Norway – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Retro-review: Theatre of Tragedy – Velvet Darkness They Fear

Vicky

To start things on a more depressing note, this album is close to three decades of existence, being released in 1996. The year itself was absolutely remarkable for the Metal industry, with new material from My Dying Bride (Like Gods of the Sun), Opeth (Morningrise), Sepultura (Roots), Cradle of Filth (Dusk… and Her Embrace), Hypocrisy (Abducted), Type O Negative (October Rust), Rage (Lingua Mortis and then End of All Days), Therion (Theli), The 3^rdand the Mortal (Painting on Glass), Napalm Death (Diatribes), Pantera (The Great Southern Trendkill), and other albums that are less praised but also important for the Metal world, by Moonspell, Stratovarius, Tool, Warrant, Zakk Wylde, Marilyn Manson, Slayer, Slipknot, Staind, Stone Temple Pilots, and the band of Sakis and Themis Tolis. So, as you may notice, this was one of the best years to be alive.

Gloombound – Dreaming Delusion

Vicky

Errata before even starting this article: I got lost somewhere around the presence of bonus tracks and regular songs, so there might be a few errors in my review. The band we’re talking about today is Gloombound, from Norway. But, lucky for you, I’m not in the mood to discuss the endless stream of “trve”-ness that comes from their homeland again. Let’s keep things short, simple, and lovely.

Monograf – Occultation

Elyna Kahn

A strange yet charming combination of sinister sounds that evoke a creepy soundtrack, with encounters between 90s depressive Rock, Candlemass-style epic Doom, and depressive ambient, with hints of Celtic folk and an atmosphere reminiscent of a sunset walk through icy Nordic forests. All this unfolds on a tapestry that conveys innocence, tenderness, and a cosy feeling of peaceful pain, a kind of catharsis where loneliness and sadness become endearing companions who understand the shadows carried by the human soul. It is precisely what the Scandinavian band Monograph brings us with its new album, Occultation.

Green Carnation – A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia

Metalcatto

Enough of helping the little bands! Time to get some clout by reviewing one of my most anticipated releases of the year: Green Carnation. If you need to know what the band is capable of, check our article here. After an epic comeback in 2020, the band is ready to start a full album trilogy with A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia. Long title, right? But not as long as the music itself! So get ready, because we’re about to dive into a poetic and intense journey straight into your childhood traumas.

Connect The Circle – Wolf in the Sky

Metalcatto

If you’ve been following us for a bit, you might think I’m just a Death/Black type of Metalhead. However, my beginnings in the Metalsphere are closer to Prog than anything else—and I mean the joyful type, 90s Prog! Which is why Connect the Circle caught my attention right away. Wolf in the Sky not only promised to be conceptual (it’s about a volcanic eruption!), but also to deliver that lost sound with a fresher touch. Am I being nostalgic for once? Maybe, but it’s my blog and I’ll do what I want!

In The Woods…-Otra

It’s nothing new to say that In the Woods… is a band that has not only defied genre conventions but also done its own thing regardless of the times. Whether that worked or not is a subject for great discussion. However, I’m going to take the safe (chicken!) route and say that the band’s first three albums are classics—and then things changed (see, nobody’s hurt yet!). So, Otra is trying to get every Black/Prog/Avant-Garde Metalhead on board for once, and that’s a Herculean task. Is it even possible?

Robust – Robust

It’s been a while since we’ve tackled a proper dose of raw Black Metal – the kind that makes you want to rip your hair out and sends your cat scrambling under the bed. Normally, we let those rancid “true kvlt” promos pass by unnoticed, but every so often, something slithers out of the void that’s just too interesting to ignore. Enter Robust – Robust (yes, the album is as sturdy as its name suggests). Think the name lacks edge? Don’t worry, because this is about to plunge straight into the abyss.

Wardruna – Birna

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.

Svarttjern – Draw Blood

Stargazer Scholar

Let us play a little game, shall we? I’m going to name a subgenre of Metal and you will quickly come up with three associations it evokes. Ready? Just promise not to overthink it, OK? Great, I knew I could count on you!

And our genre is… ‘Black Metal!’

1349 – The Wolf and The King

Stargazer scholar

Norway’s 1349 has been consistent in proving that maintaining the unholy spirit of Black Metal doesn’t require stagnation. Starting out as self-professed adherents of a more traditionalist approach, the band has since explored Dark Ambient and Thrash, all without compromising its blackened credentials. While some of its work has been divisive—particularly the more experimental, droning side, which received mixed reactions from the genre’s more conservative audience—the band has pressed on with unfaltering zeal and grim determination. At this point in 1349‘s career, one thing is certain: the new opus is dark, uncompromising, and extreme. Its final form, however, remains to be seen, so let’s discover The Wolf and the King together.