Devin Townsend

1000 Bone Cylinder Explosion – Bind Review

By Eldritch Elitist on November 25, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Thrash Metal, 25 comments

“Solo projects are somewhat fascinating to me. They offer a fresh perspective into what makes an artist tick yet, for whatever reason, are seldom ever as good as the musician’s root project. The obvious takeaway here is that a band is only as good as the sum of its parts, and isolating one of those parts is bound to result in a lesser product. What makes 1000 Bone Cylinder Explosion an interesting case, then, is that the founder is already the primary compositional voice behind his greatest claim to fame. We are already acquainted with Peter Hraur’s vision; we have Lör. So what new wonders, then, can 1000 Bone Cylinder Explosion offer.” Bone collector.

Bloodstock Open Air 2021 Review: Pandemic Festival Pandemonium

By Akerblogger on September 6, 2021 in Blog Posts, 26 comments

“In the words of Rob Halford during Judas Priest’s two-hour headline slot: “Britain’s premier heavy metal festival is back.” Yes, cranky Covid’s delta wave dangerously hovered over the pit like clouded sweat but after a few strong ciders and a crunching riff – experienced live for the first time in over 18 months – the external world became a distant memory.” Metal never dies.

Lantlôs – Wildhund Review

By El Cuervo on July 26, 2021 in Reviews, Alt-Metal, Post-Metal, 27 comments

“Lantlôs (should) need no introduction to those who are familiar with post metal genres. Their core song-writer and multi-instrumentalist, Markus Siegenhort, was there at the genesis of ‘blackgaze,’pushing black metal into a sound that would arguably define its existence through the 2010s. Even Neige of Alcest can be heard on earlier records. This culminated in the 2014’s Melting Sun which is not only the greatest blackgaze record ever but also one of my favorites from the last decade. However, it’s been such a long time since that moment that I feared the band had faded into obscurity. Social media murmurs from last year gave rise to hope and now 2021 finally brings us a sequel called Wildhund. How is their bite after so long?” Long delayed post.

Tommy Concrete – Hexenzirkel Review

By GardensTale on June 24, 2021 in Reviews, Experimental Metal, Progressive Metal, 15 comments

“My first thought as my eyes fell upon Hexenzirkel in the promo bin was ‘the year of dumb band names has yet another contender. But Tommy Concrete is not just an ill-conceived band name, it’s the artist name for Tomas Pattinson, whose diverse portfolio includes about a dozen and a half different bands, including a year-long stint in The Exploited. Some years ago his eye turned towards epic prog, because under this moniker he’s churned out at least an album a year since 2016 with music that’s drawn comparisons to Devin Townsend, according to the promo sheet.” Hevy lifting.

Sectlinefor – Kissing Strangers During an Outbreak

By Felagund on May 30, 2021 in Reviews, Alternative Metal, Electronica, 107 comments

“I’ve always appreciated metal bands willing to include a hefty dose of comedy in their work. In a genre known for taking itself too seriously at times, wedding irreverence with heaviness can be an artistic gamble, and I appreciate that commitment. Melted Bodies’ Enjoy Yourself was a favorite of 2020, Slugdge’s amazingly ridiculous Slug God mythos has had me sold ever since The Cosmic Cornucopia, and who can forget modern thrash’s obsession with hard-partying zombies? The fact that such bands employ comedic imagery, satirical lyrics or non-traditional instrumentation while addressing real issues (whether personal or public) make their output all the more impressive. It’s why I was quick to jump at the chance to review Kissing Strangers During an Outbreak, the latest from Sectlinefor, a deranged duo who perform, in their own words, “freshly squeezed cinematic rock music you didn’t order, sir.”” Plague tongue.

TDW – The Day the Clocks Stopped Review

By GardensTale on January 19, 2021 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 20 comments

“Hey, remember the infamous manbun album, where Pain of Salvation’s Daniel Gildenlöw sang about his experience lying in the hospital and almost dying for over 70 minutes? Well, The Day the Clocks Stopped has TDW’s frontman Tom de Wit singing about his experience lying in the hospital and almost dying for over 70 minutes. But TDW’s album is 5 minutes longer and instead of almost dying just once, Tom spent a long time on his sick bed, fighting bowel disease, sensory processing sensitivity and medical mistakes, and he almost died twice! Take that, Daniel!” Hospital-core.

Kardashev – The Baring of Shadows [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]

By Carcharodon on October 30, 2020 in Things You Might Have Missed 2020, Post-Metal, 58 comments

“Now, I know what you’re thinking: ‘another year, and another EP that Sharkboi is trying to pass off as an album for TYMHM purposes.’ Well, we all have our Christmas traditions and, apparently, this is now one of mine. And, quite frankly, you should be thanking, not judging, me because The Baring of Shadows is an incredible piece of work from Tempe, Arizona’s Kardashev.” Missing times.

The Progressive Souls Collective – Sonic Birth Review

By GardensTale on September 17, 2020 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 18 comments

“Progressive metal in general can be a contested battleground. The genre and likely every single band within it has had the charge of pretentiousness levied at some point, and not always without reason. It is the terrain of 15 minute epics full of bloat, pseudo-intellectual lyrics that talk a lot and say very little, a small city worth of guest artists, and the paradoxical slavery to tropes first invented over 40 years ago. And there are no worse sinners than progressive supergroups. The Progressive Souls Collective, hereafter TPSC, is sort of mostly a supergroup but not quite.” Tough delivery.

The Atomic Bitchwax – Scorpio Review

By GardensTale on August 27, 2020 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Stoner Metal, 9 comments

“If there was ever a year that demanded a new The Atomic Bitchwax record, it was 2020. Between the chain of climate-related and man-made disasters, the slow implosion of politics around the world and the pandemic, we can do with a burst of stupid, fun, high octane stoner rock, and if any band can deliver on that, it’s the terrible trio.” Giving 2020 the Wax.

Mean Messiah – Divine Technology Review

By GardensTale on May 5, 2020 in Reviews, Industrial Metal, Progressive Metal, 33 comments

“Drawing directly from the Dev doesn’t really narrow things down in and of itself. Mean Messiah limit themselves to a mixture of Strapping Young Lad and his more life-affirming Transcendence and Epicloud style. It’s a weird dichotomy, manic aggression opposing triumphant zen semi-choirs, causing more whiplash than a bus from a BDSM convention getting rear-ended by an 18-wheeler.” Dev Driver.