Archive: Unearthing the Metal Underground Columns
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Unearthing the Metal Underground: Contaminated
The land Down Under is more than what you see in the movies. But with that said, it really is defined by great deserts, vast plains, wetlands and other challenging elements that humans have had to confront. This topographical backdrop lends itself to Australia’s rugged spirit. And this, in turn, has manifested through the nation's revered and absolutely unhinged death metal scene that was forged by the likes of Sadistik Exekution and Mortification. More recently, there’s been a relatively younger kid on the block who has been making noise. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Funeral Winds
Funeral Winds has been swinging its battle axe for over thirty years, rising up from the Netherlands but sounding as though they came straight from the netherworld. One “Hellchrist Xul” is the only original member remaining. The vocalist/guitarist is seemingly the only full-fledged member at all, in the sense that other musicians are employed on a session basis. Now, in the final days of the first month of the new year, Funeral Winds is set to release its eighth full-via France’s legendary Osmose Productions. “333” is an eight-song platter of tried-and-true, lo-fi black metal that’s consistent with the band’s established sound. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: King Yosef
Portland’s King Yosef hasn’t been doing too shabby. He released his album ”An Underlying Hum” and toured with Converge, to give you an idea. The fiery artist has hit the ground running in the new year, having just self-released his new song "Cut the Cord” on January 12. The track is a hefty slab of modern hardcore fused with industrial clanging and coldness. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Crucible
Trends come and go, but classic heavy metal has stood the test of time. Some of our metal gods came from Denmark, the young upstarts in Mercyful Fate, including frontman King Diamond of course, and none other than Lars Ulrich. Fast forward to 2024, a few young Danes are proudly waving the flag of heavy metal with their demo "The Savage Weapon," which caught the attention of From The Vaults who are releasing it on January 26. With "The Savage Weapon,” the trio —guitarists Jon Brogård and Thomas Carnell (Impalers), and vocalist Phillip Butler (Pectora)—worships at the altar of traditional metal with so much passion and energy that you can almost smell the denim and leather that they’re wearing. More...
Unearthing The Metal Underground: White Death
The Scandinavian countries most commonly associated with black metal are Sweden and, of course, Norway. But Finland has been a vibrant wellspring of quality black metal since the early years. Just consider Beherit, for instance. In more recent years, White Death has been rumbling forth for a decade with an impressive and vile take on black metal that’s both unique in identity and also recognizably Finnish. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Sad
Greece has birthed numerous classic black metal bands for decades. We’re talking about bands like Rotting Christ, Necromantia, Varathron and Zemial. While this week’s featured band isn’t quite as high caliber as the aforementioned heavy hitters, the Hellenic entity known as Sad has consistently released quality tried-and-true, tortured black metal for nearly 20 years. The duo, comprised of multi-instrumentalist Ungod and vocalist Nadir, is set to unleash its eighth album. Purity Through Fire will release its negative, bleak effort “Black Metal Craft” on December 23, just in time for the holidays... More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Nebelkrahe
Germany has been the home of noteworthy black metal for years, ranging from the more conventional stylings of Nagelfar to the absolutely odd-ball, left-field approach of Tsatthoggua or the more atmospheric and doom-driven material from The Ruins of Beverast. For nearly 20 years, Nebelkrähe has been challenging themselves and what black metal can be. Initially more raw and straightforward, while their early material was good, it was definitely more pedestrian. Over time, an inclination for being more expansive and experimental took hold. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Silva
Silva, a melodic blackened death metal band from Minneapolis, is the brainchild of one Taylor Haagensen who has chopped his teeth previously as a main member of Defiled Christ. To be perfectly blunt and honest, Silva isn’t anything new by any means. It isn’t fierce, but not every band needs to be Blasphemy. Their value presents itself because of the unit’s interesting approach, one that’s certainly competent and exciting with a child-like curiosity. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Black Grail
Chilean black metal deviants Black Grail have been praising the dark lord for nearly 20 years. The Santiago-based trio has several recordings that have bubbled up from the abyss, the “VIIII” EP from last year being their most recent effort. Last month saw the release of Black Grail’s 2015 debut album, “Misticismo regresivo,” on cassette for the first time. The re-release breathes new life into the album’s impressive seven songs that are worthy of being in the spotlight. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Deadly Carnage
Deadly Carnage has been marching forth for nearly 20 years. The Italian ensemble’s earliest of days were rooted in truly primitive black metal, including gems like the 2006 demo “Noise of War, Noise of Doom” and the more melodious 2008 debut album “Decadenza” that foreshadowed the metamorphosis ahead. Deadly Carnage transformed into a post-black metal band that at times sounds more Opeth than black metal at all. They’re now poised to release their fifth full-length, “Endless Blue,” digitally September 15 and as an LP on December 15 via ATMF’s sub-label, A Sad Sadness Song. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Fulanno
