Obscene Entity – Lamentia Review

Obscene Entity – Lamentia Review

“Competition arises in the strangest places, and one of them is at the buffet. In eternal struggle of trying to cost the restaurant more than the ludicrous bill you’ll receive, there are three main strategies you can employ. First, eat a reasonable amount of the most expensive stuff. Second, sample a pinch of a large variety of foodstuffs and hope the numbers work out. Third is the dining equivalent of scorched earth policy, characterized by indiscriminate gluttony and staunch looks of disapproval from the wait staff and eventually your family or friends with whom you came. This method ensures a win, but at what cost?” Unbuckle the belt and prepare for stuffing.

Wailin Storms – One Foot in the Flesh Grave Review

Wailin Storms – One Foot in the Flesh Grave Review

One Foot in the Flesh Grave’s take on doom punk and swamp rock is just the kind of experience I was hoping for. Formed in the cruel, unrelenting heat of Corpus Christi (Texas), Wailin Storms must have quickly realized that to stand out, their sound needed more than just the country and rockabilly twang they were being exposed to.” Music for misfits and serial killers.

Hellish – Theurgist’s Spell EP Review

Hellish – Theurgist’s Spell EP Review

“By now it’s well known throughout the Midwest that this old man is a thrash junkie. A bona fide Gally Thrashicanus. Before putting a thrash album on, my eyes begin to gleam with a wild and ravenous light. But not so much with the new crop of thrash metal bands like Municipal Waste, Toxic Holocaust, and Bonded By Blood, what with their crisp clean high tops and head bands. I like the grit, the grime, the grisly thrash metal of yore.” Old folks like old stuff.

Diviner – Fallen Empires Review

Diviner – Fallen Empires Review

“Greece loves heavy metal. This is known. From symphonic blackness to cheese-coated dragon and sandal power silliness, they’re well represented as fans and performers alike. Now Diviner joins the eternal fight to defend the faith with their Fallen Empires debut, weaponizing a kind of traditional metal with deep roots in the mid-80s American scene.” Enter the No Dragon Zone!

Abysmal Lord – Disciples of the Inferno Review

Abysmal Lord – Disciples of the Inferno Review

“Over the years, metal has seen quite a few unique viewpoints on various religions represented within our not-so-tiny circle of influence. From praises to Jesus to the unification of the three Abrahamic religions, there’s no shortage of good metal for those who want an alternative to all things Satan. That said, the Horned One still gets the vast majority of the best tunes out there, and newcomers Abysmal Lord from New Orleans, Louisiana, know this quite well.” The bang and crash of evil is alive and well in the bayou.

Zgard – Totem Review

Zgard – Totem Review

“Do you remember what life was like prior to 2015 B.V. (Before Vardan)? Back when the phrase “monthly visitor” meant something radically different than black metal’s most notorious one-man sweatshop, the busiest man in black metal was Ukrainian pagan mastermind Yaromisl and his own one-man machine, Zgard.” C’mon boys, it’s not a competition. You’re both totally obscure.

Sacrificium Carmen – Ikuisen Tulen Kammiossa Review

Sacrificium Carmen – Ikuisen Tulen Kammiossa Review

““Love at first sight” is an interesting concept: a basic mammalian response formed by some pesky, involuntary biological and cognitive mechanisms. And I wonder, can music elicit something similar? Can you, perhaps, start loving a record during the first minute of a sample track? Can this kind of appreciation evolve into a long-lasting bond with a piece of music? The début by Finnish black metallers Sacrificium Carmen, Ikuisen Tulen Kammiossa, had that sort of a struck-by-lightning influence on me.” But will an early frost kill this blooming love?

Solution .45 – Nightmares in the Waking State Pt. I – Review

Solution .45 – Nightmares in the Waking State Pt. I – Review

“Why is everything in my November promo bin a part I or IV of something bigger? I’m starting to feel like I’m trapped at the Third-Tier Fantasy Fiction Fan Con and I’m dreading what lurks around the next corner. Will it be The Atomic Dragon Bosoms of Gefilte Pt. VII? The Purple Cloak of Chromatic Unicorn Fabulousness Pt. X? Can’t we just do one-off albums again, people?”

Nightfell – Darkness Evermore Review

Nightfell – Darkness Evermore Review

“One release that got badly overlooked in 2014 was the debut of Portland’s Nightfell. Buried below the avalanche of notable productions that got out after its release on early February, few dug it out at the end of the year to give it a place on their lists. As a brooding piece of lightly D-beat infused Doom/Death, it’s a cunning mix of the lengthy musical background of both members. Back after little more than a year, they switched labels going from Southern Lord to 20 Buck Spin and just unloaded another crushing shipping container filled with engaging riffs and melodies named Darkness Evermore. Better late than never.