3.5

Wolf – Devil Seed Review

By Steel Druhm on August 19, 2014 in 2014, Century Media, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 8 comments

“Wolf has been running at the forefront of the retro metal pack for a while now, surpassing even the vainglorious cheese meisters of Hammerfall. They’ve done so with slick, memorable song writing and a healthy respect for their elders like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Mercyful Fate. Although they’re utterly devoid of originality or new influences, they’ve been uncannily skilled at aping and raping the past for golden metal moments of steel. 2011s Legions of Bastards had a strong Painkiller vibe, but Devil Seed slows things down and adopts a darker,more restive, simmering mood, like a filthy mob of commoners perpetually on the verge of rioting against the haughty upper crust.” Honey, the Wolf is at the door again!

Principality of Hell – Fire and Brimstone Review

By Mark Z. on August 15, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Greek Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, W.T.C. Productions, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 6 comments

“Metal is an inherently backward-looking style. For every band that’s pushing the envelope and driving things in new directions (see Fallujah’s stellar attempt at so-called ‘deathgaze’ on their newest), there are two or three proudly waving the tattered flag of the old-school, seeking to recreate the glory of the genre’s innovators. Enter Principality of Hell, a Greek trio formed last year by veterans of other Greek acts Thou Art Lord, Necromantia and Ravencult. They specialize in black-thrash – not the modern kind exemplified by Nocturnal Graves and the like, but the classic variety that hearkens back to when the two genres were first emerging through common ancestors like Venom, Celtic Frost and Bathory.” These Greek black thrashers want to take you back to the 80s in a DeLorean. Don’t forget your Walkman™.

Lou Siffer and the Howling Demons – At Your Service Review

By Madam X on August 11, 2014 in 2014, Cock Rock, Heavy Metal, Mighty Music, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, 6 comments

“Lou Siffer and the Howling Demons are the bastard offspring of a devil-may-care attitude and a party roaring like a room full of V8 engines. Hailing from, of all places, the blackened heart of Sweden, this band of evildoers loudly spew their volatile and contagious brand of aggressive hard rock and gruff, gasoline powered heavy metal to bring you their second full-length jammed with fast cars, horror, death and violence. At Your Service continues on from where The Devil’s Ride left off, combining the familiar influences of Chrome Division, Volbeat, Corrosion of Conformity and even The Misfits, leaving you with a funky taste in your mouth that smacks of familiarity and a lot of devilish fun!” Looks like the party’s in your mouth and everyone is…invited.

Cardinals Folly – Our Cult Continues! Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on August 10, 2014 in 2014, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Shadow Kingdom Records, Doom Metal, 10 comments

“I’ve always found doom to be a particularly beguiling style of heavy metal. I’m not sure any other subgenre is able to evoke such a broad range of emotions, from sheer suicidal despair to fist-pumping, booty shaking euphoria. Or perhaps I have a pathologically shaky booty (though if you don’t at least feel a twitch in your hips when listening to Sleep’s Holy Mountain then I don’t trust you as a human being).” Ready from some odd doom metal? Jean-Luc Ricard joins AMG’s probationary squad to tell us of Cardinals Folly and their interesting approach to the typical slow and low.

Accept – Blind Rage Review

By Steel Druhm on August 6, 2014 in 2014, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 9 comments

“Accept (and Grave Digger) are Germany’s grand contribution to the Pantheon of Unkillable Cockroaches of Metal. Decade after decade they continue releasing albums brimming with the same traditional metal ideas, slightly rejiggered and reformed, but always recognizable and predictable. Even after the loss of the diminutive but iconic Udo Dirkschneider, the boys from Berlin just kept right on rolling and the two post-Udo platters were their liveliest in forever. Here they come yet again with Blind Rage and it’s comforting as always that nothing much has changed.” With age comes wisdom, and in the case of Accept, surprisingly solid metal.

Bölzer – Soma Review

By JF Williams on August 2, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Death Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Swiss Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, 2 comments

“Bölzer know that time is precious and quality cheap in today’s oversaturated music climate. Armed with three songs clocking in at about 23 minutes, the Swiss duo more than charmed the metal community and earned themselves a slot right at the forefront of extreme metal hopefuls dwelling in the underground with their 2013 EP, Aura. Bölzer is back and JF Williams is back with them.

Atara / Miserable Failure – Hang Them Review

By Madam X on July 26, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Crust Punk, Death Metal, Doom Metal, French Metal, Grind, Hardcore, Kaotoxin Records, Reviews, Black Metal, Hardcore, 1 comment

“French grind with hardcore and black metal influence that screams of being “the noose that’ll suffocate your dry throat in an auto-erotic maelstrom of hatesphyxiation” – well now, don’t mind if I do!” Madam X can never say no to a nice noose. That’s why she works remotely and not at AMG headquarters.

Novembers Doom – Bled White Review

By Steel Druhm on July 17, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, The End Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 14 comments

“Of all the bands skulking around the doom/death catacombs, none manage to trigger more raw emotion in me than Novembers Doom. They aren’t necessarily the best band in the genre, but when they lock everything in, the melancholy pours like rain off a tin roof in Seattle. They’re the authors of one of the most depressing songs of all time (“What Could have Been”) and there’s something unique about their fusion of Paradise Lost and Type O Negative with vaguely Opeth-esque style death metal that really drills deep down into the heart of darkness within.” If you’re staring into the heart of darkness, it must be November!

Omnihility – Deathscapes of the Subconscious Review

By Kronos on July 16, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Death Metal, Rating, Reviews, Unique Leader, Technical Death Metal, 4 comments

“Most of the time, technical death and progressive death pretty much go hand in hand. Anyone with the chops to play at breakneck speeds and shred with the best of them will want to show off not just their technical skill, but their ability to bring something new to the table, and this mentality has only gained adherents as the style has flourished. But occasionally there arises a group of musicians who want nothing more than to play in the style of Cannibal Corpse but do it at twice the speed. That’s where Omnihility fits into the picture.” Kronos continues his campaign to review every tech-death act on the Unique Leader roster. FIGHT!

Vampillia – Some Nightmares Take You Aurora Rainbow Darkness Review

By Grymm on July 13, 2014 in 2014, Candlelight, Japanese Metal, Not Metal, Noise Rock, Not Metal, 10 comments

“”Beautiful” is a word that I don’t normally use to describe an album here at AMG, and especially in Casa de los Grymm. “Fun” is even less of a descriptor. What was it again that Euronymous wanted none of via his record label again? But I took a shot at an unknown (to me, at least) group of Japanese noise brigands (with a former Boredom, Toyohito Yoshikawa, in its ever-growing ranks) known as Vampillia. With quite a few releases under their belt (seventeen, according to their website), their newest, the very wordy Some Nightmares Take You Aurora Rainbow Darkness, is their first full-length, and it’s a good snapshot into their crazy world.” All your bases are belong to us! And don’t call me Aurora Rainbow!