Dr. Fisting

Body Count – Carnivore Review

Body Count – Carnivore Review

“My love of Body Count should come as no surprise to longtime readers at this point. However, I’ve been somewhat skeptical of the band’s output since their reformation/comeback in 2014. Manslaughter and Bloodlust each had their moments, but new band members and attempts at modernization had resulted in something of an identity crisis. On Carnivore, Body Count’s third album since said comeback, I can’t help but wonder: which version of the band will show up?” Ice T-Bone.

Yer Metal Is Olde: Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath

Yer Metal Is Olde: Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath’s eponymous 1970 debut might well be the ultimate Yer Metal is Olde entry. Besides being unquestionably metal, it’s also as Olde as Yer Metal can possibly get. Because, despite what a small minority of Coven and/or Blue Cheer fans might say, the release of Black Sabbath marks the birth of heavy metal itself as both a sound and a fully-formed aesthetic.” No metal is olderER!

Sacred Reich – Awakening Review

Sacred Reich – Awakening Review

“Formed way back in 1985, Arizona’s Sacred Reich plays thrash metal according to the original recipe, blending Priest / Sabbath worship with just a dash of early-80s hardcore. Thankfully devoid of cheesy theatrics or progressive aspirations, the band has generally relied on atonal palm-muted riffs and socially conscious lyrics to win the day. While Sacred Reich never really went away, they had also not released a new album since 1996’s Heal, seemingly content with occasionally playing the festival circuit. For whatever reason, they must have changed their minds recently. With some fresh inspiration and a reconfigured lineup, Sacred Reich has delivered their first studio release in 23 years, the aptly titled Awakening. Morning in America.

The Lord Weird Slough Feg – New Organon Review

The Lord Weird Slough Feg – New Organon Review

“Led by frontman Mike Scalzi, Slough Feg have been delivering Celtic-tinged, surprisingly academic trad metal for longer than most of you have been alive. New Organon is the band’s first release since 2014’s Digital Resistance, and perhaps more significantly, marks the return of the Lord Weird prefix to their name after a 15-year absence. This strongly hints at (and the band’s bio confirms) a return to the style of the band’s Twilight of the Idols/Down Among the Deadmen era of the early ’00s—a bold claim, considering both the passage of time and the changes to their lineup since then.” Feg party.

90’s Metal Weirdness – Mötley Crüe – Mötley Crüe (1994)

90’s Metal Weirdness – Mötley Crüe – Mötley Crüe (1994)

Cast your minds back to a time when metal music was not cool. Nay, indeed, a time when metal was anathema to all that was considered to be “chic” and “in.” A time when your favorite bands were actually encouraged by the music industry to play slower, cut their hair, and write sensitive lyrics about their childhoods. Yes, this unfortunately really happened. Our semi-irregular feature “90s Metal Weirdness” focuses on albums released between 1992 and 2001 and which we all probably would rather forget. But in the service of publicly shaming the musicians involved, we have pushed forward. Mötley Crüe was weird.

Twitching Tongues – Gaining Purpose Through Passionate Hatred Review

Twitching Tongues – Gaining Purpose Through Passionate Hatred Review

“Like many of you, I was shaken to my very core by AMG Himself‘s recent diatribe about subgenres. Fittingly enough, the very next album I’m handed to review is by a band that has blurred the lines of ‘metal’ and ‘hardcore’ for several years, confounding fans on both sides of the fence. As some of our longtime readers may have noticed, I really enjoy when bands do things that upset or confuse people, especially if it happens to result in interesting music. Enter Twitching Tongues and their fantastically-titled Gaining Purpose Through Passionate Hatred.” When the pigeon can’t find the hole.

Tribulation – Down Below Review

Tribulation – Down Below Review

Tribulation have been on an interesting career path as of late. While their early works could be loosely classified as Swedish death metal a la Entombed, the band gradually began to bring in other influences and become something else entirely. As of 2015’s The Children Of The Night, the band was taking cues from such diverse sources as Mercyful Fate and Sisters Of Mercy,, and seemed to have learned a few things from former tourmates In Solitude, with excellent results. I was curious about what Tribulation would do next, and with the impending release of Down Below, it looks like I’m about to find out.” Evilution.

Corrosion of Conformity – No Cross No Crown Review

Corrosion of Conformity – No Cross No Crown Review

Corrosion of Conformity has a convoluted history, to say the least. Beginning as a hardcore trio in the early ’80s, the band eventually became a five-piece metal band, before promoting guitarist Pepper Keenan to lead vocalist for the landmark Deliverance album in 1994. In recent years, the original three-piece had reconvened without Keenan, starting off strong but eventually running out of steam with 2014’s lackluster IX. By popular demand, No Cross No Crown features Keenan’s return to the fold and is the first album in 18 years to include both him and original drummer Reed Mullin. Can these guys recapture whatever it is that made Deliverance and its follow-up Wiseblood so compelling?” Corrosion will continue until conformity declines.

Warrior Soul – Back on the Lash Review

Warrior Soul – Back on the Lash Review

“Back in the early ’90s, Warrior Soul were among the many groups who rode in on the tail end of 1980s-style hair metal, only to have their careers washed away by the incoming dominance of grunge/alternative rock. Led by frontman Kory Clarke, the band’s slightly artsy take on the genre led to some noteworthy albums during that brief window in time (my friends in high school seemed to really like Drugs, God and the New Republic), before crashing and burning in 1995. However, the band has resurfaced in various incarnations over the years, usually with Clarke as the sole original member. Back On The Lash is their first studio album in five years.” Old Soul.