Album Review: Utgard by Enslaved (Nuclear Blast, Oct. 2nd)

The term progressive is tossed around the metal world often, an adjective readily applied to bands across the myriad of sub-genres.  Throw “progressive” in front of any standard description and it instantly adds a level of technicality and arrangement not found in the genre as a whole.  Taking it a step further, bands that operate… Continue reading Album Review: Utgard by Enslaved (Nuclear Blast, Oct. 2nd)

AltCtrlToob: New Videos from Last Legion and The Absence

On this first edition of AltCtrlToob, check out brand-new videos from Last Legion and The Absence! NYC Viking metal outfit Last Legion just released a video for “God Ov Chaos,” a track off their sophomore album Muspelheim.  Performance shots alternate between a shirtless black metal guy chained up in an abandoned factory, with blood dripping on him… Continue reading AltCtrlToob: New Videos from Last Legion and The Absence

Baldwin’s Choice: Moonsorrow

Glowing praise needs to be stated for a band who never seems to be confused about their musical direction. I’m not talking merely on an album to album basis, but song by epic song. For a band who defines themselves on ambitious pieces of Viking metal of exceeding song length, Moonsorrow’s track record is almost… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: Moonsorrow

Norse Adventures in New York City: The Vikings Exhibition and Amon Amarth

This Friday, April 22nd, I embarked on a grand journey to Discovery Museum’s The Vikings Exhibition and AMON A-FREAKING-MARTH!!!!  INSERT VIKING WAR CRY HERE!!!! Yes, I was really that pumped.  I even took a hour of personal time so I could get all “metalled up” and check out the museum before the show.  It turns… Continue reading Norse Adventures in New York City: The Vikings Exhibition and Amon Amarth

Toilet Autographs and More Tales from the Road: An Interview with Ensiferum Bassist Sami Hinkka

The only time Sami wasn't in full headbang mode was when he was singing!

Interview by Jessie May and Jillian Simpson Questions by Jessie, Jillian, Christopher Baldwin, Thomas Pizzola, and Doug Welch III On May 29th, Alternative Control had the opportunity to talk with Ensiferum’s Sami Hinkka at Irving Plaza in New York before the final show of the band’s North American tour.  Hinkka, who has been playing bass and doing… Continue reading Toilet Autographs and More Tales from the Road: An Interview with Ensiferum Bassist Sami Hinkka

Perfect Timing: A Review of Enslaved’s In Times

Few metal bands have aged as well as Enslaved has. Most groups run out of ideas eventually, or at the very least slow down their output. And after a couple of clunkers from a couple of my favorite metal bands, I was becoming worried that Enslaved was going to come out with a snoozer. How… Continue reading Perfect Timing: A Review of Enslaved’s In Times