Reviews

Rage – The Devil Strikes Again Review

By Roquentin on July 7, 2016 in 2016, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Nuclear Blast, Power Metal, Reviews, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 47 comments

“‘Rage had a unique contribution to metal and was a throwback to the golden age of melodic heavy metal in the best possible sense of that word. These guys carried the torch proudly and […] they did it with a creative, idiosyncratic flare that made them as big as they did become,’ wrote AMG himself in a premature and not-dead-yet type of eulogy in February 2015. A year and some change after the attempted disbandment, Rage, or rather mastermind Peter “Peavy” Wagner and two of his fresh henchmen, are back with new material along with grand ideas of a reinvigorated, back-to-the-roots energy and a rediscovered heaviness.” Well speak of the dead!

Lonewolf – The Heathen Dawn Review

By Huck N Roll on July 6, 2016 in 2016, French Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 25 comments

“Dear mother: my battle for acceptance in the brutal world of AMG Amalgamated Blogworks, Ltd. goes on. I’ve survived the gauntlet of milquetoast prog submissions and am a better man for it. There is no respite for the “New Guy,” however: this week my inbox greeted me with a fist to the face in the form of a French power metal album and I fear I may not survive this next phase. Power metal and France typically do not go hand in hand.” The struggle goes on and on.

Summit – The Winds That Forestall Thy Return Review

By Mark Z. on July 6, 2016 in 2016, Ambient Metal, I Voidhanger Records, Italian Metal, Post-metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Ambient Metal, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge, 32 comments

“Solo projects are a mixed bag for me. On one hand, you’ll occasionally get a musician’s pure, unencumbered vision, free of competing egos, stylistic conflict, or bullshit social media drama that inevitably leads to a nasty breakup and months of blog posts detailing the extended legal battle over rights to the band name. More often, however, you get good ideas and musicianship hampered by a lack of self-awareness or weakened by the absence of an additional creative force. To paraphrase Stephen King, writers are often the worst judge of their own work.” And that’s where we come in.

Third Ion – Biolith Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on July 5, 2016 in 2016, Glasstone Records, International Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Progressive Metal, 19 comments

“I’ve never been a fan of video games. Do I hate them? Well, no, but my anger management specialist suggested I give up this vice or he’d walk. For years he has been trying to convince me that Guile is no match for Ryu and my stubbornness will lead to homicide. But, if there is a style of metal appropriate for all the video game mumbo jumbo, it’s prog.” Prog with video game themes no less.

Lords of War – Suffer Review

By El Cuervo on July 5, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Unique Leader, Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, 15 comments

“No, Kronos hasn’t died. But yes, this is a Unique Leader record which he isn’t reviewing. Rather than his cold, dead hands, I obtained it via the surprisingly bureaucratic AMG promo distribution system instituted this year by our Weberian overlords. A quick glance at the Unique Leader roster will leave you entirely unsurprised by the record in question: Suffer by Lord of War, a US-based death metal troupe.” Enter the Iron Cage of rational thought!

Thrawsunblat – Metachthonia Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 4, 2016 in 2016, Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Folk Metal, Ignifera Records, Melodic Black Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Folk Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 93 comments

“Thrawsunblat is a bit more related to black metal than the last two Woods of Ypres records were, but the late David Gold’s influence is certainly felt here. It’s easy to hear some similarities to Ensiferum along with newer Winterfylleth, but there’s a very Canadian element that sets Thrawsunblat apart.” The Woods live on….

Centinex – Doomsday Rituals Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on July 3, 2016 in 2016, Agonia Records, Death Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, 9 comments

“When Centinex’s name appeared on the promo list, I was (un)pleasantly surprised. I even assumed it was a sick joke; faxing Steel without delay to confirm that Centinex indeed had a new album out. OK, so I knew the band hadn’t dissolved (again), but a year-and-a-half turnaround for a new album was quite a surprise.” That’s the only way you get surprises from Swe-death these days.

Pseudo/Sentai – Enter the Sentai Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on July 2, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Progressive Rock, Reviews, Unsigned Bands, Progressive Metal, Punk, 29 comments

“The Super Sentai are a team of superheroes who protect planet Earth from the relentless onslaught of assorted evil beings while sporting tight, really tight, brightly colored, super tight costumes. Though you might not have heard of the Super Sentai despite their essential work, I assume you know of the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, who are their Western counterparts.” Go go Super Sentai!

Inter Arma – Paradise Gallows Review

By Grymm on July 1, 2016 in 2016, American Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Sludge, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge, 28 comments

“Reviewers the world over can agree; compartmentalizing bands into neat little genre labels can make life easier, but don’t necessarily do bands justice. Case in point: Virginia’s Inter Arma are equal parts Southern rock, sludge, doom metal, 70’s prog rock, and cavernous death metal.” Pigeonholery is an art AND a science.

Monolithe – Zeta Reticuli Review

By El Cuervo on July 1, 2016 in 2016, Debemur Morti, Doom Metal, French Metal, Reviews, Doom Metal, 25 comments

“What’s this – a new Monolithe already? Didn’t I write a review just 6 months ago? It is indeed so. Zeta Reticuli is advertised as the second part to 2015’s Epsilon Aurigae, and it’s a similarly expansive ode to the cosmos, conveyed through densely atmospheric doom metal replete with a plethora of spacey synths.” There is no Sun O in deep space )))))).