norway

Fenriz is back with another mixtape for Vice. This one is called Trapped Under Vice, Vol. II. (For Vol. I, see here). Despite the very metal cover, the contents are very not-metal. Fenriz says, “Welcome to a time travel to the rock of 1968-1978, all across the globe from Iceland to Australia.” For his full […]

Diabolical Feline Mysticism This is The Pook — the ultimate black metal cat. The Pook took his name from the Irish “An Púca” meaning “The Ghost,” thus displaying his tr00 pagan leanings. Rumour has it that Abbath’s corpse paint was directly inspired by The Pook’s appearance — right down to the white beard (a distinct […]

Are skinny jeans black metal? Personally, I don’t think so. If you put your foot on a monitor, flared pants look better than tapered ones. But Norwegian design house Anti disagrees. It has a new fashion brand called Anti Sweden — shades of the ’90s Norwegian black metallers vs. Swedish death metallers beef — which […]

Does environment affect music taste? I have been in Southern California for about a month. It is a sea change from Brooklyn, where I spent the past year. I live near the beach, in no danger of getting robbed, knifed, or otherwise menaced by neighbors. It is quiet, sunny, and rather un-metal here. As a […]

UrgehalPhoto by Jess Tonight Urgehal and Spearhead begin a US tour. (See dates below.) This is a big deal, as both bands rarely play the States. I have a soft spot for Urgehal‘s Goatcraft Torment (Agonia, 2006), as it was the fifth album I reviewed for this site. The album itself has no soft spots. […]

Cover, detail A Google Images search query that once led here: “kickin nazi ass.” I now have the perfect image for that. The cover of Vreid’s Milorg (Indie, 2009) depicts an Iron Cross-clad soldier about to get beat down. The album details the Norwegian resistance movement, called Milorg, against the German occupation in World War […]

No, not a mashup. But if only! Recently I listened to Blood Red Throne‘s new album, Souls of Damnation (Earache, 2009). Most of it was unsurprising. Death metal, death metal, death metal. Good, good, good. But five minutes and 15 seconds into “Ten Steps of Purgatory,” I did a double take. “Every cake you bake, […]

Fenriz is the metal friend you wish you had. He’s funny, his band Darkthrone rules sometimes, and he makes great mixtapes. For Vice‘s website, he’s made a thrash mixtape called Trapped Under Vice, Vol. I. It is 79 minutes of banging, polka beaten filth, with Metallica and Slayer nowhere in sight (though some Slayer riffs […]

I’ve read Daniel Ekeroth‘s Swedish Death Metal twice. The first time was for enjoyment; the second time was for study. Ekeroth presents a massive array of bands, albums, and demos, most of which are obscure. The Internet has made it possible to hear much of what he’s talking about. From his book, I now have […]

I recently watched Flashdance for the first time. It is one of the greatest movies I have ever seen. Even though it is not very good, it is great. Never mind its two-dimensional characters, formulaic arc (a straight line), or that it would spawn Save the Last Dance with the addition of hip-hop and jungle […]