Record(s) o’ the Month – June 2014

Since we’re all busy people, I’ll cut to the chase. June was another big ass month for metal with a plethora of satisfying releases and one in particular that really bowled over multiple AMG staffers. Since that happens less than you might think, eyebrows were raised, fingers were pointed and notes were furiously scribbled.

The more observant and OCD amongst you may have noticed we’ve been slow to add May’s Record o’ the Month to the page banner and change the lovely H.R. Giger wallpaper. Sure, we could claim it was a tribute to the late, great artist, but the truth is only AMG himself knows how to do that and he was off getting Angry Metal Married™. To make up for our laggardly ways, we now present the Record(s) o’ the Month for June in a relatively timely manner. We’re all about customer service here at AMG (until you annoy us).

Darkest Era_Severance

 

Darkest Era // Severance — This one really shook the rafters here at AMG. Darkest Era is the little Irish band that could and Steel Druhm summed up their sound as “Primordial‘s To the Nameless Dead and Atlantean Kodex in a head on collision, with Immortal hovering around the wreckage making funny faces and wrestling poses.” The songs are loaded with powerful, emotional vocals and riffs that kill all day long and the entire album is epic as hell and classier than a Hamptons polo match. It’s got an endearingly regal and lofty bearing and plenty of that special something that makes an album great. Since His Steelness was at a complete loss finding things to criticize, this is clearly a band to watch and watch closely. Do not miss this potential Album o’ the Year!

Runners Up:

Vintersorg - NaturbålVintersorg // Naturbål — Always a consistent and reliable name in metal, Vintersorg is back with an album AMG describes as “chock full of what Vintersorg does best: melodic black metal work with extraordinary and catchy choruses.” Even a crunched-to-death mastering job can’t derail the quality song writing which sports the most black metal vibe Vintersorg has rocked in a long while. AMG summed it up thusly: “Naturbål hits all the highlights and has its own unique feel; it’ll set the soul of long time fans aflame, and could even pave the way for new ones.”

The-Atlas-Moth_The-Old-BelieverThe Atlas Moth // The Old Believer — Following a highly regarded album is always a tough task, but The Atlas Moth did it well with The Old Believer, which JF Williams dubbed “an introspective journey of startling complexity.” Stoner sludge with true emotional depth and musical nuance is rare, but that’s exactly what you get as the band examines human loss and sadness. In the process, they created an album that “helps solidify The Atlas Moth as one of the most unique, exciting and daring modern metal bands playing now….”

12 Jacket (Gatefold - Two Pocket) [GD30OB2-N]Tombs // Savage Gold — Post-rock, post-punk and black metal all get tossed in a box to fight it out on Savage Gold, and it’s the listener who wins out. This is gritty, dirty and tough music from the rough environs of Brooklyn, NY and the resulting abrasive edge is what sells the material. Grymm was highly impressed with the “more effective refining of an interesting formula that pays off greatly over repeated listens.”

 

 

 

« »