Reviews

Valor – Arrogance: The Fall Review

By Huck N Roll on June 16, 2017 in 2017, Greek Metal, Pitch Black Records, Power Metal, Reviews, Power Metal, 18 comments

“I had such great luck with my review choices in May that I decided for June I need to bring myself back down to earth, so this month I’m choosing predominantly power metal. Okay, that’s not why, it’s because all the good stuff was already gone by the time I remembered to look for June promos. Anyhow, for better or worse June is Power Metal Month in the Huckster’s household, and we kick things off with the powerfully-named Greek band Valor, blessing us with their third album, Arrogance: The Fall.” Haughty and naughty.

Entrails – World Inferno Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on June 15, 2017 in 2017, Death Metal, Metal Blade, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 30 comments

“Does anyone passionately have a favorite Entrails record? This question has animated this review, and I think the answer is “no” in a meaningful sense. People can, and probably do, like one Entrails record better than the others, but I get the feeling that the reasons are a lot more arbitrary than the ones behind the decision about which Morbid Angel record is the best one.” Death takes guts.

Space Witch – Arcanum Review

By GardensTale on June 15, 2017 in 2017, Doom Metal, English Metal, HeviSike Records, Reviews, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 48 comments

“All musicians have to cope with the amount of music similar to their own. There are thousands of bands in any given sub-genre: how do you distinguish yourself? Lately, I have felt this stronger with stoner-doom than any other metal genre. Every band peddles 15-minute songs of plodding cyclical riffing, various sorts of harshly belted vocals, and a slow stomping rhythm section. The bands that do anything different are far and few between, and quickly drop from their bin into a differently labeled one, like sludge-doom or progressive-something.” Space Witch, mother_________.

Carach Angren – Dance and Laugh Amongst the Rotten Review

By Madam X on June 14, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, Dutch Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Symphonic Metal, Black Metal, 66 comments

“After a lengthy North American tour as the special guests of Kataklysm, beginning in California, traversing the outskirts of Long Island (New York) and wrapping up in Florida, I’m expecting some Kataklysm melodic death-isms to wheedle its way into Dance and Laugh Amongst the Rotten. In short I was expecting a shakeup.” Don’t shake the rotten.

Svartsyn – In Death Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on June 14, 2017 in 2017, Agonia Records, Black Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Black Metal, 45 comments

“First, there was Ofermod’s new record, Sol Nox. A solid outing from a band with a notoriety tied directly to the quality of their releases. Though the band shares many connections to “larger” bands in the Swedish black metal scene, Ofermod is a wholly underrated gem. But, Ofermod aren’t the only ones. No, there are others. Many of you may not know them, so let me introduce you to Svartsyn; one of my favorite black metal acts of all time.” Lick the Devil.

Secret Sphere – The Nature of Time Review

By Eldritch Elitist on June 13, 2017 in 2017, Frontiers Records, Italian Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Power Metal, 38 comments

“It’s no secret that Secret Sphere hasn’t seen a lot of love over their twenty year career. On top of being snubbed from AMG’s most prestigious of lists, their distinctly Italian take on the Euro-power formula has never come close to breaking away from second-rate status, and the band itself isn’t entirely free from blame.” And now, a blamestorming session.

Igorrr – Savage Sinusoid Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on June 13, 2017 in 2017, Avante Garde, French Metal, Metal Blade, Non-Metal Metal Things, Reviews, Avante Garde, Non-metal Metal Things, 61 comments

“It’s been a strange couple months for grumpy ole Grier. I’ve reviewed everything from cowpunk to Swedish black metal to non-metal/metal avant-garde to captivating power/melodeath. But, for all the ups-and-downs that come with this crazy rollercoaster ride, never am I more brain-fucked as when a new Igorrr record arrives in my inbox.” Putting the fist in fistula.

Hollow – Home Is Not Where the Heart Is Review

By Mark Z. on June 13, 2017 in 2017, American Metal, Metalcore, Reviews, Self-released, Metalcore, 42 comments

“A funny thing happened to metalcore in the last six years or so. After the Killswitch Engages and As I Lay Dyings of the world spent years churning out Gothenburg riffs and tough-guy breakdowns like cheap beers at a frat party, metalcore bands finally listened to Periphery and started latching on to this new thing called ‘djent.'” Metalcore through the ages.

Merrimack – Omegaphilia Review

By Grymm on June 12, 2017 in 2017, Black Metal, French Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Black Metal, 30 comments

“The French are well-known for pushing envelopes in the black metal genre. From Deathspell Omega’s angular tremolo attack to Blut Aus Nord’s atonal warped melodies and bizarre trip-hop rhythms, France has proven to be a fertile breeding ground for innovative black metal. So when Paris’ Merrimack stands out by sounding Scandinavian, well, it’s gonna stick out like a sore thumb.” French missing.

Mirrored in Secrecy – Solitution Review

By Steel Druhm on June 12, 2017 in 2017, Cologne Metal Promotions, German Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Uncategorized, Black Metal, Gothic Metal, Progressive Metal, 39 comments

“Some dips in the vastness of the AMG promo bin are like an invigorating plunge into a mountain lake. Others are like jumping in a rancid dumpster behind a greasy chicken joint during an August heatwave. Germany’s Mirrored in Secrecy managed to give me the weirdest surprise I’ve had in a while with their sophomore album Solitution, approximating the sensation of cannon-balling into a vat of Jello, Vaseline and hobo wine. It’s messy and disorienting, but not entirely unpleasant once you get use to the slippery viscosity.” Mix and bash.