Apr17

Havukruunu – Kelle surut soi Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on April 28, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Finnish Metal, Naturmacht Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 71 comments

“I love that we can bicker and fight about a band or record and can still be friends. Friends that share a passion for a message, a form of music, and a lifestyle that many can’t understand. I love that the reasons for a band being my favorite can also be the same reasons others hate them. And I love that certain bands just have something that I ‘get,’ even if others around me don’t get it. So, for the same reasons I ‘get’ Bathory and Immortal, I also ‘get’ Havukruunu. Many have argued that Havukruunu are a copycat outfit, preying on a style created decades ago. But debut album Havulinnaan was more than that. And now, Kelle surut soi is even more than Havulinnaan.” Blood, Fire, Refresh.

Astral Doors – Black Eyed Children Review

By Dr. Wvrm on April 28, 2017 in 2017, Heavy Metal, Metalville, Reviews, Swedish Metal, 28 comments

“Nils Patrik Johansson is a busy guy. Over the last two decades, the man’s cashed checks with the on-again, off-again Lion’s Share, the on-hiatus Wuthering Heights, and Civil War, who he recently bailed on because he didn’t have the time (go figure). His work arguably peaked with the momentous output of Astral Doors.” When one war closes, an Astral Door opens.

Kenoma – The Tides Will Prevail Review

By Grymm on April 26, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Doom Metal, Instrumental Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Translation Loss, Doom Metal, Instrumental Metal, Sludge Metal, 9 comments

“Having formed in 2004 with only a split with fellow Ohioans Mouth of the Architect under their collective belt, this five-piece instrumental outfit gathered their resources and dropped their debut, The Tides Will Prevail, upon my lap. Taking a chance with 5 songs at 52 minutes in length, and without a vocalist to focus on, The Tides Will Prevail must grab the listener and keep their attention if it wants to succeed.” Ebb, flow or overflow?

Ghost Bath – Starmourner Review

By Dr. Wvrm on April 26, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Black Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Shoegaze, Black Metal, Shoegaze, 81 comments

“Tearing apart hearts and comment sections since 2014, the career of China’s North Dakota’s Ghost Bath has been deceitfully brief. The 14 months between debut Funeraland follow-up Moonlover catapulted the crew from the depths of obscurity to the position of most hyped (and most hated) band in recent memory. I’ve seen the band treated like the Second Coming, and I’ve seen the band described as “such a bag of ass.” Whatever your opinion on the matter, Starmourner puts the polarizing magnetism of Ghost Bath on full display.” Starmourner, Sunbather, Overrater?

Galley Beggar – Heathen Hymns Review

By Steel Druhm on April 26, 2017 in 2017, English Metal, Folk Metal, Reviews, Rise Above Records, Folk Metal, Not Metal, 42 comments

“April was a pretty jam packed month review-wise for yours truly and I had to pass on several albums I would have covered in less hectic times. Though my dance card was full, as soon as I heard a few seconds of Heathen Hymns by hitherto unknown to me Galley Beggar, I started clearing space. Galley Beggar may have a name that conjures images of the worst pirate-corish, Alestorm-wannabes, but they play what they dub “acid folk,” and freely admit to an obsession with old sounds and styles.” Magic, mushrooms, mandolins.

Foreseen – Grave Danger Review

By Huck N Roll on April 25, 2017 in 20 Buck Spin, 2017, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Speed Metal, Svart Records, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 30 comments

“When I was thirteen years old I snagged an album with a wicked (cool word in 1983) cover. It was a drawing of what looked like a cynical, smartass devil. The album was Venom’s Black Metal, and my pals and I thought it was damn near the funniest thing we’d ever listened to. Crappy production, crappy musicians, goofy songs, and horrible vocals. We played that record to death, much to the displeasure of our mothers, girlfriends, and girlfriends’ mothers. C’mon, Huckles, why are you blathering on about Venom? This is supposed to be a writeup for Grave Danger, the second album from Finnish miscreants Foreseen. Well, that is what I’m doing here, but my point is that Grave Danger is basically another Venom album.” So he pulled up quick to get ve’nom!

Life of Agony – A Place Where There’s No More Pain Review

By Grymm on April 25, 2017 in 2017, Alt-Metal, American Metal, Groove Metal, Hard Rock, Napalm Records, Reviews, Alternative Metal, Groove Metal, Hard Rock, 46 comments

“A couple of years ago, I had a conversation with friend and former Angry Metal Guy colleague Jordan Campbell about how influential bands of the 90s have changed significantly, and usually for the worse. While we disagreed on some aspects, we both agreed that Life of Agony had the strangest career arc out of all of them.” Strange journey, still in progress.

Ghoultown – Ghost of the Southern Son Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on April 25, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Angry Planet Records, Hard Rock, Reviews, Rock, Hard Rock, Rock, 37 comments

“Shhhh… listen… do you hear him creeping about like the Fouke Monster? He creeps through the brush as an apparition of his former self. Once the bassist of Texas doom legends Solitude Aeturnus, he’s now Count Lyle Blackburn: actor, author, and mainman of hellbilly/psychobilly/goth rock/Spaghetti Western-metal greats Ghoultown. Few have incorporated Ennio Morricone’s flavorings into the goth rock sound of Danzig. Few have written theme songs for the Mistress of the Dark. Few have kept the attention of grumpy Doc Grier for as long as they have.” Guns, guts, gnocchi.

Noumena – Myrrys Review

By Steel Druhm on April 24, 2017 in 2017, Death Metal, Finnish Metal, Haunted Zoo Productions, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 59 comments

“Noumena is the little Finnish melo-death band that never says die. After cranking out three quality albums in relatively quick succession from 2002 to 2006 (including the awesome Anatomy of Life), they went into cryo-limbo for six years, finally emerging with 2013s Death Walks With Me. The long layoff didn’t derail their charming approach to melancholic death metal, and I welcomed them back with open arms and hearse while hoping for another extended bout of regular releases. Well, I had to wait some 3 years and change to get the next installment, but they’re finally back with Myrrys.” Hibernate then eradicate.

Pale King – Monolith of the Malign Review

By Grymm on April 24, 2017 in 2017, Death Metal, Reviews, Soulseller Records, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 17 comments

“Assumptions. No matter how hard we try not to make them, we always end up drawing conclusions about something without checking it out beforehand. In this case, with a description in our promo list as “melodic death metal,” and seeing that they hail from Sweden, I grabbed >i>Monolith of the Malign, the debut album from Pale King, expecting some twin-guitar Gothenburg melodies. And man, was I off. After much investigation, Pale King is a side-project of Jonny Pettersson and Håkan Stuvemark of long-running death-dealers Wombbath, aiming to capture an old-school melodic death metal feel, but with modern-day songwriting chops.” Olde school, new school, so many educational options!