Oct18

Outre – Hollow Earth Review

By Akerblogger on October 25, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Debemur Morti, Polish Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 71 comments

“Another day another cryptic European black metal band. I’m certainly not complaining. Between the 90s and today, impulsive, anarchistic satanism has been replaced by the sophisticated, wine drinking sort: we’re all very smart these days, you see. Nature, religion and the occult have been approached with kaleidoscopic freedom in the lyrics and instrumentation of black metal bands for many years, but Poland particularly has spawned many bands of this mysterious, enigmatic variety.” The Polish Hammer.

Thrawsunblat – Great Brunswick Forest Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on October 25, 2018 in 2018, Canadian Metal, Folk Metal, Ignifera Records, Reviews, Folk Metal, 88 comments

“Thrawsunblat’s music is some of the closest stuff we have to Canadiana (which my word processor says isn’t a real word) for metalheads, and I’m always thankful when they decide to put out new stuff. Main man Joel Violette played on Woods of Ypres’ Woods V, one of my favorite records of all time, which makes me respect his musical acumen even more. For those who aren’t Canadian and couldn’t care less about Woods of Ypres, Thrawsunblat is interesting because they’re hard to predict.” Loose Canadian.

Carcharodon – Bukkraken Review

By GardensTale on October 24, 2018 in 2018, Argonauta Records, Death Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Sludge Metal, 56 comments

“Although Carcharodon come from the filigreed halls of Italy, legendary for its theatricality, they named themselves after the genus for the great white shark and the megalodon, and they call their music macho metal. If you still don’t know which side of the subtlety fence they fall on: there’s a song on here called “Whalefucker.”” Macho, macho metal.

Hate Eternal – Upon Desolate Sands Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on October 24, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Death Metal, 148 comments

“‘This ain’t your father’s death metal!’ Too often do reviewers or promos use this cliché, but in the case of Hate Eternal, I beg to differ. They decidedly are my father’s death metal, but not because he’s ever cared about or even heard a note from them, but rather because the band, particularly Erik Rutan, embody the traits my father values and passed on to me. Rutan’s brutal studio reputation of pushing musicians’ talents to their limits and then a bit further is precisely how my father and I work on any project together. There’s a certain honesty to Hate Eternal’s music, an honesty which can only come from toil.” Hating mediocrity.

Into Eternity – The Sirens Review

By Lokasenna on October 24, 2018 in 2018, Canadian Metal, M-Theory Audio, Melodic Death Metal, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, 88 comments

“Well, this is a band I didn’t expect to see again; I actually didn’t recognize the name until several listens in, having gotten properly into metal after their mid-2000s heyday. These days, Into Eternity are possibly best known as the band from which Iced Earth poached their fifth and current vocalist Stu Block. However, they were always a force to be reckoned with and now they’re back with a vengeance after a decade since their last opus, The Incurable Tragedy.” Sing us a song, you’re a siren.

Ruin – Human Annihilation Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on October 23, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Death Metal, Memento Mori, Reviews, Death Metal, 31 comments

“The mystique surrounding Ruin — the band started in the ’90s, but members were incarcerated and institutionalized, and now their twisted musical vision is coming to life and they’re some sort of cult — seems, at the very least, exaggerated. To dive fully into — and thus to fully enjoy — their sophomore release Human Annihilation, we have to suspend our disbelief and think of Ruin not as a band but as a ‘death metal cult,’ as they would describe it. Only then can we dive into what they’re doing and what they seem to be trying to portray.” Metal from the big house.

Eneferens – The Bleakness of Our Constant Review

By Steel Druhm on October 23, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Bindrune Recordings, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Nordvis Produktion, Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 126 comments

“Steel Druhm reviewing a one-man atmospheric black metal album? How can this be happening? Does Vardan have him by the short back hairs? Did he get triple ape dared by that trickster, Muppet? No siree, Bob. Steel is reviewing the new Eneferens album because of what it is and what it is not. It is the product of one man named Jori Apedaileman, and it is an absolutely beautiful work of art spanning black, death, folk, post-metal and doom as effortlessly as I skip over metalcore in the promo slump.” This is the Winter of our sadboy content.

Outlaw – Marauders Review

By Holdeneye on October 23, 2018 in 2018, Finnish Metal, Heavy Metal, High Roller Records, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 58 comments

“Outlaw was formed in 2015 as the classic metal outlet for vocalist Lee Anvel. His numerous projects and associated aliases span thirteen years and range from black metal to doom. Along with co-founder and bassist John Kaiser, Anvel has assembled a band of newcomers for his foray into the most traditional of metals. They’ve donned their studded leather, bullet belts, and pseudonyms and seem intent on delivering the goods.” Bad hombres.

Rising – Sword and Scythe Review

By Kenstrosity on October 22, 2018 in 2018, Danish Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Indisciplinarian Records, Reviews, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, 44 comments

"The world has witnessed humanity’s greatest civilizations rise to heavenly heights only to topple with the weight of titans. New, sometimes even more significant, societies emerged from the rubble. They too fell. Across history, this oscillation of societal ascension and subsequent self-destruction has been the focal point of countless tales. Rising, a band from Copenhagen celebrating their tenth year of active duty, adopt this theme with their fourth album Sword and Scythe. The five-piece is classified as “epic metal,” which in my worldview often represents bombastic and overwrought self-indulgence. Prepared for the worst, I donned my skepticism helmet and forged ahead." Don’t ever go to battle in your “skepticism” helmet. Especially against those wielding swords and scythes…

Gorod – Æthra Review

By Angry Metal Guy on October 22, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, French Metal, Progressive Death, Reviews, Technical Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 144 comments

“Æthra, which is being released from the band’s new home at the French label Overpowered Records, is Gorod’s sixth slab of techy goodness. Through all of it, Gorod has yet to release a bad album. Therefore, the question I wanted the answer to when I finally got a chance to pop the album on was ‘will Æthra be good or, like, really good?'” Fanboy ahoy?