Norwegian black metal entity Myrholt brings out Blandede meninger og aforismer. Review at FFR, https://flyingfiddlesticks.com/2024/12/23/myrholt-blandede-meninger-og-aforismer-archivist-2024/ #metal #heavymetal #rock #hardrock #Myrholt #blackmetal #Norway #ArchivistRecords

Dying Grotesque – Celestial

By Alekhines Gun

During one of my first escorted walks as a n00b through these great halls, I attempted (through the coarse burlap sack tied over my head) to convey my excitement for the new Feral release. A particularly seductive, Dolphin–sounding voice dismissed my joy, describing the album as “just more Swedeath.” At the time, I was shocked and appalled. Sure, Swedish death metal is the chicken wing of the metal soundscape, with a narrow definition and specific ingredients, but that’s part of the appeal. How would anyone dare reduce one of the basic deathly food groups in such a way? Well, as if an answer to a prayer nobody made, Ukraine’s Dying Grotesque have arrived with their sophomore album Celestial, and don’t let the Ukrainian tag fool you. This album is as Swedish as they come.

If you’re addicted to the Swedeath sound, Celestial’s production will have you smitten out the gate. From the tank-tread weight of “Nuclear Meadows” doomy intro to the tension-building leads of “Purification,” Dying Grotesque puts the chainsaw in the Swedish Chainsaw tone. Sounding grand and intimidating, the riffs slot right in next to the blood and thunder of Lik and the arena-ready feel of Gatecreeper in heft and power. It will surprise no one to learn Dying Grotesque do their best to Dismember their own Grave, though their start-stop styling flows less Like an Everflowing Stream, preferring to walk Where Ironcrosses Grow.1 At first blush, all is familiar, pleasing to the ear, and goes down easily, just like a well-prepared plate of wings ought to.

To their credit, Dying Grotesque knows that sauces and spices are the difference between great and not-so-great wings. Unfortunately, their sonic culinary skills lead to questionable results. Opener “Mortality”2 features a bizarre, inexplicable “maniacal clown” laugh which doesn’t fit the album as a whole or the song in particular. More frustratingly, the song ends with some light atmospherics and gentle trebley plucking which sounds like a lead into some genuinely interesting material, only for the song to suddenly end. This trick happens elsewhere, with “Nuclear Meadows” and “Point of View” experimenting with dynamics and tension building, only to collapse into expected, standard Swedish riffs. Individually some riffs come with real hair on their chest (seriously, at least listen to “Nuclear Meadows”). Still, the power of the moment never transpires into a memorable song as a whole. “Pneumonia” suffers from a glut of riffs strung together, gleefully shifting from one to another in the hopes of producing anything that doesn’t fade from memory as soon as the song is over. The result of this is an album less than the sum of its parts, despite the competence of individual snippets.

Performances in Celestial are well-executed if a little bog standard. Guitarist/Vocalist Vadym Tsambaliuk has a solid growl, despite a range of precisely one note across the entire album. Solos are sparse, and engaging when presented, though none are world-changing. Drummer Andriy Butok seems to suffer the most from the constriction and rigidity of song styles. During the more frenzied riffs, he relies heavily on the snare ‘n’ bass staple but gets to show off his skill set during slower moments where the sustained chords give him room to breathe and get creative in the pocket. More of his technical chops on display during the faster, intense moments would go far in pushing the sound Dying Grotesque has to offer.

In the end, it seems I had one final n00b lesson to learn: there really is such a thing as “just more Swedeath.” Dying Grotesque is a capable band, and Celestial is an okay album. It has the sound, the style, and the approach. It just needs the songwriting. I can’t knock Celestial for a lack of raw originality, but in a world with new Feral reminding us of the potent power the style can offer, the lack of lethal riffs simply won’t cut it. If you haven’t had your fill of chicken wings yet, give this a listen for some tasty empty calories, but Dying Grotesque will need to switch up their sauces in the future to make a meal truly satisfying.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Archivist Records
Websites: dyinggrotesque.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: November 29th, 2024

#25 #2024 #ArchivistRecords #Celestial #DeathMetal #Dismember #DyingGrotesque #Feral #Gatecreeper #Grave #LIK #Nov24 #Review #Reviews #SwedishDeathMetal #UkrainianDeathMetal

