Jan18

Ocean of Grief – Nightfall’s Lament Review

By Steel Druhm on January 22, 2018 in 2018, Doom Metal, Greek Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Naturmacht Productions, Reviews, Doom Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 40 comments

“As a card-carrying member of the unpaid, overworked Metal Reviewer’s Guild, I’m forced to squeeze my music listening into the small deadly spaces between a full-time job, commuting, family responsibilities and the oft heard of, seldom experienced phenomenon of sleep. This means a goodly portion of my time with any given album is spent while riding trains and subways to and fro New York City. Rare are the albums that allow me to press play and drift away into sonic bliss, removed from my commuting tedium as I’m transported to a new world. Greek upstarts Ocean of Grief have given me just such an album with their brilliant debut, Nightfall’s Lament.” Last train to Sad Town.

Deathless Legacy – Rituals of Black Magic Review

By Treble Yell on January 22, 2018 in 2018, Italian Metal, Reviews, Scarlet Records, Symphonic Metal, Symphonic Metal, 19 comments

“A Christmas tree shorn of spectacle is just a skeleton pining for its casket. Deathless Legacy are loud, boisterous and with their untrammeled Italian bombast are hoping to capture hearts and minds with Rituals of Black Magic, but they’ll have to prove they harbor substance beyond their sparkling facade.” Of bare trees and Italian cheese.

Hyvmine – Earthquake Review

By Akerblogger on January 21, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Seek and Strike, Progressive Metal, 51 comments

“I don’t often jump into a review without even a smidgen prior knowledge of a band or genre. Usually, armed with a fine-toothed comb and a cuppa, I’ll spend hours entering a band from the promo list into ol’ Encyclopaedia Metallum researching them. Making Sophie’s choice is usually tough — I never want to do a band a disservice by not researching or placing myself confidently within their musical world. However, all the promo for the next month was already selfishly taken by my fellow staff members and so, feeling like a lonely Zoidberg in ‘Why Must I Be a Crustacean in Love?’ I settled for the Los Angeles-based progressive hard rock and metal band Hyvmine (a purposeful misspelling of hive-mind).” NU LA Land.

Trespass – Footprints in the Rock Review

By Dr. Wvrm on January 21, 2018 in 2018, British Metal, Heavy Metal, Mighty Music, NWOBHM, Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 11 comments

“Dad metal is a bit of a specialty here at AMG Inc., and Trespass certainly have the “dad” part down. The OG NWOBHM act cut their teeth in the ’70s alongside Iron Maiden and counted Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield among their early fans. But for a band approaching its 40th birthday, their metal resume needs some work. Footprints in the Rock marks only the third official LP of a lengthy career that, until now, has issued more compilation CDs than actual albums.” Rock in an old place.

Bleeding Gods – Dodekathlon Review

By Ferrous Beuller on January 20, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Dutch Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, 34 comments

“A new year, a new opportunity for the masses to spout some ephemeral nonsense about “living for the moment” mere seconds before they relapse into heart disease and bad decisions. While we’re all guilty of this to some degree or another, 2018 does represent a year of change for me. As I advance upon a new academic challenge, amongst other things, it also means I have to fucking move house again. However, the disturbance has motivated me to examine some albums I might not have previously, so when I stumbled upon Bleeding Gods and their second release, Dodekathlon — a symphonic death concept record detailing the twelve labors of Hercules — how could I possibly resist?” Pick things up and put them down.

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.

Ectoplasma – Cavern of Foul Unbeings Review

By Kronos on January 18, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Greek Metal, Memento Mori, Reviews, Death Metal, 21 comments

“Ectoplasma might be new to the game, but the resolutely old-school Cavern of Foul Unbeings would never betray the fact. Their first LP since a 2016 debut, Cavern plunders all manner of late ’80s and early ’90’s death metal from Obituary to Death acquiring riffs and inspiration, complete with the B-movie samples and a noticeable absence of bass guitar.” Old death dies hard.

Under Siege – Under Siege Review

By Dr. Wvrm on January 18, 2018 in 2018, Folk Metal, Italian Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Folk Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 34 comments

“I can never quite get my head around how quickly Bandcamp staked out such an integral position in my life. The online marketplace is responsible for expanding my listening horizons as well as keeping me attuned to what people I respect (and El Cuervo) find worthy of purchase. Plus, letting me truffle-pig for releases that might not hit the promo bin is how I found Æther Realm. It’s also how I came across Under Siege. The Italians’ folky, eclectic brand of melodeath hooked me from the start, and the notion that their debut might go unreviewed was too painful to allow.” The agony and ecstasy of the fanboy.

Death Keepers – Rock This World Review

By GardensTale on January 18, 2018 in 2018, Fighter Records, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Spanish Metal, Heavy Metal, 45 comments

“Of all metal subgenres, heavy metal is the one with the honor of regularly being used as a synonym for metal at large. Considering it’s arguably the oldest of the bunch, this should come as little surprise, but one could also argue the case for doom metal, which no one outside of the scene ever heard about. Is it then due to age, exposure, or just my own warped view that heavy metal seems to be the most stagnant of metal subgenres? I won’t say nothing fresh ever arises from its corner (Sumerlands is a fine example) but by and large, heavy metal bands today all seem like pale imitations of the golden boys from the 1980’s. Death Keepers don’t do much to change that impression with debut Rock This World.” Remember the old, those days were gold.

Dark Hound – Dawning Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on January 17, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Rampant Struggle Records, Reviews, Self-released, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, 19 comments

“What’s your first impression when I say Dark Hound? No, this isn’t a trap. And, no, I’m not looking for anything perverted, so fucking stop. For me, Sherlock Holmes comes to mind. I don’t know… creepy dogs and shit? Anyway, with that, I would imagine the band’s music to be dark, brooding, and haunting—with an atmosphere to match. Well, no surprise, everything I thought was wrong. If anything, this Nashville, Tennessee quartet is anything but that.” Bro down(tuned).