Horrified

Soulmass – The Weakness of Virtue Review

Soulmass – The Weakness of Virtue Review

“If forced to pin a “Dark Souls metal” tag on a band, Bell Witch, not Soulmass, comes to mind. Bleak and suffocating, funeral doom always smelled like the proper representation of a nightmarish world bent under centuries of decay and despair. Soulmass’ 2014 debut Despairing Fates approximated its subject matter’s grind-you-to-sand difficulty more closely than its forlorn atmosphere. Their tempestuous death metal crushed as many souls as advertised, but five years later, that flame is extinguished. The Weakness of Virtue looms instead, spreading doom and death in the jolly cooperation that its subject matter so desperately craves.” Soulmass effect.

Horrified – Allure of the Fallen Review

Horrified – Allure of the Fallen Review

Horrified is in a bit of an odd place. Parallels to Philadelphia death outfit Horrendous are apt, with Horrified’s first two albums delivering exactly the slabs of modernized Swedeath you might expect. Though 2016’s magnificent Of Despair put the band on the map, Horrified mastermind Dan Alderson himself immediately touted their next album as ‘something with an even larger and dynamic range of influences… more original and diverse than the material presented on Of Despair.'” Big words. Big album.

Horrified – Of Despair Review

Horrified – Of Despair Review

“Newcastle (upon Tyne [UK]) based Horrified released their debut about a year and a half ago, and the AMG staff collectively shrugged. A throwback death metal record with some neat riffs and an authentic sound, it lacked in both originality and execution, and was summarily dismissed by yours truly. But wise old man of the AMG staff, Al Kikuras saw something in the band, a certain rough charm and attitude that’s missing in the majority of retro-death.” Al knows retro-death.

Winds of Genocide – Usurping the Throne of Disease Review

Winds of Genocide – Usurping the Throne of Disease Review

Usurping the Throne of Disease gave me two things: one, a delightfully rotten piece of blackened death-crust (which, typing it out now, actually sounds more like a spicy appetizer than a genre); and two, a reason to move past my failed no-jerking-off New Year’s resolution and slave away at a review that will, inevitably, be given the ‘Quilted Northern’ treatment by my Great Overlord.” I like my crust blackened and radioactive with a side order of cold saw.

Horrified – Descent into Putridity Review

Horrified – Descent into Putridity Review

“Before my move to Japan six months ago, I spent many happy years in England’s North East, feasting on stotties and Craster kippers while participating enthusiastically in the unique drinking culture. The metal scene there is really rather good, though recently not many of the bands have made much of a splash outside the region save for pagan black metallers Wodensthrone. When I saw we’d received a promo from Newcastle-based Horrified, then, I jumped at the chance to review it.” Old school death by way of England isn’t always an easy trip.