Generally Impressed With Riffs
[Album artwork by James Koehnline] As much as I love and appreciate the fact that my metal foundation was fortified by growing up alongside the genre in the ‘80s as a youth, I owe a great deal of my undying …
[Cover art by Fenomeno Design] Did you know that Chile is pretty darn good at death metal? If not, you must be new around these parts, in which case, I say, welcome friend! We’re glad to have you here and …
It’s a magical corner of the musical world where a band can combine an infectious nature with extreme oddness, and it’s in that corner that Idaho’s Seven Chains makes their home. Make no mistake about it, third album Swollen, In …
[Cover art by Claudio Elias Scialabba] Italy’s Into Darkness has been a band for approximately 15 years but is just now releasing its first full length album, Route to the Other Side, but all that time has been greatly beneficial …
[Cover artwork by Oskari Räsänen] Iron Griffin’s Storm of Magic is one of the mightiest true metal albums you’ll encounter in 2022. [[KLAXON]] Just what the hell do you mean by “true” metal, you bastard. …
“But metal must be evil!” they wailed, fingers clutching their obsidian pearls. “It’s about darkness and despair!” they protested, all the while missing the true power that lies within the heart of the music. Certainly, heavy …
There’s something strangely exotic about a band as committed to its aesthetic as Sabaton. Appreciating the differences from one album to the next is less about stylistic shifts than about pace and tone. Not that …
If I were forced to pick a single word to describe Messa’s third album, Close – just one word – it would be patient. Don’t mistake me: Messa’s doom is not slow or directionless or …
[Artwork by SeventhBell / Jack Welch] We all have those certain bands we champion like heroes and attempt to push into the lives of virtually anyone lucky enough to coexist in our sphere. And when …
[Cover art by Adam Burke] BIG There is no shortage of styles of music or bands that want to make their songs feel and sound big. Common approaches to doing so include adding orchestral elements, …
Затхлий запах смерті Приніс з собою вітер Лише холод і туга безкрая У небі роїться круків зграя Вся земля вагітна мерцями – svrm, “Земля вагітна мерцями” The musty smell of death Wind brought with him Only …
Borrowing the HM2 buzzsaw fuzz predominantly associated with Swedish death metal, these Belgians describe their style as “chainsaw grind.” Given the death/grind carving contained on Cursed To Walk This Earth, I suppose that’s as good …
