Mark Z.

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Destruktor – Opprobrium Review

By Mark Z. on July 20, 2015 in 2015, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 10 comments

“For those who like scorching deserts, scantily-clad temptresses, and animals that will poison you and then rip your face right off, look no further than the land down under. Hell? Close – Australia. It’s no surprise such a rugged environment has given rise to filthy bands that blur the lines between thrash, black, and death: Nocturnal Graves, Denouncement Pyre, Innsmouth, and the almighty Deströyer 666. Of perhaps lesser profile – though no less quality – is Victoria’s Destruktor.” Former penal colonies make the best metal.

Milking The Goatmachine – Goatgrind Review

By Mark Z. on July 15, 2015 in 2015, Death Metal, German Metal, Grind, Hardcore, NoiseArt Records, Reviews, Death Metal, Hardcore, 13 comments

“Joke bands have never really been my thing. While I love groups like Cannabis Corpse and find their puns chuckle-worthy, it’s the riffs, not the mildly amusing weed references, that keep me coming back. That said, when an album called Goatgrind by Germany’s Milking the Goatmachine showed up in the AngryMetal promo list, I made a special exception.” Don’t ask him why.

Tempel – The Moon Lit Our Path Review

By Mark Z. on July 6, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Post-metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Sludge, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Instrumental Metal, Post-Metal, Sludge Metal, 7 comments

“If you’re like me (and you should be, because come on) instrumental metal has never gripped you deeply. While Pelican or Scale the Summit are fine now and then, typically the music just induces a pleasantly reflective mood, with occasional thoughts of “hey, that’s pretty” or “well, that’s a neat riff.”” Metallic mood music has a place, doesn’t it?

We Butter the Bread With Butter – Wieder Geil! Review

By Mark Z. on June 9, 2015 in 2015, AFM Records, German Metal, Metalcore, Reviews, Electronica, Metalcore, 34 comments

“I don’t care how your last album, Golderkind, left your fans “irritated,” and how with Wieder Geil! (“Horny Again”) you aim to win them back. I don’t care that your target audience seems to be people who were jamming Attack! Attack! circa 2008. I don’t care, because I’m only here to judge your music.” Basically, he just doesnt care anymore.

King Parrot – Dead Set Review

By Mark Z. on May 24, 2015 in 2015, Australian Metal, Death Metal, Grind, Housecore records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 4 comments

“Despite falling broadly into the category of “death-grind,” Australia’s King Parrot are one of the most strikingly original and twisted bands to emerge lately. 2012 debut Bite Your Head Off was every bit as violent and direct as the title suggests, but set itself apart via songs with actual hooks (“Shit on the liver AGAIN!”), vocalist Matthew Young’s unique squawking style, and a deranged sense of humor furthered by the visual aesthetic of their music videos – establishing them as something like the Die Antwoord of grindcore.” We don’t always review grind, but when we do, it’s grindy.

Yer Metal is Olde: Paradise Lost – Draconian Times

By Mark Z. on May 11, 2015 in Doom Metal, English Metal, Gothic Metal, Music For Nations, Yer Metal Is Olde, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 57 comments

“Draconian Times is an album that never should have worked. By now Paradise Lost’s career trajectory has been discussed ad nauseam – from rotten doom-death to Depeche Mode-inspired dance rock to their current gothic metal resurgence – and Times was essentially that early transition album, a puberty-stricken adolescent with a new slicked-up hairdo and a European leather jacket that still fit a little too big.” It shouldn’t have worked, but it did. And now it’s olde.

House of Atreus – The Spear and the Ichor That Follows Review

By Mark Z. on May 3, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Dark Descent Records, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 9 comments

“Arghoslent are one of the best bands that ever shot themselves in the foot. Their melodic NWOBHM-tinged death metal was both original and exhilarating, but was sadly overshadowed by the group’s questionable ideology (sample song titles: “Hereditary Taint,” “Rape of a Slave”). Searching for a similar-sounding group without the racist overtones, I was thus overjoyed by Minneapolis’ House of Atreus and their debut EP, 2013’s Into the Brazen Bull.”

Seagrave – Stabwound Review

By Mark Z. on April 23, 2015 in 2015, Art of Propaganda, Austrian Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Shoegaze, Black Metal, Post-Metal, Shoegaze, 5 comments

“Listening to Seagrave begets the age-old question: is it better to try something new and fall short, or rehash the same bullshit until we’re all shitting bowls of Iommi riffs and bleeding ‘retro-death metal’ CDs from every orifice?” If your orifices bleed retro-death for more than 4 hours, consult a physician.

Nocternity – Harps of the Ancient Temples Review

By Mark Z. on April 13, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Greek Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 9 comments

“Greek black metal seems to earn its fair share of acclaim, be it Acherontas’ latest album, meloblack torchbearers like Rotting Christ, or the epic pagan-isms of Macabre Omen. But while I love the bigger names, exploring the scene in depth has always been something I’d do ‘one day,’ just like finally watching the episodes of Twin Peaks after Laura Palmer’s killer is revealed, or cleaning up that mysterious stain in the corner of my living room.” Stain first, Greek exploration second.

Infernal War – Axiom Review

By Mark Z. on April 10, 2015 in 2015, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, Polish Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 13 comments

“Infernal War are a pissed-off bunch. Formed in 1997, the Polish blackened-death quintet’s sole two full-lengths – 2005’s Terrorfront and 2007’s Redesekration – are essentially blastbeat-fueled blitzkriegs against Judeo-Christianity, and are probably the two angriest and most hate-filled albums ever recorded.” Hate is a negative emotion. Prepare to enter the Negative Zone!