Árstíðir lífsins – Aldrlok

When it comes to Black and Post Metal, Iceland is a force to be reckoned with. In fact, I’ll probably write a blog entry about it in the future, even though these lovely people sort of beat me to it long ago. To put it briefly, it’s Metal that sounds like a volcano erupting in the darkest place on Earth, while you hide in a cave with freezing temperatures. Árstíðir lífsins is one of the many exponents of the style, but with the difference that it takes the Icelandic formula to its ultimate end. With a discography already filled with enigmatic poetry, where does Aldrlok fit in? Well, you’re in luck today.

Summoner’s Circle – Cult

As the proud leader of my own cult, which you can join at any time, I’m interested in any research or art that helps me expand my paws around the corrupt world. Hence, when Summoner’s Circle came out with a new release named Cult, I had to investigate it to see if it offered me new tools that would increase my chances for world domination. Keep reading, and you’ll find out.

LanzerRath / Shroud of Despondency- Split

Today, we’re going to be talking a lot about space. I can’t recall when in my life this happened, but now every sub-genre of Metal needs to have a handful of bands that explore space from all sorts of directions. So, what better way to celebrate our obsession with this nerdy subject than by reviewing LanzerRath / Shroud of Despondency‘s latest Split? It almost escaped me, but I managed to catch the promo before it withered away in my email box. So, shall we?

Aquilus – Bellum II

You might be wondering why I’m writing a review for Aquilus‘s newest release, Bellum II, at this late stage. It’s not typical behavior for the catto. But you see, forming an opinion about Bellum II isn’t as straightforward as just listening to it once. There are layers to this mammoth of an album. My real question was whether it could even hold a candle to Griseus, the subgenre standard. Let’s find out!

Ceremony of Silence – Hálios

Slovakian Metal might seem alien to you, just as it would to me if I hadn’t visited Slovakia. There isn’t much to say about the country—great food, impressive castles, but the customer service can be terrible. This deadly combination almost begs for the creation of interesting heavy music. So, you might wonder if I’m writing this review in advance to gain a competitive edge. Well, yes and no. Ceremony of Silence is my kind of band, and just a glimpse of the cover art of Hálios makes me salivate more than free food at a boring conference.

Trails of Anguish – Scathed Gaping Misery

What were you thinking about a few hours ago? Maybe, like me, you found yourself pondering how things might have unfolded differently if you hadn’t eaten that extra meal, or if you had managed to squeeze in an extra hour of sleep. Were you, perhaps, reflecting on your life choices? Because, with the imminent release of Trails of Anguish‘s new album, Scathed Gaping Misery, it seems to vividly capture the essence of things that could have been, but never quite materialized.