Archive for Marduk

Finsternis – The Old Tongue

Posted in Review with tags , , , on 27th December 2020 by izaforestspirit

Finsternis
The Old Tongue
Released 25th September 2020
Melodic Black Metal/Atmospheric Black Metal
Self-Released

‘The Old Tongue’ is the debut EP from the Alabama-based American melodic black metal band Finsternis. The band was formed in 2018 and it features two members and one former guitarist from the melodic death metal band Curse The Flesh. This EP and their other demos are available from their official Bandcamp page.

It never ceases to amaze me as to which odd corners of the world might spout out some decent-sounding black metal music. This time it’s Mobile, Alabama in the United States of America. I cannot say that I have heard of it before and it is definitely not a place that I would think of as being associated with the genre. Based on the three songs on this EP it sounds like one of their primary influences is Swedish black metal, particularly old Marduk and to some extent Dissection.

All three songs are fairly similar in structure with only a handful of nuance differences to tell them apart. The opener We Unholy Few draws you in with a slow, eerie intro before the aggressive guitars enter the fold. The vocals are pretty much the usual coarse-sounding, distorted shrieks normally associated with the genre. Then, as the song progresses, they balance things out with some melodic parts towards the end. I liked the atmospheric guitar passages on Of Burden and Lament, which is quite possibly best track on the whole EP.

Overall, it’s hard to judge a band based on just three tracks. ‘The Old Tongue’ is a promising melodic black metal EP which I would recommend to fans of the aforementioned bands. They managed to create the right kind of dark atmosphere and the production is remarkably good. I look forward to hearing a full length album from these guys.

7/10

Iza Raittila

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Barshasketh – Ophidian Henosis

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , on 7th June 2015 by izaforestspirit

Barshasketh
Ophidian Henosis
Released 30th July 2015
Black Metal
Released via Blut & Eisen Productions 

Ophidian Henosis’ is the third album from the black metal band Barshasketh. The band was formed back in 2009 and originates from New Zealand but they are currently based in Edinburgh, Scotland after relocating there a few years ago.

After a quick glance at the tracklist, it soon becomes apparent that this album is essentially one song in seven parts, aptly labeled “Ophidian Henosis I”, “Ophidian Henosis II” and so on. After an atmospheric intro, these guys cut to the chase with part one blasting its way through the speakers with some fast and furious guitars akin to the likes of Marduk. Yet it’s not all about the ferocious pummeling of the drums and guitars, for underneath this mean looking facade lies is a melodic element which softens the blow to the eardrums. As far as the black metal genre styles go, it’s like Marduk meets Ragnarok with a hint of Taake thrown in for good measure.

As the album progresses, the Taake-esque melodic elements remain a key feature of Barshasketh’s chosen style. For example, midway through part II and into the second minute of part V, the guitars are almost tranquil-sounding forming a sharp contrast to Krigeist’s harsh screams. At the same time the harsh and more brutal side is never too far away and each song contains a mixture of the two styles. It’s as though the melodic parts were there to provide a short interlude for the listener to relax for a while before the pummeling resumes. This adds to the variety and makes the album easier to listen to.

Overall this has been an enjoyable experience. Barshasketh’s style is by no means unique but they combine some good influences from more established acts from the black metal scene. I would recommend this to fans of Marduk and Ragnarok.

4/5

Iza Raittila

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BlackShore – Terror

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , on 30th November 2013 by izaforestspirit

BlackShore
Terror
Released 15th November 2013
Black Metal
Released via BlackSkull Records

photo BlackShore-Terror-Artwork_zps48310085.jpg

‘Terror’ is the third album from the German black metal band Blackshore. It is the follow-up to their 2011 album ‘Legion’. The band has gained recognition within the scene thanks to successful tours with Taake and Horna.

After the dictatorial voice in a movie sample intro, the title track reveals its true colours as a fine example of fast and reasonably raw-sounding black metal akin to the likes of Ragnarok. The vocals are the of standard harsh variety that you can expect from the genre, the only major difference being that these guys also do the occassional song in German, like Panzervergnügen for example.

Then, just when you think that you’ve got it all figured out, they unleash a surprise that you never saw coming – Troublemakers Black Metal; a catchy, blackened thrash metal track with some punk undertones present in both the “rocking” Mötörhead guitar style and the tongue’n’cheek lyrical themes. There’s also some Marduk-esque guitar pummeling and fast drumming on tracks such as Prayer To The Bombs and in parts of Benthams Panoptikon. Dimension Ärger positions itself firmly in the blackened thrash metal/black-thrash genre creating a steady balance between the catchy, rocking guitar riffage and the somewhat abrasive vocals. The punk influences resurface towards the latter half of the track mimicking a style similar to that of Driller Killer.

