The signature Swedish style was defined by combining d-beat punk with NWOBHM melodic sensibilities, and from this solid foundation building grand sweeping pieces of epic metal. Once rendered through the iconic buzzsaw guitar tone, it was a distinctive and instantly recognisable musical statement that became one of the pillars of extreme metal. But as demonstrated... Continue Reading →

Goatcraft/Plutonian Shore: Split (2020) Bringing together new tracks from neoclassical trailblazers Goatcraft and the last recorded material from Texan black metallers Plutonian Shore, this split EP from Hessian Firm offers plenty of food for thought. Over the years Goatcraft have forged new creative spaces between extreme metal’s relationship with dark ambient and neoclassical music that... Continue Reading →

There may have been much analysis of punk's evolution into thrash via hardcore, and how it resulted in the golden age of extreme metal; but it’s easy to forget the other side of punk’s impact on heavy metal as it was in the late 1970s. Away from whatever contrived antagonisms there were between the two subcultures, many... Continue Reading →

Ancient Gate: Empire Beyond Dusk (2020) In marrying the sparse minimalism of early symphonic black metal with a Greek sense of melody, Argentina’s Ancient Gate have crafted a sorrowful yet hopeful epic in the form of their latest release: ‘Empire Beyond Dusk’. The mix is fairly standard for the mid-90s black metal that this album... Continue Reading →

In the public realm, it’s commonly accepted that conventions of polite discourse have had their day. Simply put, they are patently not up to the challenge of stemming the tide of misinformation and paranoia now sweeping the west. The liberal orthodoxy, with its unshakeable belief in the power of open debate and rational discourse winning... Continue Reading →

Crucifixion: Desert of Shattered Hopes / A Cold Sea of Horror (2020) Another gem from the vault is unleashed upon the world by La Caverna records. This time with some vintage death metal from the short lived but unique American outfit known as Crucifixion, and their debut album ‘Desert of Shattered Hopes’ released back in... Continue Reading →

Kostnatění: Hrůza zvítězí (2019) ‘Hrůza zvítězí’ is the debut album from fresh faced American black metal project Kostnatění. Notice upon listening how they play major and minor keys at the same time; resulting in dissonance…how novel. Like…ok, there are loads of different ways and means to incorporate dissonance into your sound and contrast it with... Continue Reading →

Of all the distinctive black metal scenes to emerge in the 1990s, the Quebecoise probably had the most ill-defined style. Although broadly speaking it was melodic, epic, flirting with symphonic, and inspired by the cold climates from whence it came, the key artists to emerge from this part of the world were grouped more by... Continue Reading →

Valgrind: Condemnation (2020) Italian slow burners Valgrind released their fourth LP ‘Condemnation’ this year; an album which, unlike the band’s career, wastes no time in setting its stall out. The approach taken here is akin to a melodic death metal version of mid-period Vader, with a vocalist that apes the Martin van Drunen style with... Continue Reading →

The fault lines between black and death metal have always been a curious place. In one sense artists operating in this realm do exactly what they say on the tin; marrying the soaring melodrama of black metal with the disjointed staccato aggression of death metal. But taking a broader, historical view, it shines a light on... Continue Reading →