Reviews

Record reviews

Crucifyre – Black Magic Fire Review

By Madam X on August 20, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, Pulverised Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 8 comments

“Pulverised Records sure know how to sell an album! Crucifyre’s promo pack is stacked up the wazoo with perfectly sharpened, shiny meat hooks that’ll slide with ease into that soft fleshy bit just under your chin. And just think, while you’re hanging around at attention, Crucifyre will assault you mercilessly with their second full length release, Black Magic Fire. Titbits like album art from computer-game graphic designer Stefan Hansson, that the band is made up of members from Morbid, Crematory and Repugnant and that Hank Shermann (Mercyful Fate, ex-Volbeat) contributed on “One And One Is One” all give that prickly feeling that you’re on the verge of something great.” Still using the “y” instead of the “i”, eh? What’s the point ov that?

Wolf – Devil Seed Review

By Steel Druhm on August 19, 2014 in 2014, Century Media, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 8 comments

“Wolf has been running at the forefront of the retro metal pack for a while now, surpassing even the vainglorious cheese meisters of Hammerfall. They’ve done so with slick, memorable song writing and a healthy respect for their elders like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Mercyful Fate. Although they’re utterly devoid of originality or new influences, they’ve been uncannily skilled at aping and raping the past for golden metal moments of steel. 2011s Legions of Bastards had a strong Painkiller vibe, but Devil Seed slows things down and adopts a darker,more restive, simmering mood, like a filthy mob of commoners perpetually on the verge of rioting against the haughty upper crust.” Honey, the Wolf is at the door again!

american – Coping With Loss Review

By Kronos on August 18, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Sentient Ruin Laboratories, Black Metal, 2 comments

“This album rustles my jimmies. I’m not a big fan of black metal specifically, but I am a big fan of desolate and disturbing music in the general sense, which is why Indian’s black-doom-noise horror From All Purity hit me with near-tectonic force earlier this year. Despite what AMG himself will tell you, black metal and noise make excellent bedfellows, as the aforementioned Chicago doom-merchants and other acts like Gnaw Their Tongues will show. Naturally, american’s debut, Coping With Loss, billed as black metal noise, caught my eye.” If there’s a rustle in your jimmies, don’t be alarmed now.

Vinterbris – Solace Review

By Roquentin on August 18, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Nordavind Records, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 5 comments

“Melodic black metal isn’t exactly a style that’s being extensively explored nor are its boundaries being pushed nowadays. Most of the bands that play this kind of music embrace their heritage and the stylistic elements that have been set in stone ages ago by the likes of Dissection and Naglfar. So where does the Norwegian quartet Vinterbris, formed in Bergen in 2010, stand with its second release Solace, and does it break any of the established patterns?” We’re late to the party on this one and it’s certainly jumped on the hype train, but does it really walk the walk? Probationary writer Roquentin opines.

Sacrocurse – Unholier Master Review

By Saunders on August 17, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Death Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Mexican Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 0 comments

“Following a stint on highly respected underground metal label Iron Bonehead productions for the release of their Sulphur Blessing demo, Mexican/Turkish duo Sacrocurse have fittingly landed on the Hells Headbangers roster for their debut full length, entitled Unholier Master. Band members LZ (drums) and Zolrak Montes (guitars, vocals), the latter a member of long running Texan act Nodens, craft a suitably primal slab of bestial blackened death, wielding their respective instruments like crude and primitive weapons of war as they hack and hammer through ten violent cuts in an appropriately concise 32-minute running time.” Metal Rule #346: You aren’t extreme unless you have “sacro” in your band name. New probationary scribe L. Saunders reports on how the proper prefix helped these Mexican metallers in their quest for brutal conquest.

Force of Darkness – Absolute Verb of Chaos and Darkness Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on August 17, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Chilean Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Reviews, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 9 comments

“With spikes, skulls and Sarcophago as my top 3 interests on ChristianMingle.com, I was surprised I hadn’t already heard of Force of Darkness. Formed in 2002, this Chilean trio released a self-titled debut in 2006 and a second LP Darkness Revelation in 2010. I was somewhat familiar with bassist/vocalist Nabucodonosor III’s other band Hades Archer, whom I had discovered via the standard method of searching for naughty words on metal-archives.org, thus stumbling on their 2008 EP Penis Metal. As EPs go it was fairly average in both length and quality.” Two things we love at AMG are penis jokes and bad ESL album titles. Enjoy of deep verb.

Pallbearer – Foundations of Burden Review

By Grymm on August 16, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Doom Metal, Profound Lore Records, Reviews, 18 comments

“Ah, the dreaded Second Album. It’s the infamous make-or-break moment that either legitimizes a young act as The Real Deal, or the one record that calls a band on its bullshit. Case in point: 2012’s Sorrow and Extinction put Little Rock, Arkansas’s Pallbearer into the ears and hearts of many doom aficionados, rightfully earning its place on many end-of-year playlists. A minor line-up shuffle and a few high-profile tours later, they’ve returned with the much-anticipated Foundations of Burden.” With several AMG staff members anxiously hoping for a big win from these doomsters, can they deliver?

Children of Technology – Future Decay Review

By Grymm on August 15, 2014 in 2014, Hells Headbangers Records, Italian Metal, Reviews, Speed Metal, Speed Metal, 14 comments

“There comes a time in your life when you have to say to yourself, “Self, what’s wrong with you? Sure, you have responsibilities… obligations, even. What would happen if you were to just, I dunno, shut your brain off for a little wild and just go happily apeshit? You know… legally, of course. You have to be at work in the morning and your significant other will be pissed if he/she has to pick you up in jail at 4 am.” Italy’s Children of Technology pretty much have your soundtrack ready for you with Future Decay.” Release the Moshkenstein!

Principality of Hell – Fire and Brimstone Review

By Mark Z. on August 15, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Greek Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, W.T.C. Productions, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 6 comments

“Metal is an inherently backward-looking style. For every band that’s pushing the envelope and driving things in new directions (see Fallujah’s stellar attempt at so-called ‘deathgaze’ on their newest), there are two or three proudly waving the tattered flag of the old-school, seeking to recreate the glory of the genre’s innovators. Enter Principality of Hell, a Greek trio formed last year by veterans of other Greek acts Thou Art Lord, Necromantia and Ravencult. They specialize in black-thrash – not the modern kind exemplified by Nocturnal Graves and the like, but the classic variety that hearkens back to when the two genres were first emerging through common ancestors like Venom, Celtic Frost and Bathory.” These Greek black thrashers want to take you back to the 80s in a DeLorean. Don’t forget your Walkman™.

Those Who Bring the Torture – Piling Up Review

By Steel Druhm on August 14, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, Reviews, Selfmadegod Records, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 4 comments

“In a world where Rogga Johansson bounces between innumerous death metal projects like he’s caught in a psychotic game of musical chairs, you have to tip your cap and give the man his proper respect. Juggling Paganizer, Just Before Dawn, Demiurg, Megascavenger and 50 other bands is something few could pull off, let alone as successfully as he does. Now add to the workload Those Who Bring the Torture and it’s clear the man won’t be taking his vacation days anytime soon.” By the time you read this review, Rogga will have recorded three albums. Fact.