Nuclear Blast Records

My Dying Bride – A Mortal Binding Review

My Dying Bride – A Mortal Binding Review

“I’ve been listening to My Dying Bride’s entire discography, including this new one, nonstop for a good two weeks straight. It’s begun to affect my daily life. A couple nights ago, after putting the Cherdlet to bed, my wife asked me what I’d like to do with the rest of our evening and without thinking I said, “Drink deep of your neck chalice.” While she was still quietly processing this, I complimented her on the whiteness of her breasts. She decided she wanted to watch “one of her shows” instead and bid me good night.” Gothic suave is tricky.

Aborted – Vault of Horrors Review

Aborted – Vault of Horrors Review

“I know what you’re thinking: ‘How in the hell does Grier like Aborted?’ I know. Everyone has asked it since I chose to lead this charge and give you my opinion on Aborted’s Vault of Horrors. While I do have plenty of issues with grindcore, in general, there’s something about bands like Aborted and Pig Destroyer that speaks to me. I can’t explain it because there are a lot of bands like Aborted that I just loathe. You know, like Dying Fetus.” Grinding Griers.

Exhorder – Defectum Omnium Review

Exhorder – Defectum Omnium Review

“With this year’s Defectum Omnium, it’s clear Exhorder aren’t finished proving their relevance and reinventing themselves in the eyes of their dedicated fanbase. But, with such a strong outing five years ago, will Defectum Omnium be a step forward for the band or will it be, well… a defectum?” Omnium Blatherum.

Lucifer – Lucifer V Review

Lucifer – Lucifer V Review

“Ah, Lucifer. I remember listening to their self-titled debut album back in 2015 and being immediately hooked by the killer pipes of frontwoman Johanna Platow Andersson and their take on fuzzy, doomy occult rock. But as I sit here to craft a review of Lucifer’s fifth album (aptly titled Lucifer V), I must admit that after that very first dance with the devil in the pale moonlight, I haven’t listened to them much in the intervening years.” New year, same Devil.

Sadus – The Shadow Inside Review

Sadus – The Shadow Inside Review

“The late 90s may have seen Sadus wandering too deep into (then) modern, groovy, and progressive sounds, and the 2006 offering Out for Blood leaning further into weird synth intros, drop-tuned guitars, thrash heresy. But, at the core of their most beloved outings, the backbone of Sadus was always a neck-snapping, zig-zag riffcraft.” Unsung but vicious.

Suffocation – Hymns from the Apocrypha Review

Suffocation – Hymns from the Apocrypha Review

“Legend has it, if you say Frank Mullen’s name in the mirror three times after dark, the seminal vocalist appears behind you and unleashes an almighty roar into your bloody earholes. For the first time in the lengthy career of the New York brutal death pioneers, the immense, muffled growls of Mullen are absent, as a new era begins in the Suffocation camp.” Old pros restricting airflows.

Fuming Mouth – Last Day of Sun Review

Fuming Mouth – Last Day of Sun Review

“A concept album is risky when you’re as meatheaded as Massachusetts’ Fuming Mouth. Don’t get me wrong, Last Day of Sun’s concept is unique and powerful, an apocalyptic vision of a world destined for darkness in twenty-four hours (hence the title) – a story further fueled by the act’s mastermind, vocalist, and guitarist Mark Whelan’s triumphant battle over cancer. For an act that has rarely been called the “thinking man’s” anything, it’s pretty high-brow to fuse an approach of death metal and hardcore with such heart-wrenching emotion.” Sun’s out, HM-2 out.

Green Lung – This Heathen Land Review

Green Lung – This Heathen Land Review

“There is something familiar and charming about what Green Lung do and do so well. Blending the likes of Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Boston and more, the band harks back to an earlier time and, on Black Harvest, managed to do that with their own voice. However, there are lots of other things I can reach to for comfort and familiarity, perhaps explaining why I haven’t reached for Black Harvest until thinking about this review. What staying power does This Heathen Land have?” Of Lungs and lands.

Thy Art Is Murder – Godlike Review

Thy Art Is Murder – Godlike Review

“Hate them or love them, you know them. Australia’s Thy Art Is Murder catapulted into the deathcore stratosphere in the early 2010s, through the technical The Adversary (2010) and the powerful Hate (2012). Despite its inconsistency, Thy Art Is Murder’s output earned sizable crossover appeal from death metal fans; think All Shall Perish, not Bring Me the Horizon. Godlike, whose release was delayed a week by line-up drama, follows four years after the middling deathcore-fest Human Target.” Thy Art is Drama.