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Traveler – Prequel to Madness Review

By Kenstrosity on February 22, 2024 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, 16 comments

“Calgary heavy metal five-piece Traveler received consistently favorable coverage from our beloved Huck n Roll since their self-titled debut dropped in 2019. With Huck‘s retirement just over a year ago, somehow Traveler ended up in the land ov Ken. While the hands of Steel are primed to wield this kind of heavy metal with grace, poise, and POWERS, rest assured that I am versatile, strong, and more than capable of handling these wares. Thus, Traveler’s imminent third launch Prequel to Madness earns a session in my court.” Madness meets Kenness.

Carnal Savagery – Into the Abysmal Void Review

By Felagund on February 21, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 23 comments

“I’m a sucker for a gnarly album cover. Give me a detailed image of a zombie, ghoul or otherwise undead creature holding a bladed instrument for use in committing appalling acts, and I’m a happy guy. It was this passion for putridity that led me to choose Into the Abysmal Void, the fifth album by Gothenburg, Sweden-based death metallers Carnal Savagery.” Void noids.

Dust Bolt – Sound & Fury Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on February 21, 2024 in Reviews, Groove Metal, Hard Rock, Thrash Metal, 55 comments

“As we’ve discussed countless times, the dreaded pandemic affected many bands and their music. In Dust Bolt’s case, the band decided to take that time away from record labels, concerts, and the noise of the business to rediscover themselves. The result is a reinvigoration, bringing back the excitement the band had when they first broke out on the scene. Brace yourselves.” Dust or bust.

Ember Belladonna – The Grove Review

By Mystikus Hugebeard on February 18, 2024 in Reviews, Folk Metal, 56 comments

“I was a clarinet player as a child, but I tried my absolute darndest to learn the flute for a time (5 minutes). I found the mouthpiece simply impossible to figure out, and I could only produce the sounds of pathetic, tinny flatulence. Moved on though I have, I’ve always loved the music of professional flute players. Thus was my interest piqued by Ember Belladonna, the moniker of one Emma Kramer-Rodger, a classically trained flutist from Saskatchewan, Canada.” Blowing in the wind.

Eternal Storm – A Giant Bound to Fall Review

By Cherd on February 16, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 136 comments

“I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: unless you make funeral doom, you probably don’t have a great reason for making a 70+ minute metal album. Yes, there are exceptions to every rule, like the Spectral Lore/Mare Cognitum double album a few years back. That one worked because A) the material, against the odds, kicked ass throughout, and B) the concept was to write an album about the whole goddamn solar system. It was cosmic in scale, literally. But for every Wanderers: Astrology of the Nine, there are 10 more Esoctrilihum records that I will never listen to, at this point on principle. In completely unrelated news, Spanish melodeath-ers Eternal Storm grace us this week with their highly anticipated second album, A Giant Bound to Fall. Thankfully, they keep their album length to a reasonable (checks notes)…oh dear.” Giant-sized Storm front.

The Obsessed – Gilded Sorrow Review

By Steel Druhm on February 14, 2024 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Hard Rock, 36 comments

“Every album we get from Scott “Wino” Weinrich at this stage of his career feels like playing with house money. As a living legend in the American doom scene, Wino had his fingerprints on so much music over the decades that trying to quantify it all can make your head spin. As the founder of early doom act The Obsessed in the 1970s, he helped shape the sound of the genre in America along with Pentagram, Trouble, and Saint Vitus.” Living backwards forever.

Blood Red Delusion – Ruthless Behaviour Review

By Kenstrosity on February 12, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 31 comments

“Riff-focused yet stuffed to the gills with exuberantly melodic leads, Blood Red Delusion’s second salvo strikes me as something fans of classic melodic death metal albums by In Flames and At the Gates—along with more modern records like Parasite Inc.’s Time Tears Down—might flock towards. Ruthless Behavior’s no-frills, no-nonsense, and aggressively death-metal-forward approach to the genre forgoes all traces of the sweeter and smoother caresses of lushly adorned modern melodic death metal records.” Blood and poor behavior.

Pestilength – Solar Clorex Review

By Dear Hollow on February 12, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, 23 comments

“Last we met the secretive Basque duo Pestilength, they had released their second full-length Basom Gryphos, an album that was appropriately slimy and punishing but fell by the wayside due to its scattershot compositions and unashamed Portal worship. Its potential was there, lurking beneath the surface like eldritch grandiosity yet to be awoken, but the right combination of incantations and blasphemies were needed to truly wreak havoc on mankind. In many ways, what Pestilength does is braver than dissodeath acts of similar ilk, refusing to shroud its riffs in murk or atmosphere and letting the chord progressions do the talking – putting added pressure on the string attack.” Clorexing the murk.

Morbid Saint – Swallowed by Hell Review

By Steel Druhm on February 9, 2024 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 65 comments

“Once upon a time, there was a little-known thrash act out of Wisconsin called Morbid Saint. They were nasty, savage, and uncompromising. They also had trouble getting attention from labels or recording a proper album. Instead of a finished studio product, they released their 1988 demo titled Spectrums of Death in 1990. It might not have been a polished recording, but it showcased their unrelenting aggression and warmongering fury. It went on to become an underground darling and its stature has grown over time. They attempted a follow-up outing in 1991-92 but once again never made it past the demo stage. That demo wasn’t made public until 2015, and by then it was little but a historical footnote. This record of frustrated ambitions is why it was a shock to see a promo from Morbid Saint in the crust muck of the sump.” Full Spectrum assault.

Byron – Chapter II: The Lotus Covenant Review

By Iceberg on February 8, 2024 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Occult Rock, 23 comments

“As metal spawns an ever-growing army of combo meals, sometimes it’s nice to go back to the basics. Finland’s Byron, previously reviewed here by our gone-but-not-forgotten Huck n’ Roll, peddle a brand of occult rock with dashes of NWoBHM. Led by drummer Johannes Lahti—styling himself as Byron V—the band has emerged four years after their debut The Omega Evangelion with follow-up Chapter II: The Lotus Covenant.” Tentacle tantrums.