SHORT TAKES - Short reviews for releases you know

MYSTICISM - Arcane Forest Rites

Self Released

Hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico but after one listen you would think mid-90's Norway. MYSTICISM is a one man black metal act. The one man is multi-instrumentalist Daniel Jackson who also has plenty of other side projects. As far as this one goes it falls into the latest sub-genre category of atmospheric black metal. Yeah well it's old school sounding as fuck. One of the most enjoyable black metal releases I've heard this year.

https://voidritual.bandcamp.com/album/arcane-forest-rites

EXUMER - Hostile Defiance

Metal Blade Records

Back in the day, aka: the mid to late 80's when some of you were still in your dad's balls, this German thrash act were SLAYER wannabes. They also put out two great albums to prove it. But then they called it quits. A few years back they returned with a renewed vigor along with sounding like the actual successors to SLAYER. 2012's Fire & Damnation was a decent comeback but 2016's The Raging Tides solidified their greatness as true resurrected 80's thrash. After listening to this latest one all I can say is any of you new bands recreated 80's thrash need to take a seat. This is the best thrash album you'll blast in 2019. 

https://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords

https://exumerofficial.bandcamp.com/

GRAND MAGUS - Wolf God

Nuclear Blast

Pardon the pun but I was once a huge fan of this Swedish metal act but ended up throwing them to the wolves. That was some years ago when they went from being a doomish metal act to full on power metal via their releases after the decent Iron Will album from 2008. Trust me when I saw this in the store a voice inside my head was saying "NO". But the price was marked down so hey I took the chance.

I'm glad I did since Wolf God sounds like these Swedes have taken a step back. In fact this is what should have come after Iron Will. There's some power metal antics but their devotion to slower classic doom is on point here. Of course the album cover is killer.


https://www.nuclearblast.de/en/shop/index.html

AMON AMARTH - Berserker

Metal Blade Records

Being a fan of AMON AMARTH is one thing. Liking all of their releases over the years is another thing altogether. Yes early on they were great even though some in the metal media thumbed their noses at em as well as their Swedish melodic death metal viking shtick. I still say With Oden on Our Side from 2006 is their best album. For me it was Surtur Rising from 2011 where I felt they started getting generic. 

Look you know what you're getting when you pick up a new AMON AMARTH release. Berserker just exemplifies the simplicity to which they've turned into. You've got your chunky riff oriented cuts with viking mythology laced lyrics and some chant along chorus'. I'm sure it works well during open air festivals. Years ago I started seeing plenty of bands all becoming generic versions of these guys. Funny how it finally worked out. Liked the album cover though.

https://www.indiemerch.com/metalbladerecords