting to bury the remnants of what was for something altogether more destructive.

    Nex by Sicarius

    There’s no doubt Sicarius is exceptionally capable of speed, but for my money, I connected most with Nex’s melodies and mixed paces. Beginning with a brooding, tremoloed guitar melody, “Opened Obsidian Gateways” uses Sargeistian levels of repetition to drive its earwormy chord progressions home, a variation employed during the verses and identically replicated during the bridge before sliding into a nice, mid-song chug section and then back again. Simple yet effective, the song’s a highlight as I found myself humming the melody randomly throughout the day. Also noteworthy are the slow-moving melodic chords of “Banshee,” which gave off Dissection vibes, and the mid-paced marcher “The Hunger We Cannot Sate,” as it gallops along in true Watain fashion, instigating black-n-roll levels of head bobbery over its 5:24 runtime. There’s a lot of musical nuance woven into the details of Nex; my many play-throughs tell me as much, which makes it all the more disappointing that it’s so hard to hear them.


    “With a (t)reble yell she cried, NO more, more, more.” I’ve taken some slight liberties with Mr. Idol’s classic lyric to illustrate Nex’s most glaring flaw: a thin, imbalanced mix. Nex sounds much louder than its DR score might suggest. Serenade of Slitting Throats, for instance, with a DR lower than Nex’s, sounds light years warmer because Kenney was able to give Serenade’s lower tones some weight. Nex is nearly devoid of low end, completely negating anything Carnage is doing on bass and robbing much of Levi Xvl’s bass drum work of power, making for an extremely exhausting experience. I had to break my focused listening sessions up, in fact, because trying to listen through all 44:10 of Nex’s runtime left me so audially spent that I was reaching for aspirin. Whether this was a deliberate choice, I don’t know. It sure lends Sicarius an icier-than-thou edge, as much black metal of this ilk is known for, but it really robbed a large portion of my enjoyment, which sucks because, in bite-sized pieces, Nex is actually a pretty decent album.

    Sicarius has returned with a vengeance and a we’re-not-fucking-around attitude, as evidenced in no small part by that brutally distinctive cover art. Alongside other bands like Impious Throne, Unholy Altar and Wuldorgast, Sicarius is bringing a sense of menace back to the US black metal scene. Nex is an album worth spinning, despite being hampered by a production that makes it too tiring to listen to in a single sitting, which left me to score it thusly. Still, I’ll be keeping my eyes and ears peeled for the next outing.

    Rating: 2.5/5.0
    DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
    Label: Adirondack Black Mass | Bandcamp (album)
    Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
    Releases Worldwide: April 10th, 2026

    #25 #2026 #AdirondackBlackMass #AmericanMetal #AnaalNathrakh #Apr26 #BlackMetal #DarkFuneral #Dissection #Nex #Review #Sicarius #Urgehal
  7. Sicarius – Nex Review By Tyme

    Sicarius hit the ground raging in 2017 when the Californian black metal upstarts released their scathingly vicious debut album, Serenade of Slitting Throats, which captured the metal heart of AMG’s Diabolus in Muzaka, earning a coveted 4.0. Sicarius’s sophomore effort, 2020’s God of Dead Roots, didn’t fare as well; the band, adjusting to the departure of founding guitarist Argyris, ultimately turned in a less visceral, more workmanlike product. Then, when original drummer Brandon Zackay left to focus on his career in Whitechapel, and the other members exited, both voluntarily and not, Sicarius ostensibly died, leaving God of Dead Roots an unanticipated swan song. Fast forward to 2024, when Argyris reunited with original bassist Carnage and joined forces with new vocalist Akéfalos and session drummer Levi Xvl to begin recording a third album, Nex, which, after six long years, has arrived to reintroduce this risen phoenix iteration of Sicarius to the masses.

