Feb19

Backstabber – Conspiracy Theorist Review

By Kenstrosity on February 14, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Death Metal, 38 comments

“Oh Canada. How doth thee provideth the world oodles of death metal. The country never seems to run out of new bands to show off every year. Usually I can expect good things from most of those bands, too, which is all the more impressive. To kick off the new year ov death metal, I abducted Québécois Backstabber and their self-released debut Conspiracy Theorist. Ten tracks (seven proper, three instrumental) of modernized death metal with a politically charged message of subterfuge and paranoia sounds like an interesting proposition. Can these guys sell me their scandals, or will they simply appear to me as loonies in tin-foil hats?” Watch the skies.

Thornbridge – Theatrical Masterpiece Review

By Eldritch Elitist on February 14, 2019 in 2019, German Metal, Massacre Records, Power Metal, Reviews, Power Metal, 84 comments

“When it comes to power metal, I’m really not difficult to please. My expectations for a good example of the genre are no more elevated than the baseline that Helloween established over three decades ago; the material needs to be fun, energetic, and hooky, and if a band can pull this off, I ask for little else. I don’t think there’s a power metal act out there that fails to identify this recipe for success, yet so very few of them manage to capitalize. The style is plagued by countless bands rehashing watered down pop melodies against toothless power chords, seemingly unable to perceive that they utterly lack the charisma that elevated their influences. Thornbridge sees these pretenders, and says ‘we can do better.'” Though, with a name like Theatrical Masterpiece, there is a sense that they might be setting expectations a tad high.

Herod – Sombre Dessein Review

By Lokasenna on February 14, 2019 in 2019, Death Metal, Pelagic Records, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Swiss Metal, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge Metal, 65 comments

“Real talk: most of the time the intros for these things are the hardest part. Grueling, even. This is probably obvious, given how often they’re rambling and off-topic, but it’s the truth. It’s even harder when resounding apathy is the limit of what one can muster after a week of listening to something, and that’s where I am. The band, Herod, has got some talent, and are looking to make their mark with debut record Sombre Dessein, but the result is very mixed, unfortunately. A Swiss quartet of death/sludge progsters should be pretty engaging, at least in theory, so what went wrong here?” Rutting.

Angel Splitter – Descension to Demonic Paraphilia Review

By Saunders on February 13, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Slam, Death Metal, Slam, 81 comments

“Finding a diamond in the rough amidst the uncompromising slam death landscape is always a pleasure. The grinding trials and tribulations of the average underground extreme metal band conspired against Seattle’s Angel Splitter, with various circumstances leading to a significant delay of the release of their debut LP, Descension of Demonic Paraphilia, originally slated to drop last October. So strap yourselves in and prepare to be slammed.” Welcome to the slam jam.

Avantasia – Moonglow Review

By Steel Druhm on February 13, 2019 in 2019, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Power Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 165 comments

“Anything bearing the imprimatur of Tobias Sammet is synonymous with excess, bombast and a superhuman resistance to restraint and modesty. Originally known for his larger-than-life Euro-power albums with Edguy, Sammet’s Avantasia project is something else altogether. It’s his own personal wonderland where he enlists friends, well wishers and contemporary musicians in a never-ending quest to create extravagant, over the top power metal infused with Broadway theatrics, hard rock grit and preening pop. Yes, it’s mega-yacht metal, and no, it definitely isn’t for everyone.” Sammet’s latest moon shot.

Trauma – As the World Dies Review

By Huck N Roll on February 13, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Pure Steel Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Thrash Metal, 31 comments

“Last month I reviewed the latest Very Good release from Flotsam and Jetsam, a band known more for their contribution to Metallica than to thrash music in general. Well, not to be outdone, here comes Trauma, a band that should be known even more so for their contribution to Metallica. After all, it was Trauma that gifted the inimitable Cliff Burton to Metallica, and as we all know, the rest is history. And it was history for this Sunset Strip band: their debut album, Scratch and Scream, came out two years after Burton departed, and it was another three decades before their follow-up, Rapture and Wrath, dropped. Now here they are with As the World Dies, their third album (a mere three years after their second, instead of thirty), and another attempt to establish themselves as more than just a footnote in metal history.” And it certainly won’t be their cover art that does it, so can their music?

Seer – Vol. 6 Review

By El Cuervo on February 12, 2019 in 2019, Artoffact Records, Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Sludge Metal, 50 comments

“Trve followers may notice that this is the third review for Vancouver’s unheralded Seer at this site. Vol. 1 & 2 opened 2016 with a whimper which at least betrayed some potential for proper impact, and said impact was felt with 2017’s Vol. III & IV. 2019 has arrived and with it comes a rejection of Roman numerals and a reversion to integers in Vol. 6. ‘But wait!’ I hear you cry; ‘What happened to Vol. 5?’ The honest reason that I didn’t cover it was partly that we didn’t receive the promo but principally that I didn’t have much inclination to buy and review a record simply to say that it’s average. You may consequently note that my views on Seer are reasonably varied. What, then, is the verdict for this release?” _Insert joke about being able to see the future here._ (Wait, is that the joke or should we insert one?)

Drottnar – Monolith Review

By Holdeneye on February 12, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Endtime Productions, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 237 comments

“No matter one’s perspective on Christianity, it is hard to ignore the fact that its central theme of life emerging from death is built into the very fabric of our universe. Cells, plants, animals, worlds, stars, galaxies all die, their remains either fueling or becoming an integral part of something else. You don’t have to believe any specifics of the faith to see the beauty in accepting this death/life paradox and finding meaning in the metaphor. Norwegian band Drottnar seem to have a firm grip on this paradox of constant change and renewal as their 20-plus-year existence has been one of continual metamorphosis, starting as a standard death metal band and mutating into a hard-to-describe whirlwind of blackened complexity that explores Christian themes on their two previous full-lengths.” Rebuild to renew.

Beast in Black – From Hell with Love Review

By Eldritch Elitist on February 12, 2019 in 2019, Finnish Metal, Nuclear Blast, Power Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 80 comments

“To fully understand the absurdity that is Beast in Black is to know their roots and lyrical inclinations. Formed by Battle Beast guitarist Anton Kabanen following his departure from the band in 2015, BiB’s debut Berserker is a sonic extension of BB; ostensibly, it’s an identical formulation of mid-paced heavy/power metal, with added Sabaton influence and a side helping of glam rock and Euro pop. This nakedly derivative formula is made all the more amusing when one realizes that Kabanen also imported his Berserk-themed lyrics from his old band. From Hell With Love sees Beast in Black sinking to new new ineffectual lows, and the resulting irony of pairing this music with one of the most brutal comics I’ve ever encountered is more hilarious than ever.” Love is Hell.

Rotting Christ – The Heretics Review

By Grymm on February 11, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Greek Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Black Metal, 259 comments

“I want to start off this review on a different foot. You see, in 2016 I reviewed Rituals by Greek black metal institution Rotting Christ, and I was not kind. As someone who jumped on board the Rotting bandwagon after 2007’s incredible Theogonia, I noticed Sakis Tolis, his brother Themis, and company repeating that grandiose, come-at-me-fucker battle-ready style with diminishing returns on every album after that. I called it out both in the review and its comments section that a change of course, or at least a needed spike of adrenaline, could do wonders for the band. Even more so, exploring different motifs and tempos, not to mention lyrical ideas, would also help. But after listening to The Heretics for a solid week, I realized I was wrong to call Rituals a boring album at the time, and I want to apologize for that…” Heresy is an ugly word.