20 Buck Spin

Magic Circle – Departed Souls Review

By Steel Druhm on March 29, 2019 in 20 Buck Spin, 2019, American Metal, Doom Metal, Occult Rock, Reviews, Doom Metal, Occult Rock, 44 comments

“There’s no shortage of bands tunneling their way back to the past for inspiration. Magic Circle is among the pit crew delving deep into the 70s for influences, with their sound straddling the line between early Black Sabbath and rock royalty like Deep Purple. Featuring members of ,b>Sumerlands, Pagan Altar, and Doomriders, this is a bit of a super project, and on third album Departed Souls they do their best to defile all the right crypts of doom lore to arrive at something that smells fresh enough to wear about town without shame.”

Noisem – Cease to Exist Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on March 15, 2019 in 20 Buck Spin, 2019, American Metal, Grind, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Grind, Thrash Metal, 53 comments

“The impression I’ve always got from Noisem is that their primary goal is speed. Velocity is not an aspect but the essence of their sound. It’s a fun callback to the 80s speed race – which neither Noisem or I lived through – when bands would hear new grindcore demos via tape-trading and then try to write something even faster.” Speed thrills.

Ossuarium – Living Tomb Review

By Grymm on February 1, 2019 in 20 Buck Spin, 2019, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 54 comments

“I don’t know what it is about the Pacific Northwest that’s causing the citizens of that region of the U.S. of A. to pump out some rather phenomenal doom/death as of late. Perhaps it’s the perpetually rainy weather, but there’s certainly no shortage of slow, burbling, crawling-at-a-snail’s-pace death metal that rivals the greats from overseas. Portland’s Ossuarium turned quite a few heads with their 3-song demo, Calcified Trophies of Violence, and with their 20 Buck Spin debut, Living Tomb, they will no doubt turn even more.” Death by Northwest.

Ulthar – Cosmovore Review

By Lord Doom on November 6, 2018 in 20 Buck Spin, 2018, American Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 42 comments

“I have a long history with thrash metal, dating back to the very first time I heard a metal song (“Dyer’s Eve”) at the tender age of nine. My exposure to black metal is much more limited as I only discovered this site and the many flavors of extreme metal three years ago. Ulthar’s debut Cosmovore bills itself as equal parts black and thrash metal, with a healthy dose of death metal swagger in its step as well. I’m intimately familiar with the thrash portion and merely acquainted with the blackened component, so I approached Cosmovore with curiosity, trepidation, and excitement in equal measure.” Speed and loathing in Cosmovore.

Deadbird – III: The Forest Within The Tree Review

By Akerblogger on October 17, 2018 in 20 Buck Spin, 2018, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 54 comments

“We all thought the bird was dead, but like a phoenix the bird has risen. Ten years after their second full-length Twilight Ritual, Arkansas based Deadbird – featuring Rwake vocalist Christopher Terry and drummer Jeff Morgan – are alive and kicking and ready to spread their wings and flap doom into your face.” There’s a Deadbird in the sky! Everybody wonders why.

Extremity – Coffin Birth Review

By Ferrous Beuller on July 20, 2018 in 20 Buck Spin, 2018, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 54 comments

“At what point does death metal qualify as “old-school?” It’s odd to think that an entire sub-genre is predicated, in part, on how long it happens to have existed, and in this world of hyper-convenient immediacy, surely that span is shrinking at a rapid pace. One day, some poor fuck will be mooning over a Suicide Silence record telling his mates how the classics are always the best, and I will spin in my grave so fast I’ll bore into the center of the Earth. Rather than simply exhuming the dead, fortunately, Oakland’s Extremity lean more towards the Frankensteinian school of science.” Build-An-Abomination.

Khemmis – Desolation Review

By Steel Druhm on June 19, 2018 in 20 Buck Spin, 2018, American Metal, Doom Metal, Epic Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, 145 comments

“Perspective. It’s something even the most seasoned music fan and reviewer can lose sight of at times. Case in point, Colorado doom champions, Khemmis. They hit the scene like a ton of bricks in 2015 with their Absolution debut, awash in massive riffs, emotional vocals and a big dose of that X factor that makes a band stand out. Within a year they’d followed up with the massive Hunted, which showed an evolution and maturation as well as some new tricks. With such rapid fire successes, it’s easy to forget that Khemmis is still a young band.” Young and trve.

Tomb Mold – Manor of Infinite Forms Review

By Ferrous Beuller on June 12, 2018 in 20 Buck Spin, 2018, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 40 comments

“Life can often be confusing, gross and unnecessarily sticky. Three words one might use to describe Canada’s Tomb Mold, who, after tearing classic death metal asunder with 2017’s debut, Primordial Malignity, have since returned with an expanded line-up and another installation of their corporal jigsore quandry. Manor of Infinite Forms arrives rancid, raucous and ready to rot.” Rotting in the free world.

Spirit Adrift – Curse of Conception Review

By Grymm on October 3, 2017 in 20 Buck Spin, 2017, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, 115 comments

“Arizona’s Spirit Adrift, a one-man doom machine featuring the talented voice, musicianship, and songwriting of one Nate Garrett, dropped a promising debut last year with Chained to Oblivion. Just a hair over a year later, Garrett returns with a fully fleshed-out band, a slightly altered sound, and a new album in Curse of Conception.” Those adrift are not always lost.

Acephalix – Decreation Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on September 27, 2017 in 20 Buck Spin, 2017, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 58 comments

“Being a crusty Swe-death record, Decreation draws heavily on Entombed, Dismember, Nihilist, Grave, and the like, with the modern touch of Black Breath and their ilk. There’s little else to say…” Shortest. Review. Ever.