Category: Reviews

Svartidauði – “Revelations Of The Red Sword” (Ván Records)  Aptly named from their native Icelandic for ‘black death’, Svartidauði have been in formation since 2012, whereupon they released their debut “Flesh Cathedral” and despite their remote location, have been active on both the touring front across Europe as well as putting out a number of EPs until this sophomore. Long awaited by many and especially those who’ve witnessed their intense concerts, I can see why given the incredible work on show here. With a massive soundscape as mesmerising as their own land of fire and ice whose contrasts are brilliantly reflected in… Continue reading

Wolcensmen – “Songs From The Fyrgen” 2 CD re-issue (Indie Recordings)  Wolcensmen is the epic heathen folk project brought into being by Dan Capp, an English guitarist also known for his role in black metal band Winterfylleth. Initially released in 2016, this debut sold out within 6 months of its pressing, receiving widespread critical acclaim for its atmospheric reflections of folkloric moods and aesthetics inspired by the likes of Ulver, Opeth, Empyrium and Wongraven. Penned during his teenage years when he had crafted short acoustic passages of music, Wolcensmen soon became the vehicle for expressing spiritual philosophies and musical atmospheres especially in exploring… Continue reading

ASSYMETRY OF EGO “Forsake Beyond The Dusk” () I gotta admit that I wasn’t and isn’t the greatest fan of bands like Linkin Park and their ilk yet that was the first band that sprung to mind when I started to play this album by ASYMETRY OF EGO. Perhaps not as poppy as Linkin Park but with the same sort of darkness and mystery. This is for lack of a better term alternative progressive metal, or should that be progressive alternative metal? Or perhaps even modern metal? Post metal? You get where I am going don’t you. As an ancient… Continue reading

BLUE DAWN “Edge Of Chaos” (Black Widow Records) ‘ I have interviewed BLUE DAWN on two occasions yet I haven’t reviewed a single one of their albums. Strange, but that will be changed with this one from 2017. BLUE DAWN is a heavy/doom metal band from Genoa, Italy. This is their third album. I missed out on the digital only second album but I have heard the first one. Although this is doom metal it is still aggressive in a way that I hadn’t expected it to be. With the dual male/female vocals there is also an added theatrical aura… Continue reading

DAMNATION GALLERY “Black Stains” () This is being described as heavy metal, but that is not the whole truth. I want to label this as black heavy metal. Not totally either this is like an amalgamation of styles. The vocals are very much black metal. The music have a kinda Mercyful Fate gone black metal vibe to it. At first I thought to myself that this was too much of a stretch but as the album progressed so did I. This is actually a really cool album that have grown on me. I am really glad that this one came… Continue reading

ELECTRIC SWAN “Windblown” (Black Widow) If I were asked where I would put ELECTRIC SWAN musically I wouldn’t know for sure. There is a strong 70s vibe to this. And with a female vocalist it is easy to let you mind wander off to Janis Joplin, but I also get vibes from stuff like Lynyrd Skynyrd and that whole sort of jammy 70s hard rock. Add to it some sort of soul influence and some blues and you get an album that is spread very wide. But somehow it does all work. For a massive Blues Pill fan like me… Continue reading

LEGIONEM “Ipse Venena Bibas” () As I listen to this I start to think about all the different styles of doom metal there is out there. This one has that 1970 debut album vibe to it. Yet there is more to it than that. But the basics for this album is found in the 70s. as much as it is Black Sabbath it is also Deep Purple and Uriah Heep. I actually thought that this was gonna be something more contemporary in sound based on the band name. I even thought that this was gonna be a blackened death metal… Continue reading

LA JANARA “S/T” () I don’t know enough about Italy to know where Grottaminardi is. Not that it really matters. I don’t think that the origin of LA JAMARA has anything to do with how they sound. So what do they sound like? This is pretty much traditional heavy metal sung in Italian. That they sing in their native tongue gives this an interesting edge. Not better or worse than had it been in English. It just makes for an exotic feature. I’ve been trying to come up with a band that this reminds me of, but I have come… Continue reading

SINOATH “”Anamnesis” (Black Widow) This is a band that I have had in my conscious for some time but for one reason or another haven’t really taken time to check out. But that is about to change with this album. and listening to this I don’t really know why I haven’t bothered to check them out. Because the metal they play is quite doomy and good. In my mind I imagined this to be some sort of old school death/thrash metal, but I was wrong. Not that I mind now that I had had a chance to hear this album.… Continue reading

THE GRAND ASTORIA ”Punkadelica Supreme” (addictive]) I have no idea where this one fits in the discography of THE GRAND ASTORIA or how it fits. All I really care about is that I got the chance to hear this. if you are familiar with THE GRAND ASTORIA you will know that you can basically expect almost anything from this lot. As long as it is somewhat in the stoner region. What I like about this band is that no matter how flipped out it might seem to begin with they always manage to tie it all together in the end.… Continue reading