Cauldron – In Ruin Review

Cauldron – In Ruin Review

“As 2016 draws its very first breaths, it’s clear retro metal is here to stay. With throwback acts like Night Flight Orchestra appearing in various AMG year end lists and the utter debacle of White Wizzard scoring a coveted 5.0, the battle is all but over and we must accept our olde timey overlords’ authoritah.” Submit to your fate and get in the Cauldron.

Varg – Das Ende aller Lügen Review

Varg – Das Ende aller Lügen Review

“The arrival of 2016 finds the tides turning for Varg, now signed to Napalm Records. Das Ende aller Lügen (The End of All Lies) is here and with it Varg presents their latest direction—one encouraging impulsivity, unpredictability, revelry and brute force. All packaged in nice bright red war paint.” Madam X is here to tell you about the creepy German dogs she dragged home. Who’s not interested in that?

Gravewürm – Doomed to Eternity Review

Gravewürm – Doomed to Eternity Review

“Thirty years past its prime, Gravewürm’s songwriting and musical delivery continues to leave a lot to be desired, and after twenty-five years of existence and ten full-lengths, I ask myself the same question before every Gravewürm release: does Gravewürm have anything new—anything at all—to offer in their newest output?” That’s a really good question.

Cold Night for Alligators – Course of Events Review

Cold Night for Alligators – Course of Events Review

“Danish five-piece Cold Night For Alligators are described by their press kit as “progressive death metal with brutal technical hardcore, layered with tremendous atmospheric ambient sounds.” Doesn’t that sound great? I salivated at my luck, dreaming of this great new band that sounds like Cynic, Gaza and Hope Drone.” That’s our Kronos – forever drooling and droning.

Bode Preto – Mystic Massacre Review

Bode Preto – Mystic Massacre Review

“In recent months, I’ve been noticing a disturbing trend of bands putting out hours worth of new music as one album. While Iron Maiden has already been notorious for giving you your money’s worth since the creation of the compact disc, other acts are taking that idea and running wild with it. I’ve always been a proponent of the idea that less is more [How can that be? Yngwie]. Apparently, Brazil’s Bode Preto (or “Black Goat” in Portuguese) believes in the same philosophy. Mystic Massacre, their second album, is a hair shy of thirty minutes long. A little goes a long way… or is Mr. Malmsteen right?”

AngryMetalGuy.com’s Top 10(ish) of 2015: Aggregating the Lists to Create MOAR Lists!

AngryMetalGuy.com’s Top 10(ish) of 2015: Aggregating the Lists to Create MOAR Lists!

“Last year our very own El Cuervo started rating a consensus list based on the releases that were mentioned in various lists. Giving each release a score, we then tally the point totals for each release. Each of our unique lists has a number of releases that simply come nowhere close to the top list. But it’s cool to see that we do actually seem to rally around a few great releases and some releases that I am a little bit more shocked to see. Regardless, this final “meta-list” will round off the year of AngryMetalGuy.com’s list season.” Lists, man.

Best and Worst Sounding Records of 2015 [Angry Metal-Fi]

Best and Worst Sounding Records of 2015 [Angry Metal-Fi]

“It’s that time again where we extol those releases that exemplify high caliber production and condemn those which exact tyranny on all of our collective volume knobs. 2015 was a break out year for production in metal if you ask me. Not because the percentage of releases had higher DR scores mind you. Quite the opposite actually. But because you guys have made production a real talking point across the web.”

Angry Metal Guy’s Top 10(ish) of 2015

Angry Metal Guy’s Top 10(ish) of 2015

Twenty-fifteen has been a hell of a ride. It’s been one of my favorite years for music in quite a long time, and I’ve been struggling to prune this list down to 10(ish) records that I really love. But in some ways, the top 5 has never been easier for me to choose. What I find most fascinating about this list is how completely out of step I feel with what I see as being touted as the coolest parts of the underground. I seem to be pretty far afield while everyone else seems to be fawning over the latest ’70s retro doom phenomenon, hope drones, or the latest example of black metal kids missing that intensity not 15 minute songs was the cool part of black metal. This is what it feels like to have been left behind by a scene; to have lived long enough to be that old guy shaking his fist at new trends in metal.

Lemmy Kilmister Dies at Age 70

Lemmy Kilmister Dies at Age 70

“One of the most recognizable and colorful faces in heavy metal is no longer with us. Lemmy Kilmister, founder or proto-metal legends Motörhead, passed away earlier this evening at the age of 70. Though there were reports of recent health issues and a series of canceled performances, I don’t think anyone expected such a tragic end to come so soon.”