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Myrkur – Spine Review

By Maddog on October 27, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Folk, Folk Metal, Rock, 83 comments

“Myrkur apologists and her detractors both have a point. Her 2015 debut M succeeded as folky black metal, but aped predecessors like Ulver’s Bergtatt (1995). Two years later, Mareridt established a unique voice for Myrkur, but suffered from inconsistency. 2020’s Folkesange abandoned metal in favor of acoustic folk. A resounding success and an easy 4.5, Folkesange thrived on Amalie Bruun’s vocal melodies and her knack for arrangement. Its highly anticipated successor Spine resurrects Myrkur’s black metal roots amidst dreamy pop and mid-paced rock.” Crouching pop star, Myrkuring dragon.

Yer Metal Is Olde: Incantation – Mortal Throne of Nazarene

By Kenstrosity on August 27, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Relapse, Yer Metal Is Olde, Death Doom, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 28 comments

“I am likely the least qualified individual here when it comes to the ways of Olde and yet, here I stand, holding in trembling hands my second YMIO article for the year. Rest easy, weary traveler, for this isn’t another block of top-shelf sympho-cheese. You see, I do listen to other genres, unlike some people (ahem, Twelve).” Well, he’s not wrong.

Cripple Bastards – La Fine Cresce da Dentro Review

By Kenstrosity on November 9, 2018 in 2018, Grind, Italian Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Grind, 33 comments

“When I think of grind, the last place to which my mind takes me is Italy. But here I am, in the Piedmont region of the beloved boot-shaped country, whiplashing my upper vertebrae to smithereens with Cripple Bastards. This is their seventh full length since their inception in 1988, but along the way these bastards have also released one single, one live album, seven EPs, and more splits than would grace the stage at a drag queen lip sync competition. Cripple Bastards deal a chaotic brand of grind, unsatisfied with adhering to a single formula. While the band has embraced different influences successfully more often than not, the constant mutation Cripple Bastards undergo makes for an inconsistent discography. The goal, then, is for La Fine Cresce da Dentro to beat Cripple Bastards’ best album: 2008’s Variante Alla Morte.” Wow, he traveled to Italy just to listen to this band? These n00bs are dedicated as hell.

Atriarch – Dead As Truth Review

By Akerblogger on August 10, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Sludge, Sludge, 20 comments

“I’m fed up with wizards, dragons, and leather-cladded warriors in metal. I’m fed up with corpse paint, studs, and leather-cladded necromancers in metal. I’m fed up with groove, headbanging, and flannel-cladded bong wizards in metal. I’m fed up with melody and happiness in metal, that’s why Atriarch – with their fourth full-length Dead As Truth – have arrived at the perfect time.” Celebrate the sludge.

Magrudergrind – II Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on February 11, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Grind, Relapse, Reviews, Grind, Hardcore, 27 comments

“Apparently I am now the designated AMG reviewer wot gets all the grindcore, which suits me fine as, though it is amongst my top genres in the crazy world of extreme music, it’s one that I mysteriously neglect for long periods. Probably mostly because I’m listening to Toto’s first five records on a loop.” Gonna take a lot to drag me away from Magru!

Hope Drone – Cloak of Ash Review

By Kronos on August 3, 2015 in 2015, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Drone, Post-metal, Relapse, Releases, Reviews, Black Metal, Drone, 106 comments

“Longtime readers may recall the genesis of my infatuation with Hope Drone in late 2014 when I featured them on the very first Sampling Bias (um, yeah I’ll do another one of those sometime) which covered the proud continent of Australia. I lauded their self-titled debut as ‘possibly the most devastatingly nihilistic recording I’ve ever heard, both instrumentally and lyrically’.” Relapse blurbed that little line, so does Kronos love Hope Drone’s newest record enough to merit a second blurb? Or did he fawn himself into a corner only escape-able through a good panning?

Pyrrhon – The Mother of Virtues Review

By Kronos on March 27, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Death Metal, Progressive Death, Relapse, Reviews, Death Metal, 5 comments

““New York City’s PYRRHON emerge with a mind bending album of surrealistic death metal for fans of Gorguts, Ulcerate & Portal!” Brave words, promo guy, brave words. I as much as I admire your confidence, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. When you invoke Ulcerate and Gorguts in order to hawk your wares, you’ve certainly caught my attention, but lying won’t go unpunished. Besmirching the name of my favorite band of Kiwis is a cardinal sin, so either Pyrrhon has their shit really together, or an overzealous Relapse employee is going to find rat feces in his Cheerios tomorrow.” We at AMG disavow any knowledge and/or awareness of food tampering or promo vendor harassment.

Indian – From All Purity Review

By Kronos on January 16, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Black Metal, Noise, Sludge Metal, 37 comments

“”Noise” is a term often used to describe metal by those who haven’t yet submersed themselves in the genre. When you’re not used to being assaulted by distortion and screams, the whole panoply of extreme genres undoubtedly poses a seemingly impenetrable thicket of bloodied thorns; it seems insane that people would choose to settle in such an environment, make their homes there, and grow the forest ever greater. Indian are the fetid leaf litter of the forest, the floor of grimy, wet, compacted remains where plantae gives way to fungi and fungi to bacteria.” Kronos weaves a strange tale of forests, mulch and mouse bones as he unveils an early candidate for Album of the Year.

Lord Dying – Summon the Faithless Review

By Alex Franquelli on July 19, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Sludge, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge, 1 comment

“It’s all about the modes of production. Our own lives follow prearranged paths and are shaped around certain dynamics; we are not even ‘what’ we produce, but rather ‘how much’ we render to society. And it all goes in circles. The past is gone but we cling to it and although we sometimes deny its intrinsic value, we end up imitating its excesses. Ever played Earth, Wind & Fire in your car stereo? Of course not! But only those who don’t own a car can be trusted when they say they didn’t zap when Daft Punk’s horrific, ghastly latest single horribly graced their radio’s frequencies. The same goes with metal. There is nothing new and what is new is not metal. Therefore Lord Dying have spawned a great record.” Alex issues forth on what is old, new, borrowed and blue and also reviews a pretty smacking records from genre blenders Lord Dying. Oh, that Alex!

Devourment – Conceived in Sewage Review

By Lord Doom on February 14, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, American Metal, Death Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Death Metal, 14 comments

“Ignore the album title; this is some seriously ferocious stuff. I may have already stated my ambivalence towards death metal of the “brootalz” variety in my previous review, but Conceived in Sewage seems a rather straightforward affair. Devourment have been hailed as one of the premiere bands within said subgenre, and I can understand why; the songs kick ass. According to their label, Relapse Records, “Devourment have a simple goal; to put your teeth on the curb and stomp on your head.” While this might be somewhat of an exaggeration as to what the band has accomplished, rest assured, Conceived in Sewage is an absolute assault.” We made Potato Jim review more broootal death, though he clearly has issues with it (because we are meanies). We didn’t expect him to like it though!