Nov22

Threshold – Dividing Lines Review

By Steel Druhm on November 18, 2022 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, 37 comments

“Since hitting the prog-metal scene in 1993, the U.K.’s Threshold have proven to be one of, if not the most, reliably high-quality acts running. Album after album of intelligent, thoughtful, and highly memorable releases reinforced their talent and knack for polished songcraft. They’re responsible for several of my favorite albums in the genre and at this point, I never wonder if a new platter will be good or not. 2017s massive Legends of the Shires was a double album of smart and memorable music that overcame the sudden departure of vocalist Damien Wilson by bringing in former frontman Glynn Morgan. I still go back to it often and may have underrated it. Five years later we get the followup and 12th album, Dividing Lines.” Never cross Threshold.

Lamentations – Passion of Depression Review

By El Cuervo on November 18, 2022 in Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 19 comments

“In 2015, Singapore’s Lamentations demonstrated real potential with a debut entitled Echoes in the Wind. I’d always kept a weather eye on the Lamentations social media, but it took nearly 7 years for the sequel entitled Passion of Depression. 2022 sees the frontman Danny Jacob now collaborating with the members of his sister band Monotheist, and boasting a host of guest musicians including members and ex-members of Cynic, Extol, and Black Crown Initiate. Their Bandcamp page suggests that the band may now be based in the US, and I remained excited to hear how things had progressed with such a long period of gestation.” Lamentations of the wicked.

Sammal – Aika laulaa Review

By Carcharodon on November 17, 2022 in Reviews, Progressive Rock, Psychedelic Rock, 23 comments

“Maybe it’s just me but, if I were looking to quote ‘rave reviews’ of a band, I wouldn’t necessarily single out the phrase “Earnest, vibrant music specked with impressive nuance.” Nevertheless, this is the phrase that a promo blurb writer selected from our review of Sammal’s last effort, Suuliekki. Treble Yell, who penned that review in March 2018, had gone on an entirely non-suspicious but very sudden and permanent sabbatical by the time I was press ganged into service later that year. But he clearly enjoyed, without loving, Suuliekki. Since then, Sammal has shed both its keyboard player and bassist. Perhaps you, like me, think that for a band like Sammal, which trades in progressive 70s-inspired neo-folk, both of those positions are fairly critical. Well, these three Finns laugh in your face.” Folk is not afraid of you.

Xentrix – Seven Words Review

By Maddog on November 17, 2022 in Reviews, Thrash Metal, 29 comments

“Xentrix may not be a household name, but it should be. The band’s magnum opus For Whose Advantage? had the misfortune of coming out in 1990, a banner year for thrash. It wasn’t as impressive as Megadeth’s Rust in Peace, as seething as Forbidden’s Twisted into Form, as aggressive as Morbid Saint’s Spectrum of Death, as memorable as Artillery’s By Inheritance, or as blasphemous as Exhorder’s Slaughter in the Vatican. Still, For Whose Advantage? packed a punch, with berserk riffcraft that went straight for the jugular.” Age and experience advantage.

Encryptment – Dödens Födsel Review

By Ferox on November 17, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, 24 comments

“Along comes Stockholm’s Encryptment with debut Dödens Födsel, a title that translates from their native Swedish as… wait, give me a second with Google Translate… my goodness! “Dead Fetus.” That’s grisly, but fair enough–the Kingdom of Metal is a tough place to be an angel or a fetus. Dödens Födsel was a random pluck from the Promo Sump, and I half-hoped to let it go neglected in the crush of list season and day-job deadlines. Then I pressed “play,” and the album assaulted me with a half-hour of crusty, blackened death vitriol.” Womb raider.

Candlemass – Sweet Evil Sun Review

By Steel Druhm on November 16, 2022 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 56 comments

“As someone who fell deeply in love with Epicus Doomicus Metallicus after buying it based solely on the cool cover back in 1986, I consider myself a big fanMAN of Candlemass’ classic era. I define that epoch as the debut up through Tales of Creation. After that, it was much more of a crap shoot, with some albums working and others not so much. Considering the band’s golden era was rather brief, Candlemass enjoyed an outsized influence on the doom metal genre over the decades. When word hit that original vocalist Johan Langquist would appear on 2019s The Door to Doom comeback after not being heard from since Epicus, expectations were set unreasonably high.” Butchers, bakers, Candlemass makers.

Spider God – Fly in the Trap Review

By Doom_et_Al on November 16, 2022 in Reviews, 35 comments

“In January, The Sponge nearly broke this goddamn site with his review of Spider God’s album-of-covers, Black Renditions. Now that the dust has settled, two truths have emerged: First, Ken was completely sincere in his love for that album, and his great review perfectly mirrored those feelings. And second, I completely disagree with him. Don’t get me wrong: I don’t hate Black Renditions. I just thought (and still think) that an album of other people’s material should never score that highly. Now Spider God is back with their debut collection of fully original material in the form of Fly in the Trap. Is the site about to be broken again?” Spider holes and site trolls.

Echolot – Curatio Review

By Thus Spoke on November 15, 2022 in Reviews, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, 11 comments

“I was only loosely familiar with Echolot upon taking this promo. The prospect of ‘Psychedelic Doom,’—as their blurb announces—intrigued me, however. As it turns out, this would be a leap much further out of my comfort zone than I was bargaining for. For Curatio, the group’s fourth LP, is not doom, even if at times it displays that sensibility. It’s prog. At the risk of incurring the wrath of my esteemed colleagues, this is not a genre I have much fondness for (unless it comes with a much stronger dose of death perhaps). Not one to back out in the face of adversity, I persevered.” Stir of Echolot.

Kampfar – Til Klovers Takt Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on November 15, 2022 in Reviews, 45 comments

“For those of you posers that don’t know, Kampfar is untouchable in the pagan/black metal realm. And they’ve been ruling it with a bloody battle axe for almost 30 years. Now, they are back again to threaten my year-end list with Til Klovers Takt. But, unlike Profan or even Ofidians Manifest, Til Klovers Takt explores all that is Kampfar. It plays out more like a best-of-release than a standalone record. Each song explores songwriting structures from the band’s past and present. Yet, somehow, it’s brought together in a strategic tracklist. Welcome to pagan metal heaven.” Kamping bastards.

Black Anvil – Regenesis Review

By Doom_et_Al on November 15, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, 32 comments

“In his review of Black Anvil’s 2017 album, As Was, Mark Z. noted that despite possessing a rock-solid discography, the band was a perpetual “almost there” of the USBM scene. In the 5 years since then, not much has changed. The band has remained mostly underground, but a recent shift in record label to Season of Mist, and a coveted spot on the Cannibal Corpse North American tour, has suggested a shift towards widespread recognition. Are the perpetual bridesmaids of American BM about to have their own wedding?” Black wedding.