The Atlas Moth

Chrome Waves – Earth Will Shed its Skin Review

By Carcharodon on April 26, 2023 in Reviews, Post-Metal, 20 comments

“When I reviewed Chrome Waves’ last effort, 2021’s The Rain Will Cleanse, I described its languid, whimsical tones as the epitome of great work music. While not intended as a slight to the band, as everyone needs great work music, it was hardly a ringing endorsement for the Midwest post-black metal quartet. I finished that review, however, by saying that the band had done enough (on tracks like “Aspiring Death”) to make me think they had a great record in them. Mark Z., who had also awarded a 3.0 to the band’s previous record, A Grief Observed, materialized unbidden in the comments to agree with my assessment.” High tides of potentiality.

Black Cross Hotel – Hex Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on November 12, 2022 in Reviews, Industrial Metal, Punk, 25 comments

“Is there anything better than a horror-themed album? I think not. But, being the mentally unstable King Diamond fan that I am, I’m sure that’s no surprise to anyone. But you won’t find soaring falsettos and soloing as old as Steel on Black Cross Hotel’s debut record, Hex. Instead, you’ll discover Killing Joke-inspired industrial metal mingled with punky vocals and synths that you’d swear came from a John Carpenter movie.” The horror….

The Silver – Ward of Roses Review

By Saunders on October 14, 2021 in 2021, Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, 72 comments

“For better and worse, I am a persistent bastard, so I best stay out of Phil Anselmo’s way. When I laid ears on advance track “Fallow,” from The Silver’s debut album Ward of Roses, I knew I had to have it. It took some extra badgering to snare promo, which the band thankfully provided. Boasting a line-up of Horrendous brothers Jamie and Matt Knox, along with Crypt Sermon’s Enrique Sagarnaga, and vocalist Nick Duchemin, The Silver is a side project destined to carve their own path.” Silver and gore.

Chrome Waves – The Rain will Cleanse Review

By Carcharodon on September 9, 2021 in Reviews, Post-Metal, Shoegaze, 19 comments

“Chicago, Illinois’ Chromes Waves have been lapping gently on the post-black metal and shoegaze shores since their formation in 2010. With a line-up featuring members busy with other projects, it seemed outside interests were hampering Chrome Waves’ output, which was limited to a 2012 EP until 2018. At that point, founding member Jeff Wilson departed Wolvhammer and Abigail Williams, turning his full focus to Chrome Waves. Later that year, the debut, A Grief Observed, appeared, garnering a solid review from Mark Z. The same year saw compilation The Cold Light of Despair appear. This creative frenzy continued into 2020 as, apparently unnoticed by this blog, their sophomore LP, Where We Live, appeared. A year on, and further line-up changes behind them, Chrome Waves are back with third full-length effort, The Rain will Cleanse.” Chrome waves of rain.

The Drift – Seer Review

By Dear Hollow on December 1, 2019 in 2019, Groove Metal, Plug Music Agency, Post-metal, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Groove Metal, Post-Metal, Sludge Metal, 9 comments

“I showed this album cover to my high school students. Their first reaction was, /Is that the new Imagine Dragons album?’ I’m currently entering F’s for all of them. But I also realize that first impressions are often everything for the little-known guys in the promo bin. They’ve got one chance to impress, whether it be their skill set, an interesting style of music, or album art. South African sludge-groove quintet The Drift promises a neat cover, a history of prestigious live performances, and acclaim from well-known musicians. Does Seer find its groove? Or is it stuck in a rut?” Imagine Leviathans.

This Gift Is a Curse – A Throne of Ash Review

By Doom_et_Al on June 14, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Hardcore, Reviews, Season of Mist, Sludge Metal, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, Hardcore, Sludge Metal, 51 comments

“If you’re not challenging yourself, if you’re not occasionally exposing yourself to uncomfortable feelings and emotions, especially with a genre as extreme as metal, then why bother? Good art is discomforting and sometimes painful, and Swedish metallers This Gift Is a Curse are strong adherents of this view.” Suspicious packages.

The Mound Builders – The Mound Builders Review

By Cherd on January 8, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Doom Metal, Failure Records, Hardcore, Sludge, Stoner Metal, Hardcore, Sludge, 57 comments

“The break room at my real life place of employment has one of those old glass globe candy dispensers. It’s full of candy and only costs a nickel, but it goes largely unused by employees. No, not because millennials have never seen a nickel and the machine doesn’t take Venmo. It’s avoided because some sociopathic agent of chaos filled the thing with a mix of M&Ms and Skittles that are almost visually indistinguishable. Sure, both are independently enjoyable, but something about the idea of accidentally tasting them in combination, or getting one when you expect the other makes people dubious. The new eponymous album by Lafayette, Indiana’s The Mound Builders is the musical equivalent of this conundrum of expectations.” Sketchy candy.

Mark Z.’s and L. Saunders’ Top Ten of 2018

By Mark Z. on December 22, 2018 in 2018, Blog Posts, Lists, 126 comments

More lists for the list machine! The men who unwisely go by their real names, Mark Z. and L. Saunders boldly proclaim their best albums of 2018.

Record(s) o’ the Month – February 2018

By Steel Druhm on March 19, 2018 in 2018, Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, 156 comments

“As usual, the new year began with childlike dreams of having timely Record(s) o’ the Month posts, and as usual, our pie in the sky hopes came crashing to Earth by February. The lesson here is, never ever try. With this new pragmatic approach to cruel blogworks realities, we can assure you that most, if not all of the Record(s) o’ the Month posts will be refreshingly late. Hell, some months they might not happen at all!” I don’t feel tardy.

The Atlas Moth – Coma Noir Review

By Saunders on February 20, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Rock, Sludge, Stoner Metal, Rock, Sludge, Stoner Metal, 2 comments

“Shape-shifting Chicago act The Atlas Moth exorcised some particularly nasty personal demons on 2014’s bleak, The Old Believer album. Although failing to hit the glorious highs of predecessor An Ache for the Distance, it proved a mature, emotionally raw and harrowing chapter in the band’s career. Not content to repeat themselves, The Atlas Moth return in a decidedly more chipper mood, by their despondent standards, serving up an energetic and refreshingly upbeat collection of tunes that widens the scope considerably beyond the psychedelic sludge tag they are frequently saddled with.” Like an Atlas Moth to the flame of judgment.