Australian Metal

Voyager – Ghost Mile Review

By Steel Druhm on May 5, 2017 in 2017, Australian Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Progressive Metal, 76 comments

“In the realm of intelligent prog-metal, Voyager has been one of my favorites since 2009s I Am the Revolution. Their ability to blend traditional metal ideas with extraneous elements from death, power and djent always impressed me, but their ear for catchy, tight writing really made them stand out. Nowhere was this more apparent than on 2011s The Meaning of I, which earned a very rare 5.0 rating from yours truly. I still spin that album regularly and marvel at how diverse and addicting it remains 6 years later. I was somewhat let down by followup V, but it was still a solid album in its own right with some remarkable songs. I hoped the band would rebound and release another classic platter of thoughtfully oddball material.” Miles of creativity.

Lacerta – Lacerta Review

By Kronos on April 16, 2017 in 2017, Australian Metal, CDN Records, Death Metal, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 24 comments

“Since Psycroptic helped put the Australian metal scene on the map, several acts like Ne Obliviscaris and Ulcerate have become darlings of the metal scene worldwide, experimenting with their own unique sound. But whatever happened to the rabid, thrashy tech-death that first emerged from Tasmania?” Aussie shock and awe.

Harlott – Extinction Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on April 6, 2017 in 2017, Australian Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 27 comments

“Twenty-seventeen is turning out to be the year of thrash. On top of Kreator and Overkill, there’re new releases from Havok, Warbringer, Power Trip and, later this year, War Curse and Reign of Fury. In between all that, we also get a contribution from Australia’s own Harlott.” Thrash now comes with an extra “T” for added toughness.

Damnations Day – A World Awakens Review

By Eldritch Elitist on April 2, 2017 in 2017, Australian Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Sensory Records, Power Metal, 14 comments

“A blend of power metal and modern thrash that borrowed sounds from bands as diverse as Borealis, Iced Earth, and Sylosis, Damnations Day’s debut is an intriguing album that I still periodically return to despite some weak links and a couple of forgettable acoustic numbers. I had hoped that in the four years since that album the band would have diligently developed a filler-less follow up.” Hope is like a fickle seamstress.

Illimitable Dolor – Illimitable Dolor Review

By Ferrous Beuller on March 30, 2017 in 2017, Australian Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Transcending Obscurity, Death Metal, 30 comments

“Few genres resonate with as much sincerity as doom metal. Although naturally predisposed towards the melodramatic, it conveys a range of emotions that other metal genres simply never will. Every now and then, I come across an act that manages to elucidate, with stark candour, some of the most primal of our instincts. In this instance, grief.” A tribute to a fallen brother in metal, and an enormous one at that.

The Furor – Cavalries of the Occult Review

By Saunders on March 8, 2017 in 2017, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Transcending Obscurity, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 31 comments

“The patriot in me gets a little warm and fuzzy when contemplating the healthy state of the Australian metal scene. Whether it be divisive big guns Ne Obliviscaris and King Parrot, head-scratching experimental acts like Portal and Hope Drone, the thrashy old-school goodness of Hobbs’ Angel of Death and Deströyer 666, cutting edge modern tearaways Départe and Deadspace, or reliable tech death stalwarts Psycroptic, there’s a hugely satisfying selection of Aussie metal to satiate a wide variety of extreme tastes.” Is it just me or do Aussies like their D’s and P’s?

Hadal Maw – Olm Review

By Saunders on February 2, 2017 in 2017, Australian Metal, EVP Recordings, Groove Metal, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, Groove Metal, Technical Death Metal, 13 comments

“Melbourne’s Hadal Maw made waves in the Australian metal scene with their Senium debut in 2014. Although the album exhibited the band’s considerable potential through a frenetic blast of noisy tech-death, the compositions and production left ample room for improvement.” Has the improvement room been accessed?

Ignis Gehenna – Baleful Scarlet Star Review

By Madam X on January 14, 2017 in 2017, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Séance Records, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Melodic Metal, 24 comments

“Here’s something to think about… If Darkthrone’s Transilvanian Hunger released today, would it make the same impression it made back in 1994? More importantly, would it get the same reception nowadays that it got in the past?” No chance.

Rebel Wizard – Triumph of Gloom [Things You Might Have Missed 2016]

By Saunders on January 7, 2017 in 2016, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Self-released, Things You Might Have Missed 2016, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 24 comments

“One-man projects are increasingly common in the modern metal market, as dedicated individuals take the purely DIY route and leave band politics and shenanigans to other folks. Personally, 2016 has yielded two impressive discoveries of Australian one-man projects, from the slick melo-death theatrics of Valtari to this impressively vitriolic slice of mayhem from Rebel Wizard.” You rebel scum.

EP Edition [Things You Might Have Missed 2016]

By El Cuervo on December 20, 2016 in 2016, Reviews, Things You Might Have Missed 2016, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Neofolk, Progressive Rock, Thrash Metal, 57 comments

“Another year, another influx of new readers and writers at this mighty blog. Yet compared to those previously, this year has seen a significant growth in the consistency of our posts. A sad consequence of this is that EPs have increasingly fallen by the wayside as reviews of shitty full-length albums are summarily assigned to the probationary writers with reckless abandon.” We fixed the glitch.