Relapse

Cough – Still They Pray Review

By Grymm on May 27, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Doom Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Doom Metal, 15 comments

“There comes a time in life when you need to walk away from something for a little while to appreciate what you have. Whether it’s painting, turning wood, or writing music reviews, you eventually reach a point when you have to step away from what gives you life in order to recharge and attack it with renewed focus and energy. Playing in a band is no different. Virginia’s Cough took a much-needed five year break after touring for their last album, 2010’s Ritual Abuse, and are back with their first for Relapse, the ominously titled Still They Pray, and if anything, the time off did them a world of good.” Breaks are good.

Yer Metal Is Olde: Amorphis – Elegy

By Grymm on April 28, 2016 in Death Metal, Finnish Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Relapse, Yer Metal Is Olde, 56 comments

“Amorphis has a special place in the hearts of everyone involved with Angry Metal Guy. In fact, it was the review of 2009’s awesome Skyforger by AMG Himself that got the ball rolling for your favorite group of opinionated miscreants. As for myself, the Finns had a profound personal effect on me as well.” And now their older stuff is OLDE!

Graves at Sea – The Curse That Is Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 29, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Doom Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Sludge, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 31 comments

“Having had the opportunity to review some doom/sludge releases lately that focus on preserving the genre’s mood without over-exaggerating the delivery, I’ve come to appreciate those bands that can deliver hypnotizing, doomy atmospheres in simplistic, down-to-earth ways.” Simple doom over fancy doom!

Boris with Merzbow – Gensho Review

By Roquentin on March 17, 2016 in Avante Garde, Doom Metal, Drone, Japanese Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Noise Metal, Shoegaze, 15 comments

“To write about Gensho, the latest in a 15 years long series of collaborations between illustrious Japanese experimental metal, rock, and everything in-between trio Boris and legendary noise musician Merzbow (alias Masami Akita), is to write about three different records: a Boris shoegaze-cum-drone meditation, a Merzbow harsh noise attack, and a mammothian combination of the two.” What’s with guys who like drone and writing run on sentences, anyway?

Inverloch – Distance | Collapsed Review

By Grymm on February 28, 2016 in 2016, Australian Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 15 comments

“diSEMBOWELMENT left quite a mark with their one-and-only album, 1993’s brilliant Transcendence into the Peripheral, before disbanding later that year. In the ensuing decades since, many doom/death hybrids have come and gone and few have come close to attaining the lofty heights ascended by the sadly-missed Australians. So, when bassist (now guitarist) Matthew Skarajew and drummer Paul Mazziotta would regroup as d.USK in 2011 playing the old classics with new members, I was excited to check out a band that I missed after they had called it a day.” They’re back, but is it bowely enough?

Obscura – Akróasis Review

By Angry Metal Guy on February 17, 2016 in 2016, Death Metal, German Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 148 comments

“What now?” That’s the question Akróasis, unfairly or otherwise, is supposed to answer. Obscura in 2016 is solely within the hands of founder, guitarist, and vocalist Steffen Kummerer. With the core of the band as we knew it between Cosmic Genesis and Omnivium gone—and that’s an impressive list: Hannes Grossman on drums, Jeroen Paul Thesseling on bass, and Christian Münzner on guitars—Akróasis is a moment for a new statement of intent.

Magrudergrind – II Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on February 11, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Grind, Relapse, Reviews, Grind, Hardcore, 27 comments

“Apparently I am now the designated AMG reviewer wot gets all the grindcore, which suits me fine as, though it is amongst my top genres in the crazy world of extreme music, it’s one that I mysteriously neglect for long periods. Probably mostly because I’m listening to Toto’s first five records on a loop.” Gonna take a lot to drag me away from Magru!

Agoraphobic Nosebleed – Arc EP Review

By Saunders on January 16, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Grind, Relapse, Reviews, Sludge, Doom Metal, Grind, Sludge, 11 comments

“My flailing interest in grindcore has been reinvigorated over the past couple of years, due to a handful of excellent bands combining intelligent songcraft with the genre’s typical blasting, white knuckle intensity. So when the opportunity arose to review the latest output from long running grinders Agoraphobic Nosebleed, perpetrators of gleefully brilliant past offerings such as Frozen Corpse Stuffed with Dope, I was stoked for what these drum machine wielding maniacs would have in store for us.” Let the nose run red!

Lycus – Chasms Review

By El Cuervo on January 11, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Doom Metal, 45 comments

“Tempest was one of those remarkable underground metal debuts which developed sufficient hype to breach the upper echelon of popular online publications despite its apparent lack of commercial appeal. The oppressive funeral doom, courtesy of the plucking, hitting and growling gents over at Lycus, was positively received by Pitchfork, Decibel and theneedledrop, ultimately garnering a Relapse record deal. Some of us didn’t quite get Lycus before. So did we get on the hype train yet or what?

Things You Might Have Missed 2015: Tau Cross – Tau Cross

By Grymm on December 16, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Canadian Metal, English Metal, Post-metal, Post-Rock, Relapse, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Post-Metal, 20 comments

“Supergroups make me weary. For every Down, Vhöl, or Borknagar that comes our way, we get subjected to bands that don’t vary much (if at all) from their more established main groups. The prospect of checking out yet another supergroup doesn’t exactly get my blood pumping, no matter how highly acclaimed that group is promoted by the critics and fans.” The prospects are definitely improving!