Before the hybridization of different genres such as metal and industrial became something of a holy grail for underground musicians, an intermediate genre known as post-punk turned toward an eclectic and more contemplative mode of expression.
22 CommentsTags: hard rock, heavy rock, hypnotic, Industrial, jaz coleman, killing joke, metal, Post-Punk, psychedelic, punk, trance
Aäkon Këtrëëh was an eponymous dark ambient/black metal-project created by Lord Aäkon Këëtrëh, a central figure within the French black metal collective commonly referred to as Les Legions Noires. (more…)
26 CommentsTags: aäkon këëtrëh, Black Metal, dark ambient, dungeon synth, Les Légions Noires, review
As part of our Retro Reviews series, DMU looks into one of those classic bands that was on every Gen X death metal fan’s shelf, but probably never made it out for repeated playing after the early 1990s. Some bands just seem to fade… into the background.
41 CommentsTags: century media, death metal, germany, morgoth
Death metal folk wisdom tells that the epithet “technical” generally connotes music that is bad for a unique reason: it tends to get trapped in technique, including cute tricks from music theory, for its own sake, which in turn deprecates the art of composing memorable and relevant songs.
12 CommentsTags: crimson massacre, death metal, review, Technical Death Metal, texas, texas metal, the luster of pandemonium
Before lapsing into embryonic death ’n’ roll on their second LP False (1992), Gorefest were among the earliest Dutch proponents of solid bread-and-butter death metal with a sense of melodic contour joining the many rhythm riffs into coherent songs which reach a point of focus in their cycles, forcing re-interpretation of its parts. The early style more or less complete on their demo recordings was brought to a fuller and more refined form on the 1991 debut album Mindloss.
33 CommentsTags: death metal, gorefest, review, the netherlands
In anticipation of their eponymous debut, Southern Karelia’s White Death released a track from the album, “Immortal Hunter of the Moon.” This mid-length track instills expectation by improving upon the previous also eponymous two-song EP released in 2014. Where that recording consisted of raw, foot-stomping black metal that was pleasant enough for a listen once in a blue moon, the new track shows an increase in dynamics that lifts the material to a new level of intensity while also –- perhaps more importantly -– giving it a sense of direction.
12 CommentsTags: Black Metal, Finland, Finnish Black Metal, lappeenranta, War Metal, white death
During black metal’s most creatively fertile period in the early 1990s, a handful of Greek musicians forged an alternative musical path noticeably different from that of their Nordic peers. Their efforts would subsequently crystallize into the Hellenic black metal sound or style.
38 CommentsTags: 2015, Black Metal, epic heavy metal, Greek Black Metal, Heavy Metal, macabre omen, review
History is full of paradoxes. Twentieth century Germany provides one of the major mysteries of the modern era: Why haven’t the Germans produced more high-quality black metal?
The country has been a heavy metal-stronghold since Neolithic times with a significantly high metalhead-per-capita rate. Furthermore, Germany has spawned more metal bands than any other country in Europe with abundant native labels, zines and distros supporting them. Yet, when it comes to black metal, there’s not much to write home about. (more…)
24 CommentsTags: Black Metal, German Black Metal, germany, primitive black metal, ungod
Continuing a prolific streak of distinct and high-quality recordings, Sardinia’s Infamous summons up the dormant spirit of black metal on this recently released and apparently untitled split album with Gratzug from Bavaria.
9 CommentsTags: Black Metal, gratzug, infamous, rac/oi, sardinia
Metalheads tend to be wary of punk, recognizing it only for its role as an influence on metal. This attitude obscures the fact that the best of punk is worth exploring on its own terms and merits, starting with perhaps the greatest influence of punk technique and heightened aesthetics in that genre, hardcore punk‘s The Misfits.
49 CommentsTags: Crossover, Earth A.D., glenn danzig, Hardcore, Hardcore Punk, punk, punk rock, the misfits, Thrash
