UMUR

Jonas

MMA Special Collaborator · Errors & Omissions Team / Retired Admin
Registered more than 2 years ago · Last visit 2 hours ago

Send Private Message | Add to Buddy List

Favorite Metal Artists

All Reviews/Ratings

4722 reviews/ratings

PSYCHOTIC WALTZ - Into The Everflow Progressive Metal | review permalink

METALLICA - Master of Puppets Thrash Metal

METALLICA - ...And Justice for All Thrash Metal

SLAYER - Seasons in the Abyss Thrash Metal

DØDHEIMSGARD - 666 International Black Metal

DØDHEIMSGARD - Supervillain Outcast Industrial Metal

MOTÖRHEAD - Overkill Heavy Metal | review permalink

OPETH - Watershed Progressive Metal | review permalink

ATHEIST - Jupiter Technical Death Metal | review permalink

MORBID ANGEL - Blessed Are the Sick Death Metal | review permalink

ENSLAVED - Vertebrae Progressive Metal | review permalink

FATES WARNING - Parallels Progressive Metal | review permalink

FATES WARNING - Inside Out Progressive Metal | review permalink

CATHEDRAL - Forest of Equilibrium Doom Metal | review permalink

ATHEIST - The Collection Technical Death Metal | review permalink

BURST - Prey On Life Metalcore | review permalink

ARCH / MATHEOS - Sympathetic Resonance Progressive Metal | review permalink

MESHUGGAH - obZen Progressive Metal | review permalink

PORCUPINE TREE - The Incident Metal Related | review permalink

MESHUGGAH - Koloss Progressive Metal | review permalink

See all reviews/ratings

	Metal Genre	Nb. Rated	Avg. rating
1	Death Metal	1309	3.35
2	Thrash Metal	661	3.44
3	Progressive Metal	362	3.68
4	Technical Death Metal	221	3.66
5	Heavy Metal	198	3.49
6	Black Metal	171	3.29
7	Melodic Death Metal	129	3.71
8	Technical Thrash Metal	106	3.61
9	Hard Rock	102	3.49
10	Non-Metal	97	3.29
11	Brutal Death Metal	96	3.55
12	Crossover Thrash	80	3.37
13	Sludge Metal	75	3.48
14	Stoner Metal	70	3.63
15	Death-Doom Metal	68	3.43
16	Grindcore	66	3.21
17	US Power Metal	64	3.68
18	Power Metal	60	3.57
19	Doom Metal	58	3.62
20	Groove Metal	57	3.48
21	Gothic Metal	56	3.49
22	Alternative Metal	54	3.46
23	Metal Related	51	3.59
24	Avant-garde Metal	38	3.67
25	Industrial Metal	35	3.56
26	Atmospheric Sludge Metal	34	3.74
27	Death 'n' Roll	33	3.20
28	Speed Metal	32	3.11
29	Metalcore	31	3.50
30	Atmospheric Black Metal	31	3.39
31	Hardcore Punk	26	3.65
32	Goregrind	24	2.81
33	Deathgrind	24	3.44
34	Melodic Black Metal	22	3.48
35	Symphonic Black Metal	21	3.33
36	Traditional Doom Metal	20	3.77
37	Proto-Metal	18	3.50
38	Cybergrind	13	3.50
39	Heavy Alternative Rock	12	3.50
40	Stoner Rock	11	3.82
41	Deathcore	9	3.50
42	Depressive Black Metal	8	3.44
43	Funk Metal	8	3.50
44	Glam Metal	7	3.21
45	Crust Punk	7	3.57
46	Symphonic Metal	7	3.50
47	NWoBHM	7	3.57
48	Mathcore	5	3.40
49	Funeral Doom Metal	4	3.75
50	Drone Metal	4	3.50
51	Folk Metal	3	3.33
52	Heavy Psych	3	3.50
53	Melodic Metalcore	3	2.67
54	Rap Metal	3	3.50
55	Neoclassical metal	3	3.33
56	War Metal	3	3.00
57	Nu Metal	2	3.00

Latest Albums Reviews

CRYPTORIUM Malignant Crucifixion

EP · 2025 · Death Metal

"Malignant Crucifixion" is an EP release by Swedish death metal act Cryptorium. The EP was independently released in February 2025. It follows the release of Cryptorium´s November 2024 debut full-length studio album "Descent into Lunacy". The EP consists of four tracks and features a 14:06 minutes long playing time.

