Back in 2020, I heaped an enormous amount of praise upon Effigy of Nightmares, the third full-length album from Ohio’s Valdrin, and while that record constitutes the exceedingly rare occurrence where time tempers my initial enthusiasm (I’d probably bring it down to a 4.0 at this point), I still hold it in high regard. I was caught up not only by Valdrin’s melodic black metal songwriting ability but also by the band’s incredible brand of storytelling. All of their albums tell stories within the same universe, with each one representing different points in the timeline and the perspectives of di ..read more

Rare is the promo we receive for extreme metal out of Taiwan, save for the odd gross slam record. Naturally, getting any promo from a region not particularly well known in the West for their burgeoning metal scene draws the eye, and mine eye was surely drawn. Enter 冷 (translated into the Latin alphabet as Laang), a melodic black metal outfit from Keelung City. Established in 2018, the band’s creator found inspiration from his experience living in a comatose state after getting shot during a botched car-jacking (or so Metallum details). For him, the time spent in a coma was like being in “a pla ..read more

“Shards of Silver Fade is a journey … and it must be taken as a whole to absorb its mood and atmosphere. With that, it’s difficult at times to remember the beginning once you’ve reached the end … Shards has moments of beauty, moments of captivation, and moments of splendor; however, it’s so long it becomes a chore to come back to.” Shards of Silver Fade, 142 minutes, 2.5/5.0, Grier. “For all its grandeur and the skill with which its components are stitched together, Biolume I has a couple issues, the main one still being length … This is an inherent risk with one-man projects. On the one hand ..read more

We’ve been waiting for this for years. With only 2020 EP Death of the Cosmic to tide us over from Hinayana’s excellent 2018 debut Order Divine, which received the TYMHM treatment from the great and mighty Dr. Wvrm, it has been a dry spell. The Austin, Texas quintet’s sound lends itself to the melodic death/doom, notably Finnish, melancholy of Insomnium or Swallow the Sun, but with tight songwriting and a patient unfolding through relentless plodding of Amon Amarth, Order Divine became a bit of a sleeper hit for 2018. Featuring a tight and concise bite that will soothe your soul before forcing ..read more

Ever since they smashed onto the scene with their 2020 debut Impious Viam, following up on the more quietly well-received EP Humanity Will Echo Out, Night Crowned have presented an almost ideal example of symphonic/melodic blackened death. Take a template of symphonic, subtle synth-accented black metal, and add a bunch of catchy melodies, well-pitched dramatic compositions, and that uniquely Swedish death metal flair, and you’ve got Night Crowned. But the group are more than that; they have a distinctive sound that has only strengthened over the years, and Tales continues this trend. To say I ..read more

We got lucky this summer, frens! July was barren enough of waste byproducts that we didn’t even have to open up the grate to our Filter to clean it out. Unfortunately, our respite was short-lived, as August was much more productive and, therefore, mucked up our chutes as per usual. So, here you are, a selection of archaeological finds sourced from the steaming hot piles of refuse we extracted from our ever-protesting Filter! Kenstrosity’s Engorged Absorptions Pizza Death // Reign of the Anticrust [July 10th, 2023 – Self Release] People who know me well understand that I’m an incredibly food-m ..read more

You gotta love a good genre-bending record. Morphing between two, three, or even more distinct metallic styles is not easy, but it’s even more difficult to attempt while still putting out a great record. That being the case, there are relative few bands in the metalverse who’ve perfected this particular feat—Mutoid Man, Sanguine Glacialis, Paladin, OK Goodnight, Diablo Swing Orchestra, and Slugdge being some notable examples in my library. Boston, Massachusetts progressive symphonic metal act Ice Giant aim to join these ranks of successful shape-shifters with their sop ..read more

I know what you’re thinking. That cover, those outfits, the absolutely killer orange-tinted glasses—they must be Italian. And it’s-a true, the members of Sinheresy1 hail from Trieste, which technically, in its annexed sliver, flies il Tricolore all the same. Also technically, Sinheresy plays metal, albeit in a variety that resembles the anthemic sympho-ish bounce of Olzon-era Nightwish smattered about with Björiffs to provide a kind of glossy crust. Given that Olzon helped provide a grounding rock edge to some of the most solid Nightwish outings,2 it’s safe to say that there’s an air of power ..read more

Over the past several years, I’ve learned that tags like “progressive metal” and “avant-garde” tend to spark intense debate, largely over what does and does not qualify for such attributions. The nerd in all of us either overtly or secretly desires a nice, clean categorization of everything we hear, but it’s not always so cut and dry, and not everyone is going to agree. In the case of Montreal symphonic extreme metal troupe Sanguine Glacialis, however, there’s no denying their singularly weird and wacky approach certainly qualifies as progressive, and at times even avant-garde. Third LP Malada ..read more

In a recent review, Nameless_N00b_84 suggested that “Symphonic metal is an overstuffed genre with precious few top-tier acts.” And that “Success depends on compelling vocal performances, ear-worm choruses, apocalyptic orchestral arrangements, and diligent production to meld it all together.” I don’t know how hot this take is or why I’m quoting n00bs, but the comment resonated with me as I assessed Nuclear Winter’s latest offering, Seagrave. Billed as “industrial metal,” Seagrave seems much closer to symphonic metal to me. It has plenty of swirling orchestral keyboards, operatic choirs and dens ..read more