From the Vaults #13: Strength & Honour
I remember how, back when this, Finnish Satanic Warmaster’s debut was released, the reactions in Finland among friends and on message boards were almost unequivocally positive and enthusiastic. In retrospect, there was a feeling as of standing at the precipice … Continue reading From the Vaults #13: Strength & Honour
TUILERIES: The Iron Coffin
Release year: 2024Label: self-released The Second World War and submarines. My first association is, and always will be, the monumental cinematic epic Das Boot, one of the most gripping and intense movies ever made. Klaus Doldinger’s brilliant soundtrack has a … Continue reading TUILERIES: The Iron Coffin
From the Vaults #12: Nordman
If you’re from Finland or Sweden and paid attention to what was going on in popular music in the mid-90’s, you couldn’t escape Swedish folk pop duo Nordman. During the era of grunge, eurodance and gangsta rap, they were probably … Continue reading From the Vaults #12: Nordman
ZŁE OKO: Xenos
Release year: 2024Label: Zoharum Music is a universal language, they say. And most of the time they’re right – whoever they are. But there are times when music isn’t universal enough; times, when not understanding the lyrics will make an … Continue reading ZŁE OKO: Xenos
KRÓLÓWCZANA SMUGA: Konwulsanki
Release year: 2024Label: Zoharum If you want weird, you got weird. Polish Królówczana Smuga’s sixth album is a veritable cornucopia of, well, just about everything. The label’s promo sheet mentions as influences and key elements keywords such as folklore, alternative, … Continue reading KRÓLÓWCZANA SMUGA: Konwulsanki
CONJECTURE: V
Release year: 2019/2024Label: Amek/Zoharum Polish label Zoharum continue their praxis of re-releasing obscure and sold-out material. This time around it’s Greek Conjecture’s 2019 album V, augmented with tracks from related EP ∫V, on the fifth anniversary of the original album’s … Continue reading CONJECTURE: V
ZVIJER: Zvjerovanje
Release year: 2024Label: Misantropia Records Now that’s a tongue twister. Zvjerovanje. I mean, it’s not as insane as Polish, but that’s still too many incompatible consonants at the start of the word. But I guess that’s Serbo-Croatian for ya. Apparently, … Continue reading ZVIJER: Zvjerovanje
LARMO: Alarm
Release year: 2024Label: Zoharum “Larmo means noise”, says a sticker I got along with this album. Larmo the music act, however, isn’t noise. Well, except when it is. Confused? Don’t worry. By and large, the soundscapes of Larmo’s debut album … Continue reading LARMO: Alarm
THE CULT OF SUNLIGHT: Enter The Seasonal Ritual
Release year: 2024Label: Ambirial Mvsic Productions/Misantropia Records According to a statement included in the booklet of this album, Enter The Seasonal Ritual is, and I quote, “more a soundtrack to an unmade folk horror film rather than a conventional album.” … Continue reading THE CULT OF SUNLIGHT: Enter The Seasonal Ritual
SUTCLIFFE NO MORE: Cute
Release year: 2024Label: Zoharum Sutcliffe No More? Time to get with the program if you still haven’t heard: seminal UK power electronics outfit Sutcliffe Jugend called it a day in 2019, and after a short stint as Slaves No More, … Continue reading SUTCLIFFE NO MORE: Cute