Non-metal Metal Things

Diablo Blvd – Zero Hour Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on September 27, 2017 in 2017, Belgian Metal, Hard Rock, Non-Metal Metal Things, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Hard Rock, Non-metal Metal Things, 25 comments

“For years, I thought something was wrong with me when I got in the mood for some simple, catchy rock/groove. I mean, there is something wrong with me when I get the urge to listen to Volbeat over Mercyful Fate. But, sometimes, one needs a palette cleansing. And that’s exactly why I feel no guilt when listening to bands like Darkhaus, Ghoultown, A Life Divided, and Diablo Blvd. Week after week of listening to constant doom, black, heavy, thrash (and everything between) can make your brain mush. Not to mention, trying to find the words for the couple selected for review while meeting writing deadlines for a textbook, teaching classes, etc. So, detoxing is necessary.” Cleanse my wounded palette.

Stump Tail Dolly – Soundtrack to the Second Civil War Review

By Mark Z. on September 6, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Non-Metal Metal Things, Reviews, Black Metal, Non-metal Metal Things, 80 comments

“To paraphrase Jurassic Park’s Ian Malcolm, we were so preoccupied with whether or not we could, we never stopped to think if we should. Yet here it is: a Nashville quartet who bill themselves as a fusion of country and metal, complete with twangy guitars, honkytonk fiddle, rudimentary attempts at extreme metal, and shit-kicking rhythms pulled straight from the Bumfuck County square dance.” Wrong Turn: the Musical.

Igorrr – Savage Sinusoid Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on June 13, 2017 in 2017, Avante Garde, French Metal, Metal Blade, Non-Metal Metal Things, Reviews, Avante Garde, Non-metal Metal Things, 61 comments

“It’s been a strange couple months for grumpy ole Grier. I’ve reviewed everything from cowpunk to Swedish black metal to non-metal/metal avant-garde to captivating power/melodeath. But, for all the ups-and-downs that come with this crazy rollercoaster ride, never am I more brain-fucked as when a new Igorrr record arrives in my inbox.” Putting the fist in fistula.

Dot Legacy – To the Others Review

By Huck N Roll on November 28, 2016 in 2016, French Metal, Non-Metal Metal Things, Reviews, Setalight Records, Non-metal Metal Things, 11 comments

“Eclectic is the name of the game when it comes to Dot Legacy. The French quartet has been around for seven years, playing a unique brand of fuzzed-out energy rock. How’s that for a genre? To be honest, Dot Legacy’s second offering, To the Others, kind of defies genre categorization. It’s a mish-mash of everything, and that was the intent going in.” Kitchen sink-core.

Katla – Embryo Review

By GardensTale on October 13, 2016 in 2016, Non-Metal Metal Things, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Svart Records, Swedish Metal, Non-metal Metal Things, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Metal, 35 comments

“Ah, the seventies. An excellent decade for wanton sex, drug abuse and consequently, psychedelic music. In the common mindset, the foremost psychedelic band is of course Pink Floyd, and with good reason. But another influential band that tends to get overlooked, is Hawkwind, who had a bit more oomph than the aforementioned space rock colossus, using experimental timbres and textures to accentuate their otherwise fairly straightforward proto-metal. The influence of Hawkwind (who, amazingly, are still around) is clear on the debut of the trippy Swedish quartet Katla.” A might (Hawk)wind blows.

Source – Return to Nothing Review

By Zephyrus on September 26, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Pavement Entertainment, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Experimental Metal, Non-metal Metal Things, Rock, 47 comments

“It’s been about 3,800 days since Tool pressed any fresh material, so I’m guessing we’re almost halfway to something new? Well, a trio of go-getters from Colorado up and said “fuck that” taking matters into their own hands. They formed a band called Source, wrote a bunch of Tool-y material and now they’re set to make their debut with Return to Nothing.” Out of the Toolshed and into the limelight.

Karmakanic – DOT Review

By Huck N Roll on July 22, 2016 in 2016, InsideOut, Non-Metal Metal Things, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Uncategorized, Non-metal Metal Things, Progressive Metal, 13 comments

“The country of Sweden is home to 9.9 million people. Judging from the number of bands that come out of that land, 10 million of those individuals are musicians. And good ones, too. In this latest version of his band, Karmakanic founder and bassist Jonas Reingold (also of The Flower Kings) attempts to use as many of them as possible. No less than twelve artists get credited on Karmakanic’s fifth full-length release, DOT.” I once knew a Swede that wasn’t in a band. He was actually in 5 bands.

Sink – Ark of Contempt and Anger Review

By Madam X on June 20, 2016 in 2016, Drone, Finnish Metal, Non-Metal Metal Things, Not Metal, Progressive Rock, Reviews, Svart Records, Drone, Non-metal Metal Things, Not Metal, Progressive Rock, 45 comments

“Just like death and taxes, you can count on Svart Records to artfully bestow the weird and the wonderful. Ark of Contempt and Anger’s promo blurb begins by saying that ‘Sink have once again created an oddly compelling and strangely enchanting album that is truly in a league of its own.’ Add to that, Sink promises rich and complex compositions woven with enigmatic lyrics, and I’ll admit I had a hard time resisting this.” Plus there’s a cute dog on the cover!

New Keepers of the Water Towers’ – Infernal Machine Review

By Madam X on April 1, 2016 in 2016, Listenable Records, Non-Metal Metal Things, Not Metal, Post-metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Non-metal Metal Things, Not Metal, Post-Metal, 19 comments

“Infernal Machine is a seven-part journey, creating the soundtrack to Joe Haldeman’s 1974 novel The Forever War. The story, loosely depicts Haldeman’s military service during the Vietnam War, with the account chronicled as a space opera where the military fails to see its soldiers as any more than complex and valuable machines. This seems a large musical undertaking, especially in light that Ridley Scott has had the film idea “in production” since back in 2008….” An odd prog band bringing to life a weird novel? What could go wrong?

Nad Sylvan – Courting the Widow Review

By El Cuervo on November 2, 2015 in 2015, InsideOut, Non-Metal Metal Things, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Non-metal Metal Things, Progressive Rock, 18 comments

“First things first: it’s no coincidence that the eponymous frontman of Nad Sylvan sounds remarkably similar to Peter Gabriel. Fresh from performing on Genesis Revisited II and subsequently touring with Genesis as principle vocalist, Nad Sylvan now exercises his musical talents on his own album. Some (read: me) have described him as the Ripper Owens of prog rock, but fortunately for Sylvan, he isn’t saddled with the subtitle “rank amateur.”” Some names don’t translate well to other countries. Nad Sylvan is such a name, but this doesn’t mean the music is lost in translation.