2021

Alchemy of Flesh – Ageless Abominations Review

By Holdeneye on August 10, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, 68 comments

“I love video games. I may be a firefighter, powerlifter, former college football player, and two-time high school shot put state champion, but none of that has prevented me from also being a (literally and figuratively) huge nerd. I’ve spent countless hours questing through Hyrule, Cyrodil, Skyrim, and other Forgotten Realms, and I’ve conquered the world dozens of times thanks to the Civilization franchise. Heavy metal and video games are a match made in heaven and hell, so I was immediately intrigued by the promo for Alchemy of Flesh. The brainchild of one Tim Rowland, Alchemy of Flesh is a one-man death metal project devoted to gaming, movies, and nerdy literature.” Hammer smashed Fortnite.

Diskord – Degenerations Review

By Saunders on August 9, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, Experimental Metal, Progressive Metal, 37 comments

“Lovable Norwegian oddballs Diskord make their long awaited return with Degenerations, their third LP and first recorded output since 2014’s mind-bending Oscillations EP. Easily one of my most anticipated albums of 2021, long ago I fell hard for Diskord’s strange amalgam of old school death metal, experimental flair, and ability to crank out killer death tunes, chopped up with psychedelic and prog experiments. My first exposure was on their monumental 2012 LP Dystopics, an incredible album I consider a modern classic. However, as the years passed I began to wonder whether we would hear more from the band. Well the moment has arrived, Diskord fittingly popping up on the Transcending Obscurity roster to land another mindboggling clusterfuck of weird arse death.” Degenerate to evolve.

Rot Away – Nothing is Good Review

By Felagund on August 9, 2021 in Reviews, Hardcore, Thrash Metal, 20 comments

“It’s not controversial to say I miss shows. And while it seems there was a brief window where venues were opening back up, it looks like the next opportunity to catch an honest-to-god show won’t be until 2036, when each ticket comes with a complimentary hazmat suit. One thing that has increased my yearning for concerts over the past year and a half isn’t just the pandemic-induced down-tuned drought; it’s also reviewing bands that I know would be an absolute blast to catch live. Even if the score wasn’t particularly high, I can concede just how fun it would be to see that same band tear things up in person. Such is the case with Nothing is Good, the first album from Denmark-based metallic hardcore heathens Rot Away.” Aggressively rotting in a sick world.

Crypt Crawler – Future Usurper Review

By Steel Druhm on August 6, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, 22 comments

“Hailing from the same death metal scene as Depravity, Perth Australia’s Crypt Crawler are another interesting act seeking worldwide exposure. Their 2019 To the Grave debut was a simplistic, raw affair and offered some good, deathy fun. Future Usurper sees more polish and progressive tendencies worming into focus, blending the early days of Death’s proggy experimentation and more straight forward 90s death/thrash acts like Cancer and Malevolent Creation with modern sensibilities. Such an endeavor requires a significant talent pool and luckily, the members of Crypt Crawler have the requisite chops.” Crawlers in the throne room.

Stuck in the Filter – July’s Angry Misses

By Steel Druhm on August 6, 2021 in Blog Posts, Stuck in the Filter, 90 comments

“The AMG filters were especially clogged and occluded during July, and it took a team of stalwart waste engineers to get the system flowing properly again. Just take a gander at the interesting gunk that ended up in the outflow pile. It might smell bad, but it sounds pretty decent. Wash your hands.”

Decrepisy – Emetic Communion Review

By Steel Druhm on August 5, 2021 in Reviews, Death Metal, 22 comments

“A foot firmly stuck in thick, rancid muck. A foot that can only be wrenched free with herculean effort. An effort inevitably resulting in a loss of balance and a fall into aforementioned muck, hopelessly entrapping oneself. Death finds all men, and this increasingly dire scenario is akin to experiencing the filthy cavern-core offered by Decrepisy on their Emetic Communion debut. A group featuring members of Vastum, Funebrarum, and Ascended Dead, Decepisy is heavily steeped in the ways of vile, ghastly death and they inhabit the same sewer pipes as grimy greats like Incantation.” Taste the outflow.

Nothing Noble – Modern Dismay Review

By Dear Hollow on August 5, 2021 in Reviews, Djent, Metalcore, 8 comments

“I’m not sure how everyone got their start with metal, but there had to be a bit of a transition to the more extreme stuff, unless you eat nails for breakfast while listening to Cryptopsy’s None So Vile. Unlike you sausage or oatmeal or vegemite shippers who are descended from the yesteryears of heavy, thrash, or doom, I enjoy my eggs with my bacon: my origins of Christian metalcore a la Demon Hunter, Haste the Day, and Oh Sleeper stick with me. While metalcore has not been the kindest to me thus far in 2021, I’m always rooting for any that may wander across my lap like a feral kitten. Is Nothing Noble available for adoption?” Dismay Day.

Dimman – Songs and Tales of Grievance Review

By Twelve on August 4, 2021 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 24 comments

“There’s something refreshing about looking at an album cover and not having any idea what you’re supposed to be seeing, but knowing exactly what you’re meant to feel. Bleak, muted despairing agony radiates from the succinctly-titled Songs and Tales of Grievance, and that was always going to be hard for me to pass up. The artist is Dimman, a Finnish sextet, and this is, as far as I can tell, their first release under this moniker. Peddling modern melodic death metal, the band’s approach is a familiar one, assured and confident despite the album’s debut status.” The airing of grievances will now commence.

Netherbird – Arete Review

By Doom_et_Al on August 4, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 34 comments

“If you look up the phrase “almost great” online, you’re likely to see a picture of Swedish band, Netherbird. These guys having been kicking around since 2004, and have released several quality albums without ever quite reaching the level of “Oh yeah, I know those guys!” in the metal world. If Netherbird were a person, they’d be that fun dude at the party you enjoy hanging out with, but don’t really remember until the next time you see him again. And then you have to ask the host to remind you of his name.” Birds of a nether.

King Woman – Celestial Blues Review

By Cherd on August 3, 2021 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, Sludge, 41 comments

“King Woman hit the metal world in 2017 with debut album Created In the Image of Suffering to relatively high praise, both from metal sites and the Pitchfork/NPR corners of metal coverage. At the time I even saw it on a few of the more mainstream metal site year end lists. Personally, I found it…pretty OK. You all know me to be a shill for sludgy doom who doesn’t mind the stoner/psych side of things, and that was squarely what Created In the Image of Suffering was, albeit with a slightly more indie enchantress spin thanks to principle member Kristina Esfandiari. While the Iranian born, California raised Esfandiari certainly has a distinctly captivating voice, I found the first King Woman album solid, but falling short of the hype.” Hype and high potential.