Author: Dean Brown

Vreid have been on an internal quest to find their own sound ever since they formed following the untimely demise of Windir. The exploration of heft, melody and emotional weight on ‘Milorg’, released in 2009, was the point where Vreid looked beyond traditional Norwegian black metal. 2011’s ‘V’ saw guitarist … Read More

It would be reasonable to expect a line-up of seasoned musicians from fêted bands such as Manowar, Lizzy Borden and Into Eternity to have the creative smarts to condense an opener like ‘Gunslinger’ down to core strengths. But instead, Death Dealer’s second album begins with a faux-dramatic intro completely unrelated to the Judas Priest attack that follows

Like elaborate extreme works of the past, Switzerland’s Schammasch have crafted a double album that challenges our increasing need for instantaneous gratification in music, something underground metal, though less affected, can still suffer from. “Of course we knew the risks,” says Schammasch’s chief orchestrator Chris S.R. of the three-year creation … Read More

“When you look at death from death’s perspective, you realise the pettiness of humanity. death cares not for your grievances or troubles, it comes to take you when you least expect. It is the power that supersedes our human creations: religion, politics, philosophy,” offers Todd Burdette, he of Tragedy/His Hero … Read More

“Through repetition and space, we have a tendency to create anticipation for a climax that never arrives,” says Taurus of the sickening unease that permeates the entirety of their full-length debut, ‘No/Thing’. Cut to two-inch tape by Billy Anderson and self-released in a number of unique physical guises, the psychoactive … Read More

“From the very beginning, Landskap was supposed to be a psychedelic rock band with hard rock, prog and krautrock influences,” says bassist/rhythm guitarist Frederic Caure (Serpentcult, ex-Thee Plague of Gentlemen), talking about the five-piece band he formed after moving from Belgium to London in 2012. “Unfortunately I believe the reason … Read More

With a sound steeped in the scythe-swinging, melodic majesty of ’90s black metal, Sweden’s Astrophobos have drawn critical comparisons to the deified Dissection since the January release of their impressive full-length debut, ‘Remnants Of Forgotten Horrors’. “It’s definitely a compliment, since we grew up listening to bands like that, but … Read More