In my 20 plus years of music ‘journalism’, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting lots of folks at shows, for interviews, over the phone, etc. However, a few dudes standout out as absolutely the nicest , chillest guys I’ve met; all the chaps from Between the Buried and Me, Carnifex drummer Shawn Cameron, and Mike […]
By the time I’m even beginning to write this review, anyone who has wanted to listen to Crypta’s debut album, Echoes of the Soul, has already had plenty of time. You know the story by now, but for those keeping score, bassist/vocalist Fernanda Lira and drummer Luana Dametto left Nervosa in 2019, that band then […]
I was fortunate to review the first 4 Pestilence albums when they were reissued through Hammerheart Records, as well as the last Pestilence album – Hadeon, which was also released on Hammerheart Records. I went into this review as objective as I could possibly get. I say this because I love all the Pestilence albums […]
Sometimes, if you get the opportunity, there’s nothing sweeter than doing something just because you friggin’ want to. For example (and I understand this is sorta an extreme one) – no one buys a vintage sports car because it’s practical, safe, or smart. No, you do it because you want a friggin’ vintage sports car! […]
Hannes Grossman is a busy dude. The talented drummer extraordinaire has had his fingers in many pies over the years, earning great respect and admiration with his work in bands including, Necrophagist, Obscura, Alkaloid, Blotted Science and Gomorrah amongst many others. Along the way Grossman has also established a solid solo career, showcasing his songwriting […]
I’m going to do my best to leave the drama out of this review because I’m sure everyone, myself included, has opinions of Dino, Burton C. Bell, and Fear Factory in general. So, I am going to do my best to just talk about this album and the band in general. If I fail, well […]
This is not the same Solstice, who are from the UK and play incredible epic and heavy doom, no this is the death/thrashy bastids who originated from Florida in the 90’s. About a decade ago I reviewed the excellent compilation Pray for the Sentencing which included their first 2 outstanding albums – I reviewed that […]
I’m really enjoying what French label, Antiq Records is doing of late. I first discovered them with 2019s Par le sang versé from Véhémence, which made my 2019 year-end list. And now, here is 2021, they have a trio of excellent releases that could all end up on my year-end list from Hanteroz, Ascète, and […]
Listen, I’ll be quite upfront- Heralds of Strife is my most anticipated album of the year. Both the previous albums from this criminally underrated Indonesian black metal act, (2015s Homeward Path and 2018s Fortress of Primal Grace) were my top albums of the year respectively. So this review not going to be very objective, as […]
As I made clear in my review of 2018s Nyárutó, Hungary’s Dalriada is one of my new favorite discoveries of the last few years. Their infectious brand of bouncy but still crunchy, ethnic folk metal is just fun as heck even after 10 albums. And album number 11 is no different. Continuing the seasonal/month named […]
“Well, I don’t know how many years on this Earth I got left. I’m gonna get real weird with it.” -Frank Reynolds… and probably Vreid. On full length number 9, Vreid are back to do two things; prove sweaters are metal and get weird. After all, being cold isn’t very metal. It’s difficult to be […]
Holy poop on a stick – did you know Chicago’s Trouble have been around since the end of the 1970’s?? – Holy smokes I had no idea. What we have here is the review/summation of the reissues Psalm 9/The Skull/Trouble/Manic Frustration Hammerheart has put out. In order, this is the first, second, fourth and fifth […]
Can you believe Violence Unimagined is the 15th album from Cannibal Corpse? Talk about an achievement in death metal. Seriously is they wanted to break-up now who could blame them? They have accomplished more than enough and have given back to the death metal scene an enormous amount. Of corpse I do not want that […]
You have to hand it to Memoriam, the Bolt Thrower drummer Martin Hearns tribute band featuring original Bolt Thrower vocalist Karl Willets and long time Benediction member Frank Healy; 4 albums in 4 years, same cover artist (Dan Seagrave) and almost the same line up for the whole time (only former BT Drummer Andy Whale […]
In 2019 I reviewed and raved about the Sanguisugabogg ep Pornographic Seizures. That was my favorite ep for that year and since then the band has seen quite a rise in their popularity. An ep of a mere 11 minutes, saw the band go on a bunch of mini tours throughout the country with a […]
This Danish death metal band’s second effort, Venenum was a little over-hyped for me, as they seemed to be 2019s death metal darlings in the eyes of the media, press, spotify (seemed like it was every daily mix and playlist), and fans. But I thought it was merely OK, as it barely registered in the […]
We’re at a point in metal’s history where a band reaching the 30-year mark isn’t the rarity is once was. Still impressive! Especially considering the core makeup of Moonspell’s Fernando Ribeiro, keyboardist Pedro Paixao and lead guitarist Ricardo Amorim have been together for very nearly all of it (bassist Aires Pereira has even been around […]
It’s 2021, there’s a new The Crown album out on Metal Blade Records, and they’ve decided to throw everyone for a loop by going to all clean choruses. Just. Fucking. Kidding. You already know what this sounds like, at least mostly, if you’re familiar at all with the band. If you’re not, I’m not sure […]
The Netherlands have quite a varying style of death metal genres and brutal slam death metal act Korpse were kind of a free-agent last year after releasing 2 prior albums. Their 2013 self-titled debut and the sophomore Unethical in 2016. Korpse had amassed, in their relatively short existence, quite a decent following and many of […]
Hailing from Texas Frozen Soul came pretty much out of nowhere and got signed to Century Media Records and their new label got their name out with some fabulous promotion and album videos. The band was previously singed on the awesome Maggot Stomp Records and I really enjoyed their 2019 ep – Encased in Ice. […]
I’m embarrassed to say I’m new to this Austrian atmospheric/post-black metal duo and their 4 prior albums, despite some familiarity with their previous band, Viking/Pagan themed black metal act, Bifrost. It appears to be a criminal oversight on my part, as I delved into the band’s back catalog to prepare for this review and the duo […]
I have been a big fan of Brazil’s death/thrash all female band Nervosa since their 2014 Victim of Yourself debut album. I reviewed that album and interviewed the guitarist Prika Amaral and then vocalist/bassist Fernanda Lira. Both were super cool and totally into the old school death and thrash metal bands and really loved paying […]
Death metal legends Asphyx are now four albums into their reunion, with Necroceros being the fourth since 2009s Death…The Brutal Way, one of the more successful reunions of recent memory. Now, like many reunions from yore, this isn’t the original line up with Martin Van Drunen being the sole original member and guitarist Paul Baayens […]
When it comes to Tribulation, you already know where you stand. I’m sure this will be in a certain print publication’s top albums of the year, whether or not it is deserving. For me, their peak was their debut album, The Horror. Yeah, I’m going to be that guy. So, that brings us to their […]
Welp, that didn’t take long. Maybe things really are looking up? I know everyone had a shit 2020 – I won’t bore you with the personal details of my god-forsaken year – but while lots of folks have been ready to kick 2020 off a cliff and welcome the new year with open arms, I […]