Metal Music
Underground Black Metal Memes
Memes are basically just in-jokes, references that people can feel special for “getting” as they endlessly scroll through Reddit in an attempt to fill the void in their soul. The most successful memes are accessible enough that they can be easily grasped by wide audiences, and are versatile enough that they can survive at least…
Read MoreAlbum Artwork for the Ages 3: Torch – Electrikiss
Before one is fully able to appreciate heavy metal as a genre, one must first come to terms with the ridiculous imagery that is an integral part of the metal experience. Through some strange alchemical process, a heady mixture of skulls, big hair, Tolkien, moose knuckles, Satan, “retarded sexuality, and bad poetry” fuses together to create…
Read MoreAlbum Artwork for the Ages 2: Attacker – Battle at Helm’s Deep
Before one is fully able to appreciate heavy metal as a genre, one must first come to terms with the ridiculous imagery that is an integral part of the metal experience. Through some strange alchemical process, a heady mixture of skulls, big hair, Tolkien, moose knuckles, Satan, “retarded sexuality, and bad poetry” fuses together to create…
Read MoreThe racist roots of the New Wave of Anti-Islamic Black Metal
No heavy metal sub-genre positions itself more firmly in opposition to Christianity than black metal–most famously seen in the wave of church burnings across Norway in the heyday of the early 90s second-wave scene. And, Kerrang sensationalism aside, black metal really does establish itself firmly against Christianity in the vast majority of its imagery and lyrical content. This, in…
Read MoreBest Metal Albums of 2016
As I make these lists it is always a tricky thing to distinguish between those albums that seem excellent at face value, and those albums that are just plain exciting and/or fun to listen to. I don’t always get this right (if I’m being honest, that Jugra album last year was probably my most listened…
Read MoreAlbum Artwork for the Ages 1: Raven – The Pack is Back
Before one is fully able to appreciate heavy metal as a genre, one must first come to terms with the ridiculous imagery that is an integral part of the metal experience. Through some strange alchemical process, a heady mixture of skulls, big hair, Tolkien, moose knuckles, Satan, “retarded sexuality, and bad poetry” fuses together to create…
Read MoreBest Metal Albums of 2015
The more I do these end of year lists, the more I realize that most new metal (like most other new music) is pretty heavily indebted to the “old stuff.” And, while it’s rare to find those truly unique bands like Peste Noire, I have to admit that a well done “homage/rip-off” can be almost…
Read MoreMid-month Metal Masterpiece 73: Christian Mistress – Agony and Opium (2010)
Christian Mistress is another one of those throwback “retro” metal bands that is attempting to bring back the “classic” metal sound (along with a healthy dose of 1970s hard rock). I honestly like most of the New Wave of Retro Heavy Metal bands out there, the best of which actually do seem to capture a…
Read MoreMid-month Metal Masterpiece 72: Void Meditation Cult – Sulfurous Prayers (2011)
It’s another death metal month for MMMM, and this time we are going to take a look at one of those Incantation clones that seem to be everywhere these days. Not that I’m really complaining, for my money, if you are going to do death metal and don’t want to stick to the tried and true old-school sound,…
Read MoreMid-month Metal Masterpiece 71: Grausamkeit – Fucking Goat Horness (1996)
The early German black metal scene was about as underground as it got in the mid-nineties (at least until Lords of Chaos got published). And, one of that scenes best kept non-Absurd secrets is the prolific Grausamkeit. Lo-fi and juvenile, Grausamkeit’s sole member “Black Son of Darkness” had a real talent for finding a way…
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