Blog Post

Contrite Metal Guy – Mistakes Were Made

By Grymm on September 7, 2017 in 2017, Blog Posts, Contrite Metal Guy, 107 comments

“The life of the unpaid, overworked metal reviewer is not an easy one. Cascading promos, unreasonable deadlines, draconian editors and the unwashed metal mobs – it makes for a swirling maelstrom of music and madness. In all that tumult, errors are bound to happen and sometimes our initial impression of an album may not be completely accurate. With time and distance comes wisdom, and so we’ve decided to pull back the confessional curtain and reveal our biggest blunders, missteps, oversights and ratings face-plants. Consider this our sincere AMGea culpa. Redemption is retroactive, forgiveness is mandatory.” Grymm tidings.

Record(s) o’ the Month – July 2017

By Steel Druhm on August 28, 2017 in 2017, Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, 124 comments

“In the days when dinosaurs walked the Earth, and land was swamp and caves were home, you had to wait a long, long time for the Record(s) o’ the Month to arrive via delivery monkey. In our glorious modern age, the coveted selections drop into your laps with alarming semi-regularity, requiring only a modicum of patience. Even that small condition of service is too great for the average AMG reader however, and by the 15th of each month they lay siege to the AMG offices like a suburban mall in a George Romero movie.” OCCUPY AMG.

Contrite Metal Guy – Mistakes Were Made

By Steel Druhm on August 21, 2017 in 2017, Blog Posts, Contrite Metal Guy, 75 comments

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeo: Adrift for Days – A Sleepless Grey

By Steel Druhm on July 27, 2017 in 2017, Angry Metal Guy's Unsigned Band Rodeo, Blog Posts, 21 comments

“After several years of self-righteous elitism where we largely overlooked unsigned acts, it’s high time we make amends. And so we’re bringing AMGs Unsigned Band Rodeo back from the dustbins of history with a fresh paint job and a butt-load of new reviewers! Every other month we will pluck a band from metallic obscurity, review the holy Bejesus out of them and leave them to the mercy of you, the fickle masses. At year’s end we will crown the best in show and shower them with accolades, cheap beer and day old sushi. Now that you know the score, welcome to the Rodeo, mofos!” Aussie doom-drone makes for a wild ride.

Record(s) o’ the Month – June 2017

By Steel Druhm on July 17, 2017 in 2017, Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, 135 comments

“The summer is more than halfway over here in these United States, and the demands of blog management, writing, editing and ruthless self-promotion must be balanced with seasonal outdoor pursuits like excessive beer drinking, excessive cocktail imbibing and excessive moonshine swilling. This makes time management all the more crucial, lest the whole summer schedule implodes and we fall months behind on the Record(s) o’ the Month posting (quiet, you).” There ain’t no cure for the summertime booze.

AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeo: Canvas Black – Destructive Herd Mentality

By Steel Druhm on July 13, 2017 in 2017, Angry Metal Guy's Unsigned Band Rodeo, Blog Posts, Unsigned Bands, 55 comments

“Back in the primordial days of this here blog, we attempted something called “AMG’s Unsigned Band Rodeo.” The basic idea was to select a bunch of unsigned bands and give them the collective review treatment to find the most worthy buried gems. It was our humble effort to remind folks that the metal underground is still an important part of the world of metal. After several years of self-righteous elitism where we largely overlooked unsigned acts, it’s high time we make amends.” Today, we ride (and review).

Steel Druhm Comments: On Music Labels, Promos and the Reviewing Profession

By Steel Druhm on June 29, 2017 in 2017, Blog Posts, Frontiers Records, 108 comments

“I haven’t commented much lately as I’m generally bogged down with the minutia of keeping AMG Consolidated, Amalgamated Industries, Ltd. moving and shaking. However, recent developments put a sizable burr in my saddle that requires some therapeutic venting from yours truly.” Houston, we have a promo problem.

Yer Indefensible 90’s Weirdness is Olde: Paradise Lost – One Second

By Grymm on June 27, 2017 in 90s Metal Weirdness, Blog Posts, Indefensible Positions, Yer Metal Is Olde, 77 comments

“Once upon a time, England’s doom/death saints Paradise Lost were poised to become their country’s (and even their continent’s) answer to the mighty Metallica. Going from the atonal death/doom of their humble beginnings to their more streamlined sound, the West Yorkshire quintet were on the cusp of breaking big after the impact of 1993’s Icon and 1995’s powerful Yer Metal is Olde-inductee, Draconian Times. Seeing their star on the rise, Paradise Lost did what any self-respecting metal band would do: they got haircuts, abandoned the doom metal they were most known for and loved, and jumped on the Depeche Mode wagon.” Walking on glumshine.

Record(s) o’ the Month – May 2017

By Steel Druhm on June 26, 2017 in 2017, Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, 152 comments

“There’s an olde Klingon proverb to the effect that Record(s) o’ the Month posts are best served late (and with cheap beer, but we’re on a budget). As we at AMG have a healthy collective respect for Klingon traditions, we do what we can to live up to their br00tal warrior code. May was exceptional for metal releases and there were a bunch of top-flight albums vying for monthly lordship. And as usual, the fractious staff did not see eye-to-eye on who should reign supreme.” Dochvetlh vIneH!

Grymm Comments on: Elitism, Rebuttals, and How Metal is Not the Fucking Worst

By Grymm on June 3, 2017 in 2017, Blog Posts, 120 comments

“”This is silly.” That was what was running through my head as I was reading an article by former Handshake, Inc. label boss David Hall over at CLRVYNT. He pontificated in rapturous fashion about how metal, once pure and innocent, is going through its death throes due, in no small part, to San Francisco’s favorite punching bags not named Colin Kaepernick, Deafheaven.” So much fussin’ and a feudin’.