Reviews

Lorna Shore – Maleficium (Density Records)

Yo dudes, do you like breakdowns?  Do you like things to get HEAVY?  Are you under the age of 20?  If you answered yes to at least two out of three questions immaturely posed, chances are you fall squarely Read more […]

Coffinworm – IV.I.VIII (Profound Lore)

Filth. Complete and utter filth. That’s the essence that settles in early when getting close with Coffinworm’s (though with that name, who could be surprised?) newest work, VI.I.VIII. A volatile mixture Read more […]

Flotsam & Jetsam – No Place for Disgrace 2014 (Metal Blade)

Per the usual, Flotsam & Jetsam are a step behind their contemporaries in Anthrax, Exodus, and Testament, each of whom already saw fit to re-record some of their seminal works. The results for all Read more […]

Shroud of the Heretic – Revelations in Alchemy (Blood Harvest)

Getting really heavy here, and not in some stacked-half-stack sort of way where the volume can break the sound barrier. No, Oregonian troupe Shroud of the Heretic (could have sworn they were at least British Read more […]

Valtari – Hunter’s Pride (Self-Released)

Sometimes as a writer, there is a bit of a conflict between wanting to gush about a particular band versus a growing pessimism that “you’ve heard it all before.”  Sometimes in hearing the sheer Read more […]

Gus G. – I Am the Fire (Century Media)

The argument exists in relation to Gus G. doing a solo album is that he already has Firewind, so why not focus one’s energy there? Then again, for reasons of the inexplicable variety, Firewind hasn’t Read more […]

Polar – Shadowed By Vultures (In At The Deep End/Prosthetic)

Though it’s March, we here in central California (my area, anyway) is again enjoying another streak of Indian summer. It’s all the more fitting then that a release that fits so well with the idea of Read more […]

Nervosa – Victim of Yourself (Napalm)

Alas, the all-female incarnation of thrash. It’s been a long time coming, although we are almost positive bands prior to Nervosa existed, they simply didn’t make it this far. Nervosa is a Brazilian Read more […]

Epitimia – (Un)reality (Hypnotic Dirge)

The joys of the Internet age have done many things, for better or worse.  Put one in the win category though for simple distribution access for smaller bands through sites like Bandcamp.  While foraging Read more […]

Falls of Rauros/Panopticon – Split (Bindrune Records)

Two of the finest atmospheric/folk/black metal projects of northeast US – Maine’s Falls of Rauros and Kentucky’s Panopticon. If you like either of these bands or the genre, you’re bound to dig their Read more […]

Thou – Heathen (Gilead Media)

Thou’s antiquate wizardry metal alternates from heavy and dark to velvety and mystique. These qualities are exceptionally present in their latest release, Heathen – comprised of momentary melodic instrumentals Read more […]

Hiidenhauta – Noitia on Minun Sukuni (Inverse Records)

With all of the art museum quality album covers coming out lately, it’s easy to get spoiled and judge a book by its cover.  Hiidenhauta’s debut full-length Noitia on Minun Sukuni  (roughly Bing-translated Read more […]

Old Iron – Cordyceps (Self-Released)

Self-described as playing “heavy, low-tuned, melodic music,” where Seattle’s Old Iron lack in verbal bouts of back-patting, they make up for with an enticing, not-quite-fully-realized display of Read more […]

Hirax – Immortal Legacy (SPV)

Hirax have never been anything more than just plain ‘ole “good.” However, “remarkable” and/or “exceptional” may not be applicable terms for a band who since their 2000 reactivation, have Read more […]

Freedom Call – Beyond (SPV)

Does anyone remember laughter? Or the start of the ‘happy’ melodic power metal movement? Think back to the late 1980’s and the arrival of Michael Kiske with Helloween, as the two Keepers of the Read more […]

Aenaon – Extance (Code 666)

With black metal becoming more and more progressive and “out there,” the question that someone is bound to ask at some point is, “At what point do we stop expanding?” We have become accustomed to Read more […]

The Vintage Caravan – Voyage (Nuclear Blast)

You know you’re balls deep in a scene’s ascension when you have a label like Nuclear Blast signing acts like The Vintage Caravan. Well-played if often highly derivative 70s’ish infused hardrock with Read more […]

Morbus Chron – Sweven (Century Media Records)

Somewhere in the realm of progressive death metal institutions Atheist and Edge of Sanity sits Sweden’s  Morbus Chron.   Formed in 2007 in Stockholm, they make their Century Media debut with their Read more […]

Psalm Zero – The Drain (Profound Lore Records)

Frequently you can grow to enjoy an album that, upon first listen, really leaves you somewhat puzzled or embittered. Case in point: Psalm Zero. Occupying some peculiar abyssal territory between the likes Read more […]

Coltsblood – Into the Unfathomable Abyss (Candlelight Records)

Heavily leaden sludgy doom trance is just about the most complete and conclusive phrase to describe Coltsblood of the UK. Their music may be sluggishly slow, but their productivity is rapid! In 2013, Coltsblood Read more […]

Shear – Katharsis (Lifeforce)

Able to elude proper compartmentalization (which in itself, should be high-five worthy), Shear’s sophomore Katharsis is one of the rare Finnish metal albums that we can’t place an instant sub-genre Read more […]

Mount Salem – Endless (Metal Blade)

Sometimes traditional works. There is a mighty large scene devoted to aping off the forty year old successes of Black Sabbath but sometimes, only sometimes, someone manages to nail it in their own way Read more […]

TrenchRot – Necronomic Warfare (Unspeakable Axe)

Two rules accompany TrenchRot’s music-making structure: 1.) Play death metal; and 2.) Crush posers. Fair, and noble enough. The death metal rule is non-negotiable, for these Philadelphian dudes have classic-era Read more […]

Exhumation – Hymn to Your God (Dunkelheit Produktion)

When you think of metal geographically, Indonesia probably isn’t your first choice of heavy metal hotbeds.  Alas, enter Exhumation, formed in 2008, who make the case that death metal is alive and well Read more […]

Avram – Metal Noam (Mountastic Records)

Metal Noam by Avram is a different take on politics in music. To start, the idea behind it is very unique…the whole concept of this record is to convey the message and philosophies of leftist linguist, Read more […]

Shores of Null – Quiescence (Candlelight)

Every once in a while, a song comes out of nowhere that’s so good that you just can’t stop listening to it.  Shores of Null’s “Kings of Null” perfectly fits the bill here.  Randomly stumbling Read more […]

Destrage – Are You Kidding Me? No. (Metal Blade)

Basically a sonic free-for-all, Destrage’s sophomore Are You Kidding Me? No. album presents itself as one of those albums bereft of commonalities, expect maybe the only commonality is that there are no Read more […]

Neige Morte – Bicephaale (ConSouling Sounds)

Musicians and spectators are always looking for something different. Well, Neige Morte are first-rate candidates. For one, it’s an understatement to call them interesting, peculiar, or different. Secondly, Read more […]

Bloodride – Bloodmachine (Violent Journey)

Active since 2000, Finnish quintet Bloodride aren’t riding the millionth wave of new thrash seeping through every pore of the scene. Having the opportunity to take in copious amounts of their debut album, Crowned Read more […]

Battleaxe – Heavy Metal Sanctuary (SPV)

The story with Battlexe goes like this: Part of the NWOBHM scene, the band was scooped up by the fledgling Music for Nations label, who released the band’s first two albums, 1983’s Burn this Town, Read more […]