Antiquus Scriptum were formed at the end of last century by Jorge ‘Sacerdos Magus’ Magalhães, after he left Firstborn Evil. He had some ideas for quite some time that didn’t quite fit to the style of Firstborn Evil, so he took the decision to leave (somewhere in 1998) and to start his own (solo) project.
Kaotoxin Records are one of those labels that comes with an enormous variety in releases, though mainly Death Metal and Grindcore-based. One of the genres they are known for is the Grindcore-scene.
Eisengrau, sub-titled as Beyond The Principles, is a co-operation in between two great Russian Ambient / Industrial acts, Reutoff and Sal Solaris. The record will be released in a limited edition of 500 copies only, and it comes with nice yet sober artwork. The work is dedicated to silent formless light that we behold with our eyes closed. It shines beyond any principle, either reality or pleasure. Those two principles, for your information, refer to a psycho-analytic concept of how our inner human life gets guided.
I did mention it when reviewing Jumalhämärä’s new mini-epos Songless Shores very recently (updated on June 8th 2014), but these Finns have always been a band apart with their eccentric identity. I first heard about them by means of the 2010-full length Resignaatio (check out the review, posted in the Archive-section and updated on November 26th 2010), also released via current label Ahdistuksen Aihio Productions.
Finntroll must be one of the most unique bands ever. They formed about seventeen years ago and surprised our globe with a mostly amusing mix of Folk / Humppa and Death / Black Metal. Humppa is a Suomi-based variant on the better known Polka Music, for your information (but most amongst you do know that for sure). Their albums, and there are several of them done during the past one-and-a-half decade, were very successful, and the band was able to visit almost the whole planet to perform live on stage. And when it comes to the latter, it comes to this review as well.
Saverio Giove is the guy behind Nartum Music Projects, which includes the different projects he is involved with. I knew Ymir and Valtyr, but apparently he is doing some other musical projects too, amongst which Emyn Muil. With Emyn Muil, Saverio aka Nartum released a full length on January 15th 2013 via his own label, which was entitled Túrin Turambar Dagnir Glaurunga.
Earlier this year we (the Concreteweb headquarters) did receive the latest full length by German Dark Metal act Eisregen, called Todestage (the album was initially released at the very end of last year, for your information).
Iceland is not such a ‘big’ country when it comes to Extreme Metal. I do know some hands full of Black Metal acts from this beautiful island, but when it comes to death Metal, I am not that informed. Besides bands like Malignant Mist, Beneath, Narthraal or Ophidian I, I cannot sum up many interesting Death Metal bands that rule the current scene.
This album does not deal with the (fantastic) Wales-based Industrial / Dark Ambient project by Brian Williams, written without prefix ‘the’, but with the Phoenix, Arizona-based Extreme Metal act written with the prefix ‘the’.
Ever heard about Stuka Party? I honestly did not, but apparently it is a project by William Blackmon, the guy behind Gadget and formerly of Withered Beauty-fame, as well as the owner (and well-known sound engineer) of the notorious Musikhuset Gävle Studio. With Schmeiser Smasher, and in co-operation with Dutch top-label Hammerheart Records, he releases a very limited (i.e.
