Usurpress

StarGazer – Psychic Secretions Review

StarGazer – Psychic Secretions Review

StarGazer are an odd duck in today’s metal scene. Emerging from the primordial deserts of Australia in the late 90s with a buzzing, energetic take on death metal, they have bubbled beneath the surface of metal’s mainstream, honing their craft and deliberately stepping away from the old school and further towards something unique with each release. They haven’t had that single killer entry into their discography which would catapult them into the faster current of metal fandom but they are consistently one of the most interesting bands in the subgenre.” Mental goo.

Ascian – Elysion Review

Ascian – Elysion Review

“Self-described as a happy medium between My Dying Bride and Alcest, Ascian bring on the gloom by way of gargantuan riffs summoned at a glacial pace by guitarists P. and T. There be no fluff whatsoever across the remarkably tight thirty-eight minutes that span this album. The mission statement of Elysion is plain as day: to crush all who venture in this overcast wasteland until nothing remains but a faint wisp of soul dust.” Unhappy mediums.

The Medea Project – Sisyphus Review

The Medea Project – Sisyphus Review

“You know, I’d never really considered it before, but it’s funny gothic and doom metal are not more frequently bedfellows. After all, the two genres have a lot in common: morose atmosphere, flair for the dramatic, favored color black (alright, that last one may go for everything more extreme than power metal). And sure, there’s some big names that have wed the styles at some point in their careers, like My Dying Bride or Tiamat. But it never became a household mixture the way death thrash or prog power did. Well, The Medea Project want to make their mark with just such a sound.” Drama club.

Usurpress – Interregnum Review

Usurpress – Interregnum Review

“Consistency is a virtue, most of the time. Oftentimes, it is vital for a band’s recognizability, allowing only for incremental growth and change, both within an album and across several. But it can be taken too far with a sound growing stale, or eschewed completely for avant-garde whiplash effects (see Igorrr). Usurpress love mixing different genres into their Swedish death metal, risking consistency issues but aiming for the reward of diversity and unpredictability.” Overthrow the expected.