American Metal

Avenged Sevenfold – The Stage [Things You Might Have Missed 2016]

By GardensTale on December 19, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Capitol Records, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2016, Progressive Metal, 79 comments

“If you’re anything like me, you have probably avoided Avenged Sevenfold for a long time after hearing their older work, which was so firmly planted in the land of metalcore it didn’t seem like they would climb out of it at any point. Though they did display some growth on their work past City of Evil, they continued to be a turn-off with juvenile lyrics that tried far too hard to be edgy. So if you’re anything like me, you might be skeptical when I say The Stage is a great progressive metal album. Yet here we are.” Yep, here we are all right.

Invertia – The Biddings of Tyrants Review

By Zephyrus on December 12, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Death Metal, Industrial Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Industrial Metal, 12 comments

“When it comes to metal with a message, there’s not many bands as violently ferocious as Invertia. The Boston duo has been attempting to tear down the system for a good while now; our very own Madam X even lauded their sophomore offering for its intense brutality. Now Invertia has returned with The Biddings of Tyrants. This third entry to the band’s discography is no less critical of societies various dilemmas, but does it live up to its predecessor?” Speak truth to power with metal.

Zao – The Well-Intentioned Virus Review

By Grymm on December 9, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Hardcore, Metalcore, Observed/Observer Recordings, Reviews, Hardcore, Metalcore, 60 comments

“Pennsylvania’s Zao needs no further introduction. One of metalcore’s pioneering bands influenced a huge swath of groups, mainstream and underground, with their chaotic riffing, pummeling rhythms, honest, heart-wrenching lyrics and venomous screaming of Dan Weyandt. And while the band endured quite the past, Zao continue to walk to the beat of their own drum while inviting the fans to come along.” December sucks for new releases, until it doesn’t.

Crimson Moon – Oneironaut Review

By Al Kikuras on December 9, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, World Terror Committee, Black Metal, 61 comments

“Let’s be honest. The internet has simultaneously made everything better while absolutely fucking ruined it. Yes, we can get music and movies instantly, order pizza online, and buy embarrassing shit like hemorrhoidal cream without handing someone money face to face. At the same time, any mystery about life has been sucked out of our consciousness like an effeminate Brad Pitt in Interview With A Vampire chomping on some pale, lame white girl.” The internetz are for porn (and butt balm).

Ash Borer – The Irrepassable Gate Review

By Dr. Wvrm on December 8, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Black Metal, Profound Lore Records, Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, 16 comments

“I will admit off the bat that I did not know what I was walking into with Ash Borer. They were a random pick, as our promo sheet is currently blacker than an Ad Reinhardt ten-part series on being born blind. I missed the boat on the so-called “Cascadian black metal” scene after several unsatisfying jaunts with Wolves in the Throne Room, but I’m down to see what all the hype is about.” Hype can truly be a bore.

Turbo Shokk – Get Radical Review

By Huck N Roll on December 7, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Edgewood Arsenal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Hair Metal, 70 comments

“December is a brutal month for us lowly reviewers. Between unreasonable demands for End of Year lists from our monstrous editors to unreasonable Christmas wish lists from our equally monstrous children, we get yanked in every direction. To make matters worse, all the good bands have finished issuing their albums and we are left sifting through the muck and the mire, desperately trying to find something that will boost our average review scores” Second prize is a set of steak knives.

Season of Arrows – Give It to the Mountain Review

By Lord Lucan on December 7, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Static Tension Recordings, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, 12 comments

“Despite the recent rise to prominence of numerous female-driven projects and bands, such as Myrkur, Darkher, and Mortals to name but a few, there’s no denying that metal is still largely the domain of men. Sure there have always been exceptions to the rule — the likes of Girlschool and Kittie have been knocking about for years — but considering there are approximately 3.7 billion of them on this planet, women are still massively underrepresented across the genre.” OCCUPY metal!

Infinite Earths – Into the Void Review

By Mark Z. on December 4, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Death Metal, Progressive Death, Reviews, Self-released, Technical Death Metal, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 5 comments

“In recent years I’ve shied away from tech death. Sure I loved Origin back in their Antithesis era, but these days if I want noodles I’ll just make some fucking pasta. That said, a band name as cool as Infinite Earths was tough to ignore, particularly in how it invoked notions of parallel universes and promises of sweet purple cover art with a cosmic beast devouring a planet or some shit.” Take all you can eat, but eat all you take.

Arriver – Emeritus Review

By Zephyrus on December 3, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Black Metal, Progressive Death, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 15 comments

“With the absurd amount of music being produced these days, I can only imagine how difficult it is for bands to gain exposure. Metal already caters to a rather niche market, and so it’s understandable that some artists might do whatever it takes to get their music heard. Sometimes, this means that musicians might sacrifice their artistic vision if they feel it will garner greater appeal. Thankfully, Arriver is not one of these bands.” Substance over style.

Thy Shade – The Last Goodbye Review

By GardensTale on December 2, 2016 in 2016, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Symphonic Metal, 37 comments

“You know, you can say what you want about female fronted symphonic metal like Nightwish, Within Temptation and Leaves’ Eyes, but they have (or had) some terrific vocalists. Tarja, Sharon van Adel, Simone Simons of Epica, the list goes on. In plenty of cases the music may be tepid and derivative, but at least those golden throats are there to put salve on the wounds and distract from the musical mediocrity.” Throwing shade.