When greeted with the artwork of Vintersorg’s sixth album, Solens Rötter, I hoped Vintersorg (AKA Andreas Hedlund) and Co had returned to their folk/pagan roots after three albums of more cosmic, philosophical and to me downright disappointing material. Well, apparently Hedlund’s time in Borknagar has rubbed off, as Solens Rötter (roughly meaning ‘origin of the […]

The term “hella” is the West coast equivalent of New England’s “wicked,” an intensive adjective used frequently to strengthen expressions, and both can be used interchangeably: “it’s wicked (= very) cold today” or “she was driving hella (= extremely) fast.” While Wicked is also the name of a book made into a Broadway musical, Hella […]

As true music fans, we hate to see our favorite bands go their separate ways, and the eventual break-up of Kansas City, Missouri’s post-hardcore heroes Shiner in 2002 was the equivalent of the earth cracking open and fire raining down from the skies. Thankfully, the recent trend of reunions allows us to look forward to […]

For every two mediocre black-metal records that they press, Southern Lord releases a truly phenomenal band that demands attention. Recently, fans have been graced with phenomenal albums from Earth, Clown Alley, Boris, Lair of the Minotaur, and now Asbestosdeath. This San Jose quartet released two seven-inchers; Unclean was self-released by the band, and Dejection was […]

Iron Fire’s last record, Revenge, came as a pleasant surprise to me. I plugged it into my CD player fully expecting another typical European power metal record, but what I got was a little tougher, more in the vein of Manowar. So I came into this record with higher expectations. I was a little concerned […]

So, the question is should you drop 25 bucks on a double album of unreleased stuff by Danzig? If you had asked me that in 1992, I wouldn’t have blinked an eye before saying yes. I would have found a way to get my hands on what, at that time in my life, would have […]

For the past decade, if you wanted to form a mosh pit at a Sigh show you had to bring your own music. Hangman’s Hymn changes everything. Calling it a return to form would be unfair but a nod to both their early days and the early days of black and thrash metal is definitely […]

 never was a big Accept fan, largely because the vocals of Udo Dirkschneider grated on my nerves. So it should go without saying that I didn’t give much thought to Udo’s solo albums at all after the first one or two. I still find Dirkschneider’s vocals one step this side of nails on a chalkboard, […]

I’ve been dreading this one; my gut has been rumbling about it, a lot. Telling me incessantly that this record is not going to live up to expectations and although I try my best not to listen to my gut, especially when it comes to music, not often is it wrong. Ever since seeing this […]

Despite the Pantera based album title, Canada’s Senate actually deliver one of the more solid self released efforts heard that’s up there with the likes of The Fifth Sun, Martriden, and Empyrean Eclipse as far as well put together, well packaged and well played self released efforts. Armed with a Tue Madsen mastering job, as […]

After a debut EP (which was subsequently re-issued shortly thereafter), here is the debut full length from Boston hardcore outfit, Death Before Dishonor and while not really delivering anything new to the genre, the more classic East Coast approach replaces the burly, more Hatebreed-ish sounds of the EP. With more of an emphasis on punky […]

After the more earthy debut, Forever Advancing…..Legions, the follow up, Worlds Beyond the Veil, cemented Mithras as an upcoming English death metal act that might be the new hope for the Uk’s extreme metal scene, and now with Behind the Shadows Lie Madness, the band appears ready to join death metal’s elite. Continuing the ethereal, […]

Is it really the tenth album from Gary Meskill and co.? Truth be told except for the debut, 1992’s Foul Taste of Freedom, I couldn’t recall any of the bands other 9 forgetful but blue collar albums, but only recently armed with the knowledge that Built Upon Frustation’s Eric Klingler has played guitars for Pro-Pain […]

I could be forgiven for almost summing up Vital Remains’ new album as Dechristianize part 2. I mean, dramatic intro (painful sample from “The Passion of the Christ”) followed by Glen Benton bellowing “WHERE IS YOUR GOD NOW?” as opposed to “LET THE KILLING BEGIN”, then a lengthy 8 minute track consisting of a furious […]

I’ve got a brother who thinks Alabama Thunderpussy is one of the best things since electric guitar. To be honest, I’ve never really been that into them. Maybe it’s because of the band name, which I always thought was a little silly. To be honest, I can’t see myself sporting the Alabama Thunderpussy T-shirt. At […]

Name your record Thrash Metal and you’ve got my attention. Of course, you’d better deliver what you promise, too. Blood Tsunami does. The band is firmly entrenched in the worlds of 1980s German thrash and the San Francisco Bay area style, which of course, produced thrash’s biggest names. So what you’ll hear here is tight, […]

I;m surprised how often I put a CD in my player and wonder how any group of musicians could listen to the finished product and say, “man, we really nailed it. That’s exactly what we were going for.” This is one of those moments. Big Trouble in Little China is the kind of three-chord rock […]

Officially referred to as “demo 2006”, the self titled debut by Maine’s blackened folkdeath band Shadar Logoth does not really deserve the demo tag. Sure the sound is weak and the band produced it themselves, but I can think of many ‘real’ releases with worse sound and far less developed song writing and less accomplished […]

If I was going through Iced Earth withdrawal, the latest record from Intense would be a welcome arrival. Unfortunately for Intense, I’ve been listening to an outstanding Iced Earth EP for the past two weeks, and I’m looking forward to a new record from the band later this year. So while I appreciate the quality […]

I’ll forgive a lot for great music, including stage names like Sticky Krull and Lord Hobgoblin Hambone McPentatonic. Luckily for those guys this record from their band is loaded down with Sabbathy goodness. When the huge opening riff of “Anti-Demon Multiplier” kicked in, I almost thought I had stumbled on a lost classic Sabbath track. […]

After the stunning debut from these Finnish melodeath upstarts, Spirits And August Light, the ceiling was supposed to be limitless for this young act who breathed life into a then dying genre. However, the follow up, Years In Waste was a letdown and many though maybe Omnium Gatherum were a one hit wonder. Well, finally […]

I’m not a huge fan of live material, with maybe Iron Maiden’s Live After Death and a few Manowar CDs and DVD’s in my collection that are live stuff, that being said, I’m very impressed with this live CD and separate DVD from Canada’s symphonic, melodic black metal act Blinded By Faith. With only and […]

While most see Canada as the epoch of complex, technical metal, Quebec’s Sordid make no qualms about being a more simplistic yet well done homage to the likes of Dying Fetus, Internal Bleeding, Misery Index , Dying Fetus, Despondency, Dehumanized, oh and did I mention Dying Fetus? The NYDM sound is rife within Sordid’s groove […]

Way back in my metal reviewing youth, I reviewed an album on Cold Blood Industries by a Dutch band called I.N.R.I ( aka Insane Non-Commercialized Rock Institute), called Hyper Bastard Breed -and boy was it ever a scorcher; a simply killer blend of high octane thrash and death metal done absolutely perfectly. Well, that album […]

Though not a six year hiatus like the wait between their debut and follow up the excellent Condemned to Suffer, the three year wait for the All Out War’s third album is over, and the line-up issues that seem to cause the band’s less than prolific offering, seems to have been settled with much of […]