Album Reviews

Throane new EP “Une balle dans le pied” reviewed

I just got done listening to the new ep by French Black Metal act “Throane” released digitally, on cd and as 7″ this one 13 minute track is a masterpiece of emotion.

I have often said that different countries bring their own flavor (or slant) to Black Metal and where as the French were hard pressed to produce more than a handful of world class Death metal bands they have produced no enf of World Class BM acts (Alcest, Nocturnal Depression, Mutiltaion, Deathespell Omega etc) that never fail to blow you away, not sure why that is but who cares – I for one ain’t complaining!

This ep is more of a roller coaster of emotions or an aural nightmare masterpiece than a traditional verse chorus chorus structure. Even though Throane’s roots are firmly in black metal there is enough here for industrial music fans to also get excited about.

The Ep image btw is Throane main man’s Dehn Sora’s sister who is a nurse. Says Dehn “Working as a nurse in different services, her daily routine makes her face death, addicted personalities, terminally ill people. Walking through their homes, their souls. Walking on broken glass. But forced to get rid of it, at the end of every day. To stand still. And keep walking.”

“Une balle dans le pied“ was written, performed and recorded by Dehn Sora at the end of 2019. Julien T. who also plays the drums in live settings is responsible for recording the drums together with Francis Caste (KICKBACK, ARKHON INFAUSTUS, …) at the Studio Sainte-Marthe. Production and mixing were done by Tim De Gieter (AMENRA, …) at MuchLuv Studio, while famous Magnus Lindberg (CULT OF LUNA) took care of the mastering in Sweden.

Une balle dans le pied“ is available to order via the label’s EU shop, Bandcamp and US shop

Forgjord “Uhripuu” Album Review

I am a regular customer with probably the best Black metal mail order service in the USA these days hell’s headbangers and am always sure to check their out next releases tab since many times they will have something listed on there that if you do not preorder you have no chance to get a copy for yourself without paying “discog insanity prices”

Beginning of this summer I saw that they had Finnish Black Metal mavericks Forgjord’s 2017 release Uhripuu listed for preorder on vinyl. Werewolf records can do no wrong in my book in recent years so I checked a couple of advance tracks on their bandcamp link and whipped out the ol’ credit card to presave my copy

Fast forward a couple of months and my order finally shows up – of course by then I had totally forgotten about this release and couldn’t wait to throw it on the turntable and crank it up.

So I put on Side A as I firmly believe that when a band does an album they want their songs heard in a particular order and have probably spent some time with the tracks to come up with the best possible order. Something that of course is lost by streaming usually if you hit up a bands Spotify page they play the most popular songs first regardless of which album they come from.

The needle drops on the grooves and I gotta say for the first part of the first song “Johdanto” I was pretty underwhelmed, I honestly wondered “shit maybe the tracks I checked out were from a different release?” and ‘what was I thinking ordering this”

I was like well you know what you paid your money just have faith and let the album play through,2nd song kicks ok a bit more up beat but still not outstanding…..I dunno what happened but half way through the song “Uhripuu” boom I am HOOKED

One thing I really love about the Finnish black metal bands is not only do they have rawness and intensity there is a sense of melody there that is much more prevalent than you find in the average Norwegian or Swedish BM band

Guys this is an essential purchase – do not hesitate to pick upa copy in your favorite format as you are gonna get a lot of play from this album.

My understanding is their latest album “Laulu kuolemasta” is out now on CD and Digital album but the vinyl is yet to come

A little back story on the band they formed in Finland in 2002 released a bunch of demos and this is their 3rd full length release (they have 2 more full length albums out after this one)

Forgjord is Swedish for “destroyed”

Thanks for reading

Steve BDL August 2020

More info:

Werewolf Records Bandcamp

Hells Headangers Webstore

Echtra “Bardo” chthonic and celestial Black Metal album review

Ever since Ulver released their 2nd album Kveldssanger (Twilight Songs) in 1996 the rule book on what is and is not Black Metal has been thrown out the window. While many of us enjoy raw, brutal black metal 90% of the time, some of us like to chill out every now and then and special acts like Echtra, serve that purpose perfectly.

Echtra (also the guitarist in ritualistic acoustic folk band Fearthainne ) builds slow eirrey
soundscapes perfect for kicking back and decompressing in your cabin deep in the woods, in fact I am pretty sure that Echtra is from the Pacific North West. You definitely get the feeling listening to these 2, 20+ minute atmospheric musical pieces that you are traipsing through a deep green forest somewhere in the PNW.

