Tag: Progressive death metal

Impossibly difficult to categorize into any nice, neat genre, Norway’s Drottnar originally formed as Vitality, in 1996. They began playing death metal, but changed names when their sound shifted towards black metal. The band’s sound continued to evolve more and more, incorporating progressive and technical elements into something more avant-garde over time, while still retaining elements of black metal, death metal, and other extreme sounds. It is this level of experimentation and excellence that both sets them apart from their peers musically, and simultaneously makes their music less accessible to the general populace of listeners–even amongst fans of heavy music.… Continued →

Brazilian death metallers Krig have been making Christ-centered metal since 2007. The band formed in their native Belo Horizonte in southeastern Brazil, and release their technical and brutal Feed Me independently in 2007. They proceeded to release three more albums across the next 6 years, culminating in some of the strongest Christian metal by any band from any continent, and especially from their home country. Some members have since relocated to Canada, making it difficult to keep creating music as a whole. But members have been involved in other projects as well.… Continued →

This Swedish death metal band formed in 1996, and has been active ever since. They immediately began recording cassette demos, initially focusing on traditional death metal and morphing over time into more a melodic and progressive take on the genre. Of course, Sweden is known for its melodeath sound, centered in Gothenburg, but Pantokrator are from the opposite side of the southern peninsula. Lyrically the band tend to feature songs about biblical mysteries, not your typical Christian metal fare. Rather than topics of salvation and judgment, they tell stories about obscure characters like the Nephilim, the legendary and quasi-biblical Lilith, and Melchisedec, featured here.… Continued →

When Extol’s first album came out in 1998, the Christian hard music scene had been dominated by hardcore and the then-developing metalcore sound. This was being spearheaded prominently by labels like Solid State Records (a division of Tooth & Nail), and Facedown Records. Enter Norway’s Extol. No one quite knew what to do with them. Sure, there was still an active underground metal scene, but Solid State had not signed any heavy metal bands yet–only hardcore bands that dabbled in metal. But Burialwas a full-on heavy metal cacophony, bridging subgenres–progressive, black, thrash and death metal–often within one song.… Continued →

Canadian progressive death metallers The Beckoning have been making noise since 2010.  This release combines two earlier demos—Desolate (2014) and War (2012) into one remastered full-length.  Truly progressive, this 4-song clocks in at over 29 minutes, making it either a very long EP, or a full-length with only 4 songs, depending on one’s perspective. While the formula has been done before—screamed/growled vocals + clean/operatic vocals + heavy riffing + melodic leads—it works well here.  Founder/drummer/vocalist Roy Turple pulls off the screamed and clean sung vocals, and when he chooses the latter approach, resembles Jimmy Brown or Eric Clayton. … Continued →

Check out this review of Fleshkiller's debut album, "Awaken"

Well it’s been awhile since I’ve wrote one of these. So I hope you all enjoy and I hope you check these amazing bands out! Go headbang! 10. Every Knee Shall Bow Every Knee Shall Bow is a death metal band that started in 2002, with brothers Drew and DJ Wibblesman, but didn’t get going until 2008, when their two younger brothers came of age: Cole and Shane. Two years later, the band hired their friend Chris Hull and recorded an EP titled Weary Warriors.… Continued →