Astra – The Black Chord Review
Albums like Astra’s The Black Chord reveal just how much the music industry has changed over the last 40 years. (I say 40 because that was about when progressive rock started flourishing.) Big, expansive, epic …
Municipal Waste – The Fatal Feast Review
Seven years ago, Municipal Waste’s now-classic Hazardous Mutation burst out as part of the big thrash revival — “revival” meaning “popular with the kids again,” since thrash never really went away. Hazardous was exactly what legions of bullet-belted youths were …
Angel Witch – As Above, So Below Review
While not quite the please don’t suck case that say, the new Van Halen was, a new Angel Witch album certainly falls under the umbrella of only being welcome if it’s good. Or if it …
Woods Of Ypres – Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light Review
To be perfectly honest, taking on Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light was a bit of a daunting task. Not only were there the questions over Woods of Ypres founder David Gold’s passing, but …
Death – Vivus! Review
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been sittin’ ‘round the old turntable with some scraggly buds of yours and someone said something to this effect: “Fuck I wish I’d have been around when <INSERT DEFUNCT BAND …
Metallica – Beyond Magnetic Review
Metallica just doesn’t understand how to stay in our good graces. By most accounts, 2008’s Death Magnetic was a very long-awaited return to form for the Biggest Metal Band in the World. The production was a …
Nekromantheon – Rise, Vulcan Spectre Review
Confession: I occasionally take on albums because I think something nice and conventional will be an easy write-up; a type of critical palate-cleanser between the more exploratory and adventurous stuff out there. And 90 percent …
Corrosion Of Conformity – Corrosion Of Conformity Review
There might not be a bigger mystery in metal right now than the absence-but-not-departure of Pepper Keenan from Corrosion of Conformity. He’s still in the band, but he isn’t recording or playing live (regularly) with …