I think its actually pretty hard to be able to play minimalist ethereal pieces like these and make sure that they are not boring to the listener. On both of these two pieces Echtra manages to maintain the listeners attention but slowly building and developing on musical themes

One of the elements that creates good black metal whether raw and aggressive or reflective like Echtra is the atmosphere or feeling that the music gives the listener and unless this is your first rodeo and your musical tastes have not developed past Darkthrone’s Transylvanian Hunger” then you could do yourself no wrong but sitting back for an hour and giving this album your full concentration.

I like this album, I like it a lot – check it out it comes out on Temple of Torturous this Friday (November 23rd) The physical release includes a 12″ LP with specific analogue mastering, plus a DVD disc containing the original live performance with digitally mastered audio track.

You can order a copy here

Cuban Black Metal Band Skjult “Progenies Ov Light” Album Review

Progenies Ov Light is the second release from cuban act Skjult. In the old day I used to avoid “one man acts” (outside of Burzum of course!) as they were usually pretty one dimensional and uninspired.
Skjult main man Conspirator has out done himself with this release, this album has more more urgency and savagery than debut release “within the flesh”

I don’t know very much (if anything at all about the Black metal scene in Cuba but this album makes me want to know more, fuck it – this album makes me want to book a trip down there just to check out the scene in Havana. A good friend of mine is a long time tattoo artist and him and his wife take frequent trips to Cuba to help the struggling artists in the Tattoo scene down there. Due to necessity and limited resources the tattoo artists come up with very inventive ways to ply their trade. I cannot even fathom what a Black metal group in Havana has to go through to make music happen (note Conspirator was also in the Cuban BM group Heretik)

This is good shit and only $10 for the CD – pick up a copy here:

Discogs

Bandcamp

Track-list:

01. Into The Void
02. Immolation Rites
03. Summoning The Eternal Black Flames Of Death
04. Glorious Night
05. Hail Blasphemous Hated (The Lord Is Upon Us)
06. A Crown Of Horns
07. Dawn Of An Era Ov Light
08. Baptized By The Unholy Goat [bonus track]

The first 4 songs of Skjult were written in the June 2015 during the recording sessions of the first material of Conspirator´s main project called Heretik. So, June 2015 is probably the foundation date. Within The Flesh was completed and recorded in July-August 2015 and released in April 2016. Then re-released. This new edition included an instrumental (Over the Darkest Mist), a new song (The Void) and Darkthrone cover and was released in August 2016. From this date until August 2017 Skjult has been working on new material which will be included in the second full length under the title “Progenies ov Light”.

Line-up:

Conspirator – everything

For more info:
http://www.facebook.com/skjultkuba

Italian death metal band Godless Enthropia “Tetracyclic Dominion” album review

I should probably not be reviewing this album as my views on most modern death metal are pretty well known to most of our readers by now. But in case its your first time here – to sum it up I feel that there isn’t much fresh in modern death metal outside of a few great bands like Blood Incantation and Beyond Creation most of it is derivative and has been done before better but the earlier pioneers of the genre.

However with all that out of the way I would not be doing this blog or the band justice if I didn’t give this album a fair chance.

So what do ya think Alex?

Well I gotta say as much as I kinda despise a lot of modern death metal – this is a a great fucking album. While the guys are more than technically competent they do not play technicality for techniques sake alone. They do not play the none more brutal game either.There is a lot of variety between songs and there are a lot of twists and turns in the songs that will keep ya coming back time and time again for repeat listens

Would I buy this album if I saw it in a record store? Probably not – however does this album give me hope for the future of the Death metal genre? yes! absolutely

Check it out below

Track-list:
01. Al-Qalyah
02. Mother Of Cain
03. Into The Asylum
04. Witch Burning Princess
05. Unpredictable Dementia (Mechanical Disease)
06. Erase, Delete, Annihilate
07. Dysphemic Phænomenons
08. Third Eye, Cauterized
09. Solecism I
10. Cause Of Disease (Sprouts Of New Hate)
11. Palace Of Fornication
12. Adynaton
13. Solecism II
14. The Heights Of Eidos (Mother Of Cain Part II)

Length – 59:37

http://godlessenthropia.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/godlessenthropia

Formed in Summer 2012 by Claudio Colla, Simone Cottura and Stefano Momo, Godless Enthropia released their first EP, “Dystopian Metaphors”, in Winter 2013, together with the music video “Sister Beheading”. In 2014 singer Davide joins Claudio and Simone in the band, giving life to “Politics of Fornication”, released in Autumn 2014. Meanwhile, Wael Ben Halima is welcomed in the band as a guitarist.

