Originating in 1990 as Crown of Thorns and evolving into The Crown by 1998, this Swedish outfit continually strives for balance in terms of their melodic death/thrash attack. For their latest album Royal Read more […]
After a decade-long absence from the studio, Lake of Tears returns as essentially Daniel Brennare as songwriter and main performer (gaining assistance from drummer Christian Silver and bassist/guitarist Read more […]
Much of the technical stuff nowadays seems to be a bit much – too much focus on attempting to be over the top with songwriting and forgetting that death metal is supposed to be brutal. For their first Read more […]
Always championing a sound on the metalcore spectrum that embraced strong vocal melodies in addition to some more aggressively heavy riffing, Demon Hunter have always had a few ‘softer’ tracks on their Read more […]
No matter the amount of time and effort one puts in, there’s always bound to be a band or two that somehow stay off the radar for some reason. Norway’s Deception is the latest example of this, known Read more […]
Best known to the general public as bringing the ‘metal’ back as a singer on American Idol season ten, vocalist James Durbin has flown the flag for the classic elements of the genre even if he was Read more […]
Just as the icy and cold cover art would lead you to believe, Malice Divine is a meloblack band that hails from Canada by plays by way of Scandinavia. The (mostly) one-man act of Ric Galvez (ex-Astaroth Read more […]
An intriguing band to watch as they shifted from melodic black metal to integrating more and more dark folk influences into their sound. Their last album, 2014’s The Turn of the Tides, was almost entirely Read more […]
Striking hot after 2019’s Reign of Gold success, German band Human Fortress release a double disc of previously unreleased new/rare songs and greatest hits for Epic Tales & Untold Stories. The sextet Read more […]
Even though February is a few days shorter than the rest of the months, there’s no shortage of quality metal output to find on the Bandcamp platform. So for those of us in the north, bundle up and get Read more […]
A band that has been dwelling in gothic darkness for almost 30 years, Moonspell has also managed to try new things and experiment a bit. To that end, Hermitage feels like another new step for the band. Read more […]
Master Polish metal act Crystal Viper have been delivering their brand of heavy/power metal since 2003. Through their seven previous studio albums they’ve consistently refined and evolved as a band sonically Read more […]
The ever-busy Anneke van Giersbergen seems to have a lot of releases, bands, and even guest vocal appearances that she is juggling. This solo effort is one that should stand out though, due to the fact Read more […]
Once establishing a specific style or sound, artists often in the metal camps lean one of two ways album to album. Either content to churn out more of the same with little spices of flavor to differentiate Read more […]
Those who think the traditional heavy metal scene is stagnant and that there is no new blood circulating the landscape need to dig deeper into what’s out there. All across the globe, far and wide we Read more […]
Just as the name would imply (old Norse for “Giant”), Iotunn deliver a massive debut with Access All Worlds. Jón Aldará (Hamferd, Barren Earth) sits at the vocal position while a progressive and Read more […]
Best known for years as replacing Geoff Tate in Queensrÿche, vocalist Todd La Torre has been hard at work compiling material for his debut solo record Rejoice in the Suffering. Collaborating with longtime Read more […]
If power metal bands can sing about fantasy, then why not some more death metal ones too? Summoning the Lich take their inspiration from Lord of the Rings, Magic: The Gathering, and Dungeons & Dragons Read more […]
In a quick, hot take it seemed like the logo and design of this one was going to lead it into stoner doom territory. That couldn’t have been further from the truth, as Jarhead Fertilizer are an amalgamation Read more […]
A well-established veteran in the scene due to her work with bands like The Gathering and most recently VUUR, Anneke van Giersbergen has a rich history at this point with solo albums and even guest appearances Read more […]
Ever the beacon when it comes to top-shelf symphonic metal, Epica always seem to find a way to live up to their name with their grandiose and bombastic sound. Even though it’s been five years since Read more […]
Weaving together an interesting musical cocktail of sub-genres across the metal landscape, Italian act Souls of Diotima feel very comfortable expressing their style as ‘Mediterranean Metal’ for this Read more […]
Starting out of a love for dramatic, melodic heavy metal, Swedish duo Profaned consists of multi-instrumentalist Henrik Wesström and vocalist Thomas Clifford (Throne of Heresy, Abscession). Beginning Read more […]
At this stage in the game, when most think of a symphonic metal act that doesn’t shy away from extremity, Epica is the first that will come to mind. But InHuman are quickly looking to change that notion Read more […]
Now approaching 30 years as a band, Portugal’s Moonspell have been an act to watch when it comes to the dark and gothic side of the genre. While the band has continued to grow and evolve, they haven’t Read more […]
As a journalist its important to remain impartial when bands fracture due to personal, creative, or business decisions. Everdawn is a New Jersey-based symphonic metal band featuring three former members Read more […]
Originally appearing on this scribe’s aural radar through their debut album Born Beneath, Wrathrone are a Finnish act that blend together a solid old school Swedish death metal approach with some traditional/rock Read more […]
The problem when it comes to many slam or brutal death metal bands is that it just becomes one-note and boring the long it goes on. There’s a visceral feeling to it all, but many in the genre operate Read more […]
Innersphere is a melodic death metal band from the Czech Republic. Omfalos is their second full-length album, following up on a previous EP and 2018’s Amnesia. While it doesn’t really ever color Read more […]
In existence for close to 30 years now, Einherjer was one of the first names to really carry the torch for Viking metal, fusing black and folk together with traditional heavy metal influences to create Read more […]
The first of our picks for the new year, Tribulation reigned supreme with their newest offering Where the Gloom Becomes Sound. Continuing to polish their gloomy, gothic atmosphere combined with NWOBHM, Read more […]
