I started listening to Cult of Luna with The Beyond. The year was 2003, the city was quiet and the light had been swallowed by the sound of an unspecified frequency – an electric wall of sound that made everything glow. And it burned so bright that I remained silent for the following, painful 67 minutes. I stopped listening to Cult Of Luna a year later. It was 2004, the album was Salvation and I couldn’t help but think that everything that had to be told had already been told. I resumed listening to Cult of Luna in 2013. Resistance became futile. And, yes, giving in was the right thing to do.
Hardcore
Hatebreed – The Divinity of Purpose Review
Happy Metal Guy is concerned about your GPA and motivational issues. He thinks some Hatebreed might help, but only when your schedule allows it.
Kamikabe – Aberration of Man Review
Tech death is a fickle mistress. Madam X is our less fickle mistress of evil, debasement and death. Join her as she examines the techy, deathy strew cooked up by Kamikabe. It doesn’t sound all that appetizing, does it?
Interview with Matthew Widener from Liberteer
Liberteer is an extremely interesting new grindcore project in two ways: (1) Its debut album has the longest and most straightforward, “You Don’t Say”-worthy name I’ve ever seen in grindcore so far. (2) Its groovy grindcore with symphonic and Americana elements thrown in!
Vision of Disorder – The Cursed Remain Cursed Review
Alex discusses the rise and fall of hardcore heroes Vision of Disorder and also takes a few swipes at Long Island music fans. Let’s hope Steel Druhm doesn’t read that part.
Xibalba – Hasta La Muerte Review
Xibalbá is the name of the Mayan underworld: not exactly a nice place, it must be said. A cave next to Alta Verapaz, somewhere in central Guatemala, is the entry to this domain whose hottest places, to quote none other than Dante Alighieri, “are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.” If there’s a circle which refuses to stay neutral in favour of a purely negative stance, it’s a band from Southern California whose name, doom and gloom take us straight to the Mayan idea of hell.
Bloodred Hourglass – Lifebound Review
“Hard as a Rock” off AC/DC’s Ballbreaker album says it all: “So low and dirty, it’s darn right mean.” These five Finns have a ballsy, edgy, in your face attitude that you’ll pick up on quickly – they go so far as to say, and I quote, “Boundaries shall be broken / We told you.”
Martyrdöd – Paranoia Review
Happy Metal Guy really loved Black Breath. You’d think such love would help Martyrdöd out, but HMG is a fickle mistress indeed.
Black Breath – Sentenced to Life Review
Take a wham! Bam! Pow! Sok! Crunch! Ka-pow! Thoom! And a Krrrrrak! Listening to this record is like getting beaten senseless by a punkish dominatrix.
Dyscarnate – And So It Came to Pass Review
I’ve been thinking a lot about confidence lately. How it affects our behavior and how we react to those who project it. The entire confidence spectrum can be found in the metal world, but you just can’t dismiss how much confidence there is in hardcore.