“This is year two of Covid and we’re still discovering new ways in which the pandemic is altering the way we live. For instance, we’ve received multiple 2021 promos for Funeral Hymns, the sophomore release from Chicago thrash metal band Bloodletter, but Metal Archives and Bandcamp say it was released in September of 2020. I’m sure we will have more situations like this in the next couple of months. In fact, my review for next week is in the exact same boat. Not knowing who to trust, I’ve decided to trust the only person that I can trust: yours truly.” Blood can’t be dated.
Death Metal
Molten – Dystopian Syndrome Review
“Dystopia no longer exists in the realm of fiction. Fiction is reality. Falsities become truths, truths falsities. Who knows what’s true. This Christmas a mainstream British TV channel provided an alternative deepfake version of the traditional Queen’s speech, a warning against the proliferation of misinformation and fake news. When will metal be deepfaked? Will we even be able to tell if we’re listening to the machine? Are we deepfakes, howling through the vortex of the internet and providing energy to the lizard people? Who knows. Molten may be real or may not.” Dystopia now!
Dearth – To Crown All Befoulment [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]
“I just like violent music. Death metal is the last word in musical aggression but it knows many phrases. Bone-crunching verbs and enough unsavory adjectives to terrify the dead all terminate in one fatal piece of punctuation. California’s Dearth utilize their pen to grave ends.” Grave new world.
Fractal Generator – Macrocosmos Review
“Fractal Generator is an Sudbury, Ontario trio with a demo and a full-length under their belt. Boasting a range of experimental enactments incorporated into their death metal foundation, including black, grind, and warped melody, it’s a dense listen full of dynamics and movements.” Just the fracts, Jack.
Frozen Soul – Crypt of Ice Review
“Let’s keep this death metal train going, people! One entire year of it surely isn’t enough, right? We gotta maintain this hot streak like our lives depended on it. Or, I guess, if you’re Century Media’s newly signed Texan caveperson collective Frozen Soul, it’s a cold streak. Either way, I want more death, more metal, more riffs. The quintet’s first LP Crypt of Ice promises to deliver on all three, express shipped in a plank-wood box and ensconced in prehistoric ice.” Ice, ice rabies.
Karmacipher – Introspectrum [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]
“I love a puzzle. Something I can piece together, stitch by stitch. But no matter the complexity, there has to be a guiding light to see me through to the end; however faint and however far. Hong Kong’s Karmacipher are architects and second album Introspectrum is their monochromatic maze.” Karma, karma, karma, karma, Karmacipher.
The Ridiculous Year o’ Death Metal, Part 1 [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]
“We can all agree it has been a horrific year. Fortunately for the metal community, our lexicon is inverted. Rest assured that, when I say death metal has been absolutely disgusting in 2020, it can only be a good thing. While we at Angry Metal Guy have done our best to cover as much calamity as possible, it was inevitable that some releases would go unrecognized. To that end, this round-up exists solely to shed unholy light on those atrocities that didn’t quite make the cut, but still warrant your attention.” Become death.
The EP, Split, and Single Post [Things You Might Have Missed 2020] Part III
“The neglected, forgotten children; that’s what this post is about. Full-length albums are the proud first-born, strutting about with muscular arms and a beautiful face. But EPs?” Three times’ the harm.
Svartkonst – Black Waves [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]
“What do you get when you cross Watain circa Lawless Darkness with what’s commonly been referred to as Entombed-core? Svartkonst, and it rules. Black Waves is the solo project’s second record and has none of the hallmarks of a sophomore slump.” Rough seas.
The EP, Split, and Single Post [Things You Might Have Missed 2020] Part II
“The neglected, forgotten children; that’s what this post is about. Full-lengths albums are the proud first-born, strutting about with muscular arms and a beautiful face. But EPs?” More short grist for the short grist mill.