“Undead are the next logical step in “unknown” bands. Undead throw us a small curveball by not referring to any member as anything, not revealing their location, and generally keeping tight-lipped about everything online.” Mystery is in the air and it smells like…death.
“The Grymm Grab Bag© can be quite the two-sided beast of a backpack when utilized. For every moment when I pull out a gem by a promising band, I get two or three that end up closer to this. Forever undaunted (or just plain stupid), I once again reach into the bag of unknown-to-me goodies hoping to not get struck like that poor sap in Flash Gordon, and I am presented with The Comfort of Loss & Dust, the third album by London’s Cold in Berlin.” Reach into the bag of mystery and squeeze!
“Transport yourself if you will to the outer reaches of planet Aegis VII. A routine mining operation’s in progress with the situation fast souring. The year is 2508 and our story opens up with the USG Ishimura as it sends out an ominous distress signal to the Concordance Extraction Corporation (CEC)… I’ve misled you, this is not an overdue review of that Dead Space.” Nerd Alert!
“It can be a herculean challenge to replace a vocalist synonymous with the core sound of a band. Judas Priest and Iron Maiden certainly couldn’t do it, but AC/DC and Accept managed it quite nicely. With Haven, album number two with “new” singer Tommy Karevik (Ayreon, Seventh Wonder) replacing Roy Khan, it seems safe to add Kamelot to the latter group.” Ready for some really classy metal? Tuck in your damn shirt!
“Readers already familiar with my preferences will recall that on multiple occasions I have referenced Ulcerate as both pioneers of the growing experimental and dissonant death metal trend and the most creative band since Meshuggah. Bold words indeed, (pun intended), but in truth, Ulcerate’s last three albums have been so excellent that I had to update the seal of approval I placed on them to a walrus.” Can Dawn of Azazel win such a prodigious stamp or do they earn the dreaded Frowny Face of Kronos.
“Sigh are on their tenth trip around the turntable and still spin at 45, since there isn’t a faster option. Graveward is their attempt to penetrate the monolithic shadow cast by In Somniphobia, an album so fantastically strange that it was a sidestep even by the standards of a band that defines the term “avant-garde”.” Sigh is a breath of fresh air.
“The Kontinuum… continues! Not to be confused with the tech death band Continuum reviewed here by Dr. A.N. Grier earlier in the week, Kontinuum are an Icelandic band that plays a multifarious blend of dreamwave and post-rock/metal with some inviting and interesting gothic undertones.” Is Iceland becoming the next Finland?
“The stoner doom warriors, led by vocalist/guitarist Lori S. finally returned to the studio after a self imposed hiatus following the release of their excellent III long player a decade ago. The result is this anticipated fourth full-length album, entitled Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere. So where do Acid King stand in 2015? Has a lengthy period of gestation resulted in a drastic detour from their long established and rarely tweaked formula?” Prolific they are not, but back they are.
“Yes, it’s French and it’s “avant-garde.” Again. Fortunately, when four-piece Chaos Echœs is concerned, that description isn’t a bad thing. Unlike some of their disappointing compatriots, these guys are the real deal.” Is it me or is it getting harder to disrespect the French these days?
“When the term ‘groove metal’ gets bandied about it usually conjures up negative thoughts about some third-rate Pantera ripoff (anyone remember Pissing Razors?) or something nu-related. I mention it here because it’s a term I’ve seen attached to the music of West Virginia’s Byzantine and such a label is ill-fitting for the versatile music the resilient modern metallers create.” Byzantine have a formula, and you guessed right, they’re gonna use it!
