Italian black metal band Mortuary Drape are embarking on a short tour of the North American West Coast next week.
2 CommentsTags: Black Metal, mortuary drape, tour dates, upcoming tours, US tour
Meditations on Ananku
Article by Lance Viggiano.
Ananku is random stereotypical sentimentality in terms of both pseudo climactic release and legacy nostalgia underscored by the crooning of its capricious composer. One may skip to any moment of this record and find a passable to competent riff which invites the listener to further explore its contents. Yet to sit through the work in succession, the order – or lack thereof- is much akin to a dreamlike state. Waking life is a comedic but rationally apprehensive continuity; whereas the experience of dreaming is much like thumbing through to one’s favorite moments in no particular order and therefore as a whole Ananku betrays its efforts at thematic unity. The forces behind Serpent Ascending make a noticed use of genre firmament however indecisive haste fashioned for itself a fallen world.
17 CommentsTags: 2016, ananku, Black Metal, i voidhanger records, Jarno Nurmi, metal art, Philosophy, Serpent Ascending
Kaeck “Afgod” Live at Under the Black Sun 2016
Kaeck released another live video from their set at the Under the Black Sun 2016 festival outside of Berlin this time with slow motion! The cleaner sound than on the record is much appreciated but the band needs to perform live with Oovenmeester instead of one of the mooks from Mad Max: Fury Road.
3 CommentsTags: Black Metal, kaeck, live, music video
Possession Ritual – Incense of Opened Gates (2011)
Article by Anton Rudrick.
German ritual black ‘n’ roll band Possession Ritual released a full-length going by the name of Incense of Opened Gates, with striking artwork by Ars Leprosa in the year 2011 through Nihilward Productions. A note is made that the music itself was written and recorded in 2006. Being one of those limited editions which are rather hard to come by and probably also partially hidden away from the unworthy prying eyes of mundane minds, the author has only been able to listen to two pieces from the album. Hence, all commentaries and reflections upon the band’s work can be traced to perceptions of these exclusively. It will be useful to meditate upon a holistic impression of the band as an entity, and to take each of those to tracks to task separately, to finally arrive at a judgement of the musical work as manifested result of a series of evocations.
2 CommentsTags: black 'n roll, Black Metal, flowing black metal, Incense of Opened Gates, modern metal, Nihilward Productions, Possession Ritual, review
Initial Impressions of Serpent Ascending – Ananku
Article by Anton Rudrick.
Following a tradition of Finnish death metal, Serpent Ascending first proved its allegiance to the old stream of thought on The Enigma Unsettled. The project stood out as possessing that rare gift that grants vision past forms and into the value therein encased as dormant power, codified, awaiting a worthy hero who can pull the Sword from the Stone. While using techniques and musical structures that are well-known, interesting counterpoint and chant-like melodies can be seen in that first album, inserting them in between more conservative power metal riffs that were eerie enough to belong to occult death metal but also displayed a penchant for memorable phrases. Five years have elapsed since then, and several Desecresy albums have seen the definition and reaffirmation of that band into a distinctly esoteric style. Many were keenly expectant upon the future of Serpent Ascending.
4 CommentsTags: 2016, ananku, Black Metal, death metal, Finland, Heavy Metal, Serpent Ascending
Darkthrone Post “Tundra Leech” off Arctic Thunder
Fenriz posted the opening track from Darkthrone’s upcoming album Arctic Thunder.
38 CommentsAllright folks, this here is the opening track on the album. The first riff came to me when I was out camping with the oldtimer that took the photo of me here. – f e n r i z:
Tags: Arctic Thunder, Black Metal, darkthrone, Heavy Metal, new track, norway
Kaeck Release Live Version of “De heerser wederkeert” from Under the Black Sun 2016
Kaeck have posted a live video of “De heerser wederkeert” off of Death Metal Underground’s 2015 Album of the Year Stormkult from their performance at the Under the Black Sun 2016 festival in Germany. Regrettably, Oovenmeester (also in Noordelingen) was unable to provide his unhinged vocals so Ygethmor from Standvast provided more somewhat more conventional and staid black metal vocals somewhat too high in the mix for a ringer. The live version is still worth checking out in order to hear Chaos from Sammath‘s haunting guitar work in a less distorted live setting.
8 CommentsTags: Black Metal, death metal, festivals, jan kruitwagen, kaeck, live, new track
Sorcier des Glaces / Ende – Le puits des morts (2016)
Le puits des morts is a split album featuring Sorcier des Glaces and French black metal band Ende. On the first side, Sorcier des Glaces present four all new songs in their distinctive style of epic black metal continuing from their last few albums (including North from earlier in 2016) after the band’s abandoning of keyboards.
4 CommentsTags: 2016, Black Metal, Ende, Le puits des morts, obscure abhorrence, review, sorcier des glaces, split
Darkthrone’s Arctic Thunder Out October 14th
Peaceville Records has announce that Darkthrone’s new Arctic Thunder arcade game of probably retro heavy metal in 1980s Sega Genesis style comes out October 14th.
7 CommentsTags: Arctic Thunder, Black Metal, darkthrone, Heavy Metal, peaceville records, retro metal, upcoming release
Darkthrone Post Title and Cover of Arctic Thunder
Darkthrone announced that the title and cover of their upcoming album, Arctic Thunder, shares a similar name with many breath mint brands and 1980s ski bro flicks. Hopefully this album is not phoned-in retro-heavy metal more disposable than an Altoids tin like The Underground Resistance was.
30 CommentsTags: Arctic Thunder, Black Metal, darkthrone, Heavy Metal, upcoming release
