2.5

Abhoria – Depths Review

By Holdeneye on January 22, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, 31 comments

“In case you haven’t figured it out by now, music critics are generally complete morons. We listen to music, feel some feelings, think some thoughts, and then write some words, all the while thinking that our opinions might actually matter to anyone besides ourselves. In fact, we often times don’t even agree with our own opinions when given enough time and distance from when and where we originally formed them. Case in point: my review of Abhoria’s self-titled debut record, in which I nitpicked that the almost uniformly aggressive nature of the songs made the tracks blend together a bit” Reviews are for suckers.

Cariosus – Will, Until Beauty Review

By Dr. Wvrm on January 21, 2024 in Reviews, Deathcore, Melodic Death Metal, 27 comments

“Autopsying deathcore-inclined melodic death metal rarely turns up anything of note. The cause of death is obvious — a yawning void in the cranial cavity, with ink poisoning in the neck as a contributing factor. What reviewer could be blamed for assuming the obvious of Will, Until Beauty, the debut full-length from Chicago duo Cariosus? What a surprise then that further inspection has turned up a record that not only has grey matter intact, but has half a heartbeat too!” Heartcoreworks.

Distances – Abstruse Review

By Dear Hollow on January 18, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Groove Metal, Post-Metal, 17 comments

“In 2013, I attended a concert in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with hopes of seeing Intronaut and Scale the Summit. However, because I’m a good little Hollow, I decided to stop in for the openers. The youth center in which this was played was scrawled with graffiti in the dim lighting, and the stage was a makeshift affair about a foot or less off the ground, and a row of beaten couches comprised the seating. When I was welcomed into the concert area, Albuquerque quartet (at the time) Distances came up, a band whose numbers rivaled the audience members. There we stood, bobbing our heads to a post-metal sound whose colossal quality blew the roof off the shady little venue.” From youth center to center stage.

Sea of Consciousness – Sea of Consciousness Review

By Eldritch Elitist on January 11, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 23 comments

“Credit where credit is due: Sea of Consciousness might be the first band outside of Napalm Records-core to don color-coordinated robes, and I think that’s just kinda neat. It’s further refreshing to see this band releasing their unsigned debut in January, rather than in the slaughterhouse of the autumn pre-awards season. I’d like to think Sea of Consciousness realizes that an early-year release gives them a larger platform by default.” Into the depths of metaldom.

Domination Campaign – A Storm of Steel Review

By Carcharodon on January 11, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 37 comments

“When it comes to war as inspiration in metal there are, broadly speaking, two approaches. There is the Sabaton school, which applies a sort of glossy sheen to its subject matter, making war an almost glorious pursuit. The second might be referred to as the Kanonenfieber college, at which the likes of 1914 are also students, which draws on, and seeks to convey, the true horrors of war. Tasmanian duo Domination Campaign are applying to the latter institution, with their second studio album A Storm of Steel.” War support.

Abduction – Toutes Blessent La Dernière Tue Review

By Thus Spoke on November 29, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 26 comments

“I have been known to say that metal is (probably) the only area where I strongly believe that being French indicates quality. Black and post-black metal particularly, with Alcest, Regarde Les Hommes Tomber, Vous Autres, and Blut Aus Nord amongst my personal favorites. None of those acts really have anything in common with Abduction, though, besides the band members’ first language. Also not to be confused with the UK atmospheric black metal act of the same name, Abduction’s style strikes a balance between the frostiness of second-wave, the medieval melodic bent of Véhémence and the wistful folkiness of Cân Bardd.” French style.

冷 – 日落 Review

By Kenstrosity on November 27, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Symphonic Metal, 26 comments

“Rare is the promo we receive for extreme metal out of Taiwan, save for the odd gross slam record. Naturally, getting any promo from a region not particularly well known in the West for their burgeoning metal scene draws the eye, and mine eye was surely drawn. Enter 冷 (translated into the Latin alphabet as Laang), a melodic black metal outfit from Keelung City.” Rare and unusual.

Temic – Terror Management Theory Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on November 26, 2023 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, 46 comments

“While certain sectors of the metalsphere have to watch out for band members sporting certain unsavory worldviews or taking out aggression on spouses and such, the worst we usually encounter with prog band members is an (un)healthy case of extreme narcissism. So, we settle then often for the drama of a band suddenly seeing members vacate to form new projects, like Mike Portnoy and his on-again off-again Dream Theater play, or the long-drawn release from Obscura-born Obsidious. The new super(ish) group Temic is born of such an upending, with former keys maestro Diego Tejeida relinquishing his long-held seat with Haken for proggier pastures.” Group and super group.

Æolian – Echoes of the Future Review

By Mystikus Hugebeard on November 24, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 32 comments

“It’s difficult to fully articulate why I feel so strongly about Spain’s melodic death metallers Æolian. I stumbled upon their debut album Silent Witness shortly after its release in 2018, and while I saw lots of potential in their aggressive take on melodeath, Silent Witness ultimately left me unimpressed to the point that I ended up passing over their 2020 release The Negationist. So when Æolian’s name appeared within the promo sump, why did I feel such hope that this time, this time Æolian would nail it?” Hope and reality.

Bloodphemy – Dawn of Malevolence Review

By Saunders on November 21, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 8 comments

“So here we are again. End-of-year shenanigans are nearly upon us, as we AMG folk get geared up and frantically weed out the pretenders and consolidate our end-of-year lists for what is sure to be another actioned-packed and contentious edition of Listurnalia. But let us not get too carried away. Although the primo releases start to dry up as we close in on December, there are usually a handful or more of key releases to fuck up your list preparations. Enter Netherlands band, Bloodphemy.” List breaker or list faker?