[Throwback Reviews] OLD MAN GLOOM - The Ape of God

Note from the editor: this review was first published at my main blog and since I moved here I've decided to edit and repost those archived reviews once in a while just to get the database complete and give a second life to those earlier writings.

Old Man Gloom – The Ape of God (2014, Profound Lore)

The super group that is Old Man Gloom consisting of Aaron Turner on guitar and vocals (Isis), Nate Newton also on guitar and vocals (Converge, Doomriders), Caleb Scofield on bass and vocals (Cave In, Zozobra), and drummer Santos Motano. With the release of two albums identically titled and leaking a fake edited version of a single album, Old Man Gloom angered and frustrated journalists and illegal downloads.

[Throwback Reviews] SUNN O))) & ULVER - Terrestrials

Note from the editor: this review was first published at my main blog and since I moved here I've decided to edit and repost those archived reviews once in a while just to get the database complete and give a second life to those earlier writings.

Sunn O))) & Ulver - Terrestrials (2014, Southern Lord Records)

In the vein of Godspeed You! Black Emperor!, Sunn O))) has always been a reference in Drone music exploring patterns, textures, sonorities, and the musical boundaries of sound and noise. On the other side, Ulver with an early Black Metal trilogy and a triptych of experimentation, in the extremities of not only Metal but also Rock, have come to a second collaboration with Sunn O))).

[Throwback Reviews] MAYHEM - Esoteric Warfare

Note from the editor: this review was first published at my main blog and since I moved here I've decided to edit and repost those archived reviews once in a while just to get the database complete and give a second life to those earlier writings.

Mayhem - Esoteric Warfare (2014, Season of Mist)

Legendary Norwegian Black Metal band Mayhem is back with another game changing record for its fans. While spacing releases, their latest albums previous to Esoteric Warfare was Ordo Ad Chaos released in 2007. So, seven years have passed since they released one of the most avant-garde Black Metal records to date.

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM – Celestite

Wolves In The Throne Room – Celestite (2014, Artemisia Records)

This companion piece to Celestial Lineage, the near-masterpiece from these Washington state black metallers stating that they are not playing black metal but are obviously inspired by Ulver and Burzum’s decadent yet beautiful mastery challenge of BM while saying their biggest influence is Neurosis. Living on a farm and praising a return to organic form and life, the members of WITTR have recorded two of the best American black metal records to date; the aforementioned Celestial Lineage and Two Hunters.