Mark Z.

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Morbosidad – Tortura Review

By Mark Z. on December 8, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Black Metal, Nuclear War Now! Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 1 comment

“It’s hard to express my immense satisfaction upon pushing play on Morbosidad’s Tortura. Unlike what I’ve come to expect from Nuclear War Now!’s brand of bestial blackened death – that is, guitars distorted to shit and vocals that sound like someone’s fatfuck cousin chugged Drano and attempted to burp the alphabet in the background – Tortura opens with a set of ragged, filthy chords that resound with power and clarity. It makes sense at first glance: having been around since 1993, one would assume they’ve had enough time to hone their sound.” Things don’t get much more filthy than this stuff. Bring the Purell.

Downfall of Gaia – Aeon Unveils The Throne of Decay Review

By Mark Z. on November 19, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, German Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Black Metal, 17 comments

“Somewhere deep in the bowels of the Internet (right next to erotic Sonic the Hedgehog fan fiction, if I recall correctly), I uncovered Downfall of Gaia, and my dick has been crooked ever since.” Hedgehog porn is a big favorite at AMG, especially “Hedge Trimmers.”

Unearth – Watchers of Rule Review

By Mark Z. on November 15, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, eOne Music, Metalcore, Reviews, Metalcore, 15 comments

“Unearth are among the last of their kind. The New Wave of American Heavy Metal – if there ever was such a thing – has crashed, receded, and carried away a flotsam of recycled Gothenburg riffs, open string drop-D breakdowns, and post-Pantera toughguy groove. Bands not dissolved in the fizz of waning popularity and ill-conceived murder-for-hire plots have either distilled themselves into Top 40 radio rock (Avenged Sevenfold) or continue struggling to recreate the glory of their heyday (Killswitch Engage). Unearth stand alone….” So much for progress and evolution.

Kult Ofenzivy – Nauky ruznic Review

By Mark Z. on November 5, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Czech Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Uncategorized, Black Metal, 7 comments

“Black metal has become so diverse that the tag has practically lost all meaning. What does it refer to these days? The post-black style first whisked from Cascadia in 2007 with Wolves in the Throne Room’s seminal Two Hunters? Or the stomach-churning dissonance of Deathspell Omega? Or maybe legacy acts like Mayhem, still trudging on and attempting to rekindle the fires that burned so fiercely in the early 90s?” Black metal has been seriously wounded, but the fire still burns.

Encoffination – III-Hear Me O’ Death (Sing Thou Wretched Choirs) Review

By Mark Z. on October 18, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Selfmadegod Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 1 comment

“It’s no surprise death is such a common theme in metal. Whether through global religious institutions or personal musings on mortality, it’s something we struggle with both individually and as a society, a looming black unknown that begs questions about what happens when we pass on. Encoffination, however, do not ponder questions of life and death. Instead, the duo work within the mausoleum of extreme doom metal to embrace death head-on….” Death is as death does.

Calm Hatchery – Fading Reliefs Review

By Mark Z. on October 13, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, Polish Metal, Reviews, Selfmadegod Records, Death Metal, 8 comments

“Ah, Polish death metal. The riffing quivers with imperial might, the drumming carpet-bombs soundscapes like F-22s over Syrian ISIS outposts, the band names evoke titanic sacrilegious deities or bear primal aggression with their blunt simplicity: Behemoth, Hate, Azarath, Decapitated, and – Calm Hatchery. Uh – the fuck? Yes, forming in 2002 with a moniker that calls to mind cuddly newborn dinosaurs instead of ragged bleeding neck stumps, Calm Hatchery already stacked the cards against themselves….” Worst band name ever? We report, you decide.

Phobocosm – Deprived Review

By Mark Z. on September 29, 2014 in 2014, Canadian Metal, Dark Descent Records, Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 4 comments

“One of the most frustrating trends in modern death metal is the influx of these so-called “cavernous” bands – groups that huddle together around the altar of Incantation, strumming buzzy nothing riffs over indecipherable grizzly bear vocals, apparently recording everything through two layers of drywall using microphones caked with dried mud. They’re all maniacally focused on conjuring a dark and otherworldly atmosphere, but utterly incapable of writing a single memorable song (I’m looking at you, Teitanblood).” Some people just don’t respect a good murk.

Aphyxion – Earth Entangled Review

By Mark Z. on September 13, 2014 in 2014, Danish Metal, Death Metal, Metalcore, Mighty Music, Reviews, Death Metal, 4 comments

“The past two years have put to death the oft-spoken cliché that only young hungry bands make exciting music anymore. 2014 alone has given us career highlights from genre titans Vader and Behemoth, while last year’s Gorguts/Carcass one-two comeback punch still has me walking around like our gore-obsessed friends across the pond personally shoved their captive bolt pistol up my ass. Now on the eve of an At the Gates reunion record, it’s no surprise newcomers like Denmark’s Aphyxion have trouble finding a place to surface in the churning sea of the current scene. Even with three EPs and over 100 shows logged since forming in 2007, their debut album Earth Entangled shows them fighting their damnedest to breathe as a modern metal group.” I hear mercy drownings are on the rise these days….

Principality of Hell – Fire and Brimstone Review

By Mark Z. on August 15, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Greek Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, W.T.C. Productions, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 6 comments

“Metal is an inherently backward-looking style. For every band that’s pushing the envelope and driving things in new directions (see Fallujah’s stellar attempt at so-called ‘deathgaze’ on their newest), there are two or three proudly waving the tattered flag of the old-school, seeking to recreate the glory of the genre’s innovators. Enter Principality of Hell, a Greek trio formed last year by veterans of other Greek acts Thou Art Lord, Necromantia and Ravencult. They specialize in black-thrash – not the modern kind exemplified by Nocturnal Graves and the like, but the classic variety that hearkens back to when the two genres were first emerging through common ancestors like Venom, Celtic Frost and Bathory.” These Greek black thrashers want to take you back to the 80s in a DeLorean. Don’t forget your Walkman™.

Methedras – System Subversion Review

By Mark Z. on August 1, 2014 in 2014, Italian Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 0 comments

“Like other hybrid genres, death thrash is inherently diverse. On one hand, you have bands like Deceased and Vader who throw occasional thrashy riffs and old school guitar leads into a classic death metal template; on the other hand, you have bands who take Testament-style thrash as a foundation and stack on harsher vocals and heavier riffing characteristic of death metal. Italy’s Methedras fall into the latter category. The style they play has never really exploded in popularity the way retro-thrash did a few years back, which may explain why Methedras have remained relatively unknown despite forming in 1996 and releasing three full-lengths in the 2000s.” Another new writer dares test his metal at AMG by reviewing some death-thrash. Godspeed, Mark Z.