3.5

Cult of Fire – मृत्यु का तापसी अनुध्यान (Ascetic Meditation of Death)

By JF Williams on November 30, 2013 in 2013, Black Metal, Czech Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 19 comments

“A divine mother to the enlightened and a ferocious killer to those fearful of death, the Hindu goddess Kali is a figure of reverence and terror alike – a being that is by all accounts complex, mystical and arcane. What better genre to pay tribute to the Divine Mother than the fearsome majesty and ritual violence of black metal? Cult of Fire, hailing from the Czech Republic, move away from done-to-death “orthodox” Satanism obnoxiousness on their second album मृत्यु का तापसी अनुध्यान (Ascetic Meditation of Death) in favor of focussing on Hindi mythology, creating an album that is entirely dedicated to this most fearsome of Hindi goddesses.” Czech black metal dealing with Hindu concepts? What could be more American??

Hell – Curse and Chapter Review

By Steel Druhm on November 29, 2013 in 2013, English Metal, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 10 comments

“There’s an interesting history behind Hell. As a part of the original NWoBHM, they were close to releasing an album alongside contemporaries like Saxon and Iron Maiden, but bad luck and personal tragedy brought them low and derailed their best laid plans. Though they never made it past the demo stage, they were influential in the scene and championed by folks like producer and former Sabbat guitarist Andy Sneap. So taken with their old demos was he, that he encouraged the members to reform and give it another go with him on guitar, which resulted in 2011s Human Remains opus. That platter featured some ancient tunes loaded with NWoBHM flair and a noticeable Mercyful Fate influence, and while the music was highly enjoyable, I struggled mightily with the delivery of front man David Bower, which was overdone, uber-theatrical and at times, very cheeseball parmesan.” Now that they’ve had some time to sort things out, can Hell deliver some metal for the ages or are they still suffering from Drama Overload Disorder? Steel Druhm has the prognosis.

J.J. Hrubovcak – Death Metal Christmas (Hellish Renditions of Christmas Classics) Review

By Steel Druhm on November 26, 2013 in 2013, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 7 comments

“Ho ho ho! The Christmas season is upon us, and as the holiday draws nigh, thoughts turn to chestnuts, eggnog, peace on Earth and… death metal??? Apparently Hate Eternal bassist and man of good cheer, J.J. Hrubovcak felt Trans-Siberian Orchestra weren’t stuffing enough metal in the stocking, so he decided to craft a short, vicious collection of harrowing carols.” Ready for a Slay(er) ride in the snow? You better be, because J.J. Hrubovcak and his yule tide death machine are coming to town and you’re on their naughty list!

Malthusian – MMXIII Review

By Kronos on November 26, 2013 in 2013, Black Metal, Death Metal, Invictus Productions, Irish Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 5 comments

“The foremost sin of Angry Metal Guy as a website is that Noctus gave Altar of Plagues’ Teethed Glory and Injury a slightly less than perfect score. Since getting my hands on that album, I’ve been haunted by some part of it every day, whether it be the absolute devastation of “Burnt Year”, the dissonant wall of “Mills” or the wash of drum fills backed by gut-wrenching swathes of sound on “A Body Shrouded”. The album is one of few I have ever considered to be flawless, and one of the most memorable aspects of Teethed Glory and Injury is the drumming. So when I heard that after the group’s disbanding, Johnny King was drumming in Malthusian, I knew I had to check in on the budding black metallers before anyone had the chance to slightly disagree with me.” What’s this? Are Kronos and Noctus beefin?? And with the holidays just around the corner too. For shame!

Vastum – Patricidal Lust Review

By JF Williams on November 8, 2013 in 20 Buck Spin, 2013, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 0 comments

“First of all, I think Paolo Girardi should come up to center stage and take a bow. His artwork decorates the covers to a whopping 13 releases this year alone, including Inquisition’s Obscure Verses for the Multiverse, reviewed on AMG not too long ago. Here Giraldi strikes again – take a good, long look at the horrific Freudian nightmare of an album cover adorning Patricidal Lust, the debut release from San Franciscan death metal horde Vastum, and I dare you to tell me with a straight face that such a beautifully disgusting work of art doesn’t make you salivate like one of Pavlov’s dogs. Just like the deliciously putrid artwork decorating the cover of Patricidal Lust, the music contained therein is a fetid, hot-and-ready splattering of meat-and-potatoes doom/death metal.” If fetid meat and potatoes didn’t hook you in, you must be hungover and/or lame. Either way, read on as JF Williams delves into the death metal muck with the low tech charm of Vastum.

