Sweden – Page 5 – Metal Eclipse Reviews

Evergrey – Theories of Emptiness

Tell me something, do you feel sad? Do you feel neglected by a world that has denied you the right to be yourself? To spread your wings and fly beyond your somber prison, all without feeling rage? That’s a good description of what Evergrey represents to me, the prolific Power Metal band turned dark Heavy Metal. It’s been quite a trip since I discovered them via Recreation Day (oh! shouldn’t we retro-review that? It’s older than some countries now), but today we’re talking about Theories of Emptiness. Does it stack up to such a long and diverse discography, or will it leave you truly heartbroken? I hope you bring tissues because we’re punching you right in the feels today.

True kvlt: Shrouded in Darkness & Rot Fester

Today, we have more submissions from our followers. I must say, this was the first seriously formatted promotion I’ve received since the open application started, earning it a full review. Take note, kids! If you submit something clean and easy to read, people might give you nice things. Just a thought. Shall we begin?

Varices – The Undoing

Sometimes, as someone who spends way too much time listening to new music, you yearn for some sense of familiarity. You want change and innovation, but you also need comfort, just like dead grandma’s food would offer. Enter Varices – The Undoing, MeloDeath that promises to be reliable when it comes to delivering solid riffs, but let’s see how much of that is true.

True kvlt – Styrén, Carson, Trivan, Atomic Spitfire & Fata Morgana

Today, we have a special issue. We’ve received a ridiculous amount of underground submissions. This makes my black heart almost beat. However, some of the work we got is too short to demand a whole article. Hence, we’ve combined them in a format similar to this one. Anyway, have fun digging deep into the evil underground. The rapid-fire session starts now!

Hellbutcher – Hellbutcher

Don’t you ever feel that Black Metal is sometimes kind of stale? As if you’ve heard it all before? I don’t mean combined styles like Black/Folk, Black/Post, Blackened Death—those seem to be doing well. However, pure Black Metal can be more predictable than your morning routine. It’s almost as if there’s some edge lacking on the blade. Nifelheim was a project that understood this and added real excitement to this old formula. From its ashes rises Hellbutcher, a bit of a super band by Swedish standards (even if it’s technically a solo project). I know that “solo” and “super” at the same time might make you nervous, but should we give Hellbutcher the benefit of the doubt?

Crawl – Altar of Disgust

Crawl has been busy lately. Following a lively split with Feral, it’s clear that they’re riding the wave of the new generation of old-school Swedish Death Metal bands emerging from (surprise!) Sweden. So yes, this is an extended version of the retro Metal that many have been enjoying lately. However, instead of more Immolation, you get more Entombed in your mix. But we’re not here to talk about Crawl; we’re here to discuss Altar of Disgust and determine if it has something new to offer or if it ends up being a derivative endeavor.