Angry Metal Guy

Six Feet Under – Unborn Review

By Steel Druhm on March 7, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, American Metal, Death Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Death Metal, 11 comments

“Having never been a supporter of Six Feet Under and their caveman, cartoonish take on death metal, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of a few songs on their 2012 album Undead. While the album as a whole was still pretty rancid, there were telltale signs of a band maturing a bit (finally). When I heard they had line up changes, but still had another album ready less than a year out from Undead, it didn’t bode well in my mind for continued maturation. When, it shows what I know, because Unborn is a shockingly big step forward for these guys in terms of writing, playing and all things death related.” Steel Druhm has been mighty harsh to Barnes and Co. in the past, but times change and apparently Six Feet Under can as well. I like these little life lessons!

In Vain – Ænigma Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 6, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Death Metal, Indie Recordings, Melodic Death Metal, Norwegian Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 19 comments

In Vain hails from Norway, famous for its black metal, its fjords, its oil, its social democracy, but certainly not its progressive death metal. It’s actually a little strange that the land that brought us Borknagar, Enslaved, Ulver, and Solefald has never really produced its own Opeth or In Mourning, instead outsourcing that to its less affluent and pampered neighbor to the east (that’d be Sweden for the geographically challenged). Without getting too much into regional politics, it’s safe to say that given how high on the hog these Norwegians live—exploiting their Swedish workers and guzzling crude oil at the state’s expense—it’s surprising that none of them have wandered into the melodic, progressive death metal genre. They certainly have access to enough subsidies for the arts to do so if they wanted to.

Pombagira – Maleficia Lamiah Review

By Natalie Zed on March 5, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Doom Metal, English Metal, Drone, 4 comments

“Images of powerful and positive female sexuality are quite frankly underrepresented in aggressive music, which is why the definition of British occult doom metal band Pombagira is so exciting. The Pomba Gira are entities, associated with several Brazillian religions, who are the embodiments of female desirability, sexuality and strength. Consorts of the corresponding male entity Exu, they represent both power and insatiability.” Natalie Zed gives you the run down on this British doom band, which evokes a side of our world that metal has deigned to touch previously.

Philip H. Anselmo/Warbeast – War of the Gargantuas EP Review

By Alex Franquelli on March 4, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, American Metal, Housecore records, Reviews, Season of Mist, Sludge, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, 14 comments

“I know nothing about music. No, seriously: I have no clue what this stuff is all about. I know this Anselmo guy was in a metallic band: one of those which must have done something cool back in the 1990s (no, not in the noughties, as far as someone has told me) because nowadays he is allowed to make music in many bands and he even produces many others. This album is only 18 minutes long and this is great because it’s filled with noises of all sorts, but it works because I really like it and it gives me the kind of adrenaline boosts I need when I feel exhausted. This is basically an album where Mr Anselmo and a band he put together for the occasion (Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals) play the first and the third song, while another musical group called Warbeast play the even numbers.”

Manilla Road – Mysterium Review

By Steel Druhm on March 3, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Shadow Kingdom Records, Heavy Metal, 8 comments

“Manilla Road has more lives than Michael Myers or Jason Vorhees and much like those respective masked lunatics, they just won’t die. Although toiling away since the late 70s, Manilla Road and founder/vocalist/guitarist Mark “The Shark” Shelton have achieved nothing more than obscure, cult status in the metal world. They are the quintessential “true” metal act and have been releasing slight variations on their mega old school, American proto metal since I was in grade school.” Steel Druhm destroyed the last album by these legends, but loved the related Hellwell project. Will he find love on the Road or will the Hammer of Judgment come down again?

The Fall of Every Season – Amends Review

By Noctus on March 2, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, Doom Metal, Grau Records, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, 13 comments

“It’s probably best you let go of every possible expectation of this record that you may have had, because this album simply won’t meet them. Stylistically, anyway. The Fall of Every Season,, the moniker of Marius Strand, has decided to change the idea behind the music so far beyond recognition of his dreary, depression-filled beginnings, that Amends sounds like a completely different band, thank goodness.” Noctus would like to explain this album to you in loving detail, but first he requires you to clear your mind. That means stop thinking of food and sex too!

Saxon – Sacrifice Review

By Steel Druhm on March 1, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, English Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, UDR Music, Heavy Metal, 19 comments

“There’s no better example of a hard-working, determined, but ultimately second tier act than Saxon. They were part of the original NWoBHM and have been churning out traditional metal albums since 1979. They’ve had classic platters like Wheels of Steel and Denim and Leather and a wealth of classic songs (“Crusader” is so damn good). Still, most metal fans wouldn’t put them on as high a pedestal as Maiden or Priest in the Pantheon of Metal Kings (ov Steel).” So does Sacrifice finally earn Saxon that much sought after ticket to the top of the pops? Maybe we should manage expectations…

Soilwork – The Living Infinite Review

By Dr. Fisting on February 28, 2013 in 2.0, 2013, Melodic Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Swedish Metal, 45 comments

“In recent years, euro-thrash veterans Soilwork have reached near-Megadeth levels of member turnover and failure to live up to expectations. After bursting out of the gate with now-classic albums like The Chainheart Machine and Predator’s Portrait, Soilwork softened with age, and produced a few albums of increasingly slick melodeath-by-numbers.” What’s got 12 legs, 88 keys, and a double album that puts me to sleep? You got it.

Rotting Christ – Κατά τον Δαίμονον Εαυτού Review

By Madam X on February 27, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Black Metal, Greek Metal, Rating, Releases, Reviews, Season of Mist, Uncategorized, Black Metal, 21 comments

“I’m always enchanted by a band or album that pushes me to think outside the box, compelling me at 2 am to seek out the translation of an old Romanian curse, making me read up on Voodoo and at the same time the i’m knee deep in the teachings of Aleister Crowley – now that’s what metal’s about [Mister Crowley, won’t you write for my blog? – Steel Druhm]! Aleister Crowley wrote ‘Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law’ and I’m pleased Greek icons Rotting Christ decided to use this credo as the basis for their 11^th full-length release Κατά τον Δαίμονον Εαυτού (meaning ‘Do what thou wilt’).” Mister Crowley and Madam X are like two peas in a devil pod, so join her as she discusses the new opus from Greek black/death act Rotting Christ and all things sacrilicious.

Yayla – Nihaihayat Review

By Happy Metal Guy on February 26, 2013 in 1.5, 2013, Black Metal, Reviews, Turkish Metal, Black Metal, 11 comments

“Yay! Lament all you want, but your pricey earphones are going to be under-utilized by yet another primitive-sounding, one-man black metal project (why the heaven do these anti-social cavemen never go away? [Because FUCK YOU that’s why! – AMG]). Happy Metal Guy loves seeing people’s expensive listening gear go to waste on these pesky black metal records, but due to his nonexistent contract with Angry Metal Guy, he’s not really obliged to provide some kind of justification for why people ought to avoid this record.” By giving away that he already hates this record Happy Metal Guy has killed any possible suspense we could have built by blurbing him. I guess the best part of all of this was finding out that there’s a record company called Merdumgiriz Productions. Say that one five times fast.