Sep22

Tankard – Pavlov’s Dawgs Review

Tankard – Pavlov’s Dawgs Review

“I was overjoyed when Tankard asked me to pose for this lovely album art. Metal fuels my mind, and beer fuels my body; it’s a match made in heaven. Tankard realized this before I was born. These inebriated Germans have been around since the early days of German thrash, and their 1986 debut was released within months of Sodom’s Obsessed by Cruelty, Kreator’s Pleasure to Kill, and Destruction’s Eternal Devastation.” Beer drool.

Talas – 1985 Review

Talas – 1985 Review

“As old heads will know, Talas emerged from Buffalo as east coast contemporaries of late-70s hard rock acts like Van Halen. Following two solid records and a live album, Talas threatened to break into the mainstream with a proposed third album in 1985. After Diamond Dave ditched Van Halen, however, he recruited prodigious bassist Billy Sheehan for his solo band. Talas sat dormant for nearly forty years until Sheehan announced the original members of Talas—with new axeman Kire Najdovski—were finally finishing the songs that would have appeared on that third album.” Vintage wares.

Hadopelagyal – Nereidean Seismic End Review

Hadopelagyal – Nereidean Seismic End Review

“There’s something about tackling a fresh new band with baby-face energy hoping to make their mark. Fresh out of demos and splits, you can only hope that they’ve learned their lessons from their years of obscurity, but too many have paths of pain ahead as they struggle to find their footing. Black metal is an even more interesting style for this, as kvlt mimicry is expected, even encouraged, while a new band struggles with its two left feet. Enter Hadopelagyal, a twist on the name referring to the deepest part of the ocean.” Crush depths.

Graceless – Chants from Purgatory Review

Graceless – Chants from Purgatory Review

Earlier this year, I talked about the void left behind in Bolt Thrower’s absence. I mentioned a few bands who are successfully filling a bit of said void by name and alluded to a few more. The Netherlands’ Graceless is one of the latter. Back in 2020, they stormed my gates, dropping one of my favorite death metal platters of that year and earning a spot on my Honorable Mention roster with Where Vultures Know Your Name. They did so not by innovating the genre or adding some new twist to an already tried-and-true formula. Nope. They did it by faithfully executing the type of meathead death metal that adds pounds (or kilos) to the barbell and hair to the chest.” Grace and disgrace.

Harvest of Ash – Ache and Impulse Review

Harvest of Ash – Ache and Impulse Review

“Salt Lake City, Utah’s Harvest of Ash have made the four stages of a migraine, prodrome, aura, headache (also called attack) and post-drome, the underpinning concept of their debut album Ache and Impulse. Fittingly, their preferred mode of delivery for songs about constant pressure and oppressive pain is a particularly chunky brand of sludge doom. Will Ache and Impulse split your skull in the best possible way, or will it make you want to lie down in a dark room until the pain stops?” Not tonight, honey.

Ahasver – Causa Sui Review

Ahasver – Causa Sui Review

“Have you ever heard the story of Ahasver, a forsaken quasi-biblical figure who ignored Jesus somewhere along the line? Now, he gets to wander around undying until the big guy comes back. That’s just a bit petty if you ask me, but if you ask Ahasver, the story functions as a much more brutal parable—a man must walk the earth in the face of all the terrors he has witnessed and ever that will unfold. But worry not, this isn’t a 90 minute rock opera nor a 60 bpm post metal languishing. This pedigree of furious Frenchman (including Julien Deyres of Gorod and Zubrowska fame) prefers to pontificate with chunky grooves, textured vocal aggression, and… a Carl Sagan reading?” Grooves and Stars.

Vardan – No Exit From the Forest Review

Vardan – No Exit From the Forest Review

“Do you smell that? It’s the sweet smell of utter devastation that can only come from the ass of the mighty Vardan. Since the band’s start, Vardan has been spewing hate into a toilet of phlegmy depression. The band’s approach is slow and atmospheric, with impossibly decipherable vocals screaming somewhere afar (probably eclipsed by four-foot-wide spruce). But, things have changed for Vardan. Coinciding with the lovely pandemic that has engulfed the world, the band (and the man) seems to be slowing down. Not in the sense of calling it quits but rather focusing on a single release instead of five-plus records in a single year. But, there’s more to this than meets the ear.” Enjoy of deep focus.

Sinnery – Black Bile Review

Sinnery – Black Bile Review

““Forged by the love for metal and hatred for anything else, “states the band’s promo materials so, you know plenty of attitude accompanies the contents within. Sinnery is an Israeli four-piece that serves up a creamy hummus of influences with the prevailing flavor of a crispy blackened thrash. Olde skool vibes meet olde world angst in this sophomore release that finds the band looking at their inspiration’s inspirations.”. Sin after sinnery.

Hussar – All-Consuming Hunger Review

Hussar – All-Consuming Hunger Review

“The tactics for this campaign are tried and true. These songs explore the horror of warfare from the perspective of a foot soldier who’s grist for the mill, or a relative back home who lost a loved one and gained nothing of consequence in return. Thematically, this platter lives closer to 1914 than it does Sabaton.” Dead horses and live warfare.