2011

The Bridal Procession – Astronomical Dimensions Review

By Angry Metal Guy on February 6, 2011 in 2.5, 2011, Death Metal, Deathcore, Eurocore, Reviews, Siege of Amida Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, Deathcore, 1 comment

The Bridal Procession are a death metal band with orchestral stylings from Paris, France. If you go to their Last.fm page, the first thing you see on there is someone writing “Behemoth 2.0.” What’s funny about this was exactly my response when I heard the introduction of this album, which has an Egyptian sounding orchestral introduction followed up with a vocal introduction that was ripped straight off from “Slaves Shall Serve” (a track from Behemoth’s Demigod, if you’re not familiar). This did not raise my expectations very high, to be totally honest. And, because of that I never had time to get disappointed by the mediocrity, and more frankly, unoriginality that followed.

Abysmal Dawn – Leveling the Plane of Existence Review

By Angry Metal Guy on February 5, 2011 in 2011, 3.0, American Metal, Death Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 2 comments

I’ve been waiting for a long time to get to Abysmal Dawn’s new disc Leveling the Plane of Existence. Having had a 2010 that was sadly devoid of mind-blowing technical death metal (excepting Hour of Penance’s Paradogma), I was really looking forward to a slab of technical death metal mastery that is being sold by Relapse as the savior of American death metal. While I wouldn’t go that far, Abysmal Dawn does offer up some solid technical death metal that is well-played, well-written and full of enough novel ideas and good riffs to make the record enjoyable. And the band has a unique, melodic voice that separates it from the pack.

Omnium Gatherum – New World Shadows Review

By Angry Metal Guy on February 4, 2011 in 2011, 4.5, Death Metal, Finnish Metal, Lifeforce Records, Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 24 comments

There was a time when melodic death metal was every breath I took. While it’s been a long time since that was the case, I certainly can say that I spent the late 90s and early 00s listening to my fair share of melodic Swedish death metal and loving it. But since then melodic death metal has kinda fallen off a cliff. This is partially due to the dawning of metalcore and the co-opting of Swedish thrash and death metal by hardcore kids, but I think it’s mainly because just like every scene after a while you start growing tired of the sound. Every new album that gets released gets a “Yeah, well, I’ve heard this before.” While there have been some notable melodic death metal records in the last couple of years, Barren Earth and Be’lakor come to mind, only the former has really stuck out as truly remarkable. That is until I checked out New World Shadows from Omnium Gatherum.

Macabre – Grim Scary Tales Review

By Angry Metal Guy on February 3, 2011 in 2011, 4.0, American Metal, Death Metal, Hammerheart Records, Reviews, Willowtip, Death Metal, Grind, 2 comments

Macabre probably shouldn’t need any introduction to the majority of readers on this blog, but it’s possible they might. So let’s put it like this… Macabre is pretty much the one of the most underrated and idiosyncratic death metal bands of all time. Or grind. Or, whatever the hell you call them. These guys have been around forever (25 years, apparently) and while they haven’t produced that many full lengths in their existence, they have produced some of the most memorable albums I own. My first introduction to the band came around the time when they released Dahmer, which is their infamous concept album about Jeffrey Dahmer. Yessiree, bob. If you haven’t heard that record you are missing out. But Dahmer isn’t it, 1993’s Sinister Slaughter is another classic which is loaded with amazing tracks, as is 2003’s Murder Metal. But since it’s been about 8 years since the release of Murder Metal, I’d kind of even forgotten that these guys were still around. So what a fantastic surprise when Grim Scary Tales landed in my box. Oh, happy day!

Bullet – Highway Pirates Review

By Steel Druhm on February 2, 2011 in 2011, 3.0, Black Lodge Records, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Heavy Metal, 5 comments

Highway Pirates? Well, that album title blows more than the Last Airbender! If I didn’t already know the music of Sweden’s Bullet, I would likely skip over this release based on severe title failure alone. I mean, c’mon, Highway Pirates? Pair that with the painfully cheesy 80s style album cover and these guys are not doing themselves any favors from a strictly promotional standpoint. Thankfully though, I do know Bullet and what they deliver, which is 110% throwback retro metal/hard rock that sounds like a fusion of old AC/DC and old Accept. I was pretty taken with the goofy but infectiously rockin’ charm of their 2008 album Bite the Bullet and little has changed here as far as sound, style or intent. This is simple, neanderthal metal/rock without any attempts to be thoughtful or important in any way. Beer drinking music, drunken weekend music, call it what you will but this is fun and catchy stuff without pretense. Is it original? No. Is it modern? No. Is it good? Yes, yes it is.

