Kanonenfieber barely qualify for the blackened death metal moniker. Their interpretation of war is one of pathos, bittersweet glory, and they express it in a matter both melodic and anthemic. And they sound surprisingly similar to Amon Amarth. Nothing like a good Viking raid in the trenches.
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Emasculator – The Disfigured and the Divine Review
Too often does an “all girl band” make that statement their main marketing gimmick. Labels too then are quick to jump on the train and defeat the emancipatory value that the tag can hold. But Emasculator? They’ve got a grip on this whole death metal thing. Rock out with your… um… head off?
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Kawir – Kydoimos Review
One of the seemingly endless joys of being a metal fan is stumbling across a band that’s old as the hills but somehow new to you. Kawir is a good example. They released their first demo in 1993 and Kydoimos is their eighth studio album. You could say that up until this point, it was all Greek to our poor Anti-Peat.
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Altar of Betelgeuze – Echoes Review
Maybe it’s the climate or something in the air or having all those lakes to stare into while brooding about the inevitable decay of flesh—Finland screams metal. Whatever it is, Altar of Betelgeuze got a full dose. They’ve routinely described themselves in the past as stoner doom meets death metal and hitting play on their third album, Echoes, reveals this is still the formula. Betelgeuze, Betelgeuze, Betelgeuze!
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Dionysiaque – Diogonos Review
Doom metal that is really progressive tends to be rare, and music bearing this tag will usually refer to a single outside influence that doesn’t make much of a mark on the whole. But Dionysiaque’s Diogonos is something different, without a doubt.
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Eden’s Decay – Innerfeind Review
I picked out Eden’s Decay because it sounded suitably dramatic and moody. I prepared myself to be underwhelmed, and hit play. From the first notes of Innerfeind though, I knew I had something—probably because it doesn’t sound much like what most people call melodeath. Perhaps sometimes blossoms spring from decay.
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Stygian Crown – Funeral for a King Review
Overall, I was not really sold on their debut, but Funeral for a King sees Stygian Crown return with significantly improved writing and performances, as they seem to lean into their death doom influence stronger than before. The amalgamation of death and epic doom tropes leads to a uniquely feeling album. But will it reign supreme in our Goat’s estimation?
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Secrets – Towards the Nightside Review
There is probably a limit to how much love can be shown to a band that is so obviously reminiscent of those that came before but Secrets push at that limit. So what is the secret to Secrets’ success?
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Vægtløs – Aftryk Review
With their debut, Aftryk, Danish band Vægtløs promise a mix of power and delicacy, grip and release, packed within four tracks that comfortably traverse the realms of black metal, post metal, and post rock. And though its namesake translates to “imprint,” does Aftryk do enough for you to remember its cause?
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Crypts of the Unknown: Bergraven – Det Framlidna Minnet
