3.5

Exorcism – I Am God Review

Exorcism – I Am God Review

“Super-groups are an odd breed of duck. They either end up a bunch of egos, ball-busting for attention (a fight nobody wins) or they end up something along the lines of Down’s NOLA – chilled out, soaked in beer, raw and dirty and probably totally fucking stoned. This little collective I happened upon most recently via Rock n Growl Promotion, hail from a range of countries including, unsurprisingly, the USA and more surprisingly Spain, Italy and France.” An international doom rock supergroup starring the likes of Joe Stump? Intriguing!

Woman Is the Earth – Depths Review

Woman Is the Earth – Depths Review

“It’s as if a new black metal band emerges from America every day, always with long song lengths and minimalistic ideas. Before I know it, a band is in their third album cycle before I’ve given them the time of day, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to care about every other Ash Borer clone that pops out of the wilderness. But this band deserves attention because they’re one of the few to really get what music like this should be about – energy and atmosphere.” Noctus wants you to pay attention to this band, so you best do so.

Sinbreed – Shadows Review

Sinbreed – Shadows Review

“What do you get when you take a rough and ready Germanic power metal band and add two members of Blind Guardian? You get a better rough and ready Germanic power metal band. Sinbreed is that band and features the talents of Blind Guardian guitarist Marcus Siepen and drummer Frederik Ehmke, which gives them some instant musical credibility and clout. Their 2009 debut When World’s Collide was a rock solid slab of slick, but angry metal in the vein of modern Accept, Herman Frank and Paragon and Shadows improves on that template with even more raspy, Udo-like vocals and thrashy guitar lines.” More power metal at AMG? What is this, a pirate-shirted coup?

Forteresse/Chasse-Galerie/Monarque/Csejthe – Légendes Review

Forteresse/Chasse-Galerie/Monarque/Csejthe – Légendes Review

“The French-Canadian province of Quebec has a rich black metal scene, and Canadian black metal label Sepulchral Productions has strung together a real gem in the form of Légendes, a four-way split EP of proud Québécois darkness. In keeping with each group’s dedication to Québécois cultural and national identity, the split unites some of the scene’s more well-known groups – Forteresse, Chasse-Galerie, Monarque and Csejthe – to explore Quebec’s folklore.” Ready for a rare four-way split of French-Canadian blackness? Wendigos unite!

Invertia – Another Scheme of the Wicked Review

Invertia – Another Scheme of the Wicked Review

“There’s something about the call of psycho-bombastic, industrialized black metal shunning the hypocrisy of cult religions that arouses my curiosity. To give you a bit of background, Invertia are in the process of launching their second full-length release via ultra-angry, techno geeks Ohm Resistance Records.” Madam X likes dark stuff. This is dark stuff. Does she like it? Find out!

Shores of Null – Quiescence Review

Shores of Null – Quiescence Review

“Swimming among an overcrowded sea of retro-thrashers, tech-death wankers, and sweepy-haired shoegazers playing post-whatever-the-fuck-the-flavor-is-this-week, there’s a band from Italy that’s looking to Finland and Seattle for the inspiration behind their début, Quiescence. Shores of Null may be a brand-spankin’-new band, but they are looking to capture your attention in pretty interesting ways. And they succeed to a degree.” Grymm just might have stumbled on something interesting here.

Vanishing Point – Distant is the Sun Review

Vanishing Point – Distant is the Sun Review

“It seems I don’t get to review power metal all that much these days, though it was one of the reasons I was originally recruited by AMG in the first place (my official title was Assistant Chief Power Metal Weenie). Instead, it’s Rogga Johansson this, retro death metal that, yadda yadda yadda. Maybe that’s why it feels so refreshing to hear some genuinely solid power-prog from long running Aussie act Vanishing Point.” Steel Druhm takes a short break from reviewing Rogga Johansson projects to enjoy some prog-power. Feel free to join him.

Dodsferd – The Parasitic Survival of the Human Race Review

Dodsferd – The Parasitic Survival of the Human Race Review

“”No rules and no respect for none!” These wrath-filled words of wisdom give me the impression this Greek band of misfits like their metal the same way that they take coffee, straight up, black and nasty as hell. I’m new to Dodsferd, but from what I can gleam on the interwebs, it’s the principle project of Wrath, frontman for the likes of Nadiwrath, Kampf, Grab and ex-Drunk Earth (now adopting the moniker NunOnBong!).” Greek black metal is so very…Greek. Madam X can tell you more.

Winterstorm – Cathyron Review

Winterstorm – Cathyron Review

“So here’s my thing with a lot of power metal, the key part of the genre that sits at the crux of my relationship to it: the success of any particular album relies so heavily on the listener’s ability to completely invest in it. Like the suspended disbelief that allows film audiences to sink unquestioningly into the universe a particular movie occupies, so each power metal album must create its own mini-universe, of fucking epicness, and convince the listener that it is worth abandoning reason for the duration of the album.” I don’t know about you, but I love me some fucking epicness! If you feel the same, read on!

Conan – Blood Eagle Review

Conan – Blood Eagle Review

“”Redundant genre, you say? Sorry, can’t hear you over ALL THESE AMPS!” say Conan ever so confidently. Or at least, I imagine that’s what they would say a few moments before bashing your skull in. Yes sir, Conan’s brand of doom metal is ridiculously heavy and drony – to the point of almost seeming like a gimmick.” Crom laughs at your four winds, amps and droning! As Crom laughs, Noctus discusses Conan’s brand of stoner doom.