Suffering so you don't have to!
Look at that art! Doesn’t it look desolate? Doesn’t it make you feel like Phrenelith is going to obliterate your ears so badly that you’ll actually start wearing earplugs at concerts (as a hearing expert, I highly recommend you do it anyway)? Ashen Womb promises what any Danish death metal album would: unfathomable agony and horror. But can it really stand out from the crowd? Let’s find out!
Pegah
“If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—forever.” ― George Orwell, 1984
Welcome back to another edition of our favorite section of the week: True Kvlt, where you send us your dungeon tapes, and we provide mostly constructive feedback—plus a few bad jokes to keep the audience engaged. Nothing too wild; after all, if you want to make it in the music world, you need to be ready to take a few punches from nameless creatures on the internet. Let’s dive in!
Elyna Kahn
It is the year of our Lord 2013. The world bid farewell to Nelson Mandela, the South African leader who championed the fight against apartheid and racial injustice. In Southeast Asia, Typhoon Haiyan wreaked havoc, claiming over 6,000 lives in the Philippines. Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, the tragic collapse of the Rana Plaza building resulted in more than 1,000 fatalities. Right, the Metal…
Pegah
Medusian, a Swedish symphonic Metal band, has unveiled its new EP Library, featuring seven tracks that each weave a distinct and engaging narrative. Themes range from mythology and revenge to personal experiences and identity, with each track telling its own story. The cover art captures a solitary figure in a vast library, ascending a staircase toward a glowing, blue-lit window—a symbol of life, prosperity, and an ideal state. Framed by rich purple curtains, this imagery evokes power and mystery, serving as a fitting visual metaphor for the EP’s thematic exploration.
Is January the month of Northern Folk, or what? I know Wardruna isn’t exactly a Metal band. If anything, it’s Metal in spirit. Either way, there’s a significant overlap between you, my dear readers, and people who enjoy this shamanic music. Birna is my latest attempt to leave my comfort zone and review something outside the usual themes of heads chopping or sadness spiraling into madness. Yet, it’s still rooted in nature and folklore, so it’s not entirely unfamiliar territory. Let’s see if Wardruna has delivered something satisfying or if we’re leaving this feast hungry.
Well, I guess this is what the people voted for on Instagram, and since I still believe in democracy (when it suits me), here we are. Honestly, I’ve been procrastinating on this review for a while. I’ve been into Saor since Aura, back when the project was limited by the constraints of being a one-person endeavor. Since then, I’ve enjoyed everything it’s released, even though Origins felt a bit predictable to me. That said, I’m willing to believe that Amidst the Ruins is exactly what Saor needs to continue its evolution. How much more Scottish can these guys get? Like, haggis Scottish? It seems impossible!
Ixone
Have you ever found yourself expecting a certain sound from an album, only to get something completely different—yet undeniably much better? This is what happened to me when I first heard Shagor’s Lyksalver. From my first glance at the album cover, I anticipated a claustrophobic, dense, avant-garde album. What I actually discovered, however, was a hidden gem of melodic Black Metal. With its epic yet melancholic atmosphere that will undoubtedly stir emotions—longing being the most prevalent—Lyksalver is a fun listen, packed with plenty of cool musical moments to savor.
Stargazer Scholar
Every genre has its stalwarts—the defining bands. Artists who pioneered the movement or managed to establish themselves as a beacon of quality for everyone aspiring to navigate similar sonic terrains. Poland’s Obscure Sphinx, with three excellent full-length albums and a few live releases under its belt, may be standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before, but the uncompromising, visceral talent of this Atmospheric Sludge Metal combo should have long ago earned it a place in the genre’s pantheon. But since the band, true to its name, remains underground, let me try to right this wrong by covering its newest mini-album.
It’s Sunday again, which means it’s time to shine a spotlight on our beloved followers and friends who send us their creations every week. We could be like any other site and toss these submissions in the trash, but we (perhaps naively) believe in your capacity to surprise us. These aren’t massive releases, but they often sound like they could be. Let’s dive in!
Metal Eclipse Reviews 