Written by: Blackie Skulless
If you know my taste at least relatively well, you’ll know that the later Necrophobic output is something I’ve come to love. Mark Of The Necrogram may be my favorite album since the debut, and the latest, Dawn Of The Damned, marched through with a flame nearly as hot. That takes us to In The Twilight Grey, being the Swedes’ tenth album overall, following the release patterns we’ve gotten their whole career. Going in, I was certainly curious to see which direction it would go, since the last two took the “don’t fix what ain't broke” route. Stylistically, there isn’t a whole lot of breaking away from the black/death style that the outfit has perfected several times. Much of Necrophobic’s career has been pretty consistent, with mild changes for the better or worse, and maybe a few experiments (ok, I guess I just contradicted myself a little). Thus, we find ourselves with another release full of sharply produced guitars built on tremolos and steep chugging. Backing this tactic up with explosive and impressive, albeit one-sided drum kicks meets the same deep and raspy but comprehensible vocal style, somewhat opting for a third iteration of what worked wonderfully before.
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Written by: Blackie Skulless
Bütcher are a Belgian act that has been around for decades, despite the first full-length record not hitting until 2017. They may not have sold me right away, but their second album titled 666 Goats Carry My Chariot absolutely blew me away (I mean really, how can a title like that not?) Considering their borderline parody-meets-evil speed metal with a blackened hue, I figured there was enough room for strong continuity. Enter the latest release, On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing, which does exactly that. From a foundational standpoint, Bütcher retained the exact same attitude that cemented their identity before this time around. Obvious odes to classic metal bands with tongue-in-cheek themes that you can still take a little seriously are very present. The frontman’s notable shriek-singing is still here, kicking out harsh passages that have a burning atmosphere without getting too raspy, and an emphasis on strong leads still takes precedence. Interestingly, what’s different now is that the band lays off the blackened tropes a bit. 
Written by: The Administrator
In the course of reviewing music, I've increasingly tried to exercise a degree of thoughtfulness when comparing an artist to another artist. Namedropping for the sake of it is practice that often feels a little presumptuous, especially when specific influences are an unknown. Besides, if I'm resorting to comparing artists because there is nothing else to say, the review is probably... a little empty. As such, I try to keep direct comparisons A. positive, and B. firmly within the context of my own listening experience. If a guitar tone or an approach to songwriting fondly reminds me of something, and if that association benefits the overall review, it might merit mention. Of course, this whole philosophy opens up a bit when an artist specifically mentions influences. Am I in Trouble?, a new project from friend of the Sleeping Village and Negative Bliss guitarist/vocalist Steve Wiener, makes these inspirations public. In fact, here's a convenient playlist. If you are a nerd like myself, and interested in digesting music in the overt context of the creative elements that led to its creation, said playlist makes for a pretty damn enjoyable listening experience. Anyways! "On to "Red," today's track in question. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Ohio’s very own Valdrin has actually been on my radar since their 2020 album titled Effigy Of Nightmares, though they didn’t really grasp my attention back then (and don’t worry, I’ve since grown fond of that album). Several years of me finding corners of black metal that I enjoy, and perhaps some musical evolution on their part would change my perception by late last year. Roughly three years following said 2020 release, the band dropped Throne Of The Lunar Soul, clutching ahold of my attention from the artwork alone. Thankfully the music held just as much substance, causing me to completely re-evaluate. On a stylistic front, Valdrin have stayed in their lane well enough, retaining a black metal base with some minor tampering in other landmarks of the extreme metal sphere. But at their core, this U.S. quartet took that base and expanded past measures that I could have seen coming. Rather than sticking to a crushing and punishing wall of sound, they’ve gone and mixed in melody, soft and acoustic layers, and concise, poetic themes around the mythical, ancient, and medieval. Perhaps they’ve always leaned toward these directions anyway, but the superb production and advanced construction found here made it stand out blatantly. 
Written by: The Administrator
In the mundane life of a music reviewer, there are few things more gratifying than witnessing organic excitement about a new project. From the moment Ashenheart released "Weave Thy Night Into Being"--what would eventually become the closing track on debut album Faded Gold--there was a notable buzz of anticipation in our small but earnestly supportive shared corner of the metal twitterverse. This track was frigid and exciting, and after a single listen, I found myself eagerly awaiting more. To quote my micro-review at the time: "the guitar is oddly intoxicating. I love the low rumble and the rolling drums, and the vocals are absolutely killer as well. Very excited to see where this project goes next!" The wait wasn't particularly drawn out. Another album single and a standalone dropped in short order, and then the full 6-track album not far behind. And let me tell you: Faded Gold did not disappoint. This is a very good album, as sharply conceived and well-executed as the singles indicated. I've enjoyed it relentlessly since its release a few weeks back.
