Mastered by Greg Chandler (of many projects and mastering jobs), the production quality on this album is fantastic. This is highlighted in songs such as “The Weeping of a Blazing Rock”, “Destroyer of the Promethean Path”, and “Supreme Leader of a Dying Star”. While retaining its own clear identity, this project still manages to sneak in subtle nods to Ungfell/Ateiggär songwriting, especially in “Weeping…” which gets surprisingly bouncy and fun for this style of Black Metal. Imagine a The Black Satans music video but in space.
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This Week in Metal, 2023 Week 35
Another week, another round of metal reviews in the bag. Words are tough, so we assembled the highlights. And if you want to read the latest reviews for the new offerings from Nuclear Power Trio, Grand Cadaver, Massen, Soen, Blut aus Nord, and Exmortus, you can do that too!
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Exmortus – Necrophony Review
Crammed full of guitar solos and Neoclassical wank, Slave to the Sword was one of the best and most-listened to albums for a High School-aged Cosmo. Now, nine years and two albums since that release, Exmortus returns fresh to Nuclear Blast with Necrophony after a couple releases on Prosthetic Records. Is this one to add to the list of Exmortus successes or does this signing to a major label signal a watered-down sound for a wider audience? Slave to the wank.
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Grand Cadaver – Deities of Deathlike Sleep Review
For all the talented people involved in Grand Cadaver (featuring members from Dark Tranquility and Katatonia, among other bands), their mission statement is simple: to write Death Metal songs that are conceived spontaneously and quickly, letting their passion for the music guide the way. Grand Cadaver are anything but sleepy.
Read moreThis Week in Metal, 2023 Week 34
Another week, another round of metal reviews in the bag. Words are tough, so we assembled the highlights. And if you want to read the latest reviews for the new offerings from Deitus, Horrendous, Tongues, The Night Eternal, Mizmor, or 夢遊病者, you can do that too!
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Tongues – Formløse Stjerner Review
Tongues hits many taste centers with uncanny precision. From salty waves of Doom riffs echoing on the back half to spicy Death Metal outbursts to the sour and dramatic tremolo riffs of Black Metal… Tongues has licks. Taste the black metal.
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Horrendous – Ontological Mysterium Review
Rather than being a clear evolution, Ontological Mysterium comes off as a gross mutation. The album cover preemptively states this as the three skinless faces of Horrendous’ logo have merged into something altogether darker. Red is the new black.
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Gateway – Galgendood Review
Atmosphere. The way metalheads use the word sends shivers down my spine and immediately, I associate it with lazy, repetitive writing and unnecessary amounts of reverb. Gateway to the atmo-sphere?
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Sarmat – Determined to Strike Review
After Sarmat’s debut EP surprisingly contained a Pokémon theme cover (and low-key blew my mind in the process), I had high hopes that the full-length would repeat this in a similarly sneaky way. Would other video game themes be covered, possibly similarly obscure ones? Gotta strike ’em all?
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Crypts of the Unknown: Bergraven – Det Framlidna Minnet
