Happy Monday, everyone. Kicking the new week off a bit differently this time, we’re thrilled to premiere the new video from Thy Worshiper. Originating in Poland, now Dublin-based pagan black metal act Thy Worshiper are releasing their fifth studio album, Bajki o Staruchu, on November 17th through Pagan Records. “Baba Jaga,“ the video of which is available below, is the first offering from the upcoming new album.
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Album Review: Kankar — “Dunkle Millennia”
I love reviewing debut albums and discovering new to newish bands. It is always fun to see what fresh, creative minds and talents bring to the scene. I am here to throw another one atchya. This time, from German black metal band Kankar with their debut full length release Dunkle Millennia. The duo joined forces in 2016 and released an EP in 2018. They have polished their craft since, and have come through with a dark, striking, electric, eleven-track album. The production is beautiful and crisp, the songwriting is skillful, the musicianship is bewitching, and each song flows perfectly into the next to create a cohesive story.
Continue readingThrowback Thursday: Kawir – “Sacrificia Nocturna”
This review of Kawir’s 20-year anniversary release Sacrificia Nocturna was originally written for a metal magazine that never ended up being published. With its cancellation, this review never saw the light of day until now. Seeing as it offers an overview of all of Kawir’s material up until the release of their brand-new album Father Sun Mother Moon, we offer this article as an introduction to and celebration of their entire oeuvre. Continue reading
Album Review: Kawir – “Father Sun Mother Moon”
Formed in 1993, Kawir can rightly be considered veterans of the Hellenic black metal scene. For most of their existence, they lived in the shadows of their more prominent compatriots, who go by such names as Varathron, Rotting Christ and Zemial. However, recent years have seen Kawir improve drastically on a musical level, resulting in the band slowly being pushed into the foreground. Their new release Father Sun Mother Moon certainly will not hinder that process, but Kawir enthusiasts might be disappointed that this is the group’s album since 1999’s Epoptia that fails to improve upon its predecessor. Continue reading
Drinking with Satan: Nordfrost – “Naturgewalten”
Things I like: Satan, alcohol, black metal. In that order. Not really. Maybe. Regardless of order, when the time came to give myself a column, the obvious solution was to combine the three. Needless to say, the end result will inevitably be pure gold. Satan and black metal are best appreciated under the heavy influence of alcohol, anyway. But how exactly will these subjects combine? I’ll tell you. Duh.
Once a month I’ll either hand myself or be handed a black metal album with which I have no prior experience or familiarity. Ideally, the band will be unexplored as well. I will drink heavily, press play, and then drink more heavily while listening. What I share with you are those initial responses and reactions to whatever the fuck I am hearing. I will not go back and edit my words. I will not do any research on the band I’m reviewing. And I assume my editorial staff will keep whatever I write below completely unedited. (It’s for Satan, after all.) I will simply listen…and write. And it’s going to be a pain in the ass, but it’s going to be fun—more for you than me, but that’s what it’s all about, right? You jabronis.
Now let’s be clear: I don’t drink once a month; I don’t listen to black metal once a month; and I don’t reflect on Satan once a month. I do all of those very, very frequently. But I want to combine them all once a month…for you. Because I care. And I’m unselfish.
Anyway, Episode 1 of Drinking with Satan features Nordfrost’s Naturgewalten, and along with that, I’m drinking Oskar Blues’ G’Knight (coming in at 8.7% ABV), Lagunita’s NightTime (8.2%), and Knob Creek Straight Bourbon Whiskey (because I love whiskey). I’ve already had plenty of the all of the above. So. I’m drunk. And… well, I’m drunk. Let’s have some fun. Alcohol.