Artas – Riotology Review

By Steel Druhm on February 1, 2011 in 2.0, 2011, Austrian Metal, Eurocore, Metalcore, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, 10 comments

Well, I’m not sure what I did to end up on the Angry Metal Guy’s Official Shit List. However, his assigning me both the new Lazarus A.D. and Artas albums proves I’m on it bigtime. I can just picture AMG up there on his throne all high and mighty, laughing as he contemptuously sneers, “let him eat metalcore.” Steel Druhm does not like being on the Shit List and Steel Druhm will have his wengeance! Anyway, Riotology is the second album by Austrian metalcore/quasi-thrash bandwagon jumpers Artas. Up until now their claim to fame was a wildly ill-conceived cover of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” which ended up being funnier than Weird Al Yankovic’s “Amish Paradise.” Now, with Riotology they can truthfully claim recording two average metalcore albums. Hey, congrats guys! As soon as I saw the album cover which looks like a screen shot from the Assassin’s Creed video games I should have known where this was heading. The second clue I was in trouble was the band’s prominently displayed claim that they play “modern metal.” Apparently that’s record industry speak for tired metalcore by bands that yearn to be At the Gates and In Flames with poppier, radio-friendly choruses. Because I’m merciful, I will now implore you all to leave this review and save yourselves. I can’t go with you however, for I must write it.

Nadiwrath – Nihilistic Stench Review

By Lord Doom on January 31, 2011 in 2.5, 2011, Black Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 1 comment

Nihilism and black metal are two philosophies that tend to go hand-in-hand. Nietzche’s writings serve as inspiration and often the basis of a number of black metal bands and songs, mostly split into two broad camps. On the one hand you have the quiet nihilist, who views the destruction of all around him with a placated acceptance, channeling the sense of despair into vast, empty soundscapes, much like Agalloch, Nortt and their ilk. The polar opposite is the nihilist who seeks to aid the destruction, the Nattefrosts and Impaled Nazarenes of the world; causing violence and mayhem with a distinctly anarcho-punk attitude wherever they are.

Acid Witch – Stoned Review

By Steel Druhm on January 30, 2011 in 2011, 3.0, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Stoner Rock, 4 comments

Toward the back of the Big Book of Metal Ingredients there is a little known concoction. It calls for one part Saint Vitus, one part Cathedral and one part Necrophagia. To that mix, add creepy church organs, horror movie samples and trippy/psychedelic flourishes. Finish by generously seasoning with magic weed, baking heavily and voila! You get Acid Witch and Stoned is an apt title indeed since this will give you a sore neck and a serious case of the munchies. This is the second album by these death/doom/stoner weirdos from Michigan and they stay true to the odd sound pioneered on their 2008’s debut Witchtanic Hallucinations and provide another wack0, tongue-in-cheek trip through metal and reefer madness. While I highly doubt this will find a very big audience, it’s a pretty entertaining, heavy yet silly slab o death/doom and unlike anything else out there.

Moonreich – Loi Martiale Review

By Angry Metal Guy on January 29, 2011 in 2011, 3.0, Black Metal, French Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 0 comments

The French metal scene has been growing and more interesting in the past few years than I can ever remember. While the following review will be of Moonreich’s Loi Martiale (Martial Law), it is important to say that in general I’ve been really impressed with the quality of all the metal I’ve been hearing out of France for a while now. Bands like Sebka-Chott, Kalisia and Gorod all stand out as being excellent examples of a metal scene in full bloom right now, full of new thoughts and ideas. Hell, even French black metal is forward thinking and innovative these days if you look at Deathspell Omega and Blut Aus Nord, and black metal hasn’t been innovative as a scene goes since the early 1990s. So you can say that I entered into this one with some high expectations.

Lazarus A.D. – Black Rivers Flow Review

By Steel Druhm on January 28, 2011 in 1.5, 2011, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Metalcore, Thrash Metal, 6 comments

There are plenty of myths that sane folks know to be false like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and honest politicians. However, one should never count the sophomore slump among those fairy tales and urban legends, for it is very real and very painful to behold. Exhibit A for 2011 is Lazarus A.D. who had a decent if not remarkable debut with 2009’s The Onslaught. Many seemed to lump them in with the retro-thrash revival and while there was some Exodus aping to be sure, they always sounded more metalcore-ish to my ears. Although I hate metalcore like I hate taxes, there was enough aggression, energy and nods to the old school throughout The Onslaught to make it semi-palatable and I didn’t totally hate it. Well, there is simply no digesting their second platter Black Rivers Flow, as Lazarus A.D. have firmly embraced their inner mall kid and all things Shadow’s Fall and the result is a veritable black river of crappy, overused grooves, tough guy posturing and general mediocrity.