Do you see that grainy picture of a creepy looking forest on the cover of Tarm’s Nad Tulevad Kääpaist? Well somewhere in there is bound to be a dilapidated old farmhouse converted into a makeshift analog studio where these Estonians recorded this platter of Pagan black metal. I’m telling you, there seems to be a […]

Man oh man, this some heavy shit. Sitting squarely in the middle of the sludge genre, California’s Armed For Apocalypse, (featuring Cayle Hunter of Will Haven and The Abominable Iron Sloth) cull heavily from Crowbar and the expected gamut of down tempo, earthy, lumbering sludge bands like The Abominable Iron Sloth (duh), Blessing the Hogs, Blutch, […]

Did you know that New Jersey’s Whiplash formed in 1984 and went on to release a handful of albums during thrash’s heyday in the 80s and a few during thrash’s mere existence in the deep underground during the 90s? I did, and that’s about all I knew. One of a slew of lesser known, but […]

Many of Porcupine Tree’s recent albums have centered around a theme or mood, but it’s been quite awhile since Steven Wilson and crew have delivered a full-on concept album. Here, it’s not just a narrative concept album, but a structural one as well, as The Incident is less a collection of songs than a loosely […]

Though regarded along with Heaven Shall Burn as one of Germany’s premier metalcore outfits and having been around since 1999 with 6 albums under their belt, Caliban have yet to garner huge success in the US and get the acclaim of their stateside metalcore peers. And while I don’t see that really changing with album […]

As a reviewer, I’ve set down an immutable law to follow as of late: if I find myself quite amazed at what I hear from an entirely unfamiliar band that has been around for a while, I go on to check out some other releases from this band to dot my i’s and cross my […]

It’s interesting how, sometimes, listening to something in a different language doesn’t initially catch you off guard. Such was the case with Thornafire‘s Vorex Deconstrucción, which is sung (if you can call it that) entirely in Spanish, a language that I myself am in the process of learning, although not quickly enough to understand what’s […]

Though not quite as awe-inspiring as country mates Be’lakor, here’s some more quality Australian metal , this time in the form of unsigned but high quality Melbourne melodic death metal act, Orpheus. Though only a 6 track (one being an intro), 21 minute affair, Orpheus show enough skill and song writing ability to play with […]

I’ve long been an admirer of Jorn Lande’s voice. It’s classic in every sense of the word — powerful, distinctive and memorable. He also surrounds himself with top-notch musicians who can deliver solid hard rock numbers. So I always look forward to a new record, and Spirit Black doesn’t disappoint.The title track lets the listener […]

An eclipse – for many cultures, a symbol of terror and transformation – is an appropriate image for this New York-based black metal act. Their seething, caustic sound ripples and sloughs off the death, thrash and punk roots of the genre and launches skyward into the expansive realms of drone and post-rock – and then, […]

I feel a little like I’ve stepped into a time machine on hearing the title track from White Wizzard’s High Speed GTO. It’s a song that’s uncompromisingly and unabashedly devoted to the NWOBHM era — in composition, in execution and in production. It’s upbeat with catchy riffs and a huge chorus and makes a solid […]

I think Dave Mustaine might be trying too hard. Don’t get me wrong – Endgame, his twelfth studio album, isn’t a bad album, but it’s also not the epic-return-to-form masterpiece that he’s been peddling it as over the past several months. This isn’t Rust In Peace Part 2, no matter how bad he wants it […]

Not too long ago, I was wondering why we hadn’t yet seen a metal band simply called The Black. Turns out that I just hadn’t heard of them, which is not surprising, since they haven’t released an album since 1994. (Funny, considering I just reviewed the new Nazxul, which has also appeared after a fourteen-year […]

So, album number four from Vancouver’s heavy metal stalwarts has some major changes from 2007s Fire up the Blades; a change in label from Roadrunner to Century Mediocre, the departure of ‘harsh’ vocalist Jamie Hooper, bassist Nick Cates and Saxon fighting drummer Alexei Rodriguez, a change from Joey Jordison (Slipknot) to a Jack Endino (High […]

I rather enjoyed the 2005 self released second album, Rebirth from these Cali deathcore mongers who have/had strong ties to All Shall Perish. However, a lack of productivity since the bands 2001 debut, the immense growth of the genre and numerous line up changes, put the band behind the eight ball as far as the […]

The members of Hardcore Superstar pitch their music as a blend of thrash and 1980s sleaze rock. I grew up on sleaze rock and thrash is my favorite metal genre, so that idea intrigued me. It’s a bit of false advertisement, though. While they’re on the heavier end of sleaze rock, their sound has much […]

Of all these young retro, thrash “revival” bands, Evile was not one that I expected to take their game to the next level. No, I expected them to release a rehash of their debut, Enter the Grave, which in turn would be just another rehash of Metallica, Exodus and Slayer ideas and accomplishments. How wrong […]

If Depeche Mode, A-Ha or Ultravox, all of a sudden, grew long hair, join their forces and started playing metal, they would probably be able to rival one of the most original and daring groups on planet, that is Australian Melodic Metal five-piece Voyager. Yet, it would be a cold day in hell if it […]

While the thrash revival appears to be on its last legs the death knell sounded for deathcore at least a year ago. That doesn’t stop labels from signing new bands parroting a sound that’s been beaten past the point of originality. Take a look at the roster of many of the “most pissed off and […]

While many people associate vocalist Joe Lynn Turner with the final glory days of Rainbow, the man has remained prolific throughout the rest of his career. Enough so, to release a handful of solo albums and also participate in countless projects of other artists over the years. Sunstorm is one such project, or to be […]

Here’s a solid little self released, 11 track ‘album’ (eight 2008 demo tracks and three 2009 demo tracks) from this New York act who should appeal to fans of All Shall Perish, Within the Ruins, Antagony, Born of Osiris, The Faceless and such; that’s to say a form of polarizing modern metal that’s part technical […]

Call me jaded, but after the far blacker presentation and delivery of 2007s impressive Nocturnal, I just wasn’t that excited for the bands fourth effort, especially after seeing the cover art and knowing longtime guitarist John Kempainen was out of the fold (even if replaced by ex-Arsis guitarist Ryan Knight). Something about Nocturnal seemed blacker […]

No matter how long you’ve been into underground metal, it seems there are always bands you’ve missed along the way. I started delving into the scene too late to discover this Australian act’s 1995 debut, Totem, but I’ve since caught up after receiving Iconoclast to review. Totem is worthy of its reputation – an epic, […]

This Norwegian band has impressed me over the years. Making a name for themselves with brutal Americanized death metal in the vein of Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse and Deicide, Blood Red Throne have found a pocket in past releases and nailed a groove-laden, catchy approach that causes serious neck injury. If Cannibal Corpse, Decapitated and 90’s […]

Ahhh… the final album epilogue, how it pains the reviewer. Do we judge the album by the higher standard of the career ending kiss-off, or as just another brick in what has been nothing if not a solid wall? Perhaps best to start off with the context-setting history, as while it was Burnt By the […]