Rating

Prong – X – No Absolutes Review

By Dr. Fisting on January 29, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Groove Metal, Hardcore, Rating, Reviews, SPV, SPV Records, Uncategorized, Groove Metal, 19 comments

“Tommy Victor’s Prong have been cranking out music at a furious rate lately, delivering a studio record, a covers EP and a live album within the past 2 years or so. While this work ethic is admirable (and rivaled only by perhaps Max Cavalera), we all know quantity does not always equal quality. 2012’s Carved Into Stone was their best record since their early 1990s heyday, but the follow-up Ruining Lives was somewhat hindered by fake-sounding production and some half-baked attempts at melody. Can X–No Absolutes reverse the trend, or continue it further?” You just have to root for Prong, don’t you?

Vhöl – Deeper Than Sky Review

By Dr. Fisting on October 21, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Profound Lore Records, Progressive Metal, Rating, Reviews, 31 comments

“Bay area supergroup Vhöl seemed to come out of nowhere with their self-titled 2013 debut. Led by Hammers of Misfortune/Ludicra guitarist John Cobbett, Vhöl contains members from both bands but proved to be a different beast entirely, combining disparate elements and metal subgenres into something truly original. Two years later, the follow-up Deeper Than Sky arrives, and given the band’s pedigree and the quality of the debut, my expectations are high.” The Doctor has a man crush.

Motorhead – Bad Magic Review

By Dr. Fisting on August 29, 2015 in 2015, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Rating, Reviews, UDR Music, Uncategorized, 33 comments

“Like death and taxes, Mötörhead is an institution that can easily be taken for granted. For the past 40 years, it’s been an article of faith that A) frontman Lemmy Kilmister is a god in human form, and B) his band will release an album of consistent (if predictable) amphetamine-fueled rock ‘n roll every two years or so.” The band that beat up your grandfather is still around, and they want your lunch money.

Legion of Andromeda – Iron Scorn Review

By Grymm on February 14, 2015 in 2.5, 2015, Drone, Industrial Metal, Japanese Metal, Reviews, Industrial Metal, 6 comments

“I must have had the phrase “Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge” drilled into my head by every music teacher imaginable. Everybody practices chords and scales repeatedly, right? Riffs? Solos? You have to in order to succeed in anything. Well, how about songs? Japan’s newest export in industrialized noise metal, Legion of Andromeda, have set out to challenge your notions of what noise and repetition can create via their debut, Iron Scorn.” And who doesn’t like fudge?

Skálmöld – Með vættum Review

By El Cuervo on November 16, 2014 in 2014, 3.0, Icelandic Metal, Napalm Records, Reviews, Viking Metal, Viking Metal, 3 comments

“I dislike ‘Viking metal’ as a descriptor. It’s a vague term which alludes to lyrical content above the music itself. It can entail black or folk metal-derived darkness (Bathory), epic doom (Atlantean Kodex), raucous melodeath (Amon Amarth), and even power metal (Týr). Iceland’s Skálmöld falls somewhere between Amon Amarth’s melodeath and the galloping triple-axe attack of Iron Maiden, stopping off at black metal for its raw tone and dabbling in doom for its long songs. See, wasn’t that easier than just ‘Viking metal’?” It is easier, but then Wotan will smite us.

Obake – Mutations Review

By Roquentin on October 29, 2014 in 2014, 4.0, Avante Garde, Death Metal, Grind, Italian Metal, Non-Metal Metal Things, Not Metal, Rare Noise Records, Reviews, Death Metal, Non-metal Metal Things, Not Metal, Sludge Metal, 6 comments

“Even a quick glance over Obake’s international lineup will tell you that this is not your run-of-the-mill extreme metal band. Nope, the musicians involved in this band are not metal musicians in the traditional sense.” Since we started the day with non-metal weirdness, let’s continue the trend with Obake.

My Brother The Wind – Once There Was A Time When Time And Space Were One Review

By El Cuervo on October 13, 2014 in 2014, 4.0, Free Electric Sound, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Swedish Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock, 7 comments

“Harmony pervades Once There Was A Time When Time And Space Were One. Not in the strictly musical sense, but in its idyllic unity between typically opposed characteristics. Time and space, old and new, science and nature. Sweden’s My Brother The Wind returns on this, their third record, to peacefully entrance and impart their wholly-improvised instrumental Space Rock on the rushed and pressured masses.” God knows we all need a break from the pressures of modern life!

Noctem – Exilium Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on September 19, 2014 in 2014, 3.5, Art Gates Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Spanish Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, 10 comments

“I’ve been listening to a LOT of Blackened Death Metal lately and I have to say the whole “symphonic black/death” style is really sinking its teeth into the genre. I’m not condemning it, but sometimes these symphonic elements can easily be overdone. Septicflesh is a good example of the sort of over-the-top delivery to be had with their dark, symphonic landscapes. Though I’ve become quite a fan of theirs, their shit is literally dripping with orchestration. As expected, a clear line was been drawn between those that dig these metal movie soundtracks and those that don’t.” Is Noctem the new Septicflesh? Is Septicflesh the new black? All things will be revealed after you listen to your free U2 album.

Godsmack – 1000hp Review

By Dr. Fisting on August 21, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Not Metal, Rating, Reviews, Universal Music Group, Heavy Metal, 41 comments

“Scientists agree that post-9/11 alternative rock is unquestionably the lowest point in both American culture and human history. Out of that entire era, one band stands tall above the shit heap of tribal tats, soul patches, and whining. That band is Godsmack. Yes, there are bands that are even less talented, and some that are more insulting to music lovers. But Godsmack has just the right combination of blatant unoriginality and shallow suburban angst, unrivaled in their ability to annoy me while enthralling the rest of middle-class ‘Murricah.” Hey, Mr. Fisting Himself is back and he seems really bitter.

Omnihility – Deathscapes of the Subconscious Review

By Kronos on July 16, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Death Metal, Rating, Reviews, Unique Leader, Technical Death Metal, 4 comments

“Most of the time, technical death and progressive death pretty much go hand in hand. Anyone with the chops to play at breakneck speeds and shred with the best of them will want to show off not just their technical skill, but their ability to bring something new to the table, and this mentality has only gained adherents as the style has flourished. But occasionally there arises a group of musicians who want nothing more than to play in the style of Cannibal Corpse but do it at twice the speed. That’s where Omnihility fits into the picture.” Kronos continues his campaign to review every tech-death act on the Unique Leader roster. FIGHT!