Jun19

Vulvodynia – Mob Justice Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on June 29, 2019 in 2019, Lacerated Enemy Records, Reviews, Slam, South African Metal, Slam, 17 comments

“Vulvodynia’s 2016 monstrosity Psychosadistic Design joined Ingested’s Surpassing the Boundaries of Human Suffering at the top of the relatively accessible slamming deathcore pile. Upon its release, it sold a boatload of copies due to its mixture of self-aware ridiculousness and a charmingly cavalier attitude towards everything but riffs. Both records were great ‘gateway slam’ records — their production was friendly to ‘core ears and the riffs were unfairly catchy. Structurally, both took the general deathcore idea and replaced breakdowns with slams and both were a lot of fun for it. Both toed the line between excess and parody expertly, which made them easy to like and laugh along with. Three years later, Vulvodynia have returned.” Flash slam.

Lifes – Treading Water Review

By Kenstrosity on June 29, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Grind, Hardcore, Here and Now! Records, Knochen Tapes, Middleman Records, Noise, Powerviolence, Reviews, Triple Eye Industries, Grind, Hardcore, Noise, Powerviolence, 14 comments

“Instead of focusing on a general trend of social injustice and political bullshittery that all too many grind bands pursue, Lifes are all about stumbling throughout the various lives in which we involve ourselves on a daily basis, failing at most of it, and doing whatever we can to keep our shit together. According to their bandcamp bio, “Music can’t save us, but it can help us cope.” I’ve heard music described this way countless times before, but for whatever reason in this instance it resonated.” Life is a grind.

The Projectionist – Visits from the Nighthag Part 2 Review

By Master of Muppets on June 28, 2019 in 2019, Appalachian Noise Records, Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 36 comments

“All was dark, the sound of falling rain my only companion as I watched the world from atop Black Mount Promo. Hushed whispers warning of The Nighthag’s return had found their way to my ears, and I had to be sure. Before long, Iightning split the sky, shattering the surrounding dark, and there she was: The Nighthag, back for Part 2 of her deadly visit to our lands, summoned by The Projectionist.” From hags to riches.

Beastwars – IV Review

By Saunders on June 28, 2019 in 2019, Destroy Records, Doom Metal, New Zealand Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, 37 comments

“Aside from the fierce sporting rivalry, cross Tasman cultural banter, and endless sheep-fucking jokes, we Aussies generally hold our New Zealand pals from across the ditch in high regard. So sharing in the artistic success of our neighbors is not uncommon. In metal terms, powerhouse act Beastwars are one of the finest bands to emerge from the New Zealand metal scene in recent years.” Stronger than death.

Nocturnal Breed – We Only Came for Violence Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on June 28, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Folter Records, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Thrash Metal, 25 comments

“Nocturnal Breed are everything I’ve ever wanted to be in this life. They’re old-school, they don’t give a shit about anybody or anything, and they’re Norwegian. Making their start with ‘97’s Aggressor, these hateful sonsabitches haven’t changed a goddamn thing in over twenty years. Their albums are way too long, there’s no fluidity from one track to the next, and they’re still kicking the combination of Bathory, Venom, and Motörhead mixed with first-wave black metal and thrash.” Breed in the night.

Holy Tide – Aquila Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on June 27, 2019 in 2019, International Metal, My Kingdom Music, Power Metal, Reviews, Power Metal, 23 comments

“Musically, Holy Tide sounds a lot like Pyramaze, specifically Immortal and Disciples of the Sun. Vocalist Fabio Caldeira reminds much more of Disciples’s Terje Haroy than the inimitable Matt Barlow, largely due to the lack of Barlow’s gruff edge. The main reason for the Pyramaze comparison, though, is the keyboards. Both Pyramaze and Holy Tide make heavy use of that once-maligned instrument, smartly toning down the guitars when the keyboard takes the lead and vice-versa.” Big stuff is big.

Yellow Eyes – Rare Field Ceiling Review

By Cherd on June 27, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Black Metal, Gilead Media, Reviews, Black Metal, 61 comments

“Now that the year is finally over, let’s look back on the embarrassment of riches that has been black metal in 2019. With so many incredible albums to pick from it’s hard to…wait, FUCK ME IT’S STILL JUNE?! How have we had so many exceptional albums from what is supposedly an overstuffed, tired genre in just six months? By my count, we’ve awarded a 3.5 or higher to 43 albums that feature black metal as the primary genre over the last 26 weeks, and that’s just albums we’ve covered at AMG & Sons LLC.” Trending up.

Anthrocene – Nucleation Review

By GardensTale on June 27, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Metalcore, Power Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Metalcore, Power Metal, 16 comments

“We rarely get lyric sheets with promos. Usually, this doesn’t matter much, as metal lyrics are rarely pinnacles of literary prowess. There’s only so many ways to say that humanity sucks or to discuss the finer points of fighting dragons with flaming swords. As a result, it’s often easy to miss the fact that an album has a concept unless you read it on the promo sheet. Not so with Anthrocene, who went several miles beyond a lyric sheet; with their debut Nucleation they included an entire comic, the speech bubbles and narration forming the lyrics of the hour-long album, revolving around an apocalyptic story of a misanthropic lumberjack turned into a planet-immolating creature by an agent of chaos from beyond the void.” Comic sans!!

Mirror – Pyramid of Terror Review

By Kenstrosity on June 26, 2019 in 2019, Bad Omen Records, Cypriot Metal, Heavy Metal, Occult Rock, Proto-Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 38 comments

“Everything is retro nowadays. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it is a thing. I’ve heard people say that reviving significant trends from previous decades is the result of a complete lack of originality in the current one. But I think it’s simply a law of human nature. People in any given decade become fascinated with aesthetics from anywhere between 30-to-50 years ago—presumably because they’re just now (re-)discovering them—and for a while the cultural landscape morphs into this weird amalgam of modern ideas squeezed through a retrospective filter. Or, sometimes people simply mimic whatever popular thing from whatever decade they have latched on to at the time.” Living in the past.

Ashbringer – Absolution Review

By Carcharodon on June 26, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Black Metal, Experimental Metal, Post-metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Post-Metal, 36 comments

“When Grymm awarded Ashbringer’s debut, Vacant, a deserved 3.5 back in 2015, he was writing about the self-released exploits of a one-man black metal project, delivered by someone then aged 18. Scroll forward four years and Nick Stanger, Mr. Ashbringer himself, has, presumably, reached the ripe old age of 20-something. He’s also released a second record (2016’s Yūgen, which we failed to review), gathered around him a group of three other musicians and signed a deal with Prosthetic Records. Now a four-person collective – or ‘band,’ if you will – Ashbringer are ready to drop their third album, Absolution.”