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Lamp of Murmuur – The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy Review

By Tyme

L.A.-based M., the mastermind behind Lamp of Murmuur, has been busy this year. In addition to releasing two other solo projects—Silent Thunder’s EP, Soulspear, and Magus Lord’s full-length, In the Company of Champions—he’s readying to unleash his fourth Lamp of Murmuur long player, The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy, this November. Far removed from the very lo-fi, kvltish cassette-only demos of 2019, Lamp of Murmuur has steadily matured over the years. Our resident shark, Carcharodon, had ‘tons of fucking fun’ with 2023’s Saturnian Bloodstorm, highlighting its heavy Immortal influence. When I spied The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy sitting unclaimed in the sump, I reached out to our scrivening squalus, who graciously ceded his seniority, hoping I had as much fun with LoM’s newest outing as he had with its last. Will The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy build off the excitement of Saturnian Bloodstorm, and further M.’s musical momentum, or will we discover that Lamp of Murmuur’s shine has dimmed a bit?

At first blush, The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy extends Saturnian Bloodstorm’s thrashing black metal template before wading into waters teeming with new wave and gothic metal elements. Immortal’s influence still lurks amidst M.’s swirling, rapid-fire tremolos and galloping chugs (“Hategate (the Dream-Master’s Realm)”), while twinkling, Këkht Aräkh-like keys lace the guitar-driven melodies on “Forest of Hallucinations,” its intro emitting South of Heaven-era Slayer vibes from the harmonized leads. M.’s vocals, as blackly metallic and viscerally lethal as ever, are dichotomously connected to the music and venture into minimally explored cleaner climes while sharing the spotlight on “A Brute Angel’s Sorrow” with guest vocalist Crying Orc (Këkht Aräkh).1 For beyond the Nightmare on Elm Street meets Black Aria2 vibes of instrumental opener “The Fires of Seduction,” lie the equally moody atmospheres of mid-album interlude “Angelic Vortex,” which serves as a portal, ushering listeners from Lamp of Murmuur’s past into what The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy represents for the project’s future.

Three-part title track, “The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy,” is the album highlight. Without jettisoning its black metal roots, Lamp of Murmuur shrouds this triptych in a Sólstafiric, proggy haze of spacy, 70s-style rock guitar solos and cascading Phantom of the Operatic progressions (“Part I – Moondance”), melodic, soaring leads (“Part II – Twilight Orgasm”) and a romping, symphonic paganism (“Part III – The Fall”) reminiscent of early Old Man’s Child. In addition, M.’s broadening, clean vocals inject new-wave intensity into the non-harsh moments of “Moondance,” a Moroder & Bowie “Cat People (Putting Out the Fire)” feel into the latter croons of “Twilight Orgasm,” and an effective, Cattle Decapitation-esque tonal rasp into “The Fall.” I think I had as much fun diving in and out of the waters of this stretch of TDPiE as our beloved sharkster had ingesting the whole of Saturnian Bloodstorm.

As often as dichotomy spearheads musical diversity, however, it can also foster unintended inconsistency, and in the court of The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy’s case, the latter unfortunately testifies loudest. As many moments of greatness exist on both halves of TDPiE’s whole, so too do some missteps. M.’s first instance of cleans, for example, at the end of “Hategate (The Dream-Master’s Realm)” sound out of tune and pulled me from an otherwise enjoyable listen during every spin. In addition, “Part I – Moondance” contains some awkwardly off-key musical transitions, and at times, the staccato, machine-gun riffage in “Part III – The Fall” feels out of sync with the drumming. And as much as I enjoyed the acoustically well-executed and clean-sung “A Brute Angel’s Sorrow,” its off-putting, last-batter-in-the-lineup positioning completely saps the majesty from the silence left in the wake of “Part III – The Fall”‘s last powerful chord.

A tenet often adhered to despite its obtusity is that broadened popularity for a band that launched its career from the darkened shadows of the kvlt black metal world usually leads to its death or disownment. In the case of Lamp of Murmuur, a forerunner of the current USBM scene, opinions may vary. As it stands, The Dreaming Prince in Ecstasy is a full-length that, if released as a pair of EPs, might have transcended its holistic inconsistencies. I’ve grown past the distaste I felt on initial listens to appreciate both sides of what Lamp of Murmuur has done here and look forward to M.’s continued growth, as should you.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Wolves of Hades
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: November 14th, 2025

#2025 #30 #blackMetal #gothicMetal #immortal #kekhtArakh #lampOfMurmuur #nov25 #oldMansChild #review #solstafir #theDreamingPrinceInEcstasy #usbm #wolvesOfHadesRecords

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Watch: OLD MAN'S CHILD Makes Triumphant U.S. Live Debut At Fire In The Mountains Festival 2025

https://metalinjection.net/video/watch-old-mans-child-makes-triumphant-u-s-live-debut-at-fire-in-the-mountains-festival-2025

#OldMansChild #FireInTheMountains #USLiveDebut #FireInTheMountainsFestival #MetalFestival #LiveMetal #MetalDebut

TONS OF ROCK 2025 – Day 1 Review
https://eternal-terror.com/?p=70660

Full photo galleries can be found at the link below.

https://eternal-terror.com/2025/07/03/tons-of-rock-2025-day-1/

Photos: Andrea Chirulescu/Jonathan MazinText: Andrea Chirulescu

Having a big, world class festival in your town is something one kinda gets used to by now and I feel like somehow the days and weeks leading up to it have become more exciting with each year. Or maybe just the […]

#2025 #alestrom #blackDebbath #blackdebbath #DreamTheater #dreamtheater #ElectricCowboy #festival #live #LornaShore #lornashore #muse #Norway #OldMansChild #oslo #TonsOfRock #tonsofrock

