Hulder – Verses in Oath (20 Buck Spin)
Re-energizing that early 90s sound of the infamous Norwegian black metal scene, Hulder took the landscape by storm via a duo of heralded demos in 2018, quickly followed by an EP Embraced by Darkness...
Spectral Voice – Sparagmos (Dark Descent Records)
Ah, Spectral Voice - Blood Incantation’s slightly less talked about cousin, but my oh my is that about to change. The trio of Paul Riedl, Morris Kolontyrsky, and Jeff Barrett have received gobs of...
Dust Bolt – Follow Your Instincts
Photo: Niklas Niessner
Growth is a constant factor as we age. We absorb, collect, and process new experiences. We shouldn’t be surprised that coming out of this global pandemic, many artists in the metal scene...
Petrification – Sever Sacred Light (Svart Records)
Certain spots in the world can be emblematic of the style that spews forth from its musicians. Many may not expect Portland, Oregon to possess an old school death metal style act with influences...
EXA – Left in Shards (Self-Released)
Berlin, Germany represents home turf for EXA, one of many new generation acts putting their own stamp on thrash metal. Issuing their debut EP Ignite in 2018 and debut album Cut the Past in...
F.K.Ü. – The Horror and the Metal (Despotz Records)
A humorous moniker that stands for Freddy Krueger’s Ünderwear, Swedish four-piece F.K.Ü. originally hit the streets in the late 80’s – taking a ten-year break before reforming in 1997 to chug along at a...
Eternal Storm – A Rising Tide
Having made a splash with their debut From the Ashes in 2013 and the expansive Come the Tide in 2019, Eternal Storm have been on the ascent, refining their eclectic approach to extreme metal....
January 2024 Album of the Month: Saxon – Hell, Fire and Damnation
Glorious times for this veteran U.K. metal entourage in Saxon. Their profile has never been bigger in all parts of the globe – even gaining a chance to tour stateside with Judas Priest when...
Dymytry – Five Angry Men (AFM Records)
The transition from foreign language attraction to English-oriented product can sometimes be challenging. Czech outfit Dymytry started on this path for 2021’s Revolt, which along with touring situations with Pantera and Lordi upped their...
In Vain – Back to Nowhere (Fighter Records)
Another In Vain has been covered previously on this site – the Norwegian progressive death/black metal outfit that Katarina McGinn elaborated on through 2018’s Currents review. This is a Spanish outfit who lean towards...
Rifforia – Ready to Destroy
Can’t say there have been a lot of father/son tandems playing together in metal bands during the history of the genre – but similar to the case of Udo and Sven Dirkschneider for U.D.O.,...
Night Fever – Dead End (Svart Records)
Danish act Night Fever brandish themselves in the old school hardcore/metal crossover platform – unleashing quick hitting songs sure to stir the pot, excite the youngsters, and get your aggression out in a healthy...
Show N Tell – The Ritual Has Begun (No Remorse Records)
Often referenced in childhood days as the opportunity to showcase a specific talent or object of prominence to your fellow classmates, this Show N Tell comes from a true heavy metal background straight out...
Infected Rain – Time (Napalm)
Already reaching their sixth full-length album, Infected Rain have been doing nothing but continuing to further grow their cause within the metal scene. With their groovy, alternative/nu metal sound taking inspiration from across the...
Selected Singles – January 2024
Decided to jump right back in with a second round of these, hopefully I can stick to a monthly column as there's seemingly plenty of material out there to get covered. This month, we...