Article by Corey M.
Tags: 2014, Black Metal, Italy, mortuary drape, review, Speed Metal
Space Rock Special: Hawkwind (1971-1973)
Article by Johan P.
The stylistically inclusive nature of progressive rock allows quite a lot of stretching of the genre’s musical boundaries. This part of Death Metal Underground’s 1970s Progressive Rock for Hessians series looks into the early, classic period of the English group Hawkwind – a group of sonic shaman-warriors who transgressed more than one genre border right from their inception. Well, almost. Their unconvincing 1970 self-titled debut album can rightfully be dismissed as a failed attempt at improvisational psychedelic folk rock, with songs that sound too much like flawed byproducts of the flower power era. Luckily, the following years saw the band re-forge their sound on In Search of Space (1971), articulate it on Doremi Fasol Latido (1972) and finally push their newfound style to its limits on Space Ritual (1973).
7 CommentsTags: 1970s, 1970s Progressive Rock for Hessians, Ambient, ambient music, electronic music, hard rock, Hawkwind, lemmy, lemmy kilmister, music analysis, musical analysis, prog rock, progressive, progressive rock, psychedelic, rock, space rock
Interview: Sorcier des Glaces
Death Metal Underground staffer Corey M reached out to the prolific French-Canadian black metal band Sorcier des Glaces for a written interview about their career. Our staff compiled a list of questions which Sébastien from Sorcier des Glaces thankfully and thoroughly answered:
13 CommentsTags: Black Metal, canada, interview, quebec, sorcier des glaces
Depressor – Filth / Grace (2014)
Article by Lance Viggiano.
In its best moments punk music transcends volk-rage by serving as a cracked mirror reflecting the forlorn realities that industrialization and intangible goal of perpetual progress wrought as this civilization awaited technological rapture to deliver its destiny among the stars. The reflection was always unclear because of its nature as folk music, marred by smudges and dust that lead it to misdiagnose the cause of its own woes. Depressor spiritually and musically channel this ethos while stepping into the well-worn boots of Godflesh resulting in a body of work resides between industrial, doom/death and punk music. The artists understand that heaviness is not merely a novelty or a token, but a vessel.
No CommentsTags: anthology, compilation, crust, Depressor, Filth / Grace, fuck yoga records, godflesh, Industrial, industrial metal, review
Necrofun #1
Jubertus
Dauphiné Witch Trials, 1428-47:
1 CommentJohannes Cunalis had a book of necromancy [librum it nigromanda], and that when he who spoke opened this book at once there appeared to him three demons, one named Luxuriosus, another Superbus, and the third Avarus, [all of them] devils…
Tags: dethrone the son of god, havohej, History, Occultism, paul ledney, Satanism, witchcraft
Sadistic Metal Review: Chalice – Chalice (2014)
Article by Corey M.
Chalice is a real shit show. From a purely musical perspective, the self-titled EP Chalice is transparent hard rock with some metal-ish riffing that never gets quite as aggressive as Deep Purple. Now indeed, aggression is not the only or even most crucial element that goes into making good rock or metal, but Chalice fall fa(aaaaaaaa)r short in every other facet of songwriting and performance.
6 CommentsTags: 2014, Chalice, Doom Metal, EP, female vocals, Heavy Metal, hippies, hipster bullshit, medieval metal, modern metal, renaissance metal, sadistic metal reviews, women in metal
Swords of Steel (2015)
Article by Corey M.
Featuring several authors from many backgrounds including members of metal bands Manilla Road and Solstice, Swords of Steel is an exciting collection of short stories that are for the most part squarely rooted in the tradition of serialized weird fiction.
1 CommentTags: 2015, book, book reviews, fantasy, Horror, manilla road, pulp, science fiction, Solstice, Swords of Steel
Schattenvald – Der Winterkönig (2016)
Article by David Rosales.
As a wave of revivalists of the old metal ways of the late 80s and early 90s assail us with full optimism, we are face with the dilemma of creation of the new through the emulation of that which is no more. From this sincere intent are born projects like Schattenvald who attempt to extend the lessons of the adventurers of more than two decades ago. However, the bar that was raised by those heroes is set higher than even such well-intentioned moderns band can reach.
9 CommentsTags: 2016, Black Metal, Der Winterkönig, EP, German Black Metal, germany, review, Schattenvald
#Metalgate: Nu-Death SJW Shawn Wright Has Meltdown Over Ignored Album
Shawn Wright of Bestial Evil USA, who has in the past acknowledged his SJW status before embarking on a campaign to remove my Facebook account by complaining to Facebook’s SJW admins, has experienced yet another humiliating internet meltdown.
After the release of the most recent Bestial Evil USA album, Infectious Cross, which achieved zero acclaim for its generic Discharge-meets-Immolation style of metalcore, Wright was seen on Facebook berating at length those who were less than impressed by the album. This made it all too easy for one internet troll, who got under Wright’s skin and relentlessly led him on, provoking the apparently credulous Wright into a tantrum.
“I’ll bring some presents with me,” Wright said, in response to a transparent taunt. He promised to come to Texas and “smack the bitch out of you,” apparently forgetting that he was in the past accused of sexual assault and misogyny. Undeterred, Wright raved on: “We will play with War Master one day and I’ll be right there to hand you back your teeth one by one.”
Apparently not realizing that he was being provoked into a foaming rage, Wright continued with a barrage of insults and memes before the troll lost interest and stopped responding. At that point, realizing that he was talking to himself, Wright posted a final salvo and departed into the empty night.
#MetalGate exploded when metalheads began standing up to bullies who, hiding behind political correctness, were forcing their mediocre work on the metal community through the type of guilt that would make a priest grin. After they were called on this, their audience evaporated outside of the SJW circle, which continues to dwindle as people realize that passive-aggressive bullying is no way to go through life.
- Bestial Evil USA BandCamp
Tags: bestial evil, metalgate, shawn wright, sjws, war master
Profanatica – The Curling Flame of Blasphemy (2016)
Article by Lance Viggiano.
Profanatica return with a tuneful reinterpretation of their sophomore album, Disgusting Blasphemies Against God, refined by the sensibilities of the successful Sickened by Holy Host / The Grand Master Sessions EP compilation. The band presents a newfound confidence in ambient noise by using amplifier feedback as its own instrument in a more integral fashion than previous releases. The Curling Flame of Blasphemy opts for a slow burn approach where literal variations in tempo are suggestive rather than experienced. The result is ceremonious yet there is no culmination of the ritual, no climax; the whole procession ends on a dour note which does not feel conclusive regardless of its efficacy.
29 CommentsTags: 2016, Black Metal, death metal, hells headbangers, minimalism, paul ledney, profanatica, review, The Curling Flame of Blasphemy
