April 2025 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Vildhjarta – + där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar +

Metalcatto

It’d be a total understatement to say that Vildhjarta is a strange band. How can I explain it? You know how Meshuggah plays convoluted rhythms, but somehow there’s always a 4×4 groove going on in the drums? Well, forget about that here and get ready to embrace absolute rhythmic chaos — + där skogen sjunger under evighetens granar + is. I know, that name looks like main effects in a linear model (this is my nerdiest joke to date, I’m so proud!), but that only makes me more excited. We’re here to be surprised, right?

Amalekim – Shir Hashirim

Stargazer Scholar

The last thing we need is to add another branch to the ever-spreading tree of Heavy Metal subgenres. Yet I can’t help but think that many bands emerging over the last decade would fall neatly under the umbrella of Cathartic Black Metal. Something must have shifted in our perception of the world, and instead of the ever-venomous, devilish malice of the cold second wave, we arrived at a different kind of darkness. Bands like Mephorash, Mgła, or Schammasch spearheaded a more comprehensive approach to Black Metal, blending the cosmic and the personal in one existential cauldron. These bands may be different in their aesthetic direction and the subject matter of their lyrics, but the underlying urgency of their craft and the strength of emotions they evoke in the listener somehow make them a part of a movement.

Happy Birthday, MER — You’re Strong Enough to Walk Now

Metalcatto

Please indulge me in a little experimental writing here!

Ghost – Skeletá

Metalcatto

Despite my undying love for my local (Swedish) scene, Ghost has always been a tricky one for me. I even contemplated skipping Skeletá because the album isn’t even Metal. In fact, sometimes I wondered if it was even Rock, or just Pop/Rock. I’ll say it without hesitation: the band hasn’t truly had my attention since Meliora — that was its peak performance, and after that, it’s been hit or miss. So, I have no illusions of being impressed with this new release. Yet, here I am, giving it a chance.

Ornamentos del Miedo – Vacio Como El Tronco De Un Arbol Muerto

Pegah

Sometimes, you don’t need to understand the language to feel the music. That’s exactly how I felt listening to Vacío como el tronco de un árbol muerto, the newly released album by Ornamentos del Miedo. Founded in late 2017 by Ángel Chicote in Burgos, Spain, Ornamentos del Miedo is a one-man Funeral Doom/Death Metal project that delves deep into themes of melancholy, existential dread, and sorrow. After the breakup of his former band, Graveyard of Souls, Chicote set out to craft slow, atmospheric compositions marked by mournful guitar melodies and deeply philosophical lyrics.

True kvlt special: Bragging Rights – A Personal Curse

Metalcatto

In reviewing—like in science—we should disclose any conflicts of interest (you think Big Pharma pays me/us to promote meds? I wish…), but I digress. The point is that after I reviewed Bragging Rights‘ previous outlet—which, of course, I forgot to include in our list of best cover arts of the year—we’ve developed a friendly rapport that could ruin my objectivity as a reviewer. Which is why this review is going to be a satirical endeavor.

Tetramorphe Impure – Sunset of Being

Pegah

Tetramorphe Impure is a one-man Funeral Doom/Death Metal act based in northern Italy, led by multi-instrumentalist Damien. Originally formed in 2006 as a trio, the project eventually became Damien’s personal outlet. Musically, Tetramorphe Impure blends the crushing heaviness of Funeral Doom with the raw force of Old-School Death Metal and the somber textures of early Doom-Death. After a long period rooted in the underground scene, the project finally unveiled its first full-length album, The Sunset of Being.

A Flock Named Murder – Incendiary Sanctum

Milo Lane

A surefire way to pique my interest is to record one song and call it an album. However, not many things can be Dopesmoker or Crimson. A slightly more realistic move in today’s age of thirty-second attention spans is to put four humongous songs next to each other and call them an album. And in A Flock Named Murder – Incendiary Sanctum‘s case, I found it quite hard to lose focus.

Eluveitie- Ànv

Metalcatto

Those who’ve been following this blog know that pure Folk Metal usually makes me want to puke my lunch into a see-through bucket. However, I’m a professional, and when I got Eluveitie‘s Ànv on short notice, I decided to suck it up and see if the band could finally click with me. Full disclosure: I still think Slania is not only the album to beat in this discography but also a high point for Folk Metal as a genre. With that unfair bar set ridiculously high, it’s time to jump into this journey to the ancients—devoid of toilet paper, of course.

Cancer – Inverted World

Metalcatto

Cancer needs no introduction. It’s been here since the dawn of Metal, and with a name like that, it really limits my ability to make sick jokes—more limited than your insurance coverage (laughs in European!). Anyway, the OG is known for being what I like to call a “missing link” band—as in, it feels like the evolutionary step between Thrash and Death Metal. It’s impossible to forget classics like To the Gory End or Death Shall Rise, but how does Inverted World compare to those? Stay with me to find out!