    Sicarius the resurrected doesn’t sound much different than Sicarius the dead. Nex adheres to the same modern black metal formula as its predecessors, maintaining channels of influence drawn from Dissection, Dark Funeral, Urgehal, and, despite Mick Kenney’s departure from the booth, Anaal Nathrakh. In keeping with their monikers’ Latin translation, Sicarius brings an assassin’s cache of weaponry to bear. Argyris sounds rejuvenated and lethal, his armory of blistering riffage (“Cold Death,” “No Witnesses”), chaotically tremolodic leads (“Nex”), and nifty solo work (“Crashing Into the Abyss”) on full display.1 Newcomer Akéfalos adds a layer of frigidity to Nex’s surgical, cold-steel across a warm-throat sound, his icy, high-pitched screeches a mix of Abbath and Hat from early Gorgoroth, while his low-bellied growls are reminiscent of Rotting Christ. Nex has the sound of a band pissed, Sicarius attempting to bury the remnants of what was for something altogether more destructive.

    Nex by Sicarius

    There’s no doubt Sicarius is exceptionally capable of speed, but for my money, I connected most with Nex’s melodies and mixed paces. Beginning with a brooding, tremoloed guitar melody, “Opened Obsidian Gateways” uses Sargeistian levels of repetition to drive its earwormy chord progressions home, a variation employed during the verses and identically replicated during the bridge before sliding into a nice, mid-song chug section and then back again. Simple yet effective, the song’s a highlight as I found myself humming the melody randomly throughout the day. Also noteworthy are the slow-moving melodic chords of “Banshee,” which gave off Dissection vibes, and the mid-paced marcher “The Hunger We Cannot Sate,” as it gallops along in true Watain fashion, instigating black-n-roll levels of head bobbery over its 5:24 runtime. There’s a lot of musical nuance woven into the details of Nex; my many play-throughs tell me as much, which makes it all the more disappointing that it’s so hard to hear them.


    “With a (t)reble yell she cried, NO more, more, more.” I’ve taken some slight liberties with Mr. Idol’s classic lyric to illustrate Nex’s most glaring flaw: a thin, imbalanced mix. Nex sounds much louder than its DR score might suggest. Serenade of Slitting Throats, for instance, with a DR lower than Nex’s, sounds light years warmer because Kenney was able to give Serenade’s lower tones some weight. Nex is nearly devoid of low end, completely negating anything Carnage is doing on bass and robbing much of Levi Xvl’s bass drum work of power, making for an extremely exhausting experience. I had to break my focused listening sessions up, in fact, because trying to listen through all 44:10 of Nex’s runtime left me so audially spent that I was reaching for aspirin. Whether this was a deliberate choice, I don’t know. It sure lends Sicarius an icier-than-thou edge, as much black metal of this ilk is known for, but it really robbed a large portion of my enjoyment, which sucks because, in bite-sized pieces, Nex is actually a pretty decent album.

    Sicarius has returned with a vengeance and a we’re-not-fucking-around attitude, as evidenced in no small part by that brutally distinctive cover art. Alongside other bands like Impious Throne, Unholy Altar and Wuldorgast, Sicarius is bringing a sense of menace back to the US black metal scene. Nex is an album worth spinning, despite being hampered by a production that makes it too tiring to listen to in a single sitting, which left me to score it thusly. Still, I’ll be keeping my eyes and ears peeled for the next outing.

    Rating: 2.5/5.0
    DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
    Label: Adirondack Black Mass | Bandcamp (album)
    Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
    Releases Worldwide: April 10th, 2026

    #25 #2026 #AdirondackBlackMass #AmericanMetal #AnaalNathrakh #Apr26 #BlackMetal #DarkFuneral #Dissection #Nex #Review #Sicarius #Urgehal
  8. Vredehammer – God Slayer Review

    By GardensTale

    Vredehammer’s sophomore album, Violator, was released almost 8 years ago. The deadly blackened death record made it onto my very first top 10 list for AMG on account of the electrifying energy and excellent hooks. Successor Viperous slithered into my HM’s, and I may have underrated it at that. It increased the density of sound and used synths for a slick, neon battering ram. So when Steel waved the gorgeous-looking new promo over the writer’s pit, I leapt for it so fast and violently, three Melvins are still in intensive care. Is Vredehammer going three for three on my end-year list?

