Hardcore

Portrayal of Guilt – We Are Always Alone Review

Portrayal of Guilt – We Are Always Alone Review

By Akerblogger on February 1, 2021 in Reviews, Hardcore, 27 comments

“The three members of Austin’s Portrayal of Guilt are young and full of punk. Jadedness and grey hair is a distant worry. They are raging, raging against the dying of a light that so many have gently entered. Youthful vigor is a fleeting thing. If the rage of youth could be bottled it would sell billions. For many bands, the golden thread of youth unravels and vanishes in a flash. It’s a ball of yarn and a knitting needle then, a life trying to recreate the glory of days gone by. The rare band or individual breaks the mold, but for the most part, nothing can recapture the seething potential and momentum of the early days.” Alone in angst…together.

Tombs – Under Sullen Skies Review

Tombs – Under Sullen Skies Review

By Doom_et_Al on November 18, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Hardcore, Sludge, 66 comments

“In the early 2010s, powered by bands such as Deafheaven and Liturgy, “hipster metal” became the favorite pejorative for acts that thumbed traditional metal conventions. Embraced by the mainstream, many of these groups, unfortunately, just weren’t very good, which led to metal purists rejecting them. This resulted in said mainstream accusing said purists of being snobby gatekeepers. Cue lots of sulking, posturing and finger wagging. In among the noise, however, were some real gems that were unfairly tainted by the “hipster metal” label. Although less overtly “subversive” (read: “pretentious”) than their  Brooklyn counterparts, Liturgy, Tombs weirdly found themselves in this boat with their excellent debut, 2011’s Paths of Totality.” Trend Tombs.

Ysgaroth – Storm Over a Black Sea Review

Ysgaroth – Storm Over a Black Sea Review

By Dear Hollow on November 11, 2020 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Hardcore, Sludge Metal, Technical Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 35 comments

“Ysgaroth is a “progressive extreme metal” band from Vancouver, their self-released Storm Over a Black Sea being their debut. While I’ve never entirely understood the phrase “extreme metal,” these Canucks throw everything and the kitchen sink into their poutine platter: black metal shrieks and tremolo, thrashy riffs, hardcore drumming, technical noodling, and avant-garde post-metal/sludge strangeness for a multi-car pileup with multiple fatalities.” Frequent wind.

False Gods – No Symmetry… Only Disillusion Review

False Gods – No Symmetry… Only Disillusion Review

By Dear Hollow on October 15, 2020 in Reviews, Ambient Metal, Hardcore, Sludge Metal, 8 comments

“I’m the biggest Eyehategod fan I know, and sludge gets a bad rap. I get it: much like drone, if you just amp up the distortion to an 11/10 and know how to abuse the blues scale, you’ve got it made. Of course, there’s more nuance, like the need for facial hair, flannel, intoxicating substances, a shotgun, and some dark woods in the Deep South, but that’s just pedantic. My point is, you wouldn’t expect Crowbar-esque sludge from some dudes in New York, New York.” Empire expanding.

Plague Years – Circle of Darkness Review

Plague Years – Circle of Darkness Review

By Holdeneye on September 17, 2020 in Reviews, Hardcore, Thrash Metal, 53 comments

“Plague Years dole out Slayer grooves with hardcore vocals just like every other modern crossover band, but the beef levels have been turned up to 11 by down-tuning the guitars and adding some death metal elements. If Power Trip is the classic, lean and mean Greek god physique of crossover, Plague Years is the modern-day, steroid-saturated Mr. Olympia.” Circle of power.

The Third Kind – Man vs Earth Review

The Third Kind – Man vs Earth Review

By Mark Z. on June 24, 2020 in Reviews, Hardcore, Thrash Metal, 2 comments

“As a reviewer, it always feels good when you correctly identify a band’s influences. Hmm, I thought to myself upon first listening to The Third Kind‘s Man vs Earth debut, this kind of sounds like All Out War. It turns out there’s a good reason for that. Formed in 2015, Kind count All Out War guitarist Taras Apuzzo amongst their ranks, along with other members from a slew of New York hardcore bands.” Earth had it coming.

Paralysis – Mob Justice Review

Paralysis – Mob Justice Review

By Holdeneye on June 1, 2020 in Reviews, Hardcore, Thrash Metal, 24 comments

“Crossover thrash certainly seems to be making an honest effort to have its day in the sun lately. While it has existed since the early 80s and has had its loyal adherents ever since, the genre is suddenly teeming with new life. Bands like Power Trip, High Command, Enforced, and Red Death are capitalizing on the resurgence of interest in the style, and the results have been quite glorious.” Mob violence.

ACxDC – Satan Is King Review

ACxDC – Satan Is King Review

By Roquentin on May 30, 2020 in Reviews, Hardcore, Powerviolence, 19 comments

““First to betray / First to disobey / First to stand up / Against tyranny,” screams Sergio Amalfitano on the title track of ACxDC’s second full-length Satan Is King. Delivered in one breath and against a grindcore wall of seesawing guitars and hammering drum blasts, these first few verses are a distillation of the Los Angeles-based powerviolence quartet.” I’m gonna get you, Satan get you!

Bâ’a – Deus Qui Non Mentitur Review

Bâ’a – Deus Qui Non Mentitur Review

By Dear Hollow on April 20, 2020 in 2020, Ambient, Black Metal, French Metal, Hardcore, Osmose Productions, Post-metal, Reviews, Ambient, Black Metal, Hardcore, Post-Metal, 48 comments

“Bâ’a is an anonymous French black metal trio, and while pronunciation of the name remains unclear, their debut album Deus Qui Non Mentitur[ rips open the gates with stunning clarity in scorching tremolo, blastbeats, bass riffing, mammoth songwriting, morose atmosphere, and a fiery preacher for a vocalist.” Sheep becomes wolves.