Feb22

Sin Starlett – Solid Source of Steel Review

Sin Starlett – Solid Source of Steel Review

“Calling something new “NWoBHM” is a tricky proposition. Some bands and labels seem to fall on the description as a lazy synonym for Maiden, but that clearly only captures a slice of the historical scene. Sin Starlett’s tendency to swap out huge sections of the wardrobe between albums only amplifies the confusion in calling them simply “NWoBHM.” 2012’s awfully-named Throat Attack saw Starlett wear through the combined speed and pop sensibilities of Defenders of the Faith-era Judas Priest. 2016’s Digital Overload, meanwhile, saw the Starletts adopt thrashier trappings. The borderline thrash riffs and vocal barks seemed to signal a new direction for follow-up Solid Source of Steel. Wherever steel may roam.

Thunderor – Fire It Up Review

Thunderor – Fire It Up Review

“Two months into 2022 and Thunderor have already released the best album cover of the year. Part Painkiller, part Jester Race, all airbrushed metal glory. Thunderor is the NWOTHM pet project of Skull Fist drummer JJ Tartaglia who is joined by ex-Skull Fist guitarist Johnny Nesta and ex Annihilator bassist Oscar Rangel. After reading the press release, one can imagine the moment Tartaglia saw Manowar’s “Return of the Warlord” video and traded his skateboard for a chopper and his Vans for a pair of studded boots.” Heavy metal Thunderor.

Ezkaton – To Those Who Fell Review

Ezkaton – To Those Who Fell Review

“It feels like it’s been forever since I reviewed Sheen and Misery, the sophomore full-length from Ukranian depressive black metal project Ezkaton. It hasn’t—it’s been less than three years, but, well, a lot has happened, and I think less of it has been positive than most of us would like. And on days when you want to curse and hate and scoff at the world, Ezkaton is like the cold side of your pillow, offering cold comfort you can’t find anywhere else.” Pray for Ukraine.

Deathbell – A Nocturnal Crossing Review

Deathbell – A Nocturnal Crossing Review

“I’m not going to lie here; when I first saw A Nocturnal Crossing, the second album by French doommakers Deathbell, listed in our promo pick-up software, my brain autocorrected the title into Animal Crossing. From that moment, I wondered to myself what it would be like to have a concept doom album where our hapless main (unnamed) character would strike a deal with The Devil, selling his soul for bells while interacting with damned-but-adorable lost animal souls while trying to cross the River Styx on a dragon boat powered by Blathers the Owl.” Hell bells.

Allegaeon – Damnum Review

Allegaeon – Damnum Review

“Today, dear reader, I take over review duties for the tech death band Allegaeon from all around swell guy GardensTale. You see, Mr. Tale has twice reviewed these Coloradans, once for 2016’s Proponent of Sentience, and again for 2019’s Apoptosis, awarding both middling to poor scores. Apparently, this upset the powerful Allegaeon lobbyists in metal congress, because those comment sections got savage. GardensTale, this site, his mom, other writers, OUR moms; no one was safe from the blistering ire of the Allegaeonites.” A letter to Damnum.

An Evening Redness – An Evening Redness Review

An Evening Redness – An Evening Redness Review

“”Only that man who has offered up himself entire to the blood of war, who has been to the floor of the pit and seen the horror in the round and learned at last that it speaks to his inmost heart, only that man can dance.” So goes a notable passage from Cormac McCarthy’s bleak masterpiece Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West. It’s a brilliant and endlessly quotable novel that serves as the source material for An Evening Redness’s debut offering of Americana-tinged drone/doom.” Harvester of Moon.

Corpsegrinder – Corpsegrinder Review

Corpsegrinder – Corpsegrinder Review

“Let’s get this out of the way: I love Cannibal Corpse. I’ve been a devotee for years, a fact that will undoubtedly color this review, which is completely and utterly devoid of objectivity. To be more specific, I’m a fan of post-Barnes era Cannibal Corpse; that magical moment in 1996 when George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher took the vocal reins on Vile and imbued everyone’s favorite splatter-core death metal band with his trademark brutal bellow. And now, 26 years and 11 studio albums later, Mr. Fisher has finally decided to go it alone, foregoing Target discounts and World of Warcraft raids in order to render unto us his very first solo record.” A Corpse is a Corpse, of course, of course.

The Neptune Power Federation – Le Demon De L’amour Review

The Neptune Power Federation – Le Demon De L’amour Review

“Love songs are not metal’s forte. The last album I reviewed, as far as I can remember, that devoted significant attention to the subject was Hemina’s Venus, near the start of my tenure. That makes Le Demon De L’amour the first in over half a decade. If I hadn’t already been familiar with The Neptune Power Federation, I might’ve been skeptical. But Memoirs of a Rat Queen was the highest 3.5 I ever gave. I still wonder whether it should have been a 4.0, and a big reason for that was the album’s pinnacle love song, “I’ll Make A Man Out Of You.” So if anyone could ‘reclaim the love song,’ as the band proclaims, it’d be these eclectic Aussie rockers.” Demon love in the deep blue sea.