Trad Metal

Celestial Grave – Vitriolic Atonement Review

By TheKenWord on September 22, 2022 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 17 comments

“Three years ago, I covered Finnish black metal mourners Celestial Grave‘s debut record, Secular Flesh. At that time, the album was released under a label which today gives me pause. That label isn’t a friendly place, for several reasons upon which I won’t elaborate here. However, Celestial Grave is now releasing their sophomore album, Vitriolic Atonement, under the much smaller and less problematic (for now, anyway) The Sinister Flame. And thus, I picked it up to give it the full treatment. I’m glad I did, too.” Welcome is a grave.

Redshark – Digital Race Review

By TheKenWord on March 23, 2022 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, 42 comments

“Continuing the trend of covering things I don’t normally cover, I traveled at the speed of light metal to Barcelona, where I encountered an angry, ‘roided-out shark wearing nothing but bullet belts and cargo khakis that barely contained his quads. His name is Fred, but his friends and enemies just call him Red, for short. My first encounter with Red looked much like the scenery depicted to your left. Specifically, there were many explosions, gunshots, cacophonies of glass and cigarette-stained plastic shrapnel, and the sweet sound of skulls succumbing to ruthless whirlwinds of ignited ammunition.” Blood in the mortar.

Record(s) o’ the Month – November 2021

By Angry Metal Guy on December 13, 2021 in Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, Heavy Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Power Metal, Technical Death Metal, 187 comments

“October and November can, without a doubt, be said to have saved 2021 for me. After last month’s pile of elite records, it was hard to imagine that November could be better. But two big things happened in November: 1) I successfully defended my PhD thesis, thus finally making me Dr. Angry Metal Guy; and 2) the rest of the big releases for 2021 dropped hard, fast, and heavy.” How to choose from this bumper crop?

Gloryful – Cult of Sedna Review

By Twelve on February 9, 2019 in 2019, German Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, 71 comments

“Back in 2016, Gloryful, a “true metal/heavy metal” act from Germany, released End of the Night, a record that capably demonstrated that heavy metal without energy isn’t really heavy metal. That record, while far from gripping, did display hints of promise here and there, suggestions that with a renewed focus, the band could put out something really engaging. Over two years later, Gloryful returns with Cult of Sedna, their fourth full-length, and the question looms: that energy, that “aspect above and beyond” that was absent last time. Is it back? Is it here?” Glory whole.