Combat Records

Green Death – Hallowmass Review

By GardensTale on October 18, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Combat Records, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, 52 comments

“Let it never be said I’m not game for unconventional genre hybrids. Gothic speed metal? Hand me the scalpel. Power death metal? Probably just melodic death metal in disguise, but I’ll don my bib all the same. Thrash doom metal? Now we’re talking! Green Death from Des Moines, Iowa, claim they managed to inject doom, melodic death, and other scraps of genres into thrash metal. The biting speed and fury of thrash seem antithetical to the heavy-handed lethargy of doom, rousing the suspicion that the genre description is full of crap, or as they say on that side of the pond, fake news.” It an’t easy being green and dead.

Yer Metal Is Olde: Death – Leprosy

By Ferrous Beuller on October 14, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Death Metal, Yer Metal Is Olde, Death Metal, 86 comments

“As a lover of progressive music, I often muse on the use of “progressive” as a categorization as averse to adjective. The paradox of unfettered creativity being characterized, and therefore restricted, often seems alien to me. Not so for Chuck Schuldiner, who knew all too well the difference between progression and growth. Long before the intelligentsia of extreme music raised a monopoly on pens, metal sought to forge its own swords. While Death would help define progressive death metal in years to come, it was 1988’s Leprosy that would be amongst the first to channel the genre’s base instincts.” Still infectious after all these years.

Hatchet – Dying to Exist Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 11, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Combat Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Melodic Metal, Thrash Metal, 67 comments

“The best metal is not purely contemplative music, but the music of action that’s worth attention. The kinetic element of metal is present in the energetic rhythms and soaring harmonies, through the murk and the ice, in the slam and the breakdown; it’s baked into the idea of heaviness itself. This music makes those who get it move; we mosh, we furiously bang our heads, throw up the horns, or play an air instrument. The gut feeling that good metal gives me makes me need to do something: have a lively night with friends, furiously scribble a review draft, play an instrument, work out, or even just pace about and enjoy the music.” Chopping spree!

Retro-spective Review: Dark Angel – Darkness Descends

By Steel Druhm on June 28, 2014 in American Metal, Retro Reviews, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 10 comments

“When historians look back at the original thrash wave of the 80s, it’s usually Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth that get the lion’s share of the attention. It’s admittedly hard to deny the timeless nature of the early works by such seminal acts and it’s obvious these were the bands that defined the sound and style. That doesn’t mean they were the only ones who released genre-defining works however. Case in point was the sophomore platter by California speed freaks, Dark Angel.” Steel Druhm is back to shower much deserved accolades on one of the best thrash albums of all time.