Generally Impressed With Riffs
[Cover art by Jef Whitehead] Cognizance’s In Light, No Shape serves as a useful reminder that when it comes to our musical preferences, our whats are subservient to our whys. If, for example, you are a fan of the early …
[Cover artwork by Michael Cloutier] Prog, of course, is known for technical musicianship and songwriting complexity above all else, a reputation well-earned by the early giants of the genre and happily maintained by their progeny ever since. It’s also true …
[Cover artwork by Timbul Cahyono] In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit that I’ve always found the concept of the split to be flawed. It works best when there’s a shared theme or the band’s involved cover each …
[Cover art by Mars Triumph] Petrichor, the sixth full length album from Greece’s epic metal stalwarts Battleroar, commences with the sound of rain and an invitation to reflect. That word, “petrichor,” is a relatively new one (coined by scientists in …
[Photo copyright Ingrid Aas 2018] Last week Ulver played their first ever shows in the U.S. at New York’s Irving Plaza. The set on night one was entirely comprised of songs from the band’s wonderful …
[Released March 24th, 1979 through Bronze Records. Artwork by Joe Petagno] I suppose you could consider yourself a metal fan and not hold Motörhead in the highest and loudest regard, but that sure would make …
“Album Of The Day” is a Last Rites Facebook feature we started whose purpose is quite straight-forward: highlight one album per day and say a few words about it. Understanding that not everyone chooses to …
The first thing you’ll likely notice upon jumping into Curse of the Sky is a fairly different approach to production; the overall sound here is bass-forward, pleasantly cushy and not unlike something you might expect …
Although it’s doubtful whether there ever existed a music industry business model as homogenized as the popular imagination has it, it’s equally doubtless that in 2019, nobody anywhere has any goddamn idea what music looks …
There’s a lot to be said for first impressions, especially in an age where new releases are coming out faster than listeners can possibly hear them all. This first impression could be one of many …
You don’t have to be a D&D dork to love symphonic power metal. There’s nothing that says that, in order to enjoy Rhapsody of Fire, you have to have memorized a monster manual or enjoyed …
I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that Last Rites is slowly transitioning from metal to punk. Thanks to our very own Craig Hayes, we recently had a multiple volume crust feature that will now …
