Ferox

Blasting the cannons of truth
High on Fire — Cometh the Storm Review

High on Fire — Cometh the Storm Review

By Ferox on April 22, 2024 in Reviews, Sludge, Stoner Metal, 93 comments

“This site suffers from a High on Fire appreciation deficit. Staffers from the prog-and-scones salon brush them away like so much dandruff from the shoulder of their tweed blazers. The caveman contingent, meanwhile, sends no love to this sludge institution. We’ve only reviewed them one time! The oversight heaps discredit on snobs and slobs alike. With the release of their ninth slab Cometh the Storm, I, Ferox, pounced on the opportunity to acknowledge these facts and correct the record. Cometh the Storm just needs to deliver the groceries one more time so I can cram it in the face of my fellow staffers.” High on fanboying.

Fathomless Ritual – Hymns for the Lesser Gods Review

Fathomless Ritual – Hymns for the Lesser Gods Review

By Ferox on March 5, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 19 comments

“One develops a strange relationship with the concept of “accessibility” in this gig. Take Fathomless Ritual’s debut Hymns for the Lesser Gods. This slab of murky death metal plunges you right into the maelstrom with furious opening track “Hecatomb for an Unending Madness.” The rest of the album is full of riffs that land like an oddly shaped object dropped from a third-story window: they bounce around unpredictably, and if you’re not careful they might just hit you in the face. My point is, no one will play Hymns for the Lesser Gods as the soundtrack to a spin class. Why, then, does the phrase “like a more accessible Demilich” recur in my listening notes?” Fathomless accessibility.

Necroticgorebeast – Repugnant Review

Necroticgorebeast – Repugnant Review

By Ferox on November 6, 2023 in Reviews, 24 comments

“Well, here’s one filthy wallow–roll around in this shit and I promise the stench will linger. The brutal death mongers of Necroticgorebeast return with Repugnant, their third blitzkrieg of bletches, blearghs, and blurgles. On their self-titled debut and its followup Human Deviance Galore, these Québecois killers established themselves as the state of the “art” when it comes to IQ-obliterating slammy death metal. They “distinguish” themselves from their peers with a kind of lizard-brain instinct for making slam that sticks.” Pearls before slam.

Xoth – Exogalactic Review

Xoth – Exogalactic Review

By Ferox on November 2, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 86 comments

“When the Elder Gods finally turn their dread gaze on this flake of cosmic dandruff, Xoth will be there to pass out beers. “Party Lovecraft” is a tricky vibe to nail and also possibly an oxymoron, but this Seattle tech/thrash/black/melodeath/whatever act makes it their own. Over the course of two excellent albums, Invasion of the Tentacube and Interdimensional Invocations, Xoth filled a void that only Xoth knew was there. Few who listen can resist their charms, and now the band drops third long-player Exogalactic.” X marks the Xoth.

Afterbirth – In But Not Of Review

Afterbirth – In But Not Of Review

By Ferox on October 18, 2023 in Reviews, 110 comments

“It took Afterbirth more than two decades to launch their first deep space probe with 2017’s The Time Traveler’s Dilemma. The Long Island gurglers were worth the wait, as that album and 2020’s ingenious Four Dimensional Flesh sketched out the band’s vision of prog-enhanced brutal death metal. Kronos deemed Four Dimensional Flesh “one of the most charismatic and original death metal albums you’ll ever hear,” and in the wake of that triumph a new Afterbirth slab qualifies as a full-fledged Event.” Strong Islands birth strong sounds.

Décembre Noir – Your Sunset | My Sunrise Review

Décembre Noir – Your Sunset | My Sunrise Review

By Ferox on October 13, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 22 comments

“Décembre Noir has been a model of classy consistency for four albums now. This German quintet’s long-form doom compositions wend their slow way toward weighty themes of loss and grief, mixing in some death metal tropes and tempos to keep things spry. They’ve been plodding off in pursuit of mournful majesty–or is it majestic mournfulness?–since 2014, and hitting their mark so reliably that there’s been little need to shake things up along the way.” December as lifestyle.

Svartkonst – May the Night Fall Review

Svartkonst – May the Night Fall Review

By Ferox on October 4, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 26 comments

“I beg your pardon, Svartkonst–but it appears you got your corpse paint on my cargo shorts. Over the course of two albums, Rickard Törnqvist–until now the only member of this Swedish outfit–has been concocting and refining his signature blend of Entombed-core Swedeath and Watain’s fierce approach to melodic black metal. 2020’s Black Waves was a revelation and a highlight of that dire year, taking the best of Svartkonst’s influences and boiling away whatever Törnqvist didn’t need. Not since the mad lads over at Reese’s had their mishap with chocolate and peanut butter has a mashup gone so swimmingly. Now Törnqvist is back with a five-man touring lineup in tow, as Svartkonst drops new long player May the Night Fall.” Be-Twix and between worlds.

Primordial – How It Ends Review

Primordial – How It Ends Review

By Ferox on September 27, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 50 comments

“”Is this how it ends?” “We are devoured by time.” The latter phrase is the first lyric on Primordial’s How It Ends; the former is one of the last. The champs of epic metal return with their first album since 2018’s Exile Amongst the Ruins and tenth overall. The new batch of material obsesses over endings and the concept of finality, filtering this preoccupation through Primordial’s long-established formula of galloping rippers and stately marches. The slab’s title and its themes reflect both the state of the world and, inevitably, the state of Primordial.” Glory fades.