Alternative

2020 Albums

Album Review: Tulus – Old Old Death 7.8 (Black Metal)

March 16, 2020 Noob Heavy admin

This is the first Tulus LP in eight years and they are coming back fully loaded. In that down time they formed the band Khold so they weren’t completely without practice. Now they’ve returned to their original project with this new album Old Old Death and I gotta say, it starts off with a lot more pep in their step than I was expecting, many of these riffs would be just as fitting on a blackened speed metal record. Modern black metal albums have a tendency to take too long starting up but not Tulus, they’re bringing the noise up front. The first impression from the artwork on the cover nails it. It’s a fantastic blending of castles, cosmos, forests, bats and a skull. You always expect one of these things on a black metal cover but all of them? They’ve cornered the market. […]

2020 Albums

Album Review: Voidfire – Ogień Pustki 7.5 (Black Metal)

January 29, 2020 Noob Heavy admin

Voidfire are coming into the scene strong with a well presented debut album entitled Ogień Pustki, and it is a concept album “based on the theme of finding artistic inspiration in emotional suffering” according to the band. Immediately the most eye catching thing is the mysterious artwork, this time skipping Lewandowski and going straight to the source, a licensed piece from Zdzisław Beksiński made in 1976. It’s a bloody strong artwork to have and will surely find the band stuck in the minds of many this year. The sound on hand here is some tight melodic black metal for lonely hearts, with a kicking drum for marching into the gloom. […]

2020 Albums

Album Review: Thy Catafalque – Naiv 8.7 (Avant Garde)

January 25, 2020 Noob Heavy admin

When confronted with the ambiguous genre tag of avant garde I toss aside all expectations because it can either be a complete waste of time or something glorious and I have no way of knowing which way it’s going to go. Naiv is in the latter category, bringing a rejuvenating sound that has an interesting swing to it. It only took the second track to make me fall in love. […]

Interviews

Interview: Eternal Storm, “Come The Tide” on Transcending Obscurity Records (Melodic Death Metal)

January 20, 2020 Noob Heavy admin

Eternal Storm made one hell of a splash in 2019 with “Come The Tide”, a sophisticated album that made its way into many end of year lists including my own. I still listen to it every week and cannot recommend it enough. It’s cumulative of it’s inspirations while also maintaining its own identity throughout. There’s a strong sense of voice across this album matched by strong musicianship and song writing. Essential listening for fans of Swallow The Sun, Opeth, Amorphis or anything good that has the duality of melody and death growls. […]

2019 Albums

Album Review: Novembers Doom – Nephilim Grove 8.3 (Doom Metal)

December 9, 2019 Noob Heavy admin

Nephilim Grove marks the American death doom giants, Novembers Doom’s 30th anniversary. Indeed, an infrequent feat (at least these days) to celebrate. Thirty years of firm, ferocious and fanciful activity, breaking necks as well as breaking hearts. Having been released on November 1st, the album insinuates, all so subtly, the symbolic capacity that it possesses: the quintessence of the band’s career or their next step on their path… or maybe simultaneously both? […]

2019 Albums

Microdose: À l’Ombre d’Héméra – En Route Vers Le Grand Vide (Post Metal)

November 21, 2019 Noob Heavy admin

En Route Vers Le Grand Vide is a really tight post metal EP from Qeubec, Canada. As I often do with releases that complex me in some way, I’ve gotten some insight from the bands drummer Dieter who shed some light on the meanings starting with their name, “À l’Ombre d’Héméra means in the shadow of, so it literally means in the shadow of daylight.” says the drummer, “We think it fits well with the music because we try to play with contrasts, hard and heavy, but also fragile and breakable.” […]