2022

Record(s) o’ the Month – March 2023

By Angry Metal Guy on April 1, 2023 in Blog Posts, 201 comments

As things have gotten busier and I’ve struggled with a lot of different things, it’s true that there is a burdensome aspect to being the guy who’s always doing the Record(s) o’ the Month. This year, I tried to approach this differently. I intended to use Zadion’s stupid fucking comment as the kind of bulletin board material that keeps motivating a guy to keep playing even when he’s on the verge of retirement due to his bum knee and a skyrocketing K-rate. But the “diabolical façade” cannot march on.

Dystopia A.D. – Doomsday Psalm [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By GardensTale on February 19, 2023 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 21 comments

“Boy, did we miss this one. I reviewed Dystopia A.D.’s Rise of the Merciless back in 2020 and very nearly awarded the band a 4.0. I chanced upon that review doomscrolling through my writing history and was struck with curiosity whether anything else was in the pipeline. But no, the pipeline had already shat out a very fine self-produced album in early December, polished by the artwork of the ever-productive Adam Burke no less.” Missing Dystopia.

Atomwinter – Sakrileg Review

By Carcharodon on February 8, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 14 comments

“Walking the line between old school death metal and blackened speed-thrash, Atomwinter are barely fucking around. I say ‘barely’, rather than ‘not’, because there is the obligatory one-minute instrumental opener to skip on Sakrileg. The album would’ve opened far stronger had the band just ripped straight into “Ov Blood and Flesh,” which tells us immediately that these guys have listened to a lot of early Incantation and taken that as their creative starting point.” Up and Atom.

Orphique – Consécration Cadavérique [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Felagund on January 29, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 9 comments

“Consécration Cadavérique is a relatively brief album, clocking in at just over 38 minutes, but that’s across only five tracks, meaning it boasts both a tight runtime and lengthy compositions. I generally avoid the latter in my black metal, as trem-heavy, blast-beaten repetition can quickly grow tiresome, my mind begins to wander and the unrelenting wall of sound quickly becomes indecipherable background noise. Yet Orphique make it work.” Long and short of it.

Nothingness – Supraliminal Review

By Felagund on January 24, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 152 comments

“Does a new year mean new pursuits? New ideas and new beginnings? Who cares? For me, a new year just means more death metal. As such, I’m starting 2023 off the way our forefathers intended: with a smattering of muck and more than a glaze of grime. With this being my goal, I figured I couldn’t go wrong with the sophomore album from Nothingness, a Minneapolis-based quintet who know how to craft a riff almost as competently as they can choose an album cover.” And Nothingness matters.

Sammale – Sammale Review

By Carcharodon on January 23, 2023 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 10 comments

“Sammale—not to be confused with Sammal, which I also reviewed—is the brainchild of Zannibal, the guy behind Paisaunt and the guitarist, and primary songwriter, for Marrasmieli.” Sam’s club.

Siberian Tusk – Reapers By Trade Review

By Crispy Hooligan on January 22, 2023 in Reviews, Stoner Rock, 4 comments

“Siberian Tusk’s sound certainly owes much to stoner rock progenitors like Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age, but even more so to Audioslave. While Siberian Tusk’s promo material emphasizes a punk aesthetic, it doesn’t translate to the band’s sound. No, this cocktail is an alternative base with several dashes of butt rock bitters.” Tusken raiders.

Nostromo – Bucephale [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Dear Hollow on January 17, 2023 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Groove Metal, Metalcore, Thrash Metal, 26 comments

“The onslaught of sound that constitutes Bucephale can be overwhelming. Nostromo lays it on thick, a grind-influenced classic metalcore gallop with thrash and groove for good measure, riffs curb-stomping and pummeling with little reprieve.” Stampede of anger.

Har Shatan – Manum Inicere Alicui Review

By Thus Spoke on January 15, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 36 comments

“The last time Har Shatan released an album, I barely knew what black metal was. Solo project of enigmatic Zepar, it has been radio silence from them for almost fifteen years. Whether it was long-gestating concepts, or a more sudden flash of inspiration, something prompted a re-emergence. I couldn’t tell you what that is, however. Not only because I lack a lyric sheet, but also because Manum Inicere Alicui does not speak musically of anything more profound or interesting than another one-man black metal album, albeit, a well-played one.” Back from beyond.

Ósserp – Els nous cants de la Sibil·la [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Kenstrosity on January 14, 2023 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Death Metal, Grind, 8 comments

“Look at how fucking cute that hydra-bear thing is! I want to give it so many pets and cuddles that it dies from feeling too loved. Unfortunately, such creatures are but a myth, and I shall never know the multi-faced adoration of an adorable lil’ hydra, strong enough to carry me all the way to that ringed planet in the background. Instead, I’ll settle for telling the masses about this grimy, fucked up deathgrind slab by Barcelona quintet Ósserp, entitled Els nous cants de la Sibil·la.” Hail Hydra.