Avant-garde Metal

Tardigrade Inferno – Burn the Circus Review

Tardigrade Inferno – Burn the Circus Review

“On the ranking of Things Ken Doesn’t Like™, circus music once lived just beneath the throne. For whatever reason, cabaret in all its forms annoyed me to no end, even in its natural environment. Why, then, do I find myself continually obsessed with Russian/Australian cabaret metal clowns Tardigrade Inferno and their particularly crunchy, creepy, crazed take on the cirque de métal?” Ten clowns, three rings,

Oxx – The Primordial Blues Review

Oxx – The Primordial Blues Review

Oxx is a trio from Aarhus, Denmark, having released three full-lengths and an EP since 2012. In spite of easy recollections to mathy insanity, pigeonholing The Primordial Blues is unfair even to the act’s own discography, as the ominous sprawling of 2015 debut Bury the Ones We Love and Burn the Rest differs fundamentally to the frantic Dillinger-core of 2019’s The Skeleton Is Just A Coat Hanger.” Big, not so dumb OXX.

Onkos – Vascular Labyrinth Review

Onkos – Vascular Labyrinth Review

“A project of San Francisco-based musician Robert Woods-LaDue and Bay-area session jazz musicians, Onkos is definitely metal, but like, what? Most akin to Barcelona flute/double bass bastards Inhumankind, Vascular Labyrinth can be best described as a chamber jazz act covering death metal.” In the veins of weirdness.

Arkheth – Clarity Came with a Cool Summer’s Breeze Review

Arkheth – Clarity Came with a Cool Summer’s Breeze Review

“Even for I, Voidhanger, Clarity Came with a Cool Summer’s Breeze is a hallucinogenic odyssey of unreal proportions. In its wild ways of whimsy, I catch whiffs of everything ranging from Ved Buens Ende, Blut Aus Nord, Vulture Industries, and even The Beatles. With an expansive stylistic gamut to manage, it’s bewildering that Tyrone not only concocted a compelling compound with it, but also condensed it into a tight and twisted thirty-seven minutes.” Shrooms with a view.

Bekor Qilish – Throes of Death from the Dreamed Nihilism Review

Bekor Qilish – Throes of Death from the Dreamed Nihilism Review

“Consisting of Italian vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Andrea Bruzzone and company, Bekor Qilish offers its debut Throes of Death from the Dreamed Nihilism. While it toes the line between full-length and EP at twenty-eight minutes, it manages to embody really fun “Voidhanger-core” to a tee.” Avant-guardians.

Pestilength – Basom Gryphos Review

Pestilength – Basom Gryphos Review

“Although divisive, Portal’s influence in the death metal world is undeniable. Featuring riffs that seem to crawl with murk and dissonance aplenty with an eldritch monstrosity roaring from the pulpit, there are few who can accurately channel this particular breed of otherworldly alienation. Many have tried and failed, but getting that squirming aesthetic just right is nearly impossible. Basque duo Pestilength is the latest to try their hand at the next Vexovoid.” Cake? No cake!

Slow Burning Rage – Slow Burning Rage Review

Slow Burning Rage – Slow Burning Rage Review

Slow Burning Rage is a one-man crew consisting of multi-instrumentalist Ryan Parrish, who you may know as the former drummer of melodeath heavyweights Darkest Hour, as well as other varying acts like Iron Reagan, Mammoth Grinder, City of Caterpillar, and Bleach Everything (to name a few). What can you expect from Slow Burning Rage, then? Well, for as varied and crazy as his resume is, it’s nothing like any of his acts. Slow Burning Rage’s self-titled debut is deemed “jazz sludge” by the promo gods.” Rage for change.