"Schizophrenic" and "Black Despondency" were both recorded during the sessions for "Descent into Lunacy" but left off the debut album. "Schizophrenic" is an old demo track, which in it´s original version was included on the July 2023 "Cryptic Bloodlust" demo, but this version sounds vastly different to the version found on the demo. Stylistically the material on "Malignant Crucifixion" is in one of the more filthy and raw versions of old school Swedish death metal out there and that goes for both the studio tracks and the two live tracks which bookend the EP. Extremely raw, murky, and intense old school death metal.

The quality of the songwriting is decent, the sound production raw and organic, and the musicianship solid, but "Malignant Crucifixion" is not a release which adds much to what was presented on "Descent into Lunacy". A 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating is warranted.

2 hours ago
0 comments
Permalink
Share
Report #885033

VALHALL Castle of Death

Demo · 1988 · Thrash Metal

"Castle of Death" is the first demo recording by Norwegian death/black/thrash/doom metal act Valhall. The demo was independently released in May 1988. Valhall formed in 1987 and featured Gylve Nagell (aka Fenriz from Darkthrone) on drums on their first two demos (and on some tracks on their third demo).

Stylistically the four tracks on the 10:10 minutes long demo are in a pretty aggressive and brutal blackened thrash metal style (early Sodom and Kreator haven´t lived in vain neither have Hellhammer/Celtic Frost or Bathory). Sometimes bordering proto-black and death metal territories. It´s raw, murky, and relentlessly aggressive. The snarling blackened vocals provide the music with loads of caustic aggression.

The sound production is just above a rehearsal space recorded sound quality but not by much. This is pretty noisy and it´s not always easy to hear all details of the music. Upon conclusion Valhall don´t produce anything here you haven´t heard before and better from other early extreme metal bands. If you´re a Darkthrone fans this might be interesting just because Fenriz is involved and there are indeed a few nods toward the most primitive Darkthrone here and there, but that´s about it in terms of "Castle of Death" being a particularly interesting demo release from Valhall. A 2 - 2.5 star (45%) rating is warranted.

2 hours ago
0 comments
Permalink
Share
Report #885032

ATROX Remains

Demo · 1994 · Death Metal

"Remains" is the first demo recording by Norwegian death metal act Atrox. The demo was independently released in August 1994. "Remains" is the sole release from Atrox, which should not be confused with the more prolific Norwegian goth/doom/progressive metal band also called Atrox. The two bands are not related in any way.

Stylistically the material on the 5 tracks, 14:31 minutes long demo is a bit all over the place. From melodic death-doom, to spoken word gothic metal sections, to brutal death metal (even deathgrind blasting), and even the odd technical/progressive death metal moment. These guys obviously tried to put all their influences into their own songs, but it honestly makes for a confusing listen. The tracks are unpredictable and often include sections which don´t fit the rest of the music.

The band are relatively accomplished playing their instruments but the demo features a thin and not very well sounding demo quality sound production, which does nothing good for the music. If anything the production values further emphasize the feeling that these guys probably recorded this demo down at the local youth club or at their own rehearsal space. I usually have great respect for musicians toying with unconventional songwriting ideas and song structures, but here it hurts the quality of the product. Upon conclusion "Remains" is a pretty poor quality death metal demo and a 1.5 (30%) rating isn´t all wrong.

17 hours ago
0 comments
Permalink
Share
Report #884916

MOONDARK The Abysmal Womb

Album · 2024 · Death Metal

"The Abysmal Womb" is the debut full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act Moondark. The album was released through Pulverised Records in December 2024. Moondark was a very shortlived group who formed, released a demo, and then disbanded all within the year of 1993. Several members of Moondark subsequently went on to form Dellamorte. Moondark reunited in 2011 and re-issued their 1993 demo as the 2015 "The Shadowpath" demo/album. "The Abysmal Womb" is however their first real studio album.

