Romanian Metal

Scythe – Boiled Alive Review

By Grin Reaper on February 13, 2026 in Reviews, Death Metal, 55 comments

“In the midst of a recent metal deep-dive, Romania’s Scythe skulked out from a Bandcamp back alley and bludgeoned me with the flat side of their blade, knocking me senseless with scuzzy shenanigans. We weren’t graced with a promo for Scythe’s self-released debut, but Boiled Alive packs in so much grimy panache that after my first listen, I had it shortlisted as someThing You Might Have Missed. Rather than wait several months before bringing attention to Boiled Alive, though, I volunteered to burn some midnight oil and write about this quartet from Constanța.” Get in the pot!

Clouds – Desprins [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Thus Spoke on December 8, 2025 in Things You Might Have Missed 2025, Death Doom, Funeral Doom, 9 comments

“Those of you who have been paying close attention may remember that Clouds’ 2021 album Despǎrțire was the subject of my very first review here at AMG; a review that in my n00bish naïveté, I appended with a 4.5. I don’t regret it, but will admit the name Clouds had faded a little in my mind before a sudden and apparently unannounced drop of Desprins back in January caused all the sweet sadness to come flooding back.” Like waves of melancholy, Clouds drift in.

Sylvanshine – The Offering Review

By Killjoy on May 29, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Shoegaze, 8 comments

“The contrast of opposites is fundamentally important in art, and Sylvanshine is an apt name to illustrate this principle. As I just learned from Wikipedia, “Sylvanshine is an optical phenomenon in which dew-covered foliage with wax-coated leaves retroreflect beams of light, as from a vehicle’s headlights. This effect sometimes makes trees appear snow-covered at night during summer.” Fittingly, Ion Ureche’s blackgaze project from Bucharest, Romania, deals with opposing themes, specifically “love and loss, hope and desperation.” Shine gazing.

Vokodlok – The Egregious Being Review

By Kenstrosity on March 14, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 19 comments

“Hailing from Romania and dealing in Transylvanian mythology, Vokodlok began life as a raw black metal band. Their debut, Mass Murder Genesis, represented that genre in all its sonic roughness, featuring guitar tones worthy only of magnetic tape, a bona fide trash can lid snare, and croaking rasps galore. Shortly after that debut dropped, Vokodlok called it quits until reforming in 2018 with a slightly restructured lineup. But that’s not the only thing that’s transformed since their rebirth.” From death to live.

Sur Austru – Datura Strǎhiarelor Review

By Twelve on September 5, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Progressive Metal, 21 comments

“Sur Austru was an exciting find for me back in 2021. Their sophomore full-length Obârșie is a stunning display of mystical, folky black metal that is as evocative as it is unique. I still return to it often, so I was naturally very excited to learn that the group, originally formed in 2018 following the tragic passing of Gabriel Mafa (Negură Bunget, from where much of the rest of the band hails), is releasing a third full-length called Datura Strǎhiarelor (“The Gift of Scarecrows”), to carry on the unique and bright torch that is Romanian black metal. But Datura Strǎhiarelor is a much different beast from its predecessor.” A Sur thing.

Necrotum – Defleshed Exhumation Review

By Steel Druhm on January 24, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 30 comments

“I cannot claim familiarity or history with Romanian death metal act Necrotum, but the promo sump was shallow in January and an album title like Defleshed Exhumation was sure to catch the eye of Steel even in more target-rich environs. This is the band’s third full-length effort and it features a sound sitting at the crossroads of tech/prog/OSDM.” Right in the Necrotum!

Syn Ze Şase Tri – Ultimu’ lup [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Angry Metal Guy on December 13, 2022 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 37 comments

“Still on the excellent Code666 after all these years, Transylvanian Syn Ze Şase Tri’s fifth full-length is entitled Ultimu’ lup, and it is their strongest slab of driven, bombastic, orchestral black metal since 2012’s Sub semnul lupului. It’s been a long five year wait.” Wolf back.

Rotheads – Slither in Slime Review

By Ferox on July 27, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, 10 comments

“The Rotheads formula may have been tweaked, but this fetid draught retains its signature nose. Here are seven songs spanning forty-three minutes, each one chock-a-block with death riffs played at a tempo often verging on thrash. The band still has songwriting talent in spades, and a penchant for stretching that talent to the breaking point.” Slime to kill.

Sur Austru – Obărșie [Things You Might Have Missed 2021]

By Twelve on December 20, 2021 in Things You Might Have Missed 2021, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 34 comments

“Earlier this year, Huck N Roll reviewed the final full-length release from Negură Bunget, following Gabriel Mafa’s tragic passing in 2017. For several now-former members of the group, however, the musical journey, and spirit of Negură Bunget, persists in the form of Sur Austru, which was formed in 2018 to continue that musical legacy.” Onward.

Negură Bunget – Zău Review

By Huck N Roll on November 30, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Progressive Metal, 24 comments

“The November 26 release cycle brings us a couple of albums by bands we wouldn’t have expected to hear from; Cynic and Negură Bunget. While Kronos will be filling our heads with his thoughts on the former, the latter falls to me. Not because I am a world-renowned black metal aficionado, but rather because I reviewed the latest (truly excellent) release from Dordeduh, and it is natural to draw some comparisons. Following the tragic death of drummer/band leader Gabriel “Negru” Mafa back in 2017, one would assume that was the end of the band. But Negru had completed a number of drum tracks for the final album in the band’s trilogy, and after a period of mourning the remaining band members took up the mantle and fleshed out the songs, and now they present the final chapter in the band’s canon, Zău.” End of the misty road.