Suffering so you don't have to!
Metalcatto
It’s not every day we see something that claims to blend Post, Sludge, and even Prog elements to a level that makes me think Tooms – Karst (short words, I love it) is going to bring us excellent work or just something that will give us a depressing realization that nothing really matters in this cruel world devoid of mercy or fairness. Maybe I took that last part too far and ended up projecting some stuff, but let’s return to the Metal then. Shall we begin?
The other writers at MER Industries will have you believing that I’m all about Power Metal and old-fashioned Prog Metal, despite evidence like this and this to prove otherwise. However, I’ll admit it’s fun to joke about those styles. That said, sometimes a band comes along that makes me question my prejudices and encourages me to be more open-minded. Such is the case with Severed Angel’s When Eternity Ends. An album that promises traditional Prog Metal without making me feel like I’m betraying my Metalhead roots—but does it deliver? Stay with me!
Vicky
I have to mention that I’ve listened to this album about twenty times in the past week or so, which means that I’ve had time to view it from various different angles. The first thing you may notice is the album cover, which resembles something you might see in The Lord of the Rings. However, you probably understand from the beginning that we are talking about something that Frodo Baggins probably wouldn’t listen to on his way to Mordor.
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!
Metalcatto
For the real elitists, Prog is the superior kind of music (I suspect they have no experience with microtonal music, though. That’s the real deal!). I could say that Prog has many faces and all that nonsense I end up saying for every style, but in this list, I tried to go exactly for that. Each one of these albums is a different take on the shreddy mess Prog can be. Shall we begin?
Halloween is almost here, and for all those into Metal, that means it’s time to celebrate. It doesn’t matter if you’re in Iowa or Ulaanbaatar. If there’s an excuse for a Metalhead to dress up and indulge in melodramatic obsessions with the obscure and occult, they’ll take it. So, today, we’re diving into two releases coming out this October 31st. Let’s see if they fit the vibe—but let’s be real, you’re always in the mood for something decadent and evil, aren’t you? I thought so.
Stargazer scholar
Some bands deserve more than a simple review. Some albums deserve an elegy. It is well-nigh impossible to give a verbal description to the whirling tangle of emotions they evoke, but this is why music exists in the first place – to channel sentiments that evade other mediums of expression. In a hopeless attempt to perceive the divine machinery of art, we can only aspire to arouse curiosity in others with the humble means at our disposal. And it is with this hope that I bid you welcome to the world of Iotunn‘s Kinship.
The stressful life of a reviewer leads to many tragic mistakes. Some come in the form of missing releases or forgetting about newer acts. Hence, I’m here attempting to sink the ocean with my ship’s cannons (totally pointless, yes) and give attention to some of the many bands that hit MER’s mailbox every day. It’ll never be over, but consider this a futile act of redemption. Rarely have we seen such a strange constellation of bands in the same article, which is always fun, right? Say yes!
Maybe we’ll do this more often—giving acts from the deep underground a full platform, as long as they send stuff in advance. Bragging Rights (the name cracks me up) is a project that, by looking at its cover art, you’d think was satirical. I wasn’t quite sure if this meant the album was going to be deeply serious or just troll me harder than this. Either way, I came in with a better disposition than usual because I was on vacation and felt like humanity deserved a chance again (I can’t wait for them to let me down…). Alright, let’s see what Small Gods puts on the table.
Welcome to Retro-Reviews, a space where I indulge in my own nostalgic reveries, reminiscing about a time that never truly existed, but one that I’ve crafted through various random albums that hold significance for me. Whether good or bad, one thing is certain: remembering can be a bittersweet journey.
Metal Eclipse Reviews 