Endless parallels here, Wagner, who is name-dropped as the first real metal composer (all the way back in the 18th century), and Apocalyptica, the four Finns who have enjoyed a fruitful career by playing Read more […]
The most visible act to come out of Costa Rica, Sight of Emptiness have parlayed their unique geographical hold into stadium opening gigs for the likes of Black Sabbath and Megadeth. It’s the equivalent Read more […]
California’s Derogatory are next in line of the retro-death metal hopefuls looking to bring you back to that golden era of the early ‘90s. Thankfully, they have avoided the usual Swede-worship and Read more […]
Nine years away in silence can be an eternity in the metal community, so Italy’s Dragonhammer have a lot to prove to put themselves back on the progressive power metal map with this third album, the Read more […]
An album supposedly dedicated to turning one’s “boring day” into a “good time,” Hammer Fight’s Chug of War debut picks up on all the beer-pyramid themes their German brethren Tankard have been Read more […]
Who is Valdur at war with on their newest full-length effort? Is it God? The Devil? Big business? Themselves? Perhaps it’s the local grocery store after they ran out of Captain Crunch and they Read more […]
An album that belies the industry norm of recording one’s guest parts at home, Epysode’s sophomore Fantasmagoria saw each and every guest musician fly to Belgium for their contributions. Way to boost Read more […]
At first glance, When the Deadbolt Breaks poses as a wordy label, but like their music, it is expansively artistic. When spoken, the name drifts with its poetic consonance; and when contemplated, the image Read more […]
Harm is giving this writer a serious case of deja-vu. German-based old school death metal? Check. Released through FDA Rekotz? Check. Buzzsaw guitars and a mix of Autopsy, Dismember, and Celtic Read more […]
There must be another rebellion on the rise, and if not, there will be when the masses hear this end-all or instigate-all riot. Invigorating rhythms, destructive industrial beats, and dictating spoken-word Read more […]
Power metal eventually caught up to Rhapsody of Fire’s overblown, “Hollywood” theatrics, rendering the band a unique commodity no more. The dual versions of the band doesn’t help much either, especially Read more […]
Despite the rigid ideals of many of its pioneers, black metal is an incredibly malleable template from which to forge a unique sound. The past half-decade has seen an absurd amount of variation come forth Read more […]
Toss some Dismember, Autopsy, Celtic Frost, and add just a smidge of older Hypocrisy together in a blender and you’ll be saying TGI-Slaughterday! Slaughterday’s debut, Nightmare Vortex states that Read more […]
Italian black metal band Handful of Hate has been in existence since 1993, released its first album in 1997, and has since released five subsequent albums. This most current album, To Perdition, sees Read more […]
Sabbath, unfortunately, is crawling to the finish line, broken down, splintered, and with a new album that hasn’t floated too well with the real metal hard-asses. Their 2013 round of touring has been Read more […]
Despite the awkward and slightly goofy name, Immortal Bird’s debut is anything but. Started by Rae Amitay (Thrawsunblat) as a way to get out from behind the drum kit, she’s joined by Evan Berry (of Read more […]
As the story goes, the early 90’s Stockholm bands (Nihilist, Dismember, Unleashed, et al) would get together on a Saturday, head down the local subway, set up camp, drink, and blast metal all through Read more […]
Thrash bands always use the most literal interpretations for their album covers. As in, if someone is getting killed, mauled, or in this case, “eradicated,” it will show up on the cover. Maybe it dovetails Read more […]
After an absence of nearly a decade, blackQueen return from a long hiatus with their third release, March of the Obsidian Triumvirate. Founded in San Francisco during the late 90’s, blackQueen released Read more […]
To the hardened metal fan, Christmas music has never mixed well with our abrasive form of music. There have been some attempts, but they mostly fall into the ‘listen to it once’ and chuckle at the Read more […]
Though running a bit behind on this one, the impact is no less enormous. Though clipping off (for the better) half of the band name and refining their sound since their last release, So Hideous has produced Read more […]
As winter approaches and most of the upper hemisphere is wrapped in the frigid embrace of the end-year (though admittedly here in Central California it’s still quite mild), the mood shifts to a want Read more […]
Is it wrong to say that “electronicacore” is more interesting than plain old deathcore? Are we going to start pining for metal-on-electronic unions like in 1997 when all sorts of bands hooked up for Read more […]
This is a prime example of how some feel there are no ideas to left in death metal. The apparent supergroup of former Benediction/Bolt Thrower vocalist Dave Ingram and ubiquitous Rogga Johansson (no use Read more […]
At this point, Nightwish would enjoy nothing more than some stability and normalcy. Come to think of if, when was the last time things were easy-breezy in their camp? Around 2002 for Century Child maybe? Read more […]
The Ruins of Beverast is the music of multi-instrumentalist Alexander Von Meilenwald, ex-Nagelfar drummer, and prophet of the blackest doom. Here he assumes the role of the infamous Inquisitor of the Read more […]
Since forming in 2007, Lake of Blood made great progress on developing their robust and transcendent sounds. “He Who Becomes” and “In Wells of Shadow” were previously released as an EP titled The Read more […]
The life of a neo-classical power metal guitarist can be a tenuous one. Too much excessive technical display and you could only gain appeal with the musically inclined, Berklee college masses – too little Read more […]
Mortician’s Chainsaw Dismemberment originally saw the light of day back in 1999 but Hell’s Headbangers recently saw fit to re-issue it as a 2LP with a gatefold cover. Mortician has always been a Read more […]
Tuomas Saukkonen is one busy guy, and the metal world is a better place for it. This prolific multi-instrumentalist, songwriter-composer and all-out metal bad-ass has been kicking out the jams since Read more […]
