Forty-five days into 2014 (or something like that), two perfect score reviews have emerged from this site. Behemoth’s The Satanist, and Cynic’s Kindly Bent to Free Us were both given 10/10 score treatment, which means, obviously, they’re significant bodies of work (they are), and perhaps already, some on the staff have their #1 pick for Album of the Year. Is it premature to say such a thing? Maybe, but such scores aren’t thrown around casually in these parts… – David E. Gehlke
General housekeeping
Two giveaways launched this week: One for Comatose Music, the other, French sludge mongers Drawers.
Our vintage video pick of the week: Entombed’s classic “Wolverine Blues.”
Features
Kyle McGinn caught up with Finnish deathsters Corpsessed, who aside from having a really cool name, have an equally good album in the form of Abysmal Thresholds.
Israeli death/thrash brood Hammercult have a fascinating story, one that vocalist Yakir Shochat was willing to tell.
Dutch symphonic metal all-stars Within Temptation are hot on the promo trail for their new album, Hydra. Here to talk about it is singer Sharon den Adel.
Reviews
Artificial Brain’s Labyrinth Constellation debut album is the latest entry into the ever-expanding realm of “space metal.”
Kult of Taurus of Greece Kult of Taurus gnash through transcendent melodies of eternal darkness and turbulent Gnosticism on Divination Labyrinths.
Folge dem Wind’s To Summon Twilight is black metal fans who like to venture a bit outside the black and white traditions of the orthodox traditional.
Whispered’s Shogunate Macabre does an excellent job of balancing full-on melodic death metal aggression with Eastern elegance.
Another perfect score, this time for Cynic’s Kindly Bent to Free Us.
Black metal supergroup Twilight go out in style on III: Beneath Trident’s Tomb.
Indian’s From All Purity proves its worth as begin ugly, disgusting, and filthy.
Lots of kvlt backing for Nocturnal Breed’s Napalm Nights, but not much in terms of memorable results.
One of the best: Slough Feg create one of the year’s early highlights with Digital Resistance.
Underrated Swedish thrashers Kayser return after a seven-year absence with Read Your Enemy.
The news in ten
1. Newsted releases the video for “…As the Crow Flies.”
2. Devil You Know, featuring former Killswitch Engage throat Howard Jones, reveal their debut album details.
3. Lacuna Coil split with longtime guitarist and drummer.
4. Cannibal Corpse to hit the studio this weekend.
5. Sonata Arctica release video for “The Wolves Die Young.”
6. Septicflesh releases first studio video for the making of Titan.
7. Coroner announces the departure of drummer Marky Edelmann.
8. Overkill reveals three new song titles.
9. Van Canto releases video for “Into the West.”
10. Megadeth cancels Australian tour dates.