Yet the band saved the biggest surprise for the big finale with a ballad called U–Bootomagie featuring weird mixture of dark ambient, complete with u-boat sonar noises, and the somewhat cheesy sounding yet ultra catchy blackthrash assault of “U-Boat Terror” in the second half of the song. So, the lyrics are a little bit ridiculous but it’s all in the bame of good fun.

Overall this has been an interesting journey into the wonderfully diverse world of German black metal. I expected a German equivalent of Marduk, what I got was a bizarre hybrid of them plus Ragnarok along with Driller Killer and Mötorhead added to the mix.

4/5

Iza Raittila

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Marduk, Grave, Death Wolf and Valkyrja to tour Europe together

Posted in News with tags , , , , , , , on 17th October 2013 by Pieni

photo marduk_tour_flyer_zps1e48a89d.jpg

After such an intense worldwide tour in support of their “Serpent Sermon” album, Marduk aren’t ready to leave the stage yet. They intend to march over Europe and play “Panzer Division Marduk” in full. Also, as “Those Of The Unlight” celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, Marduk have decided to play that entire album as well..

They invited Grave, Valkyrja and Death Wolf to storm the following cities in this back-to-the-past ride:

28.11.2013 (GER) Erfurt / Club From Hell
29.11.2013 (GER) Berlin / K17
30.11.2013 (GER) Bad Oeynhausen / Druckerei
01.12.2013 (DEN) Copenhagen / Pumpehuset
02.12.2013 (DEN) Aarhus / Voxhall
04.12.2013 (HOL) Utrecht / Tivoli De Helling
05.12.2013 (UK) London / Underworld
06.12.2013 (BEL) Leffinge / Devil’s Corner
07.12.2013 (GER) Essen / Turock
08.12.2013 (GER) Darmstadt / Steinbruch Theater
09.12.2013 (FR) Paris / Nouveau Casino
10.12.2013 (FR) Lyon / CCO
11.12.2013 (ITA) Turin / United
12.12.2013 (CH) Yverdon / L’Amalgame
13.12.2013 (CH) Dietikon / Stadthalle
14.12.2013 (ITA) Brescia / Circolo Colony
15.12.2013 (ITA) Bologna / Zona Roveri
16.12.2013 (SLO) Ljubljana / Gala Hala
17.12.2013 (A) Vienna / Escape Metalcorner
18.12.2013 (POL) Katowice / Mega Club
19.12.2013 (POL) Wrocław / Firlej
20.12.2013 (POL) Gdynia / Ucho
21.12.2013 (POL) Warszawa / Progresja

Marduk online:
www.marduk.nu
www.facebook.com/mardukofficial

Grave online:
www.grave.se
http://www.facebook.com/GraveOfficial

Death Wolf online:
www.deathwolf.net
http://www.facebook.com/deathwolfcult

Valkyrja online:
https://www.facebook.com/valkyrjaswe

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Marduk and Moonspell Announce North American Tour for 2013

Posted in News with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 23rd December 2012 by hammersmashedlauren

After the release of their newest album Serpent Sermon this last year, black metal band Marduk has announced that they will be coming back to North American for their Voices of the Dark tour with Moonspell as a co-headliner. With them will be Inquisition, The Foreshadowing, and Death Wolf as supporting bands. Below are a list of dates:

2/20 – Springfield, VA @ Empire
2/21 – Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
2/22 – Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
2/23 – New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
2/24 – Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
2/25 – Toronto, ON @ Wreck Room
2/26 – Millvale, PA @ Mr. Small’s Theatre
2/27 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s
2/28 – Saint Paul, MN @ Station 4
3/01 – Winnipeg, MB @ Osborne Village Inn
3/02 – Regina, SK @ The Exchange
3/03 – Edmonton, AB @ Pawn Shop
3/04 – Calgary, AB @ Dickens
3/05 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre
3/06 – Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
3/07 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
3/08 – Oakland, CA @ Oakland Opera House
3/09 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Vex
3/10 – Tempe, AZ @ 910 Live
3/11 – Albuquerque, NM @ TBC
3/12 – Dallas, TX @ Tomcats West
3/13 – San Antonio, TX @ Korova
3/15 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
3/16 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade

Before this tour, Marduk will be playing a few shows in Australia and New Zealand. They will also be headlining Deathkult Open Air in Germany and will also be playing Hellfest, With Full Force Open Air Festival, Brutal Assault Festival, and Summer Breeze Open Air Festival in the summer of 2013.

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NettleCarrier – NettleCarrier

Posted in Review with tags , , , , , , on 9th December 2012 by hammersmashedlauren

NettleCarrier
NettleCarrier
Released: 21st September, 2012
Black Metal
Released via Indie Recordings

With this album being NettleCarrier’s first full length album, they did a fantastic job at incorporating all the appropriate black metal elements into their music. The slow but heavy riffs paired with raspy, high-pitched screams made their music seemed ambient in a way but still fast enough to headbang to. However, as good as this album was, there was nothing that really stuck out to me as unique. It sounds like the same kind of black metal that has been made for years now. Not that there’s anything wrong with the way the album sounds, but it sounds just like everything else.

