Feb18

Final Hour – Final Hour Review

By Dr. Wvrm on February 23, 2018 in 2018, Danish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Wargear Records, Melodic Death Metal, 0 comments

“I often wonder why bands ape a particular sound to death, but pass over another. Is Iron Maiden truly more worthy than Judas Priest? Why does Dark Tranquillity never get the same love as In Flames and At the Gates? What makes Bathory a hot ticket but not Type O Negative? Final Hour, as you may suspect, evoked this line of questioning with their take on melodeath’s tried and true tropes. Their influences are exactly the ones you would expect, and their music works inside the box.” Crazy like a box.

Horizon Ablaze – The Weight of a Thousand Suns Review

By Eldritch Elitist on February 23, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Black Metal, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 0 comments

“Records that pair abstract, artsy gore with a thematically rich title are the telltale wrappings of albums that may as well be the metal world’s equivalent of Oscar bait; you don’t have to listen to Horizon Ablaze to know that they deal in a progressive, forward-thinking strain of black/death metal. And yeah, most of those records are good, but The Weight of a Thousand Suns is especially fucking good.” There goes the tease.

Necrosexual – Grim 1 Review

By Mark Z. on February 23, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 0 comments

“Apparently being ‘necro’ is a big thing right now. Necrophobic and Necropanther have new albums out this month, and the redundantly-titled Necrodeath are releasing a new record in March. With all that death piling up, where do Necrosexual squeeze themselves in? On the greasy avenue of primitive blackened thrash, of course.” Love life, not the dead.

Royal Hunt – Cast in Stone Review

By Steel Druhm on February 22, 2018 in 2018, Danish Metal, NorthPoint Productions, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Progressive Metal, 0 comments

“Royal Hunt has reached the “long running career” stage, with Cast in Stone being their 14th album. Over most of that decade spanning career, they’ve stuck to their original formula, taking rock sensibilities and applying them to prog-metal. While the band was never afraid to wank and strut their musical stuff, they always wrote a catchy tune first, then packed the showboating in the right places.” Rock for the King.

Alterbeast – Feast Review

By Kronos on February 22, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Unique Leader, Death Metal, 2 comments

“Ah, Unique Leader records, what would we do without you? I’d certainly be out an unpaid reviewing job, and I’m sure Par Olafsson and Zack Ohren would see a lot less business. Tirades and drinking games notwithstanding, I’m always game to snatch up Unique Leader Records next release, and in this case it’s the sophomore effort from Sacramento-based Alterbeast.” Tech-death pong.

Armored Dawn – Barbarians in Black Review

By Swordborn on February 22, 2018 in 2018, AFM Records, Brazilian Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 0 comments

“Now here’s something you don’t see every day: a beefy-sounding Brazilian power metal act with no prior label releases appearing on a label as prominent as AFM. Armored Dawn is a sextet of South Americans who sound and write more like they hail from Germany or Scandinavia. With a certain preoccupation for Viking “lore” — just like half of all of metal — the band’s theme is nothing to write home about, but the album trailer sounded promising enough that I was eager to get my hands on this.” Viking lore or bore?

Candle – The Keeper’s Curse Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on February 21, 2018 in 2018, Fighter Records, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Heavy Metal, 0 comments

“It’s now been over a decade since King Diamond released an album. It’s almost been two decades since Mercyful Fate’s final record. Hell, the last time the King released a full-length disc, yours truly was is Mr. A.N. Grier. How fucking sad is that? As you can imagine, I’ve been dead inside since 2007.” Leave a Candle lit for the King.

My Silent Wake – There Was Death Review

By Saunders on February 21, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Doom Metal, English Metal, Gothic Metal, Minotauro Records, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 0 comments

“Ah, the mysteries of the promo bin. Usually when selecting promo I like to have a bit of context to consolidate my choices. Whether it be firm knowledge of a particular band or genre, general curiosity based on word-of-mouth or information gathered, or a fanboy-like connection. But every now and then the urge strikes to pick something at random, with the hope of landing a surprise gem. That was how I happened upon There Was Death by long running UK act, My Silent Wake.” The promo bin gives, the promo bin takes.

Feed the Rhino – The Silence Review

By Kronos on February 20, 2018 in 2018, Alt-Metal, British Metal, Century Media, Metalcore, Alt-Metal, Metalcore, 0 comments

“I’ll waste no time with introductions here and immediately address the four-thousand-pound pachyderm in the room; have metalcore bands just stopped trying whatsoever? What kind of fucking scene is it where it’s standard procedure to derive every single band name via mad libs? Between [verb] the [noun], [noun] [preposition] [noun], and [verb] [subject] [noun or phrase acting as a noun], you could cover a good 60% of all metalcore bands today.” Tonight only: Read the Review!

The Atlas Moth – Coma Noir Review

By Saunders on February 20, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Rock, Sludge, Stoner Metal, Rock, Sludge, Stoner Metal, 2 comments

“Shape-shifting Chicago act The Atlas Moth exorcised some particularly nasty personal demons on 2014’s bleak, The Old Believer album. Although failing to hit the glorious highs of predecessor An Ache for the Distance, it proved a mature, emotionally raw and harrowing chapter in the band’s career. Not content to repeat themselves, The Atlas Moth return in a decidedly more chipper mood, by their despondent standards, serving up an energetic and refreshingly upbeat collection of tunes that widens the scope considerably beyond the psychedelic sludge tag they are frequently saddled with.” Like an Atlas Moth to the flame of judgment.