“
Metal is blessed with bands that have unparalleled musical ability, bands that write intricate, elegant, and at times breathtaking compositions. Indeed, metal is blessed with bands that spend hours deep in creative reflection, striving to produce a piece of art that captivates listeners and subtly expresses some universal higher truth. Gehennah is not one of those bands.” They’re the other kind.
“There are several unassailable truths in heavy metal. A brutal death metal concert will always smell like garbage and unwashed socks. The wait for a new Necrophagist album will always be the metal blogosphere’s running joke. And when a band experiences some commercial and critical success after employing a fresh sound, you can bet your Ghost buttplug there will be a slew of imitators there to jump on the bandwagon and catch whatever stray dollars they can.” And that brings us to the flavor of the day.
![Battlecross – Rise to Power [Things You Might Have Missed 2015]](https://www.angrymetalguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Battlecross_Rise-to-Power-768x768.jpg)
“It comes of no surprise to those of you restlessly commenting on EVERY FUCKING review, YMIO, and TYMHM article that I got truly thrashed this year. Being a product of the Bay-Area heyday, I haven’t had much fun with any of the modern thrash output storming the iTunes racks in the last decade or so. But 2015 gave me a few monsters I will love for eons to come.” The Doctor is a thrashard.
“With the worldwide influence of Sweden on two fronts in the metal world and their universally hostile furniture-based takeover through Ikea (complete with Pictionary instructions and oddly tasty meatballs), it’s almost funny to see Sweden cheekily stealing from the initially British-led style of old-school heavy metal and RAM it down all of our throats with a record called Svbversvm.” Svbmit!
“At this point, it’s really is no secret that I’m 100% all about anything that has to do with King Diamond and Mercyful Fate. I’ve chased down Black Rose and Zoser Mez demos, have purchased every original and remastered pressing of every KD and MF album, still listen to both Force of Evil albums every Halloween, and even love the odd Illwill side project.” Dr. Clickbaiter is a tad obsessive over things like clicks and Kingly projects.
“Just one look at the cover of Cut Up’s Forensic Nightmares will tell you pretty much everything there is to know about the music hidden beneath it. What else could a cool depiction of a disassembled human body represent other than some cool, old school death metal?” Cover o’ the Year? Maybe.
“The Yer Metal is Olde segment here at Angry Metal Guy has always been one of my favorites. If you’re looking to expand your repertoire with some classics or need a reason to shuffle back through your library, clatter through your jewel cases, or dig through cracked cassettes for nostalgia, this is a segment for olde and younge alike.” 1995 was a tough year for kings and patriots alike.
“On the hunt for some mid-eighties style hybrid black thrash packed with blasphemous Venom? Well, as luck would have it the Greek titans, Satan’s Wrath, are back in black, sporting a lineup change, and they have just such a putrid platter!” With a cover like you, you know you’ll need a patched denim vest.
“Ensiferum isn’t Finland’s most popular or well-loved melodic folk/viking metal band, but they certainly are a band whose legacy cannot be ignored. For me, they revolutionized the music I was listening to in 2001 with their immense self-titled debut Ensiferum, which took Children of Bodom and made it fruitier.” Fruity Viking metal is an important part of any balanced diet.
“Falconer’s 2011 record Armod was not only my introduction to the band’s music, but to AMG as well. I don’t remember how I stumbled across our eponymous overlord’s review, but I’m glad I did… This year, Falconer released their follow-up to Armod in the form of Black Moon Rising, and I’m going to come full sphere by writing about it here on AMG.” Once beloved by AMG Himself, is Falconer still the adorable moppet it once was?
