For those of you in America and around the world still very much in the hellacious grip of global warming’s wrath, I apologize for what I’m about to say but – ’round these parts, the creeping chill of autumn’s arrival is very much starting to make an appearance, and frankly I need it to just […]

As the days and months and years keep piling up, it’s become more clear to me than ever that the idea of growing “mature with age” can mean two very different things: There’s the literal, more widely recognized notion where time and experience allows you to take stock of the things that actually matter in […]

Logistically speaking, there’s only so many bands that can reach that legendary status of “true originators,” a band that for a period of time – maybe a few years, maybe generations – creates a sound that gets endlessly copied, replicated, ripped off, paid tribute to, call it whatever you want. Obviously, we’re talking the Black […]

God damn it feels like I’ve been waiting on this one forever – and for all intents and purposes, it has been a long time coming. After dropping the unrelenting (and criminally underrated) Firsthand Accounts in 2019, Long Island’s Johnny Booth released their first new single all the way back in March of 2021 (The very good, […]

Anyone who’s paid any attention to the world of metal music in the last two years probably needs no introduction to Blackbraid at this point which, in and of itself, is pretty astounding. In fact, we’re not even a full two years removed from Sgah’gahsowáh (AKA Jon Krieger) unleashing the one-man project’s first two blistering […]

OK so, I guess let’s get the confusing stuff out of the way first, yeah? Vorder is the current iteration of a Swedish Doom/Sludge/Progressive band many of you might have known as V, but with a bit of a new lineup consisting of former Katatonia, In Mourning and Disrupted drummer and current Grand Cadaver drummer Daniel Liljeqvist on, uh, […]

I generally like to think myself a pretty positive kind of guy – or at least, I try not to add any more negativity to the world than what already exists (and I think we can all certainly agree, it’s already too much). To date, I can only recall one album review I’ve ever done […]

I’m gonna come right out and say right at the start – I agree with Hank Hill on a lot of fronts. Not all, of course – Arlen’s favorite son certainly has an irremovable stick up his ass about a lot of things that, really, are just silly. But when it comes to Christian Rock, […]

It’s amazing the perspective you gain in life when you find someone you truly want to spend your life with – that person you feel you were always meant to be with. For those of you who haven’t found that person yet, I apologize for throwing that in your face right out the gate here, […]

Listen, it’s nice when you discover an album, and it just blows you the hell away, right? Be it with originality, technical mastery or creative genius – the kind of album where you get a sense you’re listening to something special, a new benchmark upon which all releases after will be judged. Especially if it’s […]

As human beings, there’s a certain amount of structure we all crave in our lives. Perhaps some more than others, sure, but even the most ardent agents of chaos amongst us still rely on the wick of that stick of dynamite lighting and leading to detonation. I can’t imagine The Joker would find it so […]

I know that a lot of you out there are ready for the oncoming warmer weather – and to be fair, there’s certain aspects of the summer that I do certainly look forward to. The fishing, the hiking, the outdoor cooking – you’ll get no argument from me that these are just some of the […]

Far be it from me to understand  how or why certain bands make it bigger than others, why artists deserving of much more in the way of accolades and acclaim just never quite rise to certain levels of success. I’m sure the truth is probably that any number of factors come into play, not the […]

Certain things will always bring me back to my adolescence, like every time I see a 90s Dodge Caravan (my first car), eating a chicken cutlet wedge (that was just a thing where I grew up, I dunno), seeing someone wear a studded belt, or gods help me, if I ever have a chance to […]

In my limited experience with the Carolinas, one of the many things I’ve learned is to be real careful when and where to expose your more heretical impulses (though I suppose this is becoming increasingly true just about everywhere in America). We’re generally talking a bunch of folks whose love for Jesus is only surpassed […]

By this point ya’ll probably know my theory about the world of Traditional Heavy Metal, where bands do battle in my own mind in an attempt to claim the throne of Heavy Metal supremacy. Again, I will not apologize for my own stupidity, this is just who I am. But here’s the thing – in […]

When life throws you a lemon, you’re supposed to make lemonade, right? Take a sour situation, and make something sweet. Find the good in the bad. Take an unforeseen opportunity to do something new, different, maybe even exciting and vibrant! That’s certainly one way to handle life’s curveballs. Probably the healthiest way! But there’s always […]

I mean… what a name, right?? Look, I know that these Norwegian Grind/D-Beat/Punk Rockers ain’t exactly new to the block – in fact they’ve been menacing their way around the world of extreme music for over a decade at this point, but that moniker – I don’t care how many times I see it. Every […]

I’ve mentioned this more than once on this site (most recently on my review for Megaton Sword‘s excellent Might & Power), but I take great pleasure in imagining the world of Traditional Heavy Metal as an endless sea of mighty warriors clashing in righteous battle for the right to sit upon the throne of Heavy Metal and […]

Given recent efforts I’ve reviewed from the likes of In Flames and Hellripper, the topic of bands evolving and following their own artistic journeys has certainly been at the forefront of my mind – and I will gladly defend, ’til the day I die, any band’s right to continue pushing forward and exploring new avenues […]

While I guess it’s fair to say 2020 will be remembered for… other reasons… I, personally, will remember it as a year that saw the battle for modern Heavy Metal supremacy really get into full swing. Glorious, chainmailed, axe-wielded swing. There were the up-and-coming warriors like Black Soul Horde, Stygian Crown and Meurtrières entering the arena to […]

If you were to ask me right here and now what my 5 favorite metal bands of all time were, without hesitation I’d mention Amon Amarth amongst that list. And while I certainly have my preferred era of the band’s sound (With Oden On Our Side through Surtur Rising are untouchable, in my mind), there really isn’t an era […]

It stand to reason that with each new album an artist creates, the goal is to showcase the best, most authentic version of themselves. Make no mistake, that doesn’t mean that we, the listeners, have to like the output; but even in those cases where a new album may fall flat on the ears of […]

Imagine, if you would, finding a way to beat the odds and make a legitimate career for yourself in music. Dope! You’ve already lived out the dream of myriads of artists around the world. But not only are you making a living, you’re literally spearheading an entire musical movement – laying a foundation and becoming […]

I’m gonna be honest – there’s a lot about Sweden’s Knogjärn that, at first glance, I really wasn’t sure about. I’m the first to admit, I can sometimes be a judgemental shit. I’m working on it. But as I looked at the band, their heavy usage of brass knuckle images led to the sneaking suspicion […]