By my extensive calculations and careful application of Steel Druhm’s Theory of Genre Longevity (Pat. Pending), retro thrash is in the fourteenth minute of its fame window.
Steel Druhm
Blood Mortized – The Key to a Black Heart Review
Just in time to wash away the bitter taste of Six Feet Under, comes this ridiculously sick death metal masterstroke by Blood Mortized. Taking the vicious old school Swedish death sound from their Bestial EP and improving on it in every way, The Key to a Black Heart is exactly what you want from the style and death metal in general.
Six Feet Under – Undead Review
Let’s just be brootally honest for a moment, shall we? Six Feet Under is the worst “big” band in the entire death metal genre. Most of their releases are either below average or simply godawful, and after a seventeen year run, they can only boast two semi-good albums of original material. They’ve spewed platter after platter of groove-based, chuggy, simplistic death that only fellow neanderthal deathers Jungle Rot could fully appreciate (though they probably look down on them a bit too).
Master’s Hammer – Vracejte Konve Na Misto Review
Eccentric. That little word can apply to avant-garde, cutting edge music just as easily as your crazy uncle Barnaby. You know, the one that collects cats and built the time machine out of used exercise equipment and urinal cakes.
Allegaeon – Formshifter Review
The Gothenburg brand of melodic death may be in its twilight years of relevance, but man, when a band truly nails the sound and style, it’s as glorious as watching stars explode overhead and guzzling craft beers as you get balls deep in a Roman orgy.
Saint Vitus – Lillie: F-65 Review
As a life-long doom fan, you’re almost required to love long-suffering underdogs like Saint Vitus. They’ve toiled away for decades with the bare minimum of notoriety, despite the fact some of their music is so fucking good!
Occultation – Three & Seven Review
Like a demented Doctor Who, a lot of modern metal continues to spiral backwards through time, seeking inspiration in all things “retro.” Currently, the trendy place to set the dial on the trusty Way-Back-Machineā¢ is the 70s.
Before the Dawn – Rise of the Phoenix Review
I feel like I spend a lot of time discussing and reviewing musical projects helmed by Tuomas Saukkonen. Not that I’m complaining mind you, since I love the guy’s work.
Running Wild – Shadowmaker Review
Raise the sails and fly the black mark, the original metal pirates are back to plunder your booty (in a strictly platonic way, of course).
Malfeitor – Dum Morior Orior Review
It’s been said by some (others) that we don’t review enough death metal here at AMG. This is because you’re all a bunch of wackadoodle metal divas and Steel Druhm is tired of your whining, bitching and crying!