Nuclear Blast

Enforcer – Zenith Review

By Steel Druhm on April 25, 2019 in 2019, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Speed Metal, Swedish Metal, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, 50 comments

“Some bands are all about dark moods, some traffic in furious rage, while others specialize in technical, progressive wankery. Over their 14 year career, Enforcer never sniffed any of those categories. Their chosen sound is all about old school, retro metal fun. From the speed metal styling of albums like Into the Night and Diamonds, to the hair metal on biker meth of From Beyond, the band always sought to rock your socks off without having to buy you dinner first. Zenith is the next stage of evolution for them.” Enforcing the olde.

Grand Magus – Wolf God Review

By Steel Druhm on April 16, 2019 in 2019, Epic Metal, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Heavy Metal, 52 comments

“Every few years, Grand Magus ride out from the snowy wilds of Sweden to wave the flag of epic heavy metal and crusade for genre supremacy. Over the years their sound has shifted from a doom-centric approach to one increasingly informed by the likes of Manowar and Visigoth, and on their ninth album, Wolf God, they find themselves repeating familiar refrains and similar ideas to those heard on recent outings.” Of wolf and meh.

Eluveitie – Ategnatos Review

By Dr. Wvrm on April 5, 2019 in 2019, Folk Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Swiss Metal, Folk Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 149 comments

“Taking in Eluveitie’s closing performance on 70K Tons with sentynel, I recognized something: Eluveitie is popular. Not like entry-level popular, not poser popular (well, maybe), but actually popular. The boat’s Mosh Pit Residentia showed up in spades for that set, but with the floor so choked with the trve and weeb alike, group activities like conga lines and dance parties sprung up instead. Everyone knew the songs—hell, I knew the songs. The nonet put on too great a show to discount, far better than other bias-confirming trainwrecks I witnessed that weekend. Maybe, just maybe, I’ve written Eluveitie and Ategnatos off too soon.” Then again…

Battle Beast – No More Hollywood Endings Review

By Steel Druhm on March 21, 2019 in 2019, Finnish Metal, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 83 comments

“Battle Beast is the mane attraction in the Zoo of Missed Potential. After releasing one of the most wildly entertaining power metal albums in years with 2011s Steel, the band shifted direction toward a more radio-friendly style and their stock began to tumble accordingly. On subsequent albums they slipped to what I call a playlist band, as I would like a few cuts per album, add them to a playlist and street the rest. They broke out of that pattern (barely) on 2017s Bringer of Pain, managing an album’s worth of respectable cuts mixing power metal with symphonic schmaltz and accessible hooks. It was hardly a killer, but it lacked filler and was an light, easy spin. Album number five No More Hollywood Endings looks to take the same approach and up the accessibility factor even further.” A star is torn.

Fallujah – Undying Light Review

By Kenstrosity on March 14, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 254 comments

“Description: AMG-4165 is the fourth full length studio album titled Undying Light by California-based atmospheric technical death metal band Fallujah. Credits on this recording are listed as follows: Andrew Baird on drums; Scott Carstairs on guitars; Rob Morey on bass; and Antonio Palermo on vocals. Similar bands to Fallujah are listed extensively on several online sources, mainly citing The Faceless and Obscura, among others. The connections this current iteration of Fallujah shares with those bands are tenuous at best.” Initiate lockdown.

Children of Bodom – Hexed Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 8, 2019 in 2019, Finnish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Power Metal, Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Power Metal, 120 comments

“I’m a little more broken, a lot less trusting, and a touch more cynical than before. Such is life. So, it’s only fitting my return would be alongside Finland’s Children of Bodom; a band that’s been giving the finger for years. Comebacks are never perfect and never as hyped as we all want them to be but, in an imperfect way, CoB and Doc are back. Yup, fuck you, world.” Hexed and vexed.

In Flames – I, the Mask Review

By Kenstrosity on March 1, 2019 in 2019, Groove Metal, Melodic Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Melodic Metal, 244 comments

“Let’s get one thing straight. In Flames is not a melodic death metal band anymore, and they haven’t been for quite a while. This is not in and of itself a bad thing. It’s just the way it is. That being said, The Jester Race was a magnificent piece of Gothenburg melodeath. The band has since become the Law of Diminishing Recordings’ main bitch and haven’t been able to get out from under that role. Yet I, opportunist that I am, was all too eager to snatch their thirteenth effort I, the Mask from the grubby claws of the AMG Consortium.” Snatch and sob.

Overkill – The Wings of War Review

By Steel Druhm on February 19, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 69 comments

“Overkill’s ethos is overkill. It always has been. Be it their hyperactively punked out thrash or their New Jersey thug demeanor, everything with them is set to 12. On their 19th goddamn album, The Wings of War, little has changed. They’re still the scuzzy, bare knuckles brawlers from the Garden State who you would cross the street to avoid, and they deliver yet another overdose of hi-octane piss and vinegar-addled speed and ne’er-do-well attitude.” Fists up, head down.

Avantasia – Moonglow Review

By Steel Druhm on February 13, 2019 in 2019, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Power Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 165 comments

“Anything bearing the imprimatur of Tobias Sammet is synonymous with excess, bombast and a superhuman resistance to restraint and modesty. Originally known for his larger-than-life Euro-power albums with Edguy, Sammet’s Avantasia project is something else altogether. It’s his own personal wonderland where he enlists friends, well wishers and contemporary musicians in a never-ending quest to create extravagant, over the top power metal infused with Broadway theatrics, hard rock grit and preening pop. Yes, it’s mega-yacht metal, and no, it definitely isn’t for everyone.” Sammet’s latest moon shot.

Beast in Black – From Hell with Love Review

By Eldritch Elitist on February 12, 2019 in 2019, Finnish Metal, Nuclear Blast, Power Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 80 comments

“To fully understand the absurdity that is Beast in Black is to know their roots and lyrical inclinations. Formed by Battle Beast guitarist Anton Kabanen following his departure from the band in 2015, BiB’s debut Berserker is a sonic extension of BB; ostensibly, it’s an identical formulation of mid-paced heavy/power metal, with added Sabaton influence and a side helping of glam rock and Euro pop. This nakedly derivative formula is made all the more amusing when one realizes that Kabanen also imported his Berserk-themed lyrics from his old band. From Hell With Love sees Beast in Black sinking to new new ineffectual lows, and the resulting irony of pairing this music with one of the most brutal comics I’ve ever encountered is more hilarious than ever.” Love is Hell.