As a sign of homogeneity, Anomalie (who are great), Harakiri for the Sky (who, too, are great), and Karg share members and somewhat of a similar sonic stamp. The three proclaim black metal as the foundation Read more […]
Emerging from Alberta, Canada in 2012, Red Cain are a five-piece modern melodic metal project with a boatload of progressive and European-oriented influences on their self-titled debut EP. Yes, that’s Read more […]
Consisting of extra material from 2010-2011, The Sleeping Gods – Thorn is a classic case of clearing out the creative attic for Enslaved. Recorded in a variety of studios and locales (including the deep Read more […]
Adding another notch to their belt, Necroven come back for a second full serving after taking some time (read: a compilation and an EP) following a 2012 debut, Worship of Humiliation. Chances are that Read more […]
The 2.0 version of Massachusetts party power/thrash band Sonic Pulse gave the gift of the Adventure Metal EP for Christmas 2014, and since then have been performing as much as possible across New England Read more […]
When it comes to bringing the heavy, Crowbar have always been leading the charge. That sludge-y, thick guitar tone is almost instantly recognizable at this point in the game and their influence is revered. Read more […]
Goes without saying, but the Greeks have always had their own way of going about extreme metal. It’s a daunting, but underappreciated stance, one that has borne the country several legitimate, cult-like Read more […]
Starkill was quick to leap into their second album, 2014’s Virus of the Mind, but with it they also significantly jumped in their songwriting and maturity from their debut, Fires of Life. Taking more Read more […]
Together since 2003, Primitai hail from the UK, chugging along for over a decade on a DIY basis through this fourth full-length Night Brings Insanity. You can tell right away that there’s a wealth of Read more […]
Sheer coincidence that both Despised Icon and Ion Dissonance are releasing ‘comeback’ albums in 2016. As history suggests, both bands led the Canadian extreme metal charge (don’t forget about Beneath Read more […]
It’s got to be tough being Dark Tranquillity sometimes. Compared to some of their other Swedish melodeath elder statesmen, they’ve been the truest of the bunch – regardless of their changes in sound Read more […]
There’s nothing about öOoOoOoOoOo that seems conventional. Translated to Chenille, or Caterpillar in English, öOoOoOoOoOo’s debut album makes most avant-garde albums seem somewhat normal in comparison. Read more […]
Sometimes one of the biggest surprises as a writer is when a group just escapes your grasp for the longest time. Particularly when the word “supergroup” gets associated with it. Spanish death metallers Read more […]
Long-rumored to have simply made up words in the band’s early days, Obituary vocalist John Tardy also introduces their songs in his growling voice. After all, when you have arguably the best vocals in Read more […]
Polarizing can be an apt term to describe this Swedish power metal band because of their rapid ascension to prominence for their debut album Glory to the Brave. Call it a case of perfect timing (summer Read more […]
The collective groan from a record company when one of its bands wants to do a live album is justified. They usually cost the same to promote as a normal album while selling a fraction in the process. Read more […]
A high-profile project a long time in the making, the release of Serpentine Dominion’s debut comes with plenty of expectation. After all, a three piece consisting of Adam Dutkiewicz, George “Corpsegrinder” Read more […]
Seeking out local metal as much as covering the international landscape has been part of this scribe’s outlook since the late teens, when gaining the opportunity to contribute reviews and interviews Read more […]
The premise of Norway’s Dreamarcher is to unite a bunch of jazz-educated musicians and have them play volume-driven, “loud” music without the burden of jazz’s complexity and free-form thinking. Read more […]
Blossoming from a one-man project for Matt Smith during the self-titled debut record in 2003 into a full outfit from the follow up Mirror of Souls and ever since, Georgia band Theocracy provide positive Read more […]
Not sure if this would be considered a slight or not, but Vader have become awfully workmanlike in their third decade as a band. It could be because the bar was already set high during their searing ‘90s Read more […]
Checking out Infecting the Swarm’s last release, Pathogenesis, it seemed to be one of those “good if you are into the genre” type of releases. The one-man act clearly knew the genre at hand and Read more […]
Passion and sincerity go hand in hand in developing a following in the metal scene. People have to believe in what you are offering – and in the case of Quebec City, Canada act Warning Sign, there’s Read more […]
You’ll get a lot of the “going backward” talk with Darkthrone, something this scribe has uh, ascribed to as well. As total devotees of classic metal and its related sound and aesthetic, the utter Read more […]
Old school death metal…from India. Just when you think you’ve heard of it all. But the problem with these type of releases is that nowadays, old school metal (and all types of metal) can come from Read more […]
With this writer’s first exposure to Burial in the Sky being a live performance at River of Nihil’s CD release party for Monarchy, there was something about them that seemed like they would be on to Read more […]
If there’s one thing you can count on from Canadian death metal acts, it’s their ability to take technical aspects and work them into something that’s more outside of the box than many others. Auroch Read more […]
Have to wonder if the While They Were Sleeping album title is in some reference to Candiria’s horrific 2002 van accident where the band was rear-ended by a tractor trailer as the band was asleep in the Read more […]
The fine PR folks at Earache are employing #makeearachegrindagain hash tag in support of Wormort’s new Voices album. It’s a bit of an odd thing to type, frankly, given the label’s long-established Read more […]
New Jersey’s Cognitive came out of the gate strong with their self-titled full-length debut back in 2014. Their varied approach to adrenaline-soaked death metal was bound to catch a foothold somewhere, Read more […]
