#oct24 — Public Fediverse posts

It's world 🌍 #WayneRooney Day 🍷🥂🍾🍿

#Happybirthday, 40 birthday
Wayne #Rooney is a professional football manager and former player
#HBD #bahdlex 👑🍰🎉💕🥂🍰👑✨ #Bahdlexbirthday #october #October2025 #October24 #Oct24 #footballplayer #CelebrityBirthday #birthdayboy

It's world 🌍 #FMurrayAbraham Day 🍿🍷🍾, 🎉🥂

#HappyBirthday to F. Murray Abraham!

Happy 86th birthday 🎉 #FMurrayAbraham
#HBD #bahdlex 👑🍰🎉🎈💕🥂🍰👑✨ #Bahdlexbirthday #october #October2025 #October24 #Oct24 #bahdlex #birthdayvibes #CelebrityBirthday #birthdayboy

#VoteTheBejaysusOutOfTthem 💚✨✊

#GetOutTheVote #Oct24 #A4as25

#galwayforcatherine #gaillimhdochatherine #CatherineConnollyForPresident

Deivos – Apophenia Review

By Ferox

Written by: Nameless_N00b_89

Deivos is probably not the band you think of first when it comes to the vibrant Polish death metal scene. Vader? Sure. Behemoth?? Of course! Decapitated?! Absolutely–Winds of Creation is one of the best death metal debuts on record. I was surprised, then, to discover that Deivos has also stalked the scene for over 25 years, starting in 1997–and that Apophenia is the band’s seventh album since debuting Emanation from Below in 2006. Deivos is not a stranger to AMG, however. The mighty and missed Kronos reviewed their 2015 release, Theodicy, with little to say about any positive aspect of the album. Amply warned, and with six previous efforts from which to draw comparisons, I dove into Deivos’ catalog to see if Apophenia signaled a sign of evolution.

Deivos plays a form of death metal rife with rote brutality, which might explain their tenured anonymity. Tomasz Kołcoń’s and Piotr Bajus’ combined guitar assault, which drinks from the fount of headless brethren Decapitated, provides the requisite palm-muted chugs, infernally speedy riffs, frenetic soloing and squeaky pinch harmonics to warrant Deivos’ genre tag. Hubert Banach’s brutally gruff growls channel his inner Corpsegrinder effectively, while Stadnicki’s bass lurks beneath, surfacing with Obscura-like, low-end melodicism. Both complement the capable drum work of Krzysztof Saran, who blasts, bashes, and crashes his way through the nine tracks. While Apophenia doesn’t push the envelope or test any boundaries, there are some interesting glimmers within.

Deivos differentiate themselves by employing a sonic anomaly—the cowbell. No genre staple, this quirky bit of percussion features prominently on “Maelstrom of Decay” yet never disappears entirely, popping up here (“My Sacrifice”) and there (“Revelations,” “Persecutor”) throughout Apophenia. It’s an endearing aspect of the Deivos sound. The guitar work on opener “Feretory” sounds like an inverted take on Brodequin’s main riff from “Diabolical Edict” and makes for a compelling listen. At the same time, the bendy riff work, echoey solos, and background synths give “Sermon of Hypocrisy” a Morbid Angel feel. All things coalesce on the title track, “Apophenia,” with its sludgy, crunchy mid-section brutally bookended by pounding riffs, crushing drums, bestial vocals and two of the album’s better solos, which shred-fully shepherd the track through its pace changes.

If death metal was made of moist dough, Deivos would be the tool that cuts the cookies. Their career-encompassing aversion to adaptation and strict adherence to formula casts an “All-these-albums-sound-the-same” shadow on the catalog. Long-form songwriting is not where Deivos shines, but even when honing compositions within their three-to-five-minute wheelhouse, Deivos struggles to provide satisfying song arcs. Lackluster solos that feel tacked on (“My Sacrifice,” “De Materia Turpi”) or do nothing to move the song forward (“The Great Day of His Wrath”) further frustrate. Writing solid finishes is also something Deivos wrestles with. Tracks with abrupt endings conjure strong ‘this-seems-unresolved’ feelings (“Maelstrom of Decay,” “My Sacrifice”). At the same time, several tracks lean on the dreaded ambiently industrial outro to bring resolution (“De Materia Turpi,” “The Great Day of His Wrath,” “Persecutor”). These outros are my biggest nit to pick, not only because they take up two of the scant thirty-three minutes of the album but because they murder much of Apophenia’s momentum in the process.

Diehard Deivos fans may crown Apophenia as the band’s masterwork, and they might even be correct based on everything I’ve listened to. Deivos has certainly upped their game on Apophenia, even incorporating Lewandowski’s fantastic Angel of Death III painting as the cover art. Ironically, this decision aesthetically fits those pesky outros more than the band’s music, which still delivers a tight, brutally performed death metal package, rote as it may be. While I probably won’t return to it after I’m done here, I appreciated my time with Apophenia. I certainly enjoyed this more than Kronos did Theodicy. Two things I’d impart to Deivos: drop the superfluous industrial ambiance and, per the wise words of Christopher Walken, “I gotta have MOAR cowbell, baby!”

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Selfmadegod Records
Website: deivos.bandcamp.com|facebook.com/Deivos
Releases Worldwide: October 18, 2024

#25 #2024 #Apophenia #Behemoth #Brodequin #DeathMetal #Decapitated #Deivos #MOARCowbell #MorbidAngel #Obscura #Oct24 #PolishMetal #SelfmadegodRecords #Vader

Deivos – Apophenia Review

By Ferox

Written by: Nameless_N00b_89

Deivos is probably not the band you think of first when it comes to the vibrant Polish death metal scene. Vader? Sure. Behemoth?? Of course! Decapitated?! Absolutely–Winds of Creation is one of the best death metal debuts on record. I was surprised, then, to discover that Deivos has also stalked the scene for over 25 years, starting in 1997–and that Apophenia is the band’s seventh album since debuting Emanation from Below in 2006. Deivos is not a stranger to AMG, however. The mighty and missed Kronos reviewed their 2015 release, Theodicy, with little to say about any positive aspect of the album. Amply warned, and with six previous efforts from which to draw comparisons, I dove into Deivos’ catalog to see if Apophenia signaled a sign of evolution.

Deivos plays a form of death metal rife with rote brutality, which might explain their tenured anonymity. Tomasz Kołcoń’s and Piotr Bajus’ combined guitar assault, which drinks from the fount of headless brethren Decapitated, provides the requisite palm-muted chugs, infernally speedy riffs, frenetic soloing and squeaky pinch harmonics to warrant Deivos’ genre tag. Hubert Banach’s brutally gruff growls channel his inner Corpsegrinder effectively, while Stadnicki’s bass lurks beneath, surfacing with Obscura-like, low-end melodicism. Both complement the capable drum work of Krzysztof Saran, who blasts, bashes, and crashes his way through the nine tracks. While Apophenia doesn’t push the envelope or test any boundaries, there are some interesting glimmers within.

Deivos differentiate themselves by employing a sonic anomaly—the cowbell. No genre staple, this quirky bit of percussion features prominently on “Maelstrom of Decay” yet never disappears entirely, popping up here (“My Sacrifice”) and there (“Revelations,” “Persecutor”) throughout Apophenia. It’s an endearing aspect of the Deivos sound. The guitar work on opener “Feretory” sounds like an inverted take on Brodequin’s main riff from “Diabolical Edict” and makes for a compelling listen. At the same time, the bendy riff work, echoey solos, and background synths give “Sermon of Hypocrisy” a Morbid Angel feel. All things coalesce on the title track, “Apophenia,” with its sludgy, crunchy mid-section brutally bookended by pounding riffs, crushing drums, bestial vocals and two of the album’s better solos, which shred-fully shepherd the track through its pace changes.

If death metal was made of moist dough, Deivos would be the tool that cuts the cookies. Their career-encompassing aversion to adaptation and strict adherence to formula casts an “All-these-albums-sound-the-same” shadow on the catalog. Long-form songwriting is not where Deivos shines, but even when honing compositions within their three-to-five-minute wheelhouse, Deivos struggles to provide satisfying song arcs. Lackluster solos that feel tacked on (“My Sacrifice,” “De Materia Turpi”) or do nothing to move the song forward (“The Great Day of His Wrath”) further frustrate. Writing solid finishes is also something Deivos wrestles with. Tracks with abrupt endings conjure strong ‘this-seems-unresolved’ feelings (“Maelstrom of Decay,” “My Sacrifice”). At the same time, several tracks lean on the dreaded ambiently industrial outro to bring resolution (“De Materia Turpi,” “The Great Day of His Wrath,” “Persecutor”). These outros are my biggest nit to pick, not only because they take up two of the scant thirty-three minutes of the album but because they murder much of Apophenia’s momentum in the process.

Diehard Deivos fans may crown Apophenia as the band’s masterwork, and they might even be correct based on everything I’ve listened to. Deivos has certainly upped their game on Apophenia, even incorporating Lewandowski’s fantastic Angel of Death III painting as the cover art. Ironically, this decision aesthetically fits those pesky outros more than the band’s music, which still delivers a tight, brutally performed death metal package, rote as it may be. While I probably won’t return to it after I’m done here, I appreciated my time with Apophenia. I certainly enjoyed this more than Kronos did Theodicy. Two things I’d impart to Deivos: drop the superfluous industrial ambiance and, per the wise words of Christopher Walken, “I gotta have MOAR cowbell, baby!”

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Selfmadegod Records
Website: deivos.bandcamp.com|facebook.com/Deivos
Releases Worldwide: October 18, 2024

#25 #2024 #Apophenia #Behemoth #Brodequin #DeathMetal #Decapitated #Deivos #MOARCowbell #MorbidAngel #Obscura #Oct24 #PolishMetal #SelfmadegodRecords #Vader

Deivos – Apophenia Review

By Ferox

Written by: Nameless_N00b_89

Deivos is probably not the band you think of first when it comes to the vibrant Polish death metal scene. Vader? Sure. Behemoth?? Of course! Decapitated?! Absolutely–Winds of Creation is one of the best death metal debuts on record. I was surprised, then, to discover that Deivos has also stalked the scene for over 25 years, starting in 1997–and that Apophenia is the band’s seventh album since debuting Emanation from Below in 2006. Deivos is not a stranger to AMG, however. The mighty and missed Kronos reviewed their 2015 release, Theodicy, with little to say about any positive aspect of the album. Amply warned, and with six previous efforts from which to draw comparisons, I dove into Deivos’ catalog to see if Apophenia signaled a sign of evolution.

Deivos plays a form of death metal rife with rote brutality, which might explain their tenured anonymity. Tomasz Kołcoń’s and Piotr Bajus’ combined guitar assault, which drinks from the fount of headless brethren Decapitated, provides the requisite palm-muted chugs, infernally speedy riffs, frenetic soloing and squeaky pinch harmonics to warrant Deivos’ genre tag. Hubert Banach’s brutally gruff growls channel his inner Corpsegrinder effectively, while Stadnicki’s bass lurks beneath, surfacing with Obscura-like, low-end melodicism. Both complement the capable drum work of Krzysztof Saran, who blasts, bashes, and crashes his way through the nine tracks. While Apophenia doesn’t push the envelope or test any boundaries, there are some interesting glimmers within.

Deivos differentiate themselves by employing a sonic anomaly—the cowbell. No genre staple, this quirky bit of percussion features prominently on “Maelstrom of Decay” yet never disappears entirely, popping up here (“My Sacrifice”) and there (“Revelations,” “Persecutor”) throughout Apophenia. It’s an endearing aspect of the Deivos sound. The guitar work on opener “Feretory” sounds like an inverted take on Brodequin’s main riff from “Diabolical Edict” and makes for a compelling listen. At the same time, the bendy riff work, echoey solos, and background synths give “Sermon of Hypocrisy” a Morbid Angel feel. All things coalesce on the title track, “Apophenia,” with its sludgy, crunchy mid-section brutally bookended by pounding riffs, crushing drums, bestial vocals and two of the album’s better solos, which shred-fully shepherd the track through its pace changes.

If death metal was made of moist dough, Deivos would be the tool that cuts the cookies. Their career-encompassing aversion to adaptation and strict adherence to formula casts an “All-these-albums-sound-the-same” shadow on the catalog. Long-form songwriting is not where Deivos shines, but even when honing compositions within their three-to-five-minute wheelhouse, Deivos struggles to provide satisfying song arcs. Lackluster solos that feel tacked on (“My Sacrifice,” “De Materia Turpi”) or do nothing to move the song forward (“The Great Day of His Wrath”) further frustrate. Writing solid finishes is also something Deivos wrestles with. Tracks with abrupt endings conjure strong ‘this-seems-unresolved’ feelings (“Maelstrom of Decay,” “My Sacrifice”). At the same time, several tracks lean on the dreaded ambiently industrial outro to bring resolution (“De Materia Turpi,” “The Great Day of His Wrath,” “Persecutor”). These outros are my biggest nit to pick, not only because they take up two of the scant thirty-three minutes of the album but because they murder much of Apophenia’s momentum in the process.

Diehard Deivos fans may crown Apophenia as the band’s masterwork, and they might even be correct based on everything I’ve listened to. Deivos has certainly upped their game on Apophenia, even incorporating Lewandowski’s fantastic Angel of Death III painting as the cover art. Ironically, this decision aesthetically fits those pesky outros more than the band’s music, which still delivers a tight, brutally performed death metal package, rote as it may be. While I probably won’t return to it after I’m done here, I appreciated my time with Apophenia. I certainly enjoyed this more than Kronos did Theodicy. Two things I’d impart to Deivos: drop the superfluous industrial ambiance and, per the wise words of Christopher Walken, “I gotta have MOAR cowbell, baby!”

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Selfmadegod Records
Website: deivos.bandcamp.com|facebook.com/Deivos
Releases Worldwide: October 18, 2024

#25 #2024 #Apophenia #Behemoth #Brodequin #DeathMetal #Decapitated #Deivos #MOARCowbell #MorbidAngel #Obscura #Oct24 #PolishMetal #SelfmadegodRecords #Vader

Sleepless – Through Endless Black Review

By Dolphin Whisperer

Bands who seek to echo heavy metal’s past walk a fine line between regressive repetition and studied homage. Consequently, in a world where source material for these sounds spans the course of decades, the tag indicating this new wave of traditional heavy metal remains wide in scope. Motorcycles? Loin cloths? Swords and dragons? What shall the recipe of hairy-chested riffs and wailing mic blowouts spell? In examining Oregon-based Sleepless’ sophomore outing, Through Endless Black, it’s at least clear that two things are true: the power of riffs indeed compels this collection to rock, and an urgent vocal identity fills its chest proudly. But the question still looms around what brand of traditional showmanship Sleepless displays.

Whether Sleepless knows it or not, their sound on Through Endless Black plays close to the weird power-leaning doom of the ’90s Swedish underground in its manner of rockin’ trad riffs that swing to crawling, soaring choruses. We talk about a lot of things around the water cooler at Casa AMG1, and though many of us don’t see eye-to-eye on the world at large, at least the great Steel and I can agree on one thing: too many bands ignore the potential to copy peak Tad Morose. Determined to set my heart aflutter, melodic leads that drop into heavyweight drags scattered throughout Through Endless Black recalls both the slower cuts of Tad Morose or the more traditional gallop of the similar-minded Memory Garden. Main mind Kevin Hahn, holding chops both in the grip of a traditional axe and tastefully reverbed mic, has spent a lot of time both on the cover band circuit2 and at the engineer’s seat, so I’m not sure that exactly his aim with Sleepless. But different paths can always lead to similar results.

Except not every track across Through Endless Black reeks of that same stench of doomy power, with Hahn’s vocal prowess serving equally as blight and boon. Simple and fluffy rock riffs, the kind that present themselves in the AOR-assisted jams of cruise groove like Fifth Angel, already pull attention away from muscular crushes at the least effective moments (“Cult of the Narcissist,” “Lessons in Tongues”). And in these same gentler excursions, Hahn’s clear and breathy tenor aids further in distancing his performance from the subtle grit and chesty bellow that he displays in horn-raising, fist-pumping amp-shakers (“Consumed by Vengeance,” “Dreams of Mortal Ruin”). Hahn has amazing range, and an incredible ability to lay down harmonized solos in a big Scorpions way, but it really does feel like he’s packing too many contrasting ideas into Sleepless.

However, many of Sleepless’ ’80s and ’90s traditional genre worship excursions come across in a more flattering manner. The best cuts across Through Endless Black lead with refrains drenched in guitar drama, dark synth play, and full volume chord swells, all resolving in well-framed choruses (“Call to the Void,” “Where Fear Lives,” “Dreams…”). And slipping well into the sleaze and heavy metal fervor of the grand and gruff W.A.S.P., Hahn loads an extra venom and swagger into his barking verse work and sliding wails (“Exist Another Day,” “Transcending the Obsidian Throne”), even landing in a ripe pseudo-ballad cheese with the opening chime and croon of “Lost Star.” The supporting rhythm tones aren’t quite what one would expect in this lane, relying less on spacious chords and reverb, and more on compressed guitar crackle and a low-end lurch, but that at least helps pull Sleepless away from pure homage and into foraging a sound in reverence.

Despite the success that Sleepless finds throughout Through Endless Black, a certain lack of wildness—of rugged bravado—holds it back from turning its glory into grandiosity. Steeped in studied sounds, Sleepless never feels wanting in execution. Though some of that same polish leads Through Endless Black to engorge with a textbook battlefield vigor, that same educational approach does not lead to many surprises and allows the lesser sputters present to pull down the total experience. I do have high hopes for Sleepless though, as a sophomore cobbling of this quality shows, potential, promise, and perhaps a sword simply too deep in its sheath.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Warrior Records
Websites: sleeplessmetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/sleepless
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2024

#25 #2024 #AmericanMetal #FifthAngel #HeavyMetal #MemoryGarden #Oct24 #ProgPower #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #Scorpions #Sleepless #TadMorose #ThroughEndlessBlack #WASP_

Sleepless – Through Endless Black Review

By Dolphin Whisperer

Bands who seek to echo heavy metal’s past walk a fine line between regressive repetition and studied homage. Consequently, in a world where source material for these sounds spans the course of decades, the tag indicating this new wave of traditional heavy metal remains wide in scope. Motorcycles? Loin cloths? Swords and dragons? What shall the recipe of hairy-chested riffs and wailing mic blowouts spell? In examining Oregon-based Sleepless’ sophomore outing, Through Endless Black, it’s at least clear that two things are true: the power of riffs indeed compels this collection to rock, and an urgent vocal identity fills its chest proudly. But the question still looms around what brand of traditional showmanship Sleepless displays.

Whether Sleepless knows it or not, their sound on Through Endless Black plays close to the weird power-leaning doom of the ’90s Swedish underground in its manner of rockin’ trad riffs that swing to crawling, soaring choruses. We talk about a lot of things around the water cooler at Casa AMG1, and though many of us don’t see eye-to-eye on the world at large, at least the great Steel and I can agree on one thing: too many bands ignore the potential to copy peak Tad Morose. Determined to set my heart aflutter, melodic leads that drop into heavyweight drags scattered throughout Through Endless Black recalls both the slower cuts of Tad Morose or the more traditional gallop of the similar-minded Memory Garden. Main mind Kevin Hahn, holding chops both in the grip of a traditional axe and tastefully reverbed mic, has spent a lot of time both on the cover band circuit2 and at the engineer’s seat, so I’m not sure that exactly his aim with Sleepless. But different paths can always lead to similar results.

Except not every track across Through Endless Black reeks of that same stench of doomy power, with Hahn’s vocal prowess serving equally as blight and boon. Simple and fluffy rock riffs, the kind that present themselves in the AOR-assisted jams of cruise groove like Fifth Angel, already pull attention away from muscular crushes at the least effective moments (“Cult of the Narcissist,” “Lessons in Tongues”). And in these same gentler excursions, Hahn’s clear and breathy tenor aids further in distancing his performance from the subtle grit and chesty bellow that he displays in horn-raising, fist-pumping amp-shakers (“Consumed by Vengeance,” “Dreams of Mortal Ruin”). Hahn has amazing range, and an incredible ability to lay down harmonized solos in a big Scorpions way, but it really does feel like he’s packing too many contrasting ideas into Sleepless.

However, many of Sleepless’ ’80s and ’90s traditional genre worship excursions come across in a more flattering manner. The best cuts across Through Endless Black lead with refrains drenched in guitar drama, dark synth play, and full volume chord swells, all resolving in well-framed choruses (“Call to the Void,” “Where Fear Lives,” “Dreams…”). And slipping well into the sleaze and heavy metal fervor of the grand and gruff W.A.S.P., Hahn loads an extra venom and swagger into his barking verse work and sliding wails (“Exist Another Day,” “Transcending the Obsidian Throne”), even landing in a ripe pseudo-ballad cheese with the opening chime and croon of “Lost Star.” The supporting rhythm tones aren’t quite what one would expect in this lane, relying less on spacious chords and reverb, and more on compressed guitar crackle and a low-end lurch, but that at least helps pull Sleepless away from pure homage and into foraging a sound in reverence.

Despite the success that Sleepless finds throughout Through Endless Black, a certain lack of wildness—of rugged bravado—holds it back from turning its glory into grandiosity. Steeped in studied sounds, Sleepless never feels wanting in execution. Though some of that same polish leads Through Endless Black to engorge with a textbook battlefield vigor, that same educational approach does not lead to many surprises and allows the lesser sputters present to pull down the total experience. I do have high hopes for Sleepless though, as a sophomore cobbling of this quality shows, potential, promise, and perhaps a sword simply too deep in its sheath.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Warrior Records
Websites: sleeplessmetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/sleepless
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2024

#25 #2024 #AmericanMetal #FifthAngel #HeavyMetal #MemoryGarden #Oct24 #ProgPower #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #Scorpions #Sleepless #TadMorose #ThroughEndlessBlack #WASP_

Sleepless – Through Endless Black Review

By Dolphin Whisperer

Bands who seek to echo heavy metal’s past walk a fine line between regressive repetition and studied homage. Consequently, in a world where source material for these sounds spans the course of decades, the tag indicating this new wave of traditional heavy metal remains wide in scope. Motorcycles? Loin cloths? Swords and dragons? What shall the recipe of hairy-chested riffs and wailing mic blowouts spell? In examining Oregon-based Sleepless’ sophomore outing, Through Endless Black, it’s at least clear that two things are true: the power of riffs indeed compels this collection to rock, and an urgent vocal identity fills its chest proudly. But the question still looms around what brand of traditional showmanship Sleepless displays.

Whether Sleepless knows it or not, their sound on Through Endless Black plays close to the weird power-leaning doom of the ’90s Swedish underground in its manner of rockin’ trad riffs that swing to crawling, soaring choruses. We talk about a lot of things around the water cooler at Casa AMG1, and though many of us don’t see eye-to-eye on the world at large, at least the great Steel and I can agree on one thing: too many bands ignore the potential to copy peak Tad Morose. Determined to set my heart aflutter, melodic leads that drop into heavyweight drags scattered throughout Through Endless Black recalls both the slower cuts of Tad Morose or the more traditional gallop of the similar-minded Memory Garden. Main mind Kevin Hahn, holding chops both in the grip of a traditional axe and tastefully reverbed mic, has spent a lot of time both on the cover band circuit2 and at the engineer’s seat, so I’m not sure that exactly his aim with Sleepless. But different paths can always lead to similar results.

