All posts by Zach Duvall

Last Rites Co-Owner; Senior Editor; Obnoxious overuser of baseball metaphors.

Argus – Boldly Stride The Doomed Review

In a recent review I talked about underrated bands, focusing on the ones that aren’t that underrated, but just hold onto a small but devout (and usually vocal) cult following. There is, however, another state

Owl – Owl Review

Owl is the latest project to emerge from the ever productive and continually brilliant German label (and family of bands) Zeitgeister. This particular project is the brainchild of Christian Kolf (Island, Valborg, Woburn House), who

Kampfar – Mare Review

Longstanding Norwegian pagan/black metallers Kampfar seem perpetually and uncomfortably wedged between the general ignorance of the greater metal populace and the constant fawning of a small but very dedicated fanbase. In that way they’re simultaneously

Negura Bunget – Poarta De Dincolo Review

So, as it turns out, all that worrying was largely for naught. After the bickering between the Negru and Sol Fraur / Hupogrammos camps, the former’s continuation of the Negura Bunget name (more a brand

Vreid – V Review

Round about a decade or so ago a boldly-titled comp called True Kings of Norway was released on Spikefarm Records. Featured were embryonic early works by Emperor, Immortal, Arcturus, Dimmu Borgir, and Ancient, obviously slapped

Darkest Era – The Last Caress Of Light Review

Sometimes being a little derivative on the surface is a good thing. It certainly helped the cause of Darkest Era, a newish act out of Northern Ireland presenting in their full-length debut The Last Caress Of

Havok – Time Is Up Review

As the so-called “thrash revival” begins to recede over the horizon, we can start to notice the cream bands of the crop rising to the top. One such act is Denver’s Havok, who with 2009’s

Saille – Irreversible Decay Review

It is no small secret that symphonic black metal has been in a lull for several years now. Really, calling it a lull is far too nice. A more accurate statement would be to say