Reviews

Svlfvr – Shamanic Lvnar Cvlt Review

By Grymm on August 1, 2016 in 2016, Bakerteam Records, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Italian Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 25 comments

“By now, the more astute of you are aware of my promo selection process. If you’re just tuning in, I select bands based on the following criteria: my own listening history of the band (naturally), the band’s back story, and their naming conventions. That last one has unearthed some amazing gems. Other times, it bit me in the ass hard. Italy’s Svlfvr (pronounced “Sulfur” and not “SVILFIVOR,” sadly) caught me with not only their name, but also their beautiful purple-and-green album cover for their debut full-length.” Color my wvrld.

Deny the Cross – Alpha Ghoul Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on August 1, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Grind, Powerviolence, Reviews, Tankcrimes Records, Powerviolence, 23 comments

“Readers au fait with the -core end of the extreme music spectrum will likely be familiar with Spazz and Black Army Jacket, the members of whom would go on to form our current review subjects. But for those of you that prefer Iced Earth to Infest, these names probably don’t mean much. While grindcore was close enough to metal to appeal to both the short and the long-haired, its musical cousin powerviolence remained firmly within the hardcore punk tradition. I owe Deny the Cross thanks for forcing me to expand my musical horizons further punkwards so that I can actually review them within some sort of meaningful context.” Feel the power (and the violence).

Zodiac – Grain Of Soul Review

By Huck N Roll on July 28, 2016 in 2016, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Napalm Records, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 22 comments

“One day a man was trapped out on a ledge – don’t ask why – with no way to get down except to jump. The fire trucks came and laid out a net for him, but he wanted something safer. They brought a pile of mattresses, but he still wasn’t satisfied. “Use the new Zodiac record!” he called down. The firemen nodded in understanding.” Living on the ledge!

Vukari – Divination Review

By Akerblogger on July 28, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Bindrune Recordings, Black Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 19 comments

“Atmospheric black metal. Some run to the hills, disgusted by the label, while others embrace it with an incredible fervor, an addict in desperate need of his next fix. Part of the beauty, or tedium, of the ‘atmospheric’ label is its elusiveness. Ranging from one-man bedroom-studio synth-heavy releases to six-piece major-label indie-black-digeridoo extravaganzas and everything in between, I never really know what freakish concoction awaits.” Life is like a box of kvlt chocolates.

Defeated Sanity – Disposal of the Dead // Dharmata Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 27, 2016 in 2016, Death Metal, German Metal, Progressive Death, Reviews, Willowtip, Death Metal, 29 comments

“Most people can’t, for one reason or another, split their talents and passions into two separate wholes. The pizza place near my home in Ontario makes good wings, but they’re not great enough to start up a separate wing business and succeed, so they just do both at once. Some folks are terrible salespeople, so they invite you over to their place to eat some pizza and have a “party” while they try to pitch you an energy drink-based pyramid scheme; the free pizza is supposed to make up for the fact that they couldn’t sell icewater in the Sahara Desert, I guess. Germany’s Defeated Sanity are not most people. They happen to like ultra-brutal death metal and the old Florida proggy death scene, so instead of just combining the two they up and did a split with themselves.” Schizoids are never alone.

Abominant – Napalm Reign Review

By Mark Z. on July 27, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Death Metal, Deathgasm Records, Reviews, Speed Metal, Death Metal, Speed Metal, 17 comments

“Abominant seem content to continue churning out sweaty Midwestern death metal with a big old melodic kick in the ass until the day arthritis makes that impossible. With a band this seasoned, it’s no surprise they weren’t out to redefine themselves on their eleventh full-length Napalm Reign, but that’s not a bad thing.” Olde and wise, they are.

Eerie – Eerie Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on July 26, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Tee Pee Records, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 27 comments

“After spending hours on the web searching for the band Eerie, I’ve finally found them and their self-titled debut. With a band name like that, I passed by everything from comic books to Polish black metal to unsettling porn. And, as it turns out, it was well worth the frustrating Google search. Debuting on Tee Pee Records (a much easier name to search), the label describes the band as being black metal/rock—a combo that could go many ways.” When Google goes wrong….

Jinjer – King of Everything Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 26, 2016 in 2016, Djent, Groove Metal, Metalcore, Napalm Records, Reviews, Ukrainian Metal, Groove Metal, Metalcore, Nu Metal, 57 comments

“Jinjer play a combination of groove metal, metalcore, and nu metal. Vocalist Tatiana Shmailyuk does some screams, growls, aggressive spoken-word poetry, and clean vocals over top of it. If Issues didn’t try to be the combination of metalcore, Flo-Rida, and R Kelly that they are and instead were just another metalcore band, they’d probably sound like Jinjer.” Is nu metal still new?

Shataan – Weigh of the Wolf Review

By Grymm on July 25, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Black Metal, Crepúsculo Negro, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Black Metal, 12 comments

“Everyone and their frostbitten mother knows about Norway’s infamous Black Circle, giving birth to church burnings, murder, and of course the second wave of black metal. But did you know that in America, another Black Circle lies waiting in the wings? Yep, the Black Twilight Circle, led by Eduardo “Volahn” Ramírez, is a prolific, young collective based out of Southern California that shares members of various bands within its ranks.” In the circle you will find your flute.

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!