In Vain have always been a strange band. The degree to how extreme their blackened death metal outbursts can be is something that goes above the usual melodeath market. So sit down for a Norwegian weenie roast with our Metalligator and find out whether Solemn still serves hot.
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Veriteras – The Dark Horizon
Half of Veriteras’ sound is very like Dissection with vicious yet hummable tremolo melodies layered over double-bass abuse. The other half owes more to the stated influences of early In Flames and Kalmah. But does that mean you half to enjoy it? Well if you like melodeath…
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Venomous Echoes – Split Formations and Infinite Mania Review
Morbid Angel, Howls of Ebb, Esoctrilihum, Portal and Ulthar all are imitated during individual sections of Split Formations And Infinite Mania and Venomous Echoes usually do so in a tasteful manner, straddling the line between inspiration and pastiche overall rather successfully. I have heard all of this better elsewhere, but the combination and variety is pleasant, even at the risk of turning into needle drop death metal.
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Suffer – Grand Canvas of the Aesthete Review
Grand Canvas of the Aestethe sees no love lost on Carcassian Heartwork-isms thickened with the slime of grooves straight out of Morbid Angel’s Domination. When these two styles mix together successfully like the rasping vocal cadence over the grand death metal groove, Suffer may free you from this mortal coil. But do they earn a death (metal) certificate of success?
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Saturday Night Satan – All Things Black Review
All Things Black is more early Ghost than The Devil’s Blood and more Scooby Doo than it is The Omen. Something about the songs can be quite catchy and a lot of it sits in guilty pleasure territory. Deplorable or delicious, or both?
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Suldusk – Anthesis Review
When Emily Highfield released her debut Suldusk album Lunar Falls, Metalligator wasn’t particularly convinced. For its few harsh edges, the folk music did not particularly strike a chord, and the album just flowed by without making much of an impact. But Anthesis? What the folk happened here??
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Wounds – Ruin Review
Fast runs, hairpin turns and extended harmonies, Wounds does it rather competently, making my head nod during select moments and my foot tap throughout. But some albums are harder to review than others.
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Defect Designer – Chitin Review
Defect Designer surprised in 2022 with their 18 minute Neanderthal EP, a snappy shot of grindcore-infused death metal. The EP had a raw sound and a pace that made it zip past pleasantly, setting expectations high for an eventual full length release. But will Metalligator find that the new album has a defect in its design?
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Ihsahn – IHSAHN Review
At this point, Ihsahn needs little introduction. His work first with Emperor and then as a solo act has established him as one of black metal’s luminaries. His blackened and avant-garde approach to metal on IHSAHN straddles emotions. It’s by turns bombastic, melancholic, tense and angry—an excellent example of why Ihsahn is such a big deal.
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