Jun 142019
 

 

(This is Andy Synn‘s review of the fantastic new album by the black metal band Idolatry from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada — which was released on May 31st via Humanity’s Plague Production.)

One of my favourite discoveries of the last several weeks was this little blackened gem from Canadian chaos-weavers Idolatry, which by turns brings to mind the very best of Inquisition and Necrophobic (with maybe even a little bit of Emperor thrown in for good measure) without sounding overly in thrall to, or derivative of, any of them.

And while they may not be doing much to truly break the mould, there’s definitely something to be said for finding your evolutionary niche and filling it to perfection… and, in that respect, Idolatry are well on their way to becoming an apex predator in their own right. Continue reading »

May 142019
 

 

We have been following the triumphs and travails of the Edmonton-based band Idolatry since the release of their first EP in 2014, a path that has produced both excellent, multifaceted black metal and more than a fair share of personal misfortunes. It is very good to know that the band have persisted, and that they have finally reached the point of readiness for release of a second album, which follows their 2016 debut full-length, Visions from the Throne of Eyes. The new album, In Nomine Mortis, will be released on May 31st via Humanity’s Plague Production.

Even from the beginning, Idolatry have shown themselves capable of both creating incinerating storms of unbridled ferocity and interweaving atmospheric moods of emotional depth that leave bleak memories in their wake. For want of a better word, there has been a “dramatic” quality to their music, a sign of the band attempting to dig deep into primal aspects of human experience and use those as feedstock for their creations, while also manifesting the presence of dark forces that aren’t part of our natural world at all.

These qualities are still evident on the song from In Nomine Mortis that we’re premiering today, but what’s also evident is that Idolatry have reached new heights of fearsome power. They’ve titled their album in the name of death, and death seems to be a vivid presence in “The Serpentine Possession”. Continue reading »

Mar 142016
 

Idolatry-Visions From the Throne of Eyes

 

Last April we had the pleasure of premiering a striking video for a powerful song by Idolatry from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The song was “Clefs Au Chambre de Tristêsse (A Key To the Room of Sadness)“, and it appeared on a split named Infection Born of Ending with the Ohio black metal band Unrest. Since then, Idolatry have completed work on their debut album, which bears the name Visions From the Throne of Eyes, and today we again bring you another Idolatry premiere, this time for a scorching assault from the new album named “Tiamatic Winds“.

According to the band: “The track is about wildfires ripping through western Canada during the writing of the lyrics. Imagining Tiamat, the Satanic entity, encouraging and blowing the flames hungrily across the mountains.” Continue reading »

Apr 072015
 

Wormreich

 

Early yesterday morning there was a fatal van accident on I-85 in northeastern Georgia. The 15-passenger van was carrying members of two black metal bands — Wormreich and Khaotika — who were touring with a third band, Kult ov Azazel. They had played a show on Sunday night in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and were driving to Atlanta, where they were scheduled to play another show last night. Reports indicate that the driver (a member of Khaotika) apparently fell asleep and the van veered off the highway, striking a tree on the passenger side. Three of the occupants were thrown from the vehicle.

Three men died in the accident: Wormreich guitarist Ian Andrew McKinney (Nazgul Vathran), Wormreich bassist Paul Truesdell, and Khaotika drummer Nicholas Crisostomo. Eight other passengers were injured, and three were listed in critical condition as of yesterday, including  Wormreich drummer Christopher P. Pezzano (Profana).

In a twist of fate, we premiered a music video last Friday for the Canadian band Idolatry that was created by Ian McKinney; we were among the first to see it, and had uploaded it to our YouTube channel for the purpose of sharing his work publicly. In addition to performing in Wormreich, he was a visual artist operating under the name NVS Productions. He had created videos not only for Idolatry but also for WormreichHades (Norway), and Borgne (Switzerland), as well as logos, album covers, flyers, and other graphic works. Though we did not know Ian, the coincidence of that video premiere made this terrible accident only three days later seem even more poignant. Continue reading »

Apr 032015
 

Idolatry (photo be Pandemic Photography)

We have a video premiere for you. The song is brand new as well. It’s a stand-alone single by Idolatry from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and its title is “Clefs Au Chambre de Tristêsse (A Key To the Room of Sadness)“. It will appear exclusively on a split release with the Ohio black metal band Unrest. The video was created by Nashville-based NVS Productions, who has also produced videos for Wormreich (US), Hades (Norway), and Borgne (Switzerland).

Of course, you can skip the rest of this verbiage and just go hit the “play” button, but then you would miss a few warnings, which could be important for those with heart conditions or photosensitive epilepsy.

First, a warning about the music (or a teaser, depending on your tastes): This is grim, savage, skin-flaying black metal that cares nothing for trends. It is a horned salute to the regime of bands such as Gorgoroth, Behexen, and Sargeist. The music’s atmosphere is saturated with a sense of predatory menace and steeped in the ichor of gloom. When it’s not racing headlong in an explosion of barely controlled chaos, it’s stalking like a dirge. It’s also a riveting listen. Continue reading »

Jan 202015
 

 

This is a collection of recent music I heard over the last 24 hours that I want to recommend. As the post title suggests, the music is loosely connected by elements of black metal — and I do mean “loosely”, especially in the case of the first song.

URFAUST

I first learned of the Dutch two-man band Urfaust when our long-time supporter Utmu wrote about them in a guest post two years ago, a post I would commend to people who are new to Urfaust. Even today, I’ve still only dabbled in the band’s previous recordings, but enough to recognize that their approach to black metal is highly distinctive.

More than four years have passed since their last album, but Germany’s Ván Records is now poised to release a new 12″ vinyl EP from the band. Entitled Apparitions, it features painted artwork by ThornyThoughts Artwork. Continue reading »