Strapping Young Lad

Video Premiere and Interviews with Stevie Boiser and Trevor Portz of Ashen Horde

By Holdeneye on July 1, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Blog Posts, Interviews, 40 comments

“Back in March, I reviewed Ashen Horde’s latest opus of black metal fury, Fallen Cathedrals. I heaped an unhealthy amount of praise its way back then, and I’m still spinning it a ton now. In fact, I would be very surprised if it were to fall outside of my top 5 albums come year’s end. My review may have been riddled with factual errors, but founder, songwriter, instrumentalist, and clean vocalist Trevor Portz showed up in the comments and revealed himself to be a gracious and enormously cool guy. So, when the opportunity to do an interview presented itself, I couldn’t resist.” We’re already off to a better start than last time.

Destrage – The Chosen One Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on May 30, 2019 in 2019, Italian Metal, Metal Blade, Metalcore, Reviews, Metalcore, 32 comments

“A man walks into a bar after a long day at work. A mushroom sits beside him, a real fun guy. The man orders a Stella Artois from the bartender and asks for it in a two-ounce glass. Perplexed, the bartender knocks eighty percent off the price and does what he is asked. “Bottoms up” says the man to the mushroom, who toasts to feces and personal growth in return. The man sets down the empty glass roughly, which gets the bartender’s attention. “That,” the man says to the bartender, “was some terrible whiskey.” This is how most metalcore reviews read by writers who never could stand the genre to begin with. They want it to be something it’s not, and when it inevitably fails, it faces the wrath of the mighty pen.” Pull up a toadstool.

Devin Townsend – Empath Review

By GardensTale on March 26, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, InsideOut, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Progressive Metal, 249 comments

“I have been a fan of Devin Townsend for well over a decade now. I’ve been with him through half his career, including his entire Devin Townsend Project phase. But his most recent output started to feel a little stale. It was like he had painted himself in a corner and was finding it difficult breaking out of a rut formed from Epicloud’s echoes. Ziltoid 2 was overwrought, more of a comedic radio drama than a music album, and its companion piece Sky Blue had no staying power for me. Transcendence fared only marginally better. So when Devin announced he was laying the Project brand to rest, it made me hopeful. Could Empath, the first album since Ziltoid under his own name, be Devin’s new metamorphosis?” The Devin you know.

Ashen Horde – Fallen Cathedrals Review

By Holdeneye on March 21, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Extreme Metal Music, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Rockshots Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 151 comments

“2018 saw my tastes begin to shift. The power metal that brought me to the dance — while still producing some gems for the year — had to watch as blackened death metal swept me off my feet and took me home once the music had stopped. A full half of my top ten for the year — and all of my top four — could have been tagged (arguably) with both “black” and “death.” While I enjoy albums of each genre on their own, there’s something about the two being combined in interesting ways that really gets my juices flowing (this is your cue to don eye protection). Hence, my interest in Los Angeles’ Ashen Horde, the proggy black/death project of multi-instrumentalist Trevor Portz and Inferi / Equipoise vocalist Steve Boiser.” Ash Hoarders unite!

Hardcore Anal Hydrogen – HyperCut Review

By Eldritch Elitist on March 28, 2018 in 2018, Apathia Records, Experimental Metal, Monacan Metal, Reviews, Experimental Metal, 70 comments

“Greetings, internet traveler! My name is Eldritch, and I’ll be your guide on this unexpected detour to Angrymetalguy.com. I’m sure you’re wondering how you ended up at this humble metal blog. You see, the metal community is a distinctly no-filter bunch, which inevitably generates quite the colorful array of band names and album titles. As a direct result, consumers of discerning taste may find themselves unwittingly whisked away via a search engine to our humble blog while in search of ‘black fucking,’ ‘piss vortex,’ or, in your case, ‘hardcore anal.'” A foul wind blows.

Yer Metal Is Olde: Strapping Young Lad – City

By Dr. Wvrm on June 24, 2017 in American Metal, Century Media, Yer Metal Is Olde, 63 comments

“The impact of music on a life defies logical explanation. Tightened canvas and plucked wire coil happenstance into memory, its outsized fingerprints smudged forever on that crystal of perspective. A recent reunion with friends and acquaintances disinterred the casket of a life left behind, unsettling all of the regrets and flounderings of an angry young man. With that pain comes Strapping Young Lad’s City. The authenticity and aggression; the frothing pace; the ramblings of an unhinged mind; Devin Townsend’s finest work lifted my spirits during my darkest days.” Did you hear it?

Diablerie – The Catalyst vol. 1: Control Review

By Grymm on January 23, 2017 in 2017, Finnish Metal, Industrial Metal, Primitive Reaction, Reviews, Industrial Metal, 12 comments

“As I grow older, I’ve learned that taking time to make sure your creative output is as sparkly, shiny, and impressive as possible is paramount to a healthy creative life. Music is no exception to this rule. Finland’s Diablerie released their sole album, Seraphyde, back in 2001. With only a couple of EPs since, mainman Henri Villberg returns with the long-awaited follow-up, the ambitiously-titled The Catalyst vol. 1: Control, the start of a planned thematic trilogy of albums.” A trilogy, eh?

Beaten to Death – Unplugged Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on October 30, 2015 in 2015, Grind, Mas-Kina Recordings, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, 37 comments

“Beaten to Death: standard grindcore band name, anything but a standard grindcore band. Featuring ex-She Said Destroy vocalist Anders Bakke, ex-The Cumshots guitarist Tommy Hjelm, and Tsjuder drummer Christian “Bartender” (aka AntiChristian aka Jorn’s drummer since 2014, so you know he’s epic), Beaten to Death formed in 2010 and wasted no time putting out their first record Xes and Strokes just a year later. I missed this at the time because I am a tool, but fortunately Angry Metal Guy (or rather Jordan Campbell) was on hand to enlighten me come 2013 and the release of the band’s sophomore Dødsfest!” Relax, this isn’t really unplugged.

Interview with Peter and Sam from Voices

By Jean-Luc Ricard on June 14, 2015 in Black Metal, Candlelight Records, Death Metal, English Metal, Interviews, Progressive Metal, 21 comments

Last November, Voices released their second album, London. It took us (well, except me because my finger is totally on the pulse) completely by surprise, scoring a whopping 4.5/5 and storming the writers’ end-of-year lists. I moved back to the UK just in time to catch Voices supporting Anaal Nathrakh at Camden’s Black Heart in April, and was lucky enough to chat to Peter Benjamin (vocals, guitars) and Sam Loynes (guitars, backing vocals) before the show. An interview, you say? Well, goddamn!

Raunchy – Vices.Virtues.Visions. Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on January 23, 2015 in 2015, Danish Metal, Industrial Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, Reviews, Industrial Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, 17 comments

“There are three things you need to know in regards to Raunchy: 1) I’ve had an unhealthy love affair with them since stumbling across Wasteland Discotheque back in 2008; 2) they have the most misleading band name ever; and 3) never say “can I get Raunchy?” when asking for their promo.” We call that a micro-aggression, and we only tolerate macro-aggressions at AMG. HR awaits!