Reviews

Dream Theater – Dream Theater (Roadrunner)

Now that some time has allowed the dust to settle from the fiasco that was the departure of Portnoy, a lot was riding curious as to how this new (and oddly self-titled) album would turn out. Mike Mangini Read more […]

Death Ray Vision – We Ain’t Leavin’ Till Your Bleedin’ (Bullet Tooth)

The product of a few present Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall, and Overcast guys, Death Ray Vision is one of those mildly appealing side projects, cobbled together because it’s fun to get the gang together Read more […]

Gris – À l’Âme Enflammée, l’Äme Constellée…(Sepulchral Productions)

Metal the malleable! It is unsurprising that from the dark reaches of Canada there comes a group that fuses the utmost in non-metal with a solid-if-sparsely-used metal foundation. For the Canadian duo Read more […]

Iron Man – South of the Earth (Metal Blade/Rise Above)

The background on Iron Man is this: They were originally a Black Sabbath cover band (hence the name), who formed in 1988 only to come around to writing their own songs. They are guided by guitarist Alfred Read more […]

Atlantean Kodex – The White Goddess (A Grammar of Poetic Myth) (20 Buck Spin)

DR remembers when Germany’s Atlantean Kodex first hit upon scene, and thinking that their reach would be limited to Europe and Europe only. That still seems to be case two albums into their career, even Read more […]

Cult of Luna – Vertikal II (Density Records)

Cult of Luna live versus the band on record…not even comparable. Having just caught the Swedes in support of Katatonia, DR can attest to the sheer volume (we’re talking headache level) the band can Read more […]

Rosetta – The Anaesthete (Debemur Morti Productions)

Philadelphia’s Rosetta has been entrancing listeners with their explosive post-rock for a decade now, and if their self-released fourth album is any indication, the band is seeking to continue pushing Read more […]

Bodyfarm – The Coming Scourge (Cyclone Empire)

If memory serves correct, DR’s infantile brain confused Bodyfarm with “Phat Farm,” the now not-so popular line of clothing that was popularized in the 90s. This utterance was made for their 2012 Read more […]

Cleric – Gratum Inferno (Tofu Carnage)

On an introductory/surface level, it would be convenient to level the Sunlight Studios tag at Dallas, TX newbies Cleric. It’s all there: The guitar tone, the sonic gristle, and waterlogged drums, but Read more […]

Primal Attack – Humans (Hellxis Records)

Barely a year old, Lisbon, Portugal’s Primal Attack give a rather obvious nod to American metal of present and yore, meaning they’re a groove/thrash combo. Actually, a further examination into their Read more […]

In Solitude – Sister (Metal Blade)

What could be deemed as one of those proverbial “on the cusp of greatness” albums, In Solitude’s Sister (their third overall) is more of a transitory body of work than a revelation. The band – repeatedly Read more […]

Ulcerate – Vermis (Relapse Records)

Auckland, New Zealand’s Ulcerate are a technical death metal band of a different sort.  Many times, bands of this persuasion tend to create metal exuding little more than their mastery of complex rhythms Read more […]

The Vision Bleak – Witching Hour (Prophecy Productions)

Probably less covert than most Goth and/or horror metal bands would generally present themselves, German’s The Vision Bleak have staked a claim as one of the heavier bands to function in this realm. Read more […]

Beaten to Death – Dødsfest! (Mas-Kina Recordings)

Just after we got done ranting about how grind might be a spent force creatively, here’s Norway’s Beaten to Death, reminding DR that perhaps there’s hope for the style. The follow-up to 2012’s well-received Read more […]

Vulture Industries – The Tower (Season of Mist Records)

It’s nice to play a new album from a band under the ever-expanding metal umbrella and be pleasantly surprised at hearing something interesting, different, fresh, and most importantly – good.  I mean, Read more […]

Twilight of the Gods – Fire on the Mountain (Season of Mist)

Loaded to the hilt, and with a name that evokes visions of Bathory and Helloween, Twilight of the Gods is latest entry into the metal supergroup fray. Their name is derived from the Bathory album of the Read more […]

Running Wild – Resilient (SPV)

Pioneering the pirate market lyrically for metal, Germany power outfit Running Wild to say the least has had a roller coaster relationship with critics and fans through the years. Between refusing to advertise Read more […]

Ministry – From Beer to Eternity (AFM)

Ministry is nowhere near the hot commodity they were in their early 90’s peak days. In fact, they’re pretty much a non-factor in the industrial and metal scenes, the result from too many bland, tired Read more […]

Black Crown Initiate – Song of the Crippled Bull EP (Self-Released)

These gents won’t be unsigned for long. Black Crown Initiate, a power trio from Reading, PA, are of the progressive-minded, with deep, somewhat complex songs that provoke sentiments of a would-be powerhouse Read more […]

Sinheresy – Paint the World (Bakerteam Records)

More beauty and the beast action, this time from a fledgling Italian act in the form of the goofily-named Sinheresy. Since the band’s 2009 inception, they’ve popped out an EP and a video for the song Read more […]

Soulfly – Savages (Nuclear Blast)

With the release of Soulfly’s ninth studio album, most fans will have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Max Cavalera’s perennially barbaric vocals and straightforward but eminently infectious riffing Read more […]

Grave Miasma – Odori Sepulcrorum Gods (Profound Lore)

Originally conceived under the too-awesome-to-not-type banner of Goat Molestor, London-based vintage death doomsters Grave Miasma already have the badge of credibility going for them. Since they adopted Read more […]

Squash Bowels – Grindcoholism (Selfmadegod)

Listening to grind circa 2013…has it been perfected? Has the style seen better days, or will there be another tidal wave bringing in a Napalm Death, or a Brutal Truth, or more recently, Singapore’s Read more […]

Pursuing the End – Symmetry of Scorn (Bakerteam Records)

This probably didn’t happen, but DR imagined the six gentlemen and one lady that comprise of Pursuing the End sitting in the studio after the completion of Symmetry of Scorn, suitably pleased and of Read more […]

Ildjarn – Ildjarn Reissue (Season of Mist/Underground Activists)

Our own Josh Overbey quipped to DR that it “seems antithetical” for a band like Norway’s Ildjarn to have their own Facebook page. He’s right – since when was it okay in the Black Metal Rulebook Read more […]

Fates Warning – Darkness in a Different Light (InsideOut)

Nine years removed from their last studio effort (2004’s FWX), and Fates Warning remains on the tip of progressive metal tongues. The 2011 Arch/Matheos album was the next best thing to an actual record Read more […]

Diabolical – Neogenesis (ViciSolum Productions)

DR was provided with a physical copy of Diabolical’s new Neogenesis album, an infrequent, yet celebratory occurrence that takes us back to when our mailbox bore daily treasures in the cardboard promo days. Read more […]

Terrorway – Blackwaters (Bakerteam Records)

It’s good to see another modern-by-way-Europe metal band pop up; it takes DR back to the time when Mnemic, Raunchy, and Textures were starting to boil, with the trio proceeding to veer off in desirable Read more […]

Hod – The Uncreated Demo (Self-Released)

Free agents after their split with Ibex Moon Records, San Antonio death metal stalwarts Hod (named after the Norse God Hodur) have slapped together a three-song primer as means to stay in the metal public’s Read more […]

Scalpel – Sorrow and Skin (Sevared)

Sorrow and Skin is a very Unique Leader-esque, even though this gang called Scalpel fancies Boston as its home. It’s the first takeaway from an album that doesn’t have a very large wingspan – it’s Read more […]