Utopia Platafórmica

Eternal Evil – The Sounds of the Past still Reign Supreme I look at Thrash Metal a bit like I look at the sub-genre Heavy Metal: the gateway heavier sounds, and the genre as a whole. How? Most of us started with Heavy Metal with bands like Metallica or Iron Maiden, right? Some of the people from my generation, at least. Not that both sub-genres are of lesser quality, but it just happened. Iron Maiden might still be, alongside some bands people insist in calling Heavy Metal (Slipknot and such), the "welcomers". What happens next is either you settle for that, truly holding those genres as the ones that express who you are in terms of Heavy Metal, or you want something harder and more violent… and in comes Black Metal and Death Metal. It is not like people get tired of Thrash and Heavy Metal, it is just that, they are not the most inventive sub-genres from the pack (my own opinion… kill me for that). Thrash has become, for me, a sweet memory from the Past, to which I ...

Reviews, reviews, and more reviews And here we go again, I reckon. New week, new set of reviews. All these reviews have been written for Metal Imperium and VM-Underground, originally... just "stealing" them for those who prefer to give my Blog a bit of an audience ahahah Metal Imperium VM-Underground What do we have?! A fine selection of Black Metal. Interested?! Kepp on reading, and enjoy. Pa Vesh En – “Maniac Manifest”       Black Metal might be the most subversive genre within the Heavy Metal universe. Its almost visceral desire to remain pure and honest to the premises by which the Old Ones guided their creative standards, deserves our complete respect, I dare say. Unfortunately, the genre has, at the same time, been overtaken by a massive wave of more recent fans. And why do I say unfortunately? Well, this might come out as slightly (a lot) arrogant, but I do not care, and I reckon no one does. Black Metal goes beyond the musical expression, and I do feel that...

Nadsvest / Necrobode - "Ustolicenje Smrti. The Triumph of Death" (Iron Bonehead Productions, 2021)   Introductory note of immense interest / relevance: the gentleman who plays all the instruments in Nadsvest, is the same musician behind Bròn and Barshasketh, among many others, named Andrew Murray-Campbell... and what an artist! Just that. On we go.                What to expect from this Split? Nadsvest:, this is the second release since the formation in 2018, and what they present to us is Black Metal with a very clean production, which allows us to get an “image” of each of the instruments, voice included. It is Black Metal, in which the guitar work stands out, in which its focus is given to melodic lines, although without losing aggressiveness. We have no influence here from Mr. Andrew's other bands, so there are no delicate and harmonious ambiences. Marduk fans, for example, will possibly like it, since the "aggressive" details, as me...

Turquoise - I will show you how to Punk Rock From French land comes one more Punk act, with class. The French should be seen, today, as some of the best in terms of Punk; but Punk with a scent of something else, you know. Not just the basic structure, or the clichés. No. these chaps really go all the way and craft some of the best Post Punk and Hardcore and whatever, I have seen in a long time… and these words also apply to the band Turquoise, of course. Check it.                                                 Good morning, gentlemen. How is everything? Thank you very much for the opportunity, and my apologies for the delay. Patriarchy is a bitch! Heya! All ok, here in Paris, during the pandemic thanks - we’re doing better than a lot of others so w...

Ründgard – “Stronghold of Majestic Ruins (Signal Rex, 2021) Durante anos, o paradigma do Black Metal apontava quase exclusivamente para os países nórdicos. Anos antes da explosão norueguesa já a Europa de Leste e a América do Sul tinham soltado ao vento imensas sementes do que viria no futuro, foram as facadas e as queimadas que projectaram os focos para o que se fazia em termos de Heavy Metal Extremo. Assim sendo, sempre tomámos a Europa como o template para o género, por vezes ignorando aquilo que nos rodeia. Chegamos a 2021 e podemos assumir, com certezas, que o paradigma mudou, e o Black Metal tornou-se, ainda mais, um género sem uma “morada” certa. Que aporta isto ao mesmo? Uma diversificação como nunca antes vista; um crescimento do género; o expoente máximo da criação artística, livre. Foquemos, agora, a nossa atenção no Chile, e na sua crescente cena Black Metal. A Mahamvantara Arts Records, do Chile, mais especificamente de Valdivia, Los Rios, congrega em seu redor uma imensid...