I once saw progressive black metallers, Dawn of Ouroboros shortly after their debut, The Art of Morphology was released at one of my favorite Pittsburgh area venues, Black Forge Coffee House. I had reviewed it, enjoyed it, and went to the show thinking it would be sparsely attended. Unfortunately, I was right, but they still put on a […]

I’ve not been shy about Molder being my favorite of these new school death metal bands. I have a vest with their Gremlins back patch, signed by the band. Frontman Aaren Pantke signed it with an “OUGH.” I swear I didn’t put him up to it, but if I had, that’s exactly what I would […]

Maul kicks some serious ass. I have no clue at this point how many times I have seen them, but it’s several. I am also going to see them soon in a few days. They’re an unrelenting force on record, as well as live. Seraphic Punishment, their debut, found a lot of love in metal […]

This is cleaner than I expected. Drier than I’d like, too. I’m talking about the production on Undeath’s new album More Insane. I was expecting something dirtier, but that’s a bad characteristic most of the time. Regardless, one of death metal’s hottest bands is back. This new slab of death is loaded with bangers. Take […]

Glacial Tomb plays the kind of death metal I enjoy. Let’s be honest, though: I like most of it. With their debut arriving 6 years ago, a follow-up now could be considered late to the death metal revival party. However, with 2 of the band members in Khemmis, the delay is completely understandable. It’s like […]

Kentucky’s melodic black metal act, Volcandra, have benefitted from continuity and it helps when your line-up stays intact.  Formed in 2018 Mike Hargrave (Drums), River Jordan/Jamie DeMar (Guitars) and Dave Palenske on cocals have stayed together since their 2020 impressive debut, Into the Azure.  The album was released independently and it was not until getting […]

Despite being around the scene for a bit now, I don’t have any real experience with Wristmeetsrazor, and I’ll be the first to admit a good part of that comes right down to the fact that the word I’d heard most often associated with the band when they first crossed my radar, how ever many […]

Brat may very well become the new “it” band. Oddly enough, I recently saw them with Escuela Grind (for the 7th or 8th time), Bonginator, and Take Offense. A gentleman slightly older than I called Escuela the new “it” band and it was hard to argue. After he saw them for the first time, he […]

On its surface, the third album from this German solo act doesn’t seem like a very “Prosthetic Records’ styled release. It’s a synth and choir-drenched slab of European melodic death/power metal in the vein of Ensiferum, Wintersun, Brymir, and such. But then I remember Prosthetic Records has released two albums from Foretoken. The gentleman at […]

Finally, we have Abhoria’s second full-length, Depths. I feel like this album has been teased frequently on social media. However, that may be because I follow their record label, Prosthetic, and the band. So, if there’s anything teased, I’m going to see it. Oddly enough, though, when I was finally sent the promo, I was […]

The island state of Tasmania, located just across the southern Bass Strait from mainland Australia, is tiny. And being, you know, an island, it’s pretty isolated as well, despite it’s proximity to Australia. So it comes as no surprise that the output of quality metal bands from there might be a bit limited. That said, […]

Once upon a time in Ireland, four lads got together in 2002 to create some funny as fuck and heavy as fuck Thrash Metal and throughout the course of eight full-length releases; including Bats they have achieved that goal whole-handedly, because goddamn Bats is fucking incredible. Does it stand up against Survival of the Fastest […]

Ohio’s Astralborne is back with the follow-up to 2021’s excellent debut, Eternity’s End. The debut was a very enjoyable slab of meaty American melodic death metal with nods to Amon Amarth, Dark Tranquillity, In Flames ( there is a cover of “December Flower” from The Jester Race on this album), and the usual suspects, but […]

Somewhere twixt Englishmen throwing some bolts (one in this band in fact) and good old red-blooded ‘Mericans getting Butchered at Birth in the Florida Foreverglade(s) lies DeathCollector. What I’m tellin’ ya, son is that they’re true death metal, ya bastards! They don’t take long to show you and they keep it simple. Meat and potatoes […]

Skull-fucking the expectations. That could be the title of this review were it to have one. When I reviewed their debut, The Art of Morphology,  Dawn of Ouroboros had a bright future. However, it felt like their first album, as is frequently the case, was a band attempting to find its voice. I refer to […]

I haven’t been super excited about death/doom metal and its subgenres, for a while now, heck I completely missed the Shape of Despair album from last year, and they were one of my absolute faves in the genre back in the day. Heck, the new Insomnium, barely registered with me. But in 2020, Colorado’s Fires […]

Ya know, I had completely forgotten about this North Carolina duo. This is surprising considering I rather enjoyed the debut from a few years ago, and the fact my enthusiasm, some would even say fanboyish obsession with any sort of metal with symphonic/orchestral elements. Throw in another couple of my weaknesses- history/mythological tales and modern, […]

When listening to the latest full-length from Sermon, I am reminded of a few bands. Namely Tool, Enslaved, and Soen. I used to be a huge Tool fan, but now just feel like they believe their shit doesn’t stink. I am still an Enslaved fan, but Soen doesn’t do it for me. Sermon does. This […]

If you like the Panopticon sound, but don’t like Austin’s Progressive politics, you’re a dumb shit, but you should also stay clear of Dawn Ray’d and all of their material, including their new one, To Know the Light. Like Fletcher’s genitals in “Liar Liar,” I lean always to the left, so this is no problem […]

I have a problem with power metal in that I miss all the great albums until after the year is over and therefore am unable to include them on my year end list. However, I did happen to catch the promo for Judicator’s new one on Prosthetic called The Majesty of Decay, and I am […]

Werewolves don’t like you. In fact, they fucking hate you. They said so on the first track of their last album What A Time to be Alive, and on track 2 of this new one, they flat out say they are better than you and are genuinely shocked that you think you’re worthy of buying […]

You know that meme of the kid with the “stank face?” That’s what the new album by Molder (I hardly know her), Engrossed in Decay makes me do for nearly 50 minutes. It’s that hoped-for but ultimately unexpected style of filthy. The kind of nastiness not unlike the time you hooked up in the back […]

I was once a metalhead elitist and gatekeeper, too. This strange thing happened where I grew the fuck up and resigned to just let people listen to what they want and enjoy their lives. Unless you listen to Five Finger Death Punch. In that case, please don’t reproduce… but since you probably already have, good […]

2022, comin’ in HAWT. You know it’s true because of the way I spelled it. I already have 3-5 albums which are sure year end contenders and I’m writing this sentence on the last day of January. I’m not one to complain about an embarrassingly high amount of excellent metal, but it’s already been difficult […]

Eternity’s End contains Christian Munzner, Hannes Grossman, and Linus Klausenitzer in its ranks. Before assuming this is a killer technical death metal band, let me inform you that it’s not. They are, however, described as “technical power metal,” so take that for what it is. Most power metal bands have a tech aspect with their […]