Finnish Black metal act Cavus “The New Era” Album review

There has to be something in the water in Finland.. or perhaps something in the snow? Despite having a population of a little over 5 million (that’s less than half the population of New York City) this small country produces legendary Black Metal band after legendary Black metal band, Beherit,Satanic Warmaster, Horna, Behexen , Archgoat and the list just goes on and on.

Cavus has been around for a little over 10 years now with an ep and debut album under their belt. The debut came out on Listenable Records from memory. I know they went through some line up changes but we finally have a new album from them. If you are a fan of raw, uncompromising Black metal in the vein of the 2nd wave of Norwegian bands like Gorgoroth than ya gotta check out Cavus – you will love them. Fucking savage. Jump on the hate train and pick up this album You will not be sorry

Tracklisting
1.The New Era 02:50
2.Killtech 03:37
3.Divine Power 05:22
4. I Watch You Die 03:14
5. Morphine 04:14
6.Calling The Flames 03:44
7.The Strength Of Hatred 05:14
8.Presence Of Existence 03:44
9.Come To Me Shadows 03:57
10.There Will Be Blood 04:23
running time : 40:24

Grab a copy here:
Bandcamp
Discogs

bio
Cavus was formed around the year 2007 by the founding fathers guitarist J.K and drummer T.T.T in their hometown of Porvoo, Finland. They gave birth to this creature of hatred and devilry to serve them, loyally and unquestioning, through times of violent intoxication and depths of depravity. By the joining of vocalist W, bassist A.R.G and second guitarist B.P, the lineup was complete and a truly devastatingly destructive force.

The first offspring of this alliance was a self titled EP, consisting of four hymns in the honour of plague and pestilence, that was released in 2009. After live performances with bands like Mayhem, Behexen and Sólstafir in the autumn of 2009, Cavus signed a worldwide recording contract with French record label Listenable Records. Recordings for a debut album “Fester And Putrefy” started in February 2010, and released by Listenable Records September 27th in the EU and during October in the USA and February 2011 in South America.

The release was followed by an european tour together with Gorgoroth. 2012 the band started to work with a new album but during the process vocalist W decided to leave the band. Therefore the album process was delayed. Late 2015 B.P decided to take over the vocals and the album was completed.

Russian Symphonic Black metal band Grimorium Verum “Revenant” Album review

Grimorium Verum are a Russian black metal band that have been going for over 20 years now. Their latest album Revenant (released May 2018) is their best album yet. According to their press release “Revenant” is a true journey to the dark corners of the soul. If that’s the mood they are going for, well they damn well achieved it!

Personally I am not the greatest fan of Symphonic Black Metal (well to be fair I am not a fan of Symphonic metal either) I found way too many of these bands to be so way over blown and generally corny but Grimorium Verum know how to be dramatic and build emotion without being cheesy.

I also want to add in case you are not aware the band uses a drum machine but it works perfectly for them (I know some of you guys hate bands that use artificial drums)

If you love old school Cradle of Filth or Dimmu Borgir then the Revenant is for you.

American fans note that this is a co-release with Russian label Satanath Records and American labels Cimmerian Shade Recordings (USA), The True Plague (USA), Black Metal Records (USA) so ya will not have to mail order overseas to get your copy.

Line-up:

Zavalnyy Andrey – guitars, bass, keyboards
Dokuchaev Roman – vocals
Uryavin Alexander – keyboards (live)

Track-list:

01. The Born Of The Devil
02. The Kingdom Of The Pain
03. The March Of The Northern Kings
04. Blind Faith In Nothing
05. The Light Of Dark Father
06. Revenant
07. The Circus Of The Dark Illusion
08. Sacred Temple Of Blood
09. The Great Serpentine Saint
10. The Resurrected On The Devil’s Hands

Length / Length – 56:20

More information:
Satanath Records
Cimmerian Shade Recordings
The True Plague

Misanthropic Rage album “Igne Natura Renovatur Integra” review

I got the promo of the Misanthropic Rage album “Igne Natura Renovatur Integra” this week from Polish label Godz ov War records.

