Rebel Extravaganza

Heavy Metal And Other Occasional Musics And Cultures

Album Reviews

Album Review: Blood Of Kingu – De Occultia Philosophia

BLOOD OF KINGU’s 2010 Sun In The House Of The Scorpion and Dark Star On The Right Horn Of The Crescent Moon of four years later were, to these ears, classic cosmic black metal albums, their focus on ancient Middle Eastern mythology rendered all the more unforeseen by the entity behind them being Roman Saenko, founding (and current) guitarist/bassist of Ukrainian Nature-worshipers, DRUDKH. Before all of that, though, there was De Occulta Philosophia, first released in 2007 on Supernal Music, and now given new breath by ATMF. It couldn’t have come at a better moment either, the scathing-yet-starborne ‘Your Blood, […]

Album Reviews

ALBUM Review: BERTHOLD CITY – What Time Takes

Igniting with all the energy of JUDGE, XREPRESENTX and early SICK OF IT ALL, Los Angeles’ BERTHOLD CITY lets you know what it’s about in the first 10 seconds of What Time Takes…which is good, as we only have 7 minutes to work with here. Slashing guitars, drums on full auto, and vocals that demand to be not only heard, but respected. ‘No One To Blame’ flails, but focused, a clear sense of direction and self-introspection snarl-spitting into a mirror held up to modern society. “I’ve seen the ugly truth! Got you figured out!” is confrontational in the way only […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Wormwitch – Heaven That Dwells Within

This is my first encounter with WORMWITCH. The band belongs to a kind of subgenre where gloom reigns and black metal is just one flavor in an overall tasting. It resembles the approach of another band I recently encountered, FROSTHELM. But there is an extra layering of melody and mood here that surpasses what FROSTHELM was able to achieve. This is a pretty sophisticated sound with a number of subtle layers. All the songs here are quite involved and have a root in black metal. Changes in riff and tempo are frequent but there are some catchy hooks that make […]

Music News

ABYSMAL GRIEF to have classic debut EP reissued by SUN & MOON

Today, Sun & Moon Records sets June 25th as the international release date for a long-overdue reisue of ABYSMAL GRIEF’s classic debut EP, Mors Eleison, on CD format for the first time ever. By now, ABYSMAL GRIEF should require little introduction. Since 1996, the band have prolifically maintained their position as Italy’s foremost purveyors of traditional doom. Originally released in 2006 on vinyl, Mors Eleison followed a handful of demos and split releases; as such, it was ABYSMAL GRIEF’s first stand-alone pro recording just prior to their classic self-titled album in 2007. Even this early on, their sulfurous magick was […]

Music News

CHERUBS: Announce 5th Full-Length Album Immaculada High; Share New Song ‘Sooey Pig’

Rightfully hailed as “the noisiest pop music on the planet” by Pitchfork, Austin, TX’s cult noise rock trio CHERUBS have been purveyors of sonic bedlam since their inception in 1991. Today, CHERUBS announce their Relapse debut and new full-length album Immaculada High, coming July 26. Listen to the first single ‘Sooey Pig’ now on YouTube HERE and all streaming services HERE. CHERUBS comments on Immaculada High:“This recording feels like the soundtrack to a movie about Mother Nature exacting dark revenge on the nasty homo sapiens. There’s tigers and pigs and wolves crying out of eyes – oh my.” Immaculada High […]

Music News

WAIT: Progressive Metal Supergroup Featuring Members of DEFEATED SANITY, EXIST & JEFF LOOMIS To Release Debut EP, We Are In Transit, July 12 via The Artisan Era

Sometime around 2011, guitarist and composer Charlie Eron burned a CD with a couple demo tracks on it and handed it to Max Phelps and Alex Weber at a metal show in Frederick, Maryland. The bandmates thought it was pretty cool, and that was that. Video Teaser HERE Many song iterations, revisions and years later, the concept that time is starkly linear and unrecoverable came to Charlie while working at a desk job staring vacantly into computer screen. And thus, WAIT was born. While on tour with their respective projects, the band completed its debut EP We Are In Transit, […]

Music News

DEATHSPELL OMEGA set release date for new NOEVDIA album – reveal special video

Today, Norma Evangelium Diaboli announces May 24th as the international release date for Deathspell Omega’s highly anticipated seventh album, The Furnaces Of Palingenesia. The Furnaces Of Palingenesia is Janus in the midst of the 9th circle of Hell; a prophetic abomination recorded on gear ante anno 1984 vomiting 2084 in the shadows of the horns. A special video for ‘Ad Arma! Ad Arma!’ can be seen & heard HERE at Norma Evangelium Diaboli’s official YouTube channel. Preorder info can be found on NoEvDia’s webshop and also HERE at Norma Evangelium Diaboli’s Bandcamp. Cover and tracklisting are as follows: Tracklisting for […]

Music News

GLASSING: New Album, Spotted Horse, Out Now, Tour Dates Announced

Listen to Spotted Horse HERE Buy on Limited Edition LP HERE GLASSING’s sophomore album Spotted Horse is available today on LP/Digital. See below for a list of upcoming GLASSING tour dates. “a unique amalgam of suffocating textures, crushing blast beats and black metal-inspired atmosphere” – Decibel “From their wailing guitars to their staccato rhythms to their hollered vocals, GLASSING find the sweet spot between Deftones, Dillinger Escape Plan, and Big Black, and drive a spike deep into it so that fans can hear the raw sonic substance that bubbles forth.” — Kerrang “…an emotional journey through dense textures and the […]

Music News

HOLY TIDE present the first guest on debut album Aquila: Don Airey from DEEP PURPLE

The first guest to take part to the recordings of Aquila, HOLY TIDE debut album, is the great Don Airey, today keyboards player of the legendary Deep Purple. For over 30 years, Don Airey has undoubtedly been one of the most inspirational Heavy Metal keyboard players. Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, Rainbow are just some of the names he offered his services to, marking their music with his imprint.The British composer played his unmistakable Hammond on the song ‘The Shepherd’s Stone’, giving us a truly unique performance. Aquila will be released on June 28th, 2019 […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Warmrain – Here Comes The Rain Again

Britain’s WARMRAIN moves in like its namesake, the title track (yes, it’s the EURYTHMICS cover) showering down, tasteful leads and downtempo taking the place of the original version’s synth-laden throb. It takes confidence to title a release after a cover, much less to transform someone else’s work with what seems like effortlessness to make it your own…and WARMRAIN does here. ‘Shadowline Paradigm’ follows, plaintive, yet seductively so, wandering in the realms of GREEN CARNATION’s The Acoustic Verses or early BLACKFIELD, while ‘Keep Going’ is driven along by understated, yet persistent rhythm patterns. The one fault that I can find within […]

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