2.5

Molder – Engrossed in Decay Review

By Kronos on July 11, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, 28 comments

“I cannot understate the futility of attempting to introduce this record more accurately than its album art does. For the learned among us, it leaves not a single note in question. But for those of us impaired in the fields of vision or death metal knowledge, I’m compelled to at least give it a shot. Engrossed in Decay, the debut record from Joliet, Illinois’ Molder, is a triumph of slime. Coughing up spores from mycetozoic muck, Molder exhume ten tracks from very recent, very shallow burials in a graveyard that’s been filled to the brim for thirty years.” Mold strategy.

Animalize – Meat We’re Made Of Review

By Felagund on July 4, 2022 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, 32 comments

“Heavy metal. Trad metal. Dad metal. It all boils down to the same thing, really: galloping guitars, soaring vocals, a dose of cheese (don’t forget to take your Lactaid, old timer!) and enough triumphant riffs to get those creaky, arthritic bones a’janglin’. So it was with nagging nostalgia that I picked up Meat We’re Made Of, the first full-length from France’s Animalize, a group who traffic in a form of classic heavy metal firmly entrenched in the 70s and 80s.” Meat is the message.

Thūn – II Review

By Huck N Roll on July 3, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Epic Metal, 22 comments

“This is quite the rabbit hole I’ve gone down. It started with Monsterworks back in 2018 (and again in 2020). Then I hitched a ride on a Bull Elephant, in 2019 and 2020. Not one to rest on my laurels, I then enjoyed deeply of some Thūn, on their debut last year. What do these three bands have in common? Members, for one thing, and exuberant, over-the-top delivery of bizarre tales. Here on Thūn‘s second album, aptly titled II.” Thūn(der) on the tundra.

HUSH – The Pornography of Ruin Review

By Cherd on June 27, 2022 in Reviews, Post-Metal, Sludge, 17 comments

“Sludge metal has been a frequent bedfellow of serious, art-y post rock almost since the beginning of the genre. I’m not exactly sure why, but as a product of multiple art schools myself, I can confirm that I and other likeminded insufferable wanks folks are generally drawn to the resulting aesthetic thanks to its confrontational formal elements. Seminal groups like Neurosis and Isis built a template of harsh elegance decades ago that many contemporary bands, Cult of Luna, for instance, are happy to follow. Meanwhile, acts like Vile Creature, The Body, et al up the esoteric factor by injecting drone, noise, or electronics for downright disconcerting sonic textures. New York’s HUSH fall somewhere between these two approaches.” Suave sludge.

Bekor Qilish – Throes of Death from the Dreamed Nihilism Review

By Dear Hollow on June 17, 2022 in Reviews, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, Thrash Metal, 18 comments

“Consisting of Italian vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Andrea Bruzzone and company, Bekor Qilish offers its debut Throes of Death from the Dreamed Nihilism. While it toes the line between full-length and EP at twenty-eight minutes, it manages to embody really fun “Voidhanger-core” to a tee.” Avant-guardians.

Serpent Ascending – Hyperborean Folklore Review

By Carcharodon on June 16, 2022 in Reviews, 10 comments

“Knocking about since 2008, Finland’s Serpent Ascending is the solo handiwork of Slugathor bassist Jarno Nurmi, formerly of Desecresy and Nerlich also. It wasn’t until 2016 that Nurmi released this project’s full-length debut, Aṇaṅku. A slab of blackened death metal in the vein of Desecresy and with more than a little Cruciamentum in the mix, Aṇaṅku packed a decent punch into its pleasingly trim 30-minute run. Another six years slithered by before the reptile resumed its climb to the surface, appearing now for second full-length outing Hyperborean Folklore.” Snakes on a fjord.

Yatra – Born into Chaos Review

By Maddog on June 14, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge, Sludge Metal, 10 comments

“Some bands insist on pushing envelopes, demanding listeners’ attention by challenging genre norms and breaking new ground. Yatra is not one of those bands. These Maryland natives had a prolific first few years, releasing a stoner doom debut in 2019 and following it up with two sludgy riff-fests in 2020. Their last album All Is Lost earned praise from our very own GardensTale, establishing Yatra as a lean mean sludge machine without reinventing any wheels. Its follow-up Born into Chaos promises a shift in sound, from the band’s stoner origins to no-frills death metal. As an avowed death metal lover, I couldn’t help but be intrigued.” Yatra, Yatra, Yatra…

Kreator – Hate Über Alles Review

By Steel Druhm on June 7, 2022 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 68 comments

“More than any notable thrash band of the 80s, Kreator dabbled in different styles, tweaked and retweaked their formula, sometimes to their detriment. 1992s Renewal tried to fuse hardcore and industrial elements into their thrash sound with wildly mixed results, and Endorama went for something like a goth metal style that was weird to say the least. In recent years they’ve been more restrained in their experimentation, incorporating doses of anthemic traditional metal into their sound. It’s been 5 years since Gods of Violence and the singles released for Hate Über Alles suggested Kreator had been bit by the experimentation bug once again.” Impact Kreator.

My Diligence – The Matter, Form and Power Review

By Huck N Roll on June 7, 2022 in Reviews, Progressive Rock, Stoner Rock, 8 comments

“Allow me to be contrite for a moment. Three and a half years ago I casually dropped a 3.5 rating on My Diligence’s second album, Sun Rose. I’m not too proud to tell you that, after circling back to the album many times since, I definitely had my overrating cap on. At best Sun Rose was a 3.0, more likely closer to a 2.5. But I was somehow smitten at the time and threw caution to the wind. I’ll admit it now: I was too enamored of the strong songs, and ignored the chaff. Now here we are with The Matter, Form and Power, and I am determined to approach this stoner-prog platter with open eyes and an even keel.”” Doom Diligence.

Orochen – Anthroposcenic Review

By Doom_et_Al on May 29, 2022 in Reviews, Post-Metal, 5 comments

“More than any other sub-genre of metal, post-metal relies on weight. The long songs, the patient build-ups, the lack of typical song structure… these only work if there’s real momentum to guide them along. When you listen to the early pioneers of post-metal (Isis, Neurosis), their albums are experimental, but they’re also heavy as fuck. Even the bands that hew closer to the post-rock side of things (Sigur Rós, Godspeed You! Black Emperor) maintain a certain density because nothing kills the “post-whatever” vibe more than inertia. Except perhaps progressive righteousness. Which brings us to Orochen.” Call the Orochen, man.