Vader

Yer Metal Is Olde: King Diamond – The Eye

By Dr. A.N. Grier on December 5, 2020 in Yer Metal Is Olde, Heavy Metal, 60 comments

“Then there’re examples like Fast Eddie Clarke walking away from Motörhead and the canning of Ozzy Osbourne by Black Sabbath. Anthrax, Exodus, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest lost their vocalists, who psyched everyone out and returned later anyway. In some cases, end-of-era albums are more like transition pieces—bridging the gap between the band of old and the band of new. Arguably Metallica’s …And Justice For All fits the bill. It was clear that Justice was different, but it wasn’t until Metallica arrived that everyone saw what Justice really was. King Diamond’s The Eye is also such an album.” Fading eyesight.

Gama Bomb – Sea Savage Review

By Huck N Roll on November 30, 2020 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, 22 comments

“Another year, another Gama Bomb release. Why do we even review these? We know exactly what we’ll get: a fun, fast, professional thrash album loaded with riffs and silly humor. Well, there is a slight lineup change here on Sea Savage, the band’s seventh album, as long-time drummer Paul Caffrey is replaced by James Stewart, also of Vader, Sermon, and Decapitated.” Speed boating.

Bear Mace – Charred Field of Slaughter Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on August 13, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, 52 comments

“Yet, the success of a musician is only measured by one’s support and their growth in the field. Green Carnation’s Tchort has proved his worth and Bear Mace’s Sugar has done the same. Bear Mace’s newest release, Charred Field of Slaughter, is that proof. You want to know what a man can do with a guitar, with killer bass and solo partners, with one of the genre’s nastiest vocalists, and nearly forty years of death metal boiling through one’s head? Witness.” Bears, beets, burly death metal.

Vader – Solitude in Madness Review

By Ferrous Beuller on April 30, 2020 in Reviews, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 107 comments

“Vader’s legendary status has been built on the bones of poseurs, past and present, and nothing about Solitude in Madness attempts to change that. This is a record borne aloft on the forge-winds of molten bullet belts. “Shock and Awe” does its talking with two firmly clenched fists.” Wading Vader.

No Raza – Transcending Material Sins Review

By Kenstrosity on March 22, 2020 in 2020, Colombian Metal, Death Metal, Noble Demon, Reviews, Death Metal, 19 comments

“The moral of the story is that, even at ass-o’-clock in the morning, Colombian death metal quartet No Raza were able to keep not only themselves, but also their audience, awake and fairly hyped for an hour and twenty minutes. That’s nearly twice the span they had allotted. So you can bet your bottom dollar I was going to snag promo for their fourth and latest outing, Transcending Material Sins.” MOOAR Raza.

Second to Sun – Legacy Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on November 8, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Reviews, Russian Metal, Self-released, Black Metal, 37 comments

“The 25th of July was a day of air conditioning, Danish Christmas cookies, and Christmas Vacation. Those days may be gone forever, as the family no longer exists as it once did, but a new tradition exists for old Grier. One that sees a year-end release that has, for two straight years, made my heart race in anticipation. A year later, almost to-the-date, comes another Second to Sun release. Lo and behold, the greatest annual tradition of them all. My present to you: Legacy.” Season’s beatings.

Stellar Master Elite – Hologram Temple Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on May 12, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, German Metal, Reviews, Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 16 comments

“Though everything SME has released is solid, III brought with it a new vocalist and direction. Building atmospheres now reign supreme over the band’s early days of traditional black metal. The result, as I mentioned in my III review, was something spontaneous, borrowing from a variety of black and death metal influences. Though III concluded the trilogy, there’s still loads of fun to be had on Hologram Temple.” Diversity stings.

Sermon – Birth of the Marvellous Review

By Huck N Roll on March 22, 2019 in 2019, British Metal, Progressive Metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Progressive Metal, 213 comments

“I’ve said it before: we love finding gems amongst the post-apocalyptic ruins of the promo bin. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it is glorious. Perhaps the name Lör rings a bell? How about The Reticent? Heck, we can throw King Goat in there as well. All examples of unknown acts whose music blew us away. It’s a big part of why we review albums, to be honest. Sure the 0.5 and 1.0 reviews can be entertaining, but we would much rather have people talking about (and buying) the music rather than the review. Which makes me pretty happy to say I’ve found my latest gem in Birth of the Marvellous.” You look…Marvellous!

Spearhead – Pacifism Is Cowardice Review

By Mark Z. on November 23, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, British Metal, Death Metal, Invictus Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 35 comments

“Sometimes blackened death metal feels like the only music that matters. No, more than that—it feels like the only thing that matters. The pummeling drums, the frenzied riffs, the scathing vocals—it just makes me want to put my fist through a wall, rip off my shirt, and go skullfuck the nearest quadruped. When the need arises to rally my inner Z-beast, Angelcorpse often does the trick, but they’re not the only game in town.” Tip of the spear.

Krisiun – Scourge of the Enthroned Review

By Ferrous Beuller on September 8, 2018 in 2018, Brazilian Metal, Century Media, Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 64 comments

“Metal fans are fucking hard to please. We bitch when a band becomes predictable, and then we bitch some more when they experiment outside of our comfort zones. But whether you’re a contrary bastard or not, dependability is always a risky approach. We can investigate the paradox, in part, by applying two methodologies. First: the Slayer Equivalency. The act of happening upon a winning formula and then bleeding it to death despite rapidly diminishing relevance. And the second: the Angel Corpse Optimisation. A fast and frantic existence, knowingly brief, but with enough foresight to burn out with a nuclear burst of atomic violence. Brazil’s fatal fraternity, Krisiun, are on the cusp of releasing their latest full-length, but on which side of the hypothesis do they stand?” Brazil returns to wax your ass.