In underground black metal, there are two kinds of people. The reclusive hermit that just wants to hide away from the world and wait for humanity to burn itself out. And the soldier of the revolution who wants to bring about humanity’s destruction as quickly as possible. Ok, maybe there’s three kinds of people if... Continue Reading →

Ah, the innocent days of our death metal youth. It was a simpler time. As Nocturno Culto put it, ‘when you play death metal it's easy...you don’t have to think’. And you certainly don’t have to run around murdering each other. Do we turn back to these early projects in the hopes of finding a... Continue Reading →

Nattsvargr: Night of the Crimson Thirst The latest release from Nattsvargr - ‘Night of the Crimson Thirst’ (2018) - sees them continue in the tradition of minimal, raw black metal straight from the Darkthrone school. In fact the opening riff to ‘At One With Evil’ is so similar to ‘Transylvanian Hunger’ I almost wondered if... Continue Reading →

I’m still having problems with this word ‘folk’ in a metal context. It prima facie means popular music, usually written by an unknown author, transmitted through word of mouth; it forms part of regional identities and traditions. In this strict definition it’s usually simple, catchy, something everyone can play and sing. Much folk is played... Continue Reading →

In pop culture theory, established wisdom has it that nostalgia runs in thirty year cycles. In the 1980s there was a wealth of film and music that referenced the 1950s. The carefree 1990s was a perfect echo of the 60s. The 2000s saw the return of drug fuelled classic rock, flairs, and nihilistic hippies. Although... Continue Reading →