Review

DarkTribe – The Modern Age Review

By Roquentin on July 22, 2015 in 2015, French Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Scarlet Records, Melodic Metal, Power Metal, 16 comments

“It’s difficult to shake the feeling that among all of metal’s subgenres, power metal remains the one that refuses to grow up, stuck forever in an adolescent state. Barring a few bands, the power metal scene might as well still be living in the middle of the nineties, when Stratovarius’ Visions had just been released, Nightwish were kind of relevant, and Symphony of Enchanted Lands, by that Italian band that used to be known simply as Rhapsody, lurked around the corner.” Ah, the 90s were the good old days for 80s style power metal.

Yellowtooth – Crushed by the Wheels of Progress Review

By Steel Druhm on July 21, 2015 in 2015, Doom Metal, Folk Metal, Orchestrated Misery Recordings, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, 8 comments

“There’s an amusing irony at the start of Yellowtooth’s sophomore platter of extra heavy stoner rock. It begins with a sound clip from Open Range – arguably the most glacially paced western gunfight movie ever made. It’s so slow, the protagonists actually engage in a protracted round of shopping for candy and chinaware on their way to the climactic shoot out. By comparison, Yellowtooth is quick to pulls out the Heavy Stick and bash away until you resemble a victim of its brother, the Ugly Stick.” Open up and say RAAAARRRR!

Organ Dealer – Visceral Infection Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on July 21, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Death Metal, Grind, HPGD Productions, Reviews, Death Metal, 8 comments

“Feed the silage of Napalm Death, Rotten Sound and Cephalic Carnage (the grindier bits) to the cow of creativity, and Cattle Decapitation will likely have something to say about your heinous animal cruelty. But survive their wrath, and one to three days later this noble beast will reward your sadism by passing quite the musical meadow muffin.” Poo goes there?

One Master – Reclusive Blasphemy Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on July 20, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Black Metal, Eternal Death, Reviews, Black Metal, 3 comments

“I’m not going to lie. When I got handed the new Reclusive Blasphemy release from New England/New York’s One Master, I immediately assumed they were another one-man outfit nestled firmly in the bosom of pretentiousness, gathering mid-paced black clouds, and smothering the listener in an atmospheric bla(n)ck(et). Not only is One Master a full band, but it also has a sound as raw as sewage.” More black metal fury from New York, because it’s an angry kind of state.

Destruktor – Opprobrium Review

By Mark Z. on July 20, 2015 in 2015, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 10 comments

“For those who like scorching deserts, scantily-clad temptresses, and animals that will poison you and then rip your face right off, look no further than the land down under. Hell? Close – Australia. It’s no surprise such a rugged environment has given rise to filthy bands that blur the lines between thrash, black, and death: Nocturnal Graves, Denouncement Pyre, Innsmouth, and the almighty Deströyer 666. Of perhaps lesser profile – though no less quality – is Victoria’s Destruktor.” Former penal colonies make the best metal.

Indesinence – III Review

By Grymm on July 19, 2015 in 2015, Doom Metal, English Metal, Profound Lore Records, Reviews, Doom Metal, 20 comments

“Whenever I say the words “endurance test,” what does that do to you, dear reader? Do you think of 26.2 mile marathons across metropolises like Boston, or even out in the barren sticks of Arizona? Do they bring back memories of reading books like War & Peace in the time span of a few days, in hopes that the book report will somehow miraculously score higher than the “C” you earned due to poor planning?” I think of sitting through any late period Metallica album.

Blasphemic Cruelty – Crucible of the Infernum Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 18, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Death Metal, Hells Headbangers Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 11 comments

“The internet is all around us. People can hear an unfamiliar song, click a button on their phone, and be told what that track is in mere seconds. To the younger me, that would’ve been sorcery! I took advantage of precisely none of the limitless information constantly available to me when listening to Blasphemic Cruelty’s latest EP Crucible of the Infernum, and instead uttered verbatim what the venerable Al Kikuras said in his initial impression of the latest Perdition Temple record: Holy Shit, this sounds like Angelcorpse.” Another Angelcorpse hybrid falls to the ground, is it worth shedding a tear over?

Alustrium – A Tunnel to Eden Review

By Kronos on July 17, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 42 comments

“For the past two years, my “Album of the Year” honor has gone to albums that clawed at the seams of extreme metal; while imperfect, they represented a rare glimpse at the technicolor darkness trapped perpetually beyond the horizon of the genre. It’s too early to call 2015, which I must say has piddled forth only a dilute stream of quality metal; but I can say without doubt that this album is a contender.” Color Kronos impressed…and burnt sienna.

Bone Gnawer – Cannibal Crematorium Review

By Madam X on July 17, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Death Metal, Grind, Pulverised Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 11 comments

“Starting your promo blurb off with “Horror ‘n gore connoisseurs, Bone Gnawer….” will catch my eye. Going on to mention that the band is the brainchild of death metal legend Kam Lee (The Grotesquery, ex-Massacre, ex-Denial Fiend) that’s a great way to keep me reading.” Madam X likes cookouts…and cannibalism.

Hellbastard – Feral Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on July 16, 2015 in 2015, Crust Punk, English Metal, PATAC Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Crust Punk, 10 comments

“As made blatantly obvious in my first review of 2015, last year left me drained, beaten, and more fucked over than a single person can stand. So, it is only fitting that Hellbastard’s brutally honest and extremely pissed-off Feral allowed me the opportunity to let everything go, smash shit, speed recklessly down the highway, and drop a big “fuck you” to all the bullshit.” Go fookin coconuts!