AC/DC

Mayhem – Daemon Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on October 23, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Century Media, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 131 comments

“A new Mayhem release is the most exciting thing to happen in metal this year. Unlike most other bands who offer refinements and (ideally) improvements on their established sound with each release, Mayhem exhausts a sound on each full-length by exhausting a theme; as the sound’s purpose is to express the theme, the sound’s purpose is fulfilled once the theme is expressed. This means the lazy reviewer can’t merely compare the new Mayhem record to prior ones and base his analysis on that without completely missing the point of the record at hand — Mayhem’s career is an anthology, not an arc.” Mayhem’s Hell awaits.

Grim Reaper – At the Gates Review

By Huck N Roll on October 10, 2019 in 2019, British Metal, Dissonance Productions, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 7 comments

“It’s been 36 years since an upstart British band called Grim Reaper released See You in Hell. It wasn’t the greatest album, but there was a certain charm about the band that made that album, and the follow-up Fear no Evil, stick in many playlists back in the day. That charm was due in no small part to singer Steve Grimmett. Steve’s been through hell and back over the last couple of years, first losing part of his leg a couple years ago and then having his brother pass away. But he’s back now, with Steve Grimmett’s Grim Reaper.” Reapers gonna reap.

The Neptune Power Federation – Memoirs of a Rat Queen Review

By GardensTale on October 8, 2019 in 2019, Australian Metal, Cruz Del Sur, Hard Rock, Reviews, Space Metal, Hard Rock, 15 comments

“What a good story needs first and foremost is interesting characters though, and The Neptune Power Federation get that. Their vocalist, Imperial Priestess Screaming Loz Sutch, assumes the mantle of a time-travelling space witch for their fourth album, Memoirs of a Rat Queen. 70s space rock that mixes Heart with Hawkwind and AC/DC, a sexy vengeful bombshell on the mic, and a story scattered from the French revolution to boning in a parking lot; what could possibly go wrong here?” Aqua(lung) metal.

Entombed A.D. – Bowels of Earth Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on August 27, 2019 in 2019, Century Media, Death Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 56 comments

“Anyone who’s read metal reviews for a while knows the two major intro paragraph fallbacks for popular and/or established metal bands. The first is to call them “the AC/DC of [subgenre]” and conveniently using a tautology to describe the sound, i.e. Cannibal Corpse sounds like Cannibal Corpse. The second is invoking the shadow of the band’s crowning achievement and asking rhetorically if the new record will beat it. Entombed A.D. isn’t established enough to be an AC/DC band, and Entombed simpliciter changed their sound more than once.” Bowel movements.

Murdryck – Födelsen Review

By Doom_et_Al on May 11, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Leviaphonic Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, 23 comments

“’The first draft of almost everything you produce is shit. And the second draft is usually also shit. But you never wind up with anything worthwhile without producing those early drafts.’ A wise supervisor once told me these words, and she was right. Whether a terrified n00b trying to avoid the perils of the AMG Skull Pit, or attempting a complicated academic research paper, the early stages of anything worthwhile are often about finding your identity and your voice. That process can be messy and unglamorous, but it’s how anything great gets made.” Revise, Mutherf_ _ _ _ _!

Gama Bomb – Speed Between the Lines Review

By Huck N Roll on October 11, 2018 in 2018, AFM Records, Irish Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 36 comments

“If you read lists of what women find attractive in men, Number Three is always a sense of humor. Since most men (including myself) will never have Numbers One or Two, this becomes a very important trait. Enter Gama Bomb, an Irish thrash band that loves to sing about Kurt Russell and Robocop. Their nerdy sense of humor has been a beacon on the thrash scene since their 2005 debut, Survival of the Fastest, and in some ways, they could be considered the AC/DC of thrash.” Run for our love!

U.D.O. – Steelfactory Review

By Steel Druhm on August 31, 2018 in 2018, AFM Records, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 53 comments

“Udo Dirkschneider, the original singer of Accept, is the living embodiment of 80s Germanic metal. Along with Chris Boltendahl and ,b>Gravedigger[1. Who also have an album inbound soon.], he’s kept that dated sound alive long past its expiration date, releasing album after album of Accept-esque anthems with his eponymous band U.D.O., always light on sophistication but heavy on raspy screeching and classic metal tropes. Steelfactory is the 15th such platter of Teutonic splatter and shows nary an ounce of progression or innovation, sticking to that Accept B-side ethos that’s served the man so well since 1980.” Everflowing Germanic steel.

Interview with Erinc Sakarya and Hanno Klänhardt of Mantar

By Akerblogger on August 25, 2018 in Blog Posts, German Metal, Interviews, 14 comments

“On August 24th Mantar release their third record: The Modern Art of Setting Ablaze. After setting some of our heart’s ablaze with their violent grooves and destructive aggression, I wanted to get to know how the band created and perpetuated their violent sound.” Mano a mano with Mantar.

Kissin’ Dynamite – Ecstasy Review

By Lokasenna on July 18, 2018 in 2018, German Metal, Glam Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Glam Metal, Hair Metal, 144 comments

“Hair metal! Is there a more maligned subgenre? Given the way it warped the general public’s image of metal, and for how long, it’s hard to imagine one. But for sheer, raw fun, it can be very, very hard to beat, especially on the rare occasion one finds it executed well. But what does ‘well’ mean in this context? Is it even really possible for that word to apply to hair metal?” Hair today, gone tomorrow.

Lordi – Sexorcism Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on June 1, 2018 in 2018, AFM Records, Finnish Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, 84 comments

“The first time I heard Lordi was when everyone else did. It was 2006, they had just won Eurovision (never seen it; don’t care) and their third full-length, The Arockalypse, had hit the streets. I was driving down the 101 in Phoenix, having just purchased it on CD. It was early April, already hot as hell, and I didn’t have AC in my forest-green Geo Tracker. For my horrible mood, my sweat-soaked Yanks cap, and the t-shirt glued to the seat, I was, surprisingly, having a good time.” Lordi, Lordi.