Thorondir – Wächter des Waldes (2025) – Review

Thorondir - Wächter des Waldes - Album Cover

Forest Metal is on the menu again. I don’t know what it is with the Bavarian and Austrian wooded areas. They seem to inspire a ton of Extreme Metal bands that bemoan their majestic landscapes and mystical origins. And I reckon that the album art again covers the essence of where this is going pretty well already. The pagan lore still seems to be firmly entrenched in the local populace over there. And that, even if the Holy Catholic Church tried to align the region to the cranky whims of the nailed god for too many centuries. Just look at … [...] Click to raid more!

Herbstschatten – Abschaum (2020) – Review

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RockmusicRaider - Herbstschatten - Abschaum - Album Cover

Gaia good, humanity bad. So bad.

That’s how one could generalize the new record Abschaum (scum) of the German band Herbstschatten (autumn shadow). This seems to be a recurring theme often found in Germany and – indeed – further North, especially around Norway. Pun intended.

An expression of an apparent feeling of doom with more terrors still to come is pretty prevalent over there. With humanity being the scum that must be purged from the pristine swathes of earthy splendor. Or – at worst – everyone should start to live in huts in the forest all over again.

Now, … [...] Click to raid more!

Grimorte test the Esoteric Ascendance!

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Grimorte - Ascendance - Album Cover

We enjoyed those records before. Those that hook their steely claws straight into your flesh, once they’re roaring out of the gate. And they won’t let loose anymore until you suffered through their brand of Extreme Metal, want it or not.

And it’s not because they’re bad, it’s because the stuff these bands strut fascinates the hell out of the audience. Grimorte‘s Esoteric Ascendance is one of those records that pulled us straight down into that darkly ominous abyss it inhabits.

The duo1Kieran Scott (Ashen Grove) and Lewis Borthwick (Archierophant) – step out into that doom-laden, … [...] Click to raid more!