3.5

Enforcer – Diamonds Review

By Steel Druhm on May 28, 2010 in 2010, 3.5, American Metal, Earache Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 12 comments

Another retro 80’s metal album being reviewed on Angry Metal Guy? This place must really be going to hell in a hand basket. Well, at least one angry metal reviewer is enjoying the ride and Enforcer’s new album Diamonds would be the perfect soundtrack for any such hell bound pleasure excursion. Following along with 80’s NWOBHM worshiping peers Steelwing and Stormzone, Sweden’s Enforcer roars back to life with the follow up to 2008’s Into the Night and the results are pretty impressive and more fun than barrel full of monkeys.

Exodus – Exhibit B: The Human Condition Review

By Steel Druhm on May 27, 2010 in 2010, 3.5, American Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Thrash Metal, 0 comments

Back in the olden days of the original 80’s thrash invasion, it seemed Exodus always got a raw deal and lost out on the respect and exposure as one the top dogs of the movement. While Metallica, Slayer, Medadeth and Anthrax hogged the lion’s share of the limelight, Exodus was always relegated to second tier status. That’s all water under the bridge nowadays and Exodus has been on a serious comeback tear since 2004’s Tempo of the Damned all the way through 2007’s The Atrocity Exhibition – Exhibit A. With this second lease on life, Exodus has essentially surpassed all the former top dogs by virtue of being the last band standing and still releasing quality, worthwhile metal music. Now comes the second part of the Atrocity Exhibition series, Exhibit B: the Human Condition and Exodus seems damned determined to hold onto their newfound position.

Lacrimas Profundere – The Grandiose Nowhere Review

By Steel Druhm on May 14, 2010 in 2010, 3.5, Napalm Records, Reviews, 1 comment

Alright all you self-loathing, gothic creepozoids and lovers of exquisite pain, step right up and get the perfect soundtrack for stalking your ex. Yes, it’s The Grandiose Nowhere by those Germanic gloom meisters Lacrimas Profundere. Album number nine shows these boys up to their usual dark tricks and giving you some hard charging, gloom infested rock n droll with plenty of misery for those who love the cold grip of melancholia. Lest you think that doesn’t sound like fun, I am thrilled to report this is a mighty rocking and rollicking goth-o-thon that makes you nod your head no matter how badly you want to sit and stare at the ground in misery.

Disdain – Leave This World Review

By Steel Druhm on May 11, 2010 in 2010, 3.5, Power Metal, Reviews, Scarlet Records, Swedish Metal, Power Metal, 1 comment

Those well-versed in the metal arts may see a band named Disdain and expect a dose of brutal death metal or possibly some frostbitten and bitter black metal. In this case however, the name is quite misleading. Disdain’s debut album Leave This World reveals a Swedish troupe bringing a somewhat unique spin to the traditional power metal sound and sounding far more experienced and professional than you might expect. This may owe to the fact that these guys have been in existence since the late 90’s and at one time even included Nightwish’s Anette Olzon on vocals. I can already hear the chorus of power metal bashers out there (you know who you are) screaming about how much crappy power metal is already on the shelves these days and how there isn’t room for any more whether it’s good, bad or ugly. Well, doubters be damned! Disdain has managed a rare feat and rise above most of their peers with this release while managing to avoid the many pitfalls that doom lesser power metal bands.

Kiuas – Lustdriven Review

By Steel Druhm on April 20, 2010 in 2010, 3.5, Finnish Metal, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Spinefarm, Melodic Metal, Power Metal, 1 comment

As a young lad, my dear mother strove to teach me two important things: first, don’t be an angry metal boy/guy, and secondly, never judge others. Well, as an angry metal guy reviewing albums I’d say I’m a major disappointment, but I really can’t say that I’m as big of a disappointment as the meaning of the Finnish band Kiuas’ name. Kiuas is a Finnish word that roughly translates into sauna stove or stove of sauna. So, in essence, this band is called “SAUNA STOVE?” These guys lose Angry Metal Points.

Black Sun Aeon – Routa Review

By Angry Metal Guy on April 2, 2010 in 2010, 3.5, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Stay Heavy Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 2 comments

One of 2009’s most pleasant surprises for this Angry Metal Guy was Black Sun Aeon’s Darkness Walks Beside Me. To say that I was slightly addicted to the album would be an understatement: I was totally addicted to that record. It’s like there’s something in the water (Koskenkorva?) in Finland that leads to the ability of these Finnish bands to build some of the most incredible melancholy into their already heavy, beautiful music. Black Sun Aeon’s debut full length was definitely on the same level as many of the other excellent Finnish doom and melodic death bands out there. While maybe not as melodic as some, or maybe a little bit more simplistic than others, Darkness Walks Beside Me was a tremendous success.

Arise – The Reckoning Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 31, 2010 in 2009, 2010, 3.5, Death Metal, Regain Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 0 comments

Arise was a little late on the uptake on the first go around of the Gothenburg sound, forming in 1996, but really getting their first demo out there in 1998 and getting signed about the time that all the death metal elitists I knew were already writing off the sound as “done”. However, unlike most of the bands from that era, they are still alive and kicking and putting out music of the style that was popular at the time. There’s some confusion about this record, which according to some sources came out last year, but it’s being promoted right now by Regain with a release date of the 22nd of March (which means it’s out now). It has, indeed, been a few years since Arise put out their last album, but even with the departure of two members, they don’t seem to have lost any steam.

Audrey Horne – Audrey Horne Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 4, 2010 in 2010, 3.5, Indie Recordings, Reviews, 1 comment

It’s been a long time since a sort of standard modern rock or traditional metal band really showed off anything that this Angry Metal Guy appreciated. For the most part, modern rock has been rehashed BS and overrated post-Seattle scene leftovers. The bands that have tried to convert their sounds (see: the remnants of Guns N’ Roses meets STP or Europe’s latest incarnation) have really failed at it because the sound is, at its root, boring as hell. Rehashing rock again with thicker guitar tone and a vocalist who will never live up to the classics is pretty much a good way to guarantee that your vocalist buddy goes to rehab, but not much more. Whatever happened to Buckcherry again? Oh right. Flash in the effing pan.

MetsatÃ¶ll – Ã„io Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 3, 2010 in 2010, 3.5, Folk Metal, Reviews, Spinefarm, Folk Metal, 1 comment

MetsatÃ¶ll // Ã„io Rating: 3.5/5.0 —Entertaining even though we haven’t a clue what’s going on, good sign! Label: Spinefarm Websites: metsatoll.ee | myspace.com/metsatoll Release Dates: EU: 03.03.2010 | US: ? That MetsatÃ¶ll even exists is actually a great surprise. We had no idea! Seriously, not even a little bit of an idea. Turns out, they’ve […]

Dark Tranquillity – We Are the Void Review

By Angry Metal Guy on February 26, 2010 in 2010, 3.5, Century Media, Death Metal, Reviews, 3 comments

Dark Tranquillity is a living legend. Don’t kid yourselves: they’re a band that has managed to maintain their credibility in a scene where many of the bands that have stayed around have lost that credibility (see: In Flames). They have consistently put out good records, even into their less progressive era, that excite their fanbase and and attract new fans with their catchy melodies, creative arrangements and the energy of their music. There are, however, two sides to Dark Tranquillity’s music. The first is a fast, heavy melodic style of thrashy death metal that has long been associated with them and the Gothenburg death metal scene. The second, and the part that has long appealed to us personally, is the blackness and dark emotional content that borders on gothic metal. We Are the Void embodies both of these sides and may be the darkest album the band has produced since the much-maligned Projector.