Review

Exodus – Blood In, Blood Out Review

By Steel Druhm on October 5, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Nuclear Blast, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, 20 comments

“We haven’t reviewed much thrash this year, mostly because there hasn’t been a bumper crop to write about. That’s why the prospect of a new Exodus opus with Steve “Zetro” Souza returning to the fold had many a thrashard foaming at the mouth in anticipation. While the three recent albums with Rob Dukes were respectable enough, they lacked the pure, raw aggression the band had in its infancy when they and Slayer were the “scary, poser killing” crews.” Ready for some friendly, violent fun? Hope you’re ready for a whole lot of it!

Vanir – The Glorious Dead Review

By Lord Doom on October 5, 2014 in 2014, Danish Metal, Death Metal, Folk Metal, Mighty Music, Reviews, Viking Metal, Death Metal, Folk Metal, Viking Metal, 5 comments

“Before I even started listening to metal, I was fascinated with mythology from all over the world. Looking back, it doesn’t surprise me that I got so into metal, since Norwegian and Finnish mythology were always the kinds I enjoyed most. And when it came to exploring Viking, folk, and black metal, the pagan themes were practically calling my name. (So were the Lord of the Rings aspects, but that’s another story).” Can this Viking act live up to the myths they so shamelessly steal from? Not with that cover!

Orange Goblin – Back From the Abyss Review

By Steel Druhm on October 3, 2014 in 2014, Candlelight Records, Doom Metal, English Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, 3 comments

“The pub gremlins known as Orange Goblin are back and once again, they’ve been fed after midnight and doused with way too much cheap beer and rotgut whiskey. For the uninitiated, that means more rowdy outlaw biker rock filled with southern blues, doom and stoner influences that all get sent crashing into the rocks of macho bravado and testosterone. Following up 2012s enjoyably soused A Eulogy for the Damned, Back From the Abyss keeps the sketchy pool hall chic intact and adds more dumbbells, prison tattoos and Lemmy-isms for a potent potable of in-your-face, no bullshit biker metal.” Grab the moonshine and the brass knuckles, the Goblins are back in the bar!

Blut Aus Nord – Memoria Vetusta III: Saturnian Poetry Review

By Grymm on October 2, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Debemur Morti, French Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 7 comments

“There’s a lot to be said about a band that can produce albums that are radically different from each other, but still are unmistakably recognizable as a product of their arduous labor. Even more can be said when those albums are consistent in their high level of quality.” Can the high quality and creative insanity keep going or have we finally found the rut?

Decapitated – Blood Mantra Review

By Kronos on October 1, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, Nuclear Blast, Polish Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 22 comments

“August. Cicaidas scream in the oaks. The punishing sun presses vapors from the Earth, rendering the air nearly drinkable. You could brew tea in the steam rising in the morning light. Even the dogs relinquish their rightfully-given portion of summer in favor of an air-conditioned shelter. Inside of that shelter, complete with the high-speed internet needed to distract one from the horrors of the season, a terrible, moments-long sound streams from the wide, unblinking eyes of the speakers. It sounds like fucking Decapitated.” Death, thy name is Decapitated.

Retro-spective Review: Funeral – From These Wounds

By Grymm on October 1, 2014 in 2006, Candlelight Records, Doom Metal, Norwegian Metal, Retro Reviews, Doom Metal, 12 comments

“Classic doom metal is wrought with tragedy. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, the pain of watching one’s dreams turn to dust, or just lamenting something that was never there to begin with, great doom metal can be both depressingly cathartic and strangely uplifting in its dirges and sadness. In fact, a series of tragedies would befall a very young doom band from Norway rightfully named Funeral.” This is a sad tale, my friends.

Solitary Sabred – Redemption Through Force Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on September 30, 2014 in 2014, Epic Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Epic Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 27 comments

“I made the error of listening to Solitary Sabred’s new album at work. Half-way through opener “Disciples of the Sword” I was being restrained by security: apparently it’s “against office policy” to strip to your underwear, lather yourself in baby oil, adopt the power stance and wave a poster-tube around your head pretending it’s a sword (why I keep baby oil at the office is my business, OK?).” Most HR departments frown on such trve metal shenanigans because HR is not trve! Death to false human resources!

Electric Wizard – Time to Die Review

By JF Williams on September 29, 2014 in 2014, Doom Metal, Drone, English Metal, Reviews, Spinefarm, Doom Metal, Drone, 6 comments

“Electric Wizard suffers from a curse that afflicts any band fortunate to have an album deemed a “classic” in its catalog. These Dorset natives happen to have two: their second and third records Come, My Fanatics… and Dopethrone remain genre-defining records within the doom metal subgenre, spawning more than a couple imitators and rightfully earning them the cheeky title of “The Heaviest Band in the Universe.” I think it’s fair to say that Electric Wizard knocked it far out of the park with those records, and the problem is always rooted in following up.” The lords of dope doom have returned for their dopethrone.

Phobocosm – Deprived Review

By Mark Z. on September 29, 2014 in 2014, Canadian Metal, Dark Descent Records, Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 4 comments

“One of the most frustrating trends in modern death metal is the influx of these so-called “cavernous” bands – groups that huddle together around the altar of Incantation, strumming buzzy nothing riffs over indecipherable grizzly bear vocals, apparently recording everything through two layers of drywall using microphones caked with dried mud. They’re all maniacally focused on conjuring a dark and otherworldly atmosphere, but utterly incapable of writing a single memorable song (I’m looking at you, Teitanblood).” Some people just don’t respect a good murk.

Gormathon – Following the Beast Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on September 28, 2014 in 2014, Heavy Metal, Napalm Records, Power Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Viking Metal, Heavy Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Power Metal, Viking Metal, 8 comments

“It seems like many in the melodic death camp are getting the Viking bug these days and Gormathon is another example. Like many, they borrow extensively from the well established Amon Amarth formula, but use ‘80s heavy metal elements. These include soaring, high-pitched vocal ranges and classic guitar noodling that borders on power metal.” Viking metal with power metal elements? Hmmm….