A solo project from darkest Athens, Fell Omen is the brainchild of Greek multi-instrumentalist Spider Of Pynx (a.k.a. Dimitris Corax Augoustinos). A combination of old-school Metal, Dungeon Synth, Punk and classic Black Metal, Caelid Dog Summer (True Cult Records) is the band’s second album, their first, Invaded by a Dark Spirit, only landing in February of this year. A busy little Black Metal bee indeed.Continue reading
“Danish Folk Metal.” That was the promise. Svartsot delivered on the promise. Delivered splendidly. I’m not sure if Ghost Cult Magazine has a Danish-speaking reviewer on staff, because the thing’s not in English. There might be a song or two in English, but the vocals are gutteral-grunt incoherent-style Metalcore. So, after a brief discussion of the rather complicated story of this concept album about a Thirteenth Century Crusader, I’ll spend the rest of this talking about the music of Peregrinus (Mighty Music).Continue reading
Lord of the Lost is back with OPVS NOIR Vol. 1 (Napalm Records) which is a grandiose take on Metal that feels like it’s gotten bigger this time around. Midway into the opening track, you can hear how they ae moving up the bill on European festivals with this album. This album comes on the heels of opening slots for Iron Maiden, which forced them to step up their game. They have not dumbed things down for an American audience, so you are either into this or you are not. Yes, the harsher vocals might appeal a little more to Western audiences, but they’re only one aspect.
When it comes to musical acts, Eluveitie is a bit of an anomaly.
Created nearly twenty-five years ago, the Melodic Folk Metal band has a literal laundry list of former members and only has one musician who has been there since day one. Yet despite these factors usually causing the act to fizzle out, it instead enabled Eluveitie to constantly reinvent themselves while also somehow retaining a very clear and very likeable common thread.Continue reading
This record is BIG. Titans is suitably apropos for Manntra‘s Napalm Records debut. Titanic in size and scope. Billed as “Croatian Folk Metal,” the “folk” element is a much smaller element than, say Tengger Cavalry. This thing is an NWOBHM/ Power/Symphonic Metal tour de force (emphasis firmly on “force”.) Even the cover is huge: Lord of the Rings meets Templar Knights in a pitched battle.Continue reading
After the dust settled, PATRIARKH emerged to carry on the legacy of Batushka. They take their sound to loftier places on ПРОРОК ИЛИЯ (Napalm Records). There is a more grandiose nature to the sound this album unveils. It leans more in the direction of symphonic black metal. Rather than being bolstered by a string section, they have incorporated an array of lush Eastern European sounds. This brings an almost Dead Can Dance vibe to the sonic tapestry putting them closer to what Rotting Christ does than Behemoth.Continue reading
CMPT weaves an impressive atmosphere on Na utrini (Osmose Productions). The Balkan black metal band sets themselves apart from the pack by not just going full blast in your face. Not falling victim to the sophomore slump, the band is assured in what they are doing here. The choked rasp of the vocals to the most prominent element to ground the band in his sub-genre. It moves along with an eerie creep. It’s not until the second song that the drummer begins to push for more momentum, This restraint is their strength, as there is no shortage of Black Metal bands out there still trying to bleed blast-beats from the late nineties era sound, that find too much conformity coming from a misanthropic genre. Here the guitars tap into the trademark metallic buzz of black metal, but the band has already set the stage for a wider range of dynamics, making this a more well-balanced listen.Continue reading
Since their self-titled release back in 2001, Finnish epic Folk Metal storytellers Ensiferum have been seamlessly blazing a trail despite a myriad of lineup changes, and have done so on a frankly regular schedule. Continue reading
On paper, a band from Italy dubbed as “Dwarf Metal” may have you scratching your head. Yet when you listen to Wind Rose, it just works and it just makes sense. The quintet from the Tuscany region takes the festive feel of Folk Metal and the playfulness from Power Metal to create this fantastical new genre. Their unique merry-making is greatly contagious and explains why they are rapidly growing in popularity. They are now getting ready to release their sixth full-length record, Trollslayer (Napalm Records) that advances the band’s well-known jovial sound. They have managed to take all their best features, importantly multiple songs about beer, and compiled it all into this new album.Continue reading
The illustrious Nordic act, Týr brought their Battle Ballads headlining tour to North America and Motor City was one of their stops. The band is out promoting their new full-length album bringing along Trollfest, Æther Realm, and The Dread Crew of Oddwood with them. This highly anticipated month-long run designated the Sanctuary in Hamtramck, a neighboring borough of Detroit, to share all their fabulous folk festivities with.Continue reading