Marilyn Manson

Pupil Slicer – Blossom Review

Pupil Slicer – Blossom Review

Pupil Slicer really shook things up in 2021. While undeniably a slab of Converge-meets-Dillinger core with a nice dose of Botch, the trio’s debut Mirrors was a tour-de-force of grindy intensity, a neat balance between heart and callousness, and a marvel of songwriting. Songs like “Husk,” “Collective Unconscious,” and “Wounds Upon My Skin” still get regular plays in the Hollow household, with mad mastermind Kate Davies’ frantic vocals, insane axework, and boundary-pushing ideas taking center stage.” Eye on the prize.

Sensory Amusia – Breed Death Review

Sensory Amusia – Breed Death Review

Sensory Amusia are an interesting and, I’d contend, somewhat enigmatic band. They released their debut album in 2013 and then basically went dark. They popped up again six years later with an EP, quickly followed by another the following year. Now, two years after that last sojourn, Sensory Amusia have resurfaced again, this time with their first full-length in almost a decade. In many ways, Breed Death marks a departure from their 2013 debut, but even the most Vogonesque bands among us tend to evolve and grow. Whether that growth pulled the band in a more positive direction musically is another question.” Selective breeding.

The Lion’s Daughter – Skin Show Review

The Lion’s Daughter – Skin Show Review

“Do you all miss Mark Z? I do, too. The poor bastard is eyeball deep in educational files and folders and here I am, cosplaying him in a misguided attempt to bring forth some of his essence. Two previous The Lion’s Daughter albums our dear slutgöatwitchvomitfuckerlörd reviewed, each scraping together very respectable scores and candid praise, but the burden now befalls me to continue the Big Z’s legacy concerning the St. Louis weirdos, a burden I declared to shoulder enthusiastically. Yet the promo for Skin Show gave pause.” Skinned to win?

Timelost – Don’t Remember Me for This Review

Timelost – Don’t Remember Me for This Review

“What do you get when two metalhead friends come together and begin a file-sharing effort from a thousand miles apart to explore their collective musical lusts? You get [drumroll please]…a shoegaze album? I was taken aback when I first played Timelost’s new album Don’t Remember Me for This and was quickly reminded of the modern shoegaze and dream pop sound of Brooklyn, New York band Beach Fossils.” Shoe’s on first.

Transport League – A Million Volt Scream Review

Transport League – A Million Volt Scream Review

“If you’re like me, you’ve probably never heard of Sweden’s Transport League. Formed way back in 1994, they knocked out four full-length discs before breaking up in 2005. During this time, TL played an in-your-face sludge style that combined the hard knocks of Clutch with the ghoulish qualities of Rob Zombie and the Southern flavors of Down and Pantera. After dabbling in the industrial world for a few years with their band M.A.N., the boys decided to give Transport League another try.” League of the unextraordinary.

Upon a Burning Body – Southern Hostility Review

Upon a Burning Body – Southern Hostility Review

“I realize I use the phrase ‘ad nauseam’ too much, and I also apologize a lot. I took two years of Latin in high school, which was pretty cool in ways I didn’t foresee. So you would think I would have the basic knowledge to tell you what ‘ad nauseam’ means, but I had to Google it only to be embarrassed by its obvious meaning: ‘to nausea’ or ‘to a nauseating degree.’ Just like deathcore!” Down with the deathness.

Athanasia – The Order of the Silver Compass Review

Athanasia – The Order of the Silver Compass Review

“Our eventual overlords may be capable of incredible feats of logic and science, but they are still in their infancy when it comes to matters pertaining to the human heart. There’s something about how humans process emotional cues and meaning that the machines haven’t mastered and it shows when they’re tasked with creative work. Now, this is a metal blog, so you can probably guess where I’m going with this. What would it sound like if AI were to create a metal album to be marketed to the masses?” By the numbers.

Amaranthe – Helix Review

Amaranthe – Helix Review

“One part pop, one part -core, and one part power metal, Amaranthe could only have come from Sweden: a country and people so obsessively modern and image-conscious that they created the Eurovision industry, the national Twitter account, and the marketing model for trend-driven consumption from furniture to clothing. Even some of the most iconic metal Sweden has produced had remarkably trend-driven second acts. In Flames’ fall from melodeath darlings to nü-metal wannabes was followed by bands adopting the Swedecore sound. What’s the most successful metal band that Sweden has produced since Gothenburg? Well, Ghost. But even for Sweden Amaranthe is another level entirely.” Amaranthe is back for more. How’s that working out for them?

Me and That Man – Songs of Love and Death [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

Me and That Man – Songs of Love and Death [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

It always struck me as curious, that Nergal didn’t branch out with any other such notable side-projects. 2016 came and went, and with it Nergal’s single-minded dedication to Behemoth. But in 2017, his Me and That Man project saw fit to release Songs of Love and Death.” A very special episode of Nergal and the Man.