Argentina’s Fulanno has been slugging away, at a dreary, doom pace, for years. Since its formation in 2010, the stoner doom outfit has released an EP, a couple of full-lengths, and a split with the new-is sludge outfit The Crooked Whispers last year. The Coronda, Santa Fe-based unit is set to release its third full-length on September 15 through Helter Skelter Productions/Regain Records. “Ruido Infernal” is tried-and-true stoner doom that balances that fine line between cocky swagger and that uncertain perception of what lies ahead in life. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: The Rite
The international outfit The Rite, bridging musicians from Denmark and Italy, is an interesting band in that it isn’t exceptional at any given moment. Yet their captivating nature becomes obvious when analyzed and consumed holistically. While seemingly conventional on the surface, the depth of the band’s black/doom approach becomes apparent once one has listened to the entirety of any of its releases since its inception in 2017. Marching forward with determination, the prolific ensemble is set to release its second long player today. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Luring
Germany’s legendary war/black/death label Iron Bonehead has yet again sniffed out a worthy outfit that deserves attention of dark metal maniacs. Luring’s software effort, “Triumphant Fall of the Malignant Christ” is set for release September 1. The Pennsylvanian outfit has been fairly active on the recording front, spouting its blackened hymns since 2018, issuing a couple of demos and one album, 2022’s “Victory Fires Ablaze Under the Banner of Lucifer” thus far. The unit’s approach is far from original, but it’s devotion to classic second-wave black metal, delivered with a variation of doom and mid-pace, strikes a chord by virtue of its end-of-the-world essence. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Waldgeflüster
Germany’s Waldgeflüster initially came to be as the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Winterherz nearly 20 years ago. In time, Winterherz then drafted in his brother and eventually a full band that has been quite active and known, to say the least. While they surprisingly reached the 49th position on Germany’s album charts with their sixth album “Dahoam,” they remain virtually unknown to the global black metal community. With their upcoming mini-album
“Unter bronzenen Kronens,” set for release on 29 by AOP Records, that could change considering the album's impressive blend of melancholic black metal and melodic metal that's somewhat in the vein of Katatonia. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Formless Oedon
Younger bands that draw inspiration from relatively traditional, classic strands of death metal continue to pop up across the globe. While the Filipino unit Formless Oedon was born in 2019, head honcho Rozel apparently re-ignited the project that he initially envisioned five years earlier. Finally integrating musicians that he felt were sufficiently dedicated, the band self-released its cutthroat four-song EP “Deathless Luminosity” in 2020. And now, the quartet is poised to unleash its first long-player, “Streams of Rot,” on July 24 via Memento Mori. More...
Countess Erzsebet
One Rachel Ann Roomian, (aka Rachel Bloodspell Moongoddess; aka Rachel Rotten), formerly of Cardinal Wyrm, Depressor and Xasthur, previously forwarded her solo project under the moniker Erzsebet and digitally released the impressive “Black Spell”. She returns now as a solo artist with the slightly renamed Countess Erzsebet. The multi-talented musician boasts a considerably diverse background, having been a porno actress as well as a psychiatric nurse. Rachel’s new release, straightforwardly entitled “Countess Erzsebet,” set for self-release on July 28, proves to be as intriguing as her eclectic backstory. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Shepherds Reign
The Polynesian unit Shepherds Reign has been around for a while, and in truth, their very modern, accessible metalcore style typically wouldn’t be covered by yours truly. What caught my attention, however, isn’t the overt “exotic” factor of delivery and image. The band’s passion is simply undeniable. There’s a sincerity that’s simply jaw-dropping. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Sludge Keeper
Poland’s Selfmadegod Records has maintained a high standard for years. So it’s with little surprise, then, that one of the label’s newest bands, Sludge Keeper, is jaw-dropping on many levels. The Italian death metal band’s debut album, “Slough Of Despair,” set for release on Friday, July 14, is jarring and violent yet extremely well-composed and atmospheric. A recent press release is daring in bringing up points of reference that include Hate Eternal, Morbid Angel, Internecine and Vitriol. But the comparisons are legitimate. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Rockin' Engine
There is no question that Canada’s Rockin’ Engine champions the playful side of heavy metal. The modern heavy metal band clearly embraces the roots of metal as it pushes itself to create something relatively new with a confident and theatrical flair. The Ottawa, Ontario-based quartet is set to self-release “Altered By Evil” on July 8. It’s a six-song, high-energy EP that’s just as succinct in purpose and impact as it is intricately composed. More...
Unearthing the Metal Underground: Speedwhore
Germany’s Speedwhore, known as Speed Whore up until 2013, has been vomiting its filthy blackened thrash since 2006. With clear intent, the unit isn’t bringing anything new to the table at all. The quartet has always championed tried and true, nasty cuts that are as in line with the style that fans would want. Aura Noir is an immediate reference point, as well as OG masters Slayer, going back to the legendary California band’s earliest period, that is. More...