2023

Triumpher – Storming the Walls [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

By Kenstrosity on December 21, 2023 in Things You Might Have Missed 2023, Black Metal, Epic Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 41 comments

“As a sponge, I am not usually picky about what music I absorb. I often find my way to liking anything if it clicks the right boxes. For some reason, though, I’m pickiest about traditional heavy metal, both classic and modern. I rarely like anything that falls under the stock “heavy” umbrella, instead preferring things that are hybridized with other, more extreme fare. Luckily for me, Triumpher are here to help raise my sword to full might with their immense, astoundingly compelling debut Storming the Walls, released in March of this year.” Triumph of the swordcore.

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö: Thunderon – Beyond the Glow

By Dolphin Whisperer on December 20, 2023 in Angry Metal Guy's Unsigned Band Rodeo, Doom Metal, Hard Rock, Stoner Metal, 12 comments

“AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeö” is a time-honored tradition to showcase the most underground of the underground—the unsigned and unpromoted. This collective review treatment continues to exist to unite our writers in boot or bolster of the bands who remind us that, for better or worse, the metal underground exists as an important part of the global metal scene. The Rodeö rides on.” Thunderon the tundra.

Lunar Chamber – Shambhallic Vibrations [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

By El Cuervo on December 19, 2023 in Things You Might Have Missed 2023, 56 comments

“If you were to describe “things that are up El Cuervo’s tree,” progressive death metal with Buddhist themes running for only 30 minutes would be quite high up. Such was the promise of Shamhallic Vibrations by Lunar Chamber. Fortunately, the quality matched – even exceeded – my expectations. I had thought this was a full-length but it was only as I was preparing this article that I noticed it is pitched as an EP. Given its place on my AotY list and a longer-than-Reign in Blood duration, I was only too happy to prepare a proper write-up.” Up the tree and into the cosmos.

The Night Eternal – Fatale [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

By Steel Druhm on December 19, 2023 in Things You Might Have Missed 2023, Heavy Metal, 49 comments

“Sometimes we get a promo and for whatever reason, it languishes in the sump unloved and unexplored, and later on we find out we missed a real gem and feel collective shame. Other times we just don’t get the promo at all. The latter was the issue with Fatale, the sophomore outing by German goth/heavy/occult metal act The Night Eternal.” Fatale if swallowed.

Presenting Mrs. Ramsbottom’s Second Grade Class Christmas Recital, Starring Tarja, as Described by Liam Collins, Age Seven

By Cherd on December 18, 2023 in Reviews, Symphonic Metal, 120 comments

“Hi, I’m Liam. I’m backstage right now because we’re doing a Christmas recital tonight. Everyone in my class is in it except for the Horowitz twins. Ezra and Esther don’t have to for some reason. Our music teacher Mrs. Ramsbottom was supposed to be here too but one of her organs blew up and she had to go to the hospital. It’s called an appendix and I’ve got one inside me too but my Mom says mine is ok and probably won’t blow up. Mrs. Ramsbottom was going to play the piano and we were going to sing but when she got sick we got a substitute teacher. Her name is Miss Tarja.” A night at the school opera.

Sworn – A Journey Told Through Fire [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

By Carcharodon on December 18, 2023 in Things You Might Have Missed 2023, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 45 comments

“Hailing from Bergen, Norway,Sworn have been toiling away in relative anonymity since 2005. Two early, and frankly unremarkable, records were followed by a nine-year gap before the release of 2018’s very good, Dark Stars and Eternity. Melodic black metal with a ton of atmosphere, and sounding more Finnish than Norwegian for much of its run, the album was only really hampered by a slightly questionable mix. There is no question, however, that it represented a real step up in quality for the quartet when compared to their first two outings. Scroll forward to July this year and, still unsigned, Sworn dropped their fourth LP, A Journey Told through Fire.” The fire still burns.

Malokarpatan – Vertumnus Caesar [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

By Dr. A.N. Grier on December 17, 2023 in Things You Might Have Missed 2023, Black Metal, Heavy Metal, 37 comments

‘I don’t know about the rest of you, but work has been a fucking bear this year. Since starting tenish years ago, 2023 might be my lowest contribution to the site. It also caused me to miss a lot of great records I was looking forward to. Thank the sweet metal lord that we have TYMHM. And this one is special.”

Megaton Leviathan – Magick Helmet Review

By Dear Hollow on December 16, 2023 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Noise, Psychedelic Rock, 19 comments

“Look, I love drone. I love getting lost in the swaths of noise and soundscapes that pervade its classics, as albums like Earth’s Earth 2, Sunn O)))’s Black One, and Boris’ Flood offer otherworldly and mammoth wilderness to explore. Riffs don’t offer adrenaline, but mountains instead, while vocals and percussion, if there are any, are the last semblance of humanity amid the utter saturation of sound. Its utter overwhelm of sound makes it controversial, its void of relatability offers little reprieve, and its slow depiction of devastation is hypnotic. All that to say, while I was maybe hoping for the next Holy Fawn with Megaton Leviathan’s talk of shoegaze, drone, and doom, I don’t know what the fuck to make of Magick Helmet.” All noise, no sword.

Omnerod – The Amensal Rise [Things You Might Have Missed 2023]

By Kenstrosity on December 15, 2023 in Things You Might Have Missed 2023, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 47 comments

“Sometimes a record takes its sweet time worming its way into my brain. Other times, a record drills into me with the immediacy of a bolt of lightning. Omnerod’s sophomore full-length, The Amnesal Rise, did a little bit of both to me in 2023. Released back in May, this immense, intense slab of dramatic progressive death metal slowly crept into my skin, but the infection it carried was virulent. I found myself feverishly affected by its horrific tale, and while it took me a while before I returned, once I did, there was no escape.” Bugs on a balloon.