You may say what you want but Darkthrone are explorers. Besides being black metal legends who released couple of milestone albums in black metal genre they decided to explore metal and musical boundaries and not giving a fuck what anybody thinks about that. Main occupation of Darkthrone’s music last couple of years is 80ies metal with Fenriz being an absolute encyclopedia of metal and underground. For me personally, the best phase in last couple of years of so, was more melodic punky crust phase with Circle The Wagons coming to mind immediately. On to this opus. This one contains seven songs, with one called Koboltn, West Of The Wast Forests being eerie piano synth instrumental. On this opus Darkthrone mix eighties metal with doom metal slower side of things but retaining enough melody in guitar riffs to keep songs interesting and good listening. My personal favorites are Eon 2 having such nice main guitar melody, also Kevorkian Times. There are no blast beats on this album, but there are synth parts smartly thrown in some songs, also acoustic atmospheric parts and varied yet hypnotic riffing topped with Nocturno Culto’s trade mark voice. Maybe it takes couple of listenings to get to love this album, but once you do it, it is superb like all Darkthrone releases.
I wanted to get my paws on this one for a long time. Thanks to Rockmark Zagreb, I ordered my copy and got it, read it in less than a week. This book written by long time journalists Ika Johannesson and Jon Jefferson Klingberg came as something of a surprise for me. I thought that this will be another history of metal scene, from its start to nowadays, but boy was I surprised. This book consists of chapters which are stories for themselves about some of the most known or infamous members of the Swedish metal scene. I will mention the opener, story of Nifelheim twins, then story of Entombed and its divide in two bands, of course dark and impressive late Jon Nodtveidt of Dissection’s story. What would be story about Swedish metal without Dead of Morbid and Mayhem who ended his life in 1991 and is an icon of black metal scene. One of the absolute highlights for me was also story of Niklas Kvarforth and his Shining, his disappearance, the infamous gig with new singer Ghoul hehe, misantrophy and hatred. The book ends with story of melodic metal from more known bands like Hammerfall and Sabaton to less known underground power metal. Last chapter is Watain, band which I respect very much and who keep the flame of black metal burning bright. I recommend this book to all metalheads out there but also the ones who love extreme music and interesting stories.
I am blessed because I witnessed this metal legend live back in the days in Austria, I am pretty sure it was 1999. Ronnie James Dio. What to say about him? The man, the legend, for me one of the best vocals and voices rock music ever had and will ever have. I was waiting for this movie since the day it was announced with early trailers. This man was responsible for metal horn sing, you know the one, with your hand, that all metalheads around the world use till this day. It was in fact sign against evil curses that his Italian grandmother used to make when she felt something threatening to her family. The movie describes Dio’s beginnings from his early r’n’b and doo wop singing abilities, to Elf and Richie Blackmore and Rainbow, then coming to Black Sabbath when practically no one believed that he will be able to fill in Ozzy’s shoes. Afterwards, his career peak with solo band, Holy Diver, full arenas and tours to nineties which broke hearts and put metal as underdogs. From all the hardships and heartbreaks, to return with Heaven & Hell, this man earned status of eternal metal legend. Small in height, but his voice is still soaring from metal afterlife, although he passed away from cancer, his legacy will never die. Excellent movie.
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