The Germans THORONDIR are back this 2025 with a new album called “Wächter Des Waldes”, an album that adheres to that dark, atmospheric and “traditional” Black Metal of Nordic (Viking) origin that has always fascinated me. It is a band with a very polished, clean and very balanced sound. It reminds me a bit of […]
Right off the bat, you gotta love the cover artwork via ‘Rok’. It fits stylistically with the music contained in this, the latest release from ARCHAIC THORN. Immediately, you will hear plenty of GOSPEL OF HORNS and perhaps DESTROYER 666. Another positive element is that vocalist ‘M.F.’ has a prominent Tom Warrior growl, but with […]
Great Dane Records reissued a remastered edition of EXHUMAN’s second album, “Fear Of Oneself”, which was primarily released independently by the band back in 2010. They formed back in 1998 with the moniker UNDEAD in Sicily, Italy and after 2003 changed to EXHUMAN. Though EXHUMAN split up after this second album, but its early releases […]
After all these years, one becomes fond of certain labels due to their output. This is my case with I Hate Records from Sweden. Peter and (formlerly) Ola’s taste really resonate with me. I usually end up liking bands that I had never listened to before thanks to them. Croati’s BEZDAN is one of those […]
I’ve stated before in previous reviews that I’m not a fan of solo projects. There are always deficiencies in songwriting and / or quality, and I will leave it at that. With that being said, the latest release from HYBRIS unfortunately continues my bleak outlook. It’s stated in the band bio being a Grindcore band, […]
Last year’s debut “Gateways Of Eternity” was one of the highlights for me. Accordingly, I was more than curious and excited for the follow-up. However, “Echoes Of Ancient Tales” does not leave quite as excellent an impression as its predecessor. This is partly due to the quality of the debut, but also to several other […]
If your ideal Death Metal involves a time-trip back to a humid 1987 video arcade, where the riffs sound like a Terminator taking a bong hit while playing on an ATARI 2600, then BONGINATOR has just released the soundtrack to your life. “Retrodeath”, the band’s second album, is an outrageous, hilarious and surprisingly competent explosion […]
I don’t know where to begin to be honest. And I will do my best to put this into the right context. I mean, why I say this: the Japanese band BLAZE, a band with 27 years of existence, is back this 2025 with a new album, 18 years after the release of that first […]
The genres given on AGARTHA’s Encyclopaedia Metallum profile – Heavy Metal / Hard Rock – are slightly irritating as the band’s sound has definitely more facets than just this. In the intro alone, BLACK SABBATH and various other bands seem to shine through. This tendency continues throughout the five songs of the EP, with GRAND […]
I find it somewhat amusing that I watch and admire so many bands abroad that I often overlook those in my own state / country. I have seen the band name often enough in zines or flyers, but I was never aware that they are from Southern California. That is completely my fault, because I […]