Category: Features
Friday The 13th Meets Metal – The Dumbest Thing You’ll Read Today
Originally written by Ian Chainey If you’re like me, you’ll spend today softly weeping in bed while listening to culture podcasts since it’s your only link to a social life. If you’re like the idealized …
Last Rites’ Best Of 2013 – Combined Staff List
This is the end of the line. Well, not really. There’s still a full two weeks left in the year, and you’re still bracket-busting your way towards crowning a Metal Madness 2013 tournament champion. But as …
A Devil’s Dozen – Emperor
Metal fans often seem to have problems deciding what constitutes “true black metal.” Is it lo-fi production and satanic lyrics? Perhaps it’s tremolo guitar riffs and non-stop blast beats. Whatever the essential elements may be, …
Drone On… You Crazy Fucking Diamond
originally written by Craig Hayes I understand that plenty of folk think a lengthy tune that sheds its hook gets real boring, real fast. That’s fair enough. Metal’s already drowning in the briny depths of …
Is It Worth It? – YOB’s Catharsis: Masters of the Remaster Debate the Reissue
On November 12th, Profound Lore reissued YOB’s sophomore full-length Catharsis nearly ten years to date of its original release. With a spiffy sound courtesy of Tad Doyle and a much-needed art design update thanks to people with functioning eyeballs, Catharsis 2.0 looks …
Keep it Short, Stupid- EP Round-Up: November 2013 Part 1
Trying to keep up with all of 2013’s releases is like committing to a filthy second job. Well, your old pals here at Last Rites are ever-so willing to walk directly into the line of …
5Q5A – Activator: A NYHC Roar To Score
Originally written by Ian Chainey Activator, a Brooklyn-based hardcore slash thrash crossover killer, doesn’t recycle the past. Despite an album cover depicting the pre-Rudy horrors of subway Hell-trains, burly breakdowns built in the image of …
To The Furnace With The Fab Four! – The Beatles Done Heavy
It’s very hard to find someone who doesn’t like The Beatles. Rather, it’s very hard to find someone who doesn’t like The Beatles and isn’t just stating their dislike out of some sort of forced …