Rebel Extravaganza

Heavy Metal And Other Occasional Musics And Cultures

Iron Bonehead Productions

Album Reviews

Album Review: Wuldorgast – Cold Light

‘Obscured In Shadows’ throws its head back in a magisterial and mighty howl from the start, ascending and descending riff patterns, a definite early ‘00s DARKTHRONE vibe to both the tempo and Feral Spirit’s (henceforth F.S.) vocal proclamations not unlike Fenriz of the aforementioned, who shan’t be again, because there’s at once something fresh about what WULDORGAST is bringing this early on in Cold Light. Neither blanching at the idea of stretching a song to just under the breaking point as in the opener, nor averse to the “get in, do damage, get out” aesthetic, ‘Natural Life Is Eternal Battle’ […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Sever – At Midnight, By Torchlight

So, let’s look at SEVER’s July 2022 Sadistic Sorcery demo as the moment of conception. What this does, in effect, is makes the April release of At Midnight, By Torch Light its birth. Now, what hath founder and (yep, you guessed it) sole entity Ma-Kaxul birthed? ‘Abyssonaut’ instantaneously assaults, clanging and cataclysmic, synths, strings and skins attacking from all sides, but retaining a sense of cohesion, impressive in such a storm. While the drums act more as a placeholder than anything else, I’d have liked to see a more dynamic role in this opener, but we’ve still 5 songs remaining, […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: ABHOR – Sex Sex Sex (Ceremonia Daemonis Antichristi)

Now eight albums deep into a 25+ year history, Italy’s ABHOR renew their commitment to the dark arts with the evocatively titled Sex Sex Sex (Ceremonia Daemonis Antichristi). With the core membership of Domine Saevum Graven and Ulfhedhnir (on guitar and vocals respectively) intact since 1995, one would be forgiven for assuming you know what you’re walking into with ABHOR. With the cover continuing the red/crimson theme of 2015’s Ritualia Stramonium and Occulta Religio of three years later, thoughts (among other things) arise of COVEN’s oft’ imitated Jinx Dawson, but this being ABHOR, there’s a snide swipe at the liturgies […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Vaamatar – Medievalgeist

And so it was that, after suffering through the utter dreck comprising HELL MILITIA’s newest half-assery, I needed the black metal version of a palate cleanse. Having no experience with VAAMATAR prior, but armed with the assurance that Iron Bonehead Productions is usually reliable for at least quality if not preference, we venture forth into Medievalgeist. The title track arrives, synth, screams and sacrifice giving way to equally orgiastic glee, and the first thing that stands out is the surprisingly robust production. No ‘Several Species Of Small Armored Pandas Together In A Cave A Mile Away And Grooving With A […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Venefixion – A Sigh From Below

Simmering since 2013, with a demo, EP, and split release with Belgium’s POSSESSION to its name, the black magic Bretons VENEFIXION now prepare to turn up the heat with debut full-length, A Sigh From Below. After the Obligatory Intro Track ™, ‘Veneficial Upheaval’ gets things rolling, and roll they do. Heads, tanks, freaking boulders chasing Indiana Jones. If it can be rolled, it’s in motion. The one-sheet for ASFB mentioned “swagger”, and it wasn’t wrong, as the riff/rhythm at 2:01-2:24 is the stuff of which blood orgies are made. Bits of early DEATH pepper ‘Of Wolves And Ghosts’, albeit filtered […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Reaper – The Atonality Of Flesh

As much I love some good ol’ (or new) caustic D-beat, for maximum enjoyment, the album needs to be short of length – we’re talking half-hour, tops – and long on attitude. Anything over that magical 30 minutes, and my attention quickly wanes, largely because the band’s begun to recycle its own ideas, and – due to the limitations of the style, maybe – it’s all just monotonous. Not so with Sweden’s REAPER, the duo returning with 2021’s The Atonality Of Flesh, if anything more fierce and, yes, varied than the Unholy Nordic Noise debut of 2019. MIDNIGHT is a […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Front – Antichrist Militia

After four years and doubling its lineup in size, Finland’s FRONT return with MCD, Antichrist Militia. Still on the Iron Bonehead imprint, still peddling its brand of war-tinged blackthrash, a bit of death sprinkled here and there for taste, Missile shriek string histrionics and an instantly catchy riff & rhythm riot advance onto the battlefield, the title track literally spilling over with bloody ideas come to fruition, riffs imprinting on your memory at first listen, and would’ve stood just fine as an opener without the seemingly obligatory and needless intro, ‘Doom Cult Legion’. After the blatant MOTORHEAD homage ‘Iron Front’, […]

Music News

Germany’s HORN set release date for new IRON BONEHEAD album, reveal new video

Iron Bonehead Productions sets May 15th as the international release date for the highly anticipated eighth album of Germany’s HORN, Mohngang, on CD and vinyl LP formats. Since 2017, with the release of the album Turm am Gang and then the Retrograd mini-album a year later, HORN have aligned forces with Iron Bonehead, resulting in a refreshed taste of German steel. The Horn saga began in 2002, and throughout those many years, mainman Nerrath has been steadily perfecting a classicist, almost-medieval style of black metal bound to pagan roots. Staunchly solitary to the present day, the initial drive behind HORN […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Beast Of Revelation – The Ancient Ritual Of Death

There’s some high-powered veteran offense on display in BEAST OF REVELATION. Vocals and bass are delivered by no less than John McEntee of INCANTATION and FUNERUS fame, a man who’s had his gnarly finger on the pulse of rotten death metal for about three decades now. That’s a major component right there. Adding drumbeats to the BEAST is Bob Bagchus once of ASPHYX, now a part of INFIDEL REICH, HELLEHOND and more…another solid veteran. The agonizing guitars come from A.J. Drenth from the bands TEMPLE and THRONE. I’m not too familiar with them, but I’m guessing they don’t play pop […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Kawir – Adrasteia

No band symbolizes the essence of ancient Greece more than KAWIR. They never fail to evoke the timeless spirit of the old Greek gods and myths with their music, and Adrasteia is no exception. While I can’t say this is my favorite KAWIR album – that would be Father Sun, Mother Moon -, I can say that it has every attribute that makes these guys such a mesmerizing listening experience. Just six tracks here, but all are well developed. The opener ‘Tydeus’ is a bit of a slower burner, starting with a lot of chanting and a moderate pace before […]

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