Apr18

King Goat – Debt of Aeons Review

By Angry Metal Guy on April 30, 2018 in 2018, Aural Music, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, 63 comments

“King Goat’s got a problem. Their debut made Record o’ the Year here at Angry Metal Guy dot Com, which means that they are gonna have a hell of a time besting their previous performance. In fact, for the most part, I’d argue that expectations are probably the bigger part of the so-called ‘sophomore slump’ than we give them credit for. And Conduit was a doozy of a full-length debut. So when King Goat got picked up by Aural Music, I was both excited for them and worried.” Heavy is the head that wears the goat.

Aura Noir – Aura Noire Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on April 30, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Indie Recordings, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 37 comments

“I once jumped from the roof of my parents’ double-wide trailer with a cape/kite attached to my back and a four-foot plastic snow sled duct taped to my chest. No, I wasn’t drunk—I was ten. And, man, it hurt. Fast forward twenty-one years and you’ll find Father-of-the-Year Grier scaling a tree, scooting out along a solid cottonwood branch, and falling twenty feet atop a fence—my feet hitting the top strand as my face hit the ground. All because yours truly refused to hop the fence. And, guess what? It didn’t hurt at all. Because, yes, I was drunk. Those truths aside, I’ve never (fallen?) or thrown my soon-to-be corpse from a four-story building. But, I guess that separates Grier from Aura Noir’s Aggressor.” Norwegian black thrash, drunk with power.

Seven Sisters – The Cauldron and the Cross Review

By Ferrous Beuller on April 29, 2018 in 2018, British Metal, Dissonance Productions, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 30 comments

“Although I tend to dabble in extreme metal more often, make no mistake, I do love the traditional stuff. I have fond memories of my brother and I pouring over the lyrics to Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” until we could recite them flawlessly — a skill we both still keenly possess. Seven Sisters, a band thusly named for the area of North London they hail from, share my love of the classic craft, as evident on their second full-length, The Cauldron and the Cross.” Trooper metal.

Møl – Jord Review

By Mark Z. on April 28, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Danish Metal, Holy Roar Records, Reviews, Shoegaze, Black Metal, Shoegaze, 53 comments

“Maybe it’s just me, but shoegazey black metal just isn’t as exciting as it used to be. It’s easy to forget just how groundbreaking Alcest’s debut truly was, and though Deafheaven caught a lot of flack for their apparent Pitchfork pandering, I always found Sunbather to be a captivating, dreamy, and refreshingly honest record in a genre that’s far too often up its own ass with being ‘cvlt’ and ‘trve.’ But as happens, the style got saturated, the pioneers got mediocre, and these days the release of a new ‘blackgaze’ album generates about as much anticipation as getting a colonoscopy.” Pucker up, hipstercups!

Boss Keloid – Melted on the Inch Review

By Huck N Roll on April 27, 2018 in 2018, British Metal, Doom Metal, Holy Roar Records, Progressive Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Sludge, Stoner Metal, 91 comments

“At AMG Headquarters last week, as a number of us were gathered around the bench press station during our allocated one hour of yard time, discussions turned from who could bench the most, to personal tastes when it comes to genres to review. When I was finally allowed to talk, I said I like my dad metal, sure, but I also enjoy deeply of prog, doom, some stoner — and I like it all to be just a little off-kilter. Well, members of Boss Keloid must have been standing nearby, because Melted on the Inch, their third album, ticks all my non-dad-metal boxes.” Boss dad prison metal.

Just Before Dawn – Tides of Blood Review

By Steel Druhm on April 27, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Raw Skull Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 27 comments

“Bolt Thrower is KIA, Hail of Bullets is MIA. That leaves fewer reliable war-themed death metal projects to recruit for dangerous, behind-the-lines missions exposing the horror and brutality of battle. Just Before Dawn is one of those once and still loyal, ready and able to guide the battle tank of death metal back into the service of brutality, no matter the odds.” War and pieces.

Nigredo – Flesh Torn – Spirit Pierced Review

By Master of Muppets on April 26, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Death Metal, Greek Metal, Reviews, Transcending Obscurity, Black Metal, Death Metal, 37 comments

“Hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk about you again. Try though I did to abandon my pursuits ov the fabled black dragon, there is only so much one can do to wrest themselves from the hands of their own addictions. There is also only so much one can do when the Madam herself slams the needle directly into your feeble, velvety arm and says “you’re going for a ride, ready or not!” Addiction is an ugly, fearsome thing, and so are Greece’s Nigredo.” While Behemoth Sleeps.

Voices – Frightened Review

By Grymm on April 26, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, British Metal, Candlelight Records, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Spinefarm, Black Metal, Gothic Metal, Progressive Metal, 109 comments

“When Akercocke dissolved in 2012, a few of its members regrouped as Voices, releasing a respectable debut in the form of Voices from the Human Forest Create a Fugue of Imaginary Rain, revealing that there was some life left from the ashes of everyone’s favorite hedonistic prog-death merchants. However, absolutely no one was prepared for the relentless headfuck that came out the following year.” Voices carry… expectations.

Ingested – The Level Above Human Review

By Kronos on April 26, 2018 in British Metal, Death Metal, Deathcore, Reviews, Unique Leader, Deathcore, Slam, 46 comments

“Slow year for death metal though it has been, things are speeding up — metaphorically, that is. Manchester’s finest slamongers are back with their fourth full-length insult, The Level Above Human, and as always they’re peddling their trademark combination of deathcore and brutal slam. It’s an influential mix and one that plenty of today’s slam-purveyors like Vulvodynia and Abominable Putridity owe their success to. Yet as fun, as the beatdown combo can be, quality control has never been a hallmark of either genre. Ingested navigate the bloodied, goopy waters of brutal deathcore as well as any crew of veteran slam sailors, and though The Level Above Human won’t change your world, it will change the position of your head in relation to that world with great regularity.” Level up or die.

Celtachor – Fiannaíocht Review

By Grymm on April 25, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Irish Metal, Reviews, Trollzorn Records, Black Metal, Folk Metal, 28 comments

“As a young lad, I took great pleasure in diving deep into the mythologies of the world. Little Me buried himself in books detailing Greek mythology like most people would with comic books. As years progressed and I discovered the joys of metal music, I found plenty of inspiring stories from around the world. From the books of J.R.R. Tolkien to Elias Lönnrot’s timeless Kalevala (thank you, Amorphis), my appreciation for stories of different cultures and lands would not be so rich had it not been for the music you and I love so very much. Now, Ireland’s Celtachor crafted Fiannaíocht, a 57-minute epic based on the stories of hunter-warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill, long-regarded as the bravest, strongest warrior to ever walk the Emerald Isles.” Fightin’ Irish.