Album Review: “Reader Of The Runes-Luna” by Elvenking
Elvenking's trilogy concludes on Reader Of The Runes-Luna. The band get straight to business on the hammering “Season Of The Owl”, with its rollicking drums and syncopated guitar riffing. The tenseness of the rhythm section is offset for violinist Let ...
Album Review: “Myths of Fate” by Leaves’ Eyes
Myths of Fate is the ninth album by German symphonic metal quintet Leaves' Eyes. There is a fair degree of musical diversity on this album: we hear Nordic folk, death metal, tribal drums, and symphonic samples that make for an interesting listen witho ...
Album Review: “Reader Of The Runes-Divination” by Elvenking
Elvenking unleash a potent spell of folk metal on its tenth release, Reader Of The Runes-Divination. “Perthro” is a brief piece that opens the album. “Perthro” is the rune of fate and the unknowable. The tribal drums, sorrowful violins and droning vocals ...
CD Review: “Vuur Van Verzet” by Heidevolk
Dutch folk metal outfit Heidevolk unleash its sixth record, Vuur Van Verzet, to commence the new year. The opening track “Ontwaakt” is equal parts pummeling and melodic with a cutting midsection that concludes with a weeping violin. That same stringed ins ...
CD Review: ‘Winter Thrice’ by Borknagar
Borknagar continues its progressive push on the band's tenth record Winter Thrice. The band keeps its black metal roots to a minimum. Instead, there is a greater shift towards folk metal and even power metal. The result is a multi-textured record that dra ...
CD Review: The Serpent & The Sphere by Agalloch
John Haughm creates haunted melodies and layered little interludes that offer the perfect counterpoint to the harsher and distorted elements. Review by David Feltman It’s been four years since Marrow of the Spirit, and little has changed for Agal ...