Except not every track across Through Endless Black reeks of that same stench of doomy power, with Hahn’s vocal prowess serving equally as blight and boon. Simple and fluffy rock riffs, the kind that present themselves in the AOR-assisted jams of cruise groove like Fifth Angel, already pull attention away from muscular crushes at the least effective moments (“Cult of the Narcissist,” “Lessons in Tongues”). And in these same gentler excursions, Hahn’s clear and breathy tenor aids further in distancing his performance from the subtle grit and chesty bellow that he displays in horn-raising, fist-pumping amp-shakers (“Consumed by Vengeance,” “Dreams of Mortal Ruin”). Hahn has amazing range, and an incredible ability to lay down harmonized solos in a big Scorpions way, but it really does feel like he’s packing too many contrasting ideas into Sleepless.

However, many of Sleepless’ ’80s and ’90s traditional genre worship excursions come across in a more flattering manner. The best cuts across Through Endless Black lead with refrains drenched in guitar drama, dark synth play, and full volume chord swells, all resolving in well-framed choruses (“Call to the Void,” “Where Fear Lives,” “Dreams…”). And slipping well into the sleaze and heavy metal fervor of the grand and gruff W.A.S.P., Hahn loads an extra venom and swagger into his barking verse work and sliding wails (“Exist Another Day,” “Transcending the Obsidian Throne”), even landing in a ripe pseudo-ballad cheese with the opening chime and croon of “Lost Star.” The supporting rhythm tones aren’t quite what one would expect in this lane, relying less on spacious chords and reverb, and more on compressed guitar crackle and a low-end lurch, but that at least helps pull Sleepless away from pure homage and into foraging a sound in reverence.

Despite the success that Sleepless finds throughout Through Endless Black, a certain lack of wildness—of rugged bravado—holds it back from turning its glory into grandiosity. Steeped in studied sounds, Sleepless never feels wanting in execution. Though some of that same polish leads Through Endless Black to engorge with a textbook battlefield vigor, that same educational approach does not lead to many surprises and allows the lesser sputters present to pull down the total experience. I do have high hopes for Sleepless though, as a sophomore cobbling of this quality shows, potential, promise, and perhaps a sword simply too deep in its sheath.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Warrior Records
Websites: sleeplessmetal.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/sleepless
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2024

#25 #2024 #AmericanMetal #FifthAngel #HeavyMetal #MemoryGarden #Oct24 #ProgPower #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews #Scorpions #Sleepless #TadMorose #ThroughEndlessBlack #WASP_

Mythbegotten – Tales from the Unseelie Court Review

By Mystikus Hugebeard

At their most well-behaved, members of the Fey Kingdom are mischievous. A wallet lost here, a child spirited away there, all good fun. But history has ever taught us that the Fey can, and will, be cruel. As per Scottish Folklore, it is there, in the Unseelie Court, where those malicious denizens of the Fey Kingdom dwell, and plot. Thus arrives New York-based newcomers Mythbegotten, here to divulge untold stories of what’s past the forest’s edge by reading from a musty old tome of Tales from the Unseelie Court. Mythbegotten promise a Tale unlike any other, but do they have what it takes to tell it?

Mythbegotten falls into the ever-vague category of “epic metal,” siphoning elements from folk, power, traditional, death, you name it, and weaving them into a grandiose musical experience. Varied though the palette can be, Mythbegotten’s bread and butter is a consistent folk/power affair that fits snugly between Blind Guardian, Twilight Force, and Euphoreon. There’s a healthy chunk of cheese amongst these Tales, but the focus is more on scale, with fun, tremendous choruses augmented by orchestration (“Omen of Embers,” “Of Wrath and Ruin”) and sweeping solos (“The Fall”). For a fresh, unsigned band, Mythbegotten sound great; the Tales are supported by a solid mix and Mythbegotten are talented musicians, but this highlights some rare inconsistencies in presentation. Sometimes the guitar work is tight as hell (“The Fall”) and other times it could be cleaned up a bit (the solo in “The Terror of Lothian”), and while the programmed drums sound good, some of the blast beats feel thin, but this never stops Mythbegotten’s epic amalgamation of musical styles from being easy to enjoy.

The themes and stories behind all the songs within these Tales are as diverse as the genre influences. Open any book on folklore to a random page and you’ll find something that the Tales draw from, and it’s in this thematic intent that Mythbegotten truly comes into their own. Mythbegotten exudes confidence in how heavily they lean into these inspirations which in turn informs the songwriting. As such, no two songs are quite the same; one song, “The Heedless Horseman,” is a cautionary tale of the malevolent Irish Dullahan told through a jaunty, tavern-friendly tune, while the next, “Omen of Embers,” matches the exuberance of the Arthurian legends it’s based on through a gleeful power-metal chorus. All good Tales are made better by an excellent storyteller, and that’s exactly what vocalist Dan Barbour is. His voice is rich and full-bodied, capable of hitting the high notes, and full of character in the lower octaves. He’s what you’d get if Messiah Marcolin had an evil power-metal twin, and is the perfect muse to tell these diverse and captivating Tales.

Mythbegotten’s strength lies in fully playing into a song’s individual narrative, but these narratives translate better in some songs than others. “Beneath Exham Priory” is a Lovecraft-inspired song with an extended midsection of rapidly evolving riffs and melodies that emulate the onset of Lovecraftian insanity, but they never arrive at a satisfying climax and end up feeling aimless. In cases like this, I wish Mythbegotten would go even bigger with their theming. “The Terror of Lothian” continues the thematic trend of horror and has some solid, crunchy riffs, but outside of the lyrics, it doesn’t embrace the premise with as much vigor as other songs. In their defense, these tunes are fighting an uphill battle against “Of Wrath and Ruin,” the 13+ minute closer that beats Pathfinder at their own game. It effortlessly brings to life The Return of the King’s Battle of the Pelennor Fields through triumphant melodies, galloping riffs, and downright badass guitar/keyboard duet solos, and sets a high precedent for what Mythbegotten can do when the narrative fully envelops the songwriting. It has also made me furious that only this song and “The Fall” have keyboard solos, because they are fantastic.

Mythbegotten are still a little rough around the edges, but their Tales from the Unseelie Court make for a damn good debut. These guys are natural-born storytellers, and the way they weave narrative into music is a joy to experience. Between exciting riffs, stupendous vocals and clever orchestration, Mythbegotten took a wide array of genres and made them their own, lacing them with enough mystery and curiosity to fill a dozen musty old tomes. I’m looking forward to what they do next, but I’ve gotta say: Mythbegotten, if you’re reading this, please, please give us more keyboard solos in the next one, yeah?

Rating: Good!!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self Release
Websites: facebook | bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #BlindGuardian #EpicMetal #Euphoreon #FolkMetal #Mythbegotten #Oct24 #Pathfinder #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #TalesFromTheUnseelieCourt #TwilightForce

Mythbegotten – Tales from the Unseelie Court Review

By Mystikus Hugebeard

At their most well-behaved, members of the Fey Kingdom are mischievous. A wallet lost here, a child spirited away there, all good fun. But history has ever taught us that the Fey can, and will, be cruel. As per Scottish Folklore, it is there, in the Unseelie Court, where those malicious denizens of the Fey Kingdom dwell, and plot. Thus arrives New York-based newcomers Mythbegotten, here to divulge untold stories of what’s past the forest’s edge by reading from a musty old tome of Tales from the Unseelie Court. Mythbegotten promise a Tale unlike any other, but do they have what it takes to tell it?

Mythbegotten falls into the ever-vague category of “epic metal,” siphoning elements from folk, power, traditional, death, you name it, and weaving them into a grandiose musical experience. Varied though the palette can be, Mythbegotten’s bread and butter is a consistent folk/power affair that fits snugly between Blind Guardian, Twilight Force, and Euphoreon. There’s a healthy chunk of cheese amongst these Tales, but the focus is more on scale, with fun, tremendous choruses augmented by orchestration (“Omen of Embers,” “Of Wrath and Ruin”) and sweeping solos (“The Fall”). For a fresh, unsigned band, Mythbegotten sound great; the Tales are supported by a solid mix and Mythbegotten are talented musicians, but this highlights some rare inconsistencies in presentation. Sometimes the guitar work is tight as hell (“The Fall”) and other times it could be cleaned up a bit (the solo in “The Terror of Lothian”), and while the programmed drums sound good, some of the blast beats feel thin, but this never stops Mythbegotten’s epic amalgamation of musical styles from being easy to enjoy.

The themes and stories behind all the songs within these Tales are as diverse as the genre influences. Open any book on folklore to a random page and you’ll find something that the Tales draw from, and it’s in this thematic intent that Mythbegotten truly comes into their own. Mythbegotten exudes confidence in how heavily they lean into these inspirations which in turn informs the songwriting. As such, no two songs are quite the same; one song, “The Heedless Horseman,” is a cautionary tale of the malevolent Irish Dullahan told through a jaunty, tavern-friendly tune, while the next, “Omen of Embers,” matches the exuberance of the Arthurian legends it’s based on through a gleeful power-metal chorus. All good Tales are made better by an excellent storyteller, and that’s exactly what vocalist Dan Barbour is. His voice is rich and full-bodied, capable of hitting the high notes, and full of character in the lower octaves. He’s what you’d get if Messiah Marcolin had an evil power-metal twin, and is the perfect muse to tell these diverse and captivating Tales.

Mythbegotten’s strength lies in fully playing into a song’s individual narrative, but these narratives translate better in some songs than others. “Beneath Exham Priory” is a Lovecraft-inspired song with an extended midsection of rapidly evolving riffs and melodies that emulate the onset of Lovecraftian insanity, but they never arrive at a satisfying climax and end up feeling aimless. In cases like this, I wish Mythbegotten would go even bigger with their theming. “The Terror of Lothian” continues the thematic trend of horror and has some solid, crunchy riffs, but outside of the lyrics, it doesn’t embrace the premise with as much vigor as other songs. In their defense, these tunes are fighting an uphill battle against “Of Wrath and Ruin,” the 13+ minute closer that beats Pathfinder at their own game. It effortlessly brings to life The Return of the King’s Battle of the Pelennor Fields through triumphant melodies, galloping riffs, and downright badass guitar/keyboard duet solos, and sets a high precedent for what Mythbegotten can do when the narrative fully envelops the songwriting. It has also made me furious that only this song and “The Fall” have keyboard solos, because they are fantastic.

Mythbegotten are still a little rough around the edges, but their Tales from the Unseelie Court make for a damn good debut. These guys are natural-born storytellers, and the way they weave narrative into music is a joy to experience. Between exciting riffs, stupendous vocals and clever orchestration, Mythbegotten took a wide array of genres and made them their own, lacing them with enough mystery and curiosity to fill a dozen musty old tomes. I’m looking forward to what they do next, but I’ve gotta say: Mythbegotten, if you’re reading this, please, please give us more keyboard solos in the next one, yeah?

Rating: Good!!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self Release
Websites: facebook | bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #BlindGuardian #EpicMetal #Euphoreon #FolkMetal #Mythbegotten #Oct24 #Pathfinder #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #TalesFromTheUnseelieCourt #TwilightForce

Mythbegotten – Tales from the Unseelie Court Review

By Mystikus Hugebeard

At their most well-behaved, members of the Fey Kingdom are mischievous. A wallet lost here, a child spirited away there, all good fun. But history has ever taught us that the Fey can, and will, be cruel. As per Scottish Folklore, it is there, in the Unseelie Court, where those malicious denizens of the Fey Kingdom dwell, and plot. Thus arrives New York-based newcomers Mythbegotten, here to divulge untold stories of what’s past the forest’s edge by reading from a musty old tome of Tales from the Unseelie Court. Mythbegotten promise a Tale unlike any other, but do they have what it takes to tell it?

Mythbegotten falls into the ever-vague category of “epic metal,” siphoning elements from folk, power, traditional, death, you name it, and weaving them into a grandiose musical experience. Varied though the palette can be, Mythbegotten’s bread and butter is a consistent folk/power affair that fits snugly between Blind Guardian, Twilight Force, and Euphoreon. There’s a healthy chunk of cheese amongst these Tales, but the focus is more on scale, with fun, tremendous choruses augmented by orchestration (“Omen of Embers,” “Of Wrath and Ruin”) and sweeping solos (“The Fall”). For a fresh, unsigned band, Mythbegotten sound great; the Tales are supported by a solid mix and Mythbegotten are talented musicians, but this highlights some rare inconsistencies in presentation. Sometimes the guitar work is tight as hell (“The Fall”) and other times it could be cleaned up a bit (the solo in “The Terror of Lothian”), and while the programmed drums sound good, some of the blast beats feel thin, but this never stops Mythbegotten’s epic amalgamation of musical styles from being easy to enjoy.

The themes and stories behind all the songs within these Tales are as diverse as the genre influences. Open any book on folklore to a random page and you’ll find something that the Tales draw from, and it’s in this thematic intent that Mythbegotten truly comes into their own. Mythbegotten exudes confidence in how heavily they lean into these inspirations which in turn informs the songwriting. As such, no two songs are quite the same; one song, “The Heedless Horseman,” is a cautionary tale of the malevolent Irish Dullahan told through a jaunty, tavern-friendly tune, while the next, “Omen of Embers,” matches the exuberance of the Arthurian legends it’s based on through a gleeful power-metal chorus. All good Tales are made better by an excellent storyteller, and that’s exactly what vocalist Dan Barbour is. His voice is rich and full-bodied, capable of hitting the high notes, and full of character in the lower octaves. He’s what you’d get if Messiah Marcolin had an evil power-metal twin, and is the perfect muse to tell these diverse and captivating Tales.

Mythbegotten’s strength lies in fully playing into a song’s individual narrative, but these narratives translate better in some songs than others. “Beneath Exham Priory” is a Lovecraft-inspired song with an extended midsection of rapidly evolving riffs and melodies that emulate the onset of Lovecraftian insanity, but they never arrive at a satisfying climax and end up feeling aimless. In cases like this, I wish Mythbegotten would go even bigger with their theming. “The Terror of Lothian” continues the thematic trend of horror and has some solid, crunchy riffs, but outside of the lyrics, it doesn’t embrace the premise with as much vigor as other songs. In their defense, these tunes are fighting an uphill battle against “Of Wrath and Ruin,” the 13+ minute closer that beats Pathfinder at their own game. It effortlessly brings to life The Return of the King’s Battle of the Pelennor Fields through triumphant melodies, galloping riffs, and downright badass guitar/keyboard duet solos, and sets a high precedent for what Mythbegotten can do when the narrative fully envelops the songwriting. It has also made me furious that only this song and “The Fall” have keyboard solos, because they are fantastic.

Mythbegotten are still a little rough around the edges, but their Tales from the Unseelie Court make for a damn good debut. These guys are natural-born storytellers, and the way they weave narrative into music is a joy to experience. Between exciting riffs, stupendous vocals and clever orchestration, Mythbegotten took a wide array of genres and made them their own, lacing them with enough mystery and curiosity to fill a dozen musty old tomes. I’m looking forward to what they do next, but I’ve gotta say: Mythbegotten, if you’re reading this, please, please give us more keyboard solos in the next one, yeah?

Rating: Good!!
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self Release
Websites: facebook | bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #BlindGuardian #EpicMetal #Euphoreon #FolkMetal #Mythbegotten #Oct24 #Pathfinder #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfRelease #TalesFromTheUnseelieCourt #TwilightForce

Amputate – Abysmal Ascent Review

By Steel Druhm

Written By: Nameless_N00b_85

The indiscernible line between inspiration and imitation plagues writers, musicians, and artists of all stripes. While the Wormeds and Ulcerates of the world continue to ask what it means to be death metal in a modern context, entire scenes have sprung forth to celebrate the sound of the olde and trve, with the name of the game being “bigger and better” rather than raw in innovation. Swiss band Amputate finds themselves in the latter camp, poised to uncork a letter to the old school in the form of third album Abysmal Ascent. Their sophomore made its way through these very halls, with Doom et Al describing their efforts as “recycled.” This description poses an ironic challenge to this reviewer as we dive in to see whether Amputate has forged something with their own identity. Or, whether I must strive to not copy and paste my great predecessor’s review and be done with it.

The biggest improvement Abysmal Ascent offers is the production. In an about-face from the overly clean and blandly polished Dawn of Annihilation, Amputate have opted for an older, more direct approach. All guitars are recorded straight from their amps, and vocals have minimal effects, making the entire project sound pleasingly raw and organic, like a discount Vomitory or Gorement. This helps Amputate’s more chunky moments where their HM-2 flags fly highest (“Abysmal Ascent”, “Sepulcro”), with vocalist Tom Kuzmic doing his best “We have Erik Rundqvist (Vomitory) at home” approach. His growls, never going beyond competent in their extremity, are clearly piped straight from voice to recording, adding a layer of appreciability in their organic presentation. The DR of 7 allows bouncy, harmonized leads to shine (“Cavernous Temple of the Absurd”) as well as add thunk to the occasional bass solo (“Malevolent Manifestation”). Everything is catchy, deliberately designed, and inoffensive.

Inoffensive, however, best summarizes the whole of Abysmal Ascent. Amputate stretches a reasonable runtime of 39 minutes into a bland sheet of beige-colored audio that seems never-ending in its haze of riffs. The solos are enjoyable, melodic, and well-executed, and also enter the ears and leave the mind as soon as the song concludes (“Extractive Monolith”, “I Am Genocide”). It is telling that instrumental “Hybrid Organism” is the most interesting song on the album—not because of any weakness of the vocals, but because it forces Amputate to stretch their songwriting wings just a little bit. Otherwise, their insistence to adhere to the spirit of OSDM is their undoing, as each song sounds carefully constructed to sound like a facet of greater bands before them. From the crowd-friendly chorus of “I Am Genocide” to the last gasp of energy in sub-two minute closer “Perpetuum,” all of Abysmal Ascent gives off “good local band energy.” You’re sure they’re destined for big things one day, but also ready for them to get off the stage.

This is disappointing because the members of Amputate are no slouches in their individual performances. Nuno Santos and Kuzmic do plenty of tinkering, working with 12/4 time signatures (“Malevolent Manifestation”), speedy tech-adjacent licks (“Sepulcro”,) and good old-fashioned Swedeath sustained chords (“Abysmal Ascent”, “Extractive Monolith”). It is in these slower moments that the band has the smallest whiff of an identity, as the heavier chords allow solos and leads to have a tad more impact. These moments are fleeting, however, and even the most memorable of these—for my money, the chorus of the title track—washes away in the hustle and bustle of blandness by whatever track follows. Abysmal Ascent is an album of excellent ingredients, deliberately concocted into a fine-sounding tribute to better bands before them. And not one of the generous number of listens I’ve given this album has unearthed anything approaching memorability, identity, or repeat play value.

Ultimately, Abysmal Ascent is an etch-a-sketch of an album, each song shaking and erasing the one preceding it, leaving the listener empty and unmoved. It’s clear that Amputate has ambition and passion; what they don’t have are the riffs. They lack the ball-crushing groove of Gatecreeper, the sinister atmosphere of Frozen Soul, the rabid bloodthirst of Vomitory, or the unique melody of Tomb Mold. Instead, they slot neatly in with the Entrailses and the Beheadeds of the world—bland and offensively inoffensive, nothing more. An album with a filthier production, a greater emphasis on songwriting, and developing a sense of identity for themselves would do wonders for their admitted performance capabilities, but discerning lovers of the old school should look elsewhere.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Massacre Records
Website: facebook.com/amputateofficial
Releases Worldwide: October 11th, 2024

#20 #2024 #AbysmalAscent #Amputate #Beheaded #DeathMetal #Entrails #Gorement #MassacreRecords #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #SwissMetal #Vomitory

Amputate – Abysmal Ascent Review

By Steel Druhm

Written By: Nameless_N00b_85

The indiscernible line between inspiration and imitation plagues writers, musicians, and artists of all stripes. While the Wormeds and Ulcerates of the world continue to ask what it means to be death metal in a modern context, entire scenes have sprung forth to celebrate the sound of the olde and trve, with the name of the game being “bigger and better” rather than raw in innovation. Swiss band Amputate finds themselves in the latter camp, poised to uncork a letter to the old school in the form of third album Abysmal Ascent. Their sophomore made its way through these very halls, with Doom et Al describing their efforts as “recycled.” This description poses an ironic challenge to this reviewer as we dive in to see whether Amputate has forged something with their own identity. Or, whether I must strive to not copy and paste my great predecessor’s review and be done with it.

The biggest improvement Abysmal Ascent offers is the production. In an about-face from the overly clean and blandly polished Dawn of Annihilation, Amputate have opted for an older, more direct approach. All guitars are recorded straight from their amps, and vocals have minimal effects, making the entire project sound pleasingly raw and organic, like a discount Vomitory or Gorement. This helps Amputate’s more chunky moments where their HM-2 flags fly highest (“Abysmal Ascent”, “Sepulcro”), with vocalist Tom Kuzmic doing his best “We have Erik Rundqvist (Vomitory) at home” approach. His growls, never going beyond competent in their extremity, are clearly piped straight from voice to recording, adding a layer of appreciability in their organic presentation. The DR of 7 allows bouncy, harmonized leads to shine (“Cavernous Temple of the Absurd”) as well as add thunk to the occasional bass solo (“Malevolent Manifestation”). Everything is catchy, deliberately designed, and inoffensive.

Inoffensive, however, best summarizes the whole of Abysmal Ascent. Amputate stretches a reasonable runtime of 39 minutes into a bland sheet of beige-colored audio that seems never-ending in its haze of riffs. The solos are enjoyable, melodic, and well-executed, and also enter the ears and leave the mind as soon as the song concludes (“Extractive Monolith”, “I Am Genocide”). It is telling that instrumental “Hybrid Organism” is the most interesting song on the album—not because of any weakness of the vocals, but because it forces Amputate to stretch their songwriting wings just a little bit. Otherwise, their insistence to adhere to the spirit of OSDM is their undoing, as each song sounds carefully constructed to sound like a facet of greater bands before them. From the crowd-friendly chorus of “I Am Genocide” to the last gasp of energy in sub-two minute closer “Perpetuum,” all of Abysmal Ascent gives off “good local band energy.” You’re sure they’re destined for big things one day, but also ready for them to get off the stage.

This is disappointing because the members of Amputate are no slouches in their individual performances. Nuno Santos and Kuzmic do plenty of tinkering, working with 12/4 time signatures (“Malevolent Manifestation”), speedy tech-adjacent licks (“Sepulcro”,) and good old-fashioned Swedeath sustained chords (“Abysmal Ascent”, “Extractive Monolith”). It is in these slower moments that the band has the smallest whiff of an identity, as the heavier chords allow solos and leads to have a tad more impact. These moments are fleeting, however, and even the most memorable of these—for my money, the chorus of the title track—washes away in the hustle and bustle of blandness by whatever track follows. Abysmal Ascent is an album of excellent ingredients, deliberately concocted into a fine-sounding tribute to better bands before them. And not one of the generous number of listens I’ve given this album has unearthed anything approaching memorability, identity, or repeat play value.