    Not only is it gonna be on the list, it might obliterate all the competition altogether! Comparing God Slayer to Viperous, Per Valla (founder and sole bandmember, who does everything except drums) claims to have composed God Slayer with an increased focus on hooks rather than speed. He’s only about half right. Granted, the hooks are many, and they are razor-sharp, utterly addictive, and will stick in your skull morning til night. But well over half of God Slayer is every bit as expeditious as its predecessor. The opening salvo is a triple serving of Vredehammer at its best: muscular riffs at high speed, Valla’s crunchy growls, and drums not unlike a murderous machine (this time courtesy of Dominator, of Dark Funeral and Nordjevel fame). The first act culminates in the colossal violence of “God Slayer” whose indomitable chorus and epic mid-track build make me feel able and eager to reduce mountains to rubble with my forehead. Take this track into the gym and you will be hurling the barbells into the ceiling.

    Though every track is a feast of riffs fit for a demigod warlord, each has a clear, singular identity. “From the Abyss” has an apocalyptic vibe with a focus on a single main hook, whereas “The Joker” utilizes frequent speed changes and a looser song structure to keep you on the wrong foot. There are epic dark fantasy overtones to “The Dragons Burn” and its shimmering tremolos, while the furious and feral “Blood of Wolves” lives up to its title with sheer unbridled aggression. The synths that made such an industrial affair of Viperous are less prominent, moving the focus back to the guitars, but they return to the spotlight on a few occasions, particularly on the album’s third act. One such occasion is “Death Becomes the New Day,” which stands out in a line-up of excellence as the sole ‘merely really good’ track, lingering a bit too long on medium intensity. But hot on its heels comes the extra-catchy “Product Human Slave” with its death ‘n roll rhythms and cyberpunk interlude to restart the riff-machine.

    If you’re still waiting for a ‘but’ you can keep waiting. All I got is a tiny handful of minor nags and niggles, most of which have their own buts. Closer “Obliterator” isn’t quite as memorable as most of the tracks preceding it and ends the album a bit sudden, but it’s still very impressive with a killer ascending midsection. The dynamic range has gone off a cliff from a 9 to a 5, but somehow the production comes out none the worse for wear. The master sounds great, compact and burly but not overly tiring on the ears despite the often dense sound and high tempo. There is little detectable loss of impact to the delectable drums, and the mix is spot on, with nothing getting buried or doing the burying.

    Vredehammer has repeatedly demonstrated to be in the upper echelons of blackened death metal. Violator meshed raw power with addictive hooks, Viperous upped the speed and unflinching attitude. God Slayer combines the best of both to become the peak of the band’s illustrious career. It’s five gallons of adrenaline pumped through a wrought iron IV. It’s a nuclear train with no breaks that won’t even slow down after it leaves the tracks. It’s addictive like speedballs and victory, and as catchy as Captain Trips from The Stand. It’s singular in its vision of uncompromising headbangability with all the variety of a perfect anthology. It’s 40 minutes of me wanting to bare-knuckle mythological beasts to death. It’s the best album I’ve heard this year. Get it.

    Rating: 4.5/5.0
    DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: PCIM
    Label: Indie Recordings
    Websites: vredehammer.bandcamp.com | vredehammer.no | facebook.com/vredehammer
    Releases Worldwide: May 24th, 2024

    #2024 #45 #BlackMetal #DarkFuneral #DeathMetal #GodSlayer #IndieRecordings #May24 #Nordjevel #NorwegianMetal #Review #Reviews #Vredehammer

  9. Vredehammer – God Slayer Review

    By GardensTale

    Vredehammer’s sophomore album, Violator, was released almost 8 years ago. The deadly blackened death record made it onto my very first top 10 list for AMG on account of the electrifying energy and excellent hooks. Successor Viperous slithered into my HM’s, and I may have underrated it at that. It increased the density of sound and used synths for a slick, neon battering ram. So when Steel waved the gorgeous-looking new promo over the writer’s pit, I leapt for it so fast and violently, three Melvins are still in intensive care. Is Vredehammer going three for three on my end-year list?

