““AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.” Brace for Haxprocessing.
“Animosity—a lesser-known early deathcore act—ripped wild through riff and breakdown alike, a different breed to the normally bass drop and breakdown-filled style. Not wanting for talent, Animosityߵs rhythm section would continue to pulse through other veins. Bassist Evan Brewer would lend his qualified thump to The Faceless, Fallujah, and more. Drummer Navene Koperweis briefly pounded tricky skins with Animals as Leaders and found other high-profile session gigs, including the most recent Machine Head album. Always reaching, though, the two reunited in 2015 to continue to progress their idea of rhythm-focused, technical death metal through Entheos.” Death goes on.
““AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.” Now attacking Greece.
“Guitars scream metal. We’ve mused around the idea that metal can escape the confines of a typical treble assault with bands like Greber and Twin Lords highlighting fervent and twisted bass melodies as the fright and flight of the program. In aggressive and emotional takes on sludge and hardcore, it works. Other acts like Seum eschew the standard 6-stringer cultivating a hypnotic groove—to a fault, perhaps—to carry their torch down the metal path. No Spill Blood falls closer to this category with their 2015 debut Heavy Electric holding a unique place in the stoner rock (ish) scene for elevating the groovy shred-less platform with fierce layers of synthwork.” Synth spillage.
“Heads Will Roll sounds like an idea sparked after a rekindling of enjoyment for In Flamesߵ infamous Reroute to Remain. Now that’s a hoarse of a different color. Defend whatever album you want, but In Flames at their most alternative and least melodeath is not the act you’d expect to see aped in 2023—even In Flames agrees. Yet, here we are, Oceanhoarse in full Björiff meets Breaking Benjamin territory, partying like an 80s arena rock hero got stuck in Sounds of a Playground Fading.” Old flames.
“Why do we find ourselves in the midst of a nu renaissance where bands like The Offering throw down like it’s ’03 and genres like slam can shamelessly quote groove under the guise of gore? Well, it seems that some also grew up to incorporate their first loves into their art. Elyose, an act of that breed, urges you to embrace your inner jumpdafuckup with a French language tour-de-force of alt-rock meets gothy vibes with nu and industrial accouterments on Déviante.” What’s olde is nu.
“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.
“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.
“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.
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).
