Feb19

Asgrauw – Gronspech Review

By Kenstrosity on February 5, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Dutch Metal, Heidens Hart Records, Melodic Black Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 75 comments

“I look upon the squiggly logo lightly imposed upon a dusky, yet colorful landscape and I realize that almost a half an hour has passed. Boy where does the time go? I finally break out of my trance and hit the play button, having queued up Asgrauw’s third offering, Gronspech. Well, I could have seen that coming miles away; this is quintessential 90’s black metal. Normally I feel ambivalence towards this particular strain. It drains me, the grating guitars and the wanton shrieks sapping my will to continue more quickly than most other subgenres of metal might. But this time I am finding myself once again entranced by what Asgrauw have on display.” Blackness from the land of orange.

Lord Divine – Facing Chaos Review

By Steel Druhm on February 5, 2019 in 2019, Argentinian Metal, Fighter Records, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, 107 comments

“One of the biggest water hazards in the reviewing game is tackling a unknown band with a decent sized discography already in place that you somehow missed out on entirely. Though I usually try to avoid these challenging situations, Argentina’s prog-power wielders Lord Divine made me take a risky play here. A prolific unit, they boast four previous albums in addition to today’s topic of interest, Facing Chaos. I’d never heard of them, but the promo write up checked all the right boxes and mentioned all the right influences, so I took a cautious flyer.” Chaos is a ladder.

Yerûšelem – The Sublime Review

By Grymm on February 5, 2019 in 2019, Debemur Morti, French Metal, Industrial Metal, Reviews, Industrial Metal, 47 comments

“Sometimes, repetition can be a powerful tool. French weirdos Blut Aus Nord know this quite well, as they’ve (he’s) used this tool over the course of several classic and not-so-classic albums. When guitarist, vocalist, and otherwise main fixture Vindsval reunited with longtime BaN bandmate W.D. Feld to further explore the more coldwave/post-punk influences found during the 777 trilogy in Yerûšelem’s debut, The Sublime. With a fresh canvas to work with, Yerûšelem looks to paint a newer, fresher image of what Vindsval’s main project hinted at.” Loopy.

Pulchra Morte – Divina Autem Et Aniles Review

By Cherd on February 2, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Ceremonial Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 34 comments

“When a metal musician says he’s been thinking about death, it’s easy to dismiss this as a given. Like, yeah dude. It comes with the territory. You’re wearing a t-shirt with twelve skulls on it. But when Jason Barron talks about the low point that led to the creation of Pulchra Morte—meaning “beautiful death”—things sound more serious: ‘I was going through an extremely dark time in my personal life… severe depression… complete and total loss.’ Barron, a veteran of the St. Louis, MO metal scene, recalls writing what would become the first song on Divina Autem Et Aniles. It was about an individual ‘composing his own epitaph, completely accepting his own failure, giving up.'” Darkness and divine inspiration.

Zohamah – Spread My Ashes Review

By GardensTale on February 1, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Israeli Metal, Redefining Darkness Records, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 155 comments

“Of all the myriad concoctions of subgenre blends present in metal, few have the potential to be as heinous and vile as black and doom metal. The ominous gloom of the latter mixed with the foul malevolence of the former can make for some horrifyingly ugly textures, something I discovered when reviewing Vile Creature last year. Though I tend to stay away from black metal if I can, this particular cocktail has shaken and stirred something in me, and thus I had no qualm fetching Zohamah from the promo bin, a one-man Israeli band whose debut combines black, doom, and death metal into an unholy platter of terror. Or that’s the idea, anyway.” Burnt offerings.

Ossuarium – Living Tomb Review

By Grymm on February 1, 2019 in 20 Buck Spin, 2019, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 54 comments

“I don’t know what it is about the Pacific Northwest that’s causing the citizens of that region of the U.S. of A. to pump out some rather phenomenal doom/death as of late. Perhaps it’s the perpetually rainy weather, but there’s certainly no shortage of slow, burbling, crawling-at-a-snail’s-pace death metal that rivals the greats from overseas. Portland’s Ossuarium turned quite a few heads with their 3-song demo, Calcified Trophies of Violence, and with their 20 Buck Spin debut, Living Tomb, they will no doubt turn even more.” Death by Northwest.

Graves – Liturgia da Blasfemia Review

By El Cuervo on February 1, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Portuguese Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 90 comments

“Portuguese black metal had a bumper year in 2018 simply by virtue of the release of Gaerea’s debut album called Unsettling Whispers, which ranged from very good to great. It may not have made the cut for my year-end list but it’s an accomplished listen which drags various blackened scenes from the past twenty-five years into its melting pot. The prospect of further Portuguese debutantes, masquerading under the name Graves, was therefore enticing and it was with interest that I selected Liturgia da Blasfemia from the promo pool. With but a single demo under their belts this represents their first foray into the world of fully-developed releases.” Can you dig it?

Soen – Lotus Review

By Huck N Roll on January 31, 2019 in 2019, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Silver Lining Music, Swedish Metal, Progressive Metal, 160 comments

“Note: AMG Himself previewed and reviewed Lotus back in November, from the comfort/imprisonment of the band’s recording studio. Refer back to that review for his almost fanboyish (although mostly reasonable) gushing. I am here to shine the glare of realism on this album, after having had it in my playlist for the past six weeks.” Point, counterpoint.

Within Temptation – Resist Review

By Steel Druhm on January 29, 2019 in 2019, Dutch Metal, Reviews, Spinefarm, Symphonic Metal, Symphonic Metal, 147 comments

“The times they are a changing. Once not so long ago, Within Temptation was in the vanguard of symphonic metal, powered by the wonderful voice of Sharon den Adel. Early albums like Mother Earth and The Silent Force balanced dark moods with accessible songcraft, and though they were never a super heavy outfit, their overall style fit well enough in the metalverse. Over time their sound became more glossy and pop-centric, drifting closer and closer to alt-rock, culminating in the commercially grasping dumpster fire that was 2014s Hydra. Four long years have gone by without a followup, reinforcing the bad taste that album left behind.” Resistance is brutal.

Soen – “Rival” Premiere and Lotus Review

By Angry Metal Guy on November 14, 2018 in 2019, Blog Posts, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Silver Lining Music, Swedish Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, 142 comments

“Surprise! Today we’re giving you an AngryMetalGuy.com first: an exclusive song premiere! You may have heard the news that Swedish progressive metallers Soen will release Lotus on the 1st of February, 2019 on Silver Lining Music. Well, I’m incredibly stoked to present to you two exclusives today. First, we have an exclusive listen to album’s first single “Rival,” which you’ll find embedded here. Furthermore, to give this song premiere that distinctive AMG feel you’ll find my full length, in-depth review of Lotus below.” Aw, snap! A song premiere!? Soon Angry Metal Guy will be referring to the readers as “little people.”