I tend to shy away from doing album reviews as everyone’s tastes are different and a lot of what I like you probably hate and the other way round. So anyways with that out of the way I like Misanthropic rage – they are 2 man group playing Avant Garde Black metal in the style that Behemoth fans are going to love.

When it comes to new albums artists or whatever I tend to revert to Beavis and Butthead mode where I think something either rocks or it sucks and I think these guys rock

Check out the lead track The Hammer And The Nails here

and hit up Godz Ov War records to pick up a cd if you dig it as much as I do. Click Here

I am jaded and but this one is a winner for me

1.CALL ALL YOUR ANGELS
2.BLINI MÓJ
3.BECOME A GOD-MAN
4.ABSTRAKT
5.I.N.R.I.
6.THE HAMMER AND THE NAILS
7.THE AGONY OF BREATH
8.IN EMBRACE OF SANITY
9.THE THRUTH SHALL BE TOLD

Label Godz ov war

More info : www.facebook.com/misanthropicrage

Baume French Experimental Black Metal

Baume is the brain child of Gaetan from Cepheide – read our interview with them HERE.

As any long term reader of our site knows the French have been killing it with Black metal in the last 15 years or so. Baume is no exception. A lot more raw and pained than Cepheide, Gaetan plays all instruments on this album (with the exception of some vocals and bass handled by Laurene and Hugo respectively.)

With its official release date of March 2nd 2018, its already streaming on bandcamp but you can order cds and shirt bundles from there too

Check out the album here and let me know what ya think!

Midnight – Sweet Death and Ecstasy Album Review

Before we start I just want to say that I LOVE Midnight , I own all their records on vinyl, I always go see them every time they hit the Tri-State Area and I think their Debut “Satanic Royalty” is one of the strongest albums to come out in the last 10 years and that speaks volumes since there has a been a lot of great music in recent years.

So Sweet Death and Ecstasy – where to start? Hell’s Headbangers released a teaser track in advance of the album release about 6 weeks back, “Penetratal Ecstasy” and I have to say I was not all that impressed. I hated the guitar tone and didn’t think it was the strongest thing Athenar had written either hook wise.

So the album was set for a December 5th release date I believe but I guess HHR got their stock in early as I pre-ordered in in September expecting a long wait and mine arrived Friday afternoon, seems like most people I know who ordered it got theirs Friday or Saturday depending on where about you live in the country.

You can’t write an opener as strong as “Satanic Royalty” on
every album

I have to say I put the album on with some trepidation, like I said I was not wholly impressed by the first “single” (side note: do people still call them singles these days? or is it more “album teaser” or what?) and..its a slow start. Sure you can’t write an opener as strong as “Satanic Royalty” on every album but the general school of thought when mapping out a running order for an album say versus a CD is you start with your strongest song on Side 1, followed by your second strongest as the intro to side 2, Lust Filth and Sleaze for example. (With cd running orders most bands just put all their strongest songs first with the album getting progressively weaker as it goes along , but that’s another story)

So yeah the first song “Crushed By Demons” is a slow chugging song. Initial knee jerk reaction is its a strange song to start your album with.Its a long song too taking up the majority of side 1 of the vinyl version.

Following up is Penetratal Esctasy, ok it all makes sense now the slow start and build up and now this song! That guitar tone I hated when I heard first heard this track? Forget it – I am loving it now.

Here comes Sweet Death is next, a classic fist pumping metal anthem followed by Melting Brain an instant Blackened Thrash Classic, short and sweet and that’s it Side 1 is over! Like I said the majority of Side 1 of the vinyl is taken up with Crushed by Demons, the opener.

So far so good – now let’s see what Side 2 has to offer us

Kicking off with Rabid! followed straight up with Bitch Mongrel , side 2 comes out swinging super upbeat catchy blackened thrash we all know and love. Poison Trash is awesome, frantic thrash almost with a Germanic feel to it – so good!

Final track on Side 2 Before My time in Hell – wow its that time already the end of the album, slower than the last couple of tracks – its super catchy and chuggy, easily the longest song on Side 2. Its a great way to round out the album.

Well what can I say – I went into this album with a closed mind, almost a negative attitude towards it but goddam it’s so fucking good. I need to jump up and flip it back to Side 1 again.

Make no mistake this is Midnight at their best

This album may take a while to grow on you (like it did me) but make no mistake this is Midnight at their best, a true metal masterpiece for 2017. Buy it now!

You can order the album directly from Hell’s Headbangers Here