Hell:on – Shaman Review

By Holdeneye

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of acquiring some kick-ass band merch, am I right? Whether it arrives via a table at the back of a sweaty, darkened venue or through the postal service, getting my hands on a new shirt, hat, or record is always a delight. But do you ever wonder about the journey that said merch endured before finding its way into your loving embrace? I rarely do, but I found myself in this position when I finally put my hands on the beautiful CD case for Hell:on’s Scythian Stamm, one of my top 10 records of 2020. The band hails from Ukraine, and when Russia invaded their homeland, I decided I’d throw a tiny bit of support their way by ordering said CD. I received a response from the band, telling me that all of their merch was trapped in an office in Kyiv, which, at the time, was under direct Russian attack. When I told them they could keep my money regardless of whether or not they’d ever be able to fulfill the order, they wrote back, “Thank you! It will be shipped if we and/or our merch will survive! We believe in our country as never before, and Ukraine will stay!” I eventually received that CD, and its back story makes it one of the most precious in my collection. Years later, the war for Ukraine still rages on, and fortunately, so does Hell:on. It’s my pleasure to announce that they’re back with a new record, one forged in the flames of an ongoing fight for survival.

For those unfamiliar, Hell:on plays uncompromising death metal embellished by ritualistic influences; they sound like Behemoth might if that band dropped the black metal influences, picked up an assortment of folk instruments from all across Asia, and threw in some throat-singing from the steppes for good measure. These folk elements were used relatively sparingly on Scythian Stamm, and while relistening to that record recently, I found myself hoping that they’d dive into that aspect of their sound whole-heartedly on follow-up Shaman. Apparently, my wish is Hell:on’s command. Shaman dials the ritualism up enormously without losing an ounce of their death metal edge. The embedded single, an ode to Dr. A.N. Grier entitled “He with the Horse’s Head,” might be a fairly straightforward and brutal death metal song, but its riffing is enriched by acoustic strumming, its leads carry Middle Eastern melodies, and it culminates with a trance-inducing rhythm undergirded by throat-singing. It’s just what this Angry Metal non-doctor ordered.

Shaman succeeds because its various elements are exceedingly well-balanced. The album opens and closes wearing its tribalistic heart on its sleeve; opener “What Steppes Dream About” jumps out of the gates with folk instrumentation and throat-singing, while the closing title track finds the band overtly exploring their penchant for atmospheric mysticism. But while intermediate cuts like “Preparation for the Ritual” and “I Am the Path” keep the ritualism high, there are a couple of mostly straight-laced death metal bludgeoners to keep things from becoming too ethereal. “When the Wild Wind and the Soul of Fire Meet” is a slow-moving steamroller rife with heavy palm-muted triplets, while “Tearing Winds of Inner Self” dials the brutality up to dangerous levels as its title simultaneously gives me a fun new way to refer to my out-of-control flatulence.

I can’t find one single thing to complain about on Shaman. It’s nearly a perfect album in my book, and it only gets better the more I listen. The production is big and full, but it still allows the acoustic instruments to cut through the monstrous drums and guitars. Listening to this record has been an excellent analogy for its mystical themes; the deeper I dig, the more I discover. I can’t get over how well Hell:on have woven the acoustic instruments into the death metal sound, and it’s amazing how much heavier the music becomes because of those elements. There really are no standout tracks. At eight songs and 41 minutes, this album consists of one highlight after another.

This is exactly the record that I hoped Hell:on would make. Scythian Stamm sewed the seeds for this hope with its strategic use of tribalistic elements, and Shaman absolutely capitalizes on that foundation. This is a record that I can listen to over and over; its enormous death metal grooves combine with atmospheric ritualism to leave me in a constant state of enthrallment. I wish Hell:on the best as they still struggle to defend their homeland, but I hope they can take some comfort knowing that they’ve just released an Album o’ the Year contender.

Rating: Excellent
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Archivist Records
Websites: hellonband.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/hellonofficial | www.hell-on.net
Releases Worldwide: May 17th, 2024

#2024 #45 #ArchivistRecords #Behemoth #DeathMetal #HellOn #May24 #Review #Reviews #Shaman #UkrainianMetal