4.5

Afterbirth – In But Not Of Review

By Ferox on October 18, 2023 in Reviews, 110 comments

“It took Afterbirth more than two decades to launch their first deep space probe with 2017’s The Time Traveler’s Dilemma. The Long Island gurglers were worth the wait, as that album and 2020’s ingenious Four Dimensional Flesh sketched out the band’s vision of prog-enhanced brutal death metal. Kronos deemed Four Dimensional Flesh “one of the most charismatic and original death metal albums you’ll ever hear,” and in the wake of that triumph a new Afterbirth slab qualifies as a full-fledged Event.” Strong Islands birth strong sounds.

KEN mode – VOID Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on September 22, 2023 in Reviews, Hardcore, Noise Rock, Post-Hardcore, Post-Metal, 39 comments

“Here we are again strung upon KEN mode’s newest, fresh-faced outing, VOID—well, as fresh a face as these Canucks can muster. NULL’s intense and twisted Red Demon has fractured into a split visage of terrified sadness and caved-in confidence. Though KEN mode has little to fret over in the performance realm, the returning four-piece lineup boasting some of the most diverse and rich talents of the band’s career, a troubled mind, this demon state, does not find solace through notes of proficiency and creativity.” Face of things to come.

Wormhole – Almost Human Review

By Kenstrosity on September 20, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Slam, Technical Death Metal, 135 comments

“WOOOOOORRRRRMMMMMHHHOOOOOLLLLLEEE!!! Indeed, my friends, the time has come for another installment of worm-y, hole-y goodness and in 2023, the Baltimore-based brutal tech-slam battalion is bigger and badder than ever. Armed with a new bassist (Basil Chiasson) and vocalist (Julian Kersey), the Kumar brothers’ Metroid and Doom inspired, sci-fi extreme metal project prepares a third advance of quality tunes entitled Almost Human.” The WHOLE Worm.

Godthrymm – Distortions Review

By Grymm on August 15, 2023 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 71 comments

“Back in 2020, before things would go pear-shaped in literally everyone’s lives, I reviewed Reflections, the debut album from Godthrym, the new band featuring former My Dying Bridesmen Hamish Glencross (guitars/vocals) and Shaun Taylor-Steels (drums). I was enamored by how heavy, dirge-y, and Paradise Lost-y the entire album was. However, once the pandemic went into full swing, Reflections only gained in momentum and solace as everything around us quickly turned to shit on a planetary scale, bringing with it a sense of comfort and catharsis and landing itself on my Top Ten of a year we all would love to forget (but can’t). Now, in a happier(?) time and with a fuller line-up, Godthrymm are back with their highly-anticipated follow-up, Distortions.” Doom for End Times.

Serpent of Old – Ensemble Under the Dark Sun Review

By Thus Spoke on June 28, 2023 in Reviews, 53 comments

“There’s something about atmospheric death metal that just gets me. Something about the deep urgency of the guitar tones, the echoing, sinister riffing, the cavernous vocals, the restless dance of the drums, and the metallic chime of the cymbals. It elevates an already hostile and confrontational musical style to a kind of arresting profundity, when done well. Seeing Ulcerate, Gorguts, and Devenial Verdict—among others—name-dropped in the promo material for Ensemble Under the Dark Sun had me yanking it out of the bin faster than you can say “disso-death.” This was no clickbait. Turkey’s Serpent of Old play the kind of dark, ferocious haunting blackened death emblematic of these bands, and their shared conceptual genre, at their most intense.” Snakes in the pain.

Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean – Obsession Destruction Review

By Carcharodon on May 8, 2023 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Sludge, Sludge Metal, 65 comments

“Massachusetts quartet Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean (who, I assume, take their name from the 2007 song “Fucking Chained to the Bottom of the Ocean” by Louisiana sludge legends, Thou) have made a bit of a name for themselves on the sludge scene, despite having only one (short) LP to their name, 2017’s Decay and Other Hopes Against Progress.” Chained by an anchor?

Vvon Dogma I – The Kvlt of Glitch Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on May 5, 2023 in Reviews, Industrial Metal, Progressive Metal, 88 comments

“The Kvlt of Glitch pushes a fusion of EDM-pulsing industrial metal colliding with wantonly djent and noodling progressive metal. The more than qualified ChaotH (Humanoid), formerly of the departed Canadian darlings Unexpect, steers Vvon Dogma I through this blasphemous foray.” Good Dogma.

Dødheimsgard – Black Medium Current Review

By Thus Spoke on April 13, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 64 comments

“If you were to ask me how to do avant-garde black metal, I would point straight away to Dødsheimgard. The trajectory of their sound from raw second-wave fury to electronic, industrial, jazzy, experimental black has been nothing short of thrilling to witness. 2015’s A Umbra Omega—my personal entry point—set a new standard in the avant-garde metal scene, demonstrating the weird, wonderful depths DHG could conjure, fully realized.” Odd fellows unrest.

Sermon – Of Golden Verse Review

By Saunders on March 28, 2023 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 129 comments

“UK’s mysterious Sermon burst from out of nowhere on phenomenal 2019 debut album, Birth of the Marvellous. The debut was an incredibly accomplished, polished jewel of intense and emotive progressive metal, boasting excellent production and top-shelf writing and performances from the duo. Sermon bided their time crafting the follow-up to an unexpected underground hit, with combined efforts and careful craftmanship resulting in another triumphant release.” Preaching to the choir.

Night Demon – Outsider Review

By Itchymenace on March 22, 2023 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, 86 comments

“Ventura, California power trio, Night Demon have been producing quality, workman-like metal for over a decade. Always dependable, they quickly honed their NWoBHM-infused trad metal into bite-sized, three-minute horror-themed nuggets and swaddled them in denim and leather. Their last full album, 2017’s Darkness Remains was a power-packed olde school homage that my brother-in-sump, Eldritch said, “delivers pretty much everything you could want from a traditional heavy record.” After four years, the band return to haunt your dreams once more, but this time with a much more ambitious offering.” A night at the demon.