Century Media

Dark Tranquillity – Construct Review

Dark Tranquillity – Construct Review

By Steel Druhm on May 21, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Century Media, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 22 comments

“I’ve been waiting for this one for some time. As a big Dark Tranquillity fan, I’ve weathered their style shifts and experiments with more commercial and more “modern” sounds. While 2010s We Are the Void was respectable with a few killer cuts, I ended up really liking the extended extras that were included on the limited edition release (which eventually became the Zero Distance EP). That group of songs encapsulated what modern-day DT does best: create melodic, but cold, sterile, modern death metal. I really wanted them to continue in that direction on Construct, but they thought otherwise.” Do the last of the Gothenburg titans finally fall victim to time and tide or can The Tranquil Ones keep the flame of melodic death alive?

Finntroll – Blodsvept Review

Finntroll – Blodsvept Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 20, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Century Media, Finnish Metal, Folk Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Folk Metal, 18 comments

I sometimes have wondered whether or not Finntroll is proof that we live in someone’s hypothetical universe. This smarmy imagineer in a banal universe somewhere, may have constructed an elaborate The Producers-like scheme to produce a flop that makes him money. “How about,” he says to himself, “a group of Finns, speaking in a minor dialect of Swedish, dressed up as characters from the LARP version of Changeling: The Dreaming and make folk-influenced heavy metal, complete with a screaming madman instead of a singer! Who on earth would buy that?” Were this hypothetical businessman able to see into our not-so-hypothetical universe he would most certainly be surprised to see that this motley menagerie of Österbottningar that fits his description are releasing their 6th full-length record in just a few days time — and it’s their second on one of metal’s premier labels.

Alpha Tiger – Beneath the Surface Review

Alpha Tiger – Beneath the Surface Review

By Steel Druhm on February 4, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, Century Media, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 10 comments

“Move your skinny asses over, Enforcer, there’s a new sheriff in Retro City and the name is really shitty. I know a pussy cat name like Alpha Tiger won’t inspire much faith amongst the angry metal masses, but trust me, the music more than makes up for the cheese-tastic moniker (which belongs on a third-rate Japanese video game where you brawl through a zoo and up the food chain). This is unapologetically old school, traditional metal taking its cues from early 80s American acts like Agent Steel, Armored Saint, John Arch era-Fates Warning, Sacred Oath and Crimson Glory.” Yes, Steel Druhm is delivering MORE retro metal for your consideration!! Deal with it. ROAR!

Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol Review

Paradise Lost – Tragic Idol Review

By Dr. Fisting on April 21, 2012 in 2012, 3.5, Century Media, Death Metal, Doom Metal, English Metal, Reviews, 17 comments

Well, well, well, if it isn’t Paradise Lost. This band is a reviewer’s wet dream, simply by virtue of all the weird shit they’ve pulled over the years. Starting out as one of the pioneers of death/doom metal in 1990, the band mutated into a sort of gothic hard rock/metal, before suddenly turning into Depeche Mode towards the end of that decade.

Napalm Death – Utilitarian Review

Napalm Death – Utilitarian Review

By Dr. Fisting on March 8, 2012 in 2012, 3.5, Century Media, Death Metal, English Metal, Grind, Reviews, Death Metal, 3 comments

Napalm Death’s latest album, Utilitarian, certainly gets off to an interesting start. The opening track, “Circumspect,” is a delicate acoustic number about the inhumane treatment of stray puppies and kittens. The next few tracks follow suit, with gently strummed guitars and the surprisingly beautiful crooning of vocalist Mark “Barney” Greenway.