Groove Metal

Betzefer – Entertain Your Force of Habit Review

By Master of Muppets on September 19, 2018 in 2018, Groove Metal, Hard Rock, Israeli Metal, Metalville, Reviews, Groove Metal, Hard Rock, 72 comments

“Picture this, if you will. It’s Friday night, for at least a little while longer anyway. The air is thick with smoke and raised voices, illuminated only vaguely by various neon signs and their reflections off countless bottles and glasses. Here at the Angry Metal Bikerer Bar®, the music matches the mood: from a cramped corner masquerading as a stage, four angry metal guys unleash gravely growls and swagtastic riffage unto the leather and denim-clad patrons with a gritty little ditty titled ‘Ain’t No Party ‘Til You Hurt Somebody.'” Far beyond dreidel.

Null’O’Zero – Instructions to Dominate Review

By Steel Druhm on July 15, 2018 in 2018, Greek Metal, Groove Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Rock of Angels Records, 60 comments

“Italy and Greece seem to be accounting for a much greater percentage of our fetid promo sump of late. It’s like the Mediterranean region is vying to knock Scandinavia off the map as the key locus of metal, and they’re putting their collective back into it. Part of that sweaty collective back is Greek act Null’O’Zero, who play a kind of beefed up brand of traditional metal akin to Iced Earth, with a touch of the heavy prog of Symphony X.” Set gyros to pummel.

Zarraza – Necroshiva Review

By GardensTale on May 19, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Groove Metal, Kazakh Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Groove Metal, Thrash Metal, 26 comments

“Quick, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say ‘Kazakhstan?’ I’d bet good money the majority of you would reply ‘Borat’ to that question. Fact is, many of us know very little about the largest landlocked country in the world (thanks, Wikipedia!) despite the fairly major economic power the country represents. Maybe it’s because metal is not a popular thing there. Despite its 18 million inhabitants, the Metal Archives lists barely over two dozen active bands, with the only one of any prominence, the prolific classic metal act Holy Dragons. Zarraza does not intend to put up with that, nor with anything else, judging by their furious debut Necroshiva.” Thrashistan.

Kaos Reign – Epiphany Review

By Treble Yell on April 15, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Groove Metal, Reviews, Skumbagh Records, Thrash Metal, Groove Metal, Thrash Metal, 16 comments

““The heart wants what the heart wants,” though trite, succinctly sums up how we’re only interested in feeding our own desires. Biases, predilections, call it what you will – this inertia keeps us in a constant orbit around our personal sun and clarifying why we won’t, or can’t break free is a sometimes elusive task. I’m no different, scratch my skin and what oozes out is a clump of thrash cells. This can be explained away by Metallica being the Vergil to my Dante, guiding me down a spiraling path that was followed by Megadeth, Pantera and Machine Head.” Reign in kaos.

Dirty Shirt & Ansamblul Transilvania – FolkCore DeTour Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 21, 2018 in 2018, Apathia Records, Folk Metal, Groove Metal, Reviews, Romanian Metal, Folk Metal, Groove Metal, 31 comments

“FolkCore DeTour, the first live album from Romania’s groovy folk metal ensemble Dirty Shirt, hooked me as it waltzed out the door with clarinet and plucked strings on ‘Rapsodia Romana.'” AMG has always had a soft spot for folk metal, so see what he has to say about Romania’s first gypsy metal band. Eurovision, eat your heart out!

Global Scum – Hell is Home Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on February 24, 2018 in 2018, Austrian Metal, Groove Metal, NRT Records, Reviews, Groove Metal, 0 comments

“Global Scum is a one-man project of Manuel Harlander, hailing from Austria. If one has the talent (and Harlander certainly does), a one-man project allows for a focused vision of what metal is to an individual to be promulgated, without concessions or creative differences. Metal toGlobal Scum finds its realization in groove; that dark and punishing sound associated with Pantera and modernized with the help of death metal from Sweden.” The groove is in the heart.

Ektomorf – Fury Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on February 12, 2018 in 2018, AFM Records, Groove Metal, Hungarian Metal, Reviews, Groove Metal, 0 comments

“Looking back at what I wrote about Ektomorf’s Aggressor in 2015, I was clearly exasperated; Ektomorf seemed to lack some complexity or authenticity I was searching for in metal. Reviews reflect not just where the author was but what he thinks and why, if written successfully. On Fury, Ektomorf have predictably remained the same.” A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little bands.

Accuser – The Mastery Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on February 3, 2018 in 2018, German Metal, Groove Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Groove Metal, Thrash Metal, 23 comments

“I guess it’s only fitting that I’d follow up a review of the newest Machine Head record with another long-lost thrash band. This time, it’s a German outfit that hit the scene in 1986 and has more thrash metal cred than the thrash/groove/rap-metal outfit from Oakland, CA. Even if no one has any idea who they are. Accuser’s first two records, 1987’s The Conviction and 1989’s Who Dominates Who?, are underrated thrash metal classics. The latter, in particular, is a thrashpiece that combines the technicality of Testament and Annihilator with Kreator, Metallica, and Destruction. But after 1987, the band swan-dived straight into the groove-metal pavement for the next four releases. With this nightmarish Pantera-like tailspin finally coming to a halt after Taken by the Throat. And, to no one’s surprise, the band was no more.” Thrash through the ages.

Machine Head – Catharsis Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on January 25, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Groove Metal, Nu-metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Groove Metal, Nu Metal, 249 comments

“Machine Head was with me during some dark times and I was there for them. So, to say I’m a fan—or to say that they changed my life—is an understatement. But, now, 2018’s Catharsis is upon us. And, honestly, I’m so fucking confused, depressed, and speechless that all I can do is sit here quietly, wondering how much longer I can go on supporting my beloved Machine Head.” Gaskets blown here.

Threat Signal – Disconnect Review

By Mark Z. on November 13, 2017 in 2017, Agonia Records, Canadian Metal, Groove Metal, Metalcore, Reviews, Groove Metal, Metalcore, 39 comments

“Five years ago, another metal blog referred to As I Lay Dying’s Awakened as “the world’s first retro-metalcore album.” While that same not-to-be-named blog was also recently guilty of authoring one of the most idiotic self-serving shitposts I’ve ever read, in the case of Awakened they were actually right. With its melodic Gothenburg riffs, gang vocals, soaring clean choruses, and pummeling breakdowns, the record hearkened back to mid-00s metalcore at a time when the rest of the scene was too busy being balls deep in whatever Periphery was doing.” Old core, new core. At this point, what does it matter?