Suffering so you don't have to!
Metalcatto
Here at MER, we’re diehard fans of Thy Catafalque. Not many projects have managed to remain so strange, creative, and unapologetically loyal to themselves over the last few decades. You never really know what you’re going to get from this man, but somehow, the formula is always there. So, with nothing but high expectations, I approach XIII: Sága edó. It would be a shame if this thing disappointed me harder than the current state of world politics, right?
Metalcatto
This is a tough one. There are few bands more respected and loved than Enslaved in our colourful little community. However, I haven’t been genuinely happy with the band’s output since Axioma Ethica Odini. Well, though Riitiir was pretty good, but surely we can still have some hope for Mið. It’s Enslaved, after all. They should be able to sell us a convincing story and take us somewhere interesting, right? Let’s go, pagans! There are wars to lose out there!
Metalcatto
One of our readers asked us for an honest assessment of their new single, Lost Guardian (I wonder where he is). This is the latest offering from an Italian Power Metal project, and although there are currently no plans for a full-length album, an EP should be coming soon. So, if you Power Metal nerds are looking for something to throw your money at, keep an eye out. Those are your options for now. Alright, let’s embark on this dramatic journey!
Metalcatto
Wolves in the Throne Room had the disgraceful luck of releasing a genre-defining album early in their career. Yes, we’re talking about Two Hunters. Ever since that peak, the band has truly struggled to capture my attention. So, Estuary has a titanic task ahead of it: break the pattern or give us even more of the same stuff we’ve been getting for the last 20 years. I have zero faith, guys. Just saying.
Metalcatto
Eclectic is a great adjective to describe whatever Mental Cruelty is doing. Back in the day, I reviewed Zwielicht for another website. I liked it, so I’m excited to see whether the band has changed on Echoes of a Forlorn Land or remains the same. The guys have now mixed Nordic mythology into their sound. Does that mean this is Viking Deathcore? Truly horrifying. Let’s start.
Metalcatto
It’s time for some SHRED!!! Void Sector Zero is nothing but a supergroup, featuring members of Necrophagist, Obscura, and Revocation and many more bands. There’s no way this album is going to be a walk in the park. Chances are, you’ll never be able to learn these songs, let alone sing along. The real question is whether these guys are going to blow us out of the water or completely bore us with an excessive onslaught of notes on Dead Space Enigma. I’m nervous!
Metalcatto
II’m always a bit skeptical of one-man projects, unless they’re Dan Swanö. It’s like a race car with no brakes. However, this is a Post-Metal project, which makes me believe. I want to get my heart broken listening to this stuff. I want Torii to surprise me, because with an album named Despaire, the least I can expect is to relive those moments of loss, right?
Metalcatto
IIt’s strange, to say the least, to find a Black Metal band with an album named Dystopolis. You’d think this was some sad Post-Metal record that makes you want to stare at the wall on a rainy day, but no! We have our decadent and drunken riffs back and forth from Seid, or so I thought when I read the promo. Perhaps I’ve misjudged the situation, though. Stay with me!
Metalcatto
Sometimes, a cat needs a break from all the goat sounds and drum farting. Something a little closer to home, perhaps. Lumsk is giving us a mix of Prog and Norwegian Folk, which is a pretty daring combination when you consider that one genre is about keeping things simple and the other is about making everything unnecessarily complicated. How could Einsemda possibly work, then? That’s why you’re here: to find out if these people can actually pull it off!
Metalcatto
I was almost sure Lugubrious Garment was just another Death Metal band trying to make a living off our nostalgia for dirty riffs and crusty production. Even the artwork for In the Wide Vale of Uncreated Night screams rancid riffs 24/7, with little else besides rage and bad decisions. Maybe they’ll surprise us, maybe they’ll disappoint us, but who cares? Ah, right. I should. Let’s get to it.
