Century Media

Soulburn – Noa’s D’ark Review

By GardensTale on November 17, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 22 comments

Originally formed by two members of Asphyx when their band went on hiatus, Soulburn resurfaced under their original moniker in 2014, after a hiatus of their own and a stint carrying the name To The Gallows during which Rogga Johanssen briefly joined the line-up. Nowadays, the cast still includes founding member Eric Daniels, as well as Legion of the Damned guitarist Twan van Geel and Graceless members Remco Kreft and Marc Verhaar. On paper, a team like this should be able to make a pretty killer record.” Death reclamation.

Skeletal Remains – The Entombment of Chaos Review

By Saunders on September 16, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 27 comments

“Old school death has bucked the dreary trend of a wretched 2020 thus far with a stellar supply of quality albums to help keep the blues away. Now the unfashionable but dependably solid Californian crew Skeletal Remains emerge from their dank and dusty crypt with their bludgeoning brand of no-frills death on latest platter of destruction, The Entombment of Chaos.” Bone entombers unite!

Havok – V Review

By Dr. Wvrm on May 13, 2020 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 54 comments

“Earlier in Havok’s career, I would have guided the tour bus past all the sights worth seeing on V. On the left, the Leaning Toutwer of le Monde, on the right, the (wait for it) And Justice for All Department, dead ahead, the famous Roots 66. However, those elements would be noteworthy only because they spiced up a paint-drying-by-the-numbers take on thrash.” Cry Havok.

The Alligator Wine – Demons of the Mind Review

By Carcharodon on May 8, 2020 in Reviews, 27 comments

“Picture a scene of domestic bliss lockdown homelife, as Mrs. Carcharodon enters to the kitchen, where yours truly is playing with the shark pup, and, after a lengthy pause, asks: “Is this one of your promos? It’s actually pretty good—sort of reminds me of Nick Cave in one of his alter egos like Grinderman.” An astute observation and one that got me wondering, what are the limits or boundaries to what we do and do not review here on this ol’ metal review site.” Power metal, and only power metal.

Dark Fortress – Spectres from the Old World Review

By Ferrous Beuller on March 6, 2020 in 2020, Black Metal, Century Media, German Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, 28 comments

“Back in 2014, Madam X covered the release of Venereal Dawn by Bavarian brutalists Dark Fortress. Our Marchioness de Machiavelli didn’t particularly care for the album’s progressive expansion of melodic black metal. I, on the other hand, adored it. Since Morean joined forces with V. Santura, their sonic shade has substantially deepened. The duo’s combined involvement in projects as diverse as Alkaloid, Triptykon, Noneuclid and Hannes Grossmann has wrought one my favorite writing partnerships in extreme metal. Six years on, and Dark Fortress are poised to drop eighth album Spectres from the Old World.” Old world, new blackness.

Lorna Shore – Immortal Review

By Kronos on February 10, 2020 in 2020, American Metal, Century Media, Deathcore, Reviews, Deathcore, Metalcore, 28 comments

“I’ve been a booster for Lorna Shore ever since I heard the Bone Kingdom EP. The basic pitch of the band’s early work was deathcore, ~~for cats~~ but good. Good riffs and effective breakdowns formed the backbone of songs that Adam DeMicco’s considerable solo and lead work elevated above almost anything else in the scene. The band has since re-invented themselves with each release, delving into grimy blackened deathcore with Psalms and taking a slick, blackened/melodic course with Flesh Coffin. AMG’s coverage of the band has been scanty due to the band’s rapid bounce through several record labels. Now playing in the big leagues with Century Media, I and the band, have been looking forward to their third LP, Immortal.” Going through changes.

Hideous Divinity – Simulacrum Review

By Ferrous Beuller on November 14, 2019 in 2019, Century Media, Death Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 60 comments

“Simulacrum forges even further ahead with myriad permutations of an already mutated theme. The angelic atrocity that inhabits the front of Adveniens now appears mottled and in tormented flux as it attempts to assume a new form. The result is ugly and twisted but, for better or worse, remains affixed to the foundation from which it first drew such terrible life. The message couldn’t be clearer: some pain will last.” Agony as ecstasy.

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.

Angry Metal Primer – Mayhem and Galneryus

By Dr. Wvrm on October 20, 2019 in 2019, Angry Metal Playlist, Angry Metal Primer, Black Metal, Century Media, Japanese Metal, Norwegian Metal, Power Metal, Warner Music Japan, Black Metal, Power Metal, 33 comments

In which we marry the utmost extremities of the metal spectrum in an wholly unholy situation. Prepare your neck brace.

GosT – Valediction Review

By sentynel on October 11, 2019 in 2.0, 2019, American Metal, Black Metal, Century Media, Reviews, Synthwave, Black Metal, Synthwave, 28 comments

“Unusual genre crossovers are a tricky thing to get right. Done well, by bands like Diablo Swing Orchestra, they can produce brilliant music that sounds like nothing else. Done poorly, they certainly sound like nothing else. When we last saw 80s horror-themed black metal/synthwave crossover act GosT on their previous album Possessor, Eldritch Elitist noted the combination was sometimes awkward, but great when it worked.” GosTed.