    Not only is it gonna be on the list, it might obliterate all the competition altogether! Comparing God Slayer to Viperous, Per Valla (founder and sole bandmember, who does everything except drums) claims to have composed God Slayer with an increased focus on hooks rather than speed. He’s only about half right. Granted, the hooks are many, and they are razor-sharp, utterly addictive, and will stick in your skull morning til night. But well over half of God Slayer is every bit as expeditious as its predecessor. The opening salvo is a triple serving of Vredehammer at its best: muscular riffs at high speed, Valla’s crunchy growls, and drums not unlike a murderous machine (this time courtesy of Dominator, of Dark Funeral and Nordjevel fame). The first act culminates in the colossal violence of “God Slayer” whose indomitable chorus and epic mid-track build make me feel able and eager to reduce mountains to rubble with my forehead. Take this track into the gym and you will be hurling the barbells into the ceiling.

    Though every track is a feast of riffs fit for a demigod warlord, each has a clear, singular identity. “From the Abyss” has an apocalyptic vibe with a focus on a single main hook, whereas “The Joker” utilizes frequent speed changes and a looser song structure to keep you on the wrong foot. There are epic dark fantasy overtones to “The Dragons Burn” and its shimmering tremolos, while the furious and feral “Blood of Wolves” lives up to its title with sheer unbridled aggression. The synths that made such an industrial affair of Viperous are less prominent, moving the focus back to the guitars, but they return to the spotlight on a few occasions, particularly on the album’s third act. One such occasion is “Death Becomes the New Day,” which stands out in a line-up of excellence as the sole ‘merely really good’ track, lingering a bit too long on medium intensity. But hot on its heels comes the extra-catchy “Product Human Slave” with its death ‘n roll rhythms and cyberpunk interlude to restart the riff-machine.

    If you’re still waiting for a ‘but’ you can keep waiting. All I got is a tiny handful of minor nags and niggles, most of which have their own buts. Closer “Obliterator” isn’t quite as memorable as most of the tracks preceding it and ends the album a bit sudden, but it’s still very impressive with a killer ascending midsection. The dynamic range has gone off a cliff from a 9 to a 5, but somehow the production comes out none the worse for wear. The master sounds great, compact and burly but not overly tiring on the ears despite the often dense sound and high tempo. There is little detectable loss of impact to the delectable drums, and the mix is spot on, with nothing getting buried or doing the burying.

    Vredehammer has repeatedly demonstrated to be in the upper echelons of blackened death metal. Violator meshed raw power with addictive hooks, Viperous upped the speed and unflinching attitude. God Slayer combines the best of both to become the peak of the band’s illustrious career. It’s five gallons of adrenaline pumped through a wrought iron IV. It’s a nuclear train with no breaks that won’t even slow down after it leaves the tracks. It’s addictive like speedballs and victory, and as catchy as Captain Trips from The Stand. It’s singular in its vision of uncompromising headbangability with all the variety of a perfect anthology. It’s 40 minutes of me wanting to bare-knuckle mythological beasts to death. It’s the best album I’ve heard this year. Get it.

    Rating: 4.5/5.0
    DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: PCIM
    Label: Indie Recordings
    Websites: vredehammer.bandcamp.com | vredehammer.no | facebook.com/vredehammer
    Releases Worldwide: May 24th, 2024

    #2024 #45 #BlackMetal #DarkFuneral #DeathMetal #GodSlayer #IndieRecordings #May24 #Nordjevel #NorwegianMetal #Review #Reviews #Vredehammer

  10. Vredehammer – God Slayer Review

    By GardensTale

    Vredehammer’s sophomore album, Violator, was released almost 8 years ago. The deadly blackened death record made it onto my very first top 10 list for AMG on account of the electrifying energy and excellent hooks. Successor Viperous slithered into my HM’s, and I may have underrated it at that. It increased the density of sound and used synths for a slick, neon battering ram. So when Steel waved the gorgeous-looking new promo over the writer’s pit, I leapt for it so fast and violently, three Melvins are still in intensive care. Is Vredehammer going three for three on my end-year list?

