Generally speaking, when Black Metal introduced classically inspired symphonics (Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle fo Filth,  etc) to its frosty or satanic visages in the early 90ss, it was broad, epic, Wagnerian, tempestuous brush strokes that matched the more often than not, darker atmospheres with regal bombast. Some exceptions came about as symphonic black metal branched […]

If you’re into metal, you probably don’t expect to hear anything groundbreaking very often. Sometimes, bands try new things and fall flat. Sometimes it sounds like they just input strange instruments or passages just because they want, not because it serves the song. This happens often in the attempt to be “different.” On the other […]

So far in 2021, there’s been some excellent symphonic metal from power metal band Dragony, stalwarts Epica, the orchestral bombast of Abstrakt, the majestic Utbyrd, the epic  tales of Aussies Stormtide, the reformed Phlebotomized,  the avant garde chaos of Exanamis and aa few others as well. One such band is Belgium’s InHuman, who were formed […]

The craziness of 2020 just kept rolling in. Did it not? Hell, everytime I thought I was about to get somewhat caught up in my “real” job and life, another curve ball of some shape or form got thrown my direction, ultimately taking time away from one thing to give to another. Nine times out […]

Someone really wants to be on The Artisan Era. I mean, look at that logo, cover and the music fits the label perfectly being a shreddy melodic form of polished, surgical, blackened, technical death metal that’s in line with the likes of Inferi and such. At that someone is Ric Galvez, who plays all the […]

Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way immediately. The man behind Crawl Below goes by the surname of Charlie Sad Eyes. Now, if you’re finished being pretentious and judging a book by its cover, go ahead and push up those black framed glasses. There’s work to do. By work, I mean reviewing, […]

Yo, bro, do you like deathcore? Well, bro, do you, bro? I don’t know why I decided to start this review in such a way, but I figured I would just let you, dear reader and disciple, know what you’re getting into immediately. So, if you want to back out, I get it… but not […]

Australia’s Abramelin reformed in 2016 after lying dormant since 2002.  Century Media Records released the phenomenal 3cd collector’s edition Transgressing the Afterlife: The Complete Recordings 1988-2002.  The complete material of the band, even since their Acheron days. Abramelin released several killer and brutal death metal albums back in the mid 90’s and in 2000.  I […]

Wisconsin based,  metal collaboration (Shroud of Despondency‘s Rory Heikkila, Khazaddum’s Luka Đorđević and Enabler’s Brian Serzynski), Prezir (Serb-Croatian for ‘contempt’) is back with album number 2 after dropping a vicious little ep in 2017 and a solid full length debut on 2018 and the now trio, appears to really have further honed in on a […]

2020 has been an unbelievable year for the new wave of Traditional Heavy Metal, with the last quarter of the year especially being a veritable battleground of bands vying to solidify their place on everyone’s year-end list. Wytch Hazel, Spirit Adrift, Megaton Sword, and of course Eternal (FUCKING) Champion have all landed monstrous haymakers that […]

At face value, Finland’s Worthless play Swedish styled death metal. They have HM 2 sounding guitars (though not overbearing), gruff, rough vocals and cantankerous, galloping riffs. But if you take a deeper dive (and take into account the band moniker and album title) in the band’s second full length, you get a little more nuanced […]

Long running German death metal act Profanity return with their fourth album – Fragments of Solace, which is 7 songs in 41 minutes guaranteed to rip your head off, slam it against the concrete then shove it through the Earth’s core exploding it in the process.  I have seen the band logo for years, but […]

“We are Power Trio band that plays Metal as close to the glorious early 80’s years, just pure Metal, without nowadays trends.” That’s the bio Colombia’s Witchtrap have written on their Instagram page, and… I mean, that’s job done, really! What the fuck do you need me for? Seriously though – this is just what […]

It happens every year; temperatures start cooling down, the leaves start changing colors, days start having an oddly not-at-all-unpleasant feeling of melancholic gloom as the world’s flora begins its decent towards decay – and inevitably my music rotation turns to that of a much doomier variety. Ghost Brigade and Sentenced are always big fall time […]

The introduction for an album by a band called Rancid Taint Discharge writes itself, but I’m an incredibly serious reviewer. I don’t have time for such childish musings (pushes up glasses). What you’re going to get here is the well-read, researched point of a view of a wise, learned man. So, let’s get right into […]

First things first. I’m not sure what it is Melbourne, Austrailia’s Mr. Kill is trying to say with their moniker, but whatever it is I don’t think it works. To raise one’s self to the level of bonafide “Mr.” in the entertainment and capitalistic world is quite lofty. You just don’t rise overnight to the […]

“Hey, Farva! What’s the name of that restaurant you like with all the goofy shit on the walls and the mozzarella sticks?” “You mean ‘Shenanigans?!’ You guys are talking about ‘Shenanigans,’ right?” “Shenanigans?” “Tomfoolery?” “Fuckery?” All of these could apply in some circumstances to Dethlehem’s latest slab of fantasy, D&D inspired metal, which is called […]

So here’s the thing – I’m going to come right out here and say that, in general, Black Metal isn’t really my favorite form of metal, let alone my strong suit. I know! I know. There’s a chance that a certain faction of our audience have already disregarded anything else I have to say on […]

I’m pretty sure everyone goes through some degree of a dinosaur phase during their childhood, right? I know I sure as shit went through a pretty big one. Look around long enough in my parents’ house and you’ll probably still stumble across some plastic dinosaur figurines, dinosaur bed sheets, probably a few books. Then at […]

Lansing Michigan’s Recorruptor return with their 2nd full length release The Funeral Corridor.  I must admit I had not been familiar with these guys but saw in the liner that Josh Moore of Summon is their drummer.  I was a big fan of Summon’s 2005 Fallen album and wanted to see what these guys were […]

Ah, another review that has suffered the effects of long term tardiness due to an extremely hectic life schedule these past few months. Nevertheless, the term “better late than never” does not aptly due justice to the transgression of not getting the word out sooner on the fantastic second full-length offering, Usurper, from the Netherland’s […]

Are you ready for some Long Island NY Thrash Metal??  Then give me a Hell Yeah!!  I still can’t hear you!  HELL YEAH!!!.  That’s more like it.  Ok, a little bit of personal info and then onto the review.  I grew up on Long Island and seen Maelstrom live several times on the island back […]

What would you get if you placed Hypocrisy, Soilwork, and Children of Bodom in a blender? Well, two things: Several murder charges and a smoothie of which Jeffrey Dahmer would be envious. If you just wanted to mix their musical styles instead of all the people, you may have something similar to Buried Realm. For […]

I have been a fan of Fargo, North Dakota’s Gorgatron for quite some time.  Back in the day Anal Blast used to play shows with them and I have gotten to see and play on many shows with them since then.  Well fast forward to summer 2020 and we have their Third full length record […]

OK, this is an odd, but intriguing one. ( and for clarification its Wood-Scream, not Woods-Cream) Hailing from Russia, with a few releases under their belt and playing folk metal and being female-fronted, I was hoping for some sort of epic eastern European folk romps akin to Dalriada or Grai. But instead, I got a […]