Angry Metal Guy

Obscura // Omnivium
Rating: 4.5/5.0 — Mmm.. techy goodness!
Label: Relapse
Websites: myspace.com/realmofobscura
Release Dates: EU: 2011.04.01/04 | US: 03.28.2011

March has really been one hell of a month, hasn’t it? To think after Amon Amarth and Vintersorg we get to follow it all up with Obscura‘s Omnivium. If any record counts as the most-anticipated of the year, Obscura is probably getting pretty close to that level. Having released in 2009, what was really a hell of a surprise for most listeners (including people who’d purchased their previous record) in Cosmogenesis, these technical death metallers built on their Necrophagist cred (and sound) and on the legacy of the mighty Death with their technical, progressive death metal—complete with awesome fretless bass attack. So, while this isn’t really a record that can fall victim of the sophomore slump (being the band’s third record), it certainly is an album that could fall victim to overly heightened expectations. And, I must admit, this Angry Metal Guy certainly had heightened expectations. Continue reading

Abysmal Dawn // Leveling the Plane of Existence
Rating: 3.0/5.0 — A solid tech-death record.
Label: Relapse
Websites: abysmaldawn.com | myspace.com/abysmaldawn
Release Dates: US: 02.01.2011 | EU: 14.02.2011

I’ve been waiting for a long time to get to Abysmal Dawn‘s new disc Leveling the Plane of Existence. Having had a 2010 that was sadly devoid of mind-blowing technical death metal (excepting Hour of Penance‘s Paradogma), I was really looking forward to a slab of technical death metal mastery that is being sold by Relapse as the savior of American death metal. While I wouldn’t go that far, Abysmal Dawn does offer up some solid technical death metal that is well-played, well-written and full of enough novel ideas and good riffs to make the record enjoyable. And the band has a unique, melodic voice that separates it from the pack. Continue reading

Mose Giganticus // Gift Horse
Rating: 3.0/5.0 — Sludgedoomstonersynthrock
Label: Relapse Records
Websites: mosegiganticus.com | myspace.com/mosegiganticus
Release Date: July 20th, 2010

Every now and then, a band comes along and I’m utterly at a loss for how to classify them in the official Steel Druhm Book O’ Metal [That's what you get for not using the Angry Book o' Metal Classifications™, n00b. — AMG]. Generally, this causes me anger and vexation, but I always give a nod of appreciation for the bands that resist easy classification. The latest recipient of the nod is Gift Horse, the second album by Mose Giganticus, for they have truly baffled my considerable pigeonholing acumen. They have forced even me to admit I’m stumped. Mose Giganticus is apparently a one-man entity created by Matthew Garfield, a staple of the Philly punk rock scene for some time. While some of that punk ethos is apparent on Gift Horse, this isn’t exactly a punk album. What is it then? Good question!! Let’s try to piece this puzzle together shall we?

Continue reading

Relapse Record’s Baroness have put up their new record Blue Record up for streaming on Myspace.  I’d review it, but I’m a little bitter that these guys let lots of other people review it first and then want me to go to the streaming audio on their site to do the review.   So, we’ll see.

Read the official press release:

BARONESS’ highly anticipated new album Blue Record is currently streaming in its entirety online at this location. Blue Record is set for an October 19^th international release date and is available for pre-order at this location. A limited edition of Blue Record will also be available with an accompanying CD that features a BARONESS live set from Roadburn 2009. More information on this release can be found here with vinyl details forthcoming.

BARONESS recently lensed the first video for Blue Record with director Joshua Green in Savannah. The video, for the track “A Horse Called Golgotha”, is currently in post-production with an expected October premiere date.

Tech metal legends Atheist has posted a track on Myspace off of their forthcoming Unquestionable Presence: Live at Wacken DVD which is set to be released on the 21st of July (in the states) via Relapse Records.  You can check it out here: www.myspace.com/kellysatheistwebsite.

Unquestionable Presence: Live At Wacken track listing (first disc only):

01. Mother Man
02. Unquestionable Presence
03. Your Life’s Retribution
04. Enthralled in Essence
05. Incarnation’s Dream
06. Formative Years
07. Brains
08. And The Psychic Saw