3.0

Battle Beast – Bringer of Pain Review

By Steel Druhm on February 13, 2017 in 2017, Finnish Metal, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 69 comments

“Five years ago Battle Beast flattened me with a 50-ton cheese smoother called Steel. In the years since that righteous lactose lullaby, it’s safe to say the band and I had our share of problem. I was less than enthused with their eponymous follow-up and even less keen on 2015s Unholy Savior. It felt like the band was searching for a new direction somewhere between the throwback 80s cheddar of the debut and radio-ready hair metal, and like Beth’s absentee ex-boyfriend, they just couldn’t find the sound.” 50 shades of Beast.

Crystal Viper – Queen of the Witches Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on February 8, 2017 in 2017, AFM Records, Heavy Metal, Polish Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 63 comments

“Before we begin, there is something that needs saying: Marta Gabriel kicks ass. And not because of Crystal Viper’s newest album, Queen of the Witches. No, she’s ruled since her first note on 2007’s The Curse of Crystal Viper. This may not be news to Viper fans, but someone needed to put it in writing.” And the Doctor is just the Medical Deviate to do it!

Nidingr – The High Heat Licks Against Heaven Review

By Grymm on February 3, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Indie Recordings, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 19 comments

“Teloch is one busy dude. When he’s not busy touring with Myrkur or writing and playing guitar for Mayhem, the Norwegian guitarist juggles his seemingly-limitless time between NunFuckRitual, The Konsortium, and a handful of other bands. One of these bands happens to be Nidingr. It has been five long years since Greatest of Deceivers terrorized our eardrums, and the time is right for some fresh-out-of-the-oven blasphemy.” Hot upside-down cross buns for all!

Hadal Maw – Olm Review

By Saunders on February 2, 2017 in 2017, Australian Metal, EVP Recordings, Groove Metal, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, Groove Metal, Technical Death Metal, 13 comments

“Melbourne’s Hadal Maw made waves in the Australian metal scene with their Senium debut in 2014. Although the album exhibited the band’s considerable potential through a frenetic blast of noisy tech-death, the compositions and production left ample room for improvement.” Has the improvement room been accessed?

Overkill – The Grinding Wheel Review

By Steel Druhm on February 1, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, 125 comments

“If thrash was an actual school, Slayer would sit off in the corner glaring at everyone and carving pentagrams in the desks, while Anthrax cracked jokes and drew penises on their textbooks (dick jokes, man). In this delicate metal ecosystem, there’s little doubt Overkill would play the role of school bully, gleefully dealing out wedgies, swirlies and the dreaded Rear Admiral with pugnacious glee.” Lunch money. Give it!

KforKill – The World is Broken Review

By Treble Yell on January 31, 2017 in 2017, Danish Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Death Metal, 18 comments

“KforKill is either one of the most on-the-nose monikers for a death metal band you’ve ever seen or a segment on Sesame Street devised by a writer trying desperately to get fired. In this case it’s the former and as a mechanism for establishing listener expectations it does an effective job of priming you for what’s to come. It did get me thinking: can this rudimentary but direct approach to band names be applied to other styles? Black metal? CforCorpsepaint. Speed? BforBulletbelts. Power metal? DforDon’tbotherwastingyourtime.” That’s cold, man.

Tomb Mold – Primordial Malignity Review

By Steel Druhm on January 31, 2017 in 2017, Blood Harvest Records, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 20 comments

“Formed by Max Klebanoff and Derrick Vella, this two-man project is steeped in the gutter filth of Autopsy and Disma, but also pays grisly homage to the worst angels of Swe-death and Finn-death.” Don the hazmat suit and prepare to get sticky.

Au Champ Des Morts – Dans La Joie Review

By Zephyrus on January 28, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Debemur Morti, French Metal, Reviews, Shoegaze, 8 comments

“Enter the grievous, brooding Au Champs Des Morts. Their debut album, Dans la Joie, landed in my lap a few weeks past and has kept me occupied with its gloomy sensibilities ever since. Think Alcest if Neige woke up to find all his precious forests and trees clear-cut overnight. An unhappy man he would be, and that’s pretty much what Dans la Joie is; moody, depressive, poignant and French.” Embrace the trees and have a good cry.

Ghost Avenue – Impact Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on January 26, 2017 in 2017, Heavy Metal, Norwegian Metal, Pitch Black Records, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 16 comments

“It goes without saying that to enjoy music reviewing, you have to also enjoy the discovery and research of an album just as much as writing about it. And that doesn’t mean just the good records from your favorite bands. It means every album you get your hands on. But, even if I could review just the good records and albums from my favorite groups, I’m not sure I would want to. I have to say, while I love reviewing records from my go-to groups, there’s something fun and stress-free about grabbing a record from an unknown band. It’s like watching the World Series between two teams you don’t care about.” Zero drama metal.

Black Anvil – As Was Review

By Mark Z. on January 15, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, 15 comments

“Black Anvil is one of those bands you always expect to break through on their next record. Formed in 2007 by members of New York hardcore act Kill Your Idols, the black metal quartet’s 2009 debut Time Insults the Mind and 2010 follow-up Triumvirate initially seemed poised to break the group out of the underground with their infusion of Watain-style riffing into a sweaty hardcore aesthetic.” Is this when the Anvil cracks through?