News, Reviews and Interviews
Heavy Metal Around the Globe
Spectral Lore & Mare Cognitum – Wanderers: Astrology of the Nine
What a ride this album has been, and what memories remain of the wonderful imagery that has been painted for you during this trip. Expect this record to stand the test of time… and be something that will live on as one of the greatest splits in recent history.
Medium – Medium
Equally capable of drawing you into a zone of thoughtful contemplation, as they are able to straight up punch you in the mouth, repeat listens reveal a quality of craftsmanship that I missed in my first listen.
Today Is the Day – No Good To Anyone
Always a visionary project, Today Is The Day shows a deep and abiding maturity on No Good To Anyone.
Interview: Kvaen
“Because the music demanded it. The album would be really bad if I decided to go full blown old-school.”
JGILBERT’S BEST OF 2019
the end ot the 10’s and the beginning of the 20’s should be taken as an opportunity to reflect on where we came from and re-evaluate where we’re going.
Wells Valley – Reconcile The Antinomy
Listening to the album straight through is a workout, both harrowing and exhausting, but the payoff is very worth it.
Symbolik – Emergence
…now, do you know that feeling when you are in a plane that accelerates on the airway in order to get the necessary boost for lift off? Yes, that one, when the G-forces bury you into the chair. Get where I’m going, right?!
Enepsigos – Wrath of Wraths
There is little respect for reason or allowance for understanding in this music. You are at the mercy of their dream, their nightmare.
VVilderness – Dark Waters
You can call it post-whatever, but honestly speaking, this is an absolute masterclass of Atmospheric Black Metal, where the calmer interludes always add to the music and do not serve as fillers.
Ploughshare – Tellurian Insurgency
Early days though it may be (relatively speaking), the project has enough of a discography to prove their chops as nightmarish innovators.
Nawaharjan – Lokabrenna
Fast forward to the present day and the Germanic black metallers have stepped it up quite a bit to give us a new offering in the form of Lokabrenna.
EXCLUSIVE TRACK STREAM: Thermohaline – Sirens
Dubbed as Thermodynamic Oceanic Black Metal, the project rolls through a vast multitude of styles, all shored up on the coral reef of black metal.
dai-ichi – dai-ichi
Unrelentingly feral, listening to dai-ichi is akin to being stalked by a predator in the wild. They haven’t caught you yet, but when they do, you already understand the savagery that will ensue.
An Isolated Mind – Self Titled
What I like about this album most, is the serene tranquility that creates a false sense of hope before creating a wave of what I could only describe as a mournful bliss.
Under the Pledge of Secrecy – Empire of Bastards
Fortunately, Under the Pledge of Secrecy have mastered the science of mixing styles of extreme metal in their proper proportions. The result is certainly explosive, but in a very good way.
Nattverd – Styggdom
These guys are hellbent on bringing traditional malevolence to the sonic sphere, and this tome is an impressive body of work dedicated to the dark.
Thecodontion – Jurassic
The short EP is a strange, yet intriguing combination of heavy and fluidly graceful.
Starving For Death – Starving For Death EP
It’s beautiful and troublesome and let’s you feel the pain of the creator.
The Drowns – Under Tension
I can’t sit still even while I write this review in my local Starbucks. This is how I know this new release is a great punk album.
Kvaen – The Funeral Pyre
A brilliant send up to the 80s seeds of the black metal genre, thrash and speed metal bands that played with that extra edge of evil, while still maintaining a modern sound.
Sjálfsmorð af Gáleysi – The Ruins of Eden
Once you let yourself be immersed within the labyrinth realms of this one man band you’ll be reminded that it is coming from one of the top provider countries when it comes to modern but relentless Black Metal.
Arcane Ritual – Witch Heart
Band - Arcane Ritual Album - Witch Heart Country of Origin - USA Genre - Doom/Gothic Metal Release Date - March 1, 2019 Label - Independent Author - Hayduke X Arcane Ritual is a duo from California in the USA who play Gothic metal. Jarek Tatarek handles all of...
Elyrean – Blacken the Sun
Think classic Sepaltura, Exodus, or Slayer.
Dementia 13 – Ways of Enclosure
Yes, Dementia 13 is most probably the current band, worldwide, that best emulates that pure, fresh sound of late 80’s and early 90’s death metal.
