Born of Osiris are in a tricky spot with their fifth and latest release, Soul Sphere. Being one of the pillars that the affectionately/loathingly dubbed “Sumeriancore” sound was built upon, they’ve Read more […]
Sufficient evidence would indicate a band now past its 35th year of existence (Killing Joke formed in 1978) shouldn’t sound this vital and/or pulsating. We’re getting a lot of old-timers in the twilight Read more […]
Blue-collar tech death? Seems weird to say, but Arkaik have been laying down their no-frills, meat & potatoes version of technical death metal for three albums prior to Lucid Dawn without nearly as much Read more […]
After cranking out three albums since 2011, we come to the first stop-gap release by Amaranthe. As we move further away from last year’s Massive Addictive, the band seems intent on conquering North Read more […]
The distance between Cult Leader and their former outfit Gaza continues to grow. (Although it doesn’t help matters when pesky journalists keep bringing up the subject!) The Salt Lake City, Utah quartet Read more […]
Another year, another Ektomorf studio record in Aggressor. Hungary’s answer to Soulfly hasn’t really broken out of the Max Cavalera-oriented shell in decades, as our esteemed editor elaborated upon Read more […]
Progressive metallers Earthside are an ingenious bunch. Into your metal mix, toss in the progressive touches of metal and rock, use near-cinematic elements to catapult your sound forward, and then enlist Read more […]
Far before the inferno-like interest in ‘female-fronted’ metal took ahold of the scene over the recent half-decade (air quotes surrounding the tag, as to this journalist what does gender have to do Read more […]
Grave Digger’s early catalog was suitably raw, perhaps moreso than any other German metal band considered to be traditional and/or power metal. There were plenty of reasons why: Vocalist Chris Boltendahl Read more […]
The Chilean entry into the thrash marathon, Nuclear (keep on wanting to type “Blast” next to their name) have been kicking around since 2003. The deep A&R claws of Candlelight was able to snatch Read more […]
Abominable Putridity originally unleashed The Anomalies of Artificial Origin on the masses back in 2012 through Brutal Bands Records. Since that time, it saw a number of praises tossed its way, and the Read more […]
What kind of sonic trickery could come from a band featuring members of Agalloch, Hammers of Misfortune, Worm Ouroboros, and Yob? The possibilities…sheesh; where to begin? The obvious differences between Read more […]
Labels can be identifiable for the novice but often tedious to journalists – let’s just call a spade a spade and push Gothenburg’s RAM as pure heavy metal and not just another group in the New Wave Read more […]
The best work usually comes from times of stress and uncertainty. Residing in a country where an overthrow of the government took place, resulting in a very tricky and difficult border war with Russia, Read more […]
Sevared Records – a label known for their brutal death metal acts, have managed to pull a gem out of their hats on more than one occasion. With much of the slam genre being very stereotypical and predicable, Read more […]
If you are going to go into the old school death metal scene, you need to do one of two things in order to be successful: jump in with both feet and perform energetic and memorable material, or provide Read more […]
Severely underappreciated death metal act Vehemence recorded three albums (most notably 2002’s God Was Created) before packing it in back in 2005. But thankfully, that’s not the end of the tale for Read more […]
Gnaw Their Tongues is a one-man mindfuck out of the Netherlands, creating a sick brew of experimental, industrialized black metal which is both challenging and affective. Mories, the architect of this Read more […]
Probably a tad overdo for a live album, Greece’s Rotting Christ, for the better part of a few decades now, have come to embody the shape-shifting, in-focus, exotic ethos that resonates from their home Read more […]
Hailing from Rochester, NY, Age of Shadows in their current incarnation may seem like a new band through their 2014 relaunch – but in reality, guitarist Jason Snyder and bassist Patches O’Brayer have Read more […]
Spain’s Dark Moor, if anything, are a chameleon-like entity. They once had a female singer. They once played power metal of the tried and true variety. They then added symphonic elements to the mix. Read more […]
It seems quite clear that the metal gods have smiled upon 2015 when it comes to doom. A number of fantastic releases have made their way through in these past months (Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride Read more […]
Originating as a solo project for Aska bassist Dave Harvey in 2010, over the course of five years Millennial Reign has morphed into a full-fledged band, as Carry the Fire is the second record and first Read more […]
Lots of proper ‘o check-boxes taken care of with Orpheus Omega’s third album, Partum Vita Mortem. Let’s see: There’s artwork courtesy of Dark Tranquillity guitarist Niklas Sundin, a guest solo Read more […]
Witnessing Burn the Empire for the first time two months ago when they took the stage with Rivers of Nihil and Black Crown Initiate, they impressed with their style of death metal brutality that still Read more […]
What you’d get if you mashed-up Cathedral and vintage Electric Wizard supposedly, With the Dead features former Cathedral howler Lee Dorrian, along with ex-Electric Wizard-men Tim Bagshaw (guitars/bass) Read more […]
Norwegian grind leaders have effectively succeeded where most bands of their ilk fail: They are unique, identifiable, and most of all, pretty gosh darn good. DR first stumbled upon the band via their excellent Read more […]
Northern Ireland thrash quintet Gama Bomb return for a fifth full platter of quick hitting, humor filled good times the only way they know how. These gentlemen aren’t going to clog up the airwaves with Read more […]
Poland – land to the titans of extreme metal: Behemoth, Decapitated, and Vader just to fire off three from the cuff. No matter the output, Polish metal almost always seems to have an unrelenting intensity Read more […]
As Arch Enemy changed vocalists last year, the legend of Johan Liiva only seemed to grow. The bolting, burly throat on the first three AE albums (1999’s Burning Bridges being the best), Liiva’s departure Read more […]
