Rock

Everture – Emerge Review

By Dear Hollow on March 16, 2021 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore, Post-Hardcore, Power Metal, Progressive Metal, Rock, 40 comments

“Album length is a point of contention at AMG Headquarters. So around the office cooler one day, the illustrious Carcharodon revealed that his promo was a honkin’ two-hour commitment. I now realize that “Mine’s a nine-minute grind EP! Sucks to be you!” was the wrong thing to say. As a dear Lavagirlbitch to the Sharkboy, he used his power to punish me pick a promo for me. Please direct your hate mail to him for the awkwardly named Everture. I was immediately horrified at the phrase “modern metal” that greeted my eyes.” The Everture will continue until morale improves.

Ghoultown – Curse of Eldorado [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]

By Dr. A.N. Grier on January 17, 2021 in Things You Might Have Missed 2020, Hard Rock, Rock, 26 comments

“Yeah, yeah, ya’ll’ve told me: reckon I’m the only one ’round these parts that loves the Lone Star State’s Ghoultown. Staffer ev’n says to me, ‘What’s’there to like?’ But he ain’t considered this: ‘Wha’s there not ta like?'” Red neck, metal heart.

Kimono Drag Queens – Songs of Worship Review

By Kenstrosity on November 4, 2020 in Reviews, Psychedelic Rock, Rock, 11 comments

“I was promised sludge. That’s not what I got. Not that I love sludge or anything, but I definitely wanted to know what sludge sounded like coming from a band named Kimono Drag Queens. But no. Copper Feast Records duped me. The shade of it all. Anyway, septet Kimono Drag Queens strut onto the AMG runway regardless, hailing from Sydney and slinging some hella psychedelic blues rock.” Kimono worship.

Freddy and the Phantoms – A Universe from Nothing Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on May 9, 2020 in Reviews, Rock, 4 comments

“I found myself wondering whether the members of Freddy and the Phantoms who aren’t the eponymous vocalist/keyboardist Frederick (Freddy) Schnoor write down “Phantom at Freddy and the Phantoms” on their resume. The promo material did not answer this pressing question, so I’ll happily assume they do. Also on the resume of any given Phantom is participation in one of 2015’s best rock records: Times of Division.” Rocking the stars.

Secret Rule – Against Review

By Emya on February 24, 2020 in 2020, Heavy Metal, Italian Metal, Pride & Joy Music, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Rock, 20 comments

“Secret Rule is an Italian quartet gracing the metal scene with their fifth studio album. Reading through the band’s promo gave me a glimmer of hope that I got my hands on something exciting. They’ve shared the stage with the likes of Xandria and Delain and are recommended for fans of Within Temptation, all three of which are exuberant bands full of energy and marked by grandiose, winsome sounds.” Double secret probation.

Kirk Windstein – Dream in Motion Review

By Saunders on January 29, 2020 in 2020, American Rock, eOne Music, Psychedelic Rock, Reviews, Rock, Sludge, Stoner Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Rock, 23 comments

“Founding Crowbar member, grizzled veteran of the NOLA metal scene, and all around sludge legend Kirk Windstein makes his first foray into solo territory on debut album, Dream in Motion. Although known for slinging tar coated slabs of sludge and doom with his main band, Windstein embraces a decidedly less metallic mindset here.” Iron dreams.

Morgan Rider and the Deep Dark River – Leviathan and the Deep Dark Blue Review

By Kenstrosity on November 19, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, Folk, Folk Metal, North Soul Records, Reviews, Rock, Folk, Folk Metal, Rock, 23 comments

“My taste in music is a bit scattered. If I had to guess, I’d say that’s partly due to the fact that I’ll listen happily to just about anything, but I like to live with a genre for a long time before absorbing a new one into my regular rotation. My main musical gaps feature the various branches of folk. I’ve been meaning to change that for years now, but I constantly put it off for one reason or another. When I saw a folk metal album drop in our bin, I figured, “why not start now?” Hence, Morgan Rider and the Deep Dark River’s debut record Leviathan and the Deep Dark Blue. No expectations. No assumptions. Just me, embarking on a voyage into uncharted waters.” Swimming with the blues.

Cloak – The Burning Dawn Review

By Kenstrosity on October 24, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Reviews, Rock, Season of Mist, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Rock, 26 comments

“If you listened to Cloak’s debut back in 2017, you know exactly what to expect from The Burning Dawn. If you don’t already know of Cloak, they play an accessible brand of black metal that feels like it was written in a scenic wasteland, evocative of dust and dusk, the scent of clean air and the sight of bloodred sun (cue Adam Burke).” Controlled burn.

Whiskey Ritual – Black Metal Ultras Review

By Mark Z. on May 7, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Folter Records, Italian Metal, Reviews, Rock, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, Rock, Thrash Metal, 27 comments

“Duality is a part of life. Man and God. Heaven and Hell. Filet mignon and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. There’s a time and a place for putting on your best suit and giving a polished presentation to your boss, and there’s a time and a place for slamming Michelob Ultras in your underwear while listening to Impaled Nazarene’s discography in reverse order. Since this is a band called Whiskey Ritual, I’m sure you’ve already figured out which side of the spectrum they fall on. Here’s a hint: my pants are already off.” Pants off, dance is also off.

Hopesfall – Arbiter [Things You Might Have Missed 2018]

By Mark Z. on December 15, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Equal Vision Records, Hardcore, Non-Metal Metal Things, Rock, Things You Might Have Missed 2018, Hardcore, Non-metal Metal Things, Rock, 48 comments

“In many ways, Arbiter feels like the culmination of everything Hopesfall are. Much like their former swansong Magnetic North, the album takes influence from all the band’s eras while harboring their characteristic sense of longing and distance. Arbiter is the rare comeback album that doesn’t recapture the spirit of early works, it makes it sound like that spirit never left in the first place.” Hopesfall springs eternal.