Ultimately, Abysmal Ascent is an etch-a-sketch of an album, each song shaking and erasing the one preceding it, leaving the listener empty and unmoved. It’s clear that Amputate has ambition and passion; what they don’t have are the riffs. They lack the ball-crushing groove of Gatecreeper, the sinister atmosphere of Frozen Soul, the rabid bloodthirst of Vomitory, or the unique melody of Tomb Mold. Instead, they slot neatly in with the Entrailses and the Beheadeds of the world—bland and offensively inoffensive, nothing more. An album with a filthier production, a greater emphasis on songwriting, and developing a sense of identity for themselves would do wonders for their admitted performance capabilities, but discerning lovers of the old school should look elsewhere.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Massacre Records
Website: facebook.com/amputateofficial
Releases Worldwide: October 11th, 2024

#20 #2024 #AbysmalAscent #Amputate #Beheaded #DeathMetal #Entrails #Gorement #MassacreRecords #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #SwissMetal #Vomitory

Amputate – Abysmal Ascent Review

By Steel Druhm

Written By: Nameless_N00b_85

The indiscernible line between inspiration and imitation plagues writers, musicians, and artists of all stripes. While the Wormeds and Ulcerates of the world continue to ask what it means to be death metal in a modern context, entire scenes have sprung forth to celebrate the sound of the olde and trve, with the name of the game being “bigger and better” rather than raw in innovation. Swiss band Amputate finds themselves in the latter camp, poised to uncork a letter to the old school in the form of third album Abysmal Ascent. Their sophomore made its way through these very halls, with Doom et Al describing their efforts as “recycled.” This description poses an ironic challenge to this reviewer as we dive in to see whether Amputate has forged something with their own identity. Or, whether I must strive to not copy and paste my great predecessor’s review and be done with it.

The biggest improvement Abysmal Ascent offers is the production. In an about-face from the overly clean and blandly polished Dawn of Annihilation, Amputate have opted for an older, more direct approach. All guitars are recorded straight from their amps, and vocals have minimal effects, making the entire project sound pleasingly raw and organic, like a discount Vomitory or Gorement. This helps Amputate’s more chunky moments where their HM-2 flags fly highest (“Abysmal Ascent”, “Sepulcro”), with vocalist Tom Kuzmic doing his best “We have Erik Rundqvist (Vomitory) at home” approach. His growls, never going beyond competent in their extremity, are clearly piped straight from voice to recording, adding a layer of appreciability in their organic presentation. The DR of 7 allows bouncy, harmonized leads to shine (“Cavernous Temple of the Absurd”) as well as add thunk to the occasional bass solo (“Malevolent Manifestation”). Everything is catchy, deliberately designed, and inoffensive.

Inoffensive, however, best summarizes the whole of Abysmal Ascent. Amputate stretches a reasonable runtime of 39 minutes into a bland sheet of beige-colored audio that seems never-ending in its haze of riffs. The solos are enjoyable, melodic, and well-executed, and also enter the ears and leave the mind as soon as the song concludes (“Extractive Monolith”, “I Am Genocide”). It is telling that instrumental “Hybrid Organism” is the most interesting song on the album—not because of any weakness of the vocals, but because it forces Amputate to stretch their songwriting wings just a little bit. Otherwise, their insistence to adhere to the spirit of OSDM is their undoing, as each song sounds carefully constructed to sound like a facet of greater bands before them. From the crowd-friendly chorus of “I Am Genocide” to the last gasp of energy in sub-two minute closer “Perpetuum,” all of Abysmal Ascent gives off “good local band energy.” You’re sure they’re destined for big things one day, but also ready for them to get off the stage.

This is disappointing because the members of Amputate are no slouches in their individual performances. Nuno Santos and Kuzmic do plenty of tinkering, working with 12/4 time signatures (“Malevolent Manifestation”), speedy tech-adjacent licks (“Sepulcro”,) and good old-fashioned Swedeath sustained chords (“Abysmal Ascent”, “Extractive Monolith”). It is in these slower moments that the band has the smallest whiff of an identity, as the heavier chords allow solos and leads to have a tad more impact. These moments are fleeting, however, and even the most memorable of these—for my money, the chorus of the title track—washes away in the hustle and bustle of blandness by whatever track follows. Abysmal Ascent is an album of excellent ingredients, deliberately concocted into a fine-sounding tribute to better bands before them. And not one of the generous number of listens I’ve given this album has unearthed anything approaching memorability, identity, or repeat play value.

Ultimately, Abysmal Ascent is an etch-a-sketch of an album, each song shaking and erasing the one preceding it, leaving the listener empty and unmoved. It’s clear that Amputate has ambition and passion; what they don’t have are the riffs. They lack the ball-crushing groove of Gatecreeper, the sinister atmosphere of Frozen Soul, the rabid bloodthirst of Vomitory, or the unique melody of Tomb Mold. Instead, they slot neatly in with the Entrailses and the Beheadeds of the world—bland and offensively inoffensive, nothing more. An album with a filthier production, a greater emphasis on songwriting, and developing a sense of identity for themselves would do wonders for their admitted performance capabilities, but discerning lovers of the old school should look elsewhere.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Massacre Records
Website: facebook.com/amputateofficial
Releases Worldwide: October 11th, 2024

#20 #2024 #AbysmalAscent #Amputate #Beheaded #DeathMetal #Entrails #Gorement #MassacreRecords #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #SwissMetal #Vomitory

Kings of Mercia – Battle Scars Review

By Dolphin Whisperer

Having already this decade released a Tuesday the Sky album, new project North Sea Echoes, and, now, the second Kings of Mercia album Battle Scars, it’s clear Fates Warning founding guitarist Jim Matheos does not wander this Earth without a load of sonic ideas. While many of his offshoots have skewed ambient or atmospheric in some regard, Kings of Mercia follows a different path. Featuring the classically AOR vocal styles of the highly-credited, little-celebrated Steve Overland (FM, Shadowman),1 Kings of Mercia aims neither for the head nor the heart, leaning instead into the hip-swaying, gentle head nodding of warm-toned Dad metal. So you ask then how they got those scars? Probably in a fight with a hammer and a shelf that concluded with all parties splayed about the floor.

As an homage to a simpler time in metal history, a lot of what Kings of Mercia puts out feels obligatory. Now, this doesn’t mean that Matheos can’t write a song—far from it. Cuts like “Eye for an Eye,” “Legend,” and “Cold” have more than enough slick riffage and sneaky modulations that they carry their weight from start to finish with little effort and high intrigue. But both confined in traditional chorus-focused rock structures and firmly in the box of 80s-minded impact, Battle Scars needs to succeed on the few elements that it handles with delicate personal twists. And in that limited scope, its chance to break away the shopping mall hits list from the likes of a bouncing Toto jam or a sultry Whitesnake burner leaves Battle Scars out the gate with a handicap.

But Matheos and co. seem to concern themselves very little with how relevant or earth-shaking Kings of Mercia will be, continuing to focus on coating Battle Scars with well-toned, snazzy refrains that frame Overland’s time-tested pipes with an unbreakable groove. As a master of warping crunchy amp character against layered, syncopated riffs, Matheos builds an amplified immediacy that opens up with each of Overland’s title-laden chorus calls (“Guns and Ammunition,” “Eye for an Eye,” “Cold”). And when slowing things down to a bluesy bounce, rhythm stalwarts Joey Vera (Fates Warning, Armored Saint) and Simon Phillips (Toto) play up simpler guitar craft with a hammering march and growling pulse (“Between Two Worlds,” “Hell ‘n’ Back”). Matheos continues too to explore looped guitar patterns and chunky industrial tones with the alt-edged “Aftermath,” lending a higher diversity to the back half. Rare is the moment on Battle Scars that displeases the ears.

For an album that strikes as immediate, Battle Scars’ biggest fault remains its lowest moment segregating a serviceable open from a promising close. Much like the criticism that ol’ Huck laid out of their debut, Kings of Mercia’s adherence to the aged inclusion of a full sap ballad returns as an offense. The titular apex of the first half pushes—shakers and crying clean guitars hitting at full sweetness—an unwelcome aura of sadness into the pleasant romp that otherwise develops throughout Battle Scars. But this downcast element, at least, gives Kings of Mercia an edge that doesn’t usually persist in the 80s worship of the modern day. With lyrical content that ranges from dissatisfaction with certain sociopolitical happenings in the world (“Guns and Ammunition”), coming to terms with aging (“Between Two Worlds”), and acknowledging the duality of life choices (“Angels & Demons”), albeit in light-hearted phrasing,2 Kings of Mercia tells stories much differently than the big hair and arena anthemics of the past.

With this grounded energy, Battle Scars escapes a potential fault in remaining too saccharine. At brightest, Kings of Mercia evades the gruel of a closing second ballad, letting “Angels & Demons” turn down the lights with a resonating acoustic guitar melody and cello duet that simmers into a riff-handed statement of triumph. The harder-hitting, more diverse B-side at large highlights the plodding similarities of Overland’s vocal patterns and the overwrought nature of King of Mercia’s softest elements. So while it’s true that Matheos can build accessible distorted rockers with a progressive flair, it’ll take more than a little high-gain ear candy with a hint of melancholy for Kings of Mercia to sail away with a fuller vote of confidence.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records | Bandcamp
Websites: kingsofmercia.com | kingsofmercia.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 4th, 2024

#25 #2024 #AOR #BattleScars #FatesWarning #FM #HardRock #HeavyMetal #InternationalMetal #KingsOfMercia #MetalBladeRecords #Oct24 #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #Toto #Whitesnake

Kings of Mercia – Battle Scars Review

By Dolphin Whisperer

Having already this decade released a Tuesday the Sky album, new project North Sea Echoes, and, now, the second Kings of Mercia album Battle Scars, it’s clear Fates Warning founding guitarist Jim Matheos does not wander this Earth without a load of sonic ideas. While many of his offshoots have skewed ambient or atmospheric in some regard, Kings of Mercia follows a different path. Featuring the classically AOR vocal styles of the highly-credited, little-celebrated Steve Overland (FM, Shadowman),1 Kings of Mercia aims neither for the head nor the heart, leaning instead into the hip-swaying, gentle head nodding of warm-toned Dad metal. So you ask then how they got those scars? Probably in a fight with a hammer and a shelf that concluded with all parties splayed about the floor.

As an homage to a simpler time in metal history, a lot of what Kings of Mercia puts out feels obligatory. Now, this doesn’t mean that Matheos can’t write a song—far from it. Cuts like “Eye for an Eye,” “Legend,” and “Cold” have more than enough slick riffage and sneaky modulations that they carry their weight from start to finish with little effort and high intrigue. But both confined in traditional chorus-focused rock structures and firmly in the box of 80s-minded impact, Battle Scars needs to succeed on the few elements that it handles with delicate personal twists. And in that limited scope, its chance to break away the shopping mall hits list from the likes of a bouncing Toto jam or a sultry Whitesnake burner leaves Battle Scars out the gate with a handicap.

But Matheos and co. seem to concern themselves very little with how relevant or earth-shaking Kings of Mercia will be, continuing to focus on coating Battle Scars with well-toned, snazzy refrains that frame Overland’s time-tested pipes with an unbreakable groove. As a master of warping crunchy amp character against layered, syncopated riffs, Matheos builds an amplified immediacy that opens up with each of Overland’s title-laden chorus calls (“Guns and Ammunition,” “Eye for an Eye,” “Cold”). And when slowing things down to a bluesy bounce, rhythm stalwarts Joey Vera (Fates Warning, Armored Saint) and Simon Phillips (Toto) play up simpler guitar craft with a hammering march and growling pulse (“Between Two Worlds,” “Hell ‘n’ Back”). Matheos continues too to explore looped guitar patterns and chunky industrial tones with the alt-edged “Aftermath,” lending a higher diversity to the back half. Rare is the moment on Battle Scars that displeases the ears.

For an album that strikes as immediate, Battle Scars’ biggest fault remains its lowest moment segregating a serviceable open from a promising close. Much like the criticism that ol’ Huck laid out of their debut, Kings of Mercia’s adherence to the aged inclusion of a full sap ballad returns as an offense. The titular apex of the first half pushes—shakers and crying clean guitars hitting at full sweetness—an unwelcome aura of sadness into the pleasant romp that otherwise develops throughout Battle Scars. But this downcast element, at least, gives Kings of Mercia an edge that doesn’t usually persist in the 80s worship of the modern day. With lyrical content that ranges from dissatisfaction with certain sociopolitical happenings in the world (“Guns and Ammunition”), coming to terms with aging (“Between Two Worlds”), and acknowledging the duality of life choices (“Angels & Demons”), albeit in light-hearted phrasing,2 Kings of Mercia tells stories much differently than the big hair and arena anthemics of the past.

With this grounded energy, Battle Scars escapes a potential fault in remaining too saccharine. At brightest, Kings of Mercia evades the gruel of a closing second ballad, letting “Angels & Demons” turn down the lights with a resonating acoustic guitar melody and cello duet that simmers into a riff-handed statement of triumph. The harder-hitting, more diverse B-side at large highlights the plodding similarities of Overland’s vocal patterns and the overwrought nature of King of Mercia’s softest elements. So while it’s true that Matheos can build accessible distorted rockers with a progressive flair, it’ll take more than a little high-gain ear candy with a hint of melancholy for Kings of Mercia to sail away with a fuller vote of confidence.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records | Bandcamp
Websites: kingsofmercia.com | kingsofmercia.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 4th, 2024

#25 #2024 #AOR #BattleScars #FatesWarning #FM #HardRock #HeavyMetal #InternationalMetal #KingsOfMercia #MetalBladeRecords #Oct24 #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #Toto #Whitesnake

Kings of Mercia – Battle Scars Review

By Dolphin Whisperer

Having already this decade released a Tuesday the Sky album, new project North Sea Echoes, and, now, the second Kings of Mercia album Battle Scars, it’s clear Fates Warning founding guitarist Jim Matheos does not wander this Earth without a load of sonic ideas. While many of his offshoots have skewed ambient or atmospheric in some regard, Kings of Mercia follows a different path. Featuring the classically AOR vocal styles of the highly-credited, little-celebrated Steve Overland (FM, Shadowman),1 Kings of Mercia aims neither for the head nor the heart, leaning instead into the hip-swaying, gentle head nodding of warm-toned Dad metal. So you ask then how they got those scars? Probably in a fight with a hammer and a shelf that concluded with all parties splayed about the floor.

As an homage to a simpler time in metal history, a lot of what Kings of Mercia puts out feels obligatory. Now, this doesn’t mean that Matheos can’t write a song—far from it. Cuts like “Eye for an Eye,” “Legend,” and “Cold” have more than enough slick riffage and sneaky modulations that they carry their weight from start to finish with little effort and high intrigue. But both confined in traditional chorus-focused rock structures and firmly in the box of 80s-minded impact, Battle Scars needs to succeed on the few elements that it handles with delicate personal twists. And in that limited scope, its chance to break away the shopping mall hits list from the likes of a bouncing Toto jam or a sultry Whitesnake burner leaves Battle Scars out the gate with a handicap.

But Matheos and co. seem to concern themselves very little with how relevant or earth-shaking Kings of Mercia will be, continuing to focus on coating Battle Scars with well-toned, snazzy refrains that frame Overland’s time-tested pipes with an unbreakable groove. As a master of warping crunchy amp character against layered, syncopated riffs, Matheos builds an amplified immediacy that opens up with each of Overland’s title-laden chorus calls (“Guns and Ammunition,” “Eye for an Eye,” “Cold”). And when slowing things down to a bluesy bounce, rhythm stalwarts Joey Vera (Fates Warning, Armored Saint) and Simon Phillips (Toto) play up simpler guitar craft with a hammering march and growling pulse (“Between Two Worlds,” “Hell ‘n’ Back”). Matheos continues too to explore looped guitar patterns and chunky industrial tones with the alt-edged “Aftermath,” lending a higher diversity to the back half. Rare is the moment on Battle Scars that displeases the ears.

For an album that strikes as immediate, Battle Scars’ biggest fault remains its lowest moment segregating a serviceable open from a promising close. Much like the criticism that ol’ Huck laid out of their debut, Kings of Mercia’s adherence to the aged inclusion of a full sap ballad returns as an offense. The titular apex of the first half pushes—shakers and crying clean guitars hitting at full sweetness—an unwelcome aura of sadness into the pleasant romp that otherwise develops throughout Battle Scars. But this downcast element, at least, gives Kings of Mercia an edge that doesn’t usually persist in the 80s worship of the modern day. With lyrical content that ranges from dissatisfaction with certain sociopolitical happenings in the world (“Guns and Ammunition”), coming to terms with aging (“Between Two Worlds”), and acknowledging the duality of life choices (“Angels & Demons”), albeit in light-hearted phrasing,2 Kings of Mercia tells stories much differently than the big hair and arena anthemics of the past.

With this grounded energy, Battle Scars escapes a potential fault in remaining too saccharine. At brightest, Kings of Mercia evades the gruel of a closing second ballad, letting “Angels & Demons” turn down the lights with a resonating acoustic guitar melody and cello duet that simmers into a riff-handed statement of triumph. The harder-hitting, more diverse B-side at large highlights the plodding similarities of Overland’s vocal patterns and the overwrought nature of King of Mercia’s softest elements. So while it’s true that Matheos can build accessible distorted rockers with a progressive flair, it’ll take more than a little high-gain ear candy with a hint of melancholy for Kings of Mercia to sail away with a fuller vote of confidence.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records | Bandcamp
Websites: kingsofmercia.com | kingsofmercia.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 4th, 2024

#25 #2024 #AOR #BattleScars #FatesWarning #FM #HardRock #HeavyMetal #InternationalMetal #KingsOfMercia #MetalBladeRecords #Oct24 #ProgressiveRock #Review #Reviews #Toto #Whitesnake

Black Curse – Burning in Celestial Poison Review

By Eldritch Elitist

There are a mere handful of artists whose work I would describe as genuinely transportive. Black Curse is one of them, but instead of sweeping me away into cold space, vast wilderness, or entire fucking battlefields, Black Curse transports me straight to whatever Cenobite hell rewires your pleasure centers. By all accounts, I should not like Black Curse. I don’t even like war metal1. Yet 2020’s Endless Wound clawed and wriggled and scorched its way into my good graces all the same, and upon retrospection feels like one of that year’s most enduring records. Four years on, and those assuredly busy members of Khemmis, Primitive Man, Spectral Voice, and now Ulthar2 have convened again for a follow-up I never dared hope would materialize. The result is Burning in Celestial Poison, a record I can’t quite fully wrap my brain around, other than to gain an incomplete understanding of its brilliance.

Burning in Celestial Poison still very much sounds like Black Curse: sonically akin to a more purely elemental Teitanblood, but with an unmistakably caustic stamp. It’s evident that the members understand that approximately 17% of the Black Curse entertainment factor stems from fucked up guitar squeals and indecipherable shrieking, as those crucial components are ever-present. Yet in contrast to the relative simplicity of Black Curse’s debut, Burning in Celestial Poison’s compositions invoke a puzzle box shrouded in thorns and smoke. Its average track length nearly doubles that of its predecessor, but even its shortest cuts feel unpredictable and disarmingly aggressive. For all its twists and turns, Burning in Celestial Poison is a more immediately visceral Black Curse, with less allowance for doom metal sections or breathing room in general. This is an outright endurance test and an utterly relentless experience, but its density and scope are captivating, ensuring maximum replay value.

In terms of genre composition, Burning in Celestial Poison has shifted the balance of black metal and death metal, giving their blackened side more earth with which to scorch. In fact, the winding compositions frequently remind me of Black Curse’s labelmate Funereal Presence. While Black Curse operates best when they prime their assaults with death metal bluntness, this change represents a better balancing of their elements, and death metal is still frequently granted center stage. “Trodden Flesh” in particular boasts a midsection anchored with disgustingly catchy riffs that feel disconcertingly accessible in the context of this record, uncharacteristically enticing as if concealing an ulterior motive. If I have a critique from the songwriting front, it’s that memorable passages such as these feel somewhat sparse. There are big moments that tower above the madness, feverishly grasping at an even bolder vision, but their hold is fleeting. A greater frequency of these moments could have further elevated an already compelling vision.

Arthur Rizk returns once again as producer, and has engineered Burning in Celestial Poison to be similarly abrasive, with instruments presented in lower fidelity than its predecessor. The performances are further obscured by countless layers of screeching ambience, with every component thoroughly moistened by reverb. I’m of two minds regarding the production on this record. On one hand, its sheer cacophony makes for a listening experience that feels only a few steps removed from inscrutability, making its curious atmosphere all the more maliciously unknowable. On the other, my desire to constantly delve into this record’s depths for a better understanding of its thesis is mildly quelled by the hostility of its engineering. As this uncomfortable feeling is almost certainly Black Curse’s intent, I’m inclined to chalk the production choices up as a net positive. Burning in Celestial Poison is the rare metal record that may come across as legitimately hostile to genre veterans, and one that somehow lives up to the overwrought, hyperbolic pitch presented with its promo sheet.

After living with this album for some time, I came to the realization that Burning in Celestial Poison feels closer to the Black Curse imprinted in my mind following their debut than the Black Curse presented on that debut. It is unquestionably more than the sum of its parts and feels closer to the band’s true vision, one driven by instinct and impulse rather than a discernible, structured order. As for whether I believe this record is actually better than Endless Wound, I believe the answer will only be revealed over time. Endless Wound is more immediately appealing, but something about its execution feels less satisfying now that I know what Black Curse is capable of. Burning in Celestial Poison will almost certainly spark debate; with every spin, it becomes clearer that it is not a safe sequel. Yet this is still a work that sounds like it could only come from one collective of artists, and to me, that signifies a success on all fronts.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Sepulchral Voice Records
Website: blackcurse-svr.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

Show 2 footnotes

1. It could be argued whether Black Curse qualifies as war metal or is merely war metal-adjacent, but I’m not exactly qualified to weigh in. ↩
2. That band’s Steve Peacock here replaces Blood Incantation’s Morris Kolontyrsky on bass. ↩

#2024 #40 #AmericanMetal #BlackCurse #BlackenedDeathMetal #BloodIncantation #BurningInCelestialPoison #FunerealPresence #Khemmis #Oct24 #PrimitiveMan #Review #Reviews #SepulchralVoiceRecords #SpectralVoice #Teitanblood #Ulthar

Black Curse – Burning in Celestial Poison Review

By Eldritch Elitist

There are a mere handful of artists whose work I would describe as genuinely transportive. Black Curse is one of them, but instead of sweeping me away into cold space, vast wilderness, or entire fucking battlefields, Black Curse transports me straight to whatever Cenobite hell rewires your pleasure centers. By all accounts, I should not like Black Curse. I don’t even like war metal1. Yet 2020’s Endless Wound clawed and wriggled and scorched its way into my good graces all the same, and upon retrospection feels like one of that year’s most enduring records. Four years on, and those assuredly busy members of Khemmis, Primitive Man, Spectral Voice, and now Ulthar2 have convened again for a follow-up I never dared hope would materialize. The result is Burning in Celestial Poison, a record I can’t quite fully wrap my brain around, other than to gain an incomplete understanding of its brilliance.

Burning in Celestial Poison still very much sounds like Black Curse: sonically akin to a more purely elemental Teitanblood, but with an unmistakably caustic stamp. It’s evident that the members understand that approximately 17% of the Black Curse entertainment factor stems from fucked up guitar squeals and indecipherable shrieking, as those crucial components are ever-present. Yet in contrast to the relative simplicity of Black Curse’s debut, Burning in Celestial Poison’s compositions invoke a puzzle box shrouded in thorns and smoke. Its average track length nearly doubles that of its predecessor, but even its shortest cuts feel unpredictable and disarmingly aggressive. For all its twists and turns, Burning in Celestial Poison is a more immediately visceral Black Curse, with less allowance for doom metal sections or breathing room in general. This is an outright endurance test and an utterly relentless experience, but its density and scope are captivating, ensuring maximum replay value.

