2014

Soreption – Engineering the Void Review

By Grymm on January 25, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Unique Leader, Death Metal, 6 comments

Technical death metal. You know the images and sounds those three words conjure up: endless sweep arpeggios, slapped bass with only the freshest of strings, fast double-bass drumming, an album cover that utilizes colors on the cooler side of the Color Wheel (mostly hues of purple and blue) and has an alien somewhere in it, the band logo in a sharp, nigh-symmetrical font…. And for the most part, you know what to expect when someone tries to take the throne from the likes of Decapitated, Gorguts, or Necrophagist. We’re all about the Color Wheel here at AMG, but only the cool side. We also appreciate some good tech-death. Does this qualify?

Suicidal Angels – Divide and Conquer Review

By Steel Druhm on January 24, 2014 in 2014, Greek Metal, NoiseArt Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 3 comments

“Just weeks into 2014 and I’ve fallen off the rethrash wagon for a second time. That’s because long-suffering Greek thrashers Suicidal Angels are back with a fifth album full of music striving to recreate the second wave of Bay Area thrash. Naturally, that means heaps of Exodus, Slayer, Vio-Lence worship and where you stand on that is a wholly personal issue. While I only became aware of these chaps on their past few albums, I’ve never been totally sold on their brand of rethrash. It’s always reasonably enjoyable, competently performed, meat-and-potatoes speed, but there was always a sense of “been there, done that, got punched by the bouncer” about it that left me on the sidelines.” Did you know thrash was as big a part of Greek culture as gyros and big weddings? Me either.

Omnivore – Omnivore Review

By JF Williams on January 22, 2014 in 2014, Italian Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 2 comments

“Reductivity is hard to resist when reviewing a band like the Italian death/thrash 4-piece Omnivore. If I were lazier, my review of their self-titled debut would be comprised entirely of Youtube links to various songs by Sadus, Kreator, Demolition Hammer and early Sepultura. I’d be a jerk, but accurate nonetheless.” JF Williams is a jerk, but he’s our jerk, so it’s okay. BTW, here’s more re-thrash.

Blackfinger – Blackfinger Review

By Dr. Fisting on January 20, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Dark Star Records, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Releases, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 2 comments

“If the prospect of Trouble without longtime vocalist Eric Wagner seems like a bad idea, the thought of Wagner without Trouble is simply a question mark. Other than his Lid project back in the ’90s, the man hasn’t done much outside of his main band, leaving us to wonder what Eric Wagner might sound like if left to his own devices. And it seemed like we’d never find out, given his lack of output since leaving Trouble back in 2007. Finally, after a six-year absence, Wagner re-enters the music world with his new band, dubbed Blackfinger.” There are a few big Trouble fanboys on the AMG staff and they were all atwitter over this release. Should they be? Should you?

Astrophobos – Remnants of Forgotten Horrors Review

By Madam X on January 19, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Releases, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Triumvirate Records, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 5 comments

“Following on from their 2010 self-released EP, Arcane Secrets, Swedish band Astrophobos have arrived at the funeral dressed in all all their Triumvirate Records finery, in a manner that I can only describe as just a smidgen outside of fashionably late. Yup, the eulogy’s in the process of wrapping up – can you say awkward silence?” Awkward silence at a funeral? That sounds weird.

Lvcifyre – Svn Eater Review

By Steel Druhm on January 17, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Dark Descent Records, Death Metal, English Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 10 comments

“Alright, enough of the goddamn “V” replacing the “U” in band and song names! It’s dumb, trite, annoying, I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore! Moving on, Lvcifyre is a blackened death outfit from the U.K. and Svn Eater (irritating isn’t it?) is their sophomore outing. Having never heard them before, I admit to being pleasantly surprised by what they’re offering here, which is a fascinating mix of Norwegian black metal circa 1993 and hyper-riffy, technical and mega-brootal death metal. In a nutshell, their sound is vicious-as-fuck, mean-as-hell and heavy-as-a-two-ton-heavy-thing. You can expect to hear traces of old Darkthrone, Behemoth, Nile, Immolation and Deathspell Omega in a SINGLE SONG, all stitched together with power of the almighty riff.”

Indian – From All Purity Review

By Kronos on January 16, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Black Metal, Noise, Sludge Metal, 37 comments

“”Noise” is a term often used to describe metal by those who haven’t yet submersed themselves in the genre. When you’re not used to being assaulted by distortion and screams, the whole panoply of extreme genres undoubtedly poses a seemingly impenetrable thicket of bloodied thorns; it seems insane that people would choose to settle in such an environment, make their homes there, and grow the forest ever greater. Indian are the fetid leaf litter of the forest, the floor of grimy, wet, compacted remains where plantae gives way to fungi and fungi to bacteria.” Kronos weaves a strange tale of forests, mulch and mouse bones as he unveils an early candidate for Album of the Year.

Primal Fear – Delivering the Black Review

By Steel Druhm on January 15, 2014 in 2014, Frontiers Records, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 10 comments

“Primal Fear never claimed to be innovators or trail blazers. They just want to rock their Judas Priest inspired, traditional metal shtick and write catchy, anthemic songs. They’ve been good at it too and certainly made a career of it, since Delivering the Black is album number ten for the Teutonic terrors. However, with their innate lack of innovative spirit, the risk of staleness becomes an ever present stalking horse, and some of their discography has suffered it’s awful sting…” Ready for more music Judas Priest could have/should have written after Painkiller? No matter how you answered, here it is!

Warfather – Orchestrating the Apocalypse Review

By Kronos on January 15, 2014 in 2.0, 2014, American Metal, Death Metal, Greyhaze Records, Reviews, 1 comment

“Other than being a young blood on the review team here, I’m a young blood in general, meaning that I popped onto this rock just around the time death metal was in its youthful heyday, and was introduced to it late, more or less in its modern form, without any experience with its gritty adolescent years. For the most part, the 90s sound is a relic for me, fossil evidence of the gradual evolution of death metal. Warfather seems determined to re-educate me. The throwback quartet, headed by ex-Morbid Angel bassist/vocalist Steve Tucker, has crept onto my radar with a name too ridiculous to pass by and a sound 90s enough to warrant a presidential apology to the American people.” Kronos is young and in need of guidance. Can Warfather provide the parental authority he needs or are they just a bad influence?

Graveborne – Through the Window of the Night Review

By Noctus on January 14, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Séance Records, Black Metal, 2 comments

“To kick off 2014 there really is no more fitting genre to review than black metal. Why? Because it’s proof that absolutely nothing ever changes. In fact it’s almost a sign that the apocalypse most certainly is not nigh; the wind still blows, the trees still grow and black metal bands still wear bullet belts and corpse paint. But at some point as a community of metalheads we simply have to pull the wool from our eyes and admit to ourselves that there is absolutely no purpose to bands like Graveborne any more….” Noctus returns with a whole lot of angry and some lessons for our black metal brethren! Don the asbestos suit, Noctus!