With the infield and main stages not opening until 3 p.m., I had reserved Thursday morning to explore the festival grounds and do my merch shopping, however this was not to be as the rain continued to Read more […]
When it comes to modern death metal, far too many bands have embraced technicality as opposed to emotion. Leaving us with a cold and stale platter of flashy but flat playing. Not the case with Reading, Read more […]
Few bands can leave a lasting mark upon the extreme metal scene the way that Fear Factory has. The band’s futurist sound that combines metal and industrial music, Burton C. Bell’s trademark clean/harsh Read more […]
“I am pretty much breaking three of the car driving laws in Finland.” Quite the opening statement from Wolfheart guitarist/vocalist/ songwriter Tuomas Saukkonen during our Skype phone to phone talk. Read more […]
Sometimes you hear a band that just seems primed to explode, if it was given the proper exposure. They do everything right, from songwriting to energy to you-name-it. Checking out Trials’ third full-length, Read more […]
Banter in circles small and large goes around regarding the future leaders of metal. Will anyone ever ascend to ‘household’ word status, able to fill arenas and headline festivals in a single bound Read more […]
The first weekend in August is annually looked upon with fervor and anticipation by thousands of metalheads all across the globe. The reason for this is that’s when the Wacken Open Air Festival takes Read more […]
Splits are often fascinating listens. Being able to combine two bands onto one release gives the listener a bit of variety and gets a band’s name out to fans of another. The best splits take two (or Read more […]
It is a perpetual challenge for new bands to really have a sound that is identifiably their own. Many don’t try (and certainly don’t need to – not every band has to utilize their own sound afterall), Read more […]
Ever find that one band that comes out of nowhere and just blows your mind? Many probably feel that way about St. Louis’ Black Fast. Coming out of nowhere with Starving out the Light (which was self-released Read more […]
The Great White North… land of ice hockey origins and a passionate metal following. Many a band from around the world loves to lock onto those Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver tour slots – and quickly Read more […]
One band that has seen a rather meteoric rise in their status over the past few years is that of California’s Cattle Decapitation. The band has been going strong since 1996 and have seven albums under Read more […]
After a decade long studio break broke with Revenant, Sweden’s Tad Morose are feeling quite productive in releasing the follow up album 2 years later for St.Demonius. Aware of the fact that losing singer Read more […]
Much like the recently featured Fin’Amor, Philadephia’s I Am the Trireme have taken some time to truly get off the ground. Firing off a string of EPs since their 2008 inception, IATT finally released Read more […]
If you look hard enough, the New England scene possesses one of the most versatile metal pools to draw from in terms of the sub-genres. Be it heavy or melodic, black to power, thrash to death, technical Read more […]
Read part I HERE. Dead Rhetoric: What do you think of the state of heavy metal in 2015? It seems like there is a boatload of more product being put out at an alarming rate, do you think it’s tough Read more […]
Two traits that fuel the best metal bands of any era are perseverance and integrity. Do not fool your fans into thinking that shifting with musical tides or commercial aspirations doesn’t come at a hefty Read more […]
Read part I HERE. Dead Rhetoric: You touched on this already but, the element of hope. Or just that little tiny piece. Is that really the most important part, even though there’s all of the downtrodden Read more […]
Some bands take longer than others to find their sound and hone their craft. In this day and age we are witnessing bands firing off EPs and albums that they create and design in a span of months (for Read more […]
Anyone who loves traditional power metal with killer chops, bass parts, harmonies, and high pitch vocals remember the surprise launch of Brazil’s Hibria through their debut album Defying the Rules in Read more […]
With the sun out and summer in high gear, there’s still plenty of time to set aside for some quality heavy metal. If nothing else, consider this a chance to ready yourselves for the August onslaught this Read more […]
Death metal in 2015 is a vastly changed landscape than its humble beginnings. The sheer volume of bands that are available for public consumption has surged incredibly since the inception of the Internet. Read more […]
The appeal for melodic death metal lies for most in the expanded possibilities – sonically between harmonics and melodies while still remaining very heavy and aggressive. Japan’s Gyze are another trio Read more […]
If there is a band that can say that they’ve picked up buzz in 2015, it’s certainly Shattered Sun. Their Victory Records debut, Hope Within Hatred, was released to some celebrated fanfare (even from Read more […]
Next month’s line-up of big releases looks to be one for the ages. A completely stacked August line-up of releases can mean only one thing. Time to use up those last few valuable coins to snag some Read more […]
This site has covered its fair share of bands lately from our neighbors to the north Canada. Always gaining decent appeal in the major cities like Toronto and Montreal, you’ll find international labels Read more […]
One might say that standing out from the crowd is a helpful quality. If that’s the case, then consider Sister Sin extraordinary. In this regard, the Swedish metal group has many things that stick in Read more […]
Photos by Jason Berger Anyone remember the dark times for any sort of melodic, classic, traditional heavy metal in North America during the 1990’s when alternative, grunge, and nu-metal ruled the Read more […]
Often, when death metal bands continue to push the limits of technicality they lose the soul of the music in the process. It feels cold and distant, more like a technical showcase than an actual song. Read more […]
