German Metal

Schwarzer Engel – Kult der Krähe Review

By Grymm on March 3, 2018 in 2018, German Metal, Gothic Metal, Massacre Records, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal, 4 comments

“Ever get that queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach when you commit to something that’s absolutely foreign to your comfort zone? You know what I mean… you say “yes” to something before you get a good, hard look at what you’re about to do, and all of a sudden, Internal You is “nope!”-ing at record speed? Folks, that was me upon accepting Kult der Krähe, the sixth album by German one-man symphonic machine Schwarzer Engel, upon looking at the cover without hearing a single note prior.” Kult ov One.

Voodoo Circle – Raised on Rock Review

By Huck N Roll on February 13, 2018 in 2018, AFM Records, German Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 1 comment

“Voodoo Circle make Steel and I yearn for the olde days, when we would sit on the veranda in our trailer park, drinking hobo wine out of pickle jars, listening to mixtapes of Blue Murder, Whitesnake, Great White, and the Scorpions. It was a simpler time: hairspray-soaked blues metal dominated the scene, and there were four main lyrical topics: love, bad love, dirty love, and sex. You can’t get away with that in today’s climate, but that won’t stop Voodoo Circle from trying.” Sex is love.

Long Distance Calling – Boundless Review

By Mark Z. on February 5, 2018 in 2018, German Metal, InsideOut, Instrumental Metal, Post-metal, Post-Rock, Reviews, Instrumental Metal, Post-Metal, 46 comments

“Long Distance Calling is the best instrumental metal band you’ve never heard of. Formed in 2006, this German quartet first came to my attention when I discovered 2007 debut Satellite Bay last year, an album that went perfectly with my lonely drives along the sparkling New England coastline.” Accept the charges.

Victorius – Dinosaur Warfare – Legend of the Power Saurus EP Review

By Eldritch Elitist on February 4, 2018 in 2018, German Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Power Metal, 63 comments

“I hate how the paleontological community has degraded the popular image of dinosaurs in recent years. It’s not that I disagree with their theories – I’m no scientist, and I’m not about to dispute countless hours of research performed by people who actually know what they’re talking about – but I’m still disappointed, because imagining a Tyrannosaurus rex as a big fucking chicken and a tender lover absolutely shatters the mystique of my childhood obsession. So you know what, Victorius? Go right ahead. Strap laser beams to their frickin’ heads. Refer to them as “epic war machines” fighting a “holy war” against “alien scum.”” Saur spots.

Accuser – The Mastery Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on February 3, 2018 in 2018, German Metal, Groove Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Groove Metal, Thrash Metal, 23 comments

“I guess it’s only fitting that I’d follow up a review of the newest Machine Head record with another long-lost thrash band. This time, it’s a German outfit that hit the scene in 1986 and has more thrash metal cred than the thrash/groove/rap-metal outfit from Oakland, CA. Even if no one has any idea who they are. Accuser’s first two records, 1987’s The Conviction and 1989’s Who Dominates Who?, are underrated thrash metal classics. The latter, in particular, is a thrashpiece that combines the technicality of Testament and Annihilator with Kreator, Metallica, and Destruction. But after 1987, the band swan-dived straight into the groove-metal pavement for the next four releases. With this nightmarish Pantera-like tailspin finally coming to a halt after Taken by the Throat. And, to no one’s surprise, the band was no more.” Thrash through the ages.

Black Space Riders – Amoretum Vol. 1 Review

By Huck N Roll on January 28, 2018 in 2018, Black Space Records, German Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Reviews, Psychedelic Rock, 21 comments

“Back in 2015, Germany’s Black Space Riders underwhelmed El Cuervo to the point that, when jousting over January promos, he couldn’t even remember having reviewed Refugeeum. That is a warning sign if I’ve ever seen one, but something about Amoretum Vol. 1 intrigued me nonetheless, and I’m worried I might regret it: after all, Vol. 2 is also slated to come out this year, and I’ll get stuck with it, good or bad.” You take, you own it.

Rebellion – A Tragedy in Steel Part II: Shakespeare’s King Lear Review

By Steel Druhm on January 26, 2018 in 2018, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 28 comments

“If you encountered me during my misspent youth as an 80s metalhead and asked if Shakespeare and metal went well together, I’d have pondered the question deeply for several seconds, before hurling a half empty Schlitz can at you whilst cursing your ancestral line as posers and PMRC collaborators most foul. In the fullness of time I’ve come to realize the great English scribe’s body of is in fact, potent fodder for metal, teeming with sinister plots, betrayal, murder and war, sweet war. This pairing has been field tested with 2 concept albums based on Macbeth, one of which coming from German’s second-string grave exhumers, Rebellion.” Some are born metal, and some have metal thrust into them.

Evil Warriors – Fall From Reality Review

By Akerblogger on January 19, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, German Metal, Reviews, War Anthem Records, Black Metal, 44 comments

“Today’s dousing of rousing black metal is brought to you by the connoisseurs of battlefield chaos: Evil Warriors. In between raids, assaults, missions, sieges and skirmishes, the members of this troublesome horde forge equally manic and violent music to accompany their meddlesome missions.” The raiding life.

Halphas – Dawn of a Crimson Empire Review

By Dr. Wvrm on January 12, 2018 in 2017, Black Metal, Folter Records, German Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 30 comments

“As Christmas approaches, so too does the easy gushing of TYMHM season. We are in the thick of it now, the best time of the year, the constant f5ing and frantic back-listening, the questions of how you completely and totally slept on that band you’d never heard of until just now. Every day heralds a batch of guaranteed winners determined to kick the certitude of yesterday’s Top Ten down a mine shaft. Halphas kindly reminds you not to ignore the humble review, because Dawn of a Crimson Empire is no less impressive than any of the December delights that have caught your eye.” Did you…overlook this, perhaps?

Leaves’ Eyes – Sign of the Dragonhead Review

By Swordborn on January 10, 2018 in 2018, AFM Records, German Metal, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Symphonic Metal, 77 comments

“While some of the band’s fanbase has been rather worked up about the change in singers after the less than amiable departure of Liv Kristine following divorce from keyboardist Alex Krull, I’m interested only insofar as the impact the lead singer has upon the music. Which is to say, not much.” When Leaves leave.