2010

Ihsahn – After Review

Ihsahn – After Review

By Angry Metal Guy on January 12, 2010 in 2010, 4.0, Black Metal, Candlelight, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, 8 comments

Easily one of the most anticipated records of 2010 for me has been Ihsahn’s new offering. While I was a passing Emperor fan, really just a fan of In the Nightside Eclipse and Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk-era, I was taken by Ihsahn’s solo stuff. The Adversary felt fresh, progressive enough, a step away from the later Emperor material of which I wasn’t a fan, and it captured the sonic styles and textures that he was never quite allowed to explore while in Emperor. The record didn’t stick with me as I had hoped, while I listened to it occasionally it didn’t hold a steadfast position in my discography. On the other hand, angL blew me away. Probably the finest record of 2008, angL has maintained a steady place in the rotation and is a record that I’ve showed to dozens of people. Perfectly produced, perfectly composed and smartly written, angL contained everything that I wanted out of a new progressive metal record. So, of course, when I heard that Ihsahn would be releasing a new record in 2010, I became justifiably excited.

Annotations of an Autopsy – The Reign of Darkness Review

Annotations of an Autopsy – The Reign of Darkness Review

By Angry Metal Guy on January 10, 2010 in 2.5, 2010, Death Metal, Deathcore, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Death Metal, Deathcore, 2 comments

Every once in a while a record just jumps out at you and kicks your ass every which way. The originality, the brutality, everything that you want from death metal just hits you right in the face and leaves you dazed, but pleased. The Reign of Darkness, the sophomore release of UK death metallers (or deathcorers if you read the interwebs, though I’m inclined to just call this death metal) is not one of those records. And while it can be very difficult to write about just how good a band is or how bad a band is, I find the most difficult reviews to write the ones where you have to say “I don’t like it, but you might if this is your thing.”

Orphaned Land – The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR Review

Orphaned Land – The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR Review

By Angry Metal Guy on January 8, 2010 in 2010, 5.0, Century Media, Folk Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Folk Metal, Progressive Death, 9 comments

Few bands will ever make their own mark on a genre of music. it’s just a statistical rarity. Someone once told me that there are something like 5 million bands on MySpace, if that gives you an idea of the breadth which exists when one is thinking in terms of how many musicians there are out there. Of those, most of them probably last longer than a year, never produce much of a demo much less get signed to a real label, and how many ever produce a real step forward into a new decade with a statement of great things to come? The chances of becoming a professional musician are basically NIL and then of the number that do, how many ever produce something that will be remembered and affect enough listeners to ever influence any? That number is even smaller. Orphaned Land is one of the few bands that will ever exact change in metal and they are doing so now with their new record The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR.

In Mourning – Monolith Review

In Mourning – Monolith Review

By Angry Metal Guy on December 23, 2009 in 2010, 5.0, Doom Metal, Progressive Death, Pulverised Records, Swedish Metal, Doom Metal, 5 comments

In 2008 the underground was taken by storm by a little-known Swedish progressive death metal band called In Mourning that released a tour de force entitled Shrouded Divine. A powerful combination of melodic death metal, Opeth-y style progressive bits and death metal with just a touch of core (trust me, just a touch), they were ranked highly on many year end lists and, frankly, left a bit of an impression on this Angry Metal Guy. See, there is life past Opeth in Swedish progressive metal, something that I had been coming to doubt. In Mourning managed to put out a record that had all of the great heaviness and thickness that one wants in a death metal record, while still managing to keep the haunting progressive parts fresh and interesting. The question is can they keep it up? Is it possible that they’re able to follow up such a lauded record with something even better?

Borknagar Details Revealed!

Borknagar Details Revealed!

By Angry Metal Guy on November 26, 2009 in 2010, Blog Posts, Indie Recordings, 0 comments

Well, apparently this is another two (or possibly three if you count Gravisphere) Andreas Hedlund (Vintersorg, Otyg, Havayoth, etc.) record year. The first of the year will be the February 22nd release of Universal by Borknagar! Yes, yes, yes! I’m very interested to hear this album, as the stuff that I’ve heard thus far has been fantastic.

Blaze Bayley Tour Dates and Release Information

Blaze Bayley Tour Dates and Release Information

By Angry Metal Guy on November 18, 2009 in 2010, Blog Posts, 0 comments

More information on Blaze Bayley’s 2010 release Promise and Terror were released today including some tour dates! The new album will be released on the first of February (01-Feb-2010) and will be available on the band’s website for presale as of the 1st of December! Each pre-ordered copy will be signed by the band.

New Blaze Bayley Record

By Angry Metal Guy on November 3, 2009 in 2010, Blog Posts, 0 comments

Blaze Bayley has a new record on the way and as of today the band has released more information about it. Here’s something from the official presser about it: Former Iron Maiden/Wolfsbane frontman Blaze Bayley has set “Promise and Terror” as the title of his new album, tentatively due on February 1, 2010. The CD […]