Nuclear Blast

Soilwork – Verkligheten Review

By Dr. Wvrm on January 11, 2019 in 2019, Melodic Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 156 comments

“Not long ago, sweating the steely Damocles ax of content output, I considered outing my own Indefensible Position: Soilwork’s most recent two full-lengths, The Living Infinite and The Ride Majestic, are their best. Formulaic? Sure, but riddled with tip-top bangers and speedy sing-alongs stronger than any they’d ever done. That both received 2.0s balled my segmented digits into puny rage nuggets whenever that betrayal came to fore. But then, an oddity: I re-spun the damned things, probably for the first time with my shiny reviewer ears, and found my ire lessened.” Still tilling the same soil.

Nailed to Obscurity – Black Frost Review

By Steel Druhm on January 8, 2019 in 2019, Death Metal, German Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 99 comments

“One of the happy surprises from out of left field during 2017 was a little album called King Delusion by then unsung German act Nailed to Obscurity. It took the base elements of Opeth, Katatonia and Ghost Brigade and skillfully forged them into a humdinger of a prog-death platter brimming with heaviness and dark atmospheres. It garnered a place in my Top Ten for that year and I still play it quite regularly. 2019 sees the band return to greatly elevated expectations with their third album, Black Frost, and I was particularly eager to get my paws on this one.” Tales of frost and fire.

Arsis – Visitant Review

By Saunders on October 29, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 61 comments

“Five years since 2013’s solid and thrashy Unwelcome, Arsis make a pivotal return with sixth LP, Visitant. With a stable line-up in tow, Malone has masterminded a visceral, energized collection of tunes, set to catapult Arsis back to the top of the American melo-death pile.” Back to rule.

Yer Metal is Olde: Meshuggah – Chaosphere

By Master of Muppets on October 27, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Djent, Nuclear Blast, Swedish Metal, Yer Metal Is Olde, Djent, 119 comments

“A calamitous ray of hope against the JNCO, Meshuggah’s Chaosphere seized metal’s conventions by the throat, flayed them alive and curb-stomped the body. Atonal chords, time signature seizures, and insane, prosaic insight screamed with voice of Hell itself and more were wrought unto those caught within the ‘sphere, and this piece is dedicated to the memories of life and heaviness as we knew them before Chaosphere ripped those scandalous bitches in two.” Birth of an abomination.

Behemoth – I Loved You at Your Darkest Review

By Angry Metal Guy on October 8, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Nuclear Blast, Polish Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 189 comments

“"Behemoth’s star has been on the rise for nearly 15 years. Following the release of 2004’s Demigod and 2007’s The Apostasy, these Poles toured frenetically in the USA and Europe, building a huge fanbase based on their dominant live presence and hooky blackened death sound. Their hard work paid dividends when they were picked up by Nuclear Blast, resulting in 2009’s Evangelion. But while neither The Apostasy nor Evangelion were a tour de force equal to Demigod, Behemoth delivered on 2014’s The Satanist, which showcased the darkest, most mature writing of Nergal’s career. But great records are tough to follow, and the rounds of snickering that ensued following the release of the title I Loved You at Your Darkest and the album’s first single—”God=Dog”—hinted at skepticism among fans." Maybe The Satanist was an exception, not the establishment of a new rule?” Loving the evil sinner.

Mantar – The Modern Art of Setting Ablaze Review

By Saunders on August 24, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Doom Metal, German Metal, Nuclear Blast, Punk, Reviews, Sludge, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge, 67 comments

“The Contrite Metal Guy inside me has Mantar’s powerhouse 2016 sophomore album Ode to the Flame on a shortlist for downgrading. And although I believe I was a little too generous with the scoring, the album still impressed greatly and I’ve been able to rely on the German duo for high quality punk and doom infested blackened sludge since their stunning debut, Death by Burning, dropped in 2014. It seems the rest of the world is catching on rapidly, judging by Mantar’s ever growing stature and swelling popularity within the modern metal scene. Now, The Modern Art of Setting Ablaze is in the can, along with a heaving load of anticipation for the all important third full-length opus.” Art as punishment.

The Loudest Silence – Aesthetic Illusion Review

By Ferrous Beuller on July 16, 2018 in 2018, Bosnian Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Symphonic Metal, 50 comments

“When reviewing copious amounts of music, you may think that the process engenders a multitude of questions. Sadly, the one I am most wont to ask — and by an abyssal margin — is ‘why.’ Why did I bring this on myself? Why is this happening? Why did they think this would be okay? Clearly in some alternate universe I must have pissed in Jørn’s pocket and told him it was raining, because his wrath has extended beyond all manner of quasar, quantum and quark to facilitate my punishment with Sarajevo’s The Loudest Silence, a symphonic metal band whose name and debut album title, Aesthetic Illusion, have me buckled under the weight of such irony. ” Jørn givith, Jørn taketh away.

Immortal – Northern Chaos Gods Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on July 5, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Black Metal, 129 comments

Immortal is back, and that deserves a big, fat double review of frozen mountain proportions. Stay frostbitten, my friends.

The Night Flight Orchestra – Sometimes the World Ain’t Enough Review

By El Cuervo on June 26, 2018 in 2018, Hard Rock, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Hard Rock, 202 comments

“AMG.com has ridden the The Night Flight Orchestra (“NFO”) horse pretty hard since the release of their first album in 2012. The illustrious Dr. Fisting (then masquerading as Fisting Andrew Golota) was their discoverer and therefore the designated reviewer thus far. Now that he is absent, presumed dead, I have taken up this mantle to impart opinions on a band that our founder abhors.” New tickets to paradise.

Kataklysm – Meditations Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on June 4, 2018 in 2018, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 92 comments

“There was a time some years ago where I never read anything about metal on the internet. My knowledge of the genre came from the music itself and books like Ian Christe’s indispensable Sound of the Beast. My barometer of taste was my group of friends; a record that we’d spin endlessly and enjoy together was a great one. Kataklysm’s Prevail was one such record, and it’s remained a favorite throughout the years. Entering into the digital wilds of the internet age, I was shocked to find that there existed people who didn’t think the Maurizio Iacono fronted version of Kataklysm was great. All the pedantic arguments in the world never dimmed my enthusiasm for the band, and every new release of theirs is met with great anticipation from me.” Meditative destruction.