Suffering so you don't have to!
Vicky & Metalcatto
The time has come for me to let the fresher blood take care of an entire True kvlt article. Don’t cry—I’ll probably be back to do most of the heavy lifting next week. It’s not my fault that you readers and musicians have made a habit of directly contacting my writers to cut the line (it doesn’t work that way!). I don’t mind; it means I get to work less. So, without further ado, Vicky has some opinions today.
Cradle of Filth is a band that you probably already love or hate—there’s no in-between. Say what you want, but these romantic vampires don’t leave anyone indifferent. Yet, for me, the craziest thing about the band is how it went from being more washed-up than Ali in the ’80s to having a second prime in its later years. I can’t think of any other band that has pulled off such a comeback in the last decade. So, ironically, I did have high expectations for The Screaming of the Valkyries.
I guess it was about time to return to Symphonic Black Metal. I mean, isn’t this what we all want every week? But in reality, these releases are few and far between. Enter Belnejoum, a project that, despite having one main writer, features collaborations from all corners of the Metalsphere (Fleshgod Apocalypse, Nile, Annihilator, to name a few). Dark Tales of Zarathustra—a title that instantly takes me back to my teenage years, lost in Nietzsche and Sartre books (what? I had a lonely and pretentious childhood!). So, how about we dive into the depth of this album?
We’re back with what the tide brought in over the last few days. It was an intense release week, but was it equally intense in the deep underground department? Today, we have a lot of familiar faces, but each brings something unique to the table. Because, let’s face it, most of you aren’t satisfied with not getting paid for one project—you have to juggle several. Nothing but respect for that, I’ll just say. Now, let’s dive in!
Enough procrastinating! It’s time to finish what we started a few days ago by giving our “expert” opinion on Imperial Triumphant’s Goldstar. We even made a top to celebrate this occasion. If that doesn’t tell you how pumped I am for this release, then I don’t know what else to do for you. No need for long intros—we all know Imperial Triumphant is one of the most Avant-Garde bands of the last ten years. Not many can compete with the level of urban horror these guys conjure up, but as a huge fan, I’m nervous! Can you blame me?
Metalcatto
The people have spoken, and we started a new section, filled with hunger and ambition—but let’s see how it goes. Imperial Triumphant is the definition of a band of rich kids that went to art school. Nothing wrong with that, because I’m a huge fan! In fact, IT is New York’s response to French Avant-Garde/Black Metal hegemony, and as much as I love that scene (despite its controversies), who the fudge wants to be ruled by the French? Let’s start this countdown as a celebration of the upcoming release Goldstar.
Stargazer Scholar
The wind sighs, and the forest weeps, oblivious and wise. The wind howls, and the snowfall turns into a blizzard. The icy tears mourn no human tragedy; the wooden limbs feel no fleeting warmth. Slowly, painfully, an exhausted wanderer labors through endless snowdrifts. It won’t be long before he succumbs to the freezing clutches of death, but for now he trudges on, all sense of direction and purpose lost. It won’t be long before he finally lies down and stares at the crisscrosses of black crooked branches barely discernible through the shimmering veil of white. It won’t be long before the forest stares back, indifferent and majestic…
Pegah & Metalcatto
It’s another session of Weekly Rapid Fire! Some of our readers sent us stuff, and we’ve been through the pain… I mean, the joy of listening to it live and then writing a paragraph or two so the hungry masses can quench their thirst for brutality for another 20 seconds. That’s not much, but it’s something. Alright, let’s get started—I don’t have all day!
It’s a difficult task to define what type of Metal Dawn of Ouroboros likes to play. There seems to be a constant exchange between Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, and Djent loudness values, all going hand in hand with songwriting that sometimes mimics more commercial acts. Hence, I was both puzzled and excited to jump into its newest release, Bioluminescence. Rarely has an album name been more fitting for the level of colorful chaos this album is about to throw at us. But is it good stuff, or are we going to feel overwhelmed by so much glitter?
Abduction is clawing its way up the food chain, ready to become a recognized name in the underground—not just lurking in the depths of the scene. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes the band unique since you can feel influences from all areas of Black Metal. However, Existentialismus (what’s with that name? Seriously!) proves that the band at least has the ambition to become the next hot thing in Black Metal. The real question now is: does it have what it takes? Stick with this sinister trip to find out.
Metal Eclipse Reviews 