Jan23

Ashen – Ritual of Ash Review

By Kenstrosity on January 12, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 40 comments

“One of my good friends hates Dutch tilts. His vehemence against the technique stems from its serial overuse, especially in the horror genre. Much like him, struggling to love anything that generously applies Dutch tilts, I struggle to love much of HM-2 death metal. Outside of the classics and a few modern upstarts, this particular guitar tone, for whatever reason, brings with it an overused set of songwriting tropes that render many albums of this style totally forgettable. Australian newcomers Ashen aim to change my mind with their debut record, Ritual of Ash.” Ash lovers.

Cursed Excruciation – Arcane Diabolism Review

By Dear Hollow on January 12, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, 35 comments

“Last time we met Cursed Excruciation, we were smack-talking sole member Trance of the Undead for his creatively titled main project Trance of the Undead. Blackened death to the core, it boasted just enough tasty dungeon synth-inspired keyboard abuse to add a flavor of old-school kvltness. On paper, it all sounded great; the problem was it just wasn’t, uh, good. Lack of variety met monotonous guitar tone with the same riff repeating ad nauseam for seven tracks. Aside from a serious bite that initially hit like a crowbar to the knees, the hype very quickly died out. Well, imagine if Trance of the Undead thought brutality was soooo last week, removing all teeth and energy in favor of something sounding “ominous.” Let me introduce you to Cursed Excruciation.” Cursed and damned.

Obituary – Dying of Everything Review

By Steel Druhm on January 11, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 59 comments

“Obituary are one of those death metal legends with a capital L. Their early releases like Slowly We Rot and Cause of Death helped shape the fledgling genre and send it into darker more extreme places. John Tardy’s one-of-a-kind anguished wails/shouts/roars set the template for a generation of death metal frontmen and their legacy is an important one. That all being said, much of what Obituary did after those initial groundbreaking releases has been uninspired and ham-fisted. As much as I love their classic era, I’ve struggled to care about much of what they’ve done since.” Another death, same causes.

Screamer – Kingmaker Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on January 11, 2023 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, 30 comments

“Screamer doesn’t shout in the face of tradition—they never have and, predictably so, never will. Yes, here in this brand new year of 2023, young(ish) names chase the 40-year (or more) legacy of established icons like Rainbow, Van Halen, and Judas Priest, and there’s nothing wrong with that as many such surviving progenitors have trouble playing after bingo hours these days.” Still sreaming in the night.

Ahab – The Coral Tombs Review

By El Cuervo on January 10, 2023 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 69 comments

“While no Ahab album is perfect, each has an indomitable feel. They’re big. They’re heavy. They’re powerful. This trend continues with The Coral Tombs. It’s grandiose and substantial in a way that’s difficult to articulate.” Whale tales.

Crom – The Era of Darkness Review

By Steel Druhm on January 10, 2023 in Reviews, Epic Metal, Heavy Metal, 58 comments

“CROM! I have not heard from you these many long years. I was completely blown away by 2008s Vengeance with its slick blend of epic Bathory-isms and power metal leanings, and I pledged my sword to your service. I was, however, somewhat disillusioned by 2011s Of Love and Death and its dialed-down might and majesty. I confess to being a lowly heretic and completely missing the gospel of the 2017 followup, and I need to make amends for my unholy ignorance. Now we come to the rather unexpected release of the fourth testament to all things Wotan, warrior-esque and wengeancy, The Era of Darkness.” Feel the steel.