4.0

Mors Principium Est – Dawn of the 5th Era Review

By Angry Metal Guy on December 5, 2014 in 2014, AFM Records, Death Metal, Finnish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 40 comments

“The first time I heard Mors Principium Est was at the end of 2012 when I discovered that they had been slotted to release their first record in five years in December. Somehow in the course of my metal journey I’d managed to miss a band that few have anything bad to say about. In fact, despite being a bit late to the scene—with a debut record in 2003—Mors is one of those bands that everyone I know seems to either not know or love. And AFM releasing your new record in December? Not helping. This time of year is when lists blossom and we bloggers start going through all the stuff we’ve heard and a lot of the stuff we haven’t: new records have trouble finding their way on to our radars in December. AFM seemed to be telling them: ‘No end of year lists for you.'” December? Must mean AFM is releasing a new Mors Principium Est record. AMG has the scoop.

Baring Teeth – Ghost Chorus Among Old Ruins Review

By Kronos on December 1, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Avante Garde, Death Metal, Reviews, Willowtip, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 14 comments

“Ghost Chorus Among Old Ruins is the last album out this year that I expect to give a shit about, and what a loose, worm-riddled mass that shit is. Baring Teeth’s first offering, Atrophy, is a must for those who want to understand the future of death metal – discordant, abstract, disturbing and forward-thinking as a Rodin sculpture strapped to a freight train. If that intro didn’t get you reading, there’s nothing else we can do.

Skelethal – Interstellar Knowledge of the Purple Entity Review

By Al Kikuras on November 20, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, French Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Death Metal, 11 comments

“Great Scott! Like stepping into a sepulchral time machine, Skelethal have transported us back to when Sunlight Studios was Mecca, buzz saw guitars sounded like a swarm of bees, and vocals were scraped from the depths of the grimiest gutters of hell.” More retro death arrives, unfazed by the giant shadow of Bloodbath. That’s brave.

Downfall of Gaia – Aeon Unveils The Throne of Decay Review

By Mark Z. on November 19, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, German Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Black Metal, 17 comments

“Somewhere deep in the bowels of the Internet (right next to erotic Sonic the Hedgehog fan fiction, if I recall correctly), I uncovered Downfall of Gaia, and my dick has been crooked ever since.” Hedgehog porn is a big favorite at AMG, especially “Hedge Trimmers.”

Unearth – Watchers of Rule Review

By Mark Z. on November 15, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, eOne Music, Metalcore, Reviews, Metalcore, 15 comments

“Unearth are among the last of their kind. The New Wave of American Heavy Metal – if there ever was such a thing – has crashed, receded, and carried away a flotsam of recycled Gothenburg riffs, open string drop-D breakdowns, and post-Pantera toughguy groove. Bands not dissolved in the fizz of waning popularity and ill-conceived murder-for-hire plots have either distilled themselves into Top 40 radio rock (Avenged Sevenfold) or continue struggling to recreate the glory of their heyday (Killswitch Engage). Unearth stand alone….” So much for progress and evolution.

Manimalism – Manimalism Review

By El Cuervo on November 6, 2014 in 2014, Adversum, Avante Garde, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, 14 comments

“Originating as Taarenes Vaar in 1992 in a very different metal landscape, Sølve resolved to push his brand of Norwegian black metal further than previously. Composed of two demos from 1996 and 1997, plus additional material from the same period, the integration of black metal with avant garde here is raw and darkly perverse.” There are more mentions of sex in this review than any in AMG history, and this isn’t even cock rock! You just never know what to expect these days….

Giant Squid – Minoans Review

By Saunders on October 31, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Doom Metal, Post-Rock, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Translation Loss, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, 22 comments

“Firstly, before I delve into the guts of this review, here’s a bit of context regarding the elaborate conceptual narrative San Francisco’s Giant Squid have once again crafted with their latest weird and wonderful musical trip, entitled Minoans. The Minoan civilization emerged on the island of Crete and thrived from roughly 2700 to 1450 BC. I’m not here to give you a fucking history lesson, but for those seeking to get the full engagement of another carefully constructed and highly ambitious Giant Squid concept album, there’s an interesting backstory behind this mysterious civilization well worth investigating.” I feel like we just got a fucking history lesson.

Obake – Mutations Review

By Roquentin on October 29, 2014 in 2014, 4.0, Avante Garde, Death Metal, Grind, Italian Metal, Non-Metal Metal Things, Not Metal, Rare Noise Records, Reviews, Death Metal, Non-metal Metal Things, Not Metal, Sludge Metal, 6 comments

“Even a quick glance over Obake’s international lineup will tell you that this is not your run-of-the-mill extreme metal band. Nope, the musicians involved in this band are not metal musicians in the traditional sense.” Since we started the day with non-metal weirdness, let’s continue the trend with Obake.

Oraculum – Sorcery of the Damned Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on October 28, 2014 in 2014, Chilean Metal, Death Metal, Invictus Productions, Reviews, Death Metal, 6 comments

“I’ll be the first to admit that I truly enjoy the old school death metal (OSDM) revival that seems to have been going on forever in the metal scene. That said, it does have its fair share of problems. Too often bands hopping on the OSDM train will focus on and nail down the cavernous murk that helped define classics like Onward to Golgotha and Diabolical Conquest, but forget that atmosphere was only half the battle…” The OSDM train just keeps chooglin on down the line, but do you still want a ticket to ride?

Riot V – Unleash the Fire Review

By Steel Druhm on October 26, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 14 comments

“Riot is a legendary name in the New York metal scene with a career spanning almost 40 years. They’ve released genre classics like Narita, Fire Down Under and their crowning moment, 1988s Thundersteel. I’ve banged on about how great that album is since joining AMG and to this day it remains one of my all time favorites. The Thundersteel lineup reunited in 2011 for the brilliant Immortal Soul, which earned a very rare 5.0/5.0 from yours truly and it seemed the world was about to witness a major Riot renaissance. Then tragedy struck and founder and guitarist supreme Mark Reale passed away, leaving Riot in limbo.” The New York titans have been resurrected along with their seal faced mascot. But will it earn Steel Druhm’s Seal of Approval?