Six years have passed since I wrote, “my guess is that […] the follow up [to Writ of Sword] in a couple years will be even better.” Was I right?
Turisas
Sirenia – Dim Days of Dolor Review
“Sirenia hasn’t been getting much love from AMG Industries of late, and perhaps rightly so. The bands 2015 release The Seventh Life Path was criticized harshly for both its cheesy, formulaic approach to symphonic metal and its abundance of beautiful women. The 2011 offering, The Enigma of Life, fared absolutely no better. While I will never be one to condemn the inclusion of sexy band photos (female or otherwise), I did find myself agreeing with the general sentiments; both albums were trite, shallow, and boring.” Sex sells, but who’s buying?
Fleshgod Apocalypse – King Review
Fleshgod Apocalypse is well known in these parts for having produced a debut album that I worship and two albums since then that I don’t. Back in aught nine, the band released Oracles, which was a neoclassical death metal record unlike anything I had heard. The songs were intense, with intricate, artful, and beastly guitar work. Unfortunately, while songwriting was excellent, the drum sound on the record was a bit like reading a great Russian novel IN ALL CAPS; high art, ruined by someone’s inability to capitalize properly. 2011’s Agony was a better produced record than its predecessor in some ways, but the band undermined its own sound by moving all the interesting melodies and ‘riffing’ to the orchestras. When they returned to correct this problem on 2013’s Labyrinth, the master was so bad that all attempts to rectify earlier missteps were voided by the static of clipping master.
Rhapsody of Fire – Into the Legend Review
“It’s sometimes hard to keep up with the entity we call [Luca Turilli’s] Rhapsody [of Fire]. Starting in the late ’90s, these Italian cheese-mongers took the power metal world by storm with their bombastic, orchestral power metal. The young, bright-eyed Italian maestros reeled off four albums that added an epic, operatic flair to the neoclassical metal of the 1980s they’d grown up on. While the band’s near-demise is one of the greatest scares of my adult fandom, Rhapsody of Fire’s return from the near annihilation was celebrated with two excellent records and an EP in short succession. Then tragedy struck. Luca Turilli and Alex Staropoli would each get their own version of the band—with Turilli’s staying on Nuclear Blast, and Staropoli’s moving on to AFM.” What became of these poor, Italian maestros in the big, cold, dark world? Click to find out!
Leaves’ Eyes – King of Kings Review
“Once a writer has reviewed a band, it’s standard practice for them to review any subsequent records that band releases. Unless, of course, AMG wrote the original review and is too busy masturbating over old Iron Maiden records to critique new music. As you will have noticed, this scenario arose just the other week, and that’s why it’s fallen to me to review Leaves’ Eyes’ latest platter.” We have a system and you’re gonna use it!
Wilderun – Sleep at the Edge of the Earth Review
“The newly devised Angry Metal Guy forums, in collaboration with the great guys at Metal-Fi, have had very mixed results. On the one hand, I now have a place where I can discuss metal with people from all walks of life rather than just my superfluous IRL ‘friends’ whose metal credibility crashed and burned when they thought Bullet For My fucking Valentine was kvlt. On the other, it’s been apocalyptic for my productivity and bank balance and goes to show the great diversity of music which regretfully flies under the AMG radar.” In a nutshell, message boards are evil but useful.
Ensiferum – One Man Army Review
“Ensiferum isn’t Finland’s most popular or well-loved melodic folk/viking metal band, but they certainly are a band whose legacy cannot be ignored. For me, they revolutionized the music I was listening to in 2001 with their immense self-titled debut Ensiferum, which took Children of Bodom and made it fruitier.” Fruity Viking metal is an important part of any balanced diet.
Iced Earth – Plagues of Babylon Review
“No one can begrudge you for being a little skeptical of a release by American power metal institution Iced Earth in 2014. Following the departure of Matt Barlow post-9/11, and the entry of one-trick-pony and professional Rob Halford impersonator Ripper Owens, the band has spit out terrible record after mediocre tripe. With the entry of Stu Block, formerly of Into Eternity, Iced Earth was poised for a big comeback in the form of Dystopia — but even that fell short. The record was plodding, mediocre at best, and Block didn’t feel like part of the crew.” So, can our heroes right the ship with Plagues of Babylon? Or are they… plague ridden?
Angry Metal Guy’s Five Year Anniversary Post
In 2009 Angry Metal Guy started. Since then we’ve produced hundreds of reviews, and Angry Metal Guy has cranked at the world for free. Check out what he takes away from the whole experience.
Angry Metal Guy’s Top 10(ish) o’ 2013
Angry Metal Guy is becoming an interwebs institution. You might not realize this, but this is my fifth Top 10(ish) Records o’ the Year since I started this as a lone Internet Metal Warrior back in 2009, reviewing for my literally dozens of readers, none of whom commented. Can’t believe it? Try these on for size. It’s impressive how far this little blog that could can come, and it’s amazing how much I used to review! Several CDs a week! Incredible. Anyway, the times they are achangin’, but the one thing that isn’t changing is that I have opinions and galldarnit, I’m going to tell you them.
