When word of the this supergroup/side project surfaced earlier this year I immediately pre ordered the album after just hearing one song. And I’m by no means a fanboy Job For A Cowboy or The Black Dahlia Murder, but when vocalist Jon Davy and fellow JFAC guitar cohorts Alan Glassman and Tony Sannicandro team up […]
Much like my recent discovery of Blind Guardian, I was a late bloomer when it came to Sweden’s divisive war/history themed power metal vanguards Sabaton. It wasn’t until I randomly heard “Winged Hussars” (arguably still my favorite Sabaton track) from 2016s The Last Stand on a random spotify playlist that I became hooked. I grabbed […]
Norway’s Darkthrone return with their 18th album and Old Star is ass-kicking from start to finish. First a few things. Outside of Bathory’s first 6 albums and the 2 Nordland albums, Darkthrone are my favorite black metal band of all time and this is coming from a person that only dabbles in the black metal genre and not full on into all the bands, as many know […]
After departing from Morbid Angel singer/drummer Mike Browning went on to form one of the most original death metal acts of it time,-Nocturnus I was fortunate to see them on the Grindcrusher tour on Long Island in 1990, while they were supporting their debut album The Key and Godflesh and Napalm Death were also on […]
If you don’t know about Possessed, than what the hell is wrong with you. They released the first death metal album, in 1985, called Seven Churches-a classic in its own right and followed it up with Beyond the Gates a year later and then The Eyes of Horror ep in 1987. After their debut they […]
For the Fallen, the 2017 post Bolt Thrower debut of Memoriam, featuring long time Bolt Thrower members Karl Willets and Andrew Whale (joined by current and former Benediction dudes Frank Healy and Scott Fairfax) was a solid homage to fallen Bolt Thrower comrade Martin “Kiddie” Kearns (RIP), and was as expected, a Bolt thrower/Benediction sounding […]
A few years ago Vltimas formed and many did not feel this “supergroup” would ever record an album. The band consists of David Vincent of Morbid Angel fame on vocals, Flo Mounier from Cryptopsy blasting the crap out of the drums and Rune Eriksen, of Mayhem fame on guitars. Well Something Wicked Marches In is […]
Though I enjoyed every release from Italy’s Fleshgod Apocalypse, going back to 2009s Oracles, I’ve enjoyed some, like 2011s Agony (My album of the year) and 2016s King, more than others (2013s Labyrinth), but King, really saw the band create the perfect balance between the tech death chaos and the sweeping orchestral majesty that is […]
Bear with me me here…….. back in 1992, whilst in college, I read in Pitch Weekly ( a free, alternative Kansas City paper) , that Entombed were playing at a local VFW. Of course, I was going, so that night, I loaded up up beers and other substances and headed out with a friend. Well, […]
Over the course of the Amon Amarth‘s 10 album, 20+ year career, they have been one of the most consistent bands in metal. If you were to plot a line with their albums on it, they are almost all certainly in a straight line when it comes to quality with a couple that go over […]
For a while, Whitechapel were the true darlings of deathcore’s peak, with 2008s This Is Exile being the genre’s arguable apex along with All Shall Perish‘s The Price of Existence. However, since then, the band hasn’t quite been on the same level; a ‘dumbing down’ of the lyrics, a simplification of the music into a […]
Warning: I am going to say the words Bal-Sagoth, a record breaking number of times in this review… Man, I haven’t had this much anticipation for an album in a looooooong time. Why? Well friends, Let me tell you of an Age undreamed of…. Back in the 1990s a band called Bal-Sagoth arose from the […]
I was curious as to how After the Burial would follow up the emotional 2016 album, Dig Deep, the tragedy laden homage to deceased former guitarist Justin Lowe. Having come up with bands like Born of Osiris, Periphery, The Faceless and such, After the Burial have arguably been the most consistent in their delivery since […]
Greek Metal Masters Rotting Christ have returned with another fantastic release with their 13th album The Heretics. The Tolis brothers Themis and Sakis, fresh off their recent arrest for Terrorism (not that kind-the fearful religious kind) in Georgia (the country, not the state) have given a spirited middle finger to organized religion once again. Although, […]
The definition of equipoise is basically ‘a balance of purposes or interests’, and while there is certainly a balance of interests in this tech death supergroup…..nay mega group, the balance of purpose is a little left behind. I’m not familiar with Nick Padovani and his other primary group Virulent Depravity, but he has enough sway […]
I rather enjoyed Fallujah’s semi meteoric rise from fairly typical Unique Leader modern tech death through 2014s The Flesh Prevails, (which made my 2014 year end list) and 2016s ambitious Dreamless, as the band expanded into far more atmospheric and progressive pastures. However, some lineup churn (notably original vocalist/guitarist Alex Hoffman and longtime guitarist Brian […]
I’m sure its a coincidence more than anything, but Battle Beast releasing their 5th album shortly after former member Anton Kabanen released the 2nd album from from the band he formed after acrimoniously leaving Battle Beast , Beast In Black, but it sure feel like a more personal, competitive move. However I digress.. So while […]
Redefining Darkness is proud to team up with Teethofthedivine to deliver a filthy, exclusive, one two punch from Virginia’s Appalling; a brand new song “Hot Coals for Branding” from the impending sophomore album Inverted Realm, due out May 3rd. The label also dropped a full album teaser via youtube, with even more of a taste of the death metal furor contained within.
Misery Index return with their 6th full-length album, Rituals of Power and for me this is the best album, thus far for 2019. Holy Crap, Misery Index is on fire. As much as I liked their last album, The Killing Gods, Rituals of Power is more aggressive, upping their death/grind approach to the nth degree! […]
Believe it or not, 2019 has delivered the best In Flames record since 2006’s Come Clarity with I, the Mask. 12+ years later, In Flames seems to be rediscovering themselves as a guitar and drums driven band. As a lifelong fan and someone who appreciates their entire catalog, albeit some albums much more than others; […]
I’m always going to consider Malevolent Creation to be in the top-tier of death metal bands. This is probably due to the fact that I am an old-school fan from their first few early 90’s offerings, and those feelings I have for their earlier material, coupled with the fact that the band has consistently released […]
For those of you who have heard the new Fallujah track, and, like me, wasn’t that impressed, here is an alternative for you in the sophomore album from Bay Area act Aenimus. With 11 tracks based on iconic horror stories (The Shining, IT, The Deadzone, Hannibal, etc) and a host of guests including Eddie Hermida (All Shall […]
England’s Hecate Enthroned is largely known for being the band that Former Cradle of Filth bassist/vocalist Jon Kennedy formed after departing Cradle of Filth before they were huge rock stars (he actually appears on the original version of Dusk and Her Embrace, recently released as The Original sin) , and subsequently and unabashedly ripping off Cradle […]
Holy shit. Look at the time fly. It’s winter. It’s -20 Celsius outside and here we are, publishing our experiences from 6 months ago when we attended Tuska Open Air metal festival (again for the ~9th time.) We weren’t originally planning to go, as other obligations had gotten in the way, but seeing how a band like Body Count was headlining, we knew we had to make the arrangements — no matter the cost. Unfortunately this meant that we could only stay for two days instead of three, but hell, two’s better than nothing. Especially with Body Count and Gojira on the bill.
After 3 albums with Finland’s quick rising power metal act Battle Beast, guitarist Anton Kabanen had a bit of an acrimonious departure from the band but quickly formed his own band Beast In Black, then really didn’t hide the fact its basically the same band, with the same sound, but somehow even cheesier and catchier. They […]