Melodic Death Metal

Nekrogoblikon – Power Review

By Madam X on August 27, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Adrenaline PR, American Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 6 comments

“I’m finding it tough to grasp the fact that it’s been two years since Los Angeles, CA’s Nekrogoblikon released Stench. While being one of the silliest, over-the-top albums I picked up in 2011, it was packed with just the right level of gore, disembowelment, blood and great folk infused melodic death (as only goblins can deliver) that their dark onslaught just didn’t date! Goblins, hobgoblins and gore, oh my! These are a few of Madam X’s favorite things. Join her as she examines the weirdly melodic death metal of Nekrogolikon.

DevilDriver – Winter Kills Review

By Jordan Campbell on August 25, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, American Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Napalm Records, Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 10 comments

“DevilDriver has always been a bit of an underdog story. Not in terms of success, but in terms of cred. Many metalheads have made the transition from nü-metal goofclown to full-on ripper—myself included—but none of us to had make the transition in the public eye like Dez Fafara. His first band, Coal Chamber, was arguably one of the silliest acts of the nü-heyday (no small feat), and his metamorphosis from mesh-clad demigod to fledgling Hesher has been a minor feelgood story.

Frosttide – Awakening Review

By Madam X on August 16, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Finnish Metal, Folk Metal, Melodic Death Metal, NoiseArt Records, Reviews, Folk Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 2 comments

“Last year NoiseArt Records graced my greedy hands with Survival of the Fittest, the debut release by Italian band Krampus. With two well received EPs already floating about, I had some excitement in hearing their brand of modern folk metal. By the end of the year the album had worn a considerable groove in my playlist, so much so it eventually ended up on Madam X’s Top 10(ish) of 2012. Until now, 2013 has felt a little lean in terms of folk metal, outside of Månegarm’s (Legions of the North) blackened folk offering, nothing’s jumped out at me – Finnish melodic folk metallers Frosttide are doing their damnedest to change that.” We don’t let Madam X review much folk metal because she’s too dark for such things. We made an exception with the new Frosttide and since nobody got hurt, The Providers are pleased.

Parasite Inc – Time Tears Down Review

By Madam X on August 3, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, German Metal, GoodDamn Records, Melodic Death Metal, Releases, Reviews, Uncategorized, Melodic Death Metal, 9 comments

“Sheesh the Reaper’s working overtime this year! Every which way you turn there’s another corpse stinking up the joint. German melo death band Parasite Inc captured my eye (or maybe it was my ear) a few weeks back with their video for “The Pulse Of The Dead” off their sophomore release Time Tears Down. The video isn’t particularly flashy, there’s no blood and guts and no fancy scene set or story being told. Basically it’s just four musicians against a pretty stark background furiously slaughtering their instruments, catchy melodies challenging heavy grooves, creating no holds barred, modern, melodic death magic.” Melo death seems to be making a comeback in 2013 and Madam X is here to tell you if Parasite Inc. can help the revival.

Wound – Inhale the Void Review

By Madam X on July 5, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Death Metal, FDA Rekotz, German Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 7 comments

“Germanic Wound punt their cruddy, punky and nasty school of death metal as falling somewhere between that of forbearers of the Gothenburg death metal sound At The Gates, old-school death metallers Necrowretch and Wolfbrigade (previously Wolfpack) who combine Swedish hardcore punk and death metal. I’m hazarding a guess that’s why they were added to F.D.A Rekotz deathstable, home to one of Steel Druhm’s big picks from 2012, Blood Mortized. Inhale the Void follows on a little over a year after the release of their demo Confess to Filth and it pretty much negates the need to hunt down this earlier release as 4 of the 6 tracks making up the demo are nicely bundled up in this debut album. All rather convenient and considerate of them to do that!” Madam X tackles some death metal that doesn’t sound like Septicflesh because you demanded it!

