Led Zeppelin

Demons & Wizards – III Review

Demons & Wizards – III Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on February 28, 2020 in 2020, Century Media, International Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Power Metal, 76 comments

“Blind Guardian has always fed my fantastical appetite through the years—providing me with stories and full concept records at a pace and with a passion that is pure fun. Then, there’s Iced Earth. A band that has given me plenty of headbangable moments and vivid imagery through their own concepts—even crushing my spirit at times with heartbreaking ballads and war/lost-love themes. When I first heard Demons & Wizards, I realized it was no different. In a single band, I could experience the storytelling nature of Blind Guardian and the crushing, yet crippling character of Iced Earth. For two—now three—records, this has been the goal of this power-metal duo. But, fifteen years is a long time to go without your partner-in-crime. Even identical twins can lose a connection after a decade-and-a-half of separation. So, what’s that mean for Kürsch and Schaffer and their precious III?” Two Demons, one Triwizard Cup.

Hex A.D. – Astro Tongue in the Electric Garden Review

Hex A.D. – Astro Tongue in the Electric Garden Review

By Doom_et_Al on February 19, 2020 in 2020, Doom Metal, Norwegian Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, 28 comments

“I’d never heard of the band, but for the next two weeks, I listened to the album at least 25 times. I lived it. I breathed it. The review I produced was no Tolstoyan masterpiece, but the score was correct, and I remain weirdly proud of it. Netherworld Triumphant was a cool, bluesy amalgamation of a whole bunch of 70s and 80s hard rock influences, performed by talented musicians having a lot of fun. It wasn’t original, but it worked. It was also my ticket out of the Skull Pit. Now, a mere 15 months later, the Norwegians return with the ridiculously titled Astro Tongue in the Electric Garden.” Tongue AND groove.

The Electric Mud – Burn the Ships Review

The Electric Mud – Burn the Ships Review

By Huck N Roll on August 21, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Hard Rock, Reviews, Self-released, Stoner Rock, Hard Rock, Stoner Rock, 14 comments

“There are still bands out there that hearken back to the loud, bluesy days of hard rock. Clutch is today’s prime example of that style, and ZZ Top is the granddaddy. Both bands love the blues, and love to boogie. You can add Floridian quartet The Electric Mud to that cadre. These guys are beer drinkers and hellraisers, and on sophomore album Burn the Ships they aim to show us all how gritty southern blues-rock should be played.” Deep South ship kicking.

Here Lies Man – No Ground to Walk Upon Review

Here Lies Man – No Ground to Walk Upon Review

By Mark Z. on August 15, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, American Rock, Reviews, RidingEasy Records, 17 comments

“I love imagining new music genres. What if somebody made blackened thrash with cleanly sung choruses? What if somebody made war metal with melodic death metal riffs? What if somebody made music like The Acacia Strain that was actually good? California’s Here Lies Man asked their own version of this question: what if Black Sabbath played Afrobeat?” World music downfall.

Ruff Majik – Tårn Review

Ruff Majik – Tårn Review

By GardensTale on May 6, 2019 in 2019, Doom Metal, Lay Bare Recordings, Reviews, South African Metal, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, 17 comments

“Reviewing a band for the first time is a very different affair from reviewing a band whose work has passed my hands before. In the former case, it largely feels like reviewing the band itself, since in my perception I am holding the band’s entire body of work (which is the case with debuts, though not otherwise). In the latter case, it’s more akin to chronicling the way a band is evolving, or in some cases, devolving over the years. And the more reviews I write, the more I run into the latter case.” Ruff evolution.

Shotgun Sawyer – Bury the Hatchet Review

Shotgun Sawyer – Bury the Hatchet Review

By Huck N Roll on April 27, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Hard Rock, Reviews, Ripple Music, Hard Rock, 16 comments

“Okay, I know that back in February I promised myself no more retro rock. But a shift in release dates created a gap in my calendar, and Madam X, in her infinite wisdom, bestowed upon me an album as retro as it gets: Bury the Hatchet, the sophomore album from Californian blues/metal trio Shotgun Sawyer. I groaned inwardly, hit the download button, and prepared for the worst.” C’mon Hucky, don’t fear the retro.

Glitter Wizard – Opera Villains Review

Glitter Wizard – Opera Villains Review

By Cherd on April 15, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Psych Sounds Records, Non-Metal Metal Things, Psychedelic Rock, Punk, Stoner Rock, Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock, 45 comments

“The AMG higher-ups fancy themselves benevolent despots. That’s because they allow us relative freedom to choose our own promos and surprise us with pizza and hobo wine office parties now and then. Occasionally they’ll even offer tepid praise after our reviews are published. Sure, the quarterly beatings leave marks, but they rarely break the skin. Then again, if they see us getting too comfortable, they’ll assert their authority by assigning reviews that leave us just enough rope to hang ourselves. They might make brutal boi Kronos review symphonic power metal, or give our morose Muppet a jaunty pirate metal sing-along. For reasons beyond my understanding, they saw the words Glitter Wizard in the promo sump and thought, “Now there’s a stop-bang pooper doop if we’ve ever seen one, and we know just the writer for the job.”” Feel the opera.

90’s Metal Weirdness – Mötley Crüe – Mötley Crüe (1994)

90’s Metal Weirdness – Mötley Crüe – Mötley Crüe (1994)

By Dr. Fisting on May 12, 2018 in 90s Metal Weirdness, Cock Rock, Hard Rock, 99 comments

Cast your minds back to a time when metal music was not cool. Nay, indeed, a time when metal was anathema to all that was considered to be “chic” and “in.” A time when your favorite bands were actually encouraged by the music industry to play slower, cut their hair, and write sensitive lyrics about their childhoods. Yes, this unfortunately really happened. Our semi-irregular feature “90s Metal Weirdness” focuses on albums released between 1992 and 2001 and which we all probably would rather forget. But in the service of publicly shaming the musicians involved, we have pushed forward. Mötley Crüe was weird.

Galley Beggar – Heathen Hymns Review

Galley Beggar – Heathen Hymns Review

By Steel Druhm on April 26, 2017 in 2017, English Metal, Folk Metal, Reviews, Rise Above Records, Folk Metal, Not Metal, 42 comments

“April was a pretty jam packed month review-wise for yours truly and I had to pass on several albums I would have covered in less hectic times. Though my dance card was full, as soon as I heard a few seconds of Heathen Hymns by hitherto unknown to me Galley Beggar, I started clearing space. Galley Beggar may have a name that conjures images of the worst pirate-corish, Alestorm-wannabes, but they play what they dub “acid folk,” and freely admit to an obsession with old sounds and styles.” Magic, mushrooms, mandolins.