Tons Of Rock 2025 (Noruega) , Día 1: Dream Theater, Powerwolf, Old Man’s Child, Witchapel | vía #SonidosOcultos

https://www.sonidosocultos.com/galeria/tons-of-rock-2025-noruega-dia-1-dream-theater-powerwolf-old-mans-child-witchapel/

#coberturadeshow #día1dreamtheater #festivales #galería #metal #oldmanschild #powerwolf #tonsofrock2025noruega #witchapel

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Dimmu Borgir Recruit Chrome Division’s Kjell “Damage” Karlsen as New Guitarist
They're working on a new record. Dimmu Borgir Recruit Chrome Division’s Kjell “Damage” Karlsen as New Guitarist .

https://www.metalsucks.net/2025/06/30/dimmu-borgir-recruit-chrome-divisions-kjell-damage-karlsen-as-new-guitarist/

#DimmuBorgir #ChromeDivision #KjellDamageKarlsen #Guitarist #MetalSucks #BlackMetal #Galder #OldMansChild

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OLD MAN’S CHILD Feat. Former DIMMU BORGIR Guitarist GALDER To Headline Fortress Festival 2026

https://bravewords.com/news/old-mans-child-feat-former-dimmu-borgir-guitarist-galder-to-headline-fortress-festival-2026/

#OldMansChild #Galder #DimmuBorgir #FortressFestival #BlackDeath #News #Guitarist #Metal #Bravewords #Headline

Walg – V Review

By GardensTale

As I have mentioned before, I’m focusing primarily on contact form promos this year. But every now and then, I will make exceptions, mostly to cover bands I have seniority over. Fortuitous, then, that twice-listing meloblack mavericks Walg sent their fifth opus V in through our back door, allowing me to keep my streak and eat it too! I admit, I did grovel for the promo because I finally wanted to give the Dutch duo their dues with a real review, rather than relegating it to yet another TYMHM article. But my point stands, and so does my hype. Will Walg keep up its insane release-rate-to-quality ratio?

That’s largely a yes, and I’ll get to the caveat later. If you’re new to the band, Walg is melodic black metal distilled to its purest form. Equally catchy and vicious, the studio-only pair has settled handily into a niche somewhere between modern …And Oceans, early Dimmu Borgir, and Old Man’s Child. They don’t break new ground, but are absolute experts at treading the old. Yorick Keijzer is a beast on vocals, his primary weapon a slavering snarl still chewing the meat from its last kill. But he flips just as easily to a hoarse howl straight from the DSBM handbook. Robert Koning adds the occasional ICS Vortex adjacent cleans, and also all of the instrumentation, which spans a fairly broad range of high-speed assaults, atmospheric folk intros and interludes, and intricate multi-part melodic movements.

50-odd quality tracks in 5 years is hard to do without some sort of formula, and it has become easier to recognize the handful of structural stencils Walg employs. Usually, the band can dazzle hard enough to distract from that sense of familiarity, but the back half of V consistently fails to draw my attention away entirely from the man behind the curtain. “Zielsalleen”1 leans a little too much on the same hook and the decrease in pace of “Pijnlichaam”2 is not accompanied by as gripping a riff as it needs. These tracks are not even a little bit bad, by the way; most bands would kill to write something as powerful as the final minute of “Ego-Dood.”3 They are just a smidge harder to love without reservation when I’ve heard the same band do better with the same tools.

But 4 tracks that are merely very good still leaves 5 that are every bit as strong as Walg has ever written. Opener “De Vlinder en de Dromer”4 takes all of 0.5 seconds to launch into an intense onslaught of ariose tremolos that reminds favorably of …And Oceans’ “Cosmic World Mother.” Follow-through uppercut “De Adem van het Einde”5 employs a riffing style that borrows from NWOBHM and speed metal for an exhilarating turn. And centerpiece “Daar Waar Stilte Spreekt”6 is downright addictive with its jaunty swinging rhythm that conjures imagery of ghost ships and haunted cliffs. There’s no fat on the compositions either. Walg may have a formula, but one of its most potent ingredients is a strict lack of bloat. Koning and Keijzer would rather end a track early than overstay its welcome, and the entirety of V runs a svelte 40 minutes. Combine that with the excellent, rich production and finely tuned mix, and you get some of the most replayable black metal in the scene.

Infinite growth is impossible, and Walg’s meteoric rise had to slow down somewhere. But in this case, it means nothing more than a small step below the pinnacle that was IV. The front-loading of the album makes the flaws of V a tad more noticeable and makes me less hungry to spin it again the moment it’s over. But every time I do, I still get my head caved in and my neck snapped in twain, and with Walg’s production speed, that remains a colossal achievement. If you like melodic black, you owe it to yourself to give V a few spins, and I would hardly be surprised to see this wind up on a few Top 10 lists anyway.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Self-released
Websites: walg.bandcamp.com | walgmetal.com | facebook.com/Walgmetal
Releases Worldwide: May 25th, 2025

#AndOceans #2025 #35 #DimmuBorgir #DutchMetal #May25 #MelodicBlackMetal #OldManSChild #Review #Reviews #SelfReleased #V #Walg

Puteraeon – Mountains of Madness Review

By Tyme

As embedded into the fabric of horror as the works of H.P. Lovecraft are, so too are the myriad contributions of one Dan “The Man” Swanö enmeshed into the Swedish death metal scene. These two titans’ paths cross on Mountains of Madness, the fifth long-player from Sweden’s Puteraeon, who’ve tread the left-hand path of genre forbears like Grave, Entombed, and Dismember, peddling Lovecraftian Swedeath since 2008. After debuting in 2011 with The Esoteric Order and through 2020s The Cthulhian Pulse: Call from the Dead City, Puteraeon has four albums of fair to middling Swedish death under its belt. With Mountains of Madness, its second album helmed by Swanö for Emanzipation Productions, Puteraeon has fully embraced the Cthulhu Mythos, penning an ode to one of Lovecraft’s most popular novellas. Some pressure comes with Dan Swanö’s quote, ‘I dare say this one will go down in the history books as one of the best Swedeath releases ever,’ yet these are the stakes for Mountains of Madness. All that’s left to hear is if Puteraeon has what it takes to honor one of horror’s most influential writers while leaving a lasting mark on a scene rich in death metal history.

