SepticFlesh

Defect Designer – Ageing Accelerator Review

By Grymm on July 14, 2015 in 2015, Death Metal, Norwegian Metal, Reviews, Russian Metal, Sleaszy Rider Records, Technical Death Metal, 20 comments

“Russian tech-death machine Defect Designer had an interesting couple of years since their 2009 debut, Wax. Bassist, guitarist & vocalist Dmitry Soukhinin decided to relocate from the Russian city of Novosibirsk to the much-easier-to-pronounce Olso, Norway, taking everything but his band with him. To help round out his recording line-up, Dmitry enlisted members of SepticFlesh, Trollfest, and Cryptopsy to aid in recording what would become the oddly spelled Ageing Accelerator. Now, you would think that having people from the aforementioned bands perform for your record would have the masses salivating for progressive tech-deathy goodness, and in words on a screen, it does look inviting, doesn’t it?” So where’s all the drool?

Withering Soul – Adverse Portrait Review

By Madam X on June 4, 2015 in 2015, American Metal, Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Melodic Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 6 comments

“I’m not much of a social media trend follower, maybe it’s a generational thing (read as I’m old) or maybe it’s because I just really couldn’t give a shit about investing time in a meaningless fad, take your pick. That said, labelling today Throwback Thursday, transporting you briefly back to the 90s and enlightening you as to the highs and lows of Withering Soul’s third and forthcoming offering, now that appeals to me.” The clones are about to attack…again.

Paradise Lost – The Plague Within Review

By Dr. Fisting on May 29, 2015 in 2015, Century Media, Death Metal, Doom Metal, English Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 50 comments

“Rebounding from their infamous flirtation with electronic pop music, British doom legends Paradise Lost have kicked out a string of albums since 2005 that rival the sonic oppression of their early-’90s heyday. More recently, the band has embraced their death metal roots, as evidenced by guitarist Gregor Mackintosh’s Vallenfyre project and singer Nick Holmes’ involvement with Bloodbath. This intensified commitment to old-school heaviness sets the stage for The Plague Within.” The Lost Ones are back, but what do they sound like after vacationing in the realms of death?

Kult of Taurus – Adversarial Paths: The Sinister Essence Review

By Grymm on April 19, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Forever Plagued Records, Greek Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 17 comments

“Greece has churned out some pretty incredible music over the last few decades. After one album and a few splits, Kult of Taurus arrives with Adversarial Paths: The Sinister Essence, hoping to join their brethren in the pits of Hades….” Greece is the hotbed of black metal and economic crisis.

The Monolith Deathcult – Bloodcvlts Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on April 5, 2015 in 2015, Death Metal, Dutch Metal, Industrial Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Death Metal, Industrial Metal, 15 comments

“One visit to The Monolith Deathcult’s website or Facebook page and you’ll instantly have the same problem I do when trying to take these guys seriously. I mean, come on. If you met me in a bar and I was holding a baseball bat, outfitted in atrocious sunglasses, and sucking on a cigar, you’d be looking to trade me for the lead man of Bad Guys as your designated wingman, and rightly so.” No one’s getting lucky tonight.

Éohum – Revelations, Aurora of an Epoch Review

By Mark Z. on April 2, 2015 in 2015, Avante Garde, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Mycelium Networks, Reviews, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Progressive Metal, 6 comments

“As an employee in a soul-sucking government bureaucracy, I’ve heard plenty of hollow buzzwords over the years. But amidst the ‘paradigm shifts’ and ‘synergy’ is a phrase I’ve always thought had actual merit: ‘disciplined initiative.’ Meaning: don’t be afraid to dream and try new things – but maintain quality control. Keep a grip on reality. Don’t fling a bunch of shit around in the name of innovation. It applies as much to the workplace as it does to music. Case in point: Canada’s Éohum.” Prepare to expand your bandwidth with this piece of educational mindshare.

Rise of Avernus – Dramatis Personæ EP Review

By El Cuervo on April 2, 2015 in 2015, Aural Music, Australian Metal, Code666 Records, Doom Metal, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Doom Metal, 27 comments

“Dramatis Personæ is the sound of a band trying to relocate the European orchestral metal canon into their snakey and spidery Southern-Hemispherical home. Australia’s Rise of Avernus would love to have Fleshgod Apocalypse’s authentic Italian heritage of classical music and opera informing their extremity – it’s this quality which made Oracles so ground-breaking.” They can’t all be Italian….

Ethereal – Opus Aethereum Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on January 27, 2015 in 2015, Black Metal, Candlelight Records, English Metal, Symphonic Metal, Black Metal, Symphonic Metal, 16 comments

“I’m just going to come out and say it. I enjoyed Dimmu Borgir’s big-assed Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia. Yep, I said it. Haters be a hatin’ but its elements of bombastic orchestration and “beauty and the beast” vocals introduced a balance of demonic and angelic qualities that expanded on a style bands like Emperor and Limbonic Art had/have nurtured for years.” Don’t hate the keyboards, hate the player.

Madam X’s Top Ten(ish) of 2014

By Madam X on December 30, 2014 in Blog Posts, 52 comments

“As 2015 makes her grand and stately entrance, bear with and support me as I try to hunt down even more new blackened death metal albums that sound exactly like Septicflesh.” Madam X has her foibles, but she also has plenty of quirks. Join her as she unveils a Top Ten(ish) list sure to bumfuzzle and befuddle.

Kronos’ Top Ten(ish) of 2014

By Kronos on December 28, 2014 in Blog Posts, 37 comments

“Through my own charm, genius and palpable immodesty, I have single-handedly, along with Grymm, convinced the Angry Metal Elders to grant me a big boy year-end list. My year’s tenure in the catacombs of AMG headquarters has proved fruitful beyond measure thanks not only to my brilliant colleagues and our dedicated readers…” Pretty much anybody gets a list these days. There goes the neighborhood!