Angry Metal Guy

Cult of Luna – Vertikal II Review

By Alex Franquelli on September 29, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Avante Garde, Indie Recordings, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Shoegaze, Sludge, Swedish Metal, Drone, Progressive Metal, 2 comments

“Now, where were we? I seem to remember this this great album from an act simply incapable of disappointing. In was the middle of winter and North Korea appeared as a threat to the dumb half of the world’s population. Today, while that same fraction struggles to locate the hemisphere Syria is in, the summer light convulses in his death throes this side of the planet and we take shelter from the impending cold. OK, but what about the music?” The ever mercurial Alex is here to cover the equally mercurial Cult of Luna’s new release, Vertikal II. If you aren’t careful, you may get mercurial poisoning!

Obelyskkh – Hymn To Pan Review

By Natalie Zed on September 27, 2013 in 2013, Doom Metal, Exile On Mainstream Records, German Metal, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, 2 comments

“Bavarian doom barons Obelyskkh have turned to pagan imagery for the basis of their third full-length release, Hymn To Pan. A mix of doomy psychedelic and stoner sludge, the title of the record is drawn from a poem “Hymn of Pan” by romantic writer Percy Bysshe Shelley. Pan, a pagan god of wild places, music, and sexual freedom, is evoked with delicacy as a muse in Shelley’s poem, whereas Obelyskkh most definitely appeal to the goat-limbed gods darker and more lecherous side.” Anyone in the mood for A Midsummer’s Night Doom? Did I mention the “sexual freedom” part? This stuff sells itself!

Rivers of Nihil – The Conscious Seed of Light Review

By Jordan Campbell on September 26, 2013 in 2013, Death Metal, Djent, Metal Blade, Reviews, Djent, Technical Death Metal, 1 comment

“It was only a matter of time before a high-profile tech-death / djent mashup appeared on the scene. If you were hanging from your 8th string with bated breath for this moment, it has finally arrived: A mere year after their inception, Pennsylvania upstarts Rivers of Nihil are crashing the gates via Metal Blade. Their debut, The Conscious Seed of Light, is slightly baffling. On one hand, it’s easy to dismiss the album as an aural collage of the t-shirts in the band’s collective closet. At times, it plays out like a modern metal Power Point presentation: Bass-lick dropouts, open string chughammers, and spiraling-into-spaaaaaace shreddery all pop up within the first handful of minutes. The trope-aping is achingly obvious. That other hand, though? It itches to wipe away the clouds of cynicism.” Tech-death meets djent? How did this take so long, and now that it’s here, is it any good? Complicated questions indeed and here’s our man Jordan Campbell with some answers.

Abyssous – …Smouldering Review

By Natalie Zed on September 25, 2013 in 2013, Death Metal, German Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Death Metal, 2 comments

“Hailing from the Saxony region of Germany, death metallers Abyssous first appeared on the scene with a sodden, bone-breaking crunch with 2012’s …Smouldering demo. The raw, cavernous quality of those tracks attracted the attention of Iron Bonehead Productions, who have released the demo as a full-length with the addition of two new tracks. The LP version of …Smouldering is every bit as dank as the original release, but the additional tracks do more than pad out the length of the record. There is a sense of a more complete narrative arc and a fuller musical construction that improves the album as a whole.” Old school death is plenty good, but when you add in some old timey Morgoth influence, then it deserves real attention!

Wolfheart – Winterborn Review

By Steel Druhm on September 24, 2013 in 2013, Black Metal, Death Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 8 comments

“Tuomas Saukkonen is no stranger to the pages of AMG. We’ve spoken very highly of his Before the Dawn and Black Sun Aeon projects and generally came across as nuthugging fanboys of the man’s work. Needless to say, we were as shocked as everyone else when he unexpectedly laid both bands to rest (along with several others) and announced his intention to focus solely on a new act called Wolfheart, which at least initially would consist of just him.” Since we lose two great bands in order to get Wolfheart, is it a fair trade off or did we get screwed? Steel Druhm examines the details and overall fairness.

