Borknagar – Winter Thrice Review
Originally written by K. Scott Ross. I have a very particular idea in mind of what makes a good Borknagar album: the listener should be able — perhaps even compelled — to sing along to …
Lycus – Chasms Review
With Chasms, Oakland quartet Lycus has presented us with a rarity in the highly specialized sub-genre of funeral doom. The record deals in the usual shades of brown, grey, and otherwise grimey tonal and lyrical palette that’s become …
Sunn O))) – Kannon Review
It’s been 6 long years since the last proper Sunn O))) record, 2009’s Monoliths and Dimensions. That album brought forth some significant embellishments to Sunn O)))’s core formula of dreary and oppressive drone, and was one of their …
Deafheaven – New Bermuda Review
As my second contribution to the Last Rites review catalogue so far, it’s unlikely that I could’ve picked a more divisive band to discuss than San Francisco’s Deafheaven. In this case, my remaining words must be deliberately and …
Amok – Necrospiritual Deathcore Review
Originally written by K. Scott Ross. Sometimes you can judge an album pretty accurately at a single glance. For example, if your band is called Goatbush and your album is called We Are the Goat Rapers and …
Zgard – Totem Review
Originally written by K. Scott Ross. Last year, I wrote that I hoped that Yaromisl, the mind behind one-man Ukranian black/folk band Zgard, would “take a little time off from cranking out material in order to …
Temple Of Baal – Mysterium Review
Originally written by K. Scott Ross. Temple of Baal are a black/death metal quartet from Paris on Agonia records. One of their guitarists plays live guitars for Aosoth and Antaeus. The founding member of Temple of Baal, Amduscias, was …
Behold! The Monolith – Architects Of The Void Review
The last record by California sludge/stoner group Behold! The Monolith, 2012’s Defender/Redeemist, showed a lot of promise. The LP, which was independently released, really hinted that the band was ready to break out and do some serious …