Rebel Extravaganza

Heavy Metal And Other Occasional Musics And Cultures

svart records

Album Reviews

Album Review: Black Totem – III: Sacrifice Tonite

Well, BLACK TOTEM has reached it; that time in a band’s career when I would normally be giving my trademark, copyrighted, and infallible spiel about how important a band’s third album is. But I won’t, as these Finns are all about keeping things short, simple, and to the point. Might as well join the party at the cemetery… ‘Hex Hood’ sneaks in under the fog, but only briefly, as the cryptkicker drums and fiery riffs ignite torches around the perimeter, and you know you’re in trouble. As guitarist/vocalist Spit Poison so aptly, well, spits “This is Hex Hood, ain’t no […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: RADIEN – Unissa Palaneet

I dunno, I must have a different idea of what “devastatingly heavy sludge” is than RADIEN and the folks who write their press. Sludge metal to me is an attack of thick, gooey bass heavy riffs that proceed in slow or medium pace, usually accompanied by pained vocals and thudding drums. I think of bands like ELECTRIC WIZARD, CROWBAR, WEEDEATER, BRAINOIL, etc. That description doesn’t seem to fit this Finnish act at all. Half of Unissa Palaneet isn’t even what I’d call metal, and the heavier parts seem much closer to what I think of as “post metal” (although a […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Xysma – No Place Like Alone

XYSMA was right there at the beginning of the Finnish death metal movement and back then they were as icky and revolting as any of them. That phase didn’t last too long; along with CONVULSE, they radically altered their sound and injected more straight rock and roll as well as other influences into their sound. But even that was 25 years ago… Of course, no band stays retired in this day and age and after a quarter of a century, XYSMA have returned. Anyone pining for their gruesome death metal days can continue pining…there’s none of that here. However, if […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Netherlands – Severance

‘Sicarivallio’ lumbers in, electronic and intent, headphones encouraged, because you’re instantly swallowed in the sound conjured forth by NETHERLANDS on its 9th search for sonic Nirvana. “Swallowed”, because no kind, calming word such as “swaddled” or “wrapped” will do. Shriek and flail, mixing and tossing against each other of disparate elements, creating a Golem of aural form. Herky-jerky and convulsive, ‘Swimming Dog’ pounds the sense, yet undeniable melodicism broils lava-hot and sugary sweet beneath the service. Elements of proto-punk TELEVISION before Verlaine and Hell had their falling out, ‘Omisha’ as syncopated, if possible, even more beguiling with the vocal melody. […]

Music News

Pioneering Metal Band, XYSMA, Ends 25-year Hiatus! New Album Announced via Svart Records

Since the late 1980’s when a new form of metal started to emerge from the ashes of the speed and thrash metal movements, XYSMA were there making a racket. They’ve gone a long way from the pus-oozing grindcore of Swarming Of The Maggots (1989) to the death rolling groove of Deluxe and Lotto a few years later, becoming an internationally revered cult band over the years. Recently the band thought it best to end a 25-year sabbatical and announced that there’s a new album in the works! Titled No Place Like Alone, the album will be released on Svart Records […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Spiritus Mortis – The Great Seal

Calling forth from the reservoir of vast knowledge (the internet in this case), ‘Puputan’ translates from Indonesian into “bellows” or “blowing”, but also relates to the Japanese act of mass ritual suicide. Either way, either meaning, SPIRITUS MORTIS certainly kicks things in the arse from the start here, new vocalist Kimmo Perämäki shredding both eardrums and his throat, a more rough ‘n’ ragged Robert Lowe, his allowance to let things “slip” from perfection from time to time infusing this TROUBLE-influenced circa ’90 jam (think Trouble) with a sense of urgency. Conjuring latter-day NEVERMORE in the riffing of ‘Death’s Charioteer’, Maijala […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: HEBOSAGIL – Yössä

When a band morphs from a pretty much by-the-numbers speed/thrash act into a strange hydra of noise rock, abusive sludge and identifiably Scandinavian punk, it’s a chance taken; but when the change happens over the course of nearly two decades – and seems natural – it’s downright impressive. Think about it. Do any of our precious 2nd wave black metal bands sound the same as they did in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s? Well, there you have it. So, though the core ethics/beliefs may not have changed, through age and experience they have developed, much like the sound of HEBOSAGIL on […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Goden – Beyond Darkness

True devotees of underground heaviness and grimness will nod their heads at the mention of the band WINTER, whose brief recording career had a disproportionate impact on the metal scene. They created one of the doomiest, ugliest and most massive sounds ever heard on their landmark 1989 Into Darkness release. That sound has haunted the cobwebbed corners of the underground for 30 years now, though WINTER itself ceased to exist long ago. GODEN (named after a track on Into Darkness) are about as close to WINTER as you’re going to get in 2020 and in fact have former WINTER member […]

Music News

HARMAA GETTO to release new album thru SVART – includes members of PAAVOHARJU

Distorted sounds. A fever-dream caused by faith and an alcohol overdose. Howling echoes from dying rural areas. Lo-fi trip-hop from Finland’s eastern border. HARMAA GETTO is a Finnish band formed by Lauri Ainala and Joose Keskitalo. Both are better known from the musical collective Paavoharju. Their new album, Ovenvartija, is released by Svart Records on November 29th. Best known for their “drunken rap aesthetic”, HARMAA GETTO’s new album takes the duo towards melancholy and sadness, often sounding like Portishead tormented by alcohol-withdrawal symptoms. This time, there are new members involved. Revon Akan Poika (loosely translated as “Boy of da Repo […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Warsenal – Feast Your Eyes

Here’s a shot of something fresh in the thrash world. Hailing from the metal hotbed of Montreal, WARSENAL is doing something a bit different than just imitating what has gone before, but at the same time, they have the feel of something that could have come from the glory days of thrash. Think of ’80s thrashers that went against the grain; REALM, ANNIHILATOR, DBC, even VOI VOD. That’s the ballpark these guys are trying to inhabit. Feast Your Eyes is fast! Above all else, these guys play with high velocity, but favor unusual time changes and riffing patterns. It is […]