Angry Metal Guy

Devourment – Conceived in Sewage Review

By Lord Doom on February 14, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, American Metal, Death Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Death Metal, 14 comments

“Ignore the album title; this is some seriously ferocious stuff. I may have already stated my ambivalence towards death metal of the “brootalz” variety in my previous review, but Conceived in Sewage seems a rather straightforward affair. Devourment have been hailed as one of the premiere bands within said subgenre, and I can understand why; the songs kick ass. According to their label, Relapse Records, “Devourment have a simple goal; to put your teeth on the curb and stomp on your head.” While this might be somewhat of an exaggeration as to what the band has accomplished, rest assured, Conceived in Sewage is an absolute assault.” We made Potato Jim review more broootal death, though he clearly has issues with it (because we are meanies). We didn’t expect him to like it though!

Stratovarius – Nemesis Review

By Steel Druhm on February 13, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, EarMusic records, Finnish Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Power Metal, 26 comments

“During my tenure here at AMG, I don’t think I’ve taken quite so much guff for a review as when I gave the last Stratovarius opus (Elysium) a mere 3.0. I found that rather funny, since a 3.0 is a pretty good score around these parts. While Elysium had some very good songs, it had several rough spots and a general lack of energy that short-circuited the album’s flow. Now I’m tasked with examining Nemesis, the follow-up by one of the titans of Euro-power and a band I’ve respected and enjoyed for a long time. It turns out to be a tough album to get a handle on.” Watch Steel Druhm search for a handle on things and when he finds it, things aren’t gonna be pretty.

Crest of Darkness – In the Presence of Death Review

By Madam X on February 12, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, Black Metal, Kingdom Music, Melodic Death Metal, Norwegian Metal, Rating, Releases, Reviews, 14 comments

“Anton Szandor LaVey could have been writing about In the Presence of Death when he wrote this line “Each verse is an inferno. Each word is a tongue of fire. The flames of Hell burn fierce” – he wasn’t writing about this album of course, but after spending the week with Crest of Darkness, that’s a damn(ed) fitting description ov their Norwegian melodic black metal style that bears strong music, lyric and vocal similarities to the likes of Naglfar, some vocal similarities to Illnath (Narrenschiff days), has some of the same cvlt blackness of 1349 (pre their directional change) and dare I even say it… a hint or two of Cradle of Filth lurking around.” According to Madam X, you can’t judge this black metal beast by the cheesy album cover. I hear what she’s saying…but DAMN! Is that cheesy or what??

Bloody Hammers – Bloody Hammers Review

By Steel Druhm on February 11, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Soulseller Records, Death Metal, Heavy Metal, 11 comments

“Its clear the whole “occult retro doom/rock” thing is here to stay, like it or not. With entities like Hour of 13, Castle, Occultation, Devil’s Blood and Ghost already throwing on the vest, hailing the 70s and generally receiving good press, you can expect newcomers to keep popping up like hippies at a grow-op. Bloody Hammers is one of those filthy, dirty hippies (saddled with a name that implies a death metal barrage).” I know what you’re all thinking. Why won’t Steel Druhm stop shoving retro doomy vest metal at us? Well, I shove because I love and here’s more vest to add to the rest!

Spektr – Cypher Review

By Noctus on February 10, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, Agonia Records, Black Metal, French Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 2 comments

“Mechanical dissonance, black metal, experimental tones – all things alluring, no? To a select few individuals with a taste for the twisted, anyway. It wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that the French seem to have an affinity for black metal with a twisted, experimental tinge. With bands like Deathspell Omega and the highly influential Blut aus Nord pioneering the dissonant, mangled tones, it’s no surprise that black metal outfit Spektr also hail from the same shores. They do have one rather unique aspect to the sound that sets them quite apart from such peers; that being the total absence of vocals, which is rather unusual for both black metal and metal as a whole.” Noctus is our resident expert on bleak, experimental black metal, so we called him in to discuss this grim, instrumental black metal opus. Did I mention its an instrumental black metal album?