In terms of genre composition, Burning in Celestial Poison has shifted the balance of black metal and death metal, giving their blackened side more earth with which to scorch. In fact, the winding compositions frequently remind me of Black Curse’s labelmate Funereal Presence. While Black Curse operates best when they prime their assaults with death metal bluntness, this change represents a better balancing of their elements, and death metal is still frequently granted center stage. “Trodden Flesh” in particular boasts a midsection anchored with disgustingly catchy riffs that feel disconcertingly accessible in the context of this record, uncharacteristically enticing as if concealing an ulterior motive. If I have a critique from the songwriting front, it’s that memorable passages such as these feel somewhat sparse. There are big moments that tower above the madness, feverishly grasping at an even bolder vision, but their hold is fleeting. A greater frequency of these moments could have further elevated an already compelling vision.

Arthur Rizk returns once again as producer, and has engineered Burning in Celestial Poison to be similarly abrasive, with instruments presented in lower fidelity than its predecessor. The performances are further obscured by countless layers of screeching ambience, with every component thoroughly moistened by reverb. I’m of two minds regarding the production on this record. On one hand, its sheer cacophony makes for a listening experience that feels only a few steps removed from inscrutability, making its curious atmosphere all the more maliciously unknowable. On the other, my desire to constantly delve into this record’s depths for a better understanding of its thesis is mildly quelled by the hostility of its engineering. As this uncomfortable feeling is almost certainly Black Curse’s intent, I’m inclined to chalk the production choices up as a net positive. Burning in Celestial Poison is the rare metal record that may come across as legitimately hostile to genre veterans, and one that somehow lives up to the overwrought, hyperbolic pitch presented with its promo sheet.

After living with this album for some time, I came to the realization that Burning in Celestial Poison feels closer to the Black Curse imprinted in my mind following their debut than the Black Curse presented on that debut. It is unquestionably more than the sum of its parts and feels closer to the band’s true vision, one driven by instinct and impulse rather than a discernible, structured order. As for whether I believe this record is actually better than Endless Wound, I believe the answer will only be revealed over time. Endless Wound is more immediately appealing, but something about its execution feels less satisfying now that I know what Black Curse is capable of. Burning in Celestial Poison will almost certainly spark debate; with every spin, it becomes clearer that it is not a safe sequel. Yet this is still a work that sounds like it could only come from one collective of artists, and to me, that signifies a success on all fronts.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Sepulchral Voice Records
Website: blackcurse-svr.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

#2024 #40 #AmericanMetal #BlackCurse #BlackenedDeathMetal #BloodIncantation #BurningInCelestialPoison #FunerealPresence #Khemmis #Oct24 #PrimitiveMan #Review #Reviews #SepulchralVoiceRecords #SpectralVoice #Teitanblood #Ulthar

Black Curse – Burning in Celestial Poison Review

By Eldritch Elitist

There are a mere handful of artists whose work I would describe as genuinely transportive. Black Curse is one of them, but instead of sweeping me away into cold space, vast wilderness, or entire fucking battlefields, Black Curse transports me straight to whatever Cenobite hell rewires your pleasure centers. By all accounts, I should not like Black Curse. I don’t even like war metal1. Yet 2020’s Endless Wound clawed and wriggled and scorched its way into my good graces all the same, and upon retrospection feels like one of that year’s most enduring records. Four years on, and those assuredly busy members of Khemmis, Primitive Man, Spectral Voice, and now Ulthar2 have convened again for a follow-up I never dared hope would materialize. The result is Burning in Celestial Poison, a record I can’t quite fully wrap my brain around, other than to gain an incomplete understanding of its brilliance.

Burning in Celestial Poison still very much sounds like Black Curse: sonically akin to a more purely elemental Teitanblood, but with an unmistakably caustic stamp. It’s evident that the members understand that approximately 17% of the Black Curse entertainment factor stems from fucked up guitar squeals and indecipherable shrieking, as those crucial components are ever-present. Yet in contrast to the relative simplicity of Black Curse’s debut, Burning in Celestial Poison’s compositions invoke a puzzle box shrouded in thorns and smoke. Its average track length nearly doubles that of its predecessor, but even its shortest cuts feel unpredictable and disarmingly aggressive. For all its twists and turns, Burning in Celestial Poison is a more immediately visceral Black Curse, with less allowance for doom metal sections or breathing room in general. This is an outright endurance test and an utterly relentless experience, but its density and scope are captivating, ensuring maximum replay value.

In terms of genre composition, Burning in Celestial Poison has shifted the balance of black metal and death metal, giving their blackened side more earth with which to scorch. In fact, the winding compositions frequently remind me of Black Curse’s labelmate Funereal Presence. While Black Curse operates best when they prime their assaults with death metal bluntness, this change represents a better balancing of their elements, and death metal is still frequently granted center stage. “Trodden Flesh” in particular boasts a midsection anchored with disgustingly catchy riffs that feel disconcertingly accessible in the context of this record, uncharacteristically enticing as if concealing an ulterior motive. If I have a critique from the songwriting front, it’s that memorable passages such as these feel somewhat sparse. There are big moments that tower above the madness, feverishly grasping at an even bolder vision, but their hold is fleeting. A greater frequency of these moments could have further elevated an already compelling vision.

Arthur Rizk returns once again as producer, and has engineered Burning in Celestial Poison to be similarly abrasive, with instruments presented in lower fidelity than its predecessor. The performances are further obscured by countless layers of screeching ambience, with every component thoroughly moistened by reverb. I’m of two minds regarding the production on this record. On one hand, its sheer cacophony makes for a listening experience that feels only a few steps removed from inscrutability, making its curious atmosphere all the more maliciously unknowable. On the other, my desire to constantly delve into this record’s depths for a better understanding of its thesis is mildly quelled by the hostility of its engineering. As this uncomfortable feeling is almost certainly Black Curse’s intent, I’m inclined to chalk the production choices up as a net positive. Burning in Celestial Poison is the rare metal record that may come across as legitimately hostile to genre veterans, and one that somehow lives up to the overwrought, hyperbolic pitch presented with its promo sheet.

After living with this album for some time, I came to the realization that Burning in Celestial Poison feels closer to the Black Curse imprinted in my mind following their debut than the Black Curse presented on that debut. It is unquestionably more than the sum of its parts and feels closer to the band’s true vision, one driven by instinct and impulse rather than a discernible, structured order. As for whether I believe this record is actually better than Endless Wound, I believe the answer will only be revealed over time. Endless Wound is more immediately appealing, but something about its execution feels less satisfying now that I know what Black Curse is capable of. Burning in Celestial Poison will almost certainly spark debate; with every spin, it becomes clearer that it is not a safe sequel. Yet this is still a work that sounds like it could only come from one collective of artists, and to me, that signifies a success on all fronts.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Sepulchral Voice Records
Website: blackcurse-svr.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

#2024 #40 #AmericanMetal #BlackCurse #BlackenedDeathMetal #BloodIncantation #BurningInCelestialPoison #FunerealPresence #Khemmis #Oct24 #PrimitiveMan #Review #Reviews #SepulchralVoiceRecords #SpectralVoice #Teitanblood #Ulthar

Black Curse – Burning in Celestial Poison Review

By Eldritch Elitist

There are a mere handful of artists whose work I would describe as genuinely transportive. Black Curse is one of them, but instead of sweeping me away into cold space, vast wilderness, or entire fucking battlefields, Black Curse transports me straight to whatever Cenobite hell rewires your pleasure centers. By all accounts, I should not like Black Curse. I don’t even like war metal1. Yet 2020’s Endless Wound clawed and wriggled and scorched its way into my good graces all the same, and upon retrospection feels like one of that year’s most enduring records. Four years on, and those assuredly busy members of Khemmis, Primitive Man, Spectral Voice, and now Ulthar2 have convened again for a follow-up I never dared hope would materialize. The result is Burning in Celestial Poison, a record I can’t quite fully wrap my brain around, other than to gain an incomplete understanding of its brilliance.

Burning in Celestial Poison still very much sounds like Black Curse: sonically akin to a more purely elemental Teitanblood, but with an unmistakably caustic stamp. It’s evident that the members understand that approximately 17% of the Black Curse entertainment factor stems from fucked up guitar squeals and indecipherable shrieking, as those crucial components are ever-present. Yet in contrast to the relative simplicity of Black Curse’s debut, Burning in Celestial Poison’s compositions invoke a puzzle box shrouded in thorns and smoke. Its average track length nearly doubles that of its predecessor, but even its shortest cuts feel unpredictable and disarmingly aggressive. For all its twists and turns, Burning in Celestial Poison is a more immediately visceral Black Curse, with less allowance for doom metal sections or breathing room in general. This is an outright endurance test and an utterly relentless experience, but its density and scope are captivating, ensuring maximum replay value.

In terms of genre composition, Burning in Celestial Poison has shifted the balance of black metal and death metal, giving their blackened side more earth with which to scorch. In fact, the winding compositions frequently remind me of Black Curse’s labelmate Funereal Presence. While Black Curse operates best when they prime their assaults with death metal bluntness, this change represents a better balancing of their elements, and death metal is still frequently granted center stage. “Trodden Flesh” in particular boasts a midsection anchored with disgustingly catchy riffs that feel disconcertingly accessible in the context of this record, uncharacteristically enticing as if concealing an ulterior motive. If I have a critique from the songwriting front, it’s that memorable passages such as these feel somewhat sparse. There are big moments that tower above the madness, feverishly grasping at an even bolder vision, but their hold is fleeting. A greater frequency of these moments could have further elevated an already compelling vision.

Arthur Rizk returns once again as producer, and has engineered Burning in Celestial Poison to be similarly abrasive, with instruments presented in lower fidelity than its predecessor. The performances are further obscured by countless layers of screeching ambience, with every component thoroughly moistened by reverb. I’m of two minds regarding the production on this record. On one hand, its sheer cacophony makes for a listening experience that feels only a few steps removed from inscrutability, making its curious atmosphere all the more maliciously unknowable. On the other, my desire to constantly delve into this record’s depths for a better understanding of its thesis is mildly quelled by the hostility of its engineering. As this uncomfortable feeling is almost certainly Black Curse’s intent, I’m inclined to chalk the production choices up as a net positive. Burning in Celestial Poison is the rare metal record that may come across as legitimately hostile to genre veterans, and one that somehow lives up to the overwrought, hyperbolic pitch presented with its promo sheet.

After living with this album for some time, I came to the realization that Burning in Celestial Poison feels closer to the Black Curse imprinted in my mind following their debut than the Black Curse presented on that debut. It is unquestionably more than the sum of its parts and feels closer to the band’s true vision, one driven by instinct and impulse rather than a discernible, structured order. As for whether I believe this record is actually better than Endless Wound, I believe the answer will only be revealed over time. Endless Wound is more immediately appealing, but something about its execution feels less satisfying now that I know what Black Curse is capable of. Burning in Celestial Poison will almost certainly spark debate; with every spin, it becomes clearer that it is not a safe sequel. Yet this is still a work that sounds like it could only come from one collective of artists, and to me, that signifies a success on all fronts.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Sepulchral Voice Records
Website: blackcurse-svr.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

#2024 #40 #AmericanMetal #BlackCurse #BlackenedDeathMetal #BloodIncantation #BurningInCelestialPoison #FunerealPresence #Khemmis #Oct24 #PrimitiveMan #Review #Reviews #SepulchralVoiceRecords #SpectralVoice #Teitanblood #Ulthar

Sentient Horror – In Service of the Dead Review

By Steel Druhm

From the lush, verdant meadowlands of New Jersey seeps the toxic terrors of caveman death dealers Sentient Horror. Featuring members of Heads for the Dead, Reeking Aura, and Dead and Dripping, these thuggish cretins have been hurling their vulgar takes on vintage HM-2 Entombed-core at the morgue wall since 2016 and a lot of it stuck. 2016s Ungodly Forms channeled the early days of Edge of Sanity on an enjoyably crushing opus, and 2022s Rites of Gore saw them pollute the Swedeath with American influences of the least evolved variety. Fourth album In Service of the Dead sees Sentient Horror experimenting with thrash and NWoBHM elements to further diversify their user-unfriendy sound. Rest assured that the end product is still vein-bursting, bone-breaking death metal with nary a trace of grace or decorum. But can it be of service to the living?

Opener “The Way of Decay” is one of the best death chestnuts I’ve heard in 2024, coming at you like a honey badger with double rabies and an empty belly. It’s savage and unstoppable noise with buzzing guitars slashing and slicing in all directions as nasty death roars and thundering drums pound you into the mafia-filled mud bog outside Jets/Giants Stadium. It’s a Swedeath spectacle paying tribute to the early days of the Stockholm sound and it will murderize your sensibilities. “Undead Mutation” keeps things hurtful with a bit of American groove and power chug arriving for support. The chorus hits hard and Sentient Horror are in top form. Across the album, songs are kept nasty, bruising, and short, hitting and running like a fleet of unregistered deathmobiles. “Cadaverous Hordes” is a high point, with gloriously thrashed-out death antics that approach grind levels of intensity. It’s pounding, ravenous death with frantically escalating riffwork and zero fucks given and it can trigger a severe panic attack. I also appreciate the vague similarities to prime Sepultura that crop up on the back end.

The commitment to thrashing death keeps things sticking and moving and the glory days of Swedeath still live large in the writing. “Born in the Morgue” is like 1990s Entombed trying to channel the sleaze-scuzz of Autopsy, and the title track could have appeared on Left Hand Path and fit in as snug as a slug in a bed sore. The album’s tight 37 minutes with songs all in the 3-4 minute window mean things move fast. While not every song is a title contender, none are bad or skippable and there’s no trace of fat or bloat to be found. All that said, the front half is more stacked with killers, and by the halfway point you start to get the feeling the material is a tad one-note, though that note is quite entertaining. Despite claims of an infusion of NWoBHM influences, I don’t hear much of that in the material. The thrash is there in spades, however. The production is a bit muddy and not in that cool murky way. Rather, it hits more like a thick wall of sound. I much prefer the mastering on Rites of Gore and their prior works.

Matthew Molite (Heads for the Dead) and Jon Lopez demonstrate a keen understanding of the Swedeath sound and clearly love the classic Sunlight Studio releases by Entombed and Dismember. They bring the HM-2 buzz thunder to all the nooks and crannies of the album and do it violent justice. The burly riffage is always good and sometimes great, while the solo work is often impressive. Molite’s death croaks are industry standard but completely effective. He’s more Corpsegrinder than L.G. Petrov this time, but you won’t hear me complaining. I will gripe about the bass work of TJ Coon (Reeking Aura) being all but completely washed away by the overly loud mix, submerged under the drums and vocals. Production missteps aside, these gents know what they’re all about and how to deliver the body bags and bloody rags.

Sentient Horror are the picture of a competent hard-working death metal act with all the requisite cargo shorts and beards. On every album, you get a few extra intense blasts from the lungs of Hell and a bunch of enjoyable grave nuggets that fall just shy of playlist-worthy. The same holds true on In Service of the Dead. You’ll never go wrong blasting an album by these New Jersey vandals, that’s for sure. Buy In Service of the Dead with confidence and get laid to waste in the fetid swamps of the Garden State.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Redefining Darkness
Websites: sentienthorror.bandcamp.com |facebook.com/sentienthorrorofficial | instagram.com/sentienthorrorofficial
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #DeathMetal #Dismember #Entombed #InServiceOfTheDead #Oct24 #RedefiningDarknessRecords #Review #Reviews #RitesOfGore #SentientHorror #UngodlyForms

Sentient Horror – In Service of the Dead Review

By Steel Druhm

From the lush, verdant meadowlands of New Jersey seeps the toxic terrors of caveman death dealers Sentient Horror. Featuring members of Heads for the Dead, Reeking Aura, and Dead and Dripping, these thuggish cretins have been hurling their vulgar takes on vintage HM-2 Entombed-core at the morgue wall since 2016 and a lot of it stuck. 2016s Ungodly Forms channeled the early days of Edge of Sanity on an enjoyably crushing opus, and 2022s Rites of Gore saw them pollute the Swedeath with American influences of the least evolved variety. Fourth album In Service of the Dead sees Sentient Horror experimenting with thrash and NWoBHM elements to further diversify their user-unfriendy sound. Rest assured that the end product is still vein-bursting, bone-breaking death metal with nary a trace of grace or decorum. But can it be of service to the living?

Opener “The Way of Decay” is one of the best death chestnuts I’ve heard in 2024, coming at you like a honey badger with double rabies and an empty belly. It’s savage and unstoppable noise with buzzing guitars slashing and slicing in all directions as nasty death roars and thundering drums pound you into the mafia-filled mud bog outside Jets/Giants Stadium. It’s a Swedeath spectacle paying tribute to the early days of the Stockholm sound and it will murderize your sensibilities. “Undead Mutation” keeps things hurtful with a bit of American groove and power chug arriving for support. The chorus hits hard and Sentient Horror are in top form. Across the album, songs are kept nasty, bruising, and short, hitting and running like a fleet of unregistered deathmobiles. “Cadaverous Hordes” is a high point, with gloriously thrashed-out death antics that approach grind levels of intensity. It’s pounding, ravenous death with frantically escalating riffwork and zero fucks given and it can trigger a severe panic attack. I also appreciate the vague similarities to prime Sepultura that crop up on the back end.

The commitment to thrashing death keeps things sticking and moving and the glory days of Swedeath still live large in the writing. “Born in the Morgue” is like 1990s Entombed trying to channel the sleaze-scuzz of Autopsy, and the title track could have appeared on Left Hand Path and fit in as snug as a slug in a bed sore. The album’s tight 37 minutes with songs all in the 3-4 minute window mean things move fast. While not every song is a title contender, none are bad or skippable and there’s no trace of fat or bloat to be found. All that said, the front half is more stacked with killers, and by the halfway point you start to get the feeling the material is a tad one-note, though that note is quite entertaining. Despite claims of an infusion of NWoBHM influences, I don’t hear much of that in the material. The thrash is there in spades, however. The production is a bit muddy and not in that cool murky way. Rather, it hits more like a thick wall of sound. I much prefer the mastering on Rites of Gore and their prior works.

Matthew Molite (Heads for the Dead) and Jon Lopez demonstrate a keen understanding of the Swedeath sound and clearly love the classic Sunlight Studio releases by Entombed and Dismember. They bring the HM-2 buzz thunder to all the nooks and crannies of the album and do it violent justice. The burly riffage is always good and sometimes great, while the solo work is often impressive. Molite’s death croaks are industry standard but completely effective. He’s more Corpsegrinder than L.G. Petrov this time, but you won’t hear me complaining. I will gripe about the bass work of TJ Coon (Reeking Aura) being all but completely washed away by the overly loud mix, submerged under the drums and vocals. Production missteps aside, these gents know what they’re all about and how to deliver the body bags and bloody rags.

Sentient Horror are the picture of a competent hard-working death metal act with all the requisite cargo shorts and beards. On every album, you get a few extra intense blasts from the lungs of Hell and a bunch of enjoyable grave nuggets that fall just shy of playlist-worthy. The same holds true on In Service of the Dead. You’ll never go wrong blasting an album by these New Jersey vandals, that’s for sure. Buy In Service of the Dead with confidence and get laid to waste in the fetid swamps of the Garden State.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Redefining Darkness
Websites: sentienthorror.bandcamp.com |facebook.com/sentienthorrorofficial | instagram.com/sentienthorrorofficial
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #DeathMetal #Dismember #Entombed #InServiceOfTheDead #Oct24 #RedefiningDarknessRecords #Review #Reviews #RitesOfGore #SentientHorror #UngodlyForms

Sentient Horror – In Service of the Dead Review

By Steel Druhm

From the lush, verdant meadowlands of New Jersey seeps the toxic terrors of caveman death dealers Sentient Horror. Featuring members of Heads for the Dead, Reeking Aura, and Dead and Dripping, these thuggish cretins have been hurling their vulgar takes on vintage HM-2 Entombed-core at the morgue wall since 2016 and a lot of it stuck. 2016s Ungodly Forms channeled the early days of Edge of Sanity on an enjoyably crushing opus, and 2022s Rites of Gore saw them pollute the Swedeath with American influences of the least evolved variety. Fourth album In Service of the Dead sees Sentient Horror experimenting with thrash and NWoBHM elements to further diversify their user-unfriendy sound. Rest assured that the end product is still vein-bursting, bone-breaking death metal with nary a trace of grace or decorum. But can it be of service to the living?

Opener “The Way of Decay” is one of the best death chestnuts I’ve heard in 2024, coming at you like a honey badger with double rabies and an empty belly. It’s savage and unstoppable noise with buzzing guitars slashing and slicing in all directions as nasty death roars and thundering drums pound you into the mafia-filled mud bog outside Jets/Giants Stadium. It’s a Swedeath spectacle paying tribute to the early days of the Stockholm sound and it will murderize your sensibilities. “Undead Mutation” keeps things hurtful with a bit of American groove and power chug arriving for support. The chorus hits hard and Sentient Horror are in top form. Across the album, songs are kept nasty, bruising, and short, hitting and running like a fleet of unregistered deathmobiles. “Cadaverous Hordes” is a high point, with gloriously thrashed-out death antics that approach grind levels of intensity. It’s pounding, ravenous death with frantically escalating riffwork and zero fucks given and it can trigger a severe panic attack. I also appreciate the vague similarities to prime Sepultura that crop up on the back end.

The commitment to thrashing death keeps things sticking and moving and the glory days of Swedeath still live large in the writing. “Born in the Morgue” is like 1990s Entombed trying to channel the sleaze-scuzz of Autopsy, and the title track could have appeared on Left Hand Path and fit in as snug as a slug in a bed sore. The album’s tight 37 minutes with songs all in the 3-4 minute window mean things move fast. While not every song is a title contender, none are bad or skippable and there’s no trace of fat or bloat to be found. All that said, the front half is more stacked with killers, and by the halfway point you start to get the feeling the material is a tad one-note, though that note is quite entertaining. Despite claims of an infusion of NWoBHM influences, I don’t hear much of that in the material. The thrash is there in spades, however. The production is a bit muddy and not in that cool murky way. Rather, it hits more like a thick wall of sound. I much prefer the mastering on Rites of Gore and their prior works.

Matthew Molite (Heads for the Dead) and Jon Lopez demonstrate a keen understanding of the Swedeath sound and clearly love the classic Sunlight Studio releases by Entombed and Dismember. They bring the HM-2 buzz thunder to all the nooks and crannies of the album and do it violent justice. The burly riffage is always good and sometimes great, while the solo work is often impressive. Molite’s death croaks are industry standard but completely effective. He’s more Corpsegrinder than L.G. Petrov this time, but you won’t hear me complaining. I will gripe about the bass work of TJ Coon (Reeking Aura) being all but completely washed away by the overly loud mix, submerged under the drums and vocals. Production missteps aside, these gents know what they’re all about and how to deliver the body bags and bloody rags.

