Progressive Metal

Black Crown Initiate – Selves We Cannot Forgive Review

By Saunders on July 25, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Death Metal, eOne Music, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 28 comments

“A couple of years ago some noisy factions of the Angry Metal Guy readership kicked up a stink by our lack of coverage of the debut LP from promising Pennsylvanian deathsters Black Crown Initiate. Following the over-the-top acclaim for The Wreckage of Stars, a fine full-length debut loaded with potential, the boys return with the crucial and much anticipated follow-up, Selves We Cannot Forgive. Sophomore albums are often tricky propositions, especially in the wake of a well received debut.” Stop harassing us!

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.

Aktaion – The Parade of Nature Review

By Mark Z. on July 21, 2016 in 2016, Death Metal, Groove Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Unsigned Bands, Death Metal, Groove Metal, Progressive Metal, 11 comments

“Here at AMG, one of my biggest challenges (besides suppressing my gag reflex when cleaning out the office refrigerator) is trying to keep my reviews to a tidy length. Between describing a band’s sound and influences, elaborating on the various songs, bitching about the production, and writing shitty and superfluous opening paragraphs, it can be hard to squeeze all my thoughts into only 700 or so words. Fortunately Aktaion’s sophomore outing The Parade of Nature is the rare record which can be accurately described in a single term: Gojira-core.” That’s better than gorilla-core at least.

Hammers Of Misfortune – Dead Revolution Review

By Dr. Fisting on July 20, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Metal Blade, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, 27 comments

“Longtime AMG readers may recall my excessive worship of guitarist John Cobbett and his various projects. His main endeavor, Bay-area prog-metallers Hammers Of Misfortune, has been dormant since 2011’s 17th Street, and with good reason. Vocalist Joe Hutton was involved in a near fatal motorcycle accident, Cobbett and wife/bandmate Sigrid Sheie welcomed their first child and released an album with Vhöl, and the Hammers themselves went through several lineup changes. Five years later, the band returns with the heavier, more direct Dead Revolution.” Let’s get hammered.

Witherscape – The Northern Sanctuary Review

By Steel Druhm on July 12, 2016 in 2016, Century Media, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 76 comments

“It’s time once again to turn loose the Swanös! Well, the Swanö named Dan anyway. That’s because the mega-man is back with his Witherscape project, and as before he’s brought along his mustachioed compadre, Ragner Widerberg to provide multi-instrumental support. Those who heard the massive debut, The Inheritance know what to expect – rich, melodic, somewhat progressive death metal with a cosmic ass-ton of hooks, mood and memorability.” The Danimal is back for the attack.

Psalm Zero – Stranger to Violence Review

By Kronos on July 10, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Profound Lore Records, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Progressive Metal, 15 comments

“Given my track record on stripped-down and synth-heavy New York bands, I’ve been meaning to check out Psalm Zero for some time. Their 2014 effort, The Drain made it on to some year-end lists around the metal chaosblogosphere, but in the time between it and Stranger to Violence, I never quite followed up on the buzz.” The man doesn’t chase trends.

Summit – The Winds That Forestall Thy Return Review

By Mark Z. on July 6, 2016 in 2016, Ambient Metal, I Voidhanger Records, Italian Metal, Post-metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Ambient Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge, 32 comments

“Solo projects are a mixed bag for me. On one hand, you’ll occasionally get a musician’s pure, unencumbered vision, free of competing egos, stylistic conflict, or bullshit social media drama that inevitably leads to a nasty breakup and months of blog posts detailing the extended legal battle over rights to the band name. More often, however, you get good ideas and musicianship hampered by a lack of self-awareness or weakened by the absence of an additional creative force. To paraphrase Stephen King, writers are often the worst judge of their own work.” And that’s where we come in.

Third Ion – Biolith Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on July 5, 2016 in 2016, Glasstone Records, International Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Progressive Metal, 19 comments

“I’ve never been a fan of video games. Do I hate them? Well, no, but my anger management specialist suggested I give up this vice or he’d walk. For years he has been trying to convince me that Guile is no match for Ryu and my stubbornness will lead to homicide. But, if there is a style of metal appropriate for all the video game mumbo jumbo, it’s prog.” Prog with video game themes no less.

Pseudo/Sentai – Enter the Sentai Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on July 2, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Progressive Rock, Reviews, Unsigned Bands, Progressive Metal, Punk, 29 comments

“The Super Sentai are a team of superheroes who protect planet Earth from the relentless onslaught of assorted evil beings while sporting tight, really tight, brightly colored, super tight costumes. Though you might not have heard of the Super Sentai despite their essential work, I assume you know of the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, who are their Western counterparts.” Go go Super Sentai!

Inter Arma – Paradise Gallows Review

By Grymm on July 1, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Sludge, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge, 28 comments

“Reviewers the world over can agree; compartmentalizing bands into neat little genre labels can make life easier, but don’t necessarily do bands justice. Case in point: Virginia’s Inter Arma are equal parts Southern rock, sludge, doom metal, 70’s prog rock, and cavernous death metal.” Pigeonholery is an art AND a science.