Extreme metal can take many forms. But in this time of ours where acts try to out-Flanderize each other — essentially extremity fitting into the mold of extremity to be extreme — there is less and less that can actually be considered extreme. Ataraxie present their vision of funeral doom as a no-frills, heavily death metal inspired affair. It may be slow, but will it rush to the top of you doom metal essentials?
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Esoctrilihum – Döth-Derniàlh Review
Another year, another new Esoctrilihum album. At this point, it could be considered an annual occurrence, since Asthâghul, the only person behind this project, has released an album every year since 2017, sometimes pumping out two a year. Esocthrilledium?
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Seth – La France des Maudits
To get me interested in a black metal album at all, it has to offer something more than just grating tremolo riffs topped by questionable production. And when it does, it has to be done very well. Luckily, Seth slay this bear’s high standards. Find out why.
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Matrass – Cathedrals Review
Believe me when I say that I approached Matrass initially with trepidation as the promo text declared that oft tricky “modern” goal. But Matrass then also declared that with this full-length debut, Cathedrals, they aimed to shed groove from their sound and lean heavier into post waters. So which direction are they bedding down after all?
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Incipient Chaos – Incipient Chaos Review
Playing a no-frills approach to black metal, Incipient Chaos has the potential to become a refreshing, venerable force in the scene beset by cheap, middling melodic black metal and bad raw black metal that people attempt to convince others is good. And, thankfully, their eponymous debut delivers the goods and brings a fresh batch of fast, mean black metal. Well, so says the Cosmo anyway…
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Moisson Livide – Sent Empèri Gascon Review
Folk metal is typically one of the more repellent genres of metal according to Cosmo’s tastes. But will Moisson Livide, with their more extreme edge to what is normally very power metal-forward folk metal be able to melt his blackened bat heart?
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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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Griffon – De Republica Review
Taking a decidedly anti-authoritarian and perhaps even antifascist perspective, each song here is about a different time period in history, with the prime focus being French history. Every track takes on a melancholic tinge, and can be considered laments, because nothing feels triumphant. What a Monday pick-me-up!
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Embrace Your Punishment – Made of Stone Review
Slam might be hard to understand for the casual listener, the poseur and the weenie, but it is undeniable that, while the technique on how to Slam is a pretty narrow and well defined spot, there are many roads to Rome. But are those roads made of stone? Embrace Your Punishment!
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Crypts of the Unknown: 2024 Vol. 1