Shining – 8 ½ – Feberdrömmar I Vaket Tillstånd Review

By Madam X on September 23, 2013 in 2013, Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 4 comments

“I came across Shining for the first time while reading Angry Metal Guy’s Best Heavy Metal Songs of All Time back in 2011. Since then Kvarforth and his menagerie of Scandinavian black metal projects and collaborations (Shining, Skitliv, Diabolicum, Den Saakaldte and Bethlehem) have been a constant on my playlist. I’d go so far as to say that, were I to have some kind of guarantee that it would arrive on my sunny shores, I would absolutely order a copy of When Prozac No Longer Helps – hand numbered in Kvarforth’s blood of course!” Madam X and Kvarforth are clearly a match made by the Sid & Nancy Dating Service and/or Hell. Will love blossom once again or will the knives come out?

Serocs – The Next Review

By Dr. Fisting on September 22, 2013 in 2013, Death Metal, Mexican Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 4 comments

Serocs began back in 2009 as a one-man operation, founded by Mexico-based guitarist Antonio Freyre. After a couple of EP releases, their debut full-length Oneirology finally surfaced a year ago. In the short time since then, Serocs has become a multi-national death metal conglomerate, with Freyre recruiting members of Vile, Monstrosity and Lecherous Nocturne (not to mention a whole shitload of guest appearances). For all the tech-death credentials of this group, the result is heavy on the “death” and short on “tech.” Mexican death metal is a special beast and Mr. Fisting knows his Mexican death!

Wisdom – Marching for Liberty Review

By Natalie Zed on September 21, 2013 in 2013, Heavy Metal, Hungarian Metal, NoiseArt Records, Power Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 5 comments

“Hungarian power metal sages Wisdom continue to spin the tale of the adventures of the mysterious figure “Wiseman” on their third full-length album Marching for Liberty. The Budapest-based quintet favor power metal at its most grand and bombastic, in the style of Rhapsody of Fire and Dragonforce, with the symphonic leanings of Nightwish or Stratovarius. Those who favor an understated or reserved interpretation of power metal should look elsewhere, as Marching For Liberty is an example of the genre with hyper-drive engines fully engaged.” Hyper-driving power metal sounds pretty okay, if you’re into that kind of thing. Read and find out what Natalie thinks about it.

In Solitude – Sister Review

By Steel Druhm on September 20, 2013 in 2013, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Heavy Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, 3 comments

“Well, look who wandered off the homage reservation. Sweden’s In Solitude made their mark with 2011’s The World. the Flesh. the Devil. and its uncannily accurate aping of vintage Mercyful Fate. So close was the sound to albums like Melissa and Don’t Break the Oath, that several people I played it for thought it was a reunion album or re-recorded demo material. While homage bands are all well and good, it seems these chaps wanted to shake off that image and on Sister, they’ve done so quite impressively. While the Mercyful Fate influence is still apparent (especially in the vocals), the new material takes their Fate worship and coats it with scads of gothic and doom sensibility while adding a strong Danzig vibe as well.” Why would a band so skilled at ripping off one of the best metal bands of all time ever change their approach? Because that’s what art is all about, you dullards!!

Jesu – Everyday I Get Closer to the Light From Which I Came Review

By Noctus on September 19, 2013 in 2013, English Metal, Hydra Head Records, Reviews, Shoegaze, Drone, Shoegaze, 2 comments

“I can’t say I went into this album with much faith considering both Infinity and Ascension, Jesu’s previous two albums, seemed so lopsided and emotionally detached. But fear not, Justin Broadrick, seems to have found his voice again. It might not be all that striking or eventful, but it perfectly encapsulates every musical avenue his Jesu project has travelled in a subtle and concise package that delivers an interesting and touching listen and makes the mouthful, Everyday I Get Closer to the Light from Which I Came, one of his strongest releases yet.” Everyone remembers Mr. Broadrick from his Godflesh days, but how is this whole Jesu thing working out for him?