Puteraeon takes an Azathothian leap forward with Mountains of Madness while still keeping the HM-2 pedal firmly to the metal. Jonas Lindblood and Rune Foss put a big fat checkmark in the Swedeath box, leveling tons of fat riffs blazoned in those tried-and-true buzzsaw tones while dotting this frigid landscape, too, with harmoniously melodic leads and solo work that sticks long after the last note has floated into the frosty ether (“The Nameless City”). Even as Puteraeon weaves in some icy black melodicism that casts Old Man’s Child shadows (“I Am the Darkness”), no one will mistake Mountains of Madness for anything but quality Swedish death. And while the Unleashed speed of the riffs on “Remnants” or the Bloodbathic cadence and horrific Sabbathian trills of “The Rise of the Shoggoths” may warrant comparison, Mountains of Madness solidifies Puteraeon in a sound all its own, one that is more engaging and mature, filled with cinematic majesty and excellent performances.

Shifting its aesthetic, Puteraeon has traded the thorny logo and cartoonish covers for a tasteful font and excellent artwork by Ola Larsson, both dripping with a seriousness that evokes a strong movie poster vibe. Similarly, the songwriting on Mountains of Madness draws listeners further into its harrowingly cinematic, Lovecraftian experience with an ever-flowing stream of atmospheric nuance. Whether it’s the creepy leads and monstrous chords that bring to life the “Horror of the Antarctic Plateau” or the delicate, trepidatious piano and swirling screams of “Gods of Unhallowed Space,” Mountains of Madness casts earthly realms aside, establishing Puteraeon‘s dominance and reminding us just how inconsequential we humans are. Within the span of its forty-minute runtime, and with nary a moment wasted, Puteraeon has opened a portal into a nether world, expertly manifesting Lovecraft’s vision through music that demands attention.

As Puteraeon‘s riffs and melodic leads swirl and swarm like a Cthulhian mist, Daniel Vandija’s bass and Anders Malmström’s devastating drums lurk beneath like hulking, tentacled behemoths. Swanö found the perfect amount of space in the mix to showcase this rhythm section’s talents. Vandija shines brightest with Steve Harris-like flair throughout Mountains of Madness. Whether coalescing with the harmonic leads in “The Land of Cold Eternal Winter” to create a crushing heaviness or laying the soft-handed foundation for the atmospheric interlude of “The Nameless City,” his contributions make both tracks absolute album highlights. Puteraeon‘s last cap feather belongs to Lindblood and his bestial throat work. In tandem with Foss’s backing vocals, whether guttural (“The Rise of the Shoggoths”) or clean (“The Nameless City,” “Watchers at the Abyss”), the two men deliver a devastatingly brutal performance that leans toward the inhuman. I found almost nothing of importance to critique other than perhaps a slight drop-off in the songwriting in the album’s second half, but that’s a near-inconsequential quibble.

Mountains of Madness succeeds as a cinematically dramatic, black-tinged slice of Swedish death metal, serving as Puteraeon‘s finest moment. Maintaining a consistent lineup since forming, Puteraeon has matured into a merciless machine intent on destroying your ears with Swedeathly intent. Whether or not it will stand as one of the genre’s best releases ever, only time will tell, but Mountains of Madness has withstood this Tyme‘s test and is thereby worthy of yours.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Label: Emanzipation Productions
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Puteraeon.com
Releases Worldwide: May 30th, 2025

#2025 #35 #Bloodbath #DeathMetal #EmanzipationProductions #May25 #MountainsOfMadness #OldManSChild #Puteraeon #Review #SwedishMetal #UnleashedMetal

Svartfjell – I, the Destroyer Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier

As many of you already know, Nietzsche is not an uncommon subject for metal—specifically black metal. The UK’s newest addition to the black metal scene, Svartfjell, focuses highly on this philosophy source for their debut record, I, the Destroyer. This album uses Nietzsche’s “The Will to Power” concept to provide a journey of self-betterment. Beginning by destroying the unsavory elements of one’s life, the album guides the listener through a journey of enlightenment in hopes that the result is self-fulfillment and blissful egoism. On paper, this is a fitting concept for a black metal outfit, especially for this project whose sole member appears to be a practitioner and evangelist of this kind of thinking. After the initial destruction of one’s previous life, the album’s eight tracks follow a process of rebirth, providing moments of recollection to understand what was left behind in favor of this new existence. But, drawings on paper only go so far. Execution can make or break an album of this caliber. So, will this theme materialize with matching songwriting, flow, and album structure?

Shrouded in mystery, the only concrete evidence I can find that Svartfjell is real and not a figment of my imagination is that its only member goes by the name of Hearne. While providing typical guitar, bass, and drum contributions, Hearne also incorporates a range of vocal approaches and even some keys. From black metal rasps to death growls and pained screams, I, the Destroyer has a rich variation that lends well to the songwriting—not to mention the skills this gent has on the album’s crucial instruments. Not the kind to slap away on the snare as olde purveyors of the style, Svartfjell’s drumming style is aggressive and powerful, rising to the surface to lend heft to the crushing riffs. The guitar work is also quite impressive for this style of metal. Soaring solos and intricate leads create a blanket over the splashes of headbangable riffage that range from black to death. The variation on I, the Destroyer is satisfying as hell and guides the Will to Power theme quite well.

