Absu – Absu (Candlelight Records)
From the “Where Are They Now?” file comes Absu. The Texas mythological occult metallers were an underground staple in the late 90’s and early part of this decade, culminating with the dastardly, highly recommended Tara in...
Iron Fire – To the Grave (Napalm Records)
For a band that’s traditionally been a tough sell to the power metal crowd, Denmark-based Iron Fire appear to have all the right pieces in place: a take-charge vocalist in the form of Martin...
Thyrfing – Hels Vite (Regain/Candlelight Records)
Not the first name uttered when discussing the now widespread Pagan/epic metal scene, Sweden’s Thyrfing have been at it since the late 90’s with a batch of wholly respectable albums to their name, most...
Grave Digger – Ballads Of A Hangman (Napalm Records)
Long, long, long-running German power metallers Grave Digger have always been a bit of choice commodity in trad metal circles. The X-factor with the band has always been singer Chris Boltendahl, whose gruff vocals...
Dimension Zero – He Who Shall Not Bleed (Candlelight Records)
Sure, Dimension Zero’s melodic death metal approach isn’t going to split the world in two. And yeah, they trace over familiar path once tread by At the Gates, In Flames, and the like, but...
Darkane – Demonic Art (Nuclear Blast Records)
Once regarded as the future of melodic death metal, Sweden’s Darkane have never gotten their just due. Without the pop measures that In Flames and Soilwork so readily adopted, the quintet (who comprise of...
Sylosis – Conclusion Of An Age (Nuclear Blast Records)
nitially, Conclusion of An Age rubbed this scribe the wrong way. You know, kinda how deathcore or cop-out thrash does to just about anyone, but repeated inspections reveal a band teetering on thrash respectability. Sylosis (who...
Saxon – Into the Labyrinth (SPV Records)
Not even two years removed from the excellent Inner Sanctum, long-running NWOBHM act Saxon return with Into the Labyrinth and it’s business as usual for Biff and the gang. More arena-ready than ever, Saxon’s mid-tempo anthems are...
Sepultura – A-Lex (SPV Records)
With little or no staying power to the Derrick Green era, Sepultura finds itself with a perpetual uphill battle, made all the more daunting now the band is totally Cavalera-less. Sure, new drummer Jean...
Satyricon – The Age of Nero (Koch Records)
Never one to stand still, Satryicon mainman Satyr (aka Sigurd Wongraven) has made another personal affront to moving his dastardly duo forward with The Age of Nero. Sure, a rehash of 2006’s gleaming Now, Diabolical would have...