Sentient Horror are the picture of a competent hard-working death metal act with all the requisite cargo shorts and beards. On every album, you get a few extra intense blasts from the lungs of Hell and a bunch of enjoyable grave nuggets that fall just shy of playlist-worthy. The same holds true on In Service of the Dead. You’ll never go wrong blasting an album by these New Jersey vandals, that’s for sure. Buy In Service of the Dead with confidence and get laid to waste in the fetid swamps of the Garden State.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Redefining Darkness
Websites: sentienthorror.bandcamp.com |facebook.com/sentienthorrorofficial | instagram.com/sentienthorrorofficial
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #DeathMetal #Dismember #Entombed #InServiceOfTheDead #Oct24 #RedefiningDarknessRecords #Review #Reviews #RitesOfGore #SentientHorror #UngodlyForms

Black Aleph – Apsides Review

By Dear Hollow

Black Aleph is a sonic experiment devoted to ritual. Debut Apsides, while short, is nothing short of perplexing in its evasion of genre trappings, ultimately making some form of drone metal with folk instruments, imbued with post-metal’s metamorphic crescendos. However, the value lies behind these descriptors, with a distinct ritualistic heart beating beneath as its Middle Eastern modal traditions guide the movements—a divine and otherworldly experience. Don’t misunderstand, Apsides will still crush you, but just as much in its serenity as its dense guitar riffs—the weight it conjures is a suggestion and anticipation of punishment rather than a rod brandished. The result is haunting and unique, but brimming with more potential than it capitalizes upon.

Black Aleph is a trio from Australia, its Sydney- and Melbourne-based members comprised other acts from the country’s weirder underground offerings. Aside from respective solo offerings, guitar and effects wizard Lachlan Dale hails from maqam-centric acts like Hashshashin and the Arya Ensemble,1 cellist Peter Hollo lends his eerie drones in post-rock/electronic collectives like Tangents, Haunts, and FourPlay String Quartet, and dar player/setarist Timothy Johannessen plays in the folk-inclined Mehr Ensemble. Johannessen and Dale’s respective roots in Arabic, Iranian, and Persian folk music pronounce the motifs that Black Aleph utilizes. The trio has been compared to renowned experimental acts like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Justin Broadrick, and Jesu, while associated with members of We Lost the Sea and Sunn O))). However, Black Aleph plays more in line with Hashshashin or countrymates Omahara in the blurring of drone and folk, ever-punishing and ever-organic.

Black Aleph deals in a style that balances weight, tension, and melody. Just as in Godspeed’s Lift Your Skinny Fists…, chord progressions throughout Apsides are layered with tension, bated breath between dissonance and harmony. While layered with ominous droning doom riffs (“Descent,” “Precession”), the crescendos within its micro-movements prove the most intriguing. Whether it be its dancing and complex rhythms (“Return”), climbing arpeggios (the “Ambit” duo), or gradual uses of volume and curious motifs (“Separation,” “Return”) the best uses of the percussive daf are utilized in quieter moments, creating a pulsing undercurrent of mystery and frailty rather than the punishing drums they pretend to be in the more droning cuts. These more gentle movements gradually increase in girth with post-rock intention, erupting in satisfying droning climaxes (“Ambit II (Aphelion),” “Return”). While droning guitars are relatively straightforward, their acoustic instruments—setar, daf, cello, and violin2—provide Black Aleph an easy and effective bridge between droning metal and folk motifs, as the songs are constructed safely and neatly.

Black Aleph’s voiceless music creates a greater impetus to focus on the songwriting, and unfortunately, Apsides suffers from moments of directionless meandering and awkwardly curtailed movements. In general, the lack of vocals is a critique depending on the listener. In a manner of songwriting, however, the best crescendo occurs in “Ambit II (Aphelion)” and no track following lives up to this peak, although others attempt to scale it (“Separation,” “Return”). While noodling occurs throughout (i.e. “Ambit I (Ascension)”), it overwhelms the moments of climax, leading tracks plummeting to the ground, especially in the limp closer “Occultation,” whose wonky rhythms and skronky setar rob the guitars of needed weight. Most frustrating with Black Aleph is that, although each track is neatly composed and competently executed, the album at large feels too short and abrupt. Apisdes’ thirty-minute runtime feels too short like Black Aleph missed the chance to adequately flesh out their ideas when eschewing drone metal’s tendency towards lengthy offerings.

Apsides offers a unique sound, hindered by its own ambition. Although the songs are too short and performances can be shortsighted, Black Aleph has an endlessly intriguing premise and unique execution. Ritualistic rhythms, Middle Eastern motifs, droning riffs, and otherworldly drive collide in an album that largely succeeds. It’s good that I want to hear more of Black Aleph, because I think their next album will be better than Apsides.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: blackaleph.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blackaleph
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

#2024 #30 #Apsides #AryaEnsemble #AustralianMetal #BlackAleph #DoomMetal #Drone #DroneMetal #Folk #FourPlayStringQuartet #GodspeedYouBlackEmperor #Hashshashin #Haunts #Jesu #JustinBroadrick #MehrEnsemble #Noise #Oct24 #Omahara #PostRock #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #SunnO_ #Tangents #WeLostTheSea

Black Aleph – Apsides Review

By Dear Hollow

Black Aleph is a sonic experiment devoted to ritual. Debut Apsides, while short, is nothing short of perplexing in its evasion of genre trappings, ultimately making some form of drone metal with folk instruments, imbued with post-metal’s metamorphic crescendos. However, the value lies behind these descriptors, with a distinct ritualistic heart beating beneath as its Middle Eastern modal traditions guide the movements—a divine and otherworldly experience. Don’t misunderstand, Apsides will still crush you, but just as much in its serenity as its dense guitar riffs—the weight it conjures is a suggestion and anticipation of punishment rather than a rod brandished. The result is haunting and unique, but brimming with more potential than it capitalizes upon.

Black Aleph is a trio from Australia, its Sydney- and Melbourne-based members comprised other acts from the country’s weirder underground offerings. Aside from respective solo offerings, guitar and effects wizard Lachlan Dale hails from maqam-centric acts like Hashshashin and the Arya Ensemble,1 cellist Peter Hollo lends his eerie drones in post-rock/electronic collectives like Tangents, Haunts, and FourPlay String Quartet, and dar player/setarist Timothy Johannessen plays in the folk-inclined Mehr Ensemble. Johannessen and Dale’s respective roots in Arabic, Iranian, and Persian folk music pronounce the motifs that Black Aleph utilizes. The trio has been compared to renowned experimental acts like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Justin Broadrick, and Jesu, while associated with members of We Lost the Sea and Sunn O))). However, Black Aleph plays more in line with Hashshashin or countrymates Omahara in the blurring of drone and folk, ever-punishing and ever-organic.

Black Aleph deals in a style that balances weight, tension, and melody. Just as in Godspeed’s Lift Your Skinny Fists…, chord progressions throughout Apsides are layered with tension, bated breath between dissonance and harmony. While layered with ominous droning doom riffs (“Descent,” “Precession”), the crescendos within its micro-movements prove the most intriguing. Whether it be its dancing and complex rhythms (“Return”), climbing arpeggios (the “Ambit” duo), or gradual uses of volume and curious motifs (“Separation,” “Return”) the best uses of the percussive daf are utilized in quieter moments, creating a pulsing undercurrent of mystery and frailty rather than the punishing drums they pretend to be in the more droning cuts. These more gentle movements gradually increase in girth with post-rock intention, erupting in satisfying droning climaxes (“Ambit II (Aphelion),” “Return”). While droning guitars are relatively straightforward, their acoustic instruments—setar, daf, cello, and violin2—provide Black Aleph an easy and effective bridge between droning metal and folk motifs, as the songs are constructed safely and neatly.

Black Aleph’s voiceless music creates a greater impetus to focus on the songwriting, and unfortunately, Apsides suffers from moments of directionless meandering and awkwardly curtailed movements. In general, the lack of vocals is a critique depending on the listener. In a manner of songwriting, however, the best crescendo occurs in “Ambit II (Aphelion)” and no track following lives up to this peak, although others attempt to scale it (“Separation,” “Return”). While noodling occurs throughout (i.e. “Ambit I (Ascension)”), it overwhelms the moments of climax, leading tracks plummeting to the ground, especially in the limp closer “Occultation,” whose wonky rhythms and skronky setar rob the guitars of needed weight. Most frustrating with Black Aleph is that, although each track is neatly composed and competently executed, the album at large feels too short and abrupt. Apisdes’ thirty-minute runtime feels too short like Black Aleph missed the chance to adequately flesh out their ideas when eschewing drone metal’s tendency towards lengthy offerings.

Apsides offers a unique sound, hindered by its own ambition. Although the songs are too short and performances can be shortsighted, Black Aleph has an endlessly intriguing premise and unique execution. Ritualistic rhythms, Middle Eastern motifs, droning riffs, and otherworldly drive collide in an album that largely succeeds. It’s good that I want to hear more of Black Aleph, because I think their next album will be better than Apsides.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: blackaleph.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blackaleph
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

Show 2 footnotes

1. Alongside running labels Art As Catharsis and Worlds Within Worlds. ↩
2. Courtesy of guest Natalya Bing. ↩

#2024 #30 #Apsides #AryaEnsemble #AustralianMetal #BlackAleph #DoomMetal #Drone #DroneMetal #Folk #FourPlayStringQuartet #GodspeedYouBlackEmperor #Hashshashin #Haunts #Jesu #JustinBroadrick #MehrEnsemble #Noise #Oct24 #Omahara #PostRock #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #SunnO_ #Tangents #WeLostTheSea

Black Aleph – Apsides Review

By Dear Hollow

Black Aleph is a sonic experiment devoted to ritual. Debut Apsides, while short, is nothing short of perplexing in its evasion of genre trappings, ultimately making some form of drone metal with folk instruments, imbued with post-metal’s metamorphic crescendos. However, the value lies behind these descriptors, with a distinct ritualistic heart beating beneath as its Middle Eastern modal traditions guide the movements—a divine and otherworldly experience. Don’t misunderstand, Apsides will still crush you, but just as much in its serenity as its dense guitar riffs—the weight it conjures is a suggestion and anticipation of punishment rather than a rod brandished. The result is haunting and unique, but brimming with more potential than it capitalizes upon.

Black Aleph is a trio from Australia, its Sydney- and Melbourne-based members comprised other acts from the country’s weirder underground offerings. Aside from respective solo offerings, guitar and effects wizard Lachlan Dale hails from maqam-centric acts like Hashshashin and the Arya Ensemble,1 cellist Peter Hollo lends his eerie drones in post-rock/electronic collectives like Tangents, Haunts, and FourPlay String Quartet, and dar player/setarist Timothy Johannessen plays in the folk-inclined Mehr Ensemble. Johannessen and Dale’s respective roots in Arabic, Iranian, and Persian folk music pronounce the motifs that Black Aleph utilizes. The trio has been compared to renowned experimental acts like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Justin Broadrick, and Jesu, while associated with members of We Lost the Sea and Sunn O))). However, Black Aleph plays more in line with Hashshashin or countrymates Omahara in the blurring of drone and folk, ever-punishing and ever-organic.

Black Aleph deals in a style that balances weight, tension, and melody. Just as in Godspeed’s Lift Your Skinny Fists…, chord progressions throughout Apsides are layered with tension, bated breath between dissonance and harmony. While layered with ominous droning doom riffs (“Descent,” “Precession”), the crescendos within its micro-movements prove the most intriguing. Whether it be its dancing and complex rhythms (“Return”), climbing arpeggios (the “Ambit” duo), or gradual uses of volume and curious motifs (“Separation,” “Return”) the best uses of the percussive daf are utilized in quieter moments, creating a pulsing undercurrent of mystery and frailty rather than the punishing drums they pretend to be in the more droning cuts. These more gentle movements gradually increase in girth with post-rock intention, erupting in satisfying droning climaxes (“Ambit II (Aphelion),” “Return”). While droning guitars are relatively straightforward, their acoustic instruments—setar, daf, cello, and violin2—provide Black Aleph an easy and effective bridge between droning metal and folk motifs, as the songs are constructed safely and neatly.

Black Aleph’s voiceless music creates a greater impetus to focus on the songwriting, and unfortunately, Apsides suffers from moments of directionless meandering and awkwardly curtailed movements. In general, the lack of vocals is a critique depending on the listener. In a manner of songwriting, however, the best crescendo occurs in “Ambit II (Aphelion)” and no track following lives up to this peak, although others attempt to scale it (“Separation,” “Return”). While noodling occurs throughout (i.e. “Ambit I (Ascension)”), it overwhelms the moments of climax, leading tracks plummeting to the ground, especially in the limp closer “Occultation,” whose wonky rhythms and skronky setar rob the guitars of needed weight. Most frustrating with Black Aleph is that, although each track is neatly composed and competently executed, the album at large feels too short and abrupt. Apisdes’ thirty-minute runtime feels too short like Black Aleph missed the chance to adequately flesh out their ideas when eschewing drone metal’s tendency towards lengthy offerings.

Apsides offers a unique sound, hindered by its own ambition. Although the songs are too short and performances can be shortsighted, Black Aleph has an endlessly intriguing premise and unique execution. Ritualistic rhythms, Middle Eastern motifs, droning riffs, and otherworldly drive collide in an album that largely succeeds. It’s good that I want to hear more of Black Aleph, because I think their next album will be better than Apsides.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: blackaleph.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blackaleph
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

#2024 #30 #Apsides #AryaEnsemble #AustralianMetal #BlackAleph #DoomMetal #Drone #DroneMetal #Folk #FourPlayStringQuartet #GodspeedYouBlackEmperor #Hashshashin #Haunts #Jesu #JustinBroadrick #MehrEnsemble #Noise #Oct24 #Omahara #PostRock #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #SunnO_ #Tangents #WeLostTheSea

Black Aleph – Apsides Review

By Dear Hollow

Black Aleph is a sonic experiment devoted to ritual. Debut Apsides, while short, is nothing short of perplexing in its evasion of genre trappings, ultimately making some form of drone metal with folk instruments, imbued with post-metal’s metamorphic crescendos. However, the value lies behind these descriptors, with a distinct ritualistic heart beating beneath as its Middle Eastern modal traditions guide the movements—a divine and otherworldly experience. Don’t misunderstand, Apsides will still crush you, but just as much in its serenity as its dense guitar riffs—the weight it conjures is a suggestion and anticipation of punishment rather than a rod brandished. The result is haunting and unique, but brimming with more potential than it capitalizes upon.

Black Aleph is a trio from Australia, its Sydney- and Melbourne-based members comprised other acts from the country’s weirder underground offerings. Aside from respective solo offerings, guitar and effects wizard Lachlan Dale hails from maqam-centric acts like Hashshashin and the Arya Ensemble,1 cellist Peter Hollo lends his eerie drones in post-rock/electronic collectives like Tangents, Haunts, and FourPlay String Quartet, and dar player/setarist Timothy Johannessen plays in the folk-inclined Mehr Ensemble. Johannessen and Dale’s respective roots in Arabic, Iranian, and Persian folk music pronounce the motifs that Black Aleph utilizes. The trio has been compared to renowned experimental acts like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Justin Broadrick, and Jesu, while associated with members of We Lost the Sea and Sunn O))). However, Black Aleph plays more in line with Hashshashin or countrymates Omahara in the blurring of drone and folk, ever-punishing and ever-organic.

Black Aleph deals in a style that balances weight, tension, and melody. Just as in Godspeed’s Lift Your Skinny Fists…, chord progressions throughout Apsides are layered with tension, bated breath between dissonance and harmony. While layered with ominous droning doom riffs (“Descent,” “Precession”), the crescendos within its micro-movements prove the most intriguing. Whether it be its dancing and complex rhythms (“Return”), climbing arpeggios (the “Ambit” duo), or gradual uses of volume and curious motifs (“Separation,” “Return”) the best uses of the percussive daf are utilized in quieter moments, creating a pulsing undercurrent of mystery and frailty rather than the punishing drums they pretend to be in the more droning cuts. These more gentle movements gradually increase in girth with post-rock intention, erupting in satisfying droning climaxes (“Ambit II (Aphelion),” “Return”). While droning guitars are relatively straightforward, their acoustic instruments—setar, daf, cello, and violin2—provide Black Aleph an easy and effective bridge between droning metal and folk motifs, as the songs are constructed safely and neatly.

Black Aleph’s voiceless music creates a greater impetus to focus on the songwriting, and unfortunately, Apsides suffers from moments of directionless meandering and awkwardly curtailed movements. In general, the lack of vocals is a critique depending on the listener. In a manner of songwriting, however, the best crescendo occurs in “Ambit II (Aphelion)” and no track following lives up to this peak, although others attempt to scale it (“Separation,” “Return”). While noodling occurs throughout (i.e. “Ambit I (Ascension)”), it overwhelms the moments of climax, leading tracks plummeting to the ground, especially in the limp closer “Occultation,” whose wonky rhythms and skronky setar rob the guitars of needed weight. Most frustrating with Black Aleph is that, although each track is neatly composed and competently executed, the album at large feels too short and abrupt. Apisdes’ thirty-minute runtime feels too short like Black Aleph missed the chance to adequately flesh out their ideas when eschewing drone metal’s tendency towards lengthy offerings.

Apsides offers a unique sound, hindered by its own ambition. Although the songs are too short and performances can be shortsighted, Black Aleph has an endlessly intriguing premise and unique execution. Ritualistic rhythms, Middle Eastern motifs, droning riffs, and otherworldly drive collide in an album that largely succeeds. It’s good that I want to hear more of Black Aleph, because I think their next album will be better than Apsides.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: blackaleph.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blackaleph
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

#2024 #30 #Apsides #AryaEnsemble #AustralianMetal #BlackAleph #DoomMetal #Drone #DroneMetal #Folk #FourPlayStringQuartet #GodspeedYouBlackEmperor #Hashshashin #Haunts #Jesu #JustinBroadrick #MehrEnsemble #Noise #Oct24 #Omahara #PostRock #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #SunnO_ #Tangents #WeLostTheSea

Black Aleph – Apsides Review

By Dear Hollow

Black Aleph is a sonic experiment devoted to ritual. Debut Apsides, while short, is nothing short of perplexing in its evasion of genre trappings, ultimately making some form of drone metal with folk instruments, imbued with post-metal’s metamorphic crescendos. However, the value lies behind these descriptors, with a distinct ritualistic heart beating beneath as its Middle Eastern modal traditions guide the movements—a divine and otherworldly experience. Don’t misunderstand, Apsides will still crush you, but just as much in its serenity as its dense guitar riffs—the weight it conjures is a suggestion and anticipation of punishment rather than a rod brandished. The result is haunting and unique, but brimming with more potential than it capitalizes upon.

Black Aleph is a trio from Australia, its Sydney- and Melbourne-based members comprised other acts from the country’s weirder underground offerings. Aside from respective solo offerings, guitar and effects wizard Lachlan Dale hails from maqam-centric acts like Hashshashin and the Arya Ensemble,1 cellist Peter Hollo lends his eerie drones in post-rock/electronic collectives like Tangents, Haunts, and FourPlay String Quartet, and dar player/setarist Timothy Johannessen plays in the folk-inclined Mehr Ensemble. Johannessen and Dale’s respective roots in Arabic, Iranian, and Persian folk music pronounce the motifs that Black Aleph utilizes. The trio has been compared to renowned experimental acts like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Justin Broadrick, and Jesu, while associated with members of We Lost the Sea and Sunn O))). However, Black Aleph plays more in line with Hashshashin or countrymates Omahara in the blurring of drone and folk, ever-punishing and ever-organic.

Black Aleph deals in a style that balances weight, tension, and melody. Just as in Godspeed’s Lift Your Skinny Fists…, chord progressions throughout Apsides are layered with tension, bated breath between dissonance and harmony. While layered with ominous droning doom riffs (“Descent,” “Precession”), the crescendos within its micro-movements prove the most intriguing. Whether it be its dancing and complex rhythms (“Return”), climbing arpeggios (the “Ambit” duo), or gradual uses of volume and curious motifs (“Separation,” “Return”) the best uses of the percussive daf are utilized in quieter moments, creating a pulsing undercurrent of mystery and frailty rather than the punishing drums they pretend to be in the more droning cuts. These more gentle movements gradually increase in girth with post-rock intention, erupting in satisfying droning climaxes (“Ambit II (Aphelion),” “Return”). While droning guitars are relatively straightforward, their acoustic instruments—setar, daf, cello, and violin2—provide Black Aleph an easy and effective bridge between droning metal and folk motifs, as the songs are constructed safely and neatly.

Black Aleph’s voiceless music creates a greater impetus to focus on the songwriting, and unfortunately, Apsides suffers from moments of directionless meandering and awkwardly curtailed movements. In general, the lack of vocals is a critique depending on the listener. In a manner of songwriting, however, the best crescendo occurs in “Ambit II (Aphelion)” and no track following lives up to this peak, although others attempt to scale it (“Separation,” “Return”). While noodling occurs throughout (i.e. “Ambit I (Ascension)”), it overwhelms the moments of climax, leading tracks plummeting to the ground, especially in the limp closer “Occultation,” whose wonky rhythms and skronky setar rob the guitars of needed weight. Most frustrating with Black Aleph is that, although each track is neatly composed and competently executed, the album at large feels too short and abrupt. Apisdes’ thirty-minute runtime feels too short like Black Aleph missed the chance to adequately flesh out their ideas when eschewing drone metal’s tendency towards lengthy offerings.

Apsides offers a unique sound, hindered by its own ambition. Although the songs are too short and performances can be shortsighted, Black Aleph has an endlessly intriguing premise and unique execution. Ritualistic rhythms, Middle Eastern motifs, droning riffs, and otherworldly drive collide in an album that largely succeeds. It’s good that I want to hear more of Black Aleph, because I think their next album will be better than Apsides.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: blackaleph.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blackaleph
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

Show 2 footnotes

1. Alongside running labels Art As Catharsis and Worlds Within Worlds. ↩
2. Courtesy of guest Natalya Bing. ↩

#2024 #30 #Apsides #AryaEnsemble #AustralianMetal #BlackAleph #DoomMetal #Drone #DroneMetal #Folk #FourPlayStringQuartet #GodspeedYouBlackEmperor #Hashshashin #Haunts #Jesu #JustinBroadrick #MehrEnsemble #Noise #Oct24 #Omahara #PostRock #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #SunnO_ #Tangents #WeLostTheSea

Andy Gillion – Exilium Review

By Maddog

While underground solo albums can be a scary prospect, Exilium is an exception. Andy Gillion served as lead guitarist and primary songwriter for Mors Principium Est in their heyday, from 2012’s …And Death Said Live through 2020’s Seven. This has earned him a permanent spot in both melodeath royalty and my heart, and got me thrilled to review Exilium. Gillion’s prolific solo career has spanned video game soundtracks, melodeath, and chiptune-infused metal. However, Exilium goes out on no limbs, opting instead for a synthy, rifftastic style that will please fans of Mors Principium Est. It doesn’t rewrite the playbook, but it’s a damn good specimen nonetheless.

If we crudely divide melodeath along the axes of sad-energetic and simple-techy, Exilium falls squarely in the energetic/techy quadrant. Foremost a guitarist’s album, its chugging riffs carry on the melodeath tradition without dulling their fury, punctuated by soaring climactic guitar solos. Gillion’s signature bleeds through most clearly in the album’s techiest sections, which blend simple rhythms with light-speed fretboard gymnastics (“As the Kingdom Burns”). Just as MPE-evocative are the symphonic sections, which flow seamlessly with the guitar parts to create a thrilling interplay (“Prophecy,” “Avenging the Fallen”). Outside of a fantastic guest spot from Unleash the Archers’ Brittney Slayes, Gillion handles lead vocals for the first time in his solo career. Ranging from emotive growls to clean metalcore screams, the vocals are cookie-cutter but get the job done. Similarly, Dave Haley’s (Psycroptic) session drums are standard fare with occasional shining spots (“Acceptance”). Simply put, Andy Gillion’s newest record sounds like the Andy Gillion era of Mors Principium Est, tinged with metalcore from the aughts.

