Saunders

Unleashing Hell from Down Under: Blood, sweat, venom & beers
The Atlas Moth – Coma Noir Review

The Atlas Moth – Coma Noir Review

“Shape-shifting Chicago act The Atlas Moth exorcised some particularly nasty personal demons on 2014’s bleak, The Old Believer album. Although failing to hit the glorious highs of predecessor An Ache for the Distance, it proved a mature, emotionally raw and harrowing chapter in the band’s career. Not content to repeat themselves, The Atlas Moth return in a decidedly more chipper mood, by their despondent standards, serving up an energetic and refreshingly upbeat collection of tunes that widens the scope considerably beyond the psychedelic sludge tag they are frequently saddled with.” Like an Atlas Moth to the flame of judgment.

Yer Metal Is Olde: Brutal Truth – Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses

Yer Metal Is Olde: Brutal Truth – Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses

“Formed in 1990 by prolific bass-slinging band whore Dan Lilker (Anthrax, Nuclear Assault, Blurring, Venomous Concept, S.O.D. & many others), New York’s Brutal Truth threw their hats into the grind ring and captured lightning in a bottle with their phenomenal 1992 debut, Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses; a dead-set grind classic, now certified as an olde motherfucker. There’s something special about Brutal Truth’s underappreciated debut that sets it apart from pretty much any other grind album I’ve experienced.” The ugly truth.

Redemptor – Arthaneum [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

Redemptor – Arthaneum [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

“By technical death metal standards, Arthaneum is an odd but compelling beast that stands-out by operating outside the box, while holding all the trademarks avid listeners of the style have come to expect. The intricate and complex musicianship impresses in all departments, but there’s a more measured, controlled approach, rather than purely focusing on unrelenting barrages of speed and cramming as many notes and ideas into each song as humanly possible.” There’s no place like tech-death for the holidays.

Laser Flames on the Great Big News – Laser Flames on the Great Big News [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

Laser Flames on the Great Big News – Laser Flames on the Great Big News [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

“The term retro metal/rock gets bandied around a lot, due to the over-saturation of bands mining the freewheeling creativity of ’70s rock to varying degrees of success and very little originality. Lumping Laser Flames under the retro label would be a great disservice to the creativity and inventiveness the band conjures throughout the epic stoner odyssey of this self-titled release.” Retro rock with freakin laser beams!

Aosoth – V: The Inside Scriptures Review

Aosoth – V: The Inside Scriptures Review

“I hadn’t paid much attention to France’s Aosoth until they dropped the captivating IV: An Arrow in Heart LP in 2013, a dark and crushing affair of malicious, dissonant black metal. Admittedly I have only flirted with the remainder of their back catalog since, with nothing much, to my ears, standing up to the colossal An Arrow in Heart. The album’s hefty production and outside elements almost made it sound like Aosoth were a black metal band, in a particularly evil and hulking death metal body, with the songwriting smarts to craft an equally punishing, challenging and addictive opus. Now, after four years, Aosoth return hellbent on continuing their twisted conceptual mission and hammering home the fact that no-one does black metal quite like the French.” Black arrows ov death.

Sacrocurse – Gnostic Holocaust Review

Sacrocurse – Gnostic Holocaust Review

Sacrocurse’s 2014 debut Unholier Master holds a special place in my heart, but not for obvious reasons. If you’ll allow me to indulge in some selfish personal reflection. Unholier Master represented my first published piece here at Angry Metal Guy, so naturally, it has conjured up pleasant feelings of nostalgia as I prepare to sink my teeth into the band’s sophomore LP, Gnostic Holocaust.” And the AMG bathrooms have sparkled ever since.

Exhumed – Death Revenge Review

Exhumed – Death Revenge Review

“Like a fine wine, the mighty Exhumed keep getting better with age. The career parallels with their idols Carcass are obvious but not debilitating, manipulating their worship into their own finely honed death metal machine. From the grimy days of their fun and gruesome 1998 debut Gore Metal, through to 2013’s excellent Necrocracy, Exhumed’s career has been on a constant upward trajectory of consistency, refinement and dependable quality. With the focus of Matt Harvey and co on various other projects in recent years, the band finally dusted themselves off and returned to the studio to record a goddamn concept album!” Feeling offal? Try more gore!