Inverse Records

Hedonihil – I Review

Hedonihil – I Review

“Expectations are precarious things. The older we get, the more we assume they will go unmet. This almost religiously applies to super groups. When I came across Finland’s Hedonihil, a death metal project comprised of members of Swallow the Sun, I expected great things. But when I delved into the press materials (always foolish) and saw them described as anti-poetry, I expected substantially less great things.” Angry pretense.

Countless Goodbyes – Cycles Review

Countless Goodbyes – Cycles Review

“It’s been pretty interesting to watch metalcore’s evolution over the years. I’m talking specifically about the strain of metalcore that cropped up in the early 2000s, the good cop/bad cop style played by the Killswitch Engages and As I Lay Dyings of the world, the type that infused At the Gates riffs with choruses cribbed from the latest alt-rock band. I ate that shit up in high school and stayed for the party when the style started adopting faster and more technical playing (see: August Burns Red and Texas in July). When djent had its heyminute in the early 2010s, bands realized chugs weren’t too different from breakdowns and thus began to add some djentiness to the proceedings (see: This or the Apocalypse’s Dead Years and Hollow).” The core cycle.

2 Wolves – …Our Fault Review

2 Wolves – …Our Fault Review

“I used to think Finland must be the single coolest place in the world. Unsurprisingly, this view coincides with my discovery of symphonic metal music, which, for a long time, remained comfortably nestled in the frosty inspiration of that country. It wasn’t long before I crossed the threshold and met doom metal, which, would you believe it, also kept my attention rapt on Finland. 2 Wolves hail from Finland, and bring gothic-tinged doom metal to light in their fourth full-length, …Our Fault.” Nobody’s at fault.

Rifftera – Across the Acheron Review

Rifftera – Across the Acheron Review

“From a metal perspective, 2019 has been decidedly underwhelming so far. When the promo bin threw me a melo-death album by a band whose name sounds like an adolescent parody of iconic metal giants, I had little hope that things would improve. This sophomore effort by Finnish band Rifftera follows 2015’s Pitch Black; a self-produced smorgasbord of melodic death metal, thrash, power and prog, smashed together with the grace of a junkyard compactor, and then played with the dial at 11. It was fun, but it was a mess.” Have these Finnish melodeath-thrashers gotten their shit together?

Wolfhorde – Hounds of Perdition Review

Wolfhorde – Hounds of Perdition Review

“Taking the leap from trolling in the comments section to writing serious reviews made me realize how little I really know about an increasingly complex metal genre. Perhaps this is endemic of an ever more experimental metal scene where genre-spanning efforts are becoming more common and reviewers throw out increasingly long lists of sub-sub-categorizations. Perhaps I’m young and lack the knowledge base of my elders. Perhaps there is just more music around these days. Whatever the case, Wolfhorde have let the dogs out with the genre hopping Hounds of Perdition, but is this sophomore effort about to get Old Yellered by yours truly?” Blackened dogs.

Splendidula – Post Mortem Review

Splendidula – Post Mortem Review

“Coming from the Latin ‘splendidus’, ‘splendid’ is defined—by one (free) online dictionary that this n00b found, anyway—as an adjective meaning ‘magnificent; very impressive.’ Of what relevance is this to Post Mortem, the second album from Splendidula? Quite possibly none but having made the splendid-Splendidula link in my head, I got my hopes up.” Album autopsy.

Revolutio – Vagrant Review

Revolutio – Vagrant Review

“When I look back, there’s been a notable lack of quality thrash, aside from the weirdo avant thrash of Voivod’s latest. Maybe my ears have been directed in the wrong places, but the genre in which I cut my teeth on many years ago continues to largely disappoint. So with a flicker of fleeting optimism I jumped on the chance to check out unheralded Italian thrashers Revolutio on their debut platter, Vagrant. But how does it fare? And should you give a shit?” Revolto, resisto.

Black Lotus – Sons of Saturn Review

Black Lotus – Sons of Saturn Review

“Back in 2017, the epic doom of Sorcerer’s excellent The Crowning of the Fire King marched its way onto a couple of Top 10(ish) lists, coming in at #5 for The Huckster and #1 for our great ape, Steel Druhm. Nothing has really come close to emulating that feel so far this year — perhaps the closest we’ve come is the satisfyingly thick platter of Týr-ish goodness that was KhemmisDesolation. But that album didn’t hit home like Sorcerer did, nor has it had the staying power. Enter Spanish newcomers Black Lotus, and their debut album, Sons of Saturn, which promises to be chock full of epicness.” Black Wizzard?

Wrestling – Ride on Freaks Review

Wrestling – Ride on Freaks Review

“Few metal bands use wrestling as a conceptual driving force and I don’t know why. It has everything a band needs to produce chaotic, vibrant, wildly imaginative music. Well, ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, weighing over a thousand pounds for sure (five members), hailing from Oulu, Finland, please welcome old school heavy-metal body-slammers Wrestling. They’re here to bust your spine and insult your mothers with their speedy mix of Accept and Judas Priest on Ride on Freaks, their debut release.” Sweat and regret.