Accordingly, Exilium takes few risks. Textbook melodeath is fun, but it tarnishes over time. As a result, the album’s simpler tracks come off as kneecapped imitations of the highlights. This worsens as the album progresses; the latecomer “Call to Arms” is conspicuously inconspicuous, fading into the background on every listen. An over-reliance on simple poppy song structures dulls even the bangerest tracks, like “A New Path.” While Mors Principium Est’s best work excelled in both its creativity and its heft, Exilium shirks one for the other. Still, the highlights that bookend the album are a refreshing exception. The opener “Prophecy” nails its back-and-forth between keys and guitars, while the title track’s evolving dual-guitar assault is both unique and gorgeous. Exilium would benefit from more of this.

But as they say in Finland: riffity riff riff, motherfucker. Exilium ventures across the complexity spectrum and hits across the board. On one end, “A New Path” isn’t in contention for a Fields Medal, but its opening meloriff is irresistible nevertheless. On the other end, “The Haunting” drags me in with its noodly technicality. In the middle sits “Avenging the Fallen,” whose keyboard shenanigans and soaring melodies provide a vivid reminder of why metalcore was such a seductive temptress. However, these all pale in comparison to the closer “Acceptance.” Combining an unforgettable drum performance, a frenetic main melody that recalls …And Death Said Live’s closer “Dead Wings of Hope,” and unrestrained vocals, Exilium’s closer colonized my brain so hard that it delayed my progress on both a critical work assignment and my editing of Nameless N00b 89’s drivel.12 While AMG has vowed to murderize anyone who writes a track-by-track review, Exilium’s highlight is its highlights. Despite the album’s big-picture flaws, it’s got barnburner melodies.

Just listen to this album. It’s impressive, it’s fun as hell, and it’s a fantastic use of 35 minutes. Exilium is the archetypal 3.0; it doesn’t break new ground, but it showcases a formidable artist who’s mastered a style, with no air of pretension.3 Every human being should adore Mors Principium Est’s best records, which provide iconic examples of riffs with both sharp teeth and a strong unifying jaw. And anyone who loves MPE should give Exilium a shot. So whoever you are, just listen to this album.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: WAV
Label: Self-Released
Websites: andygillion.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/andygillionmusic
Releases Worldwide: October 11th, 2024

#AndDeathSaidLive #2024 #30 #AndyGillion #BritishMetal #Exilium #MorsPrincipiumEst #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased

Andy Gillion – Exilium Review

By Maddog

While underground solo albums can be a scary prospect, Exilium is an exception. Andy Gillion served as lead guitarist and primary songwriter for Mors Principium Est in their heyday, from 2012’s …And Death Said Live through 2020’s Seven. This has earned him a permanent spot in both melodeath royalty and my heart, and got me thrilled to review Exilium. Gillion’s prolific solo career has spanned video game soundtracks, melodeath, and chiptune-infused metal. However, Exilium goes out on no limbs, opting instead for a synthy, rifftastic style that will please fans of Mors Principium Est. It doesn’t rewrite the playbook, but it’s a damn good specimen nonetheless.

If we crudely divide melodeath along the axes of sad-energetic and simple-techy, Exilium falls squarely in the energetic/techy quadrant. Foremost a guitarist’s album, its chugging riffs carry on the melodeath tradition without dulling their fury, punctuated by soaring climactic guitar solos. Gillion’s signature bleeds through most clearly in the album’s techiest sections, which blend simple rhythms with light-speed fretboard gymnastics (“As the Kingdom Burns”). Just as MPE-evocative are the symphonic sections, which flow seamlessly with the guitar parts to create a thrilling interplay (“Prophecy,” “Avenging the Fallen”). Outside of a fantastic guest spot from Unleash the Archers’ Brittney Slayes, Gillion handles lead vocals for the first time in his solo career. Ranging from emotive growls to clean metalcore screams, the vocals are cookie-cutter but get the job done. Similarly, Dave Haley’s (Psycroptic) session drums are standard fare with occasional shining spots (“Acceptance”). Simply put, Andy Gillion’s newest record sounds like the Andy Gillion era of Mors Principium Est, tinged with metalcore from the aughts.

Accordingly, Exilium takes few risks. Textbook melodeath is fun, but it tarnishes over time. As a result, the album’s simpler tracks come off as kneecapped imitations of the highlights. This worsens as the album progresses; the latecomer “Call to Arms” is conspicuously inconspicuous, fading into the background on every listen. An over-reliance on simple poppy song structures dulls even the bangerest tracks, like “A New Path.” While Mors Principium Est’s best work excelled in both its creativity and its heft, Exilium shirks one for the other. Still, the highlights that bookend the album are a refreshing exception. The opener “Prophecy” nails its back-and-forth between keys and guitars, while the title track’s evolving dual-guitar assault is both unique and gorgeous. Exilium would benefit from more of this.

But as they say in Finland: riffity riff riff, motherfucker. Exilium ventures across the complexity spectrum and hits across the board. On one end, “A New Path” isn’t in contention for a Fields Medal, but its opening meloriff is irresistible nevertheless. On the other end, “The Haunting” drags me in with its noodly technicality. In the middle sits “Avenging the Fallen,” whose keyboard shenanigans and soaring melodies provide a vivid reminder of why metalcore was such a seductive temptress. However, these all pale in comparison to the closer “Acceptance.” Combining an unforgettable drum performance, a frenetic main melody that recalls …And Death Said Live’s closer “Dead Wings of Hope,” and unrestrained vocals, Exilium’s closer colonized my brain so hard that it delayed my progress on both a critical work assignment and my editing of Nameless N00b 89’s drivel.12 While AMG has vowed to murderize anyone who writes a track-by-track review, Exilium’s highlight is its highlights. Despite the album’s big-picture flaws, it’s got barnburner melodies.

Just listen to this album. It’s impressive, it’s fun as hell, and it’s a fantastic use of 35 minutes. Exilium is the archetypal 3.0; it doesn’t break new ground, but it showcases a formidable artist who’s mastered a style, with no air of pretension.3 Every human being should adore Mors Principium Est’s best records, which provide iconic examples of riffs with both sharp teeth and a strong unifying jaw. And anyone who loves MPE should give Exilium a shot. So whoever you are, just listen to this album.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: WAV
Label: Self-Released
Websites: andygillion.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/andygillionmusic
Releases Worldwide: October 11th, 2024

#AndDeathSaidLive #2024 #30 #AndyGillion #BritishMetal #Exilium #MorsPrincipiumEst #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased

Andy Gillion – Exilium Review

By Maddog

While underground solo albums can be a scary prospect, Exilium is an exception. Andy Gillion served as lead guitarist and primary songwriter for Mors Principium Est in their heyday, from 2012’s …And Death Said Live through 2020’s Seven. This has earned him a permanent spot in both melodeath royalty and my heart, and got me thrilled to review Exilium. Gillion’s prolific solo career has spanned video game soundtracks, melodeath, and chiptune-infused metal. However, Exilium goes out on no limbs, opting instead for a synthy, rifftastic style that will please fans of Mors Principium Est. It doesn’t rewrite the playbook, but it’s a damn good specimen nonetheless.

If we crudely divide melodeath along the axes of sad-energetic and simple-techy, Exilium falls squarely in the energetic/techy quadrant. Foremost a guitarist’s album, its chugging riffs carry on the melodeath tradition without dulling their fury, punctuated by soaring climactic guitar solos. Gillion’s signature bleeds through most clearly in the album’s techiest sections, which blend simple rhythms with light-speed fretboard gymnastics (“As the Kingdom Burns”). Just as MPE-evocative are the symphonic sections, which flow seamlessly with the guitar parts to create a thrilling interplay (“Prophecy,” “Avenging the Fallen”). Outside of a fantastic guest spot from Unleash the Archers’ Brittney Slayes, Gillion handles lead vocals for the first time in his solo career. Ranging from emotive growls to clean metalcore screams, the vocals are cookie-cutter but get the job done. Similarly, Dave Haley’s (Psycroptic) session drums are standard fare with occasional shining spots (“Acceptance”). Simply put, Andy Gillion’s newest record sounds like the Andy Gillion era of Mors Principium Est, tinged with metalcore from the aughts.

Accordingly, Exilium takes few risks. Textbook melodeath is fun, but it tarnishes over time. As a result, the album’s simpler tracks come off as kneecapped imitations of the highlights. This worsens as the album progresses; the latecomer “Call to Arms” is conspicuously inconspicuous, fading into the background on every listen. An over-reliance on simple poppy song structures dulls even the bangerest tracks, like “A New Path.” While Mors Principium Est’s best work excelled in both its creativity and its heft, Exilium shirks one for the other. Still, the highlights that bookend the album are a refreshing exception. The opener “Prophecy” nails its back-and-forth between keys and guitars, while the title track’s evolving dual-guitar assault is both unique and gorgeous. Exilium would benefit from more of this.

But as they say in Finland: riffity riff riff, motherfucker. Exilium ventures across the complexity spectrum and hits across the board. On one end, “A New Path” isn’t in contention for a Fields Medal, but its opening meloriff is irresistible nevertheless. On the other end, “The Haunting” drags me in with its noodly technicality. In the middle sits “Avenging the Fallen,” whose keyboard shenanigans and soaring melodies provide a vivid reminder of why metalcore was such a seductive temptress. However, these all pale in comparison to the closer “Acceptance.” Combining an unforgettable drum performance, a frenetic main melody that recalls …And Death Said Live’s closer “Dead Wings of Hope,” and unrestrained vocals, Exilium’s closer colonized my brain so hard that it delayed my progress on both a critical work assignment and my editing of Nameless N00b 89’s drivel.12 While AMG has vowed to murderize anyone who writes a track-by-track review, Exilium’s highlight is its highlights. Despite the album’s big-picture flaws, it’s got barnburner melodies.

Just listen to this album. It’s impressive, it’s fun as hell, and it’s a fantastic use of 35 minutes. Exilium is the archetypal 3.0; it doesn’t break new ground, but it showcases a formidable artist who’s mastered a style, with no air of pretension.3 Every human being should adore Mors Principium Est’s best records, which provide iconic examples of riffs with both sharp teeth and a strong unifying jaw. And anyone who loves MPE should give Exilium a shot. So whoever you are, just listen to this album.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: WAV
Label: Self-Released
Websites: andygillion.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/andygillionmusic
Releases Worldwide: October 11th, 2024

#AndDeathSaidLive #2024 #30 #AndyGillion #BritishMetal #Exilium #MorsPrincipiumEst #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased

Iotunn – Kinship Review

By GardensTale

When Jón Aldará does something, we pay attention. Between Barren Earth, Hamferð and Iotunn, the Faroese friend of the blog has been involved in banger after banger after banger the last few years with no signs of slowing down. Iotunn’s Access All Worlds was my well-deserved Album of the Year in 2021 and reached third place in the aggregate list, so expectations for Kinship are through the stratosphere. Not content to repeat the same trick twice, however, the theme has shifted from the expanse of space to the expanse of the soul, to human connection and their dissolution at life’s end. But does Kinship shift into a slump or does Iotunn remain stellar in the absence of the stars?

I’ll admit I was hesitant looking at the almost 70-minute running time. Access All Worlds was plump; Kinship was looking positively girthy. But by and large the musicianship and composition quality are astronomical, surpassing its much-vaunted predecessor across most of its running time. Introductory epic “Kinship Elegiac” does start off a little unsure, but it finds its footing as it unfurls into a sumptuous banquet of majestic progressive death. By the time it arrives at its conclusion, a bombastic yet anguished reprise of the song’s opening, it’s hard to believe 14 minutes have passed. This time-dilating effect is present throughout Kinship. Every track feels like an exhilarating adventure in its own right, very different yet a vital part of the whole, and none of them feel anywhere near as long as they are because of their impeccable composition. This goes as much for barnstormers like Song of the Year candidate “Earth to Sky” as it does for the blackened thrill-ride “Twilight” or the gorgeous introspective ballad “Iridescent Way.”

The musicianship of Iotunn’s members is stunning across the board. Drummer Bjørn Andersen has a knack for playing with minor variations between bars that keep the tracks lively, but he awes when pulling out all the stops for “The Coming End” or “Earth to Sky.” Of course, Aldará catches the ear immediately with his attention-grabbing baritone wail and crunchy growls, and he puts in a few of his best performances here, with the solemn majesty of “I Feel the Night” and the opener’s heartrending conclusion a few particular highlights. But the guitars are worth the admission price on their own, with a fantastic array of imaginative riffs, trills, and licks. In lesser hands, “Mistland” would not be so effortlessly grand, the subtle shifts in harmony creating a surge to the heart. We wouldn’t have the beautiful yet aggressive cascades through the chorus of “The Coming End,” nor its intelligent riffs that play with inversing ascending and descending scales, or the epic harmonic midsection. Not to mention the solos; I declared “Waves Below” to have the solo of the year last time, but half the tracks here could qualify to the same, such as the melodic rollercoaster leading up to the finale of “Kinship Elegiac” or the shimmering tremolos of “Mistland.”

If Kinship had stuck the landing, it’d be a shoo-in for my Album of the Year. Alas, “The Anguished Ethereal” draws a shrill contrast with all that precedes it. With too much repetition and a lack of life and energy, the 11-minute track is the only one that feels longer rather than shorter. It takes half its running time to develop into something interesting, and just when it really seems to start taking flight, it ends in a dull fade-out. It’s a disappointing finale, and its drag makes the overall length of Kinship weigh heavier. Replacing the closer with the opener would be the fastest way to make a great album into a nigh-perfect one. Even the production, Iotunn’s biggest prior stumbling block, has made strides, though there’s still room for improvement there. The master has a little more breathing room and the drums sound more natural, but the mix can still feel a little crowded at busier times, and the bass is buried altogether.

The stumble on the finish may have cost Iotunn the crown, but how well Kinship holds up in spite of it is a testament to the band’s peerless songwriting and craftsmanship. It combines a deeply compelling sense of melody with fluid, progressive songwriting and an overwhelming sense of grandeur that nonetheless evades pretentiousness. The thought that there may be a Iotunn album in the future that is as brilliant as Kinship’s first hour with even better production does moisten my loins, but the present is pretty fucking great as it is.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: iotunn.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/iotunn
Releases Worldwide: October 25th, 2024

#2024 #40 #BarrenEarth #DanishMetal #Hamferð #Iotunn #Kinship #MelodicDeathMetal #MetalBladeRecords #Oct24 #ProgressiveMetal #Review #Reviews

Five the Hierophant – Apeiron Review

By Carcharodon

I wanted to love Five the Hierophant’s last album, 2021’s Through Aureate Void. I really did. Alas, it was not to be. However, after seeing them play a great set at ArcTanGent in 2022, I revisited that record. While I stand by everything in that review, including the 2.0, which some viewed as harsh, the potential was clear and Five the Hierophant was tantalizingly close to delivering a worthy follow-up to their very good debut, Over Phlegethon. The British quartet’s brand of psychedelic, jazz-inspired, instrumental post-metal had elements of greatness marred by meandering, over-indulgent songwriting that lacked standout ideas. However, I can’t think of another 2.0 that I’ve given, where I would be as genuinely interested and optimistic as I was going into Five the Hierophant’s third album, Apeiron. Could they tighten up the formula and deliver that great record I know they have in them?

While there is no paradigm shift in Five the Hierophant’s sound on Apeiron, there is a clear expansion of vision. Building on the model of Through Aureate Void, the foundation remains one of dark, sprawling atmospheres, pregnant with ambience and pent-up threat (“Tower of Silence I”). The backbone of Five the Hierophant’s sound is built around bass, guitar, drums, and other percussion, apeing the likes of BRIQUEVILLE to create a rich, textured post-metal soundscapes (title track). However, where some bands rely on a vocalist to punctuate and enhance their compositions, Five the Hierophant have Jon’s sax. Crooning, whispering, screaming, the sax commands the sound stage (“Uroboros”), just as it is allowed to do in places on White Ward’s albums also. However, not content to rest on its laurels, the band is ever-expanding its horizons, broadening the already extensive array of tools at their disposal to now include horns, trumpets, gongs, bells, violins, skull shakers, and more.

Apeiron is a Greek word meaning that which is unlimited or infinite. What Five the Hierophant do so well is to capture that sense of both scale and organic fluidity. The overarching drone and ambient elements feel boundless and vast, amplified as they are by not only the horns and violins (“Moon over Ziggurat” and the title track), but also the liberal use of effects (end of “Tower of Silence I” and closer, “Tower of Silence II”). The sax, as well as the trumpet and other adornments, then light up the inky void, sometimes flowing like quicksilver (“Moon over Ziggurat”), sometimes more challenging, insistent, even angry (the opening title track), occasionally recalling the freeform lines of Neptunian Maximalism or an instrumental Pan.Thy.Monium. Even as we slip into looser, more chaotic soundscapes (middle portion of “Initiatory Sickness”), the whole of Apeiron retains an identity and cohesion that does great credit to Five the Hierophant.

A cursory listen to Apeiron might suggest that Five the Hierophant has delivered a freeform creation, light on tangible structures. However, while this may be true using only traditional metal as your reference point, there is a model or blueprint for the material that runs through the record. Each track opens in languid mood and, even where there are threatening or forbidding overtones, the sound is delicate, restrained slow-burn. It then gradually builds towards something more powerful and cathartic, punctuated by chaotic forays along the way. Perhaps this basic mold is responsible for the cohesive feel of Apeiron. However, it also means that, after a few listens, you start to lose the sense of indefinite exploration and feel instead like you are on a moist, well-trodden, slightly predictable path. That said, despite only being four minutes shorter than Through Aureate Void, the material on Apeiron feels significantly tighter and less meandering, with the sole (and unfortunate) exception of “Tower of Silence II.” This was, sadly, entirely the wrong five minutes with which to close the album. If only Five the Hierophant had stopped at the end of “Uroboros” (or, I suppose, swapped the two tracks), this could have been a far superior experience. As it is, Apeiron finishes on a disappointing siding, rather than a triumphant main line.

The production on Apeiron is a significant step up from previous albums. Rich and dynamic, it imbues Five the Hierophant’s sound with genuine power, while the master allows the legion of constituent elements sufficient breathing room. Indeed, it’s not just the production, but also the songwriting that represents a significant step up. Where Through Aureate Void meandered aimlessly, Apeiron feels like a journey, albeit with diversions and detours en route. If Five the Hierophant can now finetune their process to maintain the feel they’ve imbued Apeiron with, while slightly reducing the structural predictability, their next record will be truly masterful.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Agonia Records
Websites: five-the-hierophant.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/fivethehierophant
Releases Worldwide: October 18th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AgoniaRecords #Ambient #Apeiron #AvanteGarde #Briqueville #BritishMetal #DoomJazz #Drone #FiveTheHierophant #NeptunianMaximalism #Oct24 #PanThyMonium #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #WhiteWard

Five the Hierophant – Apeiron Review

By Carcharodon

I wanted to love Five the Hierophant’s last album, 2021’s Through Aureate Void. I really did. Alas, it was not to be. However, after seeing them play a great set at ArcTanGent in 2022, I revisited that record. While I stand by everything in that review, including the 2.0, which some viewed as harsh, the potential was clear and Five the Hierophant was tantalizingly close to delivering a worthy follow-up to their very good debut, Over Phlegethon. The British quartet’s brand of psychedelic, jazz-inspired, instrumental post-metal had elements of greatness marred by meandering, over-indulgent songwriting that lacked standout ideas. However, I can’t think of another 2.0 that I’ve given, where I would be as genuinely interested and optimistic as I was going into Five the Hierophant’s third album, Apeiron. Could they tighten up the formula and deliver that great record I know they have in them?

While there is no paradigm shift in Five the Hierophant’s sound on Apeiron, there is a clear expansion of vision. Building on the model of Through Aureate Void, the foundation remains one of dark, sprawling atmospheres, pregnant with ambience and pent-up threat (“Tower of Silence I”). The backbone of Five the Hierophant’s sound is built around bass, guitar, drums, and other percussion, apeing the likes of BRIQUEVILLE to create a rich, textured post-metal soundscapes (title track). However, where some bands rely on a vocalist to punctuate and enhance their compositions, Five the Hierophant have Jon’s sax. Crooning, whispering, screaming, the sax commands the sound stage (“Uroboros”), just as it is allowed to do in places on White Ward’s albums also. However, not content to rest on its laurels, the band is ever-expanding its horizons, broadening the already extensive array of tools at their disposal to now include horns, trumpets, gongs, bells, violins, skull shakers, and more.

Apeiron is a Greek word meaning that which is unlimited or infinite. What Five the Hierophant do so well is to capture that sense of both scale and organic fluidity. The overarching drone and ambient elements feel boundless and vast, amplified as they are by not only the horns and violins (“Moon over Ziggurat” and the title track), but also the liberal use of effects (end of “Tower of Silence I” and closer, “Tower of Silence II”). The sax, as well as the trumpet and other adornments, then light up the inky void, sometimes flowing like quicksilver (“Moon over Ziggurat”), sometimes more challenging, insistent, even angry (the opening title track), occasionally recalling the freeform lines of Neptunian Maximalism or an instrumental Pan.Thy.Monium. Even as we slip into looser, more chaotic soundscapes (middle portion of “Initiatory Sickness”), the whole of Apeiron retains an identity and cohesion that does great credit to Five the Hierophant.

A cursory listen to Apeiron might suggest that Five the Hierophant has delivered a freeform creation, light on tangible structures. However, while this may be true using only traditional metal as your reference point, there is a model or blueprint for the material that runs through the record. Each track opens in languid mood and, even where there are threatening or forbidding overtones, the sound is delicate, restrained slow-burn. It then gradually builds towards something more powerful and cathartic, punctuated by chaotic forays along the way. Perhaps this basic mold is responsible for the cohesive feel of Apeiron. However, it also means that, after a few listens, you start to lose the sense of indefinite exploration and feel instead like you are on a moist, well-trodden, slightly predictable path. That said, despite only being four minutes shorter than Through Aureate Void, the material on Apeiron feels significantly tighter and less meandering, with the sole (and unfortunate) exception of “Tower of Silence II.” This was, sadly, entirely the wrong five minutes with which to close the album. If only Five the Hierophant had stopped at the end of “Uroboros” (or, I suppose, swapped the two tracks), this could have been a far superior experience. As it is, Apeiron finishes on a disappointing siding, rather than a triumphant main line.

The production on Apeiron is a significant step up from previous albums. Rich and dynamic, it imbues Five the Hierophant’s sound with genuine power, while the master allows the legion of constituent elements sufficient breathing room. Indeed, it’s not just the production, but also the songwriting that represents a significant step up. Where Through Aureate Void meandered aimlessly, Apeiron feels like a journey, albeit with diversions and detours en route. If Five the Hierophant can now finetune their process to maintain the feel they’ve imbued Apeiron with, while slightly reducing the structural predictability, their next record will be truly masterful.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Agonia Records
Websites: five-the-hierophant.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/fivethehierophant
Releases Worldwide: October 18th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AgoniaRecords #Ambient #Apeiron #AvanteGarde #Briqueville #BritishMetal #DoomJazz #Drone #FiveTheHierophant #NeptunianMaximalism #Oct24 #PanThyMonium #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #WhiteWard

Five the Hierophant – Apeiron Review

By Carcharodon

I wanted to love Five the Hierophant’s last album, 2021’s Through Aureate Void. I really did. Alas, it was not to be. However, after seeing them play a great set at ArcTanGent in 2022, I revisited that record. While I stand by everything in that review, including the 2.0, which some viewed as harsh, the potential was clear and Five the Hierophant was tantalizingly close to delivering a worthy follow-up to their very good debut, Over Phlegethon. The British quartet’s brand of psychedelic, jazz-inspired, instrumental post-metal had elements of greatness marred by meandering, over-indulgent songwriting that lacked standout ideas. However, I can’t think of another 2.0 that I’ve given, where I would be as genuinely interested and optimistic as I was going into Five the Hierophant’s third album, Apeiron. Could they tighten up the formula and deliver that great record I know they have in them?

