Jan20

Porta Nigra – Schöpfungswut Review

By Carcharodon on January 15, 2020 in 2020, Black Metal, German Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Reviews, Soulseller Records, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 46 comments

“I feel that I have not had the opportunity to review enough stuff from my countryfolk. It was with a certain amount of anticipation, therefore, that I pulled Schöpfungswut (Wrath of Creation), the third full-length by Porta Nigra, from the toxic waste of the promo pit. I had assumed, given their name, that they hailed from Trier, a town that houses the Roman Porta Nigra (Black Gate) and of which I am rather fond. We can safely dispense with the Trier history lesson I was planning to embark on, however, as they are from Koblenz, a city I know nothing about.” Hug your neighbors, then stab them.

Sons of Apollo – MMXX Review

By Steel Druhm on January 15, 2020 in 2020, American Metal, InsideOut, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Progressive Metal, 60 comments

“Super groups. We’ve railed against them since the start of AMG International Universal, Ltd. For every all star collaboration that does something worthwhile, there are countless others that simply don’t work, regardless of the pedigrees the members bring to the table. A common dilemma such projects face is too much musical ability and not enough songcraft acumen. And that brings us to Sons of Apollo.” Noodle boarding.

Rat King – Vicious Inhumanity Review

By Dear Hollow on January 15, 2020 in 2020, American Metal, Death Metal, Grind, Reviews, Sludge, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, Within the Mind Records, Death Metal, Grind, Sludge Metal, 12 comments

“Do you want your face ripped off? Are you desiring to have your skull bludgeoned to concussive proportions? Do you want both at once?? Look no further, ’cause deathgrind’s got you covered. From the swanky animal-lovin’ veganity of Cattle Decapitation, the hardcore crusty punch of Misery Index, the tech wankery of Dying Fetus, or the murky brutality of Infernal Coil, it’s a style characterized by one focus: knocking your lights out hard and fast. In spite of the savage atmosphere, it’s a style royally ruled by the the upper echelon of the aforementioned acts, and a trickle-down effect of its underlings.” Reaganomics killing you.

Bonded – Rest in Violence Review

By Holdeneye on January 14, 2020 in 2020, Century Media, German Metal, Groove Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Groove Metal, Thrash Metal, 25 comments

“Bonded is a German band that qualifies as both new and old when it comes to thrash. Rest in Violence is their debut record, but founders Bernd ‘Bernemann’ Kost and Markus ‘Makka’ Freiwald are both longtime veterans of Teutonic thrash legends Sodom. The duo has assembled an army of talent and is launching an all-out assault on the groovier side of the thrash subgenre tree. Will this initial foray hit with the force of an agent orange drop, or is it better off dead?” Bond jumpers.

Odious Mortem – Synesthesia Review

By Kronos on January 14, 2020 in 2020, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, Willowtip, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 32 comments

“Yeah baby, a new decade! Everything we did wrong last decade, we’re gonna fix that, you know what I mean? Flannel — it’s gone. Outta here, goodbye. Washington, you’re done. We’re basing the Zeitgeist outside of the Pacific Northwest. New people, new places. It’s gonna be sick! We’re gonna have war in the Middle East predicated on total fabrications! Let’s hear it for world inaction on climate change! Every tech-death band will be from California for some reason! Let’s go, baby, I’m ready to start the 2000s off right! I… Oh.” Mortem and pestilence.

Oberst – Paradise Review

By Cherd on January 13, 2020 in 2020, Hardcore, Indie Recordings, Metalcore, Norwegian Metal, Post-Hardcore, Post-metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Hardcore, Metalcore, Post-Hardcore, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, 24 comments

“Back in the 90s, I was in a very famous TV show I was all about hardcore and early metalcore. As a matter of fact, I was straight edge, though not for the same reasons as other practitioners of that ethos. I was a good Christian boy who happened to like aggressive music, and the rise of Tooth and Nail Records and their sub-imprint Solid State meant I could have my cake and eat it too (that’s not to say I didn’t have dalliances with “secular” labels like Victory or Revelation). I left -core behind many years ago, as tends to happen as one ages, but last year I found myself drawn to a few newer bands with hardcore influences, and that got me nostalgic. Return to the core.

Haunt – Mind Freeze Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on January 13, 2020 in 2020, American Metal, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Reviews, Shadow Kingdom Records, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 51 comments

“Yet, as simple as their style of ’80s NWOBHM is, it’s not like fans have to absorb much from one Haunt record to the next. But the fear of too-much-too-soon lingers. With repeat listens, If Icarus Could Fly didn’t quite live up to Burst into Flame. This leaves a big question mark for this year’s Mind Freeze. Will this new album continue the gentle decent? Or is Mind Freeze Haunt’s Master of Puppets? You’ll have to see what happens next!” Haunting the clickbait.

Kaoteon – Kaoteon Review

By Grymm on January 13, 2020 in 2020, Death Metal, Dutch Metal, Lebanese Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Death Metal, 37 comments

“With a one-sheet that closed with “FFO: Behemoth, Marduk, Watain, and My Dying Bride,” I expected competently played blackened death metal… with weepy violins, morose lyrics, or whatever else that could possibly be associated with My Dying Bride that would potentially throw a huge monkey wrench into the classic blackened death metal formula.” If you can dodge a wrench….

Wormhole – The Weakest Among Us Review

By Kenstrosity on January 12, 2020 in 2020, American Metal, Death Metal, Lacerated Enemy Records, Reviews, Slam, Technical Death Metal, Slam, Technical Death Metal, 45 comments

“Karen, Plankton’s computer wife, defines ‘seaweed’ as, and I quote, ‘50% sea, 50% weed.’ I define Wormhole as ‘50% worm, 50% hole,’ where ‘worm’ represents tech-death and ‘hole’ represents slam. I rarely encounter genre-blending bands who can evenly balance the weight each constituent style bears upon their respective sounds, but Wormhole might be the first to find a perfect 50/50 distribution.” Numbers, worms and holes.

Erdling – Yggdrasil Review

By Steel Druhm on January 9, 2020 in 2020, Electronica Metal, German Metal, Industrial Metal, Out of Line Music, Reviews, Electronic Metal, 39 comments

“The promo sump is deep, dark, and at times, tricksey and false. When you see an album titled Yggdrasil with cover art adorned with the original Norse prime plant, you’d be justified in expecting a chest-thumping, shield-shattering dose of Viking metal. When the promo material bills this German band as pagan metal and you’re aware that our resident Muppet Boy had it slated for review before dropping it due to time constraints, expectations are heavily reinforced. Then you press play and get…” Ugly sticks.