Unsigned Bands

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!

Demise of the Crown – Demise of the Crown Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 1, 2016 in Canadian Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Unsigned Bands, Power Metal, 27 comments

“After a conversation with a friend about power metal, I came to the realization that many of my favorite bands in the genre are cheesy as hell. I’ve come to this slightly ashamed conclusion many times over the years, and as I’ve done before, I pulled out my power metal collection in hopes that all the black, thrash, and death metal hadn’t lessened my love for Tolkien-based nonsense and eight-album concepts about the mighty Metalians.” Cheeses H. Christ, the Doctor is such a Helloweenie!

Predatoria – Unmarked Graves…Tell No Tales [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By Diabolus in Muzaka on February 14, 2016 in 2015, Belgian Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Unsigned Bands, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 58 comments

“If we apply the maxim of “I didn’t feel like drinking until I started drinking” to listening to metal bands you’ve never heard before, I firmly believe that this fertile ground is where plenty of our favourite records are born. When I first listened to Belgium’s Predatoria in an effort to acclimatize myself to my temporary home’s up-and-coming death metal bands, I had no idea that what they were selling was exactly what I was looking to buy but here we are.” Can we start drinking now?

Lamentations – Echoes in the Wind Review

By El Cuervo on February 8, 2016 in 2016, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Singaporean Metal, Unsigned Bands, Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal, 14 comments

“I probably over-utilize the term ‘potential’ when describing new bands, when what I really mean is ‘not good enough yet.’ I’d already resolved to remedy this issue of my own volition and be more accurate when summarizing how I feel about a new artist. Yet, when Lamentations came across my desk with their debut Echoes in the Wind, I couldn’t help but think that these these guys have potential.” Wait, does that mean they’re bad? Or like, good? I’m now pretty confused. I’d better click this here link…

Illusions Dead – Celestial Decadence Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on February 5, 2016 in 2016, Finnish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Unsigned Bands, Melodic Death Metal, 24 comments

“While I’m a man who has never invaded a cottage owned by bears, eaten their porridge, and slept in their beds while complaining about everything the entire damn time, I sometimes feel a bit like Goldilocks when commenting on melo-death.” It’s time to bed hop our way through the melo-death genre.

Rhine – An Outsider Review

By El Cuervo on January 30, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Unsigned Bands, Black Metal, Death Metal, Metalcore, Progressive Metal, 15 comments

“I would very much have enjoyed to be present in the early planning stages for An Outsider, the sophomore release by Seattle’s Rhine. They were presumably too sincerely engrossed in masturbatory discussions of how their favorite bands have “influenced our sound” and solemn declarations that “I just wanna make good music man, fuck genre-conformism” to notice that the net result is beyond kaleidoscopic.” Mixer metal has arrived!

VOLA – Inmazes [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By El Cuervo on January 12, 2016 in 2015, Danish Metal, Djent, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Unsigned Bands, Djent, Progressive Metal, 21 comments

“VOLA are highly unusual in their approach to modern progressive metal. The most apt description I can define is prog-power by way of djent, offering the catchy melodies of Anubis Gate and Voyager but executed with the staccato, modern heaviness of a post-Meshuggah era.” Some things just sell themselves.

Acrania – Fearless [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By Kronos on January 11, 2016 in Mexican Metal, Progressive Death, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Thrash Metal, Unsigned Bands, 42 comments

“Acrania is so fresh it makes Genghis Tron look like Bloodbath and so fun it makes Revocation look like the National Society of Accountants.” Accountants are nowhere near as much fun as lawyers.

Suppressive Fire – Bedlam Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on January 8, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Unsigned Bands, Thrash Metal, 38 comments

“The Raleigh-based power trio of Suppressive Fire plays a brand of fun and slightly blackened thrash that skips the pizza entirely. Culling mainly from the “devil metal” of Nunslaughter, Nocturnal Breed’s Fields of Rot, and producer Joel Grind’s main outfit Toxic Holocaust, this is a modern take on thrash, infused with more extreme elements but still being rooted in the ethos of the harsher end of the classics spectrum.” So, can this debut differentiate itself in the early days of 2016?

The Grand Astoria – The Mighty Few [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]

By El Cuervo on December 17, 2015 in 2015, Heavy Metal, Russian Metal, Stoner Rock, Things You Might Have Missed 2015, Unsigned Bands, Progressive Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock, 12 comments

“Imagine, if you will indulge me, Hail Spirit Noir. Subtract the black metal, all songs but two, then add stoner rock and multiply the length of the remaining songs by four. This is as close an approximation as can be construed for a review catering to metalheads as to the sound of The Mighty Few by The Grand Astoria.” Math is hard.