All posts by Captain

Last Rites Co-Owner; Senior Editor; That was my skull!

The Chasm – The Scars Of A Lost Reflective Shadow Review

A bear, Salvator Rosa, and the two old guys from the Muppets walk into a bar… Wait… Before we go there, let’s get serious. Line up ten veteran bands and ask them to regale you

Rigorous Institution – Cainsmarsh Review

Portland’s Rigorous Institution first hit my radar via the ever impressive efforts of Last Rites’ alum Craig Hayes and his dauntless study of all things crust, grind, punk, D-beat, et cetera In Crust We Trust,

Serpentent – Mother Of Light Review

[Cover artwork by Anne K. O’Neill] —The sounds of a heaving ocean joined by the familiar creak of a gnarled ship // An ol’ sea dog barely lit by a weary lantern flame recounts a

Beyond Mortal Dreams – Abomination Of The Flames Review

[Artwork by Seeming Watcher] I’m sure at some point the Roman empire enjoyed such a ludicrous level of prosperity that wealthy statesmen binned roasted peacock for not looking… graceful enough, and perhaps even flicked moderately

Static Abyss – Labyrinth Of Veins Review

[Artwork by All Things Rotten] The Great American Music Hall is a famous venue in San Francisco that launched in the early 1900s as a fine dining establishment / bordello before turning to music in

Fer De Lance – The Hyperborean Review

[Artwork by Adam Burke / Nightjar Illustration] Listening to the debut full-length from Chicago’s Fer de Lance is akin to witnessing the epic origin story for the US interpretation of Germany’s Atlantean Kodex, but with

Bjørn Riis’ Everything To Everyone, And A Reminder Of The Unique Greatness Of Pink Floyd

When it comes to commonplace tropes in storytelling, the line between a blessing and a curse can get thorny pretty quick. If you’re a fan of the fantasy genre, for example, you are at risk

Hällas – Isle Of Wisdom Review

[Artwork by Lena Richter & Maldo Illustration] It must be strange to be a weird band facing curious obstacles in this bizarre world. Even stranger if you jump from the gate as an eccentric band