Armchair rhetoric on extreme metal
Draugaskogur: Fullmoon Hypnotic RitualOut 25th April Profundus Records Ethereal but energetic black metal from Serbia achieves a good balance between ambiguous mysticism and epic narrative expressions. The latent heroism of early Enslaved meets a gloomier aesthetic expressed through a haze of additional harmonies played through guitar effects that warp the tone of the instrument to... Continue Reading →
Sorry for the hiatus. But we're back. We have beer. And we have important matters of state to discuss. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEt8vqa-VQI
The Philosophy of Eternal Recurrence Out 19th April, self-released Jakarta’s Tombstone return for album number three of no thrills melodic black metal pulling from the mid-90s Swedish style. Here we see the contours flattened off somewhat for the sake of producing an even more direct, transparent delivery mechanism for linear runs of simple melodic sequences,... Continue Reading →
In 1985 Ray Belknap placed a 12-gauge shotgun under his chin and shot himself, dying instantly. His friend James Vance then took the same shotgun, placed it under his own chin, and pulled the trigger. He survived but was severely disfigured. The parents sued Judas Priest, whose music, they claimed, had mesmerised their sons, encouraging... Continue Reading →
Against All OddsOut 25th April on Osmose Productions Some artists begin their careers with a clear creative philosophy mapped out, developing themselves through increasingly adventurous excursions beyond their zone of comfort, becoming proudly nomadic, wandering through genres and styles with little regard for artistic continuity from one project to the next. Other artists do the... Continue Reading →
Why is metal such a stubbornly perennial passion? I’d venture that it’s not just the intensity and obsession it provokes, but just how deep and far the genre spread across the globe. If you ever feel the need to refresh your listening rotation, you can pretty much close your eyes and point to a place... Continue Reading →
Wreathed in Dead AngelsOut 25th April on Hells Headbangers I was beginning to think that Profanatica were flagging by the time ‘Rotting Incarnation of God’ came out. With retrospect one could appreciate the intention behind the choice to veer toward a more considered, ambient doom iteration of their signature ferocity. But given the unique barbarism... Continue Reading →
Transgression is dead and we have killed it. Since November 2024, the left has been engaging in a renewed push to not be weird. As a reflexively transgressive artform, how are we to understand metal's role in this brave new world? Can it continue to transgress for the sake of it? What's it even transgressing... Continue Reading →
Ahamkara: The Harrow of the LostOut 25th April on Bindrune Recordings Blends the vast sweeping atmospheres of Wodensthrone and the idiosyncratic polyphony of Obsequie into a vapid mulch of emo black metal. Trivial harmonic material decorates a slue of anthemic riffs rendered with a black metal aesthetic for an audience incapable of confronting the music's... Continue Reading →
Chasms of Ash and InequityOut 9th March on Blackened Label Records Metal Archives genres are an interesting thing. The site goes out of its way to stay as broad as possible. I generally agree with this policy. I may even go broader (there are only four metal genres and I will die on that hill).... Continue Reading →
Hate Meditations 