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Wednesday, November 24, 2021

GRYFTIGAEN – FEHUNTHYRDAUTHR ( Review by Varg The Mighty )

Today’s review is of Chilean Raw Black Metal band Gryftigaen’s upcoming new album, out on March 1st.

This releases captures the occult essence of the genre in a mesmerizing way that will drag the listener into a nearby abyss. Combined with the raw yet not too dissonant or underproduced tracks are elements of Dark Ambient that transcend the conceptions of intros, outros or interludes and truly converges with the extreme side of the album.

To add some further foul elements, the tempo tends to approach that of Blackened Doom Metal, and these transitions are subtle and well-placed, bringing to mind current Mayhem, Gaahl’s Wyrd or Lunar Chalice, though the fury is later recovered and it all tends towards a more common but not less fresh approach. My personal highlights are “Djúphljóð” and “Drowned In A Rising Sun”.

I recommend this album to fans of Raw Black Metal and Ambient Black Metal. My rating is of 9/10

VARG THE MIGHTY 



 


 

Dragon’s Kiss Barbarians of the Wasteland (2014). (Review by Alex Mandel)


 

Curious proposal from Portugal. The original album is from 2014 but has now been reissued on vinyl. Musically it goes well but the voice is difficult for me. The problem I have found is that Barbarians of the Wasteland, which is the theme that gives the LP its name, I don't see it as being the first, it gives me the feeling that it would have to be in the middle, not at the beginning and there I limps a bit. The second, Ride for Revenge, yes. I would have put it earlier. Vocally I still have a hard time but here the voice is more compensated and musically they are impeccable. It is more of those song that you would put to all chestnut. The third song, Ride Till We Die has an original composition. I do not know how to see clear influences so it is positive in that they are very personal and also very elaborate without being tiresome. It takes me a bit to get the hang of them, but they have it. Maybe it's a bit long for me, but you have to listen to it.


Wild Pack of Dogs is badass. It is also original. The voice gives it a personal touch. The guitars give a classic but very original touch to the composition. Although more than the voice, I see throughout the album that would have given them more power. More strength in the production because the truth is that they have it, a pity that it was not reflected in the recording at least as I think it should be. The instrumental part is amazing, but as always throughout the album. The time has come for the version, one that I would never have imagined: Somewhere up in the Mountains by the Marquis de Sade of the nwobhm ... they nail it. They give it a different touch, the singer takes the edge and the truth is that with his personality, they make a cool, unexpected and original version. Slower but more powerful in Castle of the Witch. The production sounds a bit dirty in my modest opinion, sharper would earn much more. And the same power. It is a cool song but it suffers from this, the poverty of sound that tarnishes the composition. Another version and again that stay with me: Rock'n'Roll Soldiers by The New Order. Here the voice fails me a bit again. The version is even more original and is well executed but it does not quite convince me at the level of the previous one without being a shit or much less. It's okay but not at the level of the previous one. And so we go to the end of the album, just and necessary 8 songs without reloading or filling with the powerful I Embraced the Serpent and the Devil in the Dark, with very elaborate riffs and feeling. Fast theme and again with its characteristic originality. They say goodbye with a good theme. And it is a good work, very original without strange paranoias but perhaps the voice and the production, especially the latter, which remains all that could shine. A very interesting proposal.

Score: 7/10

Alex Mandel


 

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

POWERWOLF Announces Monumental Streaming Event


[Photo Credit: Matteo Vdiva Fabbiani for VD Pictures]
POWERWOLF stand for epic metal moments of superlatives and that's why their masses, as they dignifiedly call their shows, always go one step further. When the wolves call their pack in front of the screen, gigantic things can be expected. The Monumental Mass: A Cinematic Metal Event will set new standards as the first streaming event in the band's history on Friday, December 17, 2021 at 07:00 pm CET / 01:00 pm EST.

