I’ve been a big fan of Germany’s Brainstorm since I discovered them with 2003’s Soul Temptation, and their last outing Downburst remains a favorite from 2008. When it comes to power metal with traditional leanings, the band is about as consistent as they come. Their latest effort, Memorial Roots, which came out last year overseas […]

After reading the review of Svarti Loghin’s debut, Empty World by our very own Jordan Itkowitz, I avoided this Swedish group after seeing words like “happy black metal” and “country black metal” used. However, as in my old age I come to appreciate acts like Nuen Welten, Tenhi, Alcest and Amesoeurs I decided to check […]

So it looks like Metal Blade Records is trying to ‘nasty’ up their black metal stable adding Istapp and the second album from Sweden’s Valkyrja to the likes of Goatwhore, Ravage and Razor of Occam. And while Valkyrja features two members of Ondskapt, one of the nastier black metal acts around, Valkyrja is a more […]

Give it up to German-based act Dioramic for breaking the trend of naming their post-hardcore/mathcore band with a three-or-four word phrase. Although I’m not entirely sure how the arty name they’ve chosen fits their sound ― perhaps a reference to the shifting perspective and composition you get from viewing a diorama from multiple angles? In […]

There have been a lot of thrash metal records to come out over the last few years. Some good, some bad, like anything else of course. While a lot of what I’ve heard draws from the crossover, “zombies and beer” type thrash, I haven’t noticed as many new bands playing more in the Testament, Megadeth […]

Spring is officially here. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, flowers are blooming and I’m drowning in grindcore: Wormrot, Jante Alu, Unholy Grave, Sayyadina, Unholy Grave, Psycho and two releases from the always reliable Willowtip; Defeatist’s Sixth Extinction and the second album from Sweden’s Infanticide. If you enjoy Scandinavian grindcore in the vein […]

So after 2009s compilation Sharp Blade Sinks Deep Into Dull Minds collected all of Defeatist’s many split and EP, here is a new album of noisy, feral grindcore chaos from the chaps responsible for Anodyne and Kalibas . While not as structured and power chord as their European label mates and counterparts like Infanticide and […]

This Finnish band should have called themselves ‘Children of Ronin’. They blend symphonic power metal with death vocals and – here’s something new – classical Japanese music. It’s like Children of Bodom meets The Last Samurai, and their debut release, Thousand Swords, is one of the most fresh and exciting albums I’ve heard in awhile. […]

With France’s scourge of black metal, Antaeus on hold since 2006s blistering Blood Libels, Antaeus vocalist MkM has decided to forge on with his on project, one that’s been simmering and brewing now for the better part of a decade and one relatively overlooked full length album. With the help of Bestial Satanic T (ex-Aborted) […]

Sometimes you run into bands that have elements that you really like, but those elements never quite come together completely. That’s the case for me with Nostradameus’ Illusion’s Parade. There’s quite a bit to like, but not enough to raise it above other power metal contenders. For the most part, the music packs more of […]

Life is full of surprises. When the link to download a promo of Krokus’ latest arrived in my inbox, I rolled my eyes. I never was a big fan of the band in their heyday, and I doubted they could do anything to win me over at this late date. But about halfway through the second track, “Hoodoo […]

Finland’s Survivors Zero collects members from Deathchain, The Scourger and Finntroll for a modern metal / brutal death metal hybrid, where groove meets wailing guitars. I have to admit, I haven’t been following the death metal world too closely during the past couple of years, but to me the Zero represents a style that was […]

We seem to be heading into a new era of progressive metal. No longer does the tag exclusively mean bands on the coattails of Dream Theater or Fates Warning. Prog-metal over the last few years has gotten more, well, progressive. Seemingly no longer satisfied with simply blending Iron Maiden and Rush, this new generation of […]

Germany’s Mob Rules fits in that large category of European power metal bands that have just never connected with me personally. Generally, I prefer the mid-tempo style the band employs more than the speedsters, but, despite a few bright moments here and there, I’ve largely been unmoved by their work. After draggy album opener, “Children […]

Slaughter at Lutakko documents the last show of a tour that brought Finnish death metal trio Sotajumala, Deathchain and Survivors Zero together. Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, Deathchain’s gig was cut from the release, but there’s still an hour and a half worth of material on the disc. Since I’m not familiar with Survivors Zero, […]

Has it really been 3 years since Neige released his debut Souvenirs d’Un Autre Monde and caused quite a stir with his mellow, shoe gaze tempered take on black metal? A form of metal I termed ‘green metal’. How time passes, and with Amesoeurs being disbanded, it appears Neige is using Alcest to channel even […]

The Spearman’s Steed droops under the weight of the Dweller in Frigg’s Embrace as he ponders the wisdom in the runes displayed before him, Gallows’ Burden is refreshed by flapping of wings of the corpse devourer on high, and the Father of Magical Songs is not bothered by the chattering of Ratatoskr or the roaring […]

With little fanfare Indie Recordings and The End Records (for the US distribution) have released the eighth album from long running proto-folk black metal act Borknagar. Now, I don’t think I’m in the minority when I say Borknagar’s last two albums (Origin doesn’t really count) after Andreas Hedlund (Vintersorg) joining the fold, have never matched the […]

This Finnish outfit turned some heads with their 2002 release Binding of the Spirit. Mixing a heavy dose of synth-laced melodic black and gothic metal, Throes of Dawn seemed to be the underground band to watch. In 2005, Quicksilver Cloud arrived, and though the black metal aspects were still present, a thicker, gothic atmosphere drenched […]

I can tolerate terrible bands and terrible albums. If your are bad, your are just bad. But if there’s one thing I can’t stand it blatant mediocrity- a borderline musical safety net and status quo that’s just ‘there’ despite talent. And Germany’s Chaos Invocation is such a band. It irks me even more so when […]

Another band out of the recent UK deathcore/death metal scene (Ingested, Annotations of an Autopsy, etc), Machiavellian’s debut 4 song EP, though on the short side offers up 23 minutes of pretty solid and at times sludge laced deathcore that shows a little promise. Though only 4 songs, one of the songs is over 6 […]

If you’ve heard any of At Vance’s past offerings, you won’t be surprised by anything you find on Ride the Sky. The 11 tracks here are competently done but not very exciting pieces of fairly generic melodic/power metal. It’s not their best work. It’s not completely awful. It’s just kind of there. There are moments […]

Being the thrash fan that I am, I’m almost ashamed to admit that Riot Squad is my introduction to Germany’s Paradox. It’s their fifth release, and they’ve been kicking around in various incarnations since the late 1980s. Admittedly, I was a little America-centric in my thrash listening during that time period and discovered most of […]

As much as I’d like for every record I hear to bring something new to the table, I know it’s just not possible. And in some genres, innovation just simply isn’t part of the game, so you look at how well the bands use the conventions. When it comes to European prog/power, Sweden’s Manimal use […]

Metal is full of bands that cull from culture, history and heritage. From the obvious pagan Viking bands of Scandinavia and Eastern Europe to the Saxon throes of Wodensthrone and Forefather, the Middle Eastern themes of Nile and Orphaned Land, Greek metallers Rotting Christ and even Aztec based metal like Mictlantecuhtli. But if ever there […]