Reviews

Warbell – Havoc (Goressimo Records)

Things are not often what they appear is a theme that becomes apparent with a glimpse at Warbell’s initial full-length album, Havoc. The cover art is particularly dark and the logo seems brutal (neither Read more […]

Embalmer – Emanations from the Crypt (Hells Headbangers)

Hells Headbangers 2014’s re-issue of There Was Blood Everywhere was a pleasantly grotesque reminder that Embalmer was a force to be reckoned with. The dark and sadistic tone of that EP is well deserving Read more […]

Oceans of Time – Trust (Self-Released)

Probably best known for its black metal proclivity, people forget that Norway has consistently produced a steady stream of more melodic metal fare for decades: TNT, Artch, Conception, Pagan’s Mind, and Read more […]

Mortichnia – Heir to Scoria and Ash (Apocalyptic Witchcraft)

Brevity can be a lost art, especially in black metal where bands often tend to overstate their goals knowing there’s probably no way they’ll be able to “summon the horned one from the depths through Read more […]

NilExistence – Existence in Revelation (Self-Released)

A new up and coming act from New York, NilExistence plays death metal most brutal. Featuring artwork by Seth Siro Anton, and a mix/mastering job done at Hertz Studio by the Wieslawski brothers, don’t Read more […]

Arctic Void – Entangles (Power Prog Records)

The proliferation of metal acts incorporating multiple vocal and musical styles to diversify their platform (as well as establish a wide reaching audience) has increased over the past decade. Probably Read more […]

Metal Church – XI (Rat Pak Records)

Coaxed out of music business retirement, when news hit last year that former Metal Church vocalist Mike Howe would be returning to the microphone for a second go around following Ronny Munroe’s departure, Read more […]

Dodsferd – Wastes of Life (Moribund)

Evidently, we were sleeping at the wheel with this one, as Wastes of Life was released last November. Clearly, we had better things going on, like, sock darning, or not. Anyway, the ever-prolific and intriguing Read more […]

Orbit Culture – Rasen (Self-Released)

Swedish melodic death metal. Four words that have a relatively 50/50 chance of making you grin ear to ear or groan. Since you are here at DR, we’re going to assume that you are among the former rather Read more […]

Nightkin – Oath of Elucidation (Self-Released/Corpse Flower Records)

When you features members from The Red Chord and ex-members from The Black Dahlia Murder, it’s bound to get you some attention. Yet the buzz surrounding Nightkin hasn’t been nearly as strong as it Read more […]

Primitive Weapons – The Future of Death (Party Smasher Inc.)

Modeled after hardcore punk heavyweights Fugazi, Refused, and Quicksand, Brooklyn’s Primitive Weapons represent the regular push-and-pull between regular dude fury, and art rock aesthetic. Formed in Read more […]

Maleceptor – Digest the Damned (Self-Released)

With all of the slamming, brutal death metal around Bandcamp, it takes something a little extra to ensure a click on your band. In the case of the UK’s Maleceptor, it was the somewhat bright and twisted Read more […]

Human Fortress – Thieves of the Night (AFM Records)

Righting the epic power metal ship on their last album Raided Land, German act Human Fortress keep an eye on the prize mentality and execution through this fifth full-length Thieves of the Night. It certainly Read more […]

Walls of Jericho – No One Can Save You from Yourself (Napalm)

Us power metal dweebs have long been tripped up by Walls of Jericho’s name, mainly because it’s the same as Helloween’s first album. The comparisons, of course, end there. The Detroit metallic hardcore Read more […]

Circus Maximus – Havoc (Frontiers)

Circus Maximus are yet another caustic reminder of how fast time goes. This scribe remembers quite well when the band burst on to the progressive metal scene with their 2005 The 1st Chapter debut. At the Read more […]

Thenighttimeproject – Thenighttimeproject (Aftermath Music)

More Katatonia spinoff projects? Yes, seriously, by all means. Thenightimeproject is the brainchild of former Katatonia/current October Tide guitarist Fred Norrman, a man whose distinctive, eerie, yet Read more […]

Immensity – The Isolation Splendour (Hypnotic Dirge/Solitude Productions)

Sometimes a bit of gothic/doom can be just what’s needed to lift the spirits. Delving headlong into some more melancholic material and hearing the gorgeous melodies and atmosphere gives the best in Read more […]

Deathless Legacy – The Gathering (Scarlet Records)

A female-fronted, horror/macabre outfit from Italy, Deathless Legacy don’t necessarily fall into “acquired taste” territory that a lot of Italian bands do, but oddball they are, especially after Read more […]

Killswitch Engage – Incarnate (Roadrunner)

Metalcore veterans Killswitch Engage certainly need no introduction at this point. Notable in that 2013’s Disarm the Descent brought initial frontman Jesse Leach back into the band, Incarnate is the Read more […]

Rapheumet’s Well – The Exile (Test Your Metal Records)

Symphonic death metal has been a style that has seen some rapid growth following the success of Fleshgod Apocalpyse and Septicflesh’s recent work. Understandably, there’s some real epic qualities Read more […]

Almanac – Tsar (Nuclear Blast)

Following his separation from veteran German power/heavy metal act Rage, guitarist Victor Smolski last year set about assembling a new act that would fuse his classical work with the Lingua Mortis Orchestra Read more […]

Headspace – All That You Fear Is Gone (InsideOut Music)

Those well-versed in the progressive/heavy music sectors will probably know a couple of the players in this UK quintet Headspace – vocalist Damian Wilson through Threshold or Star One, while keyboardist Read more […]

Gargantua – Avant-Propos (Self-Released)

There’s always the opportunity for metal bands to embrace the strange and avant-garde, but sometimes it just doesn’t come together in the right way. What seems good on paper may not translate into Read more […]

Gadget – The Great Destroyer (Relapse)

The best type of grindcore is often times the one that knows exactly what it is and what the genre is all about. Get in, get out, and maximize the amount of damage done in the shortest time span possible. Read more […]

Artillery – Penalty by Perception (Metal Blade)

Better late than never to gain traction in North America – given all the interest in legacy and nostalgia, Danish act Artillery finally got to appear on these shores for two tours opening for Onslaught Read more […]

After the Burial – Dig Deep (Sumerian)

After the unexpected tragedy involving guitarist Justin Lowe, it would have been just as easy for After the Burial to throw in the towel, or even try to simply maintain the status quo with their sound Read more […]

Ragnarok – Psychopathology (Agonia)

You could look at Norway’s Ragnarok like this: When all else fails in the topsy-turvey world of black metal circa 2016, you can go to them; they won’t steer you in the wrong direction. The long-running Read more […]

Atlantis Chronicles – Barton’s Odyssey (Apathia Records)

First getting to know Atlantis Chronicles through their debut, Ten Miles Underwater, the jaw-dropping cover art brought the initial hook (as will this album’s art). Three years later, Barton’s Odyssey Read more […]

Sunburst – Fragments of Creation (Inner Wound Recordings)

If there’s one band that much of the metal community has to miss, it’s Nevermore. That dark, twisted, and downright heavy approach to power/progressive that they had was unmistakable. Many bands Read more […]

Dream Death – Dissemination (Rise Above)

Dream Death are a Pittsburgh band, which means it’s a guarantee they are better-known outside of the city they call home. It’s a time-honored tradition, if you will: Pittsburgh fans don’t support Pittsburgh Read more […]