While there is no paradigm shift in Five the Hierophant’s sound on Apeiron, there is a clear expansion of vision. Building on the model of Through Aureate Void, the foundation remains one of dark, sprawling atmospheres, pregnant with ambience and pent-up threat (“Tower of Silence I”). The backbone of Five the Hierophant’s sound is built around bass, guitar, drums, and other percussion, apeing the likes of BRIQUEVILLE to create a rich, textured post-metal soundscapes (title track). However, where some bands rely on a vocalist to punctuate and enhance their compositions, Five the Hierophant have Jon’s sax. Crooning, whispering, screaming, the sax commands the sound stage (“Uroboros”), just as it is allowed to do in places on White Ward’s albums also. However, not content to rest on its laurels, the band is ever-expanding its horizons, broadening the already extensive array of tools at their disposal to now include horns, trumpets, gongs, bells, violins, skull shakers, and more.

Apeiron is a Greek word meaning that which is unlimited or infinite. What Five the Hierophant do so well is to capture that sense of both scale and organic fluidity. The overarching drone and ambient elements feel boundless and vast, amplified as they are by not only the horns and violins (“Moon over Ziggurat” and the title track), but also the liberal use of effects (end of “Tower of Silence I” and closer, “Tower of Silence II”). The sax, as well as the trumpet and other adornments, then light up the inky void, sometimes flowing like quicksilver (“Moon over Ziggurat”), sometimes more challenging, insistent, even angry (the opening title track), occasionally recalling the freeform lines of Neptunian Maximalism or an instrumental Pan.Thy.Monium. Even as we slip into looser, more chaotic soundscapes (middle portion of “Initiatory Sickness”), the whole of Apeiron retains an identity and cohesion that does great credit to Five the Hierophant.

A cursory listen to Apeiron might suggest that Five the Hierophant has delivered a freeform creation, light on tangible structures. However, while this may be true using only traditional metal as your reference point, there is a model or blueprint for the material that runs through the record. Each track opens in languid mood and, even where there are threatening or forbidding overtones, the sound is delicate, restrained slow-burn. It then gradually builds towards something more powerful and cathartic, punctuated by chaotic forays along the way. Perhaps this basic mold is responsible for the cohesive feel of Apeiron. However, it also means that, after a few listens, you start to lose the sense of indefinite exploration and feel instead like you are on a moist, well-trodden, slightly predictable path. That said, despite only being four minutes shorter than Through Aureate Void, the material on Apeiron feels significantly tighter and less meandering, with the sole (and unfortunate) exception of “Tower of Silence II.” This was, sadly, entirely the wrong five minutes with which to close the album. If only Five the Hierophant had stopped at the end of “Uroboros” (or, I suppose, swapped the two tracks), this could have been a far superior experience. As it is, Apeiron finishes on a disappointing siding, rather than a triumphant main line.

The production on Apeiron is a significant step up from previous albums. Rich and dynamic, it imbues Five the Hierophant’s sound with genuine power, while the master allows the legion of constituent elements sufficient breathing room. Indeed, it’s not just the production, but also the songwriting that represents a significant step up. Where Through Aureate Void meandered aimlessly, Apeiron feels like a journey, albeit with diversions and detours en route. If Five the Hierophant can now finetune their process to maintain the feel they’ve imbued Apeiron with, while slightly reducing the structural predictability, their next record will be truly masterful.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Agonia Records
Websites: five-the-hierophant.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/fivethehierophant
Releases Worldwide: October 18th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AgoniaRecords #Ambient #Apeiron #AvanteGarde #Briqueville #BritishMetal #DoomJazz #Drone #FiveTheHierophant #NeptunianMaximalism #Oct24 #PanThyMonium #PostMetal #Review #Reviews #WhiteWard

Destruktor – Indomitable Review

By Mark Z.

Deep in the dark chasm of extreme metal lies a hidden gem: Destruktor. Led by vocalist and guitarist “Glenn Destruktor,” these filthy Australian miscreants have been spewing their raw and blasphemous compositions since 1997, crafting a sound that lies somewhere between the blasting blackened death of Abominator and the blistering blackened thrash of Nocturnal Graves. What sets them apart from the rest of the horde, however, is their excellent songwriting. More so than similar groups, Destruktor know how to make things memorable, with many of their tracks containing clear hooks, distinct riffs, and accessible verse-chorus structures. These traits helped make their 2009 debut Nailed and its 2015 follow-up Opprobrium two of my favorite extreme metal albums ever (and their 2004 EP Nuclear Storm was no slouch, either). Crafting such strong compositions apparently takes time, however, as it’s now been nine long years since we’ve last heard from Glenn and his demonic cohorts. When their third album Indomitable was finally announced, it immediately became my most anticipated record of 2024. But does it reach the high bar set by its predecessors?

If nothing else, Indomitable shows that the band have not grown soft in their time away from the studio. After ostensibly referencing Hell Awaits with faint whispers of “join us,” the opener “Speaking with the Dead” blasts forward on ragged, belligerent riffs that soon give way to squirming tremolo lines and roars of the track title. Everything sounds just as bestial and aggressive as before, including Glenn himself. Somehow the man’s vocals have only gotten better with age, as his guttural approach is as powerful as ever while sounding even more intelligible. The title track further hammers home that the band are just as extreme as they’ve always been, with churning chords and infernal progressions that aren’t too far removed from Blasphemy.

The group haven’t gone flaccid in the songwriting department, either. Take the aforementioned “Speaking with the Dead,” which supports its chorus with a clever, sinister riff that alternately ascends and descends before it reinvents itself in the song’s final minute. Later tracks like “Better Off Aborted” and “Beyond the Bleakness” use hooks that are equally sharp, while “Holy Orgy” is especially captivating and perverse with its bouts of raspier vocals and quick, devilish riffing. Amidst the throttling blast beats that propel much of the album, Destruktor add variety with slower moments that make things feel even more unholy. The bridge of “Holy Orgy” employs wailing notes and sluggish tempos to conjure a particularly menacing aura, while the slower section in the middle of the title track sounds tortured and harrowing. If there’s any downside to such passages, it’s that they make the relentless hammering of “Writhe in Pain” seem almost uneventful in comparison.

The biggest drawback to Indomitable is that, as a whole, it feels less adventurous and dynamic than the band’s prior albums. While the fiery core of Destruktor’s sound is still here, this record lacks the occasional acoustic flourishes, extended buildups, and grander moments that helped make Nailed and Opprobrium such outstanding releases. The closing track, “The Path to Lucifer,” makes this especially apparent, as the song forgoes any real attempt at an epic ending and instead fades out on a slow riff that’s outclassed by much of the material that preceded it. Fortunately, the track itself is still a success, as the fast and violent riffing earlier in its runtime is some of the most vicious and inspired on the album. Ripping through its eight songs in just 33 minutes, Indomitable is also both tightly composed and consistently engaging, with Glenn constantly firing off great riffs that blend the malevolence of black metal, the heaviness of death metal, and the energy of thrash. When things are less wild, bassist Chris McEwin steps up, unveiling moist bass lines that deviate from the riffs and bubble like molten metal just below them. The production emphasizes the sharp guitars while ensuring everything sounds harsh, clear, and natural. In particular, the performance of longtime drummer Jahred Mawdsley hits all the harder because it isn’t overly processed.

Following up Nailed and Opprobrium was always going to be an uphill battle, but Destruktor manage to succeed by once again skillfully balancing their signature catchiness and fiery fury. While I hope the band spread their black wings a bit more widely on future releases, Indomitable nonetheless shows them continuing their infernal crusade in fine form, delivering a record that should undoubtedly please both curious newcomers and longtime fans alike.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Hells Headbangers Records
Websites: destruktor.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/destruktorofficial
Releases Worldwide: October 18th, 2024

#2024 #35 #Abominator #AustralianMetal #BlackMetal #Blasphemy #DeathMetal #Destruktor #HellsHeadbangerRecords #Indomitable #NocturnalGraves #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #Slayer #ThrashMetal

Destruktor – Indomitable Review

By Mark Z.

Deep in the dark chasm of extreme metal lies a hidden gem: Destruktor. Led by vocalist and guitarist “Glenn Destruktor,” these filthy Australian miscreants have been spewing their raw and blasphemous compositions since 1997, crafting a sound that lies somewhere between the blasting blackened death of Abominator and the blistering blackened thrash of Nocturnal Graves. What sets them apart from the rest of the horde, however, is their excellent songwriting. More so than similar groups, Destruktor know how to make things memorable, with many of their tracks containing clear hooks, distinct riffs, and accessible verse-chorus structures. These traits helped make their 2009 debut Nailed and its 2015 follow-up Opprobrium two of my favorite extreme metal albums ever (and their 2004 EP Nuclear Storm was no slouch, either). Crafting such strong compositions apparently takes time, however, as it’s now been nine long years since we’ve last heard from Glenn and his demonic cohorts. When their third album Indomitable was finally announced, it immediately became my most anticipated record of 2024. But does it reach the high bar set by its predecessors?

If nothing else, Indomitable shows that the band have not grown soft in their time away from the studio. After ostensibly referencing Hell Awaits with faint whispers of “join us,” the opener “Speaking with the Dead” blasts forward on ragged, belligerent riffs that soon give way to squirming tremolo lines and roars of the track title. Everything sounds just as bestial and aggressive as before, including Glenn himself. Somehow the man’s vocals have only gotten better with age, as his guttural approach is as powerful as ever while sounding even more intelligible. The title track further hammers home that the band are just as extreme as they’ve always been, with churning chords and infernal progressions that aren’t too far removed from Blasphemy.

The group haven’t gone flaccid in the songwriting department, either. Take the aforementioned “Speaking with the Dead,” which supports its chorus with a clever, sinister riff that alternately ascends and descends before it reinvents itself in the song’s final minute. Later tracks like “Better Off Aborted” and “Beyond the Bleakness” use hooks that are equally sharp, while “Holy Orgy” is especially captivating and perverse with its bouts of raspier vocals and quick, devilish riffing. Amidst the throttling blast beats that propel much of the album, Destruktor add variety with slower moments that make things feel even more unholy. The bridge of “Holy Orgy” employs wailing notes and sluggish tempos to conjure a particularly menacing aura, while the slower section in the middle of the title track sounds tortured and harrowing. If there’s any downside to such passages, it’s that they make the relentless hammering of “Writhe in Pain” seem almost uneventful in comparison.

The biggest drawback to Indomitable is that, as a whole, it feels less adventurous and dynamic than the band’s prior albums. While the fiery core of Destruktor’s sound is still here, this record lacks the occasional acoustic flourishes, extended buildups, and grander moments that helped make Nailed and Opprobrium such outstanding releases. The closing track, “The Path to Lucifer,” makes this especially apparent, as the song forgoes any real attempt at an epic ending and instead fades out on a slow riff that’s outclassed by much of the material that preceded it. Fortunately, the track itself is still a success, as the fast and violent riffing earlier in its runtime is some of the most vicious and inspired on the album. Ripping through its eight songs in just 33 minutes, Indomitable is also both tightly composed and consistently engaging, with Glenn constantly firing off great riffs that blend the malevolence of black metal, the heaviness of death metal, and the energy of thrash. When things are less wild, bassist Chris McEwin steps up, unveiling moist bass lines that deviate from the riffs and bubble like molten metal just below them. The production emphasizes the sharp guitars while ensuring everything sounds harsh, clear, and natural. In particular, the performance of longtime drummer Jahred Mawdsley hits all the harder because it isn’t overly processed.

Following up Nailed and Opprobrium was always going to be an uphill battle, but Destruktor manage to succeed by once again skillfully balancing their signature catchiness and fiery fury. While I hope the band spread their black wings a bit more widely on future releases, Indomitable nonetheless shows them continuing their infernal crusade in fine form, delivering a record that should undoubtedly please both curious newcomers and longtime fans alike.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Hells Headbangers Records
Websites: destruktor.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/destruktorofficial
Releases Worldwide: October 18th, 2024

#2024 #35 #Abominator #AustralianMetal #BlackMetal #Blasphemy #DeathMetal #Destruktor #HellsHeadbangerRecords #Indomitable #NocturnalGraves #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #Slayer #ThrashMetal

Destruktor – Indomitable Review

By Mark Z.

Deep in the dark chasm of extreme metal lies a hidden gem: Destruktor. Led by vocalist and guitarist “Glenn Destruktor,” these filthy Australian miscreants have been spewing their raw and blasphemous compositions since 1997, crafting a sound that lies somewhere between the blasting blackened death of Abominator and the blistering blackened thrash of Nocturnal Graves. What sets them apart from the rest of the horde, however, is their excellent songwriting. More so than similar groups, Destruktor know how to make things memorable, with many of their tracks containing clear hooks, distinct riffs, and accessible verse-chorus structures. These traits helped make their 2009 debut Nailed and its 2015 follow-up Opprobrium two of my favorite extreme metal albums ever (and their 2004 EP Nuclear Storm was no slouch, either). Crafting such strong compositions apparently takes time, however, as it’s now been nine long years since we’ve last heard from Glenn and his demonic cohorts. When their third album Indomitable was finally announced, it immediately became my most anticipated record of 2024. But does it reach the high bar set by its predecessors?

If nothing else, Indomitable shows that the band have not grown soft in their time away from the studio. After ostensibly referencing Hell Awaits with faint whispers of “join us,” the opener “Speaking with the Dead” blasts forward on ragged, belligerent riffs that soon give way to squirming tremolo lines and roars of the track title. Everything sounds just as bestial and aggressive as before, including Glenn himself. Somehow the man’s vocals have only gotten better with age, as his guttural approach is as powerful as ever while sounding even more intelligible. The title track further hammers home that the band are just as extreme as they’ve always been, with churning chords and infernal progressions that aren’t too far removed from Blasphemy.

The group haven’t gone flaccid in the songwriting department, either. Take the aforementioned “Speaking with the Dead,” which supports its chorus with a clever, sinister riff that alternately ascends and descends before it reinvents itself in the song’s final minute. Later tracks like “Better Off Aborted” and “Beyond the Bleakness” use hooks that are equally sharp, while “Holy Orgy” is especially captivating and perverse with its bouts of raspier vocals and quick, devilish riffing. Amidst the throttling blast beats that propel much of the album, Destruktor add variety with slower moments that make things feel even more unholy. The bridge of “Holy Orgy” employs wailing notes and sluggish tempos to conjure a particularly menacing aura, while the slower section in the middle of the title track sounds tortured and harrowing. If there’s any downside to such passages, it’s that they make the relentless hammering of “Writhe in Pain” seem almost uneventful in comparison.

The biggest drawback to Indomitable is that, as a whole, it feels less adventurous and dynamic than the band’s prior albums. While the fiery core of Destruktor’s sound is still here, this record lacks the occasional acoustic flourishes, extended buildups, and grander moments that helped make Nailed and Opprobrium such outstanding releases. The closing track, “The Path to Lucifer,” makes this especially apparent, as the song forgoes any real attempt at an epic ending and instead fades out on a slow riff that’s outclassed by much of the material that preceded it. Fortunately, the track itself is still a success, as the fast and violent riffing earlier in its runtime is some of the most vicious and inspired on the album. Ripping through its eight songs in just 33 minutes, Indomitable is also both tightly composed and consistently engaging, with Glenn constantly firing off great riffs that blend the malevolence of black metal, the heaviness of death metal, and the energy of thrash. When things are less wild, bassist Chris McEwin steps up, unveiling moist bass lines that deviate from the riffs and bubble like molten metal just below them. The production emphasizes the sharp guitars while ensuring everything sounds harsh, clear, and natural. In particular, the performance of longtime drummer Jahred Mawdsley hits all the harder because it isn’t overly processed.

Following up Nailed and Opprobrium was always going to be an uphill battle, but Destruktor manage to succeed by once again skillfully balancing their signature catchiness and fiery fury. While I hope the band spread their black wings a bit more widely on future releases, Indomitable nonetheless shows them continuing their infernal crusade in fine form, delivering a record that should undoubtedly please both curious newcomers and longtime fans alike.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Hells Headbangers Records
Websites: destruktor.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/destruktorofficial
Releases Worldwide: October 18th, 2024

#2024 #35 #Abominator #AustralianMetal #BlackMetal #Blasphemy #DeathMetal #Destruktor #HellsHeadbangerRecords #Indomitable #NocturnalGraves #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #Slayer #ThrashMetal

The Mist from the Mountains – Portal – The Gathering of Storms Review

By Doom_et_Al

In my review of The Mist from the Mountains’ first album, Monumental – The Temple of Twilight, I cheekily compared it to a pleasing, albeit very plain, cup of hot chocolate. It was slick and enjoyable, without anything that really separated it from a dozen other epic melo-black albums. Truthfully, it left my brain the moment I submitted the review. So when the follow-up appeared in the promo sump, I initially didn’t even recognize that I had come across these Finns before. After some gentle “reminding” from the bosses, I found the sophomore album in my inbox. With the days getting shorter and the leaves turning a pleasing shade of red, I can always do with a cup of the good stuff, I suppose. As I began imbibing, I couldn’t help but wonder: have The Mist from the Mountains supplied anything more interesting this time round?

The Mist from the Mountains aim for the epic, melodic black metal we expect from Moonsorrow or Shylmagoghnar. Yes, this means songs that are a minimum of 8 minutes in length, with 3 extending beyond 10 minutes. But whereas Monumental clocked in a relatively manageable 37 minutes, Portal is a more ambitious beast, heading closer to the hour mark. It’s not just the length that has been expanded; every element of Monumental, from the cleans, to the female vocals, to the orchestral passages, has been dialled up. In hot chocolate terms, Portal is a bigger and stronger cup, no doubt. MOAR hot chocolate, if you will. But despite what the banner of our site reads, this isn’t always a good thing.

Take a look at that cover. Try to ignore the overly portentous title with three different fonts. While each component is fine, I find the whole absolutely unconvincing. Not for a single moment do I believe there is a mountain with a weird door in it leading to a different landscape. The dimensions are wrong; the framing is a bit weird. And that sums up much of Portal. Individually, the elements within are solid (the black metal black metals, the symphony symphonizes, etc.), and superficially, it holds together. But on deeper inspection, it simply doesn’t persuade. Much of this has to do, I suspect, with a lack of identity. The band apes so many different styles (“The Seer of the Ages” is straight from Jumalten Aika, “In Longing Times” wouldn’t be out of place in Atoma, “And So Flew the Death Crow” is Emergence-adjacent), and whips between them so rapidly, that beyond wanting to be EPIC, I’m still not sure exactly what sound defines The Mist from the Mountains. As any fortune cookie wisdom will tell you, if you don’t know who you are, you won’t know where you’re going.

The rapid shifts in style also make it difficult to settle in and enjoy the grandeur of the album because you’re constantly being snapped in a new direction. Writing long-form songs is hard, and too often The Mist from the Mountains leap between styles haphazardly instead of making organic and logical shifts. This is especially frustrating because there are extended sections where Portal is really good. “Among the Black Waves” very effectively combines a lovely first half of operatic-type female vocals with a scorching second half of furious blast beats. It’s lovely and compelling at the same time. But its power is leeched by the preceding “At the Roots of Vile” which is all over the place, stylistically. This stop-start dynamic makes listening to the entirety of Portal a distinctly uneven experience.

Listening to Portal is frustrating. The Mist from the Mountains clearly took on board criticism that their first album was too shiny and bland, and decided to up the ante in almost every way. But, two albums in, they have yet to fully define their own sound. This lack of direction results in an album with great moments, but a limited confidence to sustain them. To return to the hot chocolate analogy: haphazardly throwing cool ingredients into a cup doesn’t necessarily improve the taste, nor does making it richer. The band needs to go back to the drawing board and decide what taste they’re going for and build from there. If they don’t, we will continue to get the empty calories on offer with Portal.

Rating: 2.5 cups of hot chocolate/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Primitive Reaction
Websites: primitivereaction.bandcamp.com/album/portal-the-gathering-of-storms
Releases Worldwide: October 11th, 2024

#25 #BlackMetal #FinnishMetal #Moonsorrow #Oct24 #PrimitiveReaction #Review #Reviews #Shylmagoghnar #TheMistFromTheMountains

The Mist from the Mountains – Portal – The Gathering of Storms Review

By Doom_et_Al

In my review of The Mist from the Mountains’ first album, Monumental – The Temple of Twilight, I cheekily compared it to a pleasing, albeit very plain, cup of hot chocolate. It was slick and enjoyable, without anything that really separated it from a dozen other epic melo-black albums. Truthfully, it left my brain the moment I submitted the review. So when the follow-up appeared in the promo sump, I initially didn’t even recognize that I had come across these Finns before. After some gentle “reminding” from the bosses, I found the sophomore album in my inbox. With the days getting shorter and the leaves turning a pleasing shade of red, I can always do with a cup of the good stuff, I suppose. As I began imbibing, I couldn’t help but wonder: have The Mist from the Mountains supplied anything more interesting this time round?

The Mist from the Mountains aim for the epic, melodic black metal we expect from Moonsorrow or Shylmagoghnar. Yes, this means songs that are a minimum of 8 minutes in length, with 3 extending beyond 10 minutes. But whereas Monumental clocked in a relatively manageable 37 minutes, Portal is a more ambitious beast, heading closer to the hour mark. It’s not just the length that has been expanded; every element of Monumental, from the cleans, to the female vocals, to the orchestral passages, has been dialled up. In hot chocolate terms, Portal is a bigger and stronger cup, no doubt. MOAR hot chocolate, if you will. But despite what the banner of our site reads, this isn’t always a good thing.

Take a look at that cover. Try to ignore the overly portentous title with three different fonts. While each component is fine, I find the whole absolutely unconvincing. Not for a single moment do I believe there is a mountain with a weird door in it leading to a different landscape. The dimensions are wrong; the framing is a bit weird. And that sums up much of Portal. Individually, the elements within are solid (the black metal black metals, the symphony symphonizes, etc.), and superficially, it holds together. But on deeper inspection, it simply doesn’t persuade. Much of this has to do, I suspect, with a lack of identity. The band apes so many different styles (“The Seer of the Ages” is straight from Jumalten Aika, “In Longing Times” wouldn’t be out of place in Atoma, “And So Flew the Death Crow” is Emergence-adjacent), and whips between them so rapidly, that beyond wanting to be EPIC, I’m still not sure exactly what sound defines The Mist from the Mountains. As any fortune cookie wisdom will tell you, if you don’t know who you are, you won’t know where you’re going.

The rapid shifts in style also make it difficult to settle in and enjoy the grandeur of the album because you’re constantly being snapped in a new direction. Writing long-form songs is hard, and too often The Mist from the Mountains leap between styles haphazardly instead of making organic and logical shifts. This is especially frustrating because there are extended sections where Portal is really good. “Among the Black Waves” very effectively combines a lovely first half of operatic-type female vocals with a scorching second half of furious blast beats. It’s lovely and compelling at the same time. But its power is leeched by the preceding “At the Roots of Vile” which is all over the place, stylistically. This stop-start dynamic makes listening to the entirety of Portal a distinctly uneven experience.

