2022

New Blood, Same Bad Taste: The AMG Staff Pick Their Top Ten(ish) Records o’ 2022

By Steel Druhm on December 26, 2022 in Blog Posts, Lists, 267 comments

The AMG staff have spoken. It’s not pretty.

Have a Mërry Little AMG Christmäs Again

By Steel Druhm on December 25, 2022 in Blog Posts, 80 comments

The holiday spirit is a poltergeist, so drink something noggy and join us as we sing about this special day.

Otoboke Beaver – Super Champon [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Grymm on December 24, 2022 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Punk, 17 comments

“It never ceases to bum me out when people will champion (rightfully, I may add) one band for their characteristically wacky, zany antics and tight musicianship, but somehow let another, similar experience slide through the cracks. Case in point: we here at The Church of the Metal Guy of Angry have our fair share of Beaten To Death fans, and it’s not hard to see why. Their off-beat harmonies, blast-happy histrionics, and hilarious song titles won over a number of our jaded, blackened hearts in no time. That said, not many of us can say the same for (or at least listened to) the quirky, bubbly, and yet utterly batshit insane stylings of Kyoto’s Otoboke Beaver.” Leave it to Beaver.

A Cherdmas Carol: Brojob – A Very Deathcore Christmas, Archeopteryx – A Very Blackened Christmas, and One Hell of a Christmas – Horrific Holiday Music for the Jaded Masses, Vol 1 Reviews

By Cherd on December 24, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, Deathcore, Heavy Metal, 47 comments

“That night in my bedchambers, I had just changed into my dressing gown and settled before the fireplace when a song began playing, faintly, but growing louder until, alarmed, I recognized it as “The Hammer” by Skelator. “How?!” I cried. “Such drivel in my house?!” Just then, a ghostly apparition burst into the room and strut about like a pro wrestler winding up the crowd. I shuddered, for I knew its face.” Right in the Dickens!

Septicflesh – Modern Primitive [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By GardensTale on December 23, 2022 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, 45 comments

“This article fits its category perfectly and not at all. On the one hand, Septicflesh is a household name in symphonic death metal and most of you won’t have missed that they released a new album this year. On the other hand, there has been little to no fanfare surrounding its release. No promo in our inbox, no chatter on the lines. It wasn’t until the following weekend had passed that I chanced upon it, did a double take, and took to the Hall to announce my discord about completely missing Modern Primitive, one of the biggest symphodeath releases of the year.” Septicflesh is back on the menu, boys!

Darkthrone – Astral Fortress [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Steel Druhm on December 22, 2022 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, 85 comments

“Darkthrone is the only early-days black metal band that’s kept me interested through the decades. In times when I care little for the vast majority of black metal releases, I’ll always give a new Darkthrone album a fair shake. That’s because over their 36-year career, Nocturno Culto and Fenriz always embraced change and took more risks than a degenerate gambler at a no-limits poker table in Macau.” Olde, colde, bolde.

Zeal & Ardor – Zeal & Ardor [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Doom_et_Al on December 21, 2022 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Black Metal, 44 comments

“Zeal & Ardor have always been a band of “buts” (with only one “t”!): individual songs have been great but previous albums haven’t quite coalesced into a consistent whole. The live show is fantastic but the energy is lost in the recording studio (compare the scintillating live performance of “Baphomet”—with its classic “Right hand up! Left hand down!” chorus—to the tame studio version). Their schtick of combining slave gospel with black metal is great but it’s also limited in its options and will become overdone soon. Which meant a great deal rode on their third album, Zeal & Ardor. Was the band going to fulfill its promise, or remain an interesting, if flawed, mishmash? A “but” band, if you will?” But rock.

Cherd’s Raw Black Metal Muster [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Cherd on December 20, 2022 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Black Metal, 71 comments

“There are two types of people in this world: those who appreciate raw black metal, and those who live fulfilling lives with friends and careers and family who speak to them at holiday gatherings. I’ve declared my love of raw black metal here before, and since the advent of Bandcamp, the kvltest of all metal genres has become infinitely more accessible. Every year I wade through acres of tape hiss and tinny treble, looking for the half dozen or so raw black releases that rise above the buzzing tangle of cobwebs to rarified, putrid air, and this year, I’ve finally decided to document my findings.” Colonel Muster in the basement with a spiked club.

The Chasm – The Scars of a Lost Reflective Shadow [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Steel Druhm on December 20, 2022 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Death Metal, 27 comments

“The Chasm have achieved legendary cult status in the death metal universe. Bursting on the scene way back in 1992, this Mexican act essentially took the blueprint from Possessed’s Seven Churches, slapped some early Mayhem insanity on top, and off they went into the swirling madness. An album from The Chasm is guaranteed to throw more wild riffs at you than a sane mind can process and you will be battered and bewildered by the twists and turns their trademark style takes.” Where the wild riffs grow.

Gloson – The Rift [Things You Might Have Missed 2022]

By Maddog on December 19, 2022 in Things You Might Have Missed 2022, Post-Metal, Sludge, 27 comments

“Most sludge is boring. Repeating chords for an hour doesn’t make you ISIS, just like playing a 16-string guitar at 65,536 bpm doesn’t make you Archspire. Excellent post-metal requires even more self-control than other genres, since it needs to be repetitive but not dull, simple but not lazy, and creative but not flashy. Enter Gloson.” High glos.