2.5

Solbrud – IIII Review

By Eldritch Elitist on February 7, 2024 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, 54 comments

“IIII, the aptly titled fourth album from Denmark’s Solbrud, comprises ninety-four minutes of atmospheric black metal and HOLY SHIT WHERE ARE YOU GOING HOW ARE YOU RUNNING THAT FAST?? Well, anyway. For the die-hards who didn’t immediately flee at the concept of a double LP of atmoblack, I can guarantee a valid reason for why I’m endeavoring to cover this thing at all. I’ve made it no secret that this meandering, often forceless subgenre has not so much a home in my heart as a lean-to fashioned from three sticks and a handful of dental floss.” Three times the atmoblast.

Chapel of Disease – Echoes of Light Review

By Steel Druhm on February 6, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Gothic Metal, Progressive Metal, 62 comments

“Evolution is hard to avoid. Humans evolved over the eons, and each individual evolves as they grow older and experiences the outside world (except for Steel and Doc Grier). Bands inevitably evolve as well as members grow in ability and outside influences creep into their sound. It seems evolution eventually finds every band to some degree (except Sodom). That brings us to the fourth album by Germany’s Chapel of Disease.” Going through changes.

Tanin’iver – Dark Evils Desecrate Review

By Saunders on February 4, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 18 comments

“Immersing myself in the twisted, feral cauldron of Dark Evils Desecrate and its relentless assault, Tanin’iver appear hellbent on writing the most ugly, evil, and uncompromising anthems as possible to soundtrack a fiery apocalypse. Bells, whistles, and gimmicks are jettisoned for an old school underground sound converging in the dankest underground corners where raw black metal brawls with death and thrash influences.” Dark for darkness sake.

Almost Dead – Destruction Is All We Know Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on February 1, 2024 in Reviews, Groove Metal, Thrash Metal, 10 comments

“I’d be a fool for not giving Almost Dead some credit for not giving two fucks what anyone thinks of their straightforward and sometimes strange style. That said, Destruction Is All We Know is the oddest album of them all—no doubt with some help from dial and toggle man Zac “Friend o’ the Blog” Orhen.” Odd Fellows warchest.

Striker – Ultrapower Review

By Steel Druhm on January 31, 2024 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 58 comments

“Canada’s heavy metal heroes Striker have been launching throwback volleys at the masses since 2009. Their style blends traditional metal ideas with power and thrash influences, often to good effect and they’ve always been capable of hooky songcraft. They also have a tendency to be tongue-in-cheek at times, refusing to take themselves too seriously. These are all admirable traits and make Striker easy to root for. Despite these pluses, they’ve struggled to craft consistently hard-hitting albums. Here comes seventh outing, Ultrapower, with a craptastic cover and an even worse band photo.” Power outage.

Metalite – Expedition One Review

By Iceberg on January 30, 2024 in Reviews, Melodic Metal, Power Metal, 87 comments

“”Modern melodic metal” is a term that wants to say a lot, but in reality conveys very little. More often than not this is a thin disguise for “pop-oriented,” and such is the case before us today. Formed in 2015 and with three previous LP’s under their belt, Sweden’s Metalite seem to have flown under the radar here at AMG HQ. This could be due to an omnipresent dairy allergy circling The Skullpit™, or the aforementioned genre tag provided by the band’s label.” In space no one can hear you be mellow.

Abyssius – Abyssius Review

By Thus Spoke on January 26, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 43 comments

“First things first, that artwork: a hulking antediluvian fish bearing down with spread fins and tangled tentacles on the tiny figure illuminated in the depths. If that doesn’t indicate musical magnitude I don’t know what does. Abyssius, on their debut, self-titled LP, explore the concept of one overcoming the confrontational nature of life’s meaninglessness—just as that behemoth looms, so does the bleak and hollow void.” Fish and nothingness.

Show N Tell – The Ritual Has Begun Review

By Steel Druhm on January 25, 2024 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, 42 comments

“I’m a child of the maelstrom that was 80s metal. I was learning what I enjoyed musically during the embryonic days of MTV, and in those early years that channel force-fed me a steady diet of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Saxon, and Def Leppard videos. The 80s metal sound is encoded into my DNA and if you hit me hard enough, old fanzine ink leaks out. This makes me the demographic for what Phoenix Arizona’s Show N Tell are selling on their The Ritual Has Begun debut. This is 100% unabashedly retro metal with a carbon date of 1983-84, when American metal acts were taking the NWoBHM sound and speeding it up.” Show me the METAL!

Necrotum – Defleshed Exhumation Review

By Steel Druhm on January 24, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 32 comments

“I cannot claim familiarity or history with Romanian death metal act Necrotum, but the promo sump was shallow in January and an album title like Defleshed Exhumation was sure to catch the eye of Steel even in more target-rich environs. This is the band’s third full-length effort and it features a sound sitting at the crossroads of tech/prog/OSDM.” Right in the Necrotum!

Exocrine – Legend Review

By Kenstrosity on January 24, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 42 comments

“Despite the middling average score French tech death quartet Exocrine earned on this here blog, I’m a staunch defender of the band’s style. I loved Molten Giant and The Hybrid Suns musically, and thought Maelstrom was an interesting, albeit flawed, exploration of their established sound. The biggest issue holding them back has always been production, cursed to gasp for breath and struggle for room inside a dense concrete block. It’s a shame because if someone else with a gentler touch helped them out in the mastering suite, I’m convinced Exocrine’s track record on this blog would be a more positive one. I picked up their latest, entitled Legend, in the hopes that it shifts that legacy in the right direction.” Of myth or of legend?