Things You Might Have Missed 2015

Abhorrent – Intransigence [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By Saunders on May 2, 2016 in American Metal, Death Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Willowtip, 21 comments

“Generally speaking, brutal and slam death are tough pills for me to swallow. It’s not that my ears are hyper sensitive to the trademark extremity of the style, but rather the cartoonish brutality, often amateurish musicianship and lack of song-writing smarts results in many bands dissolving into a forgettable slop of unrefined mediocrity. Inevitably there are exceptions, particularly when the slam grooves and relentless brutality are attached to memorable, catchy songs and top-notch musicianship.” It’s never too late to realize you missed something.

Morality Crisis – MASH [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By Jean-Luc Ricard on March 13, 2016 in 2015, American Metal, Hardcore, Minnesconsin Records, Sludge, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Hardcore, Sludge, 12 comments

I really hope that you, dear readers, are as alarmed as me that we are deep into February 2016. What’s that? It’s March? Bloody hell. Well that explains why it’s still light during the drive home from work already. My perennial quest Sophia sluggishness means I’m nowhere near keeping up with the 2016 release schedule […]

Grey Heaven Fall – Black Wisdom [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By El Cuervo on March 3, 2016 in 2015, Aesthetics of Devastation, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Death Metal, Russian Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Black Metal, Death Metal, 20 comments

“Regret. We all experience it in one way or another. Some feel it after a heavy night of drinking before a working day. Others after indulging amorous emotions with an ex’s mother. Me? The regret I feel is for missing great music the first time around. It was in the process of skimming year end lists to uncover my omissions that I was directed towards Black Wisdom by Grey Heaven Fall.” We also regret that whole White Wizzard thing.

Crescent Lament – Elegy for the Blossoms [Things You Might Have Missed-2015]

By Steel Druhm on February 17, 2016 in Gothic Metal, Progressive Metal, Symphonic Metal, Taiwanese Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal, 108 comments

“Geisha metal could very well be a legitimate label in future, if Elegy for the Blossoms gains more exposure to the international metal community. As the second full-length studio album by indie Taiwanese symphonic gothic metal band Crescent Lament, this record successfully captures the helplessness felt by Taiwanese women of convenience who had little to no choice but to walk the geisha’s path.” Happy Metal Guy lives, for now….

Predatoria – Unmarked Graves…Tell No Tales [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By Diabolus in Muzaka on February 14, 2016 in 2015, Belgian Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Unsigned Bands, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 58 comments

“If we apply the maxim of “I didn’t feel like drinking until I started drinking” to listening to metal bands you’ve never heard before, I firmly believe that this fertile ground is where plenty of our favourite records are born. When I first listened to Belgium’s Predatoria in an effort to acclimatize myself to my temporary home’s up-and-coming death metal bands, I had no idea that what they were selling was exactly what I was looking to buy but here we are.” Can we start drinking now?

Cult Leader – Lightless Walk [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By Mark Z. on February 2, 2016 in 2015, American Metal, Crust Punk, Hardcore, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Crust Punk, Hardcore, 6 comments

“Any fan of Gaza knows the drama. In early 2013, vocalist Jon Parkin became the target of a rape allegation that, though eventually settled out of court by both parties, ultimately led to the remainder of the Utah-based hardcore outfit cutting ties with Parkin and starting anew. The result was Cult Leader: essentially the same lineup, with bassist Anthony Lucero dropping the four-string to take over on vocals.” Join the cult or refuse the Kool Aid?

VOLA – Inmazes [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By El Cuervo on January 12, 2016 in 2015, Danish Metal, Djent, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Unsigned Bands, Djent, Progressive Metal, 21 comments

“VOLA are highly unusual in their approach to modern progressive metal. The most apt description I can define is prog-power by way of djent, offering the catchy melodies of Anubis Gate and Voyager but executed with the staccato, modern heaviness of a post-Meshuggah era.” Some things just sell themselves.

Acrania – Fearless [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By Kronos on January 11, 2016 in Mexican Metal, Progressive Death, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Thrash Metal, Unsigned Bands, 42 comments

“Acrania is so fresh it makes Genghis Tron look like Bloodbath and so fun it makes Revocation look like the National Society of Accountants.” Accountants are nowhere near as much fun as lawyers.

Refused – Freedom [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By Jean-Luc Ricard on January 10, 2016 in 2015, Epitaph Records, Hardcore, Not Metal, Swedish Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Hardcore, Not Metal, 19 comments

“If you don’t know who Refused are, or that they’re (along with Born Against) Fucking Dead, you must be so young that you missed the phase in the early 2000s where every two-bit nü-metal act on the planet was citing their final record as a major influence (for the masochists among you here is a reminder of just how bad this era was). You young rapscallions are perfectly capable of using AltaVista yourselves so I’ll spare you the history lesson; all you need for the moment is that the band split in 1998, and few ever expected them to return.” But honestly, what old guy can pass up reliving their wasted youth?

Deathhammer – Evil Power [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By Diabolus in Muzaka on December 20, 2015 in 2015, Hells Headbangers Records, Norwegian Metal, Speed Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 15 comments

“If you woke up this morning and realized you wanted to party like it’s 1983-1985 but think the throwback scene is ripe for a vicious culling of posers, have Deathhammer got a record for you: it’s called Evil Power and it’s quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard in 2015. Ridiculous = trve.