The title track “I, The Destroyer” kicks the album off in a fucking hurry, providing the correct amount of oomph and angst for the first stage of your re-enlightenment. Opening with some vicious black metal tremolos and pounding drums, the song ventures into the first of many instances of melodic atmoblack before it explodes into a killer riff that hints at what’s to come. Throughout, the drums lay a perfect foundation for the riff and mood changes, letting the guitars meander and flow as the vocals begin to layer in various ways. Hell, even the bass surfaces, adding a somber mood to the melodic passages. Like many of the album’s tracks, “I, The Destroyer” is a grower that continues to scale the fiery pit until the bitter end. The follow-up track begins Part I of the “Will to Power” trilogy. Starting with some dissonant sustains and galloping drum work akin to Old Man’s Child, the song morphs into second-wave elements that bring to mind Gorgoroth. The riff changes continue, alternating the mood from pure aggression to melodic beauty. With each build comes a new reset that brings new and reimagined riffs that push the song to its climactic conclusion.

While there are plenty of great tracks to talk about on I, the Destroyer (like the death-riddled “Black Mountain”1 and sorrowful “A Mournful Setting Sun”), other standouts are “Will to Power II – Strength” and “A Fire to Light the Skies.” After opening with a standard black metal approach, the drums of “Will to Power II – Strength” shock the flow with a nifty drum gallop that breathes new life into something we’ve heard a thousand times. One of the reasons this song is so memorable is the multi-guitar leads that somehow overlap even though they aren’t playing the same thing. The bass also floats to the surface far more than any other song, taking control of the rhythm. The song acts very little like a black metal song, introducing subtle heavy metal touches that make it pleasant while being unique. “A Fire to Light the Skies” delves deeper into the band’s melodic character, introducing sheer beauty and passion. Taking its time to get going, it creates a gentle atmosphere that matches the dark, hypnotizing plod. Like the opener, it also climaxes with a swirling tapestry of overlapping vocal variety.

For a debut album from a little-known black metal band, I didn’t expect to enjoy this album or listen to it as many times as I have. Though song lengths clock in around seven minutes on average, only a couple overstay their welcome. But, none suffer from the typical unbearableness of many black/atmoblack outfits. The only song that does drag on too long is the closer, “Will to Power III – Spirit.” That might be because the album is a touch longer than I’d like, but it’s also because it follows “A Fire to Light the Skies” with a similar gentle flow, slowing the album down too much for a strong finish. The other issue is the dynamics. The intricate instrumentation, at times, includes more than two guitars flying around in the ether. But, this compressed master doesn’t quite let the listener enjoy every nook and cranny. But the instrument that’s hurt the most by the compression is the bass. That said, I, the Destroyer is an impressive debut record that keeps it simple while tying a theme tightly to its song structure.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Moribund Records
Websites: svartfjell.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/svartfjell.official
Releases Worldwide: November 22nd, 2024

#2024 #35 #BlackMetal #Gorgoroth #ITheDestroyer #MoribundRecords #Nov24 #OldManSChild #Review #Reviews #Svartfjell #UKMetal

Fire in the Mountains Festival 2025: Old Man's Child, Blackbraid, Emma Ruth Rundle added to lineup:

#FireInTheMountains #OldMansChild #BlackBraid #EmmaRuthRundle #FireInTheMountains2025 #Montana

https://metalinsider.net/festivals/fire-in-the-mountains-festival-2025-old-mans-child-blackbraid-emma-ruth-rundle-added-to-lineup

#TheMetalDogArticleList #MetalInjection Underrated Black Metal, Saint Vitus' Closure & Other Top Stories You Might've Missed This Week metalinjection.net/injection-re... #BlackMetal #SaintVitus #OldMansChild #DimmuBorgir #Galder #MetalInjectionFestival #Jinjer #Converge #GodForbid

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Underrated Black Metal, Saint Vitus' Closure & Other Top Stories You Might've Missed This Week

https://metalinjection.net/injection-reflection/underrated-black-metal-saint-vitus-closure-other-top-stories-you-mightve-missed-this-week

#BlackMetal #SaintVitus #OldMansChild #DimmuBorgir #Galder #MetalInjectionFestival #Jinjer #Converge #GodForbid

#TheMetalDogArticleList #MetalInjection GALDER Quits DIMMU BORGIR After Nearly 25 Years, Revives OLD MAN'S CHILD metalinjection.net/news/breakup... #Galder #DimmuBorgir #OldMansChild #Shagrath #Silenoz

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GALDER Quits DIMMU BORGIR After Nearly 25 Years, Revives OLD MAN'S CHILD

https://metalinjection.net/news/breakups/galder-quits-dimmu-borgir-after-nearly-25-years-revives-old-mans-child

#Galder #DimmuBorgir #OldMansChild #Shagrath #Silenoz

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Brazen Tongue – Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned

By Dolphin Whisperer

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.”

