We’re over the halfway mark of 2013, a year that has been peppered with big happenings and bad news (see: Jeff Hanneman). Par for the course in metal? Yeah, probably, yet somewhere in between a rash of Read more […]
The Pineapple Thief is one those periphery bands for a lot of us; proggy, a smidge obscure, but with enough musicality that it will take the progressive-minded off the rails into different territory. And Read more […]
New death metal bands want to sound like old death metal bands, while old death metal bands want to sound new, or fresh, for that matter. It’s what happens when things come full-circle, like they have Read more […]
When word broke that The Devil’s Blood were disbanding, subsequent waves of bafflement and wonder emerged from the underground. How could a band seemingly on the upswing, the virtual crux of greater Read more […]
Aborym’s new album is titled Dirty, and it’s about being dirty. While thoughts of Christina Aguilera’s song of the same name rattle in Dead Rhetoric’s head, the focus shifts over to how in fact, Read more […]
At one time, progressive metal as a genre represented the big three: Dream Theater, Fates Warning, and Queensryche. During the 1990s thanks to all three acts extensive touring domestic and abroad, the Read more […]
From the garage to the underground, to whatever the next level is…such is the trajectory for Italy’s Eyeconoclast. Finding a niche band in Italy is tough enough, but apparently, keeping a stable lineup Read more […]
We’ve spoken to bands doing things themselves least a few times in the year that has been 2013. Generally, that entails being in a one-man black metal band and not having the slightest care about production Read more […]
A long time pillar of New York’s death metal sector, Immolation continue their legacy of extreme, no bullshit metal with the release of Kingdom of Conspiracy. The latest album sees the band at their Read more […]
Understanding of the fabric that makes the metal underground so important to many of us, industry vet Howie Abrams and co-author Sacha Jenkins set out to create the ultimate coffee table mainstay in the Read more […]
Worthy of the term “buzzworthy,” Vancouver’s Anciients are currently one of the bands that has the metal and hard rock press up in arms with praise. While Dead Rhetoric doesn’t fully have the pulse Read more […]
The Joutsen-era of Amorphis has been so consistent and so good, that we might start taking it for granted. It’s a far cry from those hum-drum early 00’s days, when the band was treading creative water, Read more […]
I recently had the chance to catch Flotsam and Jetsam live on the Dark Roots of Thrash tour with Testament and Overkill. Unfortunately though, Bobby ‘Blitz’ Ellsworth came down with an illness and Read more […]
For over 30 years, German thrash band Sodom move along, trends be damned. For bassist/ vocalist Tom Angelripper, he knows what he wants to play- finds the able bodies to help with the cause- and gives Read more […]
This is the first of what should be many columns regarding the connection between metal and horror films from our own Ken Gallant. As you’ll read below, Ken knows his stuff (and has a glaring affinity Read more […]
In most instances, new bands featuring “former members from band X” or “the return of so-so” leave a bit to be desired, or fall prey to the hype machine. Some metal dudes think they can just show Read more […]
Owning the rare distinction of four vocalists in as many albums, Swedish dark/death metallers October Tide have proven that regardless of who mans the mic, there won’t be a drop-off in quality. Case Read more […]
Still in the throes of their late-career resurgence, GWAR are starting to gain some semblance of normalcy after the tragic passing of guitarist Corey Smoot in late-2011. Touring has proven to be the remedy, Read more […]
Talk to the Cauldron guys about all of the glamour, chicks, and money that come from being in a metal band…they’ll give you the scoop. It’s probably why aspiring teenage rockers should never read Read more […]
Growing up in the 1980’s pre-digital record store age, I would often maximize my entertainment purchases through a deep scouring of the cut out bargain bins. One of the American acts I discovered through Read more […]
Early career projections of Arsis were admittedly, very high. This, after their sterling 2004 Celebration of Guilt debut, an album that raked in all sorts of accolades and praise for their fresh and energetic Read more […]
Always digging for an angle…that’s what a lot of us quirky metal journalists like to do. Most bands at least have one or two worth things worth discussing, while there are those that are totally Read more […]
2013 is thus far an exotic-laced and thoroughly overwhelming year. Fantastic releases have been popping out of the woodwork like mad and at the ‘tip of the spear’, so to speak, of these is Altar of Read more […]
Good times, positive feelings, and all-around pleasant vibes abound in the Killswitch Engage camp for the release of Disarm the Descent. The return of original vocalist Jesse Leach has given the Massachusetts Read more […]
The unfortunate passing of Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman gives pause to the man’s important contributions to thrash. Considered to be the most shy and reserved member of Slayer, Hanneman didn’t crave Read more […]
Many in the metal community wonder when musicians splinter to form new acts if they’ll ever be able to sustain a certain level of respect and audience interest. In the case of vocalist Udo Dirkschneider, Read more […]
Ninety (!) interviews into the promotion for Darkthrone’s new The Underground Resistance, and ‘ole Fenriz is as talkative as ever. Most artists tend to fill their responses with generic answers around Read more […]
The second half of our story on Omnium Gatherum begins in early 2007. Reeling after being dropped by Nuclear Blast, the departure of long-time bassist Janne Markkanen and the sacking of singer Antti Filppu, Read more […]
The Latin translation of Omnium Gatherum is “grouping of all things.” If that definition doesn’t encompass at least a good hundred (and counting) metal bands, then what doesn’t? The name takes Read more […]
Seeing a new scene based off geographical location start to bloom…it’s quite exciting, frankly. The creative output here in the States and abroad has yet to wane (and probably never will), but getting Read more […]
