Reviews

Record reviews

Culted – Oblique to All Paths Review

By Grymm on January 13, 2014 in 2014, Canadian Metal, Doom Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 3 comments

“The Internet is a wonderful thing. You can find pretty much everything via the web: your future ex-wife/husband, unnecessary lists you never knew you wanted to read, questionable porn based on whatever, and yes, even band members. Culted are a unique group. Three-quarters of the band live in Manitoba, Canada, and they’ve never met their vocalist, Swedish-based Daniel Jansson, with the exception of file-sharing and email correspondence. Remarkably, even without ever being in the same room, they craft some seriously cold, bleak soundscapes.” These guys run their band like AMG runs this website. It’s all about distance, isolation and cold, inhuman technology!

Gnaw Their Tongues and Alkerdeel – Dyodyo Asema Review

By JF Williams on January 12, 2014 in 2014, Avante Garde, Belgian Metal, ConSouling Sounds, Dutch Metal, Reviews, 4 comments

“Extreme metal is a brutish, ugly and wholly negative style of musical expression almost by default, but Dyodyo Asema – a collaboration piece between Gnaw Their Tongues and Alkerdeel – resides squarely in the filthiest fringes of the genre.” Brutish, ugly and wholly negative is our stock-in-trade, but even we think this stuff is way out there. JF Williams got dirty on this one so we could stay (relatively) clean.

Lethe – When Dreams Become Nightmares Review

By Grymm on January 12, 2014 in 2014, Avante Garde, Debemur Morti, Gothic Metal, Not Metal, Reviews, Not Metal, 3 comments

“When I throw the label “experimental metal” out to you, what does your blastbeat-addled mind conjure for images and sounds? Does your brain picture off-the-wall time changes, weird instrumentation, musical concepts foreign to metal, or something truly out of left field? Or, like me, does it simply explain that what you’re about to listen to, well, isn’t really metal? Sadly, 9 times out of 10, most “experimental” bands fall into the latter category. Lethe is a new project featuring Anna Murphy (Eluveitie) and Tor-Helge Skei (Manes) waving the “experimental metal” flag with their debut, When Dreams Become Nightmares. Does Lethe carve a new path through the thickets, emblazoning new trails, and sending the hordes kicking and screaming, welcoming the dawn of a new day in the world of heavy metal?” Grymm answers this thorny question and weighs the relative worth of this experiment in metal and/or non-metal.

Hexis – Abalam Review

By Madam X on January 11, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Danish Metal, Halo of Flies, Hardcore, Musicfearsatan, Releases, Reviews, Black Metal, Hardcore, 7 comments

“Danish band Hexis have been torturing the masses since back in 2010. Up until now, their tales of atheism and abstract thought have been dished out via a bunch of demo’s, EP’s and splits with the likes of French post-metallers As We Draw, Russian atmospheric, post-hardcore band Euglena and Danish post-black metallers Redwood Hill. Now, as the new year kicks into full swing, Hexis have finally grabbed the demon by the horns and they’re all set to deliver their first full-length consisting of 13 stripped down abominations that bring to mind the harrowing events of an exorcism.” Demonic possession and metal go together like beer and another beer, so on paper at least, this seems like a marriage made in Hell. Madam X tells us if they need counseling.

The Isolation Process – The Isolation Process Review

By Steel Druhm on January 10, 2014 in 2014, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Version Studio Records, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 10 comments

“Are you one of those people who wish Paradise Lost never strayed from the sound of Draconian Times? If so, The Isolation Process has a belated Christmas/Festivus gift with your name on it. The eponymous debut from this Swedish three-piece made up of members of Lingua and Come Sleep (neither of which I ever heard of) features a style strikingly similar to that classic album, while adding select elements of Tool, Sinamore and To Die For. As gothic-tinged doom metal goes, that makes for quite the heady stew in which to dunk your biscuits of despair and oyster crackers of unresolved childhood issues.” Do you like Paradise Lost? If so, hug this album to your breast and sing it a sweet love song.

Legion of the Damned – Ravenous Plague Review

By Steel Druhm on January 10, 2014 in 2013, Dutch Metal, Napalm Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 16 comments

“2014 is here and it’s time for the Metal Show to begin anew! And what better way to raise the curtain on the sixth year of AMG than with… retread thrash! Yes, yes, you’ve all had your fill of thrash, re-thrash, retro-thrash and frash, but as long as bands keep spitting this stuff out, we in the reviewing biz have a duty to review it… and it’s a BIG duty!” When the call of duty is heard, Steel Druhm jumps in the skull tank and reviews thrash metal from the Netherlands. Thank him for his service.

Retro-spective Review: Exciter – Heavy Metal Maniac

By Steel Druhm on December 26, 2013 in Canadian Metal, Retro Reviews, Thrash Metal, 17 comments

“Unlike some of the olden chestnuts I’ve tabbed for a retro-spective look back, Exciter is a bit better known and had a more successful run in the gerbil wheel of metal. Still, I feel like they’re one of those bands tumbling off the radar of younger bashers, and that’s a low down, dirty shame! Along with Anvil, Exciter was one of Canada’s earliest metal exports and, like Anvil, they played a part in the birth of the speed/thrash genres.” Steel Druhm takes us for a nostalgia-filled look back at the power and fury of Canada’s contribution to thrash, Exciter. For those aboot to rock, we salute you.

Netherbird – The Ferocious Tides of Fate Review

By Kronos on December 24, 2013 in 2013, Black Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Scarecrow Music Group, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, 6 comments

“Steel Druhm has for some time been riding me to finish, or, more accurately, begin this review. Squeezed in before end of the year lists, I have rather wisely decided to comply with his request [As you should ALL of my requests! — Steel “Imperious” Druhm] and reveal my thoughts on the latest release from Stockholm’s Netherbird, a relatively unknown black metal quintet with a surprising taste for melody in the vein of their countrymen in Gothenburg.” Better late than never, Kronos arrives with a review of Netherbird’s latest blast of blackened death. However, because it’s so late, Kronos will begin the new year in metal detention.

Alcest – Shelter Review

By Jordan Campbell on December 23, 2013 in 2013, Black Metal, French Metal, Not Metal, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 16 comments

“Alcest’s trek to Shelter has been a long and gorgeous journey. Over the years, Neige has taken his most-loved project from black metal soil and sprouted upward, spinning his branches and leaves into beautiful, soothing soundscapes. His ambitions have long been combated by black metallers that thrive on ugliness and rebellion; Alcest’s inherent prettiness seemed at odds with the genre’s core ethos. Yet it was hard to argue with the results.” Does the beautification of black metal continue on Shelter? How much lush gorgeousness can the blackness take before turning that frown upside down? Valid questions all.

Retro-spective Review: Exorcist – Nightmare Theater

By Steel Druhm on December 19, 2013 in American Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Retro Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, 17 comments

“Even in the strange annals of metal history, the Exorcist saga is particularly weird. As an early entry into the fledgling death metal scene, they released but one album and then promptly vanished without a trace as surely as if they went into Metal Band Witness Protection. No live shows, no album signing appearances, no interviews in crappy DIY zines, no nothing! Making them all the more mysterious was the fact that only one super crappy, out of focus photo of the band existed (which included one guy in reverse KKK garb).” Who were Exorcist and what the hell happened to them? More importantly, why should you even care. Because Steel Druhm says so, that’s fucking why!