What is distance but an imaginary barrier between creative minds. At least in our (over)connected modern times, proximity does not define whether minds of similar metal inclinations can interact as a band. Such is the story of Ethan Gifford and Scott Skopec (Headshrinker, ex-Polyptych), who both hustled many moons ago about Chicago with a band, Dycanis, that never quite made it beyond demo and gig grind. Gifford then moved to Sweden, and Skopec continued his musical pursuits until they too went dormant. But riffs find a way and Brazen Tongue is a result, the amalgamation of two minds who share ideas hat have tunes in the world of Gifford’s new Gothenburg home, as well as the rip and curl of American thrash (and whatever else crosses their fancy). Throughout Of Crackling Embers & Sorrows Drowned, you may hear the sullen growl of Rapture, the bright quirk of Old Man’s Child, the anthemic melting similar to an act like Black Sites. But most of all, you’ll hear the efforts of two friends who made it happen. Does it make it happen for our crack reviewing team, though? Of the opinions of cranky elitists and socialites dour, you will soon know. – Dolphin Whisperer

Brazen Tongue // Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned [June 7th, 2024]

Dr. A.N. Grier: It’s been a hot minute since I’ve contributed to a traditional Rodeö piece. So, I guess I’ll grab the debut record from international melodeath outfit Brazen Tongue. I mean, I like melodeath, so why not? Though it appears this band has been around since 2016, this year is the first time we’ve seen any output from this two-piece group. Perhaps they needed to hunt a bassist and drummer down to round out the release. I don’t know. Jumping right in, the back-to-back “The Weight of Self” and “Metaviral” kick-off Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned on a good note with some solid melodeath mood and riffage. The latter track, in particular, sees the band in its true light, delivering vocals that recall Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe and solid melodic moments on the back half. “Last Train from Myrdal” is one of the better tracks on the album as it delves deep into melodic territories, incorporating clean guitars and big, booming clean vocals. But, it avoids being one-dimensional with its alternating calmness and pissed-off attitude. What is one-dimensional is “Beneath the Broken Trees.” Only when the pace slows and the build begins does anything of value surface on the track. “The Recidivist” also suffers the same ailment, opening with an annoying introduction that finally gives way to a hard-hitting chug and powerful chorus mixed with clean and growling vocals. Unfortunately, the song has a tough time deciding when to end and drags on far too long for what it’s offering. But the closer, “The Maddening Symmetries,” is the most frustrating track on the album. Clocking in at over ten minutes, nothing sticks until we arrive at the seven-minute mark. After this point, the melodic feels hit, climbing high before ending in hopeless depression. There’s plenty to like on Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned, and there’s plenty of potential. The band’s debut isn’t perfect, but I’ll keep them on my “potential” list when their next release rolls around. 2.5/5.0

Gardenstale: Brazen Tongue is a bit weird. Much of Embers and Sorrows is so frantically kitchen-sink, I’m reminded primarily of The Offering with Insomniummy growls. That’s not necessarily a bad thing: I loved Home, and when Brazen Tongue hits, it hits with a similar spark of inspiration, as opening combo “The Weight of Self” and “Metaviral” can attest. The riffs are never quite what you expect, pressing the dynamic quality of the performers who excel at keeping you on the wrong foot. The problem for Brazen Tongue is not a lack of inspiration, but guiding it consistently into great form. The Zornheym-esque bass choirs are a cool addition, but they are used haphazardly. Emotive doom centerpiece “Last Train from Myrdal” gets more unpleasant as it goes on, adding repetition and draining the album of energy, culminating in an aggravating fire alarm riff and a sudden unceremonious end. The band tries to get things back on the rails, but the epic closer swerves through its bloated runtime without frame or direction. Brazen Tongue is full of great performances and interesting ideas, which are most effective on short, fast songs where the band can skip over the bumps, but the longer and slower tracks invariably spiral out of control or get mired in their own ideas. A songwriting class or two would do wonders. 2.5/5.0

Thus Spoke: When I hitched myself to Brazen Tongue, I’m not sure exactly what I expected; after all, according to another staff member, I “don’t even know what melodeath is.” Nonetheless, my vague anticipations were more or less on the money. Twin guitar, energetic riff clamberings, generally mid-tempo, upbeat-feeling charges, a barking sort of vocal approach. Sprinkles of melancholy in the refrains but only to precipitate a turn to more uplifting, or alternately more sinister spidery stop-starting (“The Recidivist”) or chugging. Plus, a slower, doomier track with layered, softly cascading guitars that you can immediately imagine playing over a crossfade-filled montage from a 90s movie (“Last Train from Myrdal”). If this sounds incredibly vague, and non-committal, it’s because that’s exactly how Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned comes across. Perfectly serviceable, with some great moments, but totally unmemorable. Across its duration, there are examples of brilliant, energetic axe work and righteous riffery (“Metaviral,” “Beneath the Broken Trees”), and at points, resonant feelings of pathos (yes, even in “Last Train,” which I initially despised). But there are no moments that break the surface of the soundscape’s quite monotone harmonic themes and compositional patterns. No point at which—regardless of how much sound and fury the band apparently exude (“Walking the Parapets,” “The Maddening Symmetries”)—the music elicits anything more than a “yeah, it’s cool I guess.” It’s a no from me. But what do I know about melodeath anyway? Disappointing.

Iceberg: Of Crackling Embers and Sorrows Drowned is clearly a passion project for Scott Kopec and Ethan Gifford, because logistically, producing the debut album for Brazen Tongue sounds like a complete nightmare. The main duo live seven time zones apart, all composition was done via cloud-sharing, and every instrument was tracked in its own session. This hasn’t dulled the band’s compositional abilities however; there is a glut of quality material on this album. A blend of blackened thrash and Gothenburg melodeath—with shadows of Lamb of God groove metal thrown in there—OCE&SD is an in-your-face drag racer of riffs that rarely lets off the gas. The highlight here is the creative combination of guitar riffs and leads with contrasting rhythmic underpinning; see the openings of “Walking the Parapets” and “The Recidivist.” Album standout—proper Gothenburg sadboi “Last Train From Myrdal”—shows the band knows how to blend punishing atmosphere with resplendent orchestrals, even if it runs a bit overlong. And that seems to be Brazen Tongue’s Achilles’ heel; most every song here desperately needs trimming, and the overuse of individual segments is a chronic issue. Ten-minute closer “The Maddening Symmetries” is brimming with varied, epic, blackened material, but wore this listener’s ears out well before its conclusion. One can’t help but wonder if the geographical separation of Brazen Tongue played a part in the fine-tuning issues, but I hope the band keeps at it and watches their margins more closely; the potential here is vast. 2.5/5.0

