Jun16

Dark Suns – Everchild Review

Dark Suns – Everchild Review

“The evolution of a band can be a compelling tale, or it can be a train wreck. In the former category, we have Opeth (death metal kings to natty 70s prog worshippers) and Anathema (middling doom metal to dreamy, proggy house band at the Hallmark card factory). In the latter, Queensryche (well, Geoff Tate in particular, who went from legendary prog metal frontman to weirdo). Dark Suns has been evolving too, and they hope to fit in with the former acts.” Evolution is often overrated.

Forteresse – Thèmes pour la Rébellion Review

Forteresse – Thèmes pour la Rébellion Review

“I’m largely done with black metal as it was in Norway in 1993. That raw, lo-fi, stripped-back approach to black metal had its place and developed metal in so many ways but it’s definitely had its time. Bands such as Ulver, Emperor and Enslaved were already beginning to move the sound into unprecedented regions in the mid-late 90s. Now in 2016 it’s rare that I listen to that sort of no frills attached, no genre cross-over, nothing added to that furious, godless formula.” But there are always exceptions.

Blut Aus Nord/AEvangelist – Codex Obscura Nomina [split] Review

Blut Aus Nord/AEvangelist – Codex Obscura Nomina [split] Review

“Ever since the release of 2003’s The Work Which Transforms God, French black metal pioneers Blut Aus Nord took the constrictions of the standard black metal envelope, stretched them out to ridiculous lengths and dimensions, and repackaged them to the point where you only vaguely remember there being an envelope in front of you. In other words, they, along with fellow Frenchmen Deathspell Omega, redefined black metal as we know it.” And here we have a split with a band they influenced mightily. Master and Apprentice if you will.

The Vision Bleak – The Unknown Review

The Vision Bleak – The Unknown Review

“Though The Vision Bleak’s newest opus, The Unknown, was late in getting to the AMG offices, no review is too late for one of my favorite bands. Since discovering them in 2006, the band’s entire discography must be spun and loved in order to become a new member of the Grier household. It is law and bound by contract. Yes, animals included.” For some the saw is the law, but with the good doctor, The Vision is the mission.

Nails – You Will Never Be One of Us Review

Nails – You Will Never Be One of Us Review

“There’s a lot of hype building up to You Will Never Be One of Us, the third full-length by Southern Californian powerviolence trio Nails. Known for being unrelenting in their seething anger, both 2010’s Unsilent Death and 2013’s cataclysmic Abandon All Life garnered the trio an army of loyal followers, and rightfully so. There’s no fluff, no compromise, and no bullshit when it comes to their militaristic approach.” Powerviolence is a real thing.

Deceptionist – Initializing Irreversible Process

Deceptionist – Initializing Irreversible Process

“Another day, another release from Unique Leader; yet there is no release for me. As the de facto tech-death guru at the AMG offices, I’m caught in a near perpetual state of mild frustration as streams of 16th notes tickle my cochleae and bearded men scream putrid nothings into my ear. While the year thus far has been pretty kind to the genre, Sturgeon’s law is still in effect, and Deceptionist’s debut, Initializing Irreversible Process, is my latest helping of the caviar of middlingness.” Somebody needs a staycation.

Grave Desecrator – Dust to Lust Review

Grave Desecrator – Dust to Lust Review

“Having been rather busy as of late doing a paper on Edmund Husserl, I should probably be able to come up with a phenomenal introduction but instead find myself facing the Crisis of Angry Metal Guy Ledes head-on. I suppose a riff on how Grave Desecrator’s fourth full-length Dust to Lust works amusingly with Coffin Dust and Coffin Lust because coffins go with graves and chronologically Dr. A.N. Grier’s typically great work on the former came before my thoughts on the latter like the album name, but that’s not how you bait the clicks.” With a click o’ the switch, she’ll bait you sky high!

Skin Drone – Evocation Review

Skin Drone – Evocation Review

“Not to be confused with skindrone dot com (a website promoting “5 Proven Home Remedies for Seborrheic Dermatitis on the Scalp”), the Skin Drone of interest here turns out to be a tech-death group from Massachusetts/Arkansas. Formed by Bluntface Records founder Otto Kinzel, Skin Drone fuses traditional tech-death with blackish avante-garde—the latter flavorings being the most interesting.” Why isn’t there a band named Seborrheic?

Bat – Wings of Chains Review

Bat – Wings of Chains Review

“Once upon a time there was a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Today we get Wings of Chains by Bat, and they too bring the sound and fury, but in their case it definitely signifies something. That something being rowdy, sloppy and ill-tempered speed metal guaranteed to make old timers grin in gruesomely gap-toothed glee.” Break these chains of…wings?

Jaded Heart – Guilty by Design Review

Jaded Heart – Guilty by Design Review

“I’m not going to lie, I have the biggest fucking headache right now. And who is to blame for this ailment? Bon-fucking-Jovi. Why in hell would I be listening to Bon Jovi, you might be asking? Because Jaded Heart’s back-catalog resurfaced my hard-helmet, classic-rock listening, construction-work nightmares. Yep, you read right. I said Jaded Heart. Why would I dare review such a thing, you may also be asking? Well, curiosity killed the cat.” Paul Baloff actually killed that cat because it was a poser!