40 Watt Sun

Cardinals Folly – Our Cult Continues! Review

Cardinals Folly – Our Cult Continues! Review

“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.

Lycus – Tempest Review

Lycus – Tempest Review

“Question: Where on earth is the good doom metal this year? No, seriously. The last few years have all been such strong years for doom and this year simply isn’t stepping up to the mark. With the new Moss album being the equivalent of someone taking a shit in the bong, and the new My Dying Bride being good but pretty passable, it’s pretty depressing to think that they’re the two most prominent releases this year…” Noctus wants some good doom and feels he hasn’t been getting his fair share in 2013. Can Lycus give him what he needs or will he continue to feel neglected?

40 Watt Sun – The Inside Room Review

40 Watt Sun – The Inside Room Review

How often does music effectively convey the emotions that have been put into it? How often do lyrics and music truly fit and complement each other? I really don’t think it happens that often. I’m not a lyrics kind of guy, mostly because, most of the time, the lyrics don’t really do anything to me or they are plain stupid. And when does the music itself ever really seem heartfelt? There are so many examples of bands that are great at songwriting, who handle their instruments perfectly, but on that important emotional level, it just isn’t what it could be. Still, it can be great music. Take Opeth for example. Boy, can those guys make music! The sheer awesomeness of some stuff they put to record is something to behold. But much of their back catalog really doesn’t convey any emotion, at least to me, that is. It’s actually quite cold, buried somewhere between all that awesome-sounding stuff. It’s really very much like a rollercoaster ride. You get overwhelmed with all kinds of input and it feels great, you enjoy it, but does it move you in any other way?