Editor’s note: this review was originally published in 2020 at a now-defunct site for a collaborative Best Albums of the 2010’s Retrospective. As the internet has since swallowed said site, my retrospective review now appears here in lightly edited form.
Written by: The Administrator
When initially considering what album I wanted to draw into the light for an End of Decade retrospective, the sheer volume of possibilities sent me into a bit of a frenetic journey through a decade of heavy music. Let’s face it: in ten years, the metalverse spawned an unbelievable bounty. But, eventually, the only true option became clear. For such an event I needed to focus on an album that, beyond being excellent in its own right, somehow personally set the stage for the decade as a whole. That, for me, is Agrimonia’s Rites of Separation. This album singlehandedly determined the course of my music listening experience from 2013 to the present. “Talion,” the album’s first track, begins with a piercing riff, a crystal-clear clarion call. It serves as an assertive hook, cutting through the noise before the noise even begins. This is the track that pulled me into a world of harsh vocals and aggressive atmosphere, a world of deliberate and progressive songcraft. Because Agrimonia are so genre fluid, existing betwixt black metal, sludge, post-metal, post-hardcore, crust punk, death metal, and doom, it is remarkably easy to approach their sound without any particular expectations. As such, a young acolyte to heavy music gained perspective without necessarily committing to the trappings of a particular niche. 
Written by: Blackie Skulless
Once in a blue moon, I’ll come across something that I find to be decent at best, worthwhile enough to revisit, and each subsequent revisit makes me appreciate it a little more. The Chilean heavy metal outfit Shadows fit that exact situation. Without the backing familiarity of their EP, going into this blind yielded many surprises. While in the realm of “traditional metal,” I would struggle to call their debut Out For Blood traditional at all. The term fits in regards to the riff style, but there’s really a lot going on here, giving it that effect of growing more addictive every time I hit it. In a formulaic sense, this is everything I could ask for. Rough and raw rhythms with grating burrs make up an otherwise melodic foundation, backed by some thunderous basslines and eerie synths to muffle coarse edges. Emphasis on the melody, though, because almost every lead is surprisingly catchy amidst a foggy haze that matches the obvious occult-loving album art. It should come as no surprise that influences of doom metal make a pretty aggressive appearance. This is more evident in the presentation, however, not so much in the riff structure; very seldom do we find doomy riff stomps. 
Written by: The Administrator
Without fail, I get excited when a project bearing the Demo I moniker hits the ol' inbox. There is something so intrinsically intoxicating about the prospect of band's first foray, something utterly salivatory about the promise of raw potential. Add a "blackened crust" descriptor and you know I'm slamming in the earbuds with great haste. While Compress' first outing starts on a somber tone, opener "A Setting Sun" moves towards some significantly more furious environs. There's a jarring sense of movement that Compress bring to the table across these three tracks--and I mean this, of course, in the most complimentary sense of the term. 
Written by: The Administrator
We slumbering townsfolk seldom find consensus when it comes to the world of music appreciation and unsolicited commentary, but we do enjoy some common ground from time to time. One such instance of is the inevitable positive reaction upon the release of new music from Pittsburgh's Úzkost. They've been dropping a string of consistently excellent and hard-hitting tunes over the past few years, with a clear plan to continue releasing singles across the coming year. Self-described as "blackened and doomed death metal," this crew demonstrates a real knack for relentlessly disorienting (albeit engaging) songwriting. I absolutely loved the standalone "Mt'hr" released a month ago for its unique ability to balance undiluted and unhinged rage alongside highly memorable hooks. Needless to say, the announcement of another track following on the heels of "Mt'hr" was cause for much celebration 'round these parts. Enter "Arise: Assemble! Conjoin Your Flame!" 
Written by: The Administrator
Let's get the obvious out of the way. If you're reading a review for a band called, erm, Chestcrush, and haven't yet mentally and physically prepared to have your sternum mercilessly shattered and ground down into the finest of bonemeal, you might want to swiftly backpedal into calmer waters. Two parts of this three-track monstrosity are perhaps the most belligerent and violent manifestations of the Chestcrush approach to date, which is saying something if you are familiar with their prior work. Indeed, Apechtheia is as crushingly malevolent as 2021’s stellar Vdelygmia. The aggression displayed is frankly pretty stunning. However, on this latest, the stakes feel grander and the violence at play feels more calculated, more sinister. The tracks are certainly longer, trading the comfort of familiar song structure for more expansive odysseys through grinding blackened death and, perhaps more uncomfortable, a viciously introspective brand of nihilism. Apechtheia is progressive in the sense that it truly feels like a deliberate progression beyond that which came before. It feels like a genuine maturation. |
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