Progressive Death Metal

Veilburner – VLBRNR Review

By Kenstrosity on December 3, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 26 comments

“Lurkers in the Capsule of Skull was my 2021 Album o’ the Year. It should’ve been Ferrous Beuller‘s as well, though I suppose it’s easier to forgive him his transgressions since he did award Imperative Imperceptible Impulse his crown. In any case, Lurkers was another installment in an almost unfuckwithable string of killer material from Pennsylvania mind-flayers Veilburner. Their sixth record in a mere eight years of existence, the too-poor-for-vowels VLBRNR, has big shoes to fill to live up to the standard set by Lurkers.” Veils yet unburned.

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.

Obsidious – Iconic Review

By Kenstrosity on October 31, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal, 39 comments

“There’s been an incredible amount of hype roiling behind international supergroup Obsidious’s upcoming debut record Iconic. Having lived under a rock for the past two years, I missed literally all of that hype, only first becoming aware of Obsidious late this past summer. Nevertheless, once I heard all of the numerous advance singles, I was convinced that this would be my Album o’ the Year by the time I got to hear the whole thing. Technical death metal meets post-apocalyptic space opera meets musical theater? It’s quite possibly the most me thing to fall into my lap during my entire four-year tenure at AMG to date. Needless to say, I generated plenty of my own hype. The question remains, did Obsidious live up to it?” Hype and reality.

De Profundis – The Corruption of Virtue

By Kenstrosity on October 14, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 58 comments

“De Profundis is a great band who gets a lot of love behind the scenes at AMG HQ, but somehow routinely misses out on full coverage. This kind of thing occurs occasionally and for a number of perfectly understandable reasons, of course. But after seventeen years of diligent work, it’s high time that the English death metal quintet get a proper review from us for their sixth full-length, The Corruption of Virtue. And, as is our prerogative, we bring this review to you late.” Corrupted deadlines.

Faceless Burial – At the Foothills of Deliration Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on October 11, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, 78 comments

“If you were expecting the same album over again, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Progression is the name of the game here, and Faceless Burial knows no other path but forward. I’ll let you in on a little secret, though, that may not entirely surprise some of you: I didn’t love Speciation. Heck, there might have been some days back in 2020 when I might have said that I didn’t even like it, but my enjoyment aside, it’s hard to argue that the act didn’t distill lethal doses of Neanderthal pit-chuggery into a slobbering mass of gnarled riffs and dripping gurgles.” Face re-burial.

Fallujah – Empyrean Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on September 9, 2022 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal, 61 comments

“Fallujah has a contentious history here at the house of AMG. From the first flirtations Angry Metal Guy himself had with The Harvest Wombs, to the loudness wars that consumed The Flesh Prevails to the unenthused success of Dreamless—all ending in the nonconsensual torture of our very own TheKenWord with his harrowed recount of 2019’s Undying Light, which left the poor poriferan in a state most unfit for attacking this newest, Empyrean.” Fuss and bother.

Warforged – The Grove | Sundial Review

By Kenstrosity on September 7, 2022 in Reviews, Deathcore, Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal, 64 comments

“It took an unprecedented length of time for me to appreciate Warforged’s debut I: Voice back in 2019. In fact, I was so moved by the record once it finally clicked that I awarded it an enthusiastic 1.5-point upgrade. Naturally, that puts a lot of pressure on the follow-up, entitled The Grove | Sundial. Upon learning that Adrian Perez—who was in charge of lead vocals, keyboards, sampling, piano, and lyrics on I: Voice—separated from the project, I balked.” Forging a new weapon.

Red Rot – Mal de Vivre Review

By Dolphin Whisperer on September 2, 2022 in Reviews, Gothic Metal, Hardcore, Progressive Metal, Sludge Metal, 15 comments

“The dissolution of Davide Tiso’s flagship project, Ephal Duath has left a scar, a gloom, that has festered in memory and stained the landscape that Red Rot oozes forth. Though not usually steeped in this depth of emotion, Tiso (also of Howling Sycamore) has a knack for writing music that challenges, even aiming to frustrate the listener, and, quite frankly, doesn’t always land—but that’s precisely why I’m excited to at least try what this Italian expat has to offer.” The rot inside a sad heart,

Becoming the Archetype – Children of the Great Extinction Review

By Holdeneye on August 24, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, Metalcore, Progressive Metal, 114 comments

“Like my colleague Dear Hollow, I cut my metal teeth (and nails) on heavy Christian music, and Becoming the Archetype is, without a doubt, the greatest extreme metal band of the faithful persuasion. We don’t normally receive promos from Solid State Records, but when BtA shocked their fans in June by announcing a surprise album after a ten-year hiatus, I knew I’d do terrible things to get my hands on the promo. Fortunately, all I had to do was email the band, who got me in touch with the label and its PR firm, and here we are. Phew! I quickly enlisted Hollow’s help, thinking that such a momentous occasion demanded a two-pronged attack.” Acts of faith.

Aronious – Irkalla Review

By Carcharodon on August 17, 2022 in Reviews, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 22 comments

“Well, this could have been awkward. In trying to research this week’s subject, I had become increasingly puzzled as to why I couldn’t find much on them. Nothing on AMG itself; nothing on Metal Archives, nothing on Facebook and so on. It turns out there had been a fluff up in the AMG Engine Room, meaning that the band’s name was misspelled in the promo sump. Once this snafu came to light, it also revealed that Aronious is not, in fact, new to AMG and it would seem I have unwittingly stolen reviewing rights from no lesser death metal scribe than Kronos.” Deathly strife.