#2024 #AmericanMetal #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo #AngryMetalGuySUnsignedBandRodeo2024 #BlackSites #BrazenTongue #Headshrinker #IndependentRelease #Insomnium #Jun24 #LambOfGod #MelodicDeathMetal #OldManSChild #Rapture #SelfRelease #TheOffering #ThrashMetal #Zornheym

Wormwood – The Star Review

By Dear Hollow

Swedish melodic black metal act Wormwood has a complicated history, and it all comes down to this. A string of albums have been hit or miss, as highlighted by the gone-but-unforgotten Akerblogger: 2017’s debut Ghostlands – Wounds from a Bleeding Land was a 4.0midable meloblack offering that balanced hooks and viciousness, while a follow-up trilogy installments one and two in concept albums 2019’s Nattarvet and 2021’s Arkivet have largely fallen short, respectively reflecting famine and extinction’s inevitability. The Star represents a culmination for the five-piece, as the biblical star Wormwood wipes out a good chunk of humanity by poisoning the oceans and freshwater in the Book of Revelation. Will the Swedes capitalize upon their potential in the final and most climactic installment of their trilogy?

Reflecting the star crashing into the ocean, The Star represents the end of the world, hinted at by famine and devastation in previous installments. While vocals are scathing and sinister affairs fitting its apocalyptic theme, instrumentals balance lushness with drive, as big guitar plods offer the stars and powerful drums ensure fluid movement while crystalline synth floats atop. Ubiquitously pleasant but never quite reaching anything further, Wormwood’s fourth full-length is a confused album in its sanguine, rather stagnant representation of humanity’s extinction.

The best of The Star revolves around solid use of motifs. “Liminal” and “Galactic Blood” are perhaps the best examples of this, plodding guitar riffs providing the backbone while the synth takes the place of the leads, while nearly Gothenburg noodling gains precedent over the former. The best track here is “Thousand Doorless Rooms,” which utilizes this motif-based songwriting with some teeth to give a mysterious but heart-wrenching feel. This dynamic is further explored in closer “Ro,” whose heavy metal soloing and vicious vocals take Wormwood to their brink in a relatively climactic closer. In a surprising turn of events, clean vocals are a highlight here, gentle and subtle amid the waves of melody, and tracks like “Stjärnfall,” “A Distant Glow,” and “Ro” are benefited by their inclusion. The drums are a commanding element, cutting through the sound regularly, blastbeats elevating “Suffer Existence.” The spacious mix is forgiving, allowing a nearly airy and organic feel to the proceedings, and giving further emphasis to Wormwood’s more vicious elements: drums and shrieks.

The Star is always pleasant but hardly innovative, which calls into question its length and inconsistency. Even the best tracks like “Liminal” or “Thousand Doorless Rooms” can cut back at least a couple minutes, while “Suffer Existence” and “A Distant Glow” feel nearly unending. Wormwood also throws a curveball in the form of “Suffer Existence,” whose suddenly uneasy melody, relatively spooky atmosphere, and appearance of blastbeats make it feel like a last-minute inclusion – the weird folky fiddle in the middle of it certainly does not help much either. And while “Ro” features some neat little tricks that add to its more energetic conclusion, the album feels tonally stagnant as a whole, no real growth or movement occurring across tracks and some songs simply existing as better than others. Finally, although a complete nitpick, the meloblack stylistic choices are a bit of a conundrum, as lushness and harmonics don’t seem to jive entirely with the apocalyptic theme Wormwood encapsulates – there is very little punishment to be found on The Star, aside from the slightly more energetic but wholly inconsistent “Suffer Existence.”

The Star is ubiquitously pleasant. Melodic harmonic guitars clash with sinister vocals and powerful drums in a “how-to” manual for melodic black metal. If you’re a fan of Sacramentum, Old Man’s Child, or Dawn, you might find something to love with Wormwood. However, given how tonally stagnant yet strangely inconsistent The Star is, it’s better relegated to background music instead of front-row seats to humanity’s destruction. Given how confusing this is, it’s easy to wonder if Ghostlands was a fluke. The Star is competent, Wormwood’s blend of guitar leads and chilly synths providing a tasteful approach, but does it accurately represent the bombast and explosiveness of the great star ushering in an age of extinction? No, it does not.

Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Black Lodge Records
Websites: wormwood-official.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/WormwoodSWE
Releases Worldwide: May 31st, 2024

#20 #2024 #BlackLodgeRecords #BlackMetal #Dawn #May24 #MelodicBlackMetal #OldManSChild #Review #Reviews #Sacramentum #SwedishMetal #TheStar #Wormwood

ACOD – Versets noirs Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier

How I’ve never known about France’s ACOD is beyond me, and I heartily apologize to them because I’ve been having a hella good time with many of their releases. Beginning their career as a black/thrash outfit with metalcore tendencies, they began to explore Mephorash-meets-Septicflesh territories around the time of their 2018 release, The Divine Triumph. While there are thrashy moments, the songwriting is now predominantly massive string atmospheres, marching drumbeats, cranked-up bass work, and riff after motherfucking riff. Each song is a rollercoaster ride, continuously rising and falling throughout, leaving you wondering which pain level you’ll hit next. As of 2002’s mighty Fourth Reign over Opacities and Beyond, the band has been led by two founding members Fred and Jérome—the first lending his voice to these opuses and the second doing… well, everything else. But does Versets noirs have what it takes to widen the expanse left behind by its predecessor?