Zemial – Nykta Review

By Grymm on November 1, 2013 in 2013, Black Metal, Greek Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 1 comment

“Papa Grymm once told me, when I was just a wee little kvlt tyke, “Son, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. Also, clean your room. You’re an embarrassment to the Inner Circle.” Archon Vorskaath, mastermind behind the amorphous Greco-German black metal machine Zemial, is the posterchild of the DIY ethos, recording and performing all vocals, instruments, and sound effects, as well as releasing 2006’s In Monumentum, all by his own not-so-little lonesome over the last 20 plus-years, spawning two albums and handful of EPs. Vorskaath’s visionary trek continues with Nykta, Zemial’s third full-length and first for Hells Headbangers Records.” Ah, Greek black metal. So Spartan, so evil. It certainly seems to take Grymm back to his kvlt childhood.

Warbringer – IV: Empires Collapse Review

By Steel Druhm on October 30, 2013 in 2013, American Metal, Century Media, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 7 comments

“With Hallow’s Eve in the air and the holiday season just around the corner, I feel safe looking back on 2013 and saying it wasn’t the greatest year for metal. It’s certainly true that the better stuff seems to be coming out on the back-end, but overall, it has been a lean time for top-notch albums. This is especially true for the rethrash/thrash genre, with very few albums jumping out and smacking me in the gob. Keeping true to form, the better stuff is seeping out now, with solid releases from Death Angel and Toxic Holocaust and now, a winner from Warbringer. IV: Empires Collapse sees these California rethrashers take a big step from the effective, but somewhat generic Bay Area Thrash sound exhibited on Worlds Torn Asunder by adding a host of classic metal influences along with punk and blackened twists.” October was a good month for rethrash and it looks like Warbringer wanted to end things on a high note with their latest slice of speed.

GWAR – Battle Maximus Review

By Madam X on October 29, 2013 in 2013, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, 5 comments

“When a brother falls, be he killed in battle, disintegrated or turned Mormon, it takes an ordeal of thundering proportions to find that Scumdog with enough bombastic enormity to crush the competition and fill the fallen’s truculent footsteps. And so Battle Maximus is born, a musical trial-by-combat and but one Scumdog remains – the the zit-encrusted, shred-ulously incredulous Pustulus Maximus (aka Brent Legion, ex-Cannabis Corpse). Shock rock or monster metal, call it what you will, after a three year wait and regroup, GWAR are back in the ring with their kooky Lordi or A Band of Orcs theatrics and their caustic, blood-soaked poetry as only they can deliver!” Battle, blood and pustulence! What more can anyone hope for? Madam X dives into the Gor Gor and reveals the horrors that lurk inside the new GWAR shit show.

Toxic Holocaust – Chemistry of Consciousness Review

By Steel Druhm on October 22, 2013 in 2013, American Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 9 comments

“Well slap my ass and call me Skippy, the premier name in super-mega, old school, retro, throwback thrash (rethrash for short) is back to teach another post-grad lesson in violence. For those not in the know, that means a new album from Joel Grind’s Toxic Holocaust. Yes folks, things don’t get more painfully stuck in the 80s than the speed churned out by Mr. Grind and if there was ever a man born too late, it’s him. You see, Joel was meant to exist during that original wave of thrash, releasing revolutionary new music to shock the world alongside the likes of Slayer and Exodus. Alas, the Fates turned a mean skein and he was cast forward to this cruel future, where all his best thrashing and bashing is considered tired, recycled and irrelevant by many. Tis quite the shame too, since the man has a true gift for penning genuine 80s thrash and his stuff always has an aura of authenticity that’s lacking in most rethrash.” When I say rethrash, you say Grind!! That was fun, right? But is this album fun? Steel Druhm, a veteran of the rethrash wars, will chime in.

Imperial Triumphant – Goliath Review

By Madam X on October 13, 2013 in 2013, American Metal, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Death Metal, Earsplit Records, Reviews, Black Metal, 4 comments

“The bustling streets of New York have delivered some notable bands over the years, Type O Neg, Sunn O))), Dream Theater, Suffocation and Immolation to name just a few. But I’ll be honest here, New York’s not the first place that comes to mind when I’m looking for black metal. It looks like Imperial Triumphant’s prompting me to rethink this faux pas with their latest EP release Goliath.” New York City is known for hardcore and death metal, but every now and then, it births a horrid, blackened beast that no one wants to stop-and-frisk. This one brought along an elephant for added fun. I’ll call him “Stompy.”