Mar18

Snakefeast – In Chaos, Solace Review

By GardensTale on March 6, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Experimental Metal, Grimoire Records, Reviews, 39 comments

“Experimental metal is a tricky genre. For one, it’s defined by indefinability. Where do you draw the line between progressive, simply odd, and truly experimental? What do you call it when a band emulates another’s experimental sound? And, the further off the beaten path a band walks, the smaller the prospective audience is likely to get. Nonetheless, I applaud bands who try to go beyond thinking out of the box and disregard the box altogether. If nothing else, it’ll always have a unique sound, something the majority of bands will never be able to lay claim to.” Saxy boys.

Among The Rocks And Roots – Raga Review

By Roquentin on March 5, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Avante Garde, Doom Metal, Drone, Noise, PTP, Reviews, Doom Metal, Drone, Noise, Noise Metal, Sludge Metal, 44 comments

“Music as ‘just entertainment’ is a solipsistic and fairly recent notion. Throughout the history of humankind, various forms of music have instead been tightly woven into the communities that birthed them, shaping and steering social bonds. Even if this fact has been conveniently hidden in the deepest crevices of our collective memories, helped by capitalism’s commodification of art, music as a concept outside the ludic and academically autotelic still exists in the cultures of indigenous people like the Tuvans. Their shamans perform songs primarily to heal and such music becomes a bridge between the spiritual and the physical. Richmond duo Among The Rocks And Roots are one of those rare contemporary groups which successfully tap into that subliminal, metaphysical source and simultaneously reach somewhere beyond their own ids.” Id Rock.

Ancst – Ghosts of the Timeless Void Review

By Master of Muppets on March 4, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, German Metal, Hardcore, Lifeforce Records, Reviews, Black Metal, Hardcore, 35 comments

“Ancst have put in a tremendous amount of work since assuming the metal mantle. Birthed in Berlin and born bearing the badge of Angst back in 2011, these Germans have done much more than change their name since erupting into existence under the new moniker in 2012. Six splits, seven EPs, and one excellent full-length have reared their livid heads along the way. And the beast only continues to grow, both in presence and power. There’s more Ancst and more to Ancst with each new offering, and Ghosts of the Timeless Void is no exception.” Void rage.

Oceans of Slumber – The Banished Heart Review

By Huck N Roll on March 2, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Black Metal, Century Media, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, 10 comments

“Here’s one many of us at AMG have been waiting for with bated breath. Back in 2016, Oceans of Slumber’s excellent but flawed Winter made it onto a number of year-end lists, including AMG Himself despite his positively negative review. Needless to say, all of us were eager to see if the Texas progsters could tighten up in a few areas and push things a bit farther on their next release. Of course, being the pack leader, AMG asserted himself early and claimed dibs on this prized promo, but a quick call to Jeff Gillooly and the review was mine.” Sweep the leg.

Slugdge – Esoteric Malacology Review

By Saunders on February 28, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, English Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, Willowtip, Death Metal, Progressive Death, Progressive Metal, 24 comments

“If it wasn’t obvious already, dynamic UK duo Slugdge is the real-fucking deal. Across their first three LP’s Slugdge shook off any suggestion they were a flash in the pan gimmick band, moving in advanced directions beyond their strange and humorous slug-obsessed philosophy and creative song title puns, to forge a wonderfully versatile and fiercely unique extreme metal hybrid. From modest cult heroes, Slugdge are now on the cusp of entering the big leagues.” Look at that escargot!