Darkane – The Sinister Supremacy Review

By Steel Druhm on July 1, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Prophecy Productions, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 17 comments

“Darkane is a band is that has been somewhat overlooked over their fifteen plus year career despite some solid output. Born in the second wave of Swedish melodic death metal, they were strongly influenced by the likes of At the Gates, Dark Tranquility and Soilwork. They made their bones crafting, thrashy, technically impressive death with plenty of melody and references to the “Gothenburg sound” and albums like Rusted Angel, Expanding Senses and Layers of Lies were enjoyably intense assaults on the listener full of vicious riffs and harsh vocals, all sugar-coated with slick, technical prowess. Unfortunately for the band, their birth more or less coincided with the explosion of metalcore bands equally influenced by the Swedish melo-death sound and Darkane quickly got lost amid a sea of crappy core.” Can these melo-death mongrels re-establish themselves after a five year hiatus or is it too little too late in a genre that has began to dry up?

Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods Review

By Angry Metal Guy on June 18, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, Melodic Death Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 42 comments

“Amon Amarth. It should be no secret that the fanboys of Angry Metal Guy dot com love this band. With With Oden on Our Side ranking in at #12 on my Top 15(ish) of the 2000s list, and Steel Druhm popping an uncharacteristically exuberant and punny woody over 2011’s Surtur Rising, it should come as no surprise to you that Amon Amarth’s new record was definitely on the Angry Metal Radar™. In my opinion, though, Amon Amarth has been weak since 2006’s extraordinarily mighty WOoOS (pronounced like it’s spelled), which broke them for the world market. Follow up Twilight of the Thunder God was tepid and too clean, and Surtur Rising felt like an over correction and hasn’t aged well, either. So color me skeptical: Amon Amarth hasn’t done anything for me for two records and 5 years—would that change now?”

Kalmah – Seventh Swamphony Review

By Steel Druhm on June 7, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Black Metal, Death Metal, Finnish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Spinefarm, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 10 comments

“As the only blackened thrash band willing to sing about fishing and fish generally, Kalmah always had a special place in my outdoorsy heart. I mean, who else can make simple tales of man vs. fish seem so epic and life threatening? I was impressed by their first four outings (with Swampsong being my favorite), but I felt really let down by their For the Revolution opus, which felt quite tedious. While things kicked back up for the enjoyable and energetic 12 Gauge, it still felt like a band entering the “spinning the wheels” period of their career. Thankfully, Seventh Swamphony sees these psychotic fishermen make a triumphant return to the off-the-rails, blackened thrash of old which straddles the line between the melodic tomfoolery of Children of Bodom and more extreme, cvlt black/death acts.” Do you like blackended catfish metal like Steel Druhm does? If so, you best don the hip waders and read all about the return of the swamp lords.

Dark Tranquillity – Construct Review

By Steel Druhm on May 21, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Century Media, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 22 comments

“I’ve been waiting for this one for some time. As a big Dark Tranquillity fan, I’ve weathered their style shifts and experiments with more commercial and more “modern” sounds. While 2010s We Are the Void was respectable with a few killer cuts, I ended up really liking the extended extras that were included on the limited edition release (which eventually became the Zero Distance EP). That group of songs encapsulated what modern-day DT does best: create melodic, but cold, sterile, modern death metal. I really wanted them to continue in that direction on Construct, but they thought otherwise.” Do the last of the Gothenburg titans finally fall victim to time and tide or can The Tranquil Ones keep the flame of melodic death alive?

The Resistance – Scars Review

By Madam X on May 19, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Death Metal, Earsplit Records, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 7 comments

“When you pull The Resistance apart first thing you’re going to notice is that the Swedish melodic(ish) death metal outfit includes members from one of the original ‘three kings of Gothenburg’ – Jesper Strömblad and Glenn Ljungström the two ex-In Flamers that bailed before becoming a part of Sounds of a Playground Fading’s limp release. Outside of having core In Flames members The Resistance also includes ex-Face Down members Marco Aro on deathly howls and drummer Chris Barkensjö. With a line-up like that and an EP release earlier this year (Rise From Treason) you’d be hard pressed, as I was, not to harbor some expectation that Scars with all its anger, conflict and aggressiveness would be the album that In Flames have failed to deliver of late.” Join Madam X to find out whether Scars is irresistible. With a name like Madam X, you’d expect her to dig scars.