Reviews

Record reviews

Moonsorrow – Jumalten aika Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 28, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Century Media, Finnish Metal, Folk Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 133 comments

Moonsorrow is an enigmatic band whose fame and status in metal defy expectations. A band whose songs tend toward the 15-minute mark, who sings in Finnish, and who obeys no label’s release schedule is not a band that I would expect to be releasing one of the most anticipated albums of 2016. The first album in 5 years—follow-up to Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maasa (henceforth Vkkm because lol), which was my Record o’ the Year in 2011—Jumalten aika is a 5 track, 67 minute journey down the path cut by Moonsorrow in the years since their first releases. And it’s a simultaneously difficult and comfortable release from one of Finland’s premiere acts.

Ragehammer – The Hammer Doctrine Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on March 28, 2016 in Black Metal, Pagan Records, Polish Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, 22 comments

“The brilliant melodies of Iron Maiden and Metallica opened the door to metal for a young Diabolus. But it was the timeless riffs, redline intensity, and searing speed of Reign in Blood that pushed me through it. In the back of my mind, the dragon of Reign in Blood’s speed is always being chased because of this. The viciousness of Slayer’s finest (half) hour complemented its speed, and even today it sounds an order of magnitude faster than your garden variety blast-happy tech-death typewriter-core band.” I hear typewriter-core is the new post-black.

Ragnarok – Psychopathology Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 27, 2016 in 2016, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 26 comments

“There really isn’t much more to be said about Ragnarok that hasn’t already been said by our beloved Noctus and Madam X (and the rest of the black metal community). Ragnarok, like Urgehal, are one of the most underrated black metal acts on the planet. Perhaps it’s due to their consistency and unwillingness to fix-what-isn’t-broken that’s kept them from reaching black metal stardom (if “stardom” is actually attainable in this genre).” Consistency is the hobgoblin of great black metal (because it requires hobgoblins).

La Chinga – Freewheelin’ Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 25, 2016 in 2016, Canadian Metal, Hard Rock, Proto-Metal, Reviews, Small Stone Records, Hard Rock, 10 comments

“Every once in awhile it’s fun to shuffle through the promo pile in search of an album that explores the good ole days of rock—and by “good ole days,” I mean old-man Steely D days. Even when it’s done shittily, the outcome triggers special memories of sitting around listening to the godfathers of heavy metal and hard rock on shiny black “frisbees” (as we use to call them).” The olde ways are back in vogue (not vogueing though).

Gracepoint – Echoes Review

By Dr. Fisting on March 25, 2016 in 2016, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Unsigned Bands, 10 comments

“After all these years, AMG knows me far too well. If there’s something he wants done, he knows exactly what to say in order to manipulate my Heavy Metal Emotions®. And in this case, that would be “hey man, I found this band that sounds like a prog version of John Bush-era Anthrax.” The band in question is Gracepoint, an independent act based out of Minnesota.” Is grace in the hand better than 2 in the Bush?

Piss Vortex – Future Cancer Review

By Kronos on March 24, 2016 in 2016, Danish Metal, Grind, Indisciplinarian Records, Releases, Reviews, 9 comments

“Ten seconds into Future Cancer, I was damned sure of one thing; this band is from Long Island. Combine the irreverence of the name Piss Vortex with their progressive spin on, of course, grindcore, and you’ve got one grimy, disgusting EP dredged up from the alligator infested sewers of… Copenhagen?” Kronos is great with taxonomy, but not so much with geography.

Amon Amarth – Jomsviking Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 23, 2016 in 2016, Death Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Sony Music Entertainment, Swedish Metal, Viking Metal, 70 comments

“The first man I killed was the earl’s right-hand man / When he came to take her away / I ran his own sword straight through his throat / And then I stood there, watching him fall!” Amon Amarth’s Jomsviking wastes no time reminding you to whom you are listening. Of the Swedish metal scene of the 1990s—a scene so legendary and influential that it became almost cliché after incessant imitation—Amon Amarth is one of the very few who has continued strong. While not every record has been a Lindesfarne, their discography is like a series of profitable raids that have raised their profile so high that Jomsviking isn’t being released on Metal Blade in Europe. Amon Amarth is officially a major label band now, having signed to Sony in the three years since Deceiver of the Gods was released in 2013.

King Goat – Conduit Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 23, 2016 in 2016, Doom Metal, English Metal, Epic Metal, Reviews, Unsigned Bands, Doom Metal, 44 comments

“King Goat hails from the mid-sized English city Brighton, the embodied karmic inverse of the Great Storm of 1703. Conduit, the band’s debut album, is a self-released album that they call “progressive doom metal.” The record consists of 5 long songs, is 42 minutes long and marks the band’s first release since two EPs from 2013. Most readers here are aware that I am not an epic consumer of doom metal, but Conduit spoke to me immediately. This band of Britons have crafted an album which successfully blends dark atmosphere, soaring vocals, ponderous builds, and an epic feel that compels a listener forward.” Candlemass-core no more!

Rimfrost – Rimfrost Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 22, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Non Serviam Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, 53 comments

“Because the chances of getting another release worth a damn from Immortal are about as likely as my Writer o’ the Year award, I have no other choice but to look elsewhere for my Immortal Thirst Quencher. But where can I find that iciness that somehow defines Immortal but no one else? From whence shall I procure melodic black metal that taps into my heart and freezes my veins into blood Popsicles?” These are the kind of hard questions that get you a doctorate!

Demonstealer – This Burden Is Mine Review

By Grymm on March 21, 2016 in 2016, Death Metal, Demonstealer Records, Indian Metal, Metalcore, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Metalcore, Thrash Metal, 26 comments

“In my almost three years of reviewing for AngryMetalGuy.com, very few things surprise me anymore. Yet, while doing research for This Burden Is Mine, the second album by Indian one-man project Demonstealer, I hopped onto their Facebook page, and realized just how prolific one Sahil Makhija, aka The Demonstealer, is. Not only is he the guitarist and vocalist on here (as well as in his main band, Demonic Resurrection), but he also runs his own eponymous record label (which is also India’s first extreme metal label). He also has his own online cooking blog. In fact, the first thing I saw on Facebook was was a link to a YouTube video for making bacon cake. I didn’t know such a concoction of magnificence even existed on this lowly plane, proving that magic does indeed manifest on Earth.” Bacon cake impresses even the jaded staff of AMG.