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From the depths of the past arises this excellent edition of Darkthrone’s A Blaze In The Northern Sky, which still remains one of the most precious monuments of black metal history. Included is an extra DVD disc with Fenriz and… Continue Reading →
Debut EPs are a cruel spectator sport. Just enough to get you in a sweat but all too soon it’s over and then you have to decide who’s won and who’s lost. So often what sounds good in three tracks… Continue Reading →
There are some bands that manage to effortlessly evoke the good old days and, if those good old days were had in the back room of a random pub in Northern Germany listening to heavy metal cover bands, then Carbid!… Continue Reading →
Gloom rock merchants Antimatter have been around the block a few times so it will come as no surprise that this latest release is every much of the calibre we’ve come to expect. For the uninitiated, there have been two… Continue Reading →
Death metal is best played straight down the line and things do not get more straightforward than Turkey’s Engulfed. A band of no mean experience and formed by members of Decaying Purity and Burial Invocation, this is their first EP (25 minutes) and its as crushing a… Continue Reading →
It’s a Tuesday night in the freezing rain in grimy grubby bastard Highbury. Despite the less than salubrious surroundings The Garage is heaving, awash with leather-clad band members, scribbling journalists and even a reasonable horde of real-live Maiden t-shirted punters…. Continue Reading →
So what can a relatively new band bring to an already overcrowded folk metal field, other than more tin whistles played at break-neck speed? Well, fortunately, there is frankly so much dross that anything half-decent shines like a beacon in… Continue Reading →
War Possession were created in 2008 by members of Embrace of Thorns and Wargoat, along with Merciless Crucifixion’s singer, Vaggelis P. They have already released a demo called, simply, ”War”. ”Through The Ages” came out this year, which is their… Continue Reading →
The Devil is a strange beast indeed, consisting, according to this self-named album’s cover art at least – of six cowled and masked individuals. Fittingly there is no hint of a band website [is now, see below Ed] , no… Continue Reading →
Ahh, doom as it was meant to be – for me, at least. Cold, hard mournful guitars longing for an ancient Dionisyan (who am I to argue with the spelling?) decadence that has long since deserted this world. Ok, that… Continue Reading →
Silverthorn is one of the most anticipated power metal releases of the year so I’m not going to keep you hanging too long. Let’s just say that founder and guitarist Thomas Youngblood has wisely not messed with his tried and… Continue Reading →
It was 7.30 when the doors opened. I was exhausted by my weekly work, but this show deserved my labour. It was a one in a lifetime experience for me and there was no way I was missing it. But… Continue Reading →