The essence of folk metal should be to combine traditional folk music with metal, yet this is a standard many practitioners of the genre don’t exactly reach — bands are often content with simply doing black or power metal with folk-sounding melodies, forgoing any real integration between past and present beyond the most superficial. Spearheaded by a powerful performance from vocalist Liv Hope, Fredlös effectually combine subject matter and music to demonstrate how real folk metal is done with their self-titled debut Fredlös.
With varying degrees of economic, social, and political turmoil occurring all over the world, it’s no surprise that a growing number of metal artists have used struggles of the past in order to craft heavy music for the present. The latest among this group is Änterbila, who help us bring 2022 to a close with their self-titled debut album of rip-roaring black metal about Swedish peasantry from the 18th – 20th centuries. Folk-inspired elements top off Änterbila to present a short but solid introduction that is hopefully just a taste of what’s to come.
New York’s Artificial Brain are somewhat of an anomaly in the death metal world. Sure they’re rooted in death metal but in the blink of an eye can cover tech-death, progressive death, jazz, and noise like world class pros. Their debut Labyrinth Constellation was like stepping on a landmine of infinite sounds and follow up Infrared Horizon saw them branch out a bit and experiment with obtuse and jagged rhythms and melodies that absolutely should not go together but somehow it all just gelled. And now with their third full length, a self-titled one, it seems they’re out for blood. It’s a bit more on the death metal nose but more angular and aggressive than before. Definitely one that should be on your radar. Buke recently sat down with guitarist Oleg Zalman to dig into the ethos of the new album and of the band and how it all came together. We now bring you this conversation in its entirety so grab your beverage of choice, a seat, and enjoy.
New York City is home to some of the wildest, most experimental forms of art in general, from every medium, but we’re already pretty aware of how the metal music scene is in the heart of the Big Apple. Many notable bands have done so much work to shape the landscape of extreme music, not least of which is Artificial Brain, whose progressive take on both death metal and science fiction have been integral in moving the genre forward. On their third eponymous release, the band closes several chapters at once, but we already know they never stop progressing.
This Is Oblivion are on the eve of releasing their self-titled debut and if dark, moody, captivating, and heavy as lead (not talking pig squeals and pinch harmonics here) are considered a good time, run and don’t walk to get your copy now. The duo of Michael Kadnar and Lulu Black have on their hands a debut release that winds effortlessly through doomy dirges, dark folk, industrial tinges, and whip smart lyrics with extremely engrossing and catchy song craft. No doubt comparisons have, and will, be made to Chelsea Wolfe but that’s only a small piece of the pie. The album is “an exploration of the cyclical nature of connection” which is heard throughout as the songs play out like draining seasons or the feeling of meeting new friends or the nature of losing someone close. I said before this album is engrossing and that’s putting it lightly, it tugs at the deep recesses of the brain and soul and not only creates a connection but begs for further exploration. Just ahead of the album’s release we posed our set of Profile questions to pull back the curtain a little and gain more knowledge of this project so read on to see how it went down and be sure to grab a copy via the links contained within.
Nine Circles 