Punk

Glitter Wizard – Opera Villains Review

By Cherd on April 15, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Psych Sounds Records, Non-Metal Metal Things, Psychedelic Rock, Punk, Stoner Rock, Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock, 45 comments

“The AMG higher-ups fancy themselves benevolent despots. That’s because they allow us relative freedom to choose our own promos and surprise us with pizza and hobo wine office parties now and then. Occasionally they’ll even offer tepid praise after our reviews are published. Sure, the quarterly beatings leave marks, but they rarely break the skin. Then again, if they see us getting too comfortable, they’ll assert their authority by assigning reviews that leave us just enough rope to hang ourselves. They might make brutal boi Kronos review symphonic power metal, or give our morose Muppet a jaunty pirate metal sing-along. For reasons beyond my understanding, they saw the words Glitter Wizard in the promo sump and thought, “Now there’s a stop-bang pooper doop if we’ve ever seen one, and we know just the writer for the job.”” Feel the opera.

Deafkids – Metaprogramação Review

By Huck N Roll on March 14, 2019 in 2019, Brazilian Metal, Experimental Metal, Industrial Metal, Neurot Records, Noise, Non-Metal Metal Things, Punk, Reviews, Experimental Metal, Industrial Metal, Noise, Non-metal Metal Things, Punk, 46 comments

“As one of the resident “I like weird music” suckers in the AMG offices, it fell to me this month to take on the latest from Brazilian noisemakers Deafkids: their third album, the copy-and-paste titled Metaprogramação. These fellows create a bizarre fusion of noise rock, punk, and Brazilian polyrhythms, leaving us with something that is both disturbing and hypnotizing at the same time. Newly signed to the Neurosis label Neurot Recordings, and actually supporting (along with Bell Witch) Neurosis for their upcoming brief North American summer tour, all signs are pointing up for Deafkids. Now, how to go about reviewing something that Steve Von Till describes as “sonic Ayahuasca?”” Kids today.

Nekrofilth – Worm Ritual Review

By Mark Z. on January 7, 2019 in 2018, American Metal, Death Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Punk, Reviews, Death Metal, Punk, 46 comments

“Metal is all about excess. Be as fast as possible. Be as slow as possible. Or, in Nekrofilth’s case, be as nasty as possible. Just take the lyrics of “Junkie Cunt,” from the band’s 2013 debut Devil’s Breath: “I want to squeeze your rotten tits/Your curdled cunt gets my cock so fucking hard!” Unless you’re trying to get rid of your in-laws, these aren’t the type of people you’d invite to your Christmas party.” Filthy masses.

Supreme Havoc – One and All Review

By Lord Doom on November 11, 2018 in 2018, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Punk, Reviews, Self-released, Sludge Metal, Doom Metal, Punk, Sludge Metal, 33 comments

“I am horrible at cooking. I love a simple recipe involving as few ingredients as possible and minimal effort from the “chef.” Finnish sludge/doom/d-beat rockers Supreme Havoc seem to subscribe to this philosophy as they are composed of only the essential: drums, bass, guitar, and vocals. The quartet has been together since 2014 and has released two EPs, one in 2015 and another in 2016. One and All marks their first full-length album together and after a quick scan of their promo material, I had one question: Is this just a heavier Mastodon with some doom thrown in or have these four Finns made something special out of this idiosyncratic collection of genre tags?” Genre hoggery.

Mantar – The Modern Art of Setting Ablaze Review

By Saunders on August 24, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Doom Metal, German Metal, Nuclear Blast, Punk, Reviews, Sludge, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge, 67 comments

“The Contrite Metal Guy inside me has Mantar’s powerhouse 2016 sophomore album Ode to the Flame on a shortlist for downgrading. And although I believe I was a little too generous with the scoring, the album still impressed greatly and I’ve been able to rely on the German duo for high quality punk and doom infested blackened sludge since their stunning debut, Death by Burning, dropped in 2014. It seems the rest of the world is catching on rapidly, judging by Mantar’s ever growing stature and swelling popularity within the modern metal scene. Now, The Modern Art of Setting Ablaze is in the can, along with a heaving load of anticipation for the all important third full-length opus.” Art as punishment.

Black Tusk – T.C.B.T. Review

By Saunders on August 20, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Punk, Reviews, Rock, Season of Mist, Sludge, Hardcore, Sludge, 17 comments

“In theory, Georgia’s Black Tusk is a band I should like more than I do. Admittedly I’ve lost touch with them and haven’t revisited any of their material recently, but previous experiences haven’t exactly compelled me to come back for more, despite never really being able to pinpoint what the problem is.” Fear of the Tusk.

Pink Mass – Necrosexual Review

By Treble Yell on November 8, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Grind, Hardcore, Punk, Reviews, Self-released, Grind, Hardcore, Punk, 35 comments

“From the beginning, metal was the place for wayward souls to find refuge from society’s scornful gaze. Be you a high school drop-out, a Dungeons & Dragons bespectacled nerd, or just someone who didn’t click with the cliques, metal provided a soapbox to the disenfranchised yearning to give voice to their frustrations. Born from the rejection of consumerism and music’s increasing pomposity, punk too acted as a bulwark against the hegemony, drawing a rebellious fringe to its anarchistic bosom. As metal and punk grew in popularity, a disillusioned minority rebelled against their respective subculture’s dalliance with mainstream acceptance and fused elements of the two genres to create something truly repugnant: grindcore.” Hitting the Stonewall of grind.

Squalus – The Great Fish… Review

By Saunders on September 20, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Doom Metal, Post-metal, Progressive Metal, Punk, Reviews, Rock, Sludge, Translation Loss, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, Punk, Sludge, 59 comments

“When the trailblazing and difficult to classify Giant Squid went on indefinite hiatus in 2015, the heavy music world lost one of its great innovators and truly underappreciated acts. They signed off with their exceptional 2014 album Minoans before news eventually filtered through of their demise the following year. While all good things must end, thankfully the creative juices are still flowing for the Giant Squid band members. Vocalist/guitarist and mastermind Aaron Gregory has collaborated with the bulk of the Giant Squid crew to deliver the debut LP from Squalus.” Once squided, twice shy.

Poison Blood – Poison Blood Review

By El Cuervo on August 12, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Black Metal, Punk, Relapse, Reviews, Black Metal, Punk, 28 comments

“You may not have thought it but Beherit brings people together, much like Christmas and accounts of drunken excess. A mutual affinity for the Finnish blackened barbarians drew Neill Jameson of Krieg and Jenks Miller of Horseback into collaborating on a new project called Poison Blood. Tales of the occult are spun through the medium of black metal but Miller, particularly, draws from a repertoire far beyond that which is typical for the genre.” Punk up the blackness.

Tau Cross – Pillar of Fire Review

By Grymm on July 20, 2017 in 2017, International Metal, Post-metal, Punk, Relapse, Reviews, Post-Metal, Punk, 35 comments

In 2015, the multi-national post-punk supergroup Tau Cross captured our ears and hearts with their self-titled debut, blending the crustiness of classic British punk rock with the soul of Killing Joke and the nigh-shamanistic vocals of former Amebix frontman/bassist, Rob “The Baron” Miller. So effective was this mix that their debut found its way to my #2 slot of my Top Ten(ish) list of 2015. Two years later, and with a slight line-up change, the band returns with their eagerly-awaited follow-up, Pillar of Fire. The fire still burns.