Generally Impressed With Riffs
[Artwork by Caroline Harrison] “Nonsense” opens with a slow fade-in of distorted guitars and seismic drums — the chaos before the swarm. It’s a trick of the trade, the extreme metal equivalent of a camera operator calling out “speed” before …
[Cover artwork by Luca “Zeero” Zironi] There was always something uniquely charming about Konquest’s brand of traditional heavy metal—an almost whimsical breeziness that still felt like a near perfect balance of playful and substantive. A long-lost Italian cousin to Sweden’s …
[Cover art by Beyond Art] There are bad musical moods, and then there’s Mylingar. Over the course of the last decade this group of anonymous Swedes has concocted the type of ill-meaning black/death that makes Diocletian seem like a Care …
[Cover artwork by Subhuman at Desert Dungeon] Let’s talk about our love for quirky metal. Okay, sure, any definable level of ‘quirk’ is obviously subjective, but I’m guessing you know we’re not talking about the guy who loves The Black …
Originally written by Michael Roberts. Following on quickly from last year’s Pitch Black Brigade, Vreid’s latest full-length, I Krig, sees the Norwegian band continuing to refine their unique fusion of black metal and classic rock. On this album Vreid combine …
Jim Brandon’s take: The onslaught of metal I’ve withstood in the past 16 months as a member of this staff has taken its toll, and as a result, there are very few albums released over …
The goal of Desiderii Marginis — fronted by sole brainchild, Johan Levin — has always been firmly rooted within the drifty, dark-ambient realm, but Levin has always added loads of strummed acoustics, crescendoing strings, and …
Originally written by Jason Jordan. If anything, Eclipse was a jarring, triumphant return for Finland’s Amorphis that easily surpassed previous efforts Am Universum and Far from the Sun, and raised the bar for what would become Silent Waters, which happens to be the …
Originally written by Erik Thomas. Synopsis: More depressive elegance from the Netherlands’ masters of beautifully somber doom. Review: Much like Draconian, Shape of Despair, Pantheist, Slumber and many of the Finnish doom acts (Swallow the Sun, Ablaze My Sorrow, My Shameful), Officium …
Originally written by Erik Thomas. Synopsis: In the words of the mighty Neo…. “Whoa”. Review: While the debut album from Florida’s The Absence, From Your Grave, was a solid Dark Tranquility inspired and core free slab of US melodic …
Originally written by Doug Moore. Everyone knows that metal has something of a—shall we say, limited palette when it comes to lyrical content. Not a lot of metal bands are known for their lyrical clout, but on …
Originally written by Keith Fox. Mortuus continue The Ajna Offensive’s tradition of releasing quality black metal for the thinking black metal fan. Like many of the NED bands with similarly intellectual aspirations, Mortuus prove themselves equally capable of expressing their malcontent …
