Metalcore

Messora – The Door Review

By Dear Hollow on October 17, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, Groove Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Technical Death Metal, Groove Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, Progressive Rock, 24 comments

“I don’t know what makes something “avant-garde.” I remember going to an avant-garde art museum in Santa Fe, NM, where there was a movie exhibit of a haircut. Literally, two men and one woman get an identical buzzed haircut in the shade of a gazebo in the mountains of China. There’s new age music plucking around back there, walls are lined with identical shots of their new haircuts, and shadow boxes of locks of hair covered the floor. It was weird and challenging and difficult to understand, but I think about it a lot. So, if that’s what’s avant-garde, Messora ain’t it.” Hammer, don’t hurt ’em.

5Rand – Dark Mother Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on September 4, 2019 in 2019, Italian Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, Reviews, Time to Kill Records, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, 27 comments

“Regardless what the band name means, I bet those who dabble in guessing a band’s genre by their name can guess this one. With simple melodeath riffs set atop typical metalcore ones, 5Rand’s unique trait is the alternating rasps, growls, cleans by vocalist Julia Elenior. Toss in headbanging licks of Shogun-era Trivium and some rather impressive drum work, and you’ve got the band’s second full-length release, Dark Mother.” Mother knows beast.

Life Right Now – Avant Garde Review

By Cherd on August 14, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Emo, Hardcore, Metalcore, Nu-metal, Reviews, Self-released, Emo, Metalcore, Nu Metal, Pop Metal, 68 comments

“Let’s start with the title of the band’s debut, Avant Garde. I guess it’s conceivable these lads genuinely don’t know what that phrase means. After all, it’s French. Then again, the band claims to be from the entire world, so. Point is, Avant Garde doesn’t test the outer edges of anything except this reviewer’s patience.” Is this real life?

Killswitch Engage – Atonement Review

By Master of Muppets on August 12, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Metal Blade, Metalcore, Reviews, Metalcore, 52 comments

“All in all, they’ve done a pretty remarkable job of defying AMG‘s Law of Diminishing Records, and yet that very fact made me a bit apprehensive of Atonement. Wouldn’t it be just my luck to score reviewing rights to such a renowned and personally beloved[1. I’ll admit that I’ve cooled on Killswitch and metalcore in general over the years, but they were integral to my dive into the depths ov metal nonetheless, and I say thank ya.] act only for it to be their Cold Lake?” Atone for what?

All We’ve Known – Dissidence Review

By Twelve on August 7, 2019 in 2019, Metalcore, Plug Music Agency, South African Metal, Metalcore, 23 comments

“Album titles are tricky. Ideally, the name of the album should describe its sound in some way, particularly when coupled with such knowledge as the band name and album art. For example, I’m guessing that no one is going to be surprised, after glancing at the image over there, that Dissidence by All We’ve Known is a metalcore album.” Known quantities.

As I May – My Own Creation Review

By El Cuervo on July 23, 2019 in 2019, Finnish Metal, Metalcore, Reviews, Rockshots Records, Metalcore, 50 comments

“It’s only in the last stage of preparing my reviews that I investigate the social media and marketing bullshit vomited by a band going under the pen. My musical opinion is already formed but I may need some basic information to reference in the introduction. What I love most is when certain terms arise: ‘innovative/unique’ (a quality so few can truly espouse); ‘hotly anticipated’ (by their mums and no one else); but most of all, characterizing themselves as ‘modern metal.’ This hallowed descriptor demarcates a band either attempting to distance themselves from the entirety of ‘metalcore’ or who mistakenly believe that their ‘metalcore’ is different to other ‘metalcore.'” Modern problems.

Black Passage – The Veil Review

By Kenstrosity on July 22, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Deathcore, Melodic Metal, Metalcore, Reviews, Self-released, Deathcore, Melodic Metal, Metalcore, 8 comments

“Every now and again we at AMG receive promo that defies genre classification. Out of those, one or two make us crazy trying to decide whether we even like it or not. This review marks the first time I get to experience said phenomenon firsthand. Black Passage, a “metalcore” quintet out of Bay Area, CA, are releasing their debut LP The Veil at the tail end of July.” Pigeons without holes.

Obey the Brave – Balance Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 18, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, Impericon Records, Metalcore, Reviews, Metalcore, 29 comments

“Of all the things I thought I’d be excited about this year, the metalcore side project of Alex Erian from Despised Icon was not one of them. But sometimes life throws you a delightful curveball, giving you lemonade instead of lemons. Here, life also happened to put a generous double shot of vodka into my lemonade. I’m normally a beer guy, but like an unanticipated alcoholic lemonade, Balance is refreshing.” Drink up.

Anthrocene – Nucleation Review

By GardensTale on June 27, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Metalcore, Power Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Metalcore, Power Metal, 16 comments

“We rarely get lyric sheets with promos. Usually, this doesn’t matter much, as metal lyrics are rarely pinnacles of literary prowess. There’s only so many ways to say that humanity sucks or to discuss the finer points of fighting dragons with flaming swords. As a result, it’s often easy to miss the fact that an album has a concept unless you read it on the promo sheet. Not so with Anthrocene, who went several miles beyond a lyric sheet; with their debut Nucleation they included an entire comic, the speech bubbles and narration forming the lyrics of the hour-long album, revolving around an apocalyptic story of a misanthropic lumberjack turned into a planet-immolating creature by an agent of chaos from beyond the void.” Comic sans!!

Third Wave – Metamorphosis Review

By Saunders on June 3, 2019 in 2019, German Metal, Metalcore, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Djent, Metalcore, Progressive Metal, 22 comments

“I’ve dabbled and enjoyed the occasional metalcore band or album in the past, but overall I’ve never been overly fond of the genre and the debilitating rut metalcore as a whole appears to be stuck in. Yet, I believe in taking risks and being open minded, so I put on my mask of hope and optimism to tackle German band Third Wave and their Metamorphosis LP.” Don’t rock the boat.