“This past week I was giving Frozen Crown’s The Fallen King my dozenth or so spin as I was handling a particularly annoying clean-up report at my other office job. Typically, when faced with such an irksome task, I like to listen to fast music of either the aggressive or uplifting variety; either emotional response triggered by the conflicting styles will do the trick to kick my ass into work-mode. This particular go-round with Frozen Crown struck me, as it handily enabled both responses.” Don’t let it go.
Skyfire
Serenity in Murder – The Eclipse [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]
“There’s a special little subcategory of my year-end list this year that I’m tentatively dubbing “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Finnish!” With much of that country’s melodeath old guard either disbanded, commercialized, or in an ongoing slump, it makes sense that other countries are picking up the slack. And one of the finest examples of the faux-Finn sound you’ll hear this year comes straight from Japan.” Japan to the rescue.
Loch Vostok – Strife Review
“Strife is the seventh full-length effort from Loch Vostok, and with the same line-up being held over from Dystopium, I expected something similarly solid. What I got instead was a depressing, monotonous slog, with a generous helping of djent on the side.” Meets all daily recommended djent doses.