“Metal-Fi? One has got to wonder if the serious lack of updates on the site is because of these issues or are they in fact the root cause? I honestly don’t know. Certainly, neither Dave nor I could have possibly foreseen that our unannounced hiatus last year would kick off Ragnarök. But unfortunately, that’s what all of the facts seem to indicate. Our bad.” Deaf and taxes.
Devin Townsend
Thoughts Factory – Elements Review
“So when I pulled my head from the murk of the most grimy, gritty, and distorted music metal has to offer to review the clean, keyboard-laden progressive metal of Thoughts Factory, my initial reaction was that of a belligerent child forced to take a shower after playing in the mud: I don’t like it this clean! Make it more filthy! But does that knee-jerk reaction hold on repeat listens?” Clean thoughts.
Gardenstale’s and Ferrous Beuller’s Top Ten(ish) of 2019
The lists continue as GardensTale and Ferrous Beuller regale us with their Top Ten(ish) picks for the year. Pay attention.
Tylor Dory Trio – Unsought Salvation Review
“If there is one word that kept coming to mind over and over while I played through Unsought Salvation, it was “potential.” Tylor Dory Trio are a group with a ton of it, showing throughout that they have the musical chops to pull off something truly remarkable. All that seems to be holding the band back right now is experience.” PE = mgh.
Iapetus – The Body Cosmic [Things You Might Have Missed 2019]
“Metal offers incalculable aural interpretations of outer space. Darkspace focuses on the inhospitable nature of the infinite vacuum. Gamma Ray pitches a trip through a black hole as the ultimate roller coaster ride. Ghost Bath dwells on the melancholic isolation of the cosmos while also sounding like something out of Sonic Adventure. Yet it takes Iapetus just over three minutes to craft a moment more compelling than any of those with their sophomore LP, The Body Cosmic.” Space in your face.
Mental Health Awareness: Interview with An Isolated Mind’s Kameron Bogges
“It always happens; you forge a plan, you lay out your strategies as to how you’ll get things done, and just when you’re about to do those things, life happens. In this case, a heavily-increased work schedule kept me occupied. Like, for months. No lie, we here at Angry Metal Guy planned on doing pieces on mental health awareness back in June, and this very interview was conducted back in October/November, months after initial contact with the ever-patient Kameron Bogges, sole creator of An Isolated Mind. The fact that this interview is seeing light in December should tell you that things haven’t exactly slowed down much.” Pressure and time.
Grymm Comments: On Mental Health Awareness and Our Favorite Music
“Metal music is rife with either “mosts” or “-ests.” The most brutal. The most extreme. The most depressive, oppressive, and downtrodden. The saddest, angriest, fastest, meanest, and heaviest. Our music lives and dies by those concepts. Every day, bands, fans, and us critics go on the hunt to find or create music that scratches the perpetual itch that those “mosts” and “-ests” bring forth. But in that unending pursuit, many bands and musicians fall by the wayside. Worse still, some of those musicians do so by their own hands. Today is a good time as any to talk about mental health in metal and rock music, and what can be done to stop the stigma associated with it.”
Gates to the Morning – Return to Earth Review
“I have a soft spot for things I spot in the promo bin that are self-released. I think this is probably a function of my own complete lack musical talent, which means I already hold musicians in high regard and anyone who has the drive to self-release a record is a little bit amazing to me—the downside to this foible is, of course, that there is no vetting or editing on self-released records.” Self help.
An Isolated Mind – I’m Losing Myself Review
“Kameron Bogges isn’t exactly a household name. In fact, prior to today’s review, the only thing I had to go by is that he’s the sole proprietor of one-man experimental act Four Hoove Death Pig, who has an album dedicated to baking banana bread under its belt. Sadly, about a year or so, Bogges suffered the all-too-real hospitalization brought on by what I can imagine would be a manic episode and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The ongoing struggle, as well as coping with such a maligned mental health condition, inspired I’m Losing Myself, released under the guise of An Isolated Mind.” Reflections on a struggle.
Video Premiere and Interviews with Stevie Boiser and Trevor Portz of Ashen Horde
“Back in March, I reviewed Ashen Horde’s latest opus of black metal fury, Fallen Cathedrals. I heaped an unhealthy amount of praise its way back then, and I’m still spinning it a ton now. In fact, I would be very surprised if it were to fall outside of my top 5 albums come year’s end. My review may have been riddled with factual errors, but founder, songwriter, instrumentalist, and clean vocalist Trevor Portz showed up in the comments and revealed himself to be a gracious and enormously cool guy. So, when the opportunity to do an interview presented itself, I couldn’t resist.” We’re already off to a better start than last time.