Ghost

The AMG Staff Picks the Top Ten Records o’ 2015: There’s No Accounting for Anything Anymore

By Angry Metal Guy on December 21, 2015 in 2015, Blog Posts, 210 comments

“We’ve reached the end of 2015 and this year I’m personally editing these Top Ten lists. For the first time (ever) I am reading the production of the different writers we’ve assembled over the last few years. I am shocked. I am dismayed. I feel angry, offended, galled. But I am not surprised. Under Steel Druhm and Madam X‘s indulgent care and averted gaze the young Angry Metal Staffers have run amok. Alas, after having actually consumed of the words these gentlemen produce, I’m firing them all. It’s back to the drawing board: me, Steel Druhm, and as much metalcore as you can eat!”

Jess and the Ancient Ones – Second Psychedelic Coming: The Aquarius Tapes Review

By Steel Druhm on December 10, 2015 in 2015, Finnish Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Occult Rock, 29 comments

“Svart Records is a bastion of strange Finnish acts, and Jess and the Ancient Ones is one of the strangest. Starting with the same 70s occult rock indulged in by Ghost and Jex Thoth, they add in surfer rock and more than a little tripped out psychedelic acid rock to arrive at something altogether different.” Surf’s up and Satan is down!

Sabbath Assembly – Sabbath Assembly Review

By Steel Druhm on September 21, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Doom Metal, Occult Rock, 58 comments

“Sabbath Assembly have always been odd, especially since they used their music to proselytize about the obscure religious splinter group known as the Process Church of the Final Judgment. This resulted in albums like Ye Are Gods and Quaternity playing like Manson-esque hippie cult indoctrination music and they were definitely an acquired taste with limited replay value. Cast out and finding their own way.

Record(s) o’ the Month – August 2015

By Angry Metal Guy on September 2, 2015 in Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, 92 comments

Here at Angry Metal Guy we try to keep you on your toes. One of the ways that we do that is by randomly publishing the Record(s) o’ the Month whenever we want to. It’s a great way to really cause problems for those who set their schedules by it, tell jokes about how late it is, or generally reference it in any way that isn’t reading it when it so has the good grace of being published. This is all done with the sure intentionality of a surely intentional person who is not unreliable, but instead totally reliable and is absolutely 100% in control of when the Record(s) o’ the Month get posted. Under no circumstances should other conclusions be drawn; if such conclusions are drawn, you would be foolish to have drawn such conclusions and I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you I hate you!

Spock’s Beard – The Oblivion Particle Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on August 18, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, InsideOut, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Progressive Metal, 33 comments

“What do you think of when I say “progressive metal?” Well, if you’re anything like me, you think of early ’90s wanks from New York, nerdy band photos of cheap sunglasses and bad haircuts, masturbating guitar solos, cheesy keyboard theatrics, and lengthy double-albums longing to be The Wall or The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.” Nobody wanks in New York!

Ghost – Meliora Review

By Steel Druhm on August 17, 2015 in 2015, Heavy Metal, Loma Vista Recordings, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Heavy Metal, Occult Rock, 95 comments

“I made no secret of my throbbing love for theirOpus Eponymous debut, and made even fewer bones about my disappointment with follow-up Infestissumam. With the band tied one and one and the writing apparently now being handled by someone named Klaus Ahlund, I looked to Meliora to determine if Ghost was a flash in the pan or a serious act worthy of the buzz their enigmatic antics earned them.” Is this one friendly like Casper or a total mess like Slimer?

Tribulation – The Children Of The Night Review

By Dr. Fisting on April 11, 2015 in 2015, Century Media, Death Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, Heavy Metal, 44 comments

“Although they began as progenitors of fuzzed-out Entombed-style death metal, Sweden’s Tribulation has been on a trajectory towards smarter, more structured music since their second record, 2013’s The Formulas of Death. Their latest album boasts the Dio-worthy title The Children Of The Night.” Tribulation is a tricky little wicket. You never know what they’ll do next.

Kraków – Amaran Review

By Madam X on February 11, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Dark Essence Records, Drone, Norwegian Metal, Not Metal, Post-metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Experimental Metal, Post-Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Metal, 9 comments

“Winter is being a Mr. Cold Miser and evenings like these cry out for a glowing fire, the dark notes of a glass of Malbec and some post-metal meandering gloom which, as luck has it, is Norwegian based Kraków’s claim to fame.” Cold and snow may be new to Madam X, but not post-metal. Or wine!

Bloody Hammers – Under Satan’s Sun Review

By Steel Druhm on May 22, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Napalm Records, Reviews, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, 3 comments

“It seems Bloody Hammers has a new album in the pipeline every few months. In fact, this is the third of their platters I’ve reviewed since late 2012, which pretty much makes them the anti-Necrophagist. Under Satan’s Sun is their first album without a topless woman on the cover (which I take issue with, purely for marketing reasons, mind you), but their style continues to broaden and evolve, blending the occult rock shtick made so notable by Ghost with the throwback doom of Hour of 13 and Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats.”

Castle – Under Siege Review

By Steel Druhm on May 7, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Doom Metal, Epic Metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Doom Metal, Epic Metal, 13 comments

“At the crossroads of retro/occult metal, doom and throwback vest metal, sits Castle like some sort of big…castle. These San Francisco rockers exploded onto the doom scene with their punchy In Witch Order début and immediately carved a niche for themselves among contemporaries like Jex Thoth and Occultation. Blacklands took things to the next level by incorporating strains of epic metal and black metal riffery and the result was quite heady, unpredictable and fun. Now we get Under Siege, which once again rejiggers the Castle sound as the band evolves and matures with grace and dignity.” Have you heard these guys yet? If not, Steel Druhm thinks less of you.