It’s becoming apparent that our filtering systems work quite well! The crew has done a fine job pulling filth from the workings and releasing the pressure to the system. A second too late and the toilets would have backed up.
Trivium
Full Assault – Dying World Review
“Though Germany’s Full Assault has been around for over fifteen years, I’ve never heard of them. I was even surprised they’ve never been reviewed before in these halls. But that might just be the lack of a label. Until now. Their Iron Shields debut, Dying World, is here with neothrash tendencies that combine a Crisix-like vocal approach with At the Gates thrashery.” Assault and BATT-ER-Y!
Signs of the Swarm – Amongst the Low & Empty Review
“When you’re Signs of the Swarm, and the last ten years have been one big battle with PR, you can finally breathe after 2021’s impressively solid Absolvere. Shady human beings have been booted and one solid album free of allegations in, the Pittsburgh now-quartet can instead focus on being terrible for being a deathcore band.” Goals.
The Willowtip Files: Capharnaum – Fractured
“Pennsylvanian-based independent label Willowtip Records was established by Jason Tipton in the late ’90s. From humble beginnings the label has stood the test of time, becoming one of the most respected and highly regarded record labels in the extreme metal scene. It takes something special to create a label with a consistently unfuckwithable roster of quality, innovative artists, while retaining long-term integrity and durability. Willowtip is the self-proclaimed forward-thinking label, releasing a slew of modern classics and top-shelf albums that may have a lower profile but are more than worth your while.” Next stop: All star death.
Machine Head – ØF KingdØM and CrØWn Review
“For better or worse, Machine Head has returned with another album. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve said it before, I’m a diehard fan of Flynn and co. But it’s hard to imagine the band returning with anything decent after the absolute dumpster fire that’s Catharsis. Not to mention the resulting departure of everyone but Flynn. But Machine Head has done it before. Remember Supercharger and the brilliant resurrection that is Through the Ashes of Empires? Without that struggle and success, we would never have received The Blackening. So, maybe there’s still hope.” Damn the Machine.
Soilwork – Övergivenheten Review
“There once was a boy that hated everything… ah, fuck it. Welcome to this year’s episode of ‘Soilwork Just Won’t Quit.'” Digging deeper and deeper.
GardensTale’s Top Ten(ish) Album Art of 2021
The art we got in 2021 was the art we got. Now GardensTale hosts his annual gala ball and looks back on the best and worst moments of the year’s culture. Are you on the exclusive invite list?
Dr. A.N. Grier’s Top Ten(ish) of 2021
Dr. A.N. Grier delivers the goods with a Top Ten(ish) of 2021 to shock and awe the unwashed masses. Experience it.
Waking the Cadaver – Authority Through Intimidation Review
“Waking the Cadaver is a few things to a lot of people. The first and most obvious one is them being the “Shredded Wheat” band from what was arguably the first popular metal meme. It was also the most memorable and probably the funniest, rivaled only by the Trivium “Boat Rudder” one and some gems from that page which dealt exclusively in Mortician memes. The second one, almost equally obvious, is that Waking the Cadaver traffic in a somewhat…controversial take on extreme metal which is often offensive to the ears of normies and metalheads alike. Third, Waking the Cadaver has some vitriolic bad reviews on Metal Archives. My favorite album of theirs, Perverse Recollections of a Necromangler, sits at a kingly 25% average – a firm 1.0/5.0 on the AMG scale.” Respect the dead’s authoritah!
Trivium – In the Court of the Dragon Review
“I can already smell the death metal purists, like Ferrous, shitting their pants reading this review. At the same time, I can feel the metalcore chin-strappers cringing, knowing that yours truly is probably gonna shit all over this new album. The worst part is that if I didn’t have even an inkling of respect for Heafy and co., no one would get a review. But, even after I ran the yellowed Silence in the Snow through my snowblower, Roadrunner Records still sent me the In the Court of the Dragon promo personally.” Dragon, why do you cry?