Versets noirs continues where Fourth Reign over Opacities and Beyond left off. But, its structure and delivery are very different from anything they’ve done before. Typical releases are in the forty to fifty-minute range with nine to thirteen songs each. Instead, Versets noirs consists of five (I repeat, five songs) in forty-two minutes, with a heavy cover of Samael’s classic “Black Trip” closing it out. But, it’s not like a typical bonus cover inclusion as it fits the album well, and closes it out perfectly. Aside from that, they also made a bold move by beginning the record with a twenty-plus-minute opening track. Freddy Boy also digs deeper into his vocal repertoire to add more diversity than the previous album, without going into the weirdness of their older material. All this combined makes Versets noirs probably the most unique release in ACOD’s fifteen-year career.

“Habentis Maleficia” begins with some slow, growing dissonance that settles into a smooth groove when the vocals surface. It’s a gigantic piece that includes rasps, French spoken-word segments, and booming cleans on the back end. Its foundation revolves around constant builds, falls, and rebuilds—morphing from one emotion to another. At one point, we are charging through Gorgorothian melodies and concrete-splitting black metal assaults. And, the next, we are soothed with calming piano work and string atmospheres. There are moments of impressive dual guitar work where, when played on headphones, each ear is combated by a different lead. And, sometimes, the bass rises above the foam to take charge in popping, rumbling beauty. On the back half, you’ll even find death assaults with vocals pulled deep from the diaphragm, and even a short passage where the band ventures into Southern, Pantera-esque territories. It’s a fucking wild ride but when its melodic climb to the final summit comes, it’s well worth the wait.

“The Son of a God (The Heir of Divine Blood)” is probably my favorite, kicking hard with a killer riff and guitar tone that reminds me of earlier Old Man’s Child. When it settles into its groove, the vocals match its step nicely to deliver a headbangable experience. But for all its aggressiveness, the song ventures into melodic atmospheres, alternating moods from wanting to rip one’s face off to wanting to cry. When the bass takes the reigns, we soar to new heights. During these moments, the atmosphere reaches the clouds, intermingling rasps with big, booming cleans as the piano surfaces and engulfs the entire thing in hopeless melodies. But, “May This World Burn” has to be the most unique piece on the album. It takes all the elements of the previous tracks and adds even more. Misleading you with some soft strings in the intro, it transitions to the most badass riff on the record. Between the flailing guitars and hard-hitting drums, this thing is ferocious. Then, it gets really interesting as the dual guitar work passes from Mors Principium Est influences to old-school Arsis death/thrash territories. But, after pulverizing you for seven-plus minutes, it concludes in the same beautiful fashion as it began.

As a whole, I prefer Fourth Reign over Opacities and Beyond to Versets noirs. But that doesn’t mean this new record is any less engaging than its predecessor. The fact that it continues where the previous one left off is exactly what I wanted from ACOD. It’s a forward movement on a sound and songwriting style that fits the band far more than the black/thrash days of Point Zero and First Earth Poison. With a rich master, every instrument finds its place in every moment of every song. The massive amount of riffs is shocking, the performances are tight as Hell, and the aforementioned vocal diversity lends well to the album’s overall theme. Perhaps they could have concluded the record with an original track, but the Samael cover does add texture to the record. If you like big, black metal atmospheres and wild, cross-genre influences, this album is for you.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Hammerheart Records
Websites: acod.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/acodband
Releases Worldwide: April 26th, 2024

#2024 #35 #ACOD #Apr24 #Arsis #BlackMetal #DeathMetal #FrenchMetal #Gorgoroth #HammerheartRecords #Mephorash #MorsPrincipiumEst #OldManSChild #Pantera #Review #Reviews #Samael #SepticFlesh #VersetsNoirs

I Am the Intimidator – I Am the Intimidator Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier

Many music genres (metal, in particular) do love a good concept album. Be it a horror story, Star Trek and Lords of the Rings smut, or the tribulations of Spawn, metal bands (and their fans) can’t seem to get enough. You think you’ve heard and seen it all until you delve into the one-off absurdity of I Am the Intimidator. Never in my life did I expect to be reviewing a self-titled release whose concept has coined the term “NASCAR Metal” in the festering halls of AMG. Not because I’m a follower of a sport where cars have no headlights, drivers involuntarily veer into oncoming traffic due to always turning left,1 and whose spectators are probably the sole reason Bud Light sales have dropped. No, I picked up what could be a literal car wreck of an album because no one else would. Plus, how can we not review NASCAR metal?

Let me set the stage for I Am the Intimidator. Even if you know nothing about the sport, you’d have to have been born in a cave not to have heard of Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Unaffectionately known as “Ironhead,” “The Man in Black,” and “The Intimidator,” Earnhardt was a racing legend back in the Winston Cup Series (which was succeeded by the NASCAR Cup Series). For 26 years, his #3 car was easily the most iconic one on the track. In 2001, as with every year, the Daytona 500 kicked off the season. In the final turn of the final lap, The Intimidator hit the wall, fractured his skull, and instantly died. This album, ladies and gents, is the final day of Earnhardt’s life.

This bizarre concept album was conceived and perpetrated by Andrew Stromstad (Atriarch, Poison Idea), a longtime fan of Dale Earnhardt. To begin, he lurches us into a heavy-metal instrumental montague of sound clips from The Intimidator. Then, hurdles us into the follow-up track, “Gasoline.” And, goddamn, was I surprised when the vocals rose to Dio-esque levels in this old-school chugger. When we hit the repetitive “gotta pump the gasoline, motherfucker,” the song takes on some Ministry qualities that make me want to hump a tailpipe. As the song progresses, the guitars reach higher and higher, ripping through solo after impressive solo.

