“Caught somewhere between a groovy progressive death summoning and a thrash-empowered melodeath drill, Black Water Sunset resurrects classic sounds in a tightly performed package, complete with a session drum appearance by veteran kit crusher George Kollias (Nile, ex-Contrarian).” Black Water and Parks Department.
Dolphin Whisperer
Anachronism – Meanders Review
“The word ‘meanders’ itself describes more than just the state of lesser dissonance heavy or atmospheric acts who clash songs out of existence with contrapuntal Tetris. Rather, Anachronism with their latest leans on the artistic concept of the meanders as they might appear in a mosaic, ornamental patterns of winding or interlocking lines.” Musical blocks in sonic temples.
Katatonia – Sky Void of Stars Review
“I’ve been a long-time admirer of their Swedish sadperson exports, and after putting out what stands as one of my favorite releases of the past decade, Fall of Hearts, they went and put out City Burials, which was just not good. Regardless, Katatonia, the institution of gloom they are, have remained a steady force of sullen output. As such, Renkse and co have been predictably busy distilling from tear water and stained diary pages this latest collection of twilight tunes for Sky Void of Stars.” Star diary.
Angry Metal Primer – Riverside
In anticipation of their upcoming album, here’s a helpful primer on prog-metal stalwarts, Riverside (they live in a van down by the river).
Turbid North – The Decline Review
“If you’re looking for thick-stringed pummel somewhere on the heady but heavy spectrum between Anciients and Today Is the Day with a kiss of Machine Head, you might be in the market for Turbid North. I know that sounds like mouthful, but these extreme metal frontiersmen make it a point to switch from Southern rock drones to chug-led beatdowns on a dime.” Trve north?
Screamer – Kingmaker Review
“Screamer doesn’t shout in the face of tradition—they never have and, predictably so, never will. Yes, here in this brand new year of 2023, young(ish) names chase the 40-year (or more) legacy of established icons like Rainbow, Van Halen, and Judas Priest, and there’s nothing wrong with that as many such surviving progenitors have trouble playing after bingo hours these days.” Still sreaming in the night.
mizuirino_inu – TOKYO VIRUS LOVE STORY [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]
“A great album takes me on a journey, and TOKYO VIRUS LOVE STORY lands no different in that respect, even if I can’t understand most of the narrative. And while that understanding can add color to thematic punctuation, mizuirono_inu manages throughout their narrative to put emotion and purpose behind each line.” Infectious.
Sunrise Patriot Motion – Black Fellflower Stream [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]
“Sunrise patriot motion—a dutiful salute and march against the hazed morning light. In this abstraction of a man dissolving to his own isolated madness as he seeks to unearth oil, the two brothers Skarstad (Will and Sam of Yellow Eyes and Ustalost) strike a different treasure with their recognizable blend of screeching melody and reverent, ethereal structures.” Post-patriot.
Sadist – Firescorched [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]
“Nearly 30 years into their career, Sadist still manages to fly under the radar. For the olde and young who dig through the single-word glossary of 90s tech/prog/weirdo death metal, Sadist falls curiously along the progressive spectrum. True to the Italian horror spirit that Sadist embodies, their work tiptoes the line between abstract and abrasive to unsettling effect, and just plain meandering and ineffective.” Sadistic biscuits, firescorched.
Wormrot – Hiss [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]
“Time—Hiss took even more time than Voices. For 21 tracks that span 33 minutes, six years? Well, unlike Wormrotߵs last outing, Hiss, in the spirit of the full-color rendering that garnishes the cover, is lush, which is not a word we often associate with the furious and grinding arts.” What’s that noise??