Tag Holland
Sometimes it’s good to take a punt on something new. Usually I get the death / thrash / grind stuff to review (avoiding anything ‘prog’ like it’s a saltwater crocodile with AIDS ……..and a flick knife) but whether it was… Continue Reading →
Opening with a wall of shuddering feedback, quickly followed by a storm of angry black metal blasting – what a great way to introduce yourself to a new listener! No pissing around with acoustic intros, fannying around with effects or… Continue Reading →
Two years ago I received an album with sublime, orange artwork and music to make my ears bleed. The band: Holland’s Entrapment or, more precisely, Michel Jonker’s Entrapment. Predominantly a one-man project, he, with a little help from some friends… Continue Reading →
“Pushing The Envelope”. On the surface a strange phrase, but something I often say that Epica do with their Symphonic Metal genre – so I thought I’d better check exactly what it means; To attempt to extend the current… Continue Reading →
Yes that is right, in one of the craziest bands not on a label situations I can think of in recent times this is indeed self-released. I had the pleasure of interviewing singer Marcela just after they parted ways with… Continue Reading →
Sometimes a band starts off well and goes down a path that seems correct at the time, but three albums down the line they start to sound constricted, trapped and a little unoriginal. That, for me, was Delain. Stuck with… Continue Reading →
Active since 1998, this Dutch entity now finds itself in rather a unique position. Not only does it boast two members of the much missed God Dethroned amongst its ranks but one of whom is Mr Dethroned himself, Henri ‘the… Continue Reading →
Well this is all a bit gutting! A quick bit of research before reviewing this has delivered one hell of an unexpected surprise and not an entirely good one. Firstly it appears the band snuck an album out completely under… Continue Reading →
The interesting and talented recent crop of retro-rock/metal bands is a lush one indeed. Though Dutch 3 piece Birth Of Joy are new to me they have been steadily building a healthy following since their inception in 2005. “Prisoner” (album… Continue Reading →
There are some types of music, sub-genres of metal in particular it seems, that either really turn people on or put them off completely. The highly bombastic and overblown metal on display here may indeed have a polarising effect on… Continue Reading →
Oops! This album was apparently out on Redfield Digital early December 2013, but due to assorted factors beyond my control becomes my first written review of 2014; such is the topsy turvy world of underground metal, a whole multiverse away… Continue Reading →
Before becoming Legion Of The Damned this act operated under the name of Occult, releasing five albums between 1994 and 2003. While their brand of thrashy/death/black metal was energetic enough it failed to elevate the band beyond their underground status…. Continue Reading →