Extreme Metal Music

Voltumna – Ciclope Review

Voltumna – Ciclope Review

“How convenient! An extreme metal record distributed by none other than Extreme Metal Music. Can’t get much more straightforward than that! The band is Voltumna, who I am sure every single person here has heard of before. The record is Ciclope. The time is now. The place is here. The reviewer is me. Time to crack open this cyclopic skull and see what lurks inside! Blackened death metal? Just what I wanted!” Extreme gifts.

Ade – Rise of the Empire Review

Ade – Rise of the Empire Review

“Further line-up changes have occurred in the intervening years, yet even with new members in tow, Ade’s signature formula remains intact on their fourth LP, entitled Rise of the Empire. Comparisons to the legendary Nile are unavoidable and apt, yet also form a simplified analysis of a sound Ade can call their own. However, amidst more line-up fractures hampering the band, can Ade muster up the inspiration to deliver a knockout blow in the vein of past offerings?” Et tu, Ade?

Sinnrs – Profound Review

Sinnrs – Profound Review

“I still remember the first time that I heard King by Fleshgod Apocalypse. The mixture of over-the-top symphonic arrangements with death metal hit me hard, and it remains one of my favorite albums of the last five years (or more). I had heard the style before, but King was the first album that showed me what can truly be accomplished when a band nails the perfect ratio of these ingredients. I eagerly await the follow-up to that great album with hype and trembling, but I thought I’d distract myself by picking up Profound, the debut from Danish duo Sinnrs, in the meantime.” Fleshgod for filthy sinnrs.

Ashen Horde – Fallen Cathedrals Review

Ashen Horde – Fallen Cathedrals Review

“2018 saw my tastes begin to shift. The power metal that brought me to the dance — while still producing some gems for the year — had to watch as blackened death metal swept me off my feet and took me home once the music had stopped. A full half of my top ten for the year — and all of my top four — could have been tagged (arguably) with both “black” and “death.” While I enjoy albums of each genre on their own, there’s something about the two being combined in interesting ways that really gets my juices flowing (this is your cue to don eye protection). Hence, my interest in Los Angeles’ Ashen Horde, the proggy black/death project of multi-instrumentalist Trevor Portz and Inferi / Equipoise vocalist Steve Boiser.” Ash Hoarders unite!

Tornado – Commitment to Excellence Review

Tornado – Commitment to Excellence Review

“The world of today is in turmoil. Across the Western world, after decades of growth for love, tolerance and liberty, a movement of blanket hatred for the ‘other’ has begun to creep up through the pores. That movement, which has been festering in the darkness and has finally started to expose itself in full in recent years, has infected political discourse all over North America and Europe. Most metal bands simply keep trucking on, and that’s a good thing. We all need an escape from the raging shitstorm every now and then. Finnish thrash band Tornado could not abide by this, however, and they’re taking their music to the streets, likely along with a few picketing signs.” Commit to semi-goodness.

Dusius – Memory of a Man Review

Dusius – Memory of a Man Review

“There’re as many ways to suck as there are to rock. There’re bands like Akoma and Starkill that make watered down, lowest common denominator crap. There’re can’t-be-arsed bands like Green Bastard that sound uninterested in their own music. And there’re the inept enthusiasts, of which newcomers Dusius might be the patron saint. This band clearly love what they do, but most of it is truly, genuinely bad.” We are bad, and that’s good. We will never be good, and that’s not bad.