Jul23

Nuclear Power Trio – Wet Ass Plutonium Review

Nuclear Power Trio – Wet Ass Plutonium Review

By sentynel on July 29, 2023 in Reviews, Instrumental Metal, Progressive Metal, 73 comments

“I know this looks like the daftest thing imaginable, but stay with me here: this is actually brilliant. I have no idea what led to one pun escalating quite so far out of control, but here we are: the Nuclear Power Trio. Three guys in terrifying dictator masks, playing Latin fusion instrumental metal, brilliantly. Three years ago I loved their EP A Clear and Present Rager, which brought me in with a comedy video and immediately gripped me with the quality of the music. Wet Ass Plutonium is their debut full-length. Does an instrumental band teetering on the edge of being a novelty act have a full album in them?” Strong Mancore

The Glorious Dead – Cemetery Paths Review

The Glorious Dead – Cemetery Paths Review

By Steel Druhm on July 28, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, 15 comments

“The mysteries of old school death metal are as arcane and unknowable as the most opaque of graduate school philosophy textbooks. The genre ingredients are so rudimentary, yet they can be bent, twisted, and deformed into a seemingly endless tide of horrific abominations. Back in 2020 Michigan’s The Glorious Dead tested their formulas fatal to the flesh on debut Into Lifeless Shrines, taking the basic OSDM blueprint and sprinkling in light prog and blackened elements.” Glory or bury?

Eave – Fervor Review

Eave – Fervor Review

By Carcharodon on July 28, 2023 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Post-Metal, 18 comments

“The almost three years that have passed since Eave’s last album has not seen a dramatic change in style but rather several refinements, including in terms of the songwriting and the production. At its core, Fervor remains an atmospheric black metal record but the melodic elements of Eave’s sound have been upped significantly, without sacrificing the harshness.” Bird fight!

Bloodletter – A Different Kind of Hell Review

Bloodletter – A Different Kind of Hell Review

By Holdeneye on July 27, 2023 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 44 comments

“At first listen, Bloodletter sound pretty much the same in 2023 as they did in 2021 (or 2020, depending on when you believe the album was actually released). Combine the nasty thrash of a Slayer or a Dark Angel with the melodeath of The Black Dahlia Murder or At the Gates, sprinkle in some icy blackened tremolos, and you’re left with a 35-minute package of highly melodic brutality.” Hate mail!

Astralborne – Across the Aeons Review

Astralborne – Across the Aeons Review

By Kenstrosity on July 26, 2023 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 65 comments

“There’s something special about a melodic death metal band unafraid to reach into the depths of brutality in the pursuit of killer tunes. Bands like Nawabs of Destruction and The Beast of Nod created some of my favorite metal albums of recent years by utilizing an equal measure of brutal and hyper-melodic elements. Now it looks like Astralborne, a melodic death metal trio hailing from Ohio, prepare themselves to officially join that exclusive category with their upcoming opus Across the Aeons.” Resistance is brutal.

Blackning – Awakening Rage Review

Blackning – Awakening Rage Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on July 26, 2023 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 20 comments

“Brazil’s Blackning have been producing concise neo-thrash records for nearly a decade. After a six-year hiatus, this quartet is back with their third album, Awakening Rage. As with so many thrash greats, will this third offering be the band’s epic masterpiece? Or will it be forgotten like so many others before it?” Third time’s the harm.

Porta Nigra – Weltende Review

Porta Nigra – Weltende Review

By Carcharodon on July 25, 2023 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Progressive Metal, 80 comments

“The choice of Käthe Kollwitz’s famous Aufruhr (Uprising) as the cover art for the fourth album by Germany’s Porta Nigra is telling in that … hang on, I’m almost sure that … *cue much lip nibbling and skrunkling of eyebrows as I crank my addled memory into second gear*… Panzerfaust!!! You wouldn’t think it would take me quite as long as it did to place the cover art from my 2020 album of the year, the outstanding The Suns of Perdition – Chapter II: Render unto Eden. 2020 was, coincidentally, also the last time we heard from Koblenz’s Porta Nigra, when they dropped the very good Schöpfungswut.” Faust friends.

Calligram – Position | Momentum Review

Calligram – Position | Momentum Review

By Dear Hollow on July 24, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Crust Punk, Punk, Sludge Metal, 28 comments

“While The Eye featured as many ideas as the many heads of a hydra, Position | Momentum streamlines them into a more focused beast. Expect second-wave tropes in tremolo, blastbeats, and vocalist Matteo Rizzardo’s ferocious shrieks (in his native Italian), but like Calligram’s catalog, the sophomore effort ascends beyond the Darkthrone and Mayhem worshipers of the cold dead world.” Calligram calling….