Metal Reviews

By a mile!

I just don't get the hype surrounding those bands. Leviathan is good, but not as spectacular as people make it out to be. Xasthur is ok too but way overrated.

I really like Krieg and Black Funeral out of your list though. I've been meaning to check out Wolves in the Throne Room, heard good things about them.

I thought Wolves in the Throne Room was nothing more than a cruel joke of a band, but we will probably disagree considering we seem to disagree on just about every other USMB band.

What kind of style do WitTR play? Some people have compared them to early Ulver.

Hmm, I certainly don't remember thinking "Ulver" when I listened to it. It's hard for me to say what style they did play because I only listened to it about twice or so awhile ago...but it certainly wasn't very raw and it was pretty melodic. I suppose broken down all the elements were quite good, I just thought there was something missing...or insincere. I'll have to try it again, FTR should be able to help you more.

I also find them hard to describe. You're right, they don't really sound much like Ulver, especially not Nattens Madrigal... maybe there is a slight similarity between them and Bergtatt in terms of "atmosphere", but that's about it. WitTR has quite a restful and melodic feel by BM standards, maybe somewhere in the same ballpark as Alcest's Le Secret, but WitTR's songs contain a much wider range of ideas.

WITTR - Hippie black metal. Makes me think of nature, has an atmosphere SOMEWHERE in the ballpark of Bergtatt, but does not in any way feel norwegian. Long songs, slow post-rock-ish build ups, well produced. Just think of a nature based bm sound, but then try to imagine NOT bing in scandinavia

Hard band to describe

I'm glad, but you haven't annoyed but amused me.