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.
Read moreMother of All – Global Parasitic Leviathan Review
Mother of All mastermind Martin Haumann didn’t have Steve DiGiorgio’s (Testament) services for Global Parasitic Leviathan, and men who write weird albums tend to switch sounds quickly.
So which mother are we to listen to this time?
Bongripper – Empty Review
Something draws our Goat to Bongripper. Something in his hooves demands revisiting their work and only with deep rooted meditation (sometimes with the aid of the very same herb that Bongripper seem to enjoy indulging in) can he find the reason why: it’s not weed. Or is it? Either way, the forecast is hazy.
Read moreThis Week In Metal, 2024 Week 16
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 Locrian, The Vision Bleak, Maere, and Veriteras, you can do that too!
Read moreMaere – …and the Universe Keeps Silent Review
The best works of dissonant avant-garde metal shed the harmonic framework of power chords, blues scales and chord-scale approaches to soloing to explore something else. Maere, however, do not manage the feat of deconstruction, an approach that, after the old structures have broken down, needs something additional in the new space. That is to say, the fancy prance of a young buck isn’t always enough to sway our Goat.
Read moreVeriteras – 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…
Read moreCrypts of the Unknown: Bergraven – Det Framlidna Minnet
Join us as Metalligator reminisces on Bergraven’s 2019 release Det framlidna minnet. Oh, never heard of it? Well here in the Crypts we specialize in the unknown, the uncelebrated, and the uncovered, no matter how recent or distant. We can’t keep all our dirty little secrets… Yeah, these dusty dips may not be perfect, but how would you know?
Read moreThe Vision Bleak – Weird Tales Review
Scuttlegoat has been a fan of The Vision Bleak for decades at this point. Their unique style of gothic metal inspired by the classic era of Universal horror films masterfully melds the usual overbearing cheese of the genre with an unusual crushing guitar tone. Is the forecast for the new album looking bleak?
Read moreLocrian – End Terrain Review
The post rock and post black metal landscape is one that I’ve often had trouble exploring because of its barren conformity and over-reliance on distant peaks. With my preference for active music, the reaching for crescendos across large distances carry very little appeal, yet Locrian speak to me in a subtly textured voice. Bring on the post-itivity!
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