Kenstrosity

Destroying AMG's metal cred from within.

Svavelvinter – Mörkrets Tid [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Kenstrosity on December 5, 2018 in 2018, Dimout Productions, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Melodic Death Metal, 94 comments

“Melodeath was shaping up to be the second most disappointing genre this year for me. Though there were several big-name entries, few have stuck with me. Amorphis was awesome at first, but for reasons I’ve yet to decipher I quickly lost interest. Omnium Gatherum suffered a similar fate, but with their inferiority to Amorphis playing the culprit. Kalmah was close to something special, but they were undone by repetitive songwriting. Luckily, two saviors swooped in and delivered big time: Mongol, with The Return; and Svavelvinter—go ahead, say it five more times just for fun—with Mörkrets Tid.” D&D Metal done right.

Ichor – Hadal Ascending Review

By Kenstrosity on November 29, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, German Metal, Reviews, Unholy Conspiracy Deathwork, WOOAAARGH, Death Metal, 42 comments

“There are records—Unleash the Archers’ Apex, for example—that represent massive jumps in quality from their relative predecessors. Other records constitute evolutionary improvement rather than revolutionary ones. Ichor’s debut record, Benthic Horizon, was plagued by an awful production, tepid songwriting and pacing issues. 2014’s Depths was an incremental advancement, yet still bromidic. Fast forward four years and German death-metallers Ichor meet us face to face once more with Hadal Ascending.” Under the SEA!

Witchthroat Serpent – Swallow the Venom Review

By Kenstrosity on November 20, 2018 in 2018, Doom Metal, French Metal, Reviews, Stoner Metal, Svart Records, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, Stoner Rock, 42 comments

“Witchthroat Serpent, a stoner doom outfit hailing from Toulouse, France, has an interesting concept. Instead of the run-of-the-mill trips endemic to stoner doom, this trio chose a darker avenue, focusing on ritualistic substances rather than those recreational.” Addicted to cults.

Cripple Bastards – La Fine Cresce da Dentro Review

By Kenstrosity on November 9, 2018 in 2018, Grind, Italian Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Grind, 33 comments

“When I think of grind, the last place to which my mind takes me is Italy. But here I am, in the Piedmont region of the beloved boot-shaped country, whiplashing my upper vertebrae to smithereens with Cripple Bastards. This is their seventh full length since their inception in 1988, but along the way these bastards have also released one single, one live album, seven EPs, and more splits than would grace the stage at a drag queen lip sync competition. Cripple Bastards deal a chaotic brand of grind, unsatisfied with adhering to a single formula. While the band has embraced different influences successfully more often than not, the constant mutation Cripple Bastards undergo makes for an inconsistent discography. The goal, then, is for La Fine Cresce da Dentro to beat Cripple Bastards’ best album: 2008’s Variante Alla Morte.” Wow, he traveled to Italy just to listen to this band? These n00bs are dedicated as hell.

Rising – Sword and Scythe Review

By Kenstrosity on October 22, 2018 in 2018, Danish Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Indisciplinarian Records, Reviews, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, 44 comments

"The world has witnessed humanity’s greatest civilizations rise to heavenly heights only to topple with the weight of titans. New, sometimes even more significant, societies emerged from the rubble. They too fell. Across history, this oscillation of societal ascension and subsequent self-destruction has been the focal point of countless tales. Rising, a band from Copenhagen celebrating their tenth year of active duty, adopt this theme with their fourth album Sword and Scythe. The five-piece is classified as “epic metal,” which in my worldview often represents bombastic and overwrought self-indulgence. Prepared for the worst, I donned my skepticism helmet and forged ahead." Don’t ever go to battle in your “skepticism” helmet. Especially against those wielding swords and scythes…

Vanhelgd – Deimos Sanktuarium Review

By Kenstrosity on October 12, 2018 in 2018, Dark Descent Records, Death Metal, Pulverised Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 64 comments

“October is here! In one all-too-short month, we receive Halloween, fall colors, pumpkin spice everything, and a veritable smorgasbord of quality metal releases. My first October release comes courtesy of Vanhelgd with their fifth LP, Deimos Sanktuarium. To get a good baseline for the band, I decided to take a stroll down Vanhelgd’s back catalog. What I beheld was doom-laden but familiar Swedish death metal á la At the Gates. I am a fan of Swedeath, but Vanheldg’s more established contemporaries haven’t won me over as of late.” Pumpkins, goblins and Swedeath.

Blood of Serpents – Sulphur Sovereign Review

By Kenstrosity on September 25, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Non Serviam Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, 36 comments

“Black metal is an incredible source of emotive music disguised in unwavering aggression. The advent of sterling releases from the likes of Gaerea and Sar Isatum, among others, has only reaffirmed that for me. Factor in my implicit trust in Non Serviam’s A&R and here I sit, anxious to give Swedish black-metallers Blood of Serpents their due. From the “deep forests of Småland,” Blood of Serpents follow the same formula scribed by the likes of Marduk and Dissection. Their first album, Black Dawn, showcased mid-paced black metal constructed on a dependable foundation of solid riffs. With sophomore effort, Sulphur Sovereign, the band opted to take their foot and ram it straight through the metal. To describe Sulphur Sovereign as “full speed ahead” would be to commit severe understatement.” Is more always more?

Druglord – New Day Dying Review

By Kenstrosity on September 12, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Sludgelord Records, Stoner Metal, 33 comments

“Druglord? Methinks our illustrious overlord, Angry Metal Guy, has given me a stoner-sludge album to review. This is great for me because I really like what similar stoner-sludge bands—namely Dopethrone, Thirst Planet, and Forming the Void—have released lately. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Druglord take to the streets with an extra-crunchy blend of stoner-doom and sludge.” This is your brain on Druglord.