Angry Metal Guy

Epica – The Holographic Principle Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on September 20, 2016 in 2016, Dutch Metal, Eurocore, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Eurocore, Symphonic Metal, 94 comments

“The cultish devotion to contemplating endless variations of Descartes’s “evil demon” question mixed with Hume’s ridiculous skepticism has led some philosophers to seriously contemplate if saying “I have hands” is a valid assertion because we can’t definitively prove that we’re not just brains in vats (BIVs) imagining the whole world, our hands included. Somehow this line of thought is still taken seriously, and it’s given us plenty. It’s given us proof positive that if your philosophy abandons Aristotle and Aquinas, it’s going to be terrible. It gave us The Matrix; a good action flick. It’s also given us a record based around wondering whether our world is actually just an elaborate VR simulation in the form of Epica’s The Holographic Principle.” To glee or not to glee.

Mare Cognitum – Luminiferous Aether Review

By Grymm on September 20, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Black Metal, I Voidhanger Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 63 comments

“Okay, so you burned every church out there. Every last forest has been utilized for frost-bitten photographs of corpse-painted minions wielding medieval weaponry, invisible oranges, or both. You sang every hymn there is for either Satan, Tolkien orcness, darkness, the wilderness, or anything even remotely related to the above. What’s left to cover? Why SPACE, of course!” Into the blackness (of space).

Sahg – Memento Mori Review

By Dr. Fisting on September 19, 2016 in 2016, Doom Metal, Indie Recordings, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, 33 comments

“Led by vocalist/guitarist Olav Iversen, Norwegian quartet Sahg have been delivering quality rock/metal with old-school values for years. Their 2013 opus Delusions of Grandeur was a sonic and compositional masterpiece, landing on AMG’s Top 10 that year, and showing serious staying power on my stereo as well. After a 3-year gap, Sahg returns with two new members and a dark, doomy album called Memento Mori.”

Steve Grimmett’s Grim Reaper – Walking in the Shadows Review

By Steel Druhm on September 19, 2016 in 2016, Dissonance Productions, English Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 29 comments

“I hate when artists known for a role in some famous/semi-famous band feel the need to feature their name prominently on subsequent endeavors. It always looks cheesy (Vinny Vincent Invasion), usually feels a bit desperate (Paul Di’anno’s Battlezone) and generally smacks of chasing faded glories (Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody of Fire?). Steve Grimmett’s Grim Reaper is the newish band led by Grim Reaper’s vocalist and the vehicle by which he hopes to recapture former accolades and ancient laurels.” Read Steel Druhm’s review of Grim Reaper, now featuring more Steel Druhm.

Ancient – Back to the Land of the Dead Review

By Lord Lucan on September 18, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Black Metal, Greek Metal, Italian Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Soulseller Records, Black Metal, 60 comments

“I find black metal deeply polarizing. While helplessly captivated by the cold, desolate aura of much of the genre’s higher quality output, I also find myself mind-numbingly frustrated when magnificent records are in my view ruined by intentionally dreadful production, sounding as though they were recorded not in a studio but rather in a metal bin at the bottom of a distant lake (Transilvanian Hunger anyone?). Founded in Bergen in the early nineties by frontman Aphazel, the aptly-named Ancient have been diligently plying their trade for almost a quarter of a century now, establishing a back catalogue of uncharacteristically lush-sounding black metal and recruiting a small but loyal following along the way.” Old and cold, or old and bold?

Demonomancy/Witchcraft – Archaic Remnants of the Numinous/At the Diabolus Hour Review

By Treble Yell on September 17, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Death Metal, Finnish Metal, Italian Metal, Nuclear War Now! Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 12 comments

“Worry not my child for the balm to salve your festering wounds exists in the form of a split from Demonomancy and Witchcraft. Bestial, coarse and outright evil, this 26-minute payload of blackened death offers a brief respite for those needing an outlet for their rancor.” Now available at AMG – Rancor relief.

Cara Neir/Wildspeaker – Guilt and His Reflection [Split] Review

By Mark Z. on September 16, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Black Metal, Broken Limbs Recordings, Crust Punk, Hardcore, Reviews, Sludge, Black Metal, Crust Punk, Hardcore, Sludge, 23 comments

“Crack a beer and grab a seat. Today’s entertainment is a double feature from two Texas-based bands with a proclivity for taking black metal and turning it on its ugly, corpse-painted head. First up is Cara Neir, an idiosyncratic, punky duo whose hardcore-tinged blackness often lends itself to wild stylistic forays, as heard on 2013’s Portals to a Better, Dead World. On the flip side is Wildspeaker, a crustier, sludgier outfit who formed in 2013 and released debut Survey the Wreckage last year. They’re here to deliver Guilt and His Reflection, 13 tracks depicting ‘humanity crumbling into itself’ through ‘the story of post-civilization sins committed when desperation overwhelms.'” That certainly sounds cheery.

Chariots of the Gods – Ages Unsung Review

By Dr. Wvrm on September 16, 2016 in 2016, Canadian Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, Reviews, Self-released, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, 40 comments

“Every metal-head has their watershed moment; whether that’s Master of Puppets, Symbolic or actually Watershed, that magic album taps you on the shoulder and says “young poser, let me show you the way to trveness.” Chariots of the Gods bills itself as melodic metal with In Flames as its top influence, I’m feeling cautious yet optimistic.” Get ready to chug.

Wretch – Wretch Review

By Treble Yell on September 15, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Bad Omen Records, Doom Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, 23 comments

“Of the wavelengths split from heavy metal’s prism, doom is the color that can most clearly trace its path back to Black Sabbath. Down-tuned riffs, fuzzed-out solos and a bottom end that would make Sir Mix-a-lot dab the sweat from his brow, today’s doom acts unabashedly carry the flame first lit by Messrs Iommi, Ward, Butler and Osborne. The danger in this familiarity is that some bands struggle to escape their progenitor’s orbit and end up as pale imitators rather than carving out a space of their own.” Doom space is tough to come by these days.

Slomatics – Future Echo Returns Review

By Akerblogger on September 15, 2016 in 2016, Black Bow Records, Doom Metal, Irish Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, 16 comments

“A blanket of smoke and incense billows from an attic-bedroom conversion as Electric Wizard makes a rare appearance from his occult abode to make a sandwich or to record an episode of Most Haunted. Conan sits in the garage and uses his sharp fingernails to shape mythical creatures out of wood, sporadically bellowing songs of war into the night, begrudgingly quieting down when his mother threatens to take away his copy of The Silmarillion. Slomatics is the younger brother of the two aforementioned doomsters. He spends his time gazing into the stars, reading Frank Herbert, Philip. K. Dick and H.G. Wells, and exploring the Moog that his father found for cheap at the car boot sale.” At home with the Slows.