Self Release

Ravaged Spleen Outburst – The Church of Anemia

By Ferrous Beuller on November 17, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Serbian Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 71 comments

“As I write this, I’m locked into a bitter war with an uncommonly potent cold. The irony of being as mucosal as the everyday gland isn’t lost on me while I sit and cogitate on the importance of nomenclature during another play-through of Ravaged Spleen Outburst’s debut. Many bands can trace their humble beginnings through a youthful yet indelible moniker, even in the face of unmistakable growth. This is something the one-man Serbian slaughter machine responsible for Ravaged Spleen Outburst likely knows something about.” You’ve got some spleenin’ to do.

Dark Ocean Society – Hymns for the Last Man Review

By Lokasenna on November 3, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Stoner Metal, Progressive Metal, Stoner Metal, 28 comments

“As a metalhead, I always feel way behind on doom metal and its various offspring genres. It was the last genre I discovered, and further the last one I gained a bone-deep understanding of. Imagine my surprise to find an untouched, independent stoner prog album sitting in the promo bin. Chicagoan band Dark Ocean Society is one of those projects—one-man, home recorded, totally independent; it is the brainchild of one C.M. Tedor. You know, the kind of project you’d expect to spit out a shitty black metal record. Instead, we have Hymns for the Last Man, a piece on alienation and the pain of life in the modern era.” One Hymn, some waiting.

Striker – Play to Win Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on October 27, 2018 in 2018, Canadian Metal, Heavy Metal, Record Breaking Records, Reviews, Self-released, Heavy Metal, 77 comments

“Among the dearest casualties of the politicization of everything is fun. When the cultural and historical illiterates suggest that all art is political, they neuter the possibility of art as a universal language and instead make it speak in partisan tongues. What could bring us together – the “language” of metal is spoken as fluently in Rio as it is in Quebec, just with different accents – is instead used to rip us apart. For the above reasons, I’m glad Striker exists.” Does anyone remember fun?

Northern Crown – Northern Crown Review

By Steel Druhm on October 8, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Reviews, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, 44 comments

“A band’s sophomore album is the make or break moment in many a career. We all know the story: A young band cobbles together a set of original compositions then spends years honing and retooling them in live settings, finding what works and what doesn’t. Those carefully polished, time-tested chestnuts become the grist of their debut and if they’re good, all that sweat equity pays big dividends. After that they’re forced to write a whole new set of tunes much faster to meet a label’s release cycle so as to keep the unwashed masses fed and engaged. Can the rushed material equal what came before? Can two-man doom act, Northern Crown solve this riddle?” We’re going through changes.

Ambassador – Belly of the Whale Review

By Angry Metal Guy on September 26, 2018 in 2018, Alt-Metal, American Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Alt-Metal, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, 75 comments

“I know that any music which could accurately be described with words like “restrained,” “subtle” or (hurk) “romantic” is fighting an uphill battle to get even a cursory listen from the AMG demographic. I, too, love metal because generally it’s not those things. Metal is intense, overwrought and perpetually pissed the fuck off or wallowing in the deepest trenches of despair—no half-measures.” With an intro like that you can be sure this Nameless_n00b is trying to sell you something!

Spacetrucker – Smooth Orbit Review

By GardensTale on August 22, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Stoner Metal, Stoner Metal, 32 comments

“In recent times, we’ve had several naked space ladies adorning stoner covers, one of them cuddling an astronaut that reappeared on a third, more psychedelic interpretation. Spacetrucker pay homage to Deep Purple with their name, their favorite weed-smoking mood with album title Smooth Orbit, and a curious combination of Scooby Doo and the far reaches of the cosmos with their album art. Let’s find out whether their music is as dank as their kush.” Cruising the stars in a mystery van.

Opus of a Machine – Stray Fire Review

By Huck N Roll on August 15, 2018 in 2018, Australian Metal, Post-Rock, Progressive Rock, Reviews, Self-released, Shoegaze, Progressive Rock, Shoegaze, 47 comments

“A new record from an unsigned band touring with Caligula’s Horse should be enough for most reviewers to perk up their ears and attempt to claim it from the promo bin. Somehow, though, Opus of a Machine’s new album Stray Fire had its cloaking device firmly in place, and none of us grabbed it until the AMG Overlords forced it upon me.” Forced Opus is the best Opus.

Derdian – DNA Review

By Eldritch Elitist on July 26, 2018 in 2018, Italian Metal, King Records, Power Metal, Reviews, Power Metal, 34 comments

“As my musical tastes expand ever outwards, it becomes increasingly fascinating to revisit bands I once held in high esteem. This includes a countless number of power metal bands that have aged approximately as well as room temperature milk, as I was once immune to the effects of achingly derivative performances, awkward theatrical singing, and directionless guitar wankery. I hadn’t listened to Derdian in years before spying this familiar, silly name in the depths of the AMG promo quagmire.” Cheese in the muck.

Secret Cutter – Quantum Eraser Review

By Akerblogger on July 16, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Grind, Reviews, Self-released, Sludge, 37 comments

“As I’m writing this, the UK is surviving a heatwave of metal-melting proportions. Now, by most standards, our heatwave is puny and lightweight. But, for us pasty-faced pasty-eating tea-sipping fools this is hot. SWELTERING! I’m constantly sat in a state of stale perspiration, slowly drooping into a senseless stupor. My brain is constantly throbbing. My skin has turned a reddish-spotty-brown, the pale illness of winter skin a distant dream. I also commute to work, packed onto small yellow boxes that cart me to my pit of despair. Now, as my brain throbs, my teats leak, my skin melts and my eyes itch, I yearn for something brutal enough to give direction to my anger. Well, Secret Cutter has come at the right time.” Scar hopping.

Hoth – Astral Necromancy Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on June 18, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 58 comments

“Astral Necromancy, the third release from American metal band Hoth, has caused me to discard far more words than I will publish about it. Very little of these words concerned the Star Wars theme of the band, which seems to interpret that series as a bunch of myths with archetypal themes that can be put into any context. This makes the whole enterprise more appealing, as there are no forced references and the focus remains on the music instead of hunts for little Easter eggs concerning Jar-Jar.” Death to Jar-Jar!