Generally Impressed With Riffs
Over a full decade and just a few albums, Minnesota’s Obsequiae has carved out quite the successful micro-niche in metal. Their melodic black metal is self-described as “medieval metal,” and the combination of Old World-y melodies and medieval/Romanesque harp interludes …
First of all, apologies for this review coming after the release date, but with Silence Lives Out/Over Whirlpool, slow is the name of the game. The Belgian one-man act has been on a bit of an interesting evolutionary arc over …
Anxiety has become something of a very public topic as of late (slide over to Lone Watie’s brilliant review of Leprous’ Pitfalls for a brief discussion). As mental health falls into focus and our darkest demons become no longer taboo, …
Being named Year of the Cobra (and writing some bitchin’ tunes) means that with every new release, you have to see “20__ is totally the year of the cobra, bro!” as often as a boy named Sue got beat up. …
The 80s were tough on Riot, even as the band was creating classic metal albums. There were endless line-up changes, contentious dealings with labels, managers, and producers, and mostly, there was a massive disparity between …
For those of us who don’t believe in predestination, the past is an endless series of could-have-beens. Every adventure left unchosen branches out in infinite directions, all the possible pasts and futures winding around one …
[Artwork by Timo Ketola] As anyone with a pulse can confirm, evil lurks around many a corner. It has to be there, really, because the universe demands balance, both in everyday life and stretched across …
In music, true economy is rare. There are, of course, essentially an infinite number of ways to make a musical point. Variations in instrumentation, melody, rhythm, harmony, tone, and so on enable musicians to paint …
[Artwork by Laina Terpstra (no relation to Niki Terpstra)] Death metal may forever be maligned by its detractors as simply “dumb.” In general, it’s an unfair label that reveals a shallow digging into what is …
[Artwork by Timo Ketola] A number of articles have been written over the years detailing Finland’s unique connection to metal. Most of these works have played the numbers game, underscoring the curious truth that no …
Most good bands conjure anthropomorphized versions of themselves. Maybe it’s just me, but stick with the premise for a moment. Power metal is a soaring metallic eagle like the cover of Screaming for Vengeance, with …
Kia ora, cuz. Spring has sprung in Aotearoa New Zealand. Although, you wouldn’t know it given the howling wind and freezing rain currently trying to destroy my Hobbit hole. Still, miserable weather seems like a …
