Angry Metal Guy

Barren Earth – On Lonely Towers Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 23, 2015 in 2015, Century Media, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Epic Metal, Finnish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, 56 comments

“Barren Earth may be the only band I ever forgive for not giving me an audition to be their vocalist. After it was announced that Mikko Kotamäki (Swallow the Sun) was leaving the band and that they were publicly searching for a singer, I screwed up my courage and dropped them an email with some songs. Being that I am “the standard by which all should be judged” (which is why I started a blog), I was duly shocked, dismayed and offended that they never even sent me a kind rejection letter.” Bitter and jilted, can Angry Metal Guy ever forgive this Finnish super group their taste in singers!?

Wino and Conny Ochs – Freedom Conspiracy Review

By Steel Druhm on March 23, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Exile On Mainstream, Folk Metal, Reviews, 17 comments

“Though it’s difficult to put into words exactly why, this was one of my most anticipated releases of 2015. As a long time admirer of Scott “Wino” Weinrich’s musical career (The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan, etc.), I’ve really taken to his acoustic folk projects over the past few years. Be it his acoustic solo material, his work on The Songs of Townes Van Zandt cover album or his collaboration with German folk artist Conny Ochs, Wino’s voice seems tailor-made for bare bones, stripped-down American folk rock.” Who’s ready for something dark, different and real?

Unrest – Grindcore Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on March 22, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Grind, Reviews, Unspeakable Axe Records, 5 comments

“Quality will always trump originality, and bands like TrenchRot and Crypt Sermon embody that truism; the former released the great “let’s play Asphyx and Bolt Thrower”-core monstrosity Necronomic Warfare last year, and the latter recently released an old-school doom album that met with high praises from Steel Druhm. What does this have to do with Unrest? Well, members of TrenchRot and Crypt Sermon (along with USBM band Woe) have decided to grace us with an album of Nasum worship.” Philadelphia may be in the midst of a multi-genre metal renaissance. Sound the Rocky theme and prepare for step running!

Abominator – Evil Proclaimed Review

By Roquentin on March 22, 2015 in 2015, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, 2 comments

“Satan-hailing, long-standing Aussies Abominator are back after nine years of hiatus with yet another record of their signature blackened death (or deathened black?) metal. If you’ve listened to any of the band’s previous releases, it won’t come as much of a surprise that their fifth full-length Evil Proclaimed shows no shifts in pace, attitude, or sound.” The Motorhead of Sodom clones? I’m in!

Records o’ the Month – February 2015

By Angry Metal Guy on March 21, 2015 in 2015, Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, 76 comments

“Like a new year’s resolution gone completely to hell, you’ll notice that the Record o’ the Month for February is getting posted nearly 3/4 of the way through the month by a man covered in Oreo ice cream and smelling strongly of gin. For that I say: c’mon, it’s just like old times! Why all the whining? You know I love you guys. I can change, I swear! No really, it won’t be like this next time, I promise!” As a humble offering, Angry Metal Guy offers up Record(s) o’ the Month.

Where Evil Follows – Portable Darkness Review

By Steel Druhm on March 21, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Moribund Records, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 18 comments

“Remember those shreddy noodlefest albums Shrapnel Records put out in the 80s and 90s? They’d basically take a guitar wiz kid like Marty Friedman and have him wank and solo through eight or ten tracks of masturbatory and self-congratulatory Yngwie worship. Since most of these albums sounded like 45 minute solos where the rest of the band went for coffee, they were never my cup of tea, but I certainly respected the talent involved. One of Shrapnel’s second-tier wank masters was Toby Knapp. After his stint on the noodle circuit he went on to found the very respectable throwback American power metal band Onward and release two very solid albums under that moniker.” The shred master hath returned to classic metal.

Terra – Untitled Review

By Mark Z. on March 20, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, English Metal, Hibernacula Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 4 comments

“I loved the Cascadian/post-black metal craze, but let’s be honest: that bubble burst at least two years ago. After the umpteenth Wolves worshipper appeared (Addaura, Alda, Ash Borer – need I move past the ‘A’s?’), the mystique wore off and the music turned predictable.” Spring has sprung, and in case the snow hansn’t cooled your outlook, here’s some black metal to further harsh your mellow.

Dynfari – Vegferð tímans Review

By Grymm on March 20, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Code666 Records, Icelandic Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 16 comments

“When it comes to selecting albums to review, I rely on a tried-and-mostly-tr00 method of meticulous selection that’s been proven to garner conversations around water bubblers and soda machines the world over: I sometimes randomly just pick shit from a list and think, “Okay, that’s cool. Let’s give that a shot.” Behold, today’s selection is Iceland’s Dynfari.” In the game of chance, you win some and you lose some. Are the odds in Grymm’s favor this time around?

Ketha – #!%16.7 Review

By Kronos on March 19, 2015 in 2015, Avante Garde, Death Metal, Groove Metal, Instant Classic, Polish Metal, Progressive Death, Reviews, Avante Garde, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 24 comments

“Earlier this year, a band hailing somehow not from Japan, but from Kraków, released an appropriately enigmatically-named EP that by all rights should have shat all over Angra’s RoTM position, had anybody on the planet told us about it. But they didn’t. And for that you’ll burn.” We are aggrieved.

Oceanwake – Sunless Review

By El Cuervo on March 19, 2015 in 2015, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Sludge, ViciSolum Productions, Doom Metal, Sludge, 12 comments

“Doom. Doom is done right when the word is no longer a mere genre, but an onomatopoeic descriptor of what you are hearing. Suffice to say, Finland’s Oceanwake understands this.” Prepare to meet your new doom flavor of the week. Mmmm doom.