Listening to Portal is frustrating. The Mist from the Mountains clearly took on board criticism that their first album was too shiny and bland, and decided to up the ante in almost every way. But, two albums in, they have yet to fully define their own sound. This lack of direction results in an album with great moments, but a limited confidence to sustain them. To return to the hot chocolate analogy: haphazardly throwing cool ingredients into a cup doesn’t necessarily improve the taste, nor does making it richer. The band needs to go back to the drawing board and decide what taste they’re going for and build from there. If they don’t, we will continue to get the empty calories on offer with Portal.

Rating: 2.5 cups of hot chocolate/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Primitive Reaction
Websites: primitivereaction.bandcamp.com/album/portal-the-gathering-of-storms
Releases Worldwide: October 11th, 2024

#25 #BlackMetal #FinnishMetal #Moonsorrow #Oct24 #PrimitiveReaction #Review #Reviews #Shylmagoghnar #TheMistFromTheMountains

The Mist from the Mountains – Portal – The Gathering of Storms Review

By Doom_et_Al

In my review of The Mist from the Mountains’ first album, Monumental – The Temple of Twilight, I cheekily compared it to a pleasing, albeit very plain, cup of hot chocolate. It was slick and enjoyable, without anything that really separated it from a dozen other epic melo-black albums. Truthfully, it left my brain the moment I submitted the review. So when the follow-up appeared in the promo sump, I initially didn’t even recognize that I had come across these Finns before. After some gentle “reminding” from the bosses, I found the sophomore album in my inbox. With the days getting shorter and the leaves turning a pleasing shade of red, I can always do with a cup of the good stuff, I suppose. As I began imbibing, I couldn’t help but wonder: have The Mist from the Mountains supplied anything more interesting this time round?

The Mist from the Mountains aim for the epic, melodic black metal we expect from Moonsorrow or Shylmagoghnar. Yes, this means songs that are a minimum of 8 minutes in length, with 3 extending beyond 10 minutes. But whereas Monumental clocked in a relatively manageable 37 minutes, Portal is a more ambitious beast, heading closer to the hour mark. It’s not just the length that has been expanded; every element of Monumental, from the cleans, to the female vocals, to the orchestral passages, has been dialled up. In hot chocolate terms, Portal is a bigger and stronger cup, no doubt. MOAR hot chocolate, if you will. But despite what the banner of our site reads, this isn’t always a good thing.

Take a look at that cover. Try to ignore the overly portentous title with three different fonts. While each component is fine, I find the whole absolutely unconvincing. Not for a single moment do I believe there is a mountain with a weird door in it leading to a different landscape. The dimensions are wrong; the framing is a bit weird. And that sums up much of Portal. Individually, the elements within are solid (the black metal black metals, the symphony symphonizes, etc.), and superficially, it holds together. But on deeper inspection, it simply doesn’t persuade. Much of this has to do, I suspect, with a lack of identity. The band apes so many different styles (“The Seer of the Ages” is straight from Jumalten Aika, “In Longing Times” wouldn’t be out of place in Atoma, “And So Flew the Death Crow” is Emergence-adjacent), and whips between them so rapidly, that beyond wanting to be EPIC, I’m still not sure exactly what sound defines The Mist from the Mountains. As any fortune cookie wisdom will tell you, if you don’t know who you are, you won’t know where you’re going.

The rapid shifts in style also make it difficult to settle in and enjoy the grandeur of the album because you’re constantly being snapped in a new direction. Writing long-form songs is hard, and too often The Mist from the Mountains leap between styles haphazardly instead of making organic and logical shifts. This is especially frustrating because there are extended sections where Portal is really good. “Among the Black Waves” very effectively combines a lovely first half of operatic-type female vocals with a scorching second half of furious blast beats. It’s lovely and compelling at the same time. But its power is leeched by the preceding “At the Roots of Vile” which is all over the place, stylistically. This stop-start dynamic makes listening to the entirety of Portal a distinctly uneven experience.

Listening to Portal is frustrating. The Mist from the Mountains clearly took on board criticism that their first album was too shiny and bland, and decided to up the ante in almost every way. But, two albums in, they have yet to fully define their own sound. This lack of direction results in an album with great moments, but a limited confidence to sustain them. To return to the hot chocolate analogy: haphazardly throwing cool ingredients into a cup doesn’t necessarily improve the taste, nor does making it richer. The band needs to go back to the drawing board and decide what taste they’re going for and build from there. If they don’t, we will continue to get the empty calories on offer with Portal.

Rating: 2.5 cups of hot chocolate/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Primitive Reaction
Websites: primitivereaction.bandcamp.com/album/portal-the-gathering-of-storms
Releases Worldwide: October 11th, 2024

#25 #BlackMetal #FinnishMetal #Moonsorrow #Oct24 #PrimitiveReaction #Review #Reviews #Shylmagoghnar #TheMistFromTheMountains

Nasty Savage – Jeopardy Room Review

By Steel Druhm

I did NOT have a brand new Nasty Savage album on my bingo card for 2024, or ever for that matter. I was a big fan in the 80s, finding the belligerent, over-the-top attitude of unhinged frontman/WWF wannabe Nasty Ronnie to be the perfect match for the band’s oddball blend of trad-metal and thrash.1 Their 1985 debut was like a loony hodge-podge of Venom, Manowar, and Mercyful Fate, with the Floridian bruisers trying to settle on the right tone and style. 1987s follow-up Indulgence was a tougher, meaner hombre full of technically precise thrash with proggy accents. 89s Penetration Point took the prog elements and pushed them further to join the wave of bands experimenting with tech-thrash in the late 80s like Watchtower and Toxik. After that the joy ride ended and the band imploded. They reformed to drop a respectable comeback in 2004 and then promptly folded again. An album 20 years later is a big surprise because Nasty Savage never seemed like it was made up of guys destined to live long, healthy lives. Nasty Ronnie was a trailer park psycho living with alligators and the rest of the band was equally sketchy. And yet Jeopardy Room finds Ronnie very much alive and kicking supported by an all-new lineup of unsavory riff-raff.2 What will a Nasty Savage album sound like in the modern age? I was a bit scared to find out, honestly.

After a short intro piece, the title track roars out with a shockingly ageless sound very much in line with their Indulgence era. Fiery caveman thrash is the rotgut of the day with Ronnie grunting and shouting over aggressive riif chaos just like in the olde days. In fact, Ronnie sounds exactly the same, which is crazy. It’s a classic Savage track with the same kind of burly, bullying thrash riffs and concussive force I depended on during gym time in my angry teens. “Brain Washer” is a big dose of low-brow speed that pays big, dumb dividends with Ronnie hysterically shouting “Brainwasher, Brainwasher!!” like an inmate at Arkham Asylum. It also weaves proggy ideas through the thuggish brutality in a way where you don’t even notice them at first. “Witches Sabbath” is a throwback to the debut where they dabbled in Mercyful Fate and King Diamond influences, going for a moody, mysterious atmosphere complete with horror movie keyboards. It’s cheesy and ham-fisted but somehow ends up working and those riffs are pure Sherman/Denner.

Jeopardy Room is a classic Savage album in that it tries to represent all the stages of their too-short career. You get the trad and thrash and prog, but thrashers dominate the day. “Blood Syndicate” hits especially hard toward the album’s conclusion as furious, weighty riffs run wild and Ronnie roars like an enraged silverback as a woman reaches ever closer to climax in the background for whatever reason. Classic Savage. Sure, not every track hits the mark. “Schizoid Platform” tries to balance hog-defiling speed and prog with awkward results, and “Operation Annihilate” is rudimentary idiocy but still fairly entertaining. The overall balance favors the nasty, as most tracks are good with a few rising higher. It’s a motley collection of metal zingers by a real motley crew of ne’er-do-wells and it’s surprisingly spry and energized.

The big surprise here is Mr. Nasty himself. Ronnie sounds like he’s been in cryofreeze since the mid-90s. His husky baritone bellows are still stuffed full of toxic masculinity and goonism and he’s highly effective. He foregoes the King Diamond-esque high-pitched falsettos he employed in the past but I don’t miss them. He’s still a massive presence behind the mic and he can probably still toss a few wimps ass-over-teakettle into the rotpit. New guitarist Dave Orman does an excellent job mimicking the axe styles of original members Ben Meyer and David Austin, which is no easy feat as they always had a very distinct and usual approach. His riffs are thick, razor-sharp, and oppressive with a slightly proggy flare often present even in the most thrash-tastical cuts. He’s slick as shit without departing from the mission statement of kicking poser ass. The whole band is tight and polished, making Olde Man Ronnie sound like an angry 20-something again. Kudos.

I didn’t expect much from Jeopardy Room, but it’s a fun and forceful throwback to the band’s early days of drunken excess and alligator humping. It reeks of 1987, warm beer, and moist BO, which means it smells like Nasty Savage sounds. Give this a loud, angry spin and rock the double-wide. After that, go discover or re-discover their classics and get swole.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: FHM Records
Websites: nastysavage.com | instagram.com/nastysavageband
Releases Worldwide: October 11th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #FHMRecords #HeavyMetal #JeopardyRoom #NastySavage #Oct24 #Review #Reviews #ThrashMetal

Undeath – More Insane Review

By Eldritch Elitist

Modern trends in “old school” death metal bug me. Beyond the neverending competition to see who can print the ugliest four-sided longsleeve in existence, the bulk of the scene appears annoyingly content with aping the bullet points of their inspirations. That’s why Undeath, who have never come across as trying to sound like anyone other than Undeath, are one of my very favorites of the bunch. Undeath is obviously not reinventing death metal, and comparisons have and will continue to be made to legendary acts (Cannibal Corpse) and modern contemporaries (Necrot), but Undeath’s unparalleled understanding of the genre’s appeal enables them to operate on pure death metal instinct. Three albums in, this instinct and compounding experience, are being leveraged in the name of sonic expansion. Though Undeath has rarely exercised subtlety, More Insane sees the band in maximalist overdrive.

I’ve often compared Undeath to Cannibal Corpse as neither band shies away from conjuring colorfully melodic counterbalances to their deathly centers of gravity. Yet More Insane isn’t just melodic; it feels downright anthemic. “Brandish the Blade” exemplifies this feeling with ascending tremolo lines swelling in power metal grandeur while retaining a pure death metal feel. That is, until the guitar solo in the track’s latter half explodes with harmonic flair ripped straight from the power metal playbook. Indeed, Undeath’s most cavernous qualities have been pared back in favor of a more contemporary experience, but More Insane almost exclusively utilizes this accessibility as an avenue to invention. If you loved “Human Chandelier” from Undeath’s sophomore showstopper It’s Time… To Rise from the Grave, you will adore the unconventionally twisty catchiness of tracks like “Disattachment of a Prophylactic in the Brain.”1

Whether through innovation or masterclass exercises in basic death metal fundamentals (“Bounty Hunter”), More Insane feels brilliant for the bulk of its blisteringly quick runtime. Its only structural fumble is one of consistency. Certain tracks have the audacity to be merely “pretty good” in a tracklist full of heaters like “Dead from Beyond” or “Disputatious Malignancy.” Some of these cuts fail to resonate as strongly due to feeling relatively basic; “Wailing Cadavers,” while plenty fun in the moment, is just “that track between “Bounty Hunter” and “Disattachment of a Prophylactic in the Brain.”2 Elsewhere, “Sutured for War” presents as a slab of competent and enjoyable The Black Dahlia Murder worship, and while it’s an appreciable oddity, it ultimately feels out of place. This is not to say that Undeath should shy away from incorporating melodeath elements. The aforementioned “Disputatious Malignancy” excels at doing exactly that in a framework more befitting of Undeath’s strengths.

Speaking of optimization, More Insane’s more insane songwriting demands elevated technicality, and the entire band delivers in a manner I would never have expected upon first hearing Lesions of a Different Kind. Drummer Matt Browning, and guitarists Kyle Beam and Jared Welch, tackle near-tech death levels of complexity on tracks like “Disputatious Malignancy” and “Disattachment of a Prophylatctic in the Brain,”3 seemingly without breaking a sweat, and bassist Tommy Wall’s anchoring lines convert certain tracks (“More Insane”) into the band’s best groove-fests to date. All the while, vocalist Alexander Jones delivers on such a level that I can’t help but wonder if the album title was based on his performances on this record. I’ve always enjoyed his no-frills growls in their cavernous, vaguely whispery glory, but Jones’ growls on More Insane are notably full-throated and primed for manic escalation at the drop of a hat. His ascending cries of “Writhing in my head!” during “Disputatious Malignancy” are just one of countless infectious and memorable examples where he significantly elevates Undeath’s personality.

For all its cartoonish gore and slime, some people tend to take death metal way too seriously. When I’ve reviewed Undeath in the past, something about the band has driven those people in the comments to turn their minds inside out,4 seemingly in a vain search to comprehend how anyone can think something so simple can be so great.5 Despite its disappointingly flat production – it’s not bad, just unexciting – More Insane is so charismatic as to have a solid shot at converting at least a portion of that crowd. It doesn’t reach its full potential for its entire runtime, but when firing on all cylinders, More Insane excels at grabbing the elements that make Undeath great and pulling them in unexpected and thrilling directions. While not the crown jewel of the Undeath catalog, More Insane handily cements the Undeath discography as one of the best in the scene today, and I get the impression that they are only just getting started.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Prosthetic Records
Websites: undeath.bandcamp.com | undeathmetal.com | facebook.com/undeathNY
Releases Worldwide: October 4th, 2024

#2024 #35 #AmericanMetal #CannibalCorpse #DeathMetal #MoreInsane #Necrot #Oct24 #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews #TheBlackDahliaMurder #Undeath

Undeath – More Insane Review

By Eldritch Elitist

Modern trends in “old school” death metal bug me. Beyond the neverending competition to see who can print the ugliest four-sided longsleeve in existence, the bulk of the scene appears annoyingly content with aping the bullet points of their inspirations. That’s why Undeath, who have never come across as trying to sound like anyone other than Undeath, are one of my very favorites of the bunch. Undeath is obviously not reinventing death metal, and comparisons have and will continue to be made to legendary acts (Cannibal Corpse) and modern contemporaries (Necrot), but Undeath’s unparalleled understanding of the genre’s appeal enables them to operate on pure death metal instinct. Three albums in, this instinct and compounding experience, are being leveraged in the name of sonic expansion. Though Undeath has rarely exercised subtlety, More Insane sees the band in maximalist overdrive.

I’ve often compared Undeath to Cannibal Corpse as neither band shies away from conjuring colorfully melodic counterbalances to their deathly centers of gravity. Yet More Insane isn’t just melodic; it feels downright anthemic. “Brandish the Blade” exemplifies this feeling with ascending tremolo lines swelling in power metal grandeur while retaining a pure death metal feel. That is, until the guitar solo in the track’s latter half explodes with harmonic flair ripped straight from the power metal playbook. Indeed, Undeath’s most cavernous qualities have been pared back in favor of a more contemporary experience, but More Insane almost exclusively utilizes this accessibility as an avenue to invention. If you loved “Human Chandelier” from Undeath’s sophomore showstopper It’s Time… To Rise from the Grave, you will adore the unconventionally twisty catchiness of tracks like “Disattachment of a Prophylactic in the Brain.”1

Whether through innovation or masterclass exercises in basic death metal fundamentals (“Bounty Hunter”), More Insane feels brilliant for the bulk of its blisteringly quick runtime. Its only structural fumble is one of consistency. Certain tracks have the audacity to be merely “pretty good” in a tracklist full of heaters like “Dead from Beyond” or “Disputatious Malignancy.” Some of these cuts fail to resonate as strongly due to feeling relatively basic; “Wailing Cadavers,” while plenty fun in the moment, is just “that track between “Bounty Hunter” and “Disattachment of a Prophylactic in the Brain.”2 Elsewhere, “Sutured for War” presents as a slab of competent and enjoyable The Black Dahlia Murder worship, and while it’s an appreciable oddity, it ultimately feels out of place. This is not to say that Undeath should shy away from incorporating melodeath elements. The aforementioned “Disputatious Malignancy” excels at doing exactly that in a framework more befitting of Undeath’s strengths.

Speaking of optimization, More Insane’s more insane songwriting demands elevated technicality, and the entire band delivers in a manner I would never have expected upon first hearing Lesions of a Different Kind. Drummer Matt Browning, and guitarists Kyle Beam and Jared Welch, tackle near-tech death levels of complexity on tracks like “Disputatious Malignancy” and “Disattachment of a Prophylatctic in the Brain,”3 seemingly without breaking a sweat, and bassist Tommy Wall’s anchoring lines convert certain tracks (“More Insane”) into the band’s best groove-fests to date. All the while, vocalist Alexander Jones delivers on such a level that I can’t help but wonder if the album title was based on his performances on this record. I’ve always enjoyed his no-frills growls in their cavernous, vaguely whispery glory, but Jones’ growls on More Insane are notably full-throated and primed for manic escalation at the drop of a hat. His ascending cries of “Writhing in my head!” during “Disputatious Malignancy” are just one of countless infectious and memorable examples where he significantly elevates Undeath’s personality.

For all its cartoonish gore and slime, some people tend to take death metal way too seriously. When I’ve reviewed Undeath in the past, something about the band has driven those people in the comments to turn their minds inside out,4 seemingly in a vain search to comprehend how anyone can think something so simple can be so great.5 Despite its disappointingly flat production – it’s not bad, just unexciting – More Insane is so charismatic as to have a solid shot at converting at least a portion of that crowd. It doesn’t reach its full potential for its entire runtime, but when firing on all cylinders, More Insane excels at grabbing the elements that make Undeath great and pulling them in unexpected and thrilling directions. While not the crown jewel of the Undeath catalog, More Insane handily cements the Undeath discography as one of the best in the scene today, and I get the impression that they are only just getting started.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Prosthetic Records
Websites: undeath.bandcamp.com | undeathmetal.com | facebook.com/undeathNY
Releases Worldwide: October 4th, 2024

#2024 #35 #AmericanMetal #CannibalCorpse #DeathMetal #MoreInsane #Necrot #Oct24 #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews #TheBlackDahliaMurder #Undeath

Undeath – More Insane Review

By Eldritch Elitist

Modern trends in “old school” death metal bug me. Beyond the neverending competition to see who can print the ugliest four-sided longsleeve in existence, the bulk of the scene appears annoyingly content with aping the bullet points of their inspirations. That’s why Undeath, who have never come across as trying to sound like anyone other than Undeath, are one of my very favorites of the bunch. Undeath is obviously not reinventing death metal, and comparisons have and will continue to be made to legendary acts (Cannibal Corpse) and modern contemporaries (Necrot), but Undeath’s unparalleled understanding of the genre’s appeal enables them to operate on pure death metal instinct. Three albums in, this instinct and compounding experience, are being leveraged in the name of sonic expansion. Though Undeath has rarely exercised subtlety, More Insane sees the band in maximalist overdrive.

I’ve often compared Undeath to Cannibal Corpse as neither band shies away from conjuring colorfully melodic counterbalances to their deathly centers of gravity. Yet More Insane isn’t just melodic; it feels downright anthemic. “Brandish the Blade” exemplifies this feeling with ascending tremolo lines swelling in power metal grandeur while retaining a pure death metal feel. That is, until the guitar solo in the track’s latter half explodes with harmonic flair ripped straight from the power metal playbook. Indeed, Undeath’s most cavernous qualities have been pared back in favor of a more contemporary experience, but More Insane almost exclusively utilizes this accessibility as an avenue to invention. If you loved “Human Chandelier” from Undeath’s sophomore showstopper It’s Time… To Rise from the Grave, you will adore the unconventionally twisty catchiness of tracks like “Disattachment of a Prophylactic in the Brain.”1

Whether through innovation or masterclass exercises in basic death metal fundamentals (“Bounty Hunter”), More Insane feels brilliant for the bulk of its blisteringly quick runtime. Its only structural fumble is one of consistency. Certain tracks have the audacity to be merely “pretty good” in a tracklist full of heaters like “Dead from Beyond” or “Disputatious Malignancy.” Some of these cuts fail to resonate as strongly due to feeling relatively basic; “Wailing Cadavers,” while plenty fun in the moment, is just “that track between “Bounty Hunter” and “Disattachment of a Prophylactic in the Brain.”2 Elsewhere, “Sutured for War” presents as a slab of competent and enjoyable The Black Dahlia Murder worship, and while it’s an appreciable oddity, it ultimately feels out of place. This is not to say that Undeath should shy away from incorporating melodeath elements. The aforementioned “Disputatious Malignancy” excels at doing exactly that in a framework more befitting of Undeath’s strengths.

Speaking of optimization, More Insane’s more insane songwriting demands elevated technicality, and the entire band delivers in a manner I would never have expected upon first hearing Lesions of a Different Kind. Drummer Matt Browning, and guitarists Kyle Beam and Jared Welch, tackle near-tech death levels of complexity on tracks like “Disputatious Malignancy” and “Disattachment of a Prophylatctic in the Brain,”3 seemingly without breaking a sweat, and bassist Tommy Wall’s anchoring lines convert certain tracks (“More Insane”) into the band’s best groove-fests to date. All the while, vocalist Alexander Jones delivers on such a level that I can’t help but wonder if the album title was based on his performances on this record. I’ve always enjoyed his no-frills growls in their cavernous, vaguely whispery glory, but Jones’ growls on More Insane are notably full-throated and primed for manic escalation at the drop of a hat. His ascending cries of “Writhing in my head!” during “Disputatious Malignancy” are just one of countless infectious and memorable examples where he significantly elevates Undeath’s personality.

For all its cartoonish gore and slime, some people tend to take death metal way too seriously. When I’ve reviewed Undeath in the past, something about the band has driven those people in the comments to turn their minds inside out,4 seemingly in a vain search to comprehend how anyone can think something so simple can be so great.5 Despite its disappointingly flat production – it’s not bad, just unexciting – More Insane is so charismatic as to have a solid shot at converting at least a portion of that crowd. It doesn’t reach its full potential for its entire runtime, but when firing on all cylinders, More Insane excels at grabbing the elements that make Undeath great and pulling them in unexpected and thrilling directions. While not the crown jewel of the Undeath catalog, More Insane handily cements the Undeath discography as one of the best in the scene today, and I get the impression that they are only just getting started.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Prosthetic Records
Websites: undeath.bandcamp.com | undeathmetal.com | facebook.com/undeathNY
Releases Worldwide: October 4th, 2024

#2024 #35 #AmericanMetal #CannibalCorpse #DeathMetal #MoreInsane #Necrot #Oct24 #ProstheticRecords #Review #Reviews #TheBlackDahliaMurder #Undeath

Von 24. bis 25. Oktober findet das internationale Symposium „Transformative Bildung an Schulen und Hochschulen“ an der PH Salzburg Stefan Zweig statt. Bildung und nachhaltige Entwicklung erfordern eine gemeinsame Sicht, um effektiv Veränderungsprozesse hin zu einer sozial-ökologischen Transformation der Gesellschaft anzustoßen. Ein vielversprechender Ansatz hierfür ist das Transformative Lernen nach Mezirow. Ausgehend von diesem Ansatz werden im Rahmen des Symposiums Potenziale, Gelingensbedingungen und Handlungsstrategien von Transformativer Bildung interdisziplinär in den Blick genommen.
Mehr Informationen & Anmeldung finden sich hier: https://phsalzburg.at/news/transformative-bildung-an-schulen-und-hochschulen/

#keepthedate #oct24 #salzburg #symposium #PolitischeBildung #PolitikEdu #Schule #Transformation #Bildung