Lead vocalist/bassist Mats Berggren is not part of the new incarnation of Moondark and therefore new members Allan Lundholm (bass) and Alexander Högbom (lead vocals) have been added, making Moondark a quintet on "The Abysmal Womb".

Stylistically Moondark pretty much pick up where they left off, although Högbom adds a more varied vocal arsenal to the band´s music, which is a welcome change from the 1993 demo. The music is still ultra heavy and relatively primitive old school death metal. It´s not really death-doom metal (the riffs are typically a bit too fat and chuggy for that) but there are some parts of the music which could be labelled that. It´s just generally very heavy music with simple brutal riffs and rhythms, a brutal growling/screaming vocalist in front and the occasional morbid leads to add an eerie mood to the soundscape.

The sound production is powerful, detailed, and very well sounding. It´s great to hear Moondark´s music presented with a good quality sound production. It really boosts the music and makes it more interesting and impactful. Upon conclusion "The Abysmal Womb" is precisly what I had hoped it would be after listening to the 1993 demo. An improvement in all departments and an overall good quality death metal release in the heaviest end of the spectrum. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

17 hours ago
0 comments
Permalink
Share
Report #884915

COFFIN STORM Arcana Rising

Album · 2024 · Doom Metal

"Arcana Rising" is the debut full-length studio album by Norwegian doom/heavy metal act Coffin Storm. The album was released through Peaceville Records in March 2024. It was preceded by the February 2024 pre-album single "Over Frozen Moors". "Over Frozen Moors" appears as the album opener on "Arcana Rising" in the same version as on the single. Music videos were released for the tracks "Over Frozen Moors" and "Open the Gallows". Coffin Storm formed in 2020 and features the trio of Bestial Tormenter (bass, guitars), Apollyon (drums), and Fenriz (vocals). All three prolific personalities on the Norwegian extreme metal scene having played with/or still play with artists like Dødheimsgaard, Darkthrone, Nekromantheon, Internö, Immortal...etc.

Stylistically the material on "Arcana Rising" is a mid-paced, raw, and energetic heavy metal/doom metal style. Fenriz has an epic singing style but at the same time he also sounds a bit demented. It´s like listening to Carl-Michael Eide (Virus, Aura Noir, Ved Buens Ende, Infernö) meeting a less accomplished Messiah Marcolin (Candlemass, Memento Mori). Fenriz vocals are pretty surely an aquired taste, but to my ears they provide the music with some charming oddball personality and they work really well within the context of Coffin Storm´s music. The riffs are sharp and heavy, the drumming is organic and powerful, and the leads and harmonies are well executed.

The tracks are well composed and feature enough creative details to keep the album entertaining throughout the 6 tracks, 44:54 minutes playing time. Coffin Storm are not afraid to write long tracks, because they know that they are able to deliver a powerful and intriguing attack throughout the songs. Best examplified by the 10:26 minutes long "Open the Gallows". The album features an organic, raw, and detailed sound production too, and "Arcana Rising" is an every way possible a high quality release. If a comparison is to be made it would be to Candlemass but Coffin Storm are slightly more raw, dark, and unpredictable. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

1 day ago
0 comments
Permalink
Share
Report #884857

Latest Forum Topic Posts

Posted 17 hours ago in Metal Music Archives List Challenges
98%....I havenÂ´t listened to the latest Anthrax, otherwise it would be 100%.
Posted 2 days ago in The Upcoming Albums Thread
Yup old school Bay Area thrash metal delivered by seasoned veterans:[TUBE]3W5ill_TGa8[/TUBE]
Posted 3 days ago in Now -- what are you listening to? V3
I like this one. Dark and demented doom/heavy metal with Fenriz on vocals:https://www.metalmusicarchives.com/album/coffin-storm/arcana-rising

Shouts

Please login to post a shout

martindavey87 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Hey Jonas! How are ya man? Every where I post reviews, either here, Progarchives or RYM, whenever I go to post one I see you've posted one on that album too. It's cool comparing them! Was actually gonna message ya on here just to ask what your name is lol. Hope you're well and rock on! \m/ \m/

optisailor2002 wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Thanks! I will be slowly importing reviews that I have done for my website over here, but that will take awhile. For now, I will just be posting new reviews that I am publishing on my website. Cheers! \m/