M-Theory Audio

Karras – We Poison Their Young Review

By Grymm on September 28, 2023 in Reviews, 26 comments

“Named after Father Damian Karras from The Exorcist, this French power(violence) trio expend tons of energy and vinegar, but precious little time, on their second full-length We Poison Their Young. To quote the vernacular, this strikes the face and/or buttocks region with an open-palm swipe AND it has enjoyable recreational sexual intercourse. This is the type of grind and punky, powerful powerviolence that your late grandpappy warned you about when he was cradling his shotgun from the comfort of his rocking chair on the porch, all while blaring Napalm Death and Nasum at ear-bleeding volumes.” Commence to grinding, son!

Vintersea – Woven into Ashes Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on May 10, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 68 comments

“In the past 20 years that bands like Wolves in the Throne Room and Agalloch have been pioneering a shade of the American black metal sound, a few interesting things have happened: black metal got cool and, as such, has continued to add new notches into its total allowable expressions. Youthful bands, who likely grew up finding out about these bigger names alongside other 00s music trends, have erupted with melodic and even fairly accessible atmospheres defining their modern vision of what black metal can be. These visions can feel a little kitchen sink at times, but that doesn’t stop acts like Vintersea from continuing to try and find that special melodic thread that binds their wide-ranging influences together.” New blood, old blackness.

Chrome Waves – Earth Will Shed its Skin Review

By Carcharodon on April 26, 2023 in Reviews, Post-Metal, 20 comments

“When I reviewed Chrome Waves’ last effort, 2021’s The Rain Will Cleanse, I described its languid, whimsical tones as the epitome of great work music. While not intended as a slight to the band, as everyone needs great work music, it was hardly a ringing endorsement for the Midwest post-black metal quartet. I finished that review, however, by saying that the band had done enough (on tracks like “Aspiring Death”) to make me think they had a great record in them. Mark Z., who had also awarded a 3.0 to the band’s previous record, A Grief Observed, materialized unbidden in the comments to agree with my assessment.” High tides of potentiality.

Graveshadow – The Uncertain Hour Review

By Twelve on July 23, 2022 in Reviews, Power Metal, Symphonic Metal, 24 comments

“The Uncertain Hour, over the course of fifty minutes or so, launches the listener through a galloping field of riffs, leads, and triumphant melodies in one of the better samples of symphonic power metal I’ve heard lately. Upbeat, catchy, and well-written, it has all of the makings of a grower, and talent to match.” Death is certain, good reviews are not.

The Absence – Coffinized Review

By Saunders on June 21, 2021 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 12 comments

“Everyone likes an underdog, and I am no exception. Garnering a solid profile over the years, Florida’s The Absence remain underappreciated purveyors of Scandinavian inspired melodic death, with a twist of Americanized thrash aggression mixed into the equation. Early albums, From the Grave and Riders of the Plague set a high standard, before a lengthy recording hiatus occurred between 2011’s Enemy Unbound and 2018’s comeback opus A Gift for the Obsessed, marking a solid return. Never ones to push the envelope, The Absence have managed to insert enough of their own character into a well worn style to escape stylistic limitations.” We all get Coffinized eventually, kid.

Immortal Guardian – Psychosomatic Review

By Eldritch Elitist on February 16, 2021 in Reviews, Power Metal, 65 comments

“Feats of sheer sonic escapism have defined much of my listening habits in the Covid era. The stronger an artist can nail a “larger than life” aesthetic in sound and concept, the better. My polyamorous affair with Bal-Sagoth and Galneryus has never burned brighter, while new favorites like Finsterforst have dominated my playlists. Immortal Guardian’s debut Age of Revolution fits comfortably into a similarly overblown mold.” Topic blunder.

Scardust – Strangers Review

By Holdeneye on October 28, 2020 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 166 comments

“I have a strange relationship with progressive metal. On one hand, I feel like the vast majority of prog is made up of decent song ideas separated from one another by fancy time signatures, self-indulgent experimentation, and other forms of needless wankery. But on the other hand, I proudly claim progressive titans Symphony X and Nevermore as my two favorite bands of all time. Those bands had a way of making their immensely complex compositions seem deceptively simple — a hallmark of a good prog band in my book. To me, progressiveness is really just the amplification of — or an embellishment upon — what a band already does well. Thus, my view that much of today’s “prog” music is really just embellished nothingness. On that cheerful note, enter Israeli progressive metal band Scardust.” Prog for dummies.

Sicarius – God of Dead Roots Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on March 10, 2020 in 2020, American Metal, Black Metal, M-Theory Audio, Reviews, Black Metal, 5 comments

“When we last saw Californian black metal band Sicarius, they were receiving high praise from yours truly for their outstanding debut Serenade of Slitting Throats. I returned to Serenade so its follow-up God of Dead Roots can be put in proper context for this review. This was beneficial, as the differences were in little things – at face value, God of Dead Roots certainly sounds like Sicarius, and Mick Kenney finds himself back behind the boards.” Roots and replanting.

Hazzerd – Delirium Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on January 23, 2020 in 2020, Canadian Metal, M-Theory Audio, Reviews, Thrash Metal, 19 comments

“While I relish the disgusting lurch and crawl of Asphyx and Autopsy, I’ve never been able to shake my love of blistering, thrashing metal. Reign in Blood kicked down the door, and through that door has charged classics like Slaughter’s Strappado, Merciless’ The Awakening, and Morbid Priest’s Spectrum of Death into my iron heart and album collection. I can’t get enough of the stuff, but after listening to …And Justice for All again, I rediscovered my enjoyment of that vein of thrash as well – Metallica was my gateway into metal, after all. Hazzerd is a relatively young Canadian band who play this second type of thrash.” Speed Hazzerds ahead.

Hecate Enthroned – Embrace of the Godless Aeon Review

By Lord Doom on January 30, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Death Metal, English Metal, M-Theory Audio, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, 121 comments

“January has been… slow for quality metal releases. Can Hecate Enthroned buck the trend and save us all? Embrace of the Godless Aeon is the sixth album from these Brits as they push past the twentieth year in their recording career. Coming off a five year release gap and sporting a new vocalist, is there any hellfire left in their demonic well of blackened death metal?” Embrace the orchestration.