    Not only is it gonna be on the list, it might obliterate all the competition altogether! Comparing God Slayer to Viperous, Per Valla (founder and sole bandmember, who does everything except drums) claims to have composed God Slayer with an increased focus on hooks rather than speed. He’s only about half right. Granted, the hooks are many, and they are razor-sharp, utterly addictive, and will stick in your skull morning til night. But well over half of God Slayer is every bit as expeditious as its predecessor. The opening salvo is a triple serving of Vredehammer at its best: muscular riffs at high speed, Valla’s crunchy growls, and drums not unlike a murderous machine (this time courtesy of Dominator, of Dark Funeral and Nordjevel fame). The first act culminates in the colossal violence of “God Slayer” whose indomitable chorus and epic mid-track build make me feel able and eager to reduce mountains to rubble with my forehead. Take this track into the gym and you will be hurling the barbells into the ceiling.

    Though every track is a feast of riffs fit for a demigod warlord, each has a clear, singular identity. “From the Abyss” has an apocalyptic vibe with a focus on a single main hook, whereas “The Joker” utilizes frequent speed changes and a looser song structure to keep you on the wrong foot. There are epic dark fantasy overtones to “The Dragons Burn” and its shimmering tremolos, while the furious and feral “Blood of Wolves” lives up to its title with sheer unbridled aggression. The synths that made such an industrial affair of Viperous are less prominent, moving the focus back to the guitars, but they return to the spotlight on a few occasions, particularly on the album’s third act. One such occasion is “Death Becomes the New Day,” which stands out in a line-up of excellence as the sole ‘merely really good’ track, lingering a bit too long on medium intensity. But hot on its heels comes the extra-catchy “Product Human Slave” with its death ‘n roll rhythms and cyberpunk interlude to restart the riff-machine.

    If you’re still waiting for a ‘but’ you can keep waiting. All I got is a tiny handful of minor nags and niggles, most of which have their own buts. Closer “Obliterator” isn’t quite as memorable as most of the tracks preceding it and ends the album a bit sudden, but it’s still very impressive with a killer ascending midsection. The dynamic range has gone off a cliff from a 9 to a 5, but somehow the production comes out none the worse for wear. The master sounds great, compact and burly but not overly tiring on the ears despite the often dense sound and high tempo. There is little detectable loss of impact to the delectable drums, and the mix is spot on, with nothing getting buried or doing the burying.

    Vredehammer has repeatedly demonstrated to be in the upper echelons of blackened death metal. Violator meshed raw power with addictive hooks, Viperous upped the speed and unflinching attitude. God Slayer combines the best of both to become the peak of the band’s illustrious career. It’s five gallons of adrenaline pumped through a wrought iron IV. It’s a nuclear train with no breaks that won’t even slow down after it leaves the tracks. It’s addictive like speedballs and victory, and as catchy as Captain Trips from The Stand. It’s singular in its vision of uncompromising headbangability with all the variety of a perfect anthology. It’s 40 minutes of me wanting to bare-knuckle mythological beasts to death. It’s the best album I’ve heard this year. Get it.

    Rating: 4.5/5.0
    DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: PCIM
    Label: Indie Recordings
    Websites: vredehammer.bandcamp.com | vredehammer.no | facebook.com/vredehammer
    Releases Worldwide: May 24th, 2024

    #2024 #45 #BlackMetal #DarkFuneral #DeathMetal #GodSlayer #IndieRecordings #May24 #Nordjevel #NorwegianMetal #Review #Reviews #Vredehammer