It’s not often that an album comes across my desk and immediately blows me away from start to finish. And it’s even less often that I’m handed an album like that by a band I’ve known about for years – an album that completely changes my perception of that band and their music. Firtan’s sophomore […]
review
Festival report: Beyond the Gates 2018
Usually, there’s no real need for words when speaking about Norway and it’s vast ties to Extreme Metal. It’s no secret that it has been home to some of the best name in the genre and it still is. Bergen (and it’s area), the country’s second largest city after Oslo, is home to one of […]
Ultha – The Inextricable Wandering
2018 has not been unkind to lovers of extreme/black metal .The first half of this year has brought us new tunes from Summoning, Tribulation, Nahtrunar (highly recommended #1) Craft, Shining, Lithuanian rising stars Erdve (highly recommended #2) and Dutchies Wesenwille (highly recommended #3) and Necrophobic, just to name a few. With the coming of autumn, […]
BAEST – Danse Macabre
My introduction to Danish death metal beasts of BAEST happened the showcase festival Eurosonic in the Netherlands this year. The energetic and brutal live shows of these youngsters was nothing short of impressive, so when hearing about this debut record, ‘Danse Macabre’, it was definetly something I had to check out. The album kicks off […]
Iskald – Innhøstinga
Every metal fan, no.. Every music fan must have come across this feeling. It doesn’t sit well with you and it feels a bit like betrayal. To the music? To the people writing the music? To yourself, because you were fooled by your own expectations? This unpleasant feeling one has to experience when walking the […]
Uada – Cult Of A Dying Sun
After being impressed by Uada’s debut Devoid Of Light and having experienced some excellent live performances, the follow up album of American blacksters Cult Of A Dying Sun is now playing its tunes on my media player. Despite the fact that this band originates from America, Uada’s musical roots are firmly set in the Scandinavian […]
Aura Noir – Aura Noire
Aura Noir are one of those bands that one either loves, or hates and usually, there’s no in-between. It doesn’t mean, of course, that those who love the band loves every single piece of tune they’re putting out, but would more think about Aura Noir as an endless menace that’s just there, brandishing swords and […]
Report: Ragnarök Festival 2018
There are certain festivals that you keep returning to. For the Metal-Exposure crew and friends, one of those festivals is the pagan/black metal festival Ragnarök in Lichtenfels, counting almost ten (or over) years of attendance. The line-up this year was interesting with Thyrfing, Batuskha, Enslaved and Fejd, among the many, and the atmosphere is always […]
Ihsahn – Àmr
Even though I’ve sincerely enjoyed Ihsahn‘s side projects like Peccatum and Hardingrock, I never had a thirst for the solo work of Norway’s favorite black metal musician. It always seemed too, peculiar. The realisation that my taste buds have evolved to liking this particular brand of extreme progressive metal came after hearing the first single […]
Leaves’ Eyes – Sign of the Dragonhead
It seems to become a common phrase in my recent album reviews; line-up changes. The same goes for Leaves’ Eyes and this one is a biggie. Former singer Liv Kristine has left the band and has been replaced by Elina Siirala. Naturally this leaves an impact on the sound of the band. Of course, a […]