Dec16

Omnizide – NekroRegime Review

Omnizide – NekroRegime Review

“I’m not an expert on black metal; in fact, I’m somewhat at an initiate level. While I have dug the occasional blackened affair like Axamenta, I’ve never had quite as much love for the kind of gritty, treble-laden, snare-abusing, hysterically-snarled theater that has been hated by parents, loved by anti-establishment youths and mocked to varying degrees by just about everyone else. This makes for a difficult situation when the dumping grounds of December leave naught but black metal promos.” Black is the season.

The DRX – Throughout Within Review

The DRX – Throughout Within Review

“If my hypothesis is correct, then this should be AMG’s last full review of the year, and the honor has gone to a lowly newbie thanks to some seasonal schadenfreude courtesy of Steel Druhm. See, with our infamously dreadful December promo pool to pull from, I let the fates decide my final assignment of 2016. So while everyone else cozied up by the fire with their choice Things You Might Have Missed, he assigned me to tackle the third record of prog project The DRX, Throughout Within.” Prog the halls, then leave same.

Gravebreaker – Sacrifice Review

Gravebreaker – Sacrifice Review

“In times of turmoil, our old refrains become more important to our sanity than ever. After burying my wallet in the backyard following some semi-drunk Christmas shopping, I turned to the latest Gothenburg-spawned album on the pile. Nothing better than somber keyboard-laden melodeath and the pitch-black 4 o’clock hour to ease the pain, right? No chance.” The 80s ride again!

Rudra – Enemy of Duality Review

Rudra – Enemy of Duality Review

“I must admit, prior to reviewing Rudra’s eighth full-length, Enemy of Duality, my only exposure to the band was bassist/vocalist Kathir’s vocal contribution for the song “देवदेवं (Devadevam)” on the new Rotting Christ album. Granted, while the song failed to win me over, it succeeded in making me aware of the Singaporean black metal band. Curious to check out the band’s self-proclaimed “Vedic metal,” and noticing that the band just dropped Enemy of Duality, I grabbed the promo and my trusty cans to see what the fuss was about.” Don’t be rudra.

Murg – Gudatall Review

Murg – Gudatall Review

“With the AMG promo bin positively bulging under the sheer weight of obscure one-man black metal projects nowadays, whenever I’m tasked with reviewing the work of an unfamiliar BM outfit, I’ve almost begun taking it as a given that it’s going to be a solo affair. When Gudatall—the latest effort from mysterious Swedish black metallers Murg—landed in my inbox, I almost choked on my caviar when I cued up a promo photo and found there to be not just one individual behind the name, but two.” Two is the unkvltist number that there’s ever been.

Angela Martyr – November Harvest Review

Angela Martyr – November Harvest Review

“These days, PR companies feel the need to come up with unique classifications and genres for the bands they are repping. I’ve lost count of the number of “new” genres we’ve had to add to our tag system this year. Great example: this new release from Angela Martyr, with a label prominently affixed to the cover declaring the music as ‘grungy, mechanical, pessimistic metalgaze.’ Okay. Why don’t they just say, ‘Sounds like Nine Inch Nails?'” They’re paid by the word, Huckster.

Maligner – Demon Review

Maligner – Demon Review

“Metalheads know very well their favored genre is among the most complex and the deepest music composed today. Getting lost among intricate compositions and soundscapes both atmospheric and complex is all in a day’s listening for us. Maligner doesn’t concern themselves so much with intricate soundscapes, though. No, this Swedish trio is more concerned with fucking shit up as hard and fast as they can, and Demon is their declaration of war.” War is swell.

Sentient Horror – Ungodly Forms Review

Sentient Horror – Ungodly Forms Review

“‘Tis the tide of Yule and if you’re anything like me, you might find yourself wondering just what might be malingering under the tree in those sinister rhomboidal shapes… If you’re exactly like me, then you too must be hoping for some filthy Swedeath to furnish the festive season. Now if your partner hasn’t taken it upon themselves to wrap up a platter of Scandinavian malignancy, then fear not because Sentient Horror are the D-Beasts for you, arriving just in time to plunder Christmas with that smooth Stockholm sound.” You know Santa’s on his way. He’s loaded lots of horrors in his sleigh.

Heavens Decay – The Great Void of Mystery Review

Heavens Decay – The Great Void of Mystery Review

“We all know December is the Great Dumpster Fire of Destiny for promos, and one does not simply sort through it without being stunned by the world-class dreck the labels unleash upon us poor, defenseless reviewers like so much coal in our stockings. Even in dead-end December though, you can sometimes trip over an industrial grade gem – the kind that will never shine like a pricey diamond, but may just win your affection anyway with its durable, utilitarian badassery. The Great Void of Mystery by Heavens Decay is one such stone of note.” December dumpster diving is risky business.

Dark Portrait – A Harrowing Atrocity Review

Dark Portrait – A Harrowing Atrocity Review

“It was with great reluctance that I took Dark Portrait’s A Harrowing Atrocity for review. It’s nothing against the band, but with the end of the year deadlines looming, TYMHM articles to write, and a top-ten list to hash out, there is little time for those unfortunate albums whose label thought it appropriate to release in the blackest month of the year.” From the promo dead pit comes…blackness.