Category: Features
Alestorm – Sailing Back Through Time
The article was originally written by Rae Amitay. Since the 2006 release of their first album, Captain Morgan’s Revenge, Alestorm has been simultaneously delighting, confusing, and impressing audiences around the world. Their third collection of …
Novembers Doom – A Bright Spot In The Darkness
Chicago-based death/doom maestros Novembers Doom released their eighth full-length record on May 10 — the beautifully crushing Aphotic. The album continues down the band’s path of top-tier dark metal, with some of their best and …
Argus: An Interview With Brian “Butch” Balich
It’s been heavy metal’s consistent predilection towards exploring dark themes and pushing extremes that’s pulled so many of us into its tractor beam over these many long years. But during those golden moments of the …
Blackguard – Dressed To Kill Review
Originally written by Sasha Horn. I had seen Blackguard perform once, not so long ago. And it was in one word, explosive. Lots of hair flailing, leather legs up on monitors, and fist-pumping against the night air thick …
Metalmorphoses: Shifting The Paradigm, Pt. 3
Because heavy metal bands change direction and because heavy metal fans stake whole pieces of themselves on the results, the Last Rites staffers have been sharing their thoughts on some of the transition albums that …
Metalmorphoses: Shifting The Paradigm, Pt. 2
A band in transition can be a daunting prospect for fans — the results can just as easily be disastrous as transcendent. In Part One of this three-part Metalmorphoses feature, the Last Rites staff began …
Metalmorphoses: Shifting The Paradigm, Pt. 1
Like you, the devout and steadfast metal fan, we at Last Rites take very seriously and personally our relationships with the bands we love. Invested heavily with emotion in the musical manifestations of our very identities, …
Everygrey Is Nevergrey: Optimism With Mr. Englund
Originally written by Sasha Horn Tom S. Englund emailed me about three months ago, out of the blue. Could this be a belated rockstar-hate-mail response to a couple of jabs I took in my review …