Jean-Luc Ricard

Ambassador Gun – Tomb of Broken Sleep Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on July 16, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Grind, Metalcore, Reviews, Metalcore, 4 comments

““Awesome, more grindcore, I love reviewing grindcore!” I thought when the AMG carrier pigeon delivered this record to my PO box the other week. Then I became concerned for the state of my memory, because I haven’t ever reviewed any grindcore. I also don’t remember Steel Druhm or Madam X implementing a carrier pigeon-based promo distribution system, but at least that explains where all those record label bribes have gone to. Training good pigeons ain’t cheap you know.” The eagle has landed. I repeat, the eagle has landed!

Yer Metal is Olde! Entombed – Left Hand Path

By Jean-Luc Ricard on July 6, 2015 in Death Metal, Earache Records, Swedish Metal, Yer Metal Is Olde, 59 comments

“We all know about Entombed. One of the most important metal bands to have emerged from Sweden, the band defined and developed the “Stockholm” death metal sound by bringing together their hardcore punk influences with new ideas from the US and UK’s fledgling death metal scenes. We know this – it has been documented in countless interviews, retold in hundreds of magazine articles and even in a few books. So instead of repeating the story for the umpteenth time, I’m going to tell you why I don’t like this album.” Wait, what??

Shape of Despair – Monotony Fields Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on June 18, 2015 in 2015, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Doom Metal, Funeral Doom, 37 comments

If sitting alone in a darkened room, lighting a few candles, uncorking a good claret, and settling in for an uninterrupted hour of beauteous funeral doom sounds like your idea of a fun night in, you’re probably already a fan of Shape of Despair. Discovering that they were finally releasing a new LP after eleven years of waiting left me pert with anticipation.” Slow and low, that is the tempo.

Interview with Peter and Sam from Voices

By Jean-Luc Ricard on June 14, 2015 in Black Metal, Candlelight Records, Death Metal, English Metal, Interviews, Progressive Metal, 21 comments

Last November, Voices released their second album, London. It took us (well, except me because my finger is totally on the pulse) completely by surprise, scoring a whopping 4.5/5 and storming the writers’ end-of-year lists. I moved back to the UK just in time to catch Voices supporting Anaal Nathrakh at Camden’s Black Heart in April, and was lucky enough to chat to Peter Benjamin (vocals, guitars) and Sam Loynes (guitars, backing vocals) before the show. An interview, you say? Well, goddamn!

The Meads of Asphodel/Tjolgtjar – Taste the Divine Wrath Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on June 10, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Black Metal, English Metal, Eternal Death, Reviews, Black Metal, Psychedelic Rock, 9 comments

“Split albums are hard to do well. It’s rare that the contributing bands are equally matched, and even rarer that the musical styles are complementary. The Meads of Asphodel are no stranger to the dodgy split.” Begs the question, is Tjolgtjar the yin to the Meads raging yang?

Deuil – Shock/Deny Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on June 8, 2015 in 2015, Belgian Metal, Black Metal, ConSouling Sounds, Doom Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 6 comments

“It’s early in June, and last night we had the heating on. The wind was howling through the trees, rain battered against the window, and I sat shivering under my duvet, mourning for the summer. Few bands could provide such a suitable soundtrack as Deuil.” Ha ha, he has a duvet. That’s not metal!

Brave the Waters – Chapter 1 – Dawn of Days EP Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on May 15, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Not Metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Unsigned Bands, Not Metal, 4 comments

“Doom fans among you will likely know about New York’s Grey Skies Fallen, a vintage doom/death act that has been steadily improving their My Dying Bride/Anathema-influenced paeans to pain since the late nineties. Grind fans among you will likely know about New York’s Buckshot Facelift, a slightly less vintage hardcore/grind band that has been vomiting up vitriolic violence since the mid naughties.” But did you know they had a shared project? You didn’t, so don’t pretend you did.

Succubus Irons – The Gorgon’s Lullaby Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on May 12, 2015 in 2015, Canadian Metal, Doom Metal, PRC Music, Reviews, Doom Metal, 16 comments

“Billed as progressive doom metal and originating from Québec, I anticipated something both quintessentially Canadian-weird (you know what I mean) and long. But no sooner had I finished applying the gravy to my poutine and the record ended. I know that it takes me precisely 32 minutes to make poutine – what on earth is going on? A half-hour prog/doom album?” What’s this all aboot, eh?

Deathblow – The Other Side of Darkness Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on April 22, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 8 comments

“As noted in our brief thrashnalysis a few months ago, Peak Rethrash occurred in 2006 (defining Peak Rethrash as the year the largest number of new thrash bands formed). This makes Deathblow relative latecomers, forming initially as Deathblo in 2008 before buying a dictionary in 2012.” We examine trends, compile stats, crunch numbers. Then, and only then, do we rethrash!

Infernus – Grinding Christian Flesh Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on April 16, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Black Metal, Moribund Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 25 comments

“I’ve never listened to Infernus before, and a quick perusal of their promo shots (corpsepaint, bullet-belts, graveyards) and song titles (killing Christians, paganism, war, sodomy) led me to believe they were a Scandinavian second wave band that I’d just never got around to checking out. Infernus in fact hail from the other side of the globe…” The votes are in and you want more goats!