Unlike their label mates Call for Blood, Life As War only have one working gimmick for them, that being they are also of Swiss origin. However, the results on this EP are more succulent but, much too brief. Whereas Call for Blood focus on girth and bludgeoning you to death, Life as War are more […]

This came out of nowhere. I had no idea that Jesse Leach (the original Killswitch Engage vocalist) was still making music after Seemless, and it seems like the man has been at it hard because Awaken is a beast, and to be frank it puts the Killswitch effort this year in the shade. Even after […]

Disconcert Music has done a solid job of reissuing albums by the likes of Canopy, Agony, Stigmatized, Symbiontic, etc, and now they have added the 2007 self released debut from Canada’s Muspellheim, winners of the 2006 Long & McQuade Metal Fest (apparently judged by Gene Hoglan and Devin Townsend). Boasting a razor sharp production and […]

You can think of France’s Merrimack as a slightly known kult band because of their fifteen year existence and minimal output, or as a reborn band finding their voice only about five years back. All three of their full length studio recordings have come since 2002 and it is a safe bet most listeners only […]

Shall we get the gimmicks out the way? Call for Blood are a beatdown mob from Switzerland, and they have a girl singing, I know it’s unusual, but there you go, now down to business. Their self titled debut  EP for Conatus (who formerly released records by Unholy Matrimony and Weeping Birth) is blunt and […]

I dug the debut self released demo from this Portland metal act, and on their 6 song follow up, they have shown lots of improvement to their modern take on metal that includes lots of sweeping, epic synths, breakdowns and dual melody laden metalcore. Admittedly, this music is for a pretty niche group, but for […]

After two albums on At A Loss Recordings, the former Cavity and –16-duo jump to Southern Lord Recordings for album number three, and despite the label change, Chronomega picks up exactly where Bestial and Feather and Stone left off: gritty, crumbling sludge metal with a dash of discordance that comes across like a nastier, more […]

I’ll admit I am a Protest the Hero fanboy. I love both Kezia and Fortress and having met and interviewed the band after a local live show, I found a new appreciation for them, not just as a band, but as a pretty cool group of kids. That all being said, I wasn’t sure about […]

It’s fitting that this Croatian band take their name from a genus of spider that includes Tarantulas, because their form of spazzy, angular, technical , slightly experimental death metal is the perfect soundtrack for a nature documentary where spiders do their skittish, frantic, unpredictable, spidery things. The twisting, twangy form of death metal that Avicularia […]

Though Christianity as elbowed its way into previously untouchable genres of music, black metal despite a few attempts (Lo-Ruhamah, Frost Like Ashes, Admonish, Horde, Crimson Moonlight, etc) has generally resisted ‘unblack’ metal Christian interjections. So how about some Christian, symphonic black metal from the depths of Colombia released on a brand new indie label based […]

One look at the gothic font of this California band’s logo and even some of their press photos  and one word springs to mind: Entombed (or realistically, two words if you include Nihilist). The only this missing is Dan Seagrave artwork. Then you press play, and other words like Stockholm, Sunlight and mid-range jump into […]

Neil Fallon (Clutch) is involved, so what are the chances that it will suck? Zero. How ‘bout dem odds, as we Michiganders might say? The Company Band’s self-titled full-length debut (after 2007’s Sign Here, Here, and Here EP) is an outstanding ball of rock ‘n roll fire with hooks that will indelibly print on your […]

And so, The Warren of Snares trilogy is complete and the UKs sadly short lived and now defunct (at least according to a farewell show back in October) Fall of Efrafa have a trilogy to their legacy that can be called truly special. Starting with 2006s more crusty, D beat based Owsla (‘Warrior’), then the […]

*rambling rant mode ON* I like the band, I like show, I like this album, I like the first album – fuck off. Sure it’s a matter of tastes, but to not see the humor in this means you’re either a completely humorless fuck, or take yourself and metal in general way too seriously. I […]

Katatonia are influential. Make no mistake about it, this is an act that knows all the right moves and has been a leading entity throughout the years despite their change in sound and musical contemplation. The sheer emotion that circumvents their music is undeniable and with 2009’s Night is the New Day, Katatonia shatters the […]

The critically acclaimed self titled debut from Krallice was an excellent and artistic addition to US black metal, not surprising considering the involvement of Mick Barr (Orthrelm)and Colin Marston (Behold… the Arctopus/Dysrhythmia) on guitars and bass (joined by drummer Lev Weinstein). However, with an even more technical and noodling, busy approach and less vocals and […]

Perhaps a better name would be Temple of Balls because Lightslaying Rituals is ballsy black metal from France. And yes, I realize I referenced a swinging pair of elephant balls in my recent Die Hard review, but goddamnit it is applicable here too! Temple of Baal consists of a group of veterans of the heavy […]

No, you’re wrong; it’s not deathcore, well, not quite. Despite the artwork, the elaborate band name, the slightly sarcastic song titles (“Cradle Your Filth?” oh Drowningman, this is what you created with your genius back catalog) and the fact that CM has gone all gooey for deathcore makes it all the more surprising that this […]

This backs up my statement from the Death before Dishonor review, this year has been an absolute landslide in terms of quality releases for metallic hardcore, and what’s more, all kinds of different styled bands have been forging genius works each with their own distinct flavors and traits. Steel Nation is very much the antithesis […]

As one of the European fathers of death/doom and gothic metal, Paradise Lost has had controversial ups and downs for years. Though the band has released quality music and some great albums, nothing has been quite as monumental as Gothic, Icon, and Draconian Times. If anything, the band stayed far from that chapter of their […]

I feel like I’m supposed to dig Goreaphobia based at least partially on their pedigree, if for nothing else — one that boasts members who’ve spent time in Incantation and Absu, a fact which should entice death metal enthusiasts to give the band a shot — but sadly, I don’t. Debut full-length Mortal Repulsion, on […]

After initially turning up my nose at a band named Mr. Death, I somehow got to be ok with the moniker, which may have had something to do with the cool faux VHS movie cover for Detached from Life. The old school, primarily Swedish style, death metal performed on the disc is pretty decent too, […]

Now we’re talking! Die Hard’s Nihilistic Vision is old school thrash metal with a swinging set of elephant balls and a death metal attitude. Featuring members of Watain, the style owes as much to early Slayer and Venom as it does to Exodus or the Bay Area School, and it hits like a pair of […]

One of the most revered bands in the Australian metal scene, the mucky, mysterious musical cist that is Portal seems to be one of those ‘cool’ bands to like because they are such an anti thesis of all that is popular and trendy in metal. And with their third insidious album of churning, seemingly unstructured […]

With 2007s Antithesis, Germany’s Secrets of the Moon flirted with the black metal elite, mixing blackened atmospherics, death metal and depressive ambience into long slithering tracks and memorable set pieces that hinted at greatness. However, with the 65 minute run time, and even longer songs that emphasize mood over intensity, Privilegivm, feels more drawn out […]