Skineater – Dermal Harvest Review

By Natalie Zed on February 9, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Death Metal, Pulverised Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 2 comments

“Dermal Harvest is the horror-drenched debut from Swedish extreme metal outfit Skineater. Though the band was together as early as 2008, it wasn’t until 2011 that they began to seriously court label interest, play live and record demos. They often market themselves as a supergroup of the extreme metal underground, as their members include guitarist and founder Håkan Stuvemark (ex – Wombbath, ex – In Thy Dreams, ex – Vicious), guitarist Kari Kainulainan (ex-Mourning Sign, ex-Amaran), drummer Matte Modin (Raised Fist, ex – Dark Funeral), bassist and backing vocalist Stefan Westerberg (ex-Carnal Forge, ex – In Thy Dreams) and vocalist Jörgen Ström (The Mary Major).” Natalie Zed gives you the lowdown on this Swedish death “supergroup” and tells you if they have enough skin in the game.

Hate – Solarflesh Review

By Madam X on February 8, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Black Metal, Death Metal, Napalm Records, Polish Metal, Rating, Releases, Reviews, 23 comments

“As part of the Polish Big 4 (Decapitated, Vader and Behemoth) I haven’t yet figured out why Hate, with seven hefty albums already under their belts, never quite seem to reach the notoriety of their counterparts, Behemoth (hazarding a guess here, but a lack of court cases maybe?).” Madam X isn’t a morning gal and needs a good dose of Polish death to get moving in the AM. Will the new Hate opus be her new alarm clock?

Suffocation – Pinnacle of Bedlam Review

By Happy Metal Guy on February 7, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, American Metal, Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, 9 comments

New York brutal death metal pioneers, Suffocation, have never sounded better. Even though their seventh studio album, Pinnacle of Bedlam, is the first without longtime drummer Mike Smith, the music’s percussive section has not lost its technical edge. Dave Culross—whose drumming last appeared on Suffocation’s 1998 EP, Despise the Sun—fulfills his role as the band’s blast-beating machine well. From the opening burst of percussive gunfire in opening track, “Cycles of Suffering”; to the sluggish, cymbals-heavy drumming heard in tenth and final track, “Beginning of Sorrow”; Culross displays an aptitude for adjusting the knob on the tempometer as and when appropriate. Still, there is not much creativity when it comes to filling in the aural blanks between both tracks, as Culross predictably serves up a plethora of blast beats. But hey, this is Suffocation. Expecting their drummer to do anything else but that is like expecting Crucio Siege Tanks to remain in tank mode while defending Terran bases [It’s like he’s speaking Klingon — Steel Druhm].

Stonewall Noise Orchestra – Salvation Review

By Dr. Fisting on February 6, 2013 in 2.0, 2013, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Transubstans Records, 7 comments

“The bio for Salvation, the new record by Sweden’s awesomely-named Stonewall Noise Orchestra, states that they are “influenced by 70’s [sic] groovy rock along with many other sources of inspiration.” More retro/stoner rock? With a vague disclaimer right there in the bio?! I find this troubling, at best.” Join Fisting that Andrew Guy as he reviews this stoner rock album from the land of meatballs, Swedish fish, IKEA, and Angry Metal Guy himself. Chaos ensues. Sort of.

Kongh – Sole Creation Review

By Alex Franquelli on February 5, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Agonia Records, Doom Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Swedish Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 2 comments

Quite an epic album. The fuzz is there in all its imperfect majesty, while the pace is as slow as ever, bringing back the doom where it belongs: in the realm of repetitions, through think layers of narcotic sounds. Overall, the final result is a solid evolution from the psychedelic throes of Shadows of the Shapeless, but whoever (well, everyone) says that Kongh sound like Yob is right. And yet they’re wrong at the same time [Oh God! Which is it!? — AMG], since the sound these three lost souls from Nässjö and Småland (that’s southern Sweden, for the most curious nerds amongst yourselves) seem to enjoy touching on the likes of Alice in Chains (“Skymning”), Mastodon (“Sole Creation”) and Brooklyn’s own Tombs.