SPLATTERED MERMAIDS - Stench of Flesh
A bunch of friends/former & current band mates, their 2008 debut album. Much heavier & better than I remembered! Groovy brutal death/grind. Looking forward to hear their new material, guess it's coming out pretty soon...

BAL-SAGOTH - Starfire Burning Upon the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule.
Been watching Game of Thrones, realized how fun pure swords&sorcery-fantasy is, and that that genre doesn't get better than this album. I'm never gonna read a 2000+ pages long saga about some peasant boy looking for a magic sword or whatever, Bal-Sagoth is much much better...

V:28 - NonAnthropogenic, SoulSaviour & VioLution

Postapocalyptic 'industrialised' death/black goodness. V:28 remain one of the best bands of the previous decade. It still annoys me that they played their last show in Denmark the exact same day Arcturus played their first show here.

Bummer! What are the odds?



np: BOLT THROWER - For Victory & HUMAN REMAINS - Where were you when. Great albums for a decent day in a shitty world.

Abruptum - Potestates Apocalypsis

I did not expect to see a new full-length from Abruptum. It was released last summer, apparently in obscurity. The music here consists of ambient, noise and sound effects, and is not terribly exciting.

Really? That was surprising. Not the least since noone has mentioned it anywhere. Is it still IT and EVIL?


np: RITE - 7" ep. New Swedish black metal band, from Gothenburg (far away enough from the incestuous Stockholm/Necromorbus scene). Reminds me of early Ondskapt and perhaps a bit of the BM-parts in Fleurety (early+late ep's). Very raw and murky sound, but mature riffs & compositions, not jus tthrashing away. I enjoyed it a lot, looking forward to their album debut...
+ KING DIAMOND - Them & Fatal Portrait. TOO AWESOME!

No, it has only been Evil since 2000, at least, when the De Profundis Mors Vas Cousument EP was released. I have not seen it mentioned anywhere either, I just randomly noticed it on Metal Archives.

Isvind - Intet Lever

I heard this yesterday. Dark Waters Stir does not do much for me but this new album sounds promising.

np: Manes - Under Ein Blodraud Maane

I am digging into their past, hoping Vilosphe is not the only great work of theirs.

Haven't heard too much of the debut album, but the demos have a certain charm. Of course lightyears away from their post-2000 work, but I prefer the earliest stuff; very doomy and obscure.

FLEURETY - Last-Minute Lies
MARS ON EARTH - ep.

One of the most supreme recordings ever, next to one of the most obscure AGM-releases ever (even though it's pretty obvious who's behind it). Golden oldies.

Last-Minute Lies is amazing. I actually heard the song Vortex back in October '96 on the metal radio program I was listening to at the time. According to the host it was the world premiere of the song, which must have been true considering the EP was not released until '99. I recorded the song on tape, loved it and still do. Not many releases stand the test of time like this EP.

I have not heard Mars On Earth and I have no idea who is behind it, even after checking MA.

Smohalla - Résilience

I cannot stop listening to this album, but then again, it is one of the best avant-garde releases in quite some time. Although it does not sound like La Masquerade Infernale, it constantly reminds me of that album, and that is pretty much the highest recommendation a release can get, in my book.

pretty obvious , no ?


actually i reviewed the ep for this site, and only found out after posting it

last agm i heard : iblis - menthell (kik-ass)

last new metal

new cannibal corpse (good), new napalm death (awesome) and new soulfly (good)

last classic

helstar, destiny's end, heir apparent (pure unadulterated metal aweseomness all the way)

IBLISS - Menthell. Not the most easily digested stuff - this is avantgarde-metal for sure! Technical, absurd, trans-metal genre freak out with consistency and fuck-all attitude. Highly recommended! Review coming soon!

HAIL SPIRIT NOIR - Pneuma. For some reason, I assumed this was a Finnish band, bundling them together with ORANSSI PAZUZU as a "new wave of Finnish psych black metal", but that obviously was incorrect, they're Macedonian, which is cool because I don't know any bands from there. Either way, this is one weird little album. An awesome fusion of 1970's progressive rock (and I'm talking Italian prog - Museo Rosenbach and their OTT ilk) and black metal, without falling into the dullness that so many bands do. Great sound, esp the drums, great use of proper synths (mellotrons, hammond organs, flutes etc, just like original symphoprog!), poor clean vocals & guitar solos, but all in all very inventive and refreshing. And I can't decide if the band name is genius or idiotic. Probably both.

now: LUX OCCULTA - The Mother & The Enemy. Can't get enough of this beast of an album. Stoked that Vogg is doing a new album!

later: SOLEFALD - Linear Scaffold. Last evening was only blastbeats and harsh noise, need some AGM proper today.

Joe Jackson - Look Sharp! & Devo - Freedom of Choice

Not the least bit AGM, but nonetheless, great albums.