There are only seven songs on the self-titled album, each similar in length, quality, and delivery. After a while I felt like the entire album was just one, long song, and I could not differentiate between each one except for the few seconds of silence from when the tracks transitioned. If the tempo of a couple of the songs were sped up or slowed down even more just to give the album some variation, it would have been a lot more memorable and much easier to listen to.

Fans of black metal can definitely depict where this band has gained their influences from if they listen to the album carefully. The vocals, to me, sound very similar to Nattefrost [Carpathian Forest] and the instrumental composition of the album also sounds like Carpathian Forest paired with Marduk. Again, while this album was not poorly produced or written, it was just not memorable to me at all. Other than that, I thought the album as a whole sounded very well written and thought out, and I give this band credit for this being their first full length album. Hopefully their next album will have some differentiation to it and will sound a bit more personable rather than a carbon copy of all the other black metal that is out there today.

3.7/5

Lauren Gowdy

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Death Wolf reveal album artwork and track listing for

Posted in News with tags , , , , , on 5th December 2012 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Death Wolf, formerly known as Devils Whorehouse, the horror death rock project spearheaded by Marduk guitarist Morgan Håkansson, are set to release their new album II: Black Armoured Death globally in February 2013. The band have unveiled the artwork for their new album which beautifully captures the spirit of the band: pale, horrid and stripped down black punk.

II: Black Armoured Death will include 13 tracks with a huge variety in sound. Besides the Danzig-influenced material in the vein of the songs of Death Wolf’s self-titled debut album you also get some thrash-induced wrecking balls like the in-your-face cover song with its super-catchy chorus, Sudden Bloodletter or World Serpent. II: Black Armoured Death offers a huge and wide musical spectrum in its entirety and will surely be worth a listen for every fan of dark sinister punk rock with that certain metal edge.

II: Black Armoured Death tracklisting:
‘Noche De Brujas’
‘World Serpent’
‘Lord Of Putrefaction’
‘Darkness Of Hel’
‘Sudden Bloodletter’
‘Malice Striker’
‘Night Stalker’
‘Luciferian Blood Covenant’
‘Black Armoured Death’
‘Death Wolf March’
‘Little Black Angel’
‘Snake Mountain’
‘Rothenburg’

Also, on December 17th a limited edition 7" vinyl, entitled Bloodscent, including two brand new tracks will be released. It will be limited to only 500 hand-numbered copies worldwide.

Bloodscent tracklisting:
Side A:
Snake Mountain
Side B:
Sudden Bloodletter

More info on Death Wolf can be found at this location.

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Marduk Sign To Century Media

Posted in News with tags , , on 3rd November 2011 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Legendary Swedish black metal outfit Marduk have announced – via their official Facebook – that they have now signed to Century Media Records for a world wide deal. They also stated that they will enter the studio following the three week Hatefest Tour in December to record their twelfth studio album, which will be released in spring 2012. More news to follow.

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Behemoth – Demonica [2006/2011]

Posted in Review with tags , , , , , on 21st October 2011 by izaforestspirit

Band: Behemoth
Album: Demonica
Release year: 2006/2011
Genre: Black Metal

Before I begin I’d like to say that this album doesn’t actually contain new Behemoth material. It is a limited edition 2CD box-set, compilation consisting of old demos, covers and some previously unreleased tracks from Behemoth’s early days as a Black Metal band. These songs, like many of their demos, have been influenced by the bands from Second Wave of Norwegian Black Metal, notably Mayhem, Hellhammer and Darkthrone.

The result is 2CDs worth of wonderfully haunting, atmospheric Black Metal to reminiscent to that of early Emperor. Also present in the mix is a handful of fast-paced re-recorded tracks such as ‘Transylvanian Forest’ which are bound to attract the attention of fans of Marduk or Ragnarok; along with covers of Hellhammer’s ‘Aggressor’ and Mayhem’s ‘Deathcrush’.

The highlights include: the instrumental ‘Goat with a Thousand Young’, the relentless ‘Marduk-esque’ pummelling of ‘Transylvanian Forest’ , the eerily atmospheric ‘From Hornedlands to Lindisfarne’ and the melodic ‘Thy Winter Kingdom’. The two cover tracks reveal the lengths to which the band was prepared to go to sound like their idols. So whilst their version of ‘Deathcrush’ may have persuaded me to see Mayhem in a different light, the cover of ‘Aggressor’ has done little to make me consider listening to Hellhammer.

4.9/5

Iza Raittila

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