Category Archives: Reviews M – Z

Wintersun – The Forest Seasons (2017) – Review

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Wintersun - The Forest Seasons - Album Cover

Ah, Forest Metal. Bands like Ellende or Waldgeflüster come to mind. Of course, the aforementioned outfits feature a different, darker style than Wintersun‘s latest. But hey, foresty musings can come in many forms. And we find all of those very hard to resist. Thus, seasonal greetings from under a leafy cover. Bungle in the jungle.

Somebody mentioned that Wintersun‘s 2017 full-length album The Forest Seasons was brimming with lush soundscapes, grand atmospheres, and all kinds of green and woody things. A record so good, everybody needed a copy for posterity, or else. Others were more reserved or felt … [...] Click to raid more!

Red Cain – NÄE’BLISS (2023) – Review

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Red Cain - NÄE'BLISS - Album Cover

Red Cain like it short, intense, and wild. Already the Kindred Series, Act I & II, fascinated the hell out of the grouchy joint – ahem – chain smokers over at the review desk. To the point that some of ’em started fantasizing about meeting Juliet, which – of course – wouldn’t have ended well. A case for the RMR security squad armed with oversized tasers and tranquilizer guns.

And those records always rolled in on a reasonably short airtime of 36-39 minutes or so. All of that filled to the brim with a crazed medley of elements, … [...] Click to raid more!

Oryad – Sacred & Profane (2023) – Review

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Oryad - Sacred and Profane - Album Cover

I am going to be straight with you. I was ready to ditch Oryad‘s Sacred & Profane and send it down into the dreaded oubliette. The place at the RMR office tower without any chance for escape for delinquent records. Yet another Symphonic Metal piece with a classically trained female vocalist. Many of those already crossed our hawse to the point of symphonic overload. Been there, done that, got the wacky band shirt. Ain’t it, Nightwish?

And yet. Oryad‘s debut offering here seems to harbor more succulent details than meets the ear at first. Because you see, Sacred … [...] Click to raid more!

Skade – Gudinnen (2022 / 2023) – Review

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Skade - Gudinnen - Album Cover

The RMR crew won’t touch re-releases with a flagpole. Usually. You know, records that somehow got launched into the ether earlier by some band and now get a revamp by a label. And as often happens, said labels carry a much more powerful marketing punch than standalone artists. But – exceptions rule the world. And Skade‘s Gudinnen1 is one of them.

The record indeed crossed our hawse in 2022. But for some reason, it got some tough love dished out by the masters of grump over at the RMR review desk. Reasons? Unknown, the silence of the lambs … [...] Click to raid more!