The band states:
“Wolves, we are stoked to finally announce something very special that we have been working on the concept of for the past few months: The Monumental Mass - A Cinematic Metal Event!

Be prepared for a world unseen, a setlist unheard and a story untold! This event is not just a live stream, but a journey beyond reality. You will experience breathtaking visualizations, pyrotechnics in a class of its own and a multitude of fascinating and exclusive show interludes you have never seen before from POWERWOLF!

We sincerely invite you to celebrate the monumental mass with us on the 17th of December!”

If you already want to get an idea of what to expect, you should definitely watch the trailer, which allows the first spectacular glimpses.
Watch the trailer for The Monumental Mass: A Cinematic Metal Event NOW!

With this extraordinary event POWERWOLF close a year that is all about the wolf. On July 16, 2021, Call Of The Wild, their 8th studio album, was released, which stirred up the German charts for 16 weeks. The co-single “Dancing With The Dead” was also awarded platinum.
 
The Monumental Mass: A Cinematic Metal Event will be a worthy continuation of this success story and will captivate all fans of the Wolves worldwide!
 
Visit www.powerwolfstream.com for tickets and merchandise!
 
POWERWOLF live:
11.12.21 DE – Karlsruhe / Knock Out Festival (Headliner)

w/ Dragonforce, Warkings
11.11.22 DE – Berlin / Velodrom
12.11.22 DE – Munich / Zenith
13.11.22 CZ – Prague / Tipsport Arena
14.11.22 PL – Katowice / MCK
16.11.22 HU – Budapest / Barba Negra
17.11.22 AT – Vienna / Gasometer
18.11.22 DE – Stuttgart / Schleyerhalle
19.11.22 CH – Zurich / Samsung Hall
21.11.22 ES – Barcelona / Razzmatazz
22.11.22 ES – Madrid / Riviera
24.11.22 IT – Milan / Alcatraz
25.11.22 DE – Frankfurt / Jahrhunderthalle
26.11.22 DE – Oberhausen / König Pilsener Arena
27.11.22 FR – Paris / Zenith
29.11.22 UK – London / Roundhouse*
01.12.22 NL – Amsterdam / Afas Live
02.12.22 DE – Hamburg / Sporthalle
03.12.22 DE – Saarbrücken / Saarlandhalle
04.12.22 DE – Antwerp / Lotto Arena
*without Dragonforce
Get your copy of Call Of The Wild HERE:
About POWERWOLF:
The story of POWERWOLF, which began in 2004, may seem like a fairy tale, but it is the result of the hardest working and most entertaining band in the heavy metal world. POWERWOLF have not only received numerous gold and platinum awards, but many of their albums have marked the top of the official German album charts. In 2015, they reached gold status for the first time in the Czech Republic with their album Blessed & Possessed, while both its direct predecessor Preachers Of The Night (2013) and the subsequent masterpiece The Sacrament Of Sin (2018) entered the German album charts at number one. In addition, the thrilling DVD The Metal Mass (2016) secured No. 1 in the German DVD charts, as well as No. 4 in the album charts.  POWERWOLF's holy mass in the name of heavy metal is unstoppable - their latest masterpiece, The Sacrament Of Sin (2018), also took #1 in the German charts. The accompanying Wolfsnächte headlining tour was almost completely sold out and became one big triumph - as were the countless shows at the summer festivals, which completely captivated the audience thanks to Wolf's (un)holy masses. In 2020, the Best Of album Best Of The Blessed climbed to #2 in the German charts, before on the Wolfsnächte Tour 2022, the biggest halls in Europe will once again be completely under the sign of the wolfpack as the new studio album Call Of The Wild can finally be experienced live.

POWERWOLF are:
Attila Dorn – vocals
Falk Maria Schlegel – organ
Charles Greywolf – guitar
Matthew Greywolf – guitar
Roel van Helden – drums

More information:
EVENT HOMEPAGE
HOMEPAGE
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