The title track impresses even further with its old-school, speed metal vibes. As it charges headlong, the vocals alternate between gruff cleans and soaring highs, building the intensity with each passing moment. Then, it calms to a rumbling bass before the guitars and drums begin a new build. As it climbs, the backing Iron Maiden-esque vocals and swirling guitar leads put hands to the fanny, lifting this beauty to the blinding track lights. Closer “Crying from the Abyss” is similar in approach, borrowing heavily from old-school riffage as it marches with a mid-paced character. For most of the track, the vocals stay in step with the instrumentation, adding emphasis to each downstroke. Then, it takes off, backed by clean and harsh vocals before the ’50s-era guitar solos force this little ditty over the finish line.

I Am the Intimidator is equally pleasing and bizarre in almost every single way. Be it the wild diversity throughout these six tracks or the concept itself, I can’t help but smile and cringe simultaneously. From the jaw-dropping weirdness of “Regrets” to the out-of-place Old Man’s Child rasps in “Eat My Smoke,” my mind can’t confirm if this little project is pure genius or a complete joke. That said, I kinda like it. And the fact that it’s this dynamic makes it easy on the ears when played on repeat. This record might be one of the strangest things I’ve ever reviewed and you won’t believe it until you hear it.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 12 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Miserable Pyre
Websites: iamtheintimidator.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: March 8th, 2024

#2024 #30 #AmericanMetal #Atriarch #Dio #HeavyMetal #IAmTheIntimidator #IronMaiden #Mar24 #Ministry #MiserablePyre #OldManSChild #PoisonIdea #Review #Reviews #ThrashMetal

Blood Red Throne – Nonagon Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier

Three years ago, Blood Red Throne released a behemoth in the form of Imperial Congregation. After dozens of listens, it proves it’s one of the band’s greatest achievements. Fast forward to 2024, and they’re back with their eleventh LP, Nonagon. Continuing where they left off, Nonagon is a destructive motherfucker that incorporates the butchery of Panzerchrist, the relentless riffage of Old Man’s Child, and the melodic subtleties of Hypocrisy. But, no matter what’s sprinkled throughout, Nonagon remains 100% BRT. However, the thing most different about this new album is the vocalist. After contributing to four full-lengths, Yngve “Bolt” Christiansen is out, and in his place is Deception’s Sindre Wathne Johnsen. The result is more vocal diversity as Johnsen likes to flex those blackened rasps. But those concrete-cracking barks and gutturals Bolt is famous for remain—continuing to add a sinister color to BRT’s output. With a new singer in tow, can BRT continue the streak set by Fit to Kill and Imperial Congregation? Or are the treads beginning to come off the tracks?

As the name might suggest, Nonagon consists of nine songs of Norwegian death metal. What might not be apparent is that each track represents a level of hell from Dante’s Inferno. But this theme only translates in the music and album structure. According to founding member Død, the vocals are very much the band’s, leaving you to interpret the meaning behind them. With this knowledge, I venture into the underworld with Virgil leading the way as the devastation increases at each level until I arrive at Cocytus. Or so I hope, as this is quite the theme to encapsulate a death metal album. And for it to fall flat on its face would be the worst thing possible. Well, minus that whole sliding down Lucifer only to stop and peer at his massive dick and balls.

But instead of easing into the first layer, Nonagon gets going in a hurry. “Epitaph Inscribed” is one of the better songs on the album, beginning with an eerie introduction that erupts into a rasping scream and killer riff. While nothing new to the band, the overlapping rasps and barks are far more advanced than previous releases. These add another layer to the barrage delivered by the combined efforts of bass, drums, and guitars. Others that hit the mark in wildly different ways are “Tempest Sculptor” and the title track. “Tempest Sculptor” is a classic BRT piece with machine gun tremolos that settle into a tasty, headbangable groove. While there’s variety in the riff changes and a melodic interlude, this beast is a constant driver that never lets up. My favorite moment is when the bass comes to the surface and sets the song up for its next bludgeoning. “Nonagon” is a slow-paced cruiser with some interesting moments that remind me of At the Gates while others recall Amon Amarth. It’s a straightforward piece that keeps to its guns and delivers a pleasing and addictive performance.

Unfortunately, there are a few areas on Nonagon that I struggle with. The first is the nearly seven-minute closer, “Fleshrend.” While there’s absolutely no shortage of riffs, that’s part of the problem. The track is an endless slew of riff changes. And when it feels like it’s about to build to its climax, it changes directions again. After all the insanity and wild guitar skills, it concludes without delivering the uppercut I was hoping for. In contrast, “Blade Eulogy” takes all its various riff changes and, somehow, makes it work by melding them neatly into a memorable and returnable song. As for “Split Tongue Sermon,” its more-than-capable addition to Nonagon is flatlined by a dreadful electronic solo and spoken-word segment toward the end.

Nonagon is still a strong album and in no way a bad record. It’s just not at the same level as Imperial Congregation. Typically, a killer BRT album grabs me on the first listen, but Nonagon took a while to absorb. Much of that is due to the urge to shove every goddamn riff available into these nine tracks. As I mentioned, a few of these songs could have been better with a little more restraint and a bit more memorability. The other is that, while many of the top songs are belligerently badass, few meet the standards set by songs like Imperial Congregation’s “Itika” and “Consumed Illusion.” That said, Nonagon isn’t a misstep in the band’s catalog. It’s just different, as the focus is on a concept that requires flow and overlap between songs instead of a face-punching display of unchecked wiolence. All this to say, there’s no reason why fans won’t enjoy this new record. It just falls a tad short of the monster that is Imperial Congregation but it still finds the band crushing their performances with a solid mix to boot.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Soulseller Records | Bandcamp 1
Websites: bloodredthrone.bandcamp.com 2 | bloodredthrone.com | facebook.com/bloodredthroneofficial
Releases Worldwide: January 26th, 2024