In line with one of our latest headlines about the ISIL terrorist with death metal roots, why is it that heavy metal has to be the genre associated with the crazed and psychotic? You don’t see any news stories about gunmen/terrorists/etc being country fans or pop vocalists or techno DJs? Everyone is always quick to point that finger at the genre to begin with (“it’s always the quiet ones”), and the mainstream media’s coverage of these types of things only perpetuates the stereotype. Guess it’s just the way the world works; sadly, it probably won’t change anytime soon. – Kyle McGinn
General Housekeeping
Last call for our Noctem cd giveaway!
Features
Andy Thomas of Black Crown Initiate spills the beans about The Wreckage of Stars and their non-stop touring.
15 more short reviews await in our September Rapid Fires.
Heavy metallers A Sound of Thunder talked to Matt Coe about crowdfunding, being independent, and more in our two-part interview. Part I Part II
Reviews
Though the late Mike Scaccia never got to hear the final product, Rigor Mortis’ Slaves to the Grave is a “worthy opus.”
Concept album (trilogy) alert! Scar Symmetry’s The Singularity: Phase 1-Neohumanity impresses.
Boston, MA has a new death/black band worthy of note in Rhadamanthys’ Midnight Skies.
Exodus adds another solid record to the discography with Blood In, Blood Out.
Fans of balanced black metal should check out Fides Inversa’s Mysterium Tremendum Et Fascinans.
Khold returns with another genuine slab of black metal in the form of Til Endes.
Check out some post-metal that doesn’t linger past its prime with Giant Squid’s Minoans.
Kyle McGinn and Matt Coe argue the finer points of Amaranthe’s Massive Addictive.
The news in ten
1. Enslaved recording new album.
2. Havok’s David Sanchez suffers arm injury.
3. Ensiferum: New album nearing completion.
4. The Duskfall: Where the Tree Stands Dead due in November.
5. Tesseract sign with Kscope.
6. Devin Townsend launches ZTV and new Ziltoid site.
7. Napalm Death issues update from the studio.
8. Shape of Despair sign with Season of Mist.
9. ISIL terrorist recruit has death metal past.
10. Sylosis reveal new album details.