The dreaded follow-up to a comeback album. It’s a tough field to navigate through, that’s for sure, especially when you’re as cult as Believer. When the band came back in 2009 with Gabriel it was Read more […]
Once in a blue moon yours truly will take a virtual stroll through Blistering’s review archives just to see what has been posted. Such a task is usually performed when trying to rack one’s brain for Read more […]
A bit misled by the cover, as it appears this fall more under the spacey black metal realm than straight, brutal death metal, but Oregon’s Arkhum like to go the unconventional route. Plus, this is a Read more […]
In an effort to not come across as sounding nitpicky, but it’s a partial waste for Vintersorg (real name: Andreas Hedlund) to sing in all Swedish. Simply put, the man has too majestic of a voice to Read more […]
Wolf’s worst day is still better than a lot of other traditional metal band’s best day, but Legions of Bastards is the first album from the Swedes that falls below their normally stellar clip. The Read more […]
Sweden’s Vomitory serve a purpose for the death metal monger who wants a certain, distinct sound to his or her favorite artist – and rarely strays from said formula. In the case of Opus Mortis VIII, Read more […]
We’re not quite at the point where everything Alcest mainman Neige touches turns to gold, but he’s getting there. And bold moves like re-recording his debut 2005 Le Secret EP usually turns things Read more […]
A take on the still-overdone melodic death metal style by way of Poland, Made of Hate’s Pathogen plucks from the loins the usual melo-death constituents, and proceeds to ruin it with some lousy vocals. Read more […]
Symphonic metal isn’t merely flowery keyboard-laden passages and overblown theatrical choirs that kick into Rhapsody of Fire-like high gears. There are a few bands who also remember to throw down ear-pleasing Read more […]
A bit of a no-brainer on Victory and BTBAM’s part to do something like this considering the two parties have recently moved on. And while there is the threat of over-saturation since the band’s forthcoming The Read more […]
Disregarding the whole notion of how mammoth of a trend “Sumeriancore” is becoming, Born of Osiris can stand on their own two feet, something their sophomore effort The Discovery goes a long way Read more […]
Clearly one of Switzerland’s greatest exports, Samael has always been one of those bands that has always done things their way, for better or for worse. Whether it be in the form of their particular Read more […]
It might be a bit surprising that Kampfar has been around since 1994, seeing as though these Norwegian black/pagan metallers aren’t usually mentioned in the same breath as such old school brethren Emperor, Read more […]
Such an early 90’s Swedish death metal album cover…we were totally duped by Ruled by Reason into thinking this was going to be an Edge of Sanity-meets-Morgana Lefay-type platter. ‘Tis not the case. Read more […]
Wouldn’t it be nigh time for Max to just blend both of his bands? Like, “Cavalera Soul Conspiracy.” Would that work? The respective lineups of Cavalera Conspiracy and Soulfly have enough similarities at Read more […]
About as significant as anything coming out of Norway this year, V is the album that at long last, establishes Vreid as a real mover and shaker on the Scandinavian BM front. Their early works including Read more […]
Mastodon’s 2009 Crack the Skye was necessary step for the band to laterally move into new terrains. Not only did it keep their metal foundation intact, it grabbed the elusive prog rock crowd, who have Read more […]
A handful of bands do reissues the way they are supposed to be. Carcass’s reissued library with revamped production and full videos of the band explaining how the albums were created and Atheist’s Read more […]
Minus the poorly-worded title (we should have known – mainman Wrath answers all interview queries with an exclamation point), Greece’s Dodsferd have once again delivered on their sixth album, Spitting Read more […]
Quite easy to get a gauge on a band like Vancouver’s Baptists in the span of four songs. They’re frothy and dirty, just like Trap Them and labelmates Black Breath, just without any sort of real charm Read more […]
A ringing endorsement from Napalm Death’s Barney Greenway goes a long way toward created a solid front in the underground, doesn’t it? Not like Trap Them needed one, they’ve tearing up dives for Read more […]
It’s rough terrain in the music business these days. Physical sales are down, online sales are up, and yet much of the current generation in this instantaneous marketplace clamor for new music and Read more […]
A rather wide divide has always surrounded these Frenchmen, for they’re not as sideways as Deathspell Omega (who really is?) and they’re hardly straightforward, so that space in between is what has Read more […]
Had a feeling this wouldn’t be as monolithic and graceful as 2008’s Communion, but that’s not a big deal – few albums of recent memory are. With The Great Mass, Septicflesh are not a victim Read more […]
How Profound Lore stumbles across bands like Salt Lake City’s SubRosa is anyone’s guess, and it’s getting to the point where a “Profound Lore” sound could be in order. That is, unless label Read more […]
Impossible to knock something like this. Methods To End It All is self-released (on their own Cure For Poison Records) and is as good, or better than a lot of the Goth metal going around now. The brainchild Read more […]
Windfaerer has successfully “Jersey turnpiked” epic/folk metal onTribus. Such an utterance is made because not only is the band from New Jersey (land of Bon Jovi and Tony Soprano), but their effective, Read more […]
Take the 7/10 rating for what it’s worth – Amon Amarth are about as likely to deviate from the course as Charlie Sheen is to make a coherent statement (no more social commentary from us). No surprise Read more […]
Now that their back catalog is getting the much-needed reissue treatment from Relapse, it’s more apparent than ever where the kiddie death metal pool has been swiping their ideas from – Dying Fetus. Read more […]
If this were 1997, Symfonia would be the biggest since like…ever. But it’s not, rather, a dreaded “supergroup” consisting of once-viable power metal cast-offs, most notably ex-Stratovarius guitarist Read more […]
