Jan19

A Secret Revealed – Sacrifices Review

By Cherd on January 28, 2019 in 2.5, 2019, Black Metal, German Metal, Hardcore, Lifeforce Records, Metalcore, Post-metal, Reviews, Metalcore, Post-Hardcore, Post-Metal, 64 comments

“I’ve learned that when it comes to the promo sump, metalcore sneaks in the back door. This makes sense. we at AMG like to joke about all things -core, so why explicitly say you’re a metalcore band in your promo? Why not say you play post-metal, and when you’re safe inside the city gates, sneak out of that Trojan horse and stab the shit out of us with your VERY EARNEST SCREAMING and siq breakdowns? And so it is that I find myself reviewing Sacrifices, the second full-length from Germany’s A Secret Revealed.” Core at the door.

Toxik Attack – Assassinos em Série Review

By Holdeneye on January 26, 2019 in 2019, Helldprod Records, Portuguese Metal, Reviews, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 68 comments

“I’m proud to tell you that I happen to be AMG’s resident specialist when it comes to Portuguese language thrash/speed releases from Helldprod Records. No other writer here can boast the honor of reviewing such a record, >and now I’ve done it twice in my illustriously short career. It may be an impossibly narrow niche, but hey, you have to start somewhere! Assassinos em Série is the debut album from Portuguese band Toxik Attack, and it is my next great hope for thrash in 2019.” Closed for remediation.

Soulmass – The Weakness of Virtue Review

By Dr. Wvrm on January 25, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 81 comments

“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.

Altarage – The Approaching Roar Review

By Kronos on January 25, 2019 in 2019, Avante Garde, Death Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist Underground Activists, Spanish Metal, Death Metal, 142 comments

“In their first two albums, Altarage began a career—and a successful one at that—by walking just a few steps behind Portal. Sure, Portal’s most avant-garde ideas never made it into Nihl or Endinghent, but the Australians’ influence on Altarage has always been as clear as either band’s music was murky.” Now THIS is Portal racing!

Fusion Bomb – Concrete Jungle Review

By Saunders on January 25, 2019 in 2019, Iron Shield Records, Luxembourgian Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 52 comments

“Although we all love and respect the genre’s marvelous ’80s heyday and the myriad of timeless albums that particular decade produced, thrash shouldn’t just be some endless fucking nostalgia trip either. Necropanther probably released the best thrashy album I heard last year, but it doesn’t exactly qualify as straight-up thrash either. Meanwhile the future of the mighty Vektor remains clouded in uncertainty. But I’m determined to forage around the promo portal throughout the year and hopefully stumble across a thrash album deserving of high praise. Perhaps a new shining light to guide us to a pot of gold at the end of the thrash rainbow.” Light the fusion.

The Sabbathian – Latum Alterum Review

By Grymm on January 24, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Doom Metal, International Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 77 comments

“Back in the olden days of… er, 2012, Hour of 13 mainman Chad Davis teamed up with former Nàttsòl vocalist Anette Uvaas Gulbrandsen to form The Sabbathian, dropping a convincing three-song EP in 2014’s Ritual Rites. While musically it was a logical continuation of the Hour of 13 sound but with the angelic vocals of Gulbrandsen, Ritual Rites turned enough heads to leave those salivating for their unique brand of occult doom metal wanting more. But in those five years, so much Scoobie Doobie Doom occult metal has saturated the market to the point that all that’s missing from the albums are hoods, masks, and drawn-out lawsuits. Davis and Gulbrandsen know this, and on the long-awaited follow-up, Latum Alterum, an about-face was performed to steer clear of their contemporaries.” Devil in the details.

Hollow Leg – Civilizations Review

By GardensTale on January 24, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Argonauta Records, Doom Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Doom Metal, Sludge, 64 comments

“The most widely known motto by the late legendary movie reviewer Roger Ebert is probably “It’s not about what [it’s] about, it’s how it’s about it.” It’s an elegant way to say that a self-effacing B-movie may be just as (or more) successful as a grandiose historical epic at doing what it set out to do. Similarly, metal albums can be intended as highfalutin, genre-defining epics and fail miserably, or be highly entertaining and successful at simple and straightforward goals. The curiously named Floridian outfit Hollow Leg is among the latter category.” Head up, leg empty.

Inferno – Basado en Hechos Reales Review

By Holdeneye on January 24, 2019 in 2019, Necromance Records, Reviews, Spanish Metal, Thrash Metal, 60 comments

“Let me congratulate you. If you’re reading this, it means you’ve managed to survive “The Great Thrash Drought of 2018.” Thrash is one of my favorite genres in both its single malt and blended-with-other-genre forms, so it was rough having only one album of that style amongst my favorites of last year. There’s just something about the combination of riffs and attitude that makes well-performed thrash untouchable in my book. I’ve been tempted to give in to a sense of hopelessness when it comes to modern day thrash, but rather than relent to this urge, I’ve decided to opt for immersion therapy.” No speed kills.

Gorgon – The Veil of Darkness Review

By Mark Z. on January 23, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, French Metal, Osmose Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 79 comments

“I first heard of Gorgon several years ago, when someone posted their song “From Red to Violet” in a forum thread titled “Worst Metal Songs Ever.” After listening to the song, I found I actually liked it, leading me to download their album The Jackal Pact and do a bit of research on the group. It turns out Gorgon were a cult French black metal act who released four albums in the 90s before ceasing activities in 2001. After “From Red to Violet” fell out of my listening rotation, I all but forgot about the group until I saw The Veil of Darkness pop up in our promo bin.” Gorgon will eat you.

Swallow the Sun – When a Shadow is Forced Into the Light Review

By Steel Druhm on January 23, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Century Media, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, 134 comments

“How does a band follow-up a mammoth triple album into which they poured all the creativity they could muster? This was the existential question facing Swallow the Sun following the release of their magnum opus, 2015s Songs of the North, Vols I, II and III. Unfortunately for the band, fate intervened and made the decision for them in 2016 with the passing of lead writer/guitarist Juha Raivio’s partner, Aleah Stanbridge (Trees of Eternity).” Shadows and light.