3.5

Crimson Swan – Unlit Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 15, 2015 in 2015, Doom Metal, German Metal, Gothic Metal, Quality Steel Records, Reviews, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 39 comments

“Crimson Swan is a German atmospheric funeral doom band from Hamburg, Germany. With one EP under their belt from 2012, Unlit marks the band’s full-length debut. Readers of this site are likely aware that funeral doom and I rarely see eye-to-eye. My case of Angry Metal Attention Deficit Disorder™ is well-documented and as a general rule records that don’t pop out speedy tracks littered with engaging virtuoso performances or progressive wankery send me out to do what Steel Druhm calls kindly ‘moss gazing.'” Can these novice German doom metallers strike that special chord in Angry Metal Guy’s heart? Or is he doomed to hours worth of moss gazing and boredom?

A Forest of Stars – Beware The Sword You Cannot See Review

By Madam X on March 12, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, English Metal, Industrial Metal, Progressive Metal, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, Industrial Metal, 25 comments

“Three years ago I found a little piece of time-travel magic when I stumbled upon A Forest of Stars and their third release, a whimsical offering that envelopes you like an opium haze, transporting you back to 1891, re-opening the imposing wooden doors to the gentleman’s club and recruiting you into their English Victorian brotherhood.” Metal’s version of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is back to save the day. Are you worthy of admission to their club?

Keep of Kalessin – Epistemology Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on March 10, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Indie Recordings, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 42 comments

“It’s been five years since Norway’s Keep of Kalessin released Reptilian to a ludicrous amount of critical panning stemming from a combination of “The Dragontower” being entered into Eurovision and most critics donning their rose-colored glasses when looking at its two predecessors, Armada and Kolossus.” Still reeling from their Eurovision stunt, KoK is back to reclaim lost territory in Kvltvania.

Ethereal Shroud – They Became the Falling Ash Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 9, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Doom Metal, English Metal, Reviews, Unsigned Bands, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 26 comments

“Honestly, I don’t know who is more thankful for the bat-like ears of the AMG senior (I mean this in the kindest way possible) staff; the readers or the reviewers. These old (sorry), metal titans have a knack for finding little-heard-of and underrated promos to be reviewed, and then hunt them down like a pack of blood-thirsty hellhounds.” Kvlt as hell, obscure as fook. Win win.

Leviathan – Scar Sighted Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on March 7, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Black Metal, Profound Lore Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 23 comments

“There are few bands that cause me as much discomfort, uneasiness, and paranoia as Leviathan does. What’s crazy about it is, I fucking love it. Leviathan albums are like cult indie films that you are completely floored by even if they are a chore to get through.” Strap on the depression machine, you know the Wrest.

Heavydeath – Eternal Sleepwalker Review

By Mark Z. on March 2, 2015 in 2015, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 11 comments

“Today’s metal underground is more complex than ever. The Internet has opened up every time period and obscure scene for both exploration and exploitation, resulting in genres and subgenres spliced apart, hybridized, fused with non-metal elements, and shat out in an accelerating vortex of name-your-price Bandcamp zip files and ostensibly enthusiastic blog posts that seem to proclaim every half-assed side project as the best thing since Black Sabbath.” Why, we’d never!

Enforcer – From Beyond Review

By Steel Druhm on March 1, 2015 in 2015, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Speed Metal, Swedish Metal, Heavy Metal, 19 comments

“The classic 80s metal sound will never go away, because bands like Enforcer still live, breathe and eat that stuff. Their entire career has been spent chasing the closest approximation to early 80s speed metal as humanly possible and when they nail it, it stays pretty damn nailed.” It’s time for your required dose of old school metal, so open up and say…Enforcer!

Tähtiportti – Tähtiportti Review

By Roquentin on March 1, 2015 in 2015, Avante Garde, Drone, Finnish Metal, Non-Metal Metal Things, Reviews, Svart Records, Drone, Electronica, Non-metal Metal Things, 13 comments

“So, do you know anything about techno? What you’re about to read is a review of an album as far removed from metal as anything that ever appeared on Angry Metal Guy. There are only two, minor and farfetched at that, connections between Finland’s Tähtiportti and metal.” Admit it, you like techno. Bats and ants and bats and ants!

Taken By The Sun – Taken By The Sun Review

By Grymm on February 23, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Hardcore, Post-metal, Reviews, Sludge, Unsigned Bands, Hardcore, Sludge, 9 comments

“Genre labels are such a double-edged sword, aren’t they? You mention nu-metal or metalcore around here, and there’s a good chance that the band you are describing will become anchored before they are allowed to soar.” Genre labels proved a hot topic not too long ago here on AMG. Will Taken By The Sun further fan the flames?

An Autumn for Crippled Children – The Long Goodbye Review

By El Cuervo on February 22, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Dutch Metal, Reviews, Shoegaze, Wickerman Recordings, Black Metal, Shoegaze, 20 comments

“Three consecutive releases reviewed by three different writers on AMG? This must be unheard of. Carving a little niche as one of the better and more evocative offshoots from the much-maligned ‘blackga(y)ze’ genre, An Autumn for Crippled Children have produced their fifth full-length in the beautifully desolate The Long Goodbye.” Many